Carl Schramm on "Joe the Entrepreneur"

Carl Schramm's non-partisan commentary on "Joe the Plumber" at CNN.com has many tell-tale nuggets about our state of thinking at Kauffman right now.

Today, roughly one-third of our GDP growth is attributable to about 1,000 high-growth firms created every year. Even though there are fewer than 30,000 such firms, they account for nearly all the job growth in our economy. Whatever we do, we cannot afford to scare off those who would start these companies.

Yet that may be what's happening. Nearly half of our survey respondents reported seeing entrepreneurial opportunities in the current economy, but only a little more than one-quarter said they would consider seizing them within the next five years, down from 35 percent when we asked this question in December.

Seventy-one percent said that in today's economic climate, it has become more difficult to start a business. That's a statistic we should all worry about.

Here's why: If, instead of 1,000 new high-growth firms starting next year, we only start 500 or 250, the lost gain from this shortfall will never be retrieved.

Read the whole thing here.

Comments

[Sophia]

Hi Tim
I couldn't get through on the number you gave me. I just wanted to check in with you about the interview for Tuesday! Please call me at 202-446-7679.
Thanks!

Sophia