Small Businesses, Big Impact: Honoring Conroe’s Entrepreneurs

Large corporations carry significant weight in economic development discussions. Development professionals know bringing a major employer to town will reliably generate headlines and build excitement. However, savvy developers also understand that such large-scale employers are only part of the equation, and not necessarily the most significant part. Conroe Economic Development Corporation (CEDC) has long recognized the value of a thriving small-business community. As we celebrate National Entrepreneurship Month in November, we are proud to pay tribute to the hard-working owners who have pushed through long nights and uncertain futures to build businesses and create employment opportunities. 

The reality is that, while small, local businesses may not capture the imagination in the same way as their national and international counterparts, they are essential to growing a job market. Consider, for example, that small businesses were responsible for more than 70% of net new jobs created between 2019 and 2024, or that fully half of Americans who work for a private business work for a small business. This isn’t just a recent trend, either. The U.S. Small Business Administration found that small businesses have accounted for two-thirds of jobs added to the economy in the past 25 years. 

Perhaps just as important, small-business owners are often among the first to give back when their community needs support. According to NFIB, 90% of small-business owners have financially supported community or civic groups, charities, or youth sports programs in the city where they operate. Another 76% of business owners reported volunteering their time in the community, and 63% stated that they provided in-kind contributions to local community groups and charities. 

Supporting small business 

Whatever your metric, small businesses and the entrepreneurs who build them improve life in their community. CEDC values those contributions, and we have several programs in place to help small businesses thrive. For example:

• We offer an entrepreneur resource page that connects business owners to a network of support, including the Conroe/Lake Conroe Chamber of Commerce, local colleges that can help ensure future workers have the necessary skills, and the local chapter of the U.S. Small Business Administration.
• Our business resources page provides support to help small-business owners address challenges and act quickly when they see opportunities for growth.
• We connect business owners to a broad range of local, county, and state incentives that can support expansion efforts.
• Our small-business assistance and intelligence tool makes it easy for business owners to measure their performance, identify and connect with customers, optimize marketing and advertising, and analyze demographics.  

A foundation for success

From manufacturing to food service, entrepreneurs build their businesses on an idea, a dream and countless hours of often thankless work. By creating jobs, attracting new residents and giving back to the community they make a strong and growing business community possible. 
To learn more about how CEDC supports entrepreneurs, contact us today.