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For the third year in a row, Thumbtack.com has partnered with the Kauffman Foundation to survey small businesses nationwide. With this particular survey, the goal is to learn what small businesses believe is a healthy political a regulatory climate by having them rate how it is to do business where they live. The survey aims to learn what creates a healthy, vibrant local business environment by asking owners & operators about these issues in the cities where they live.

Categories on the survey include:

Overall Friendliness – “In general, how would you rate your state’s support of small business owners?”

Ease of Starting a Business – “How difficult or easy do you think it is to start a business in your state?”

Ease of Hiring – “How difficult or easy is it to hire a new employee at your business?”

Regulations – “How unfriendly or friendly is your state or local government about business regulations generally?”

Health & Safety – “How unfriendly or friendly is your state or local government about health and safety regulations?”

Employment, Labor, & Hiring – “How unfriendly or friendly is your state or local government about employment, labor and hiring regulations?”

Tax Code – “How unfriendly or friendly is your state or local government about tax code and tax-related regulations?”

Licensing – “How unfriendly or friendly is your state or local government about licensing forms, requirements, and fees?”

Environmental – “How unfriendly or friendly is your state or local government about environmental regulations?”

Zoning – “How unfriendly or friendly is your state or local government about zoning or land use regulations?”

Training & Networking Programs – “Does your state or local government offer helpful training or networking programs for small business owners?”

According to Thumbtack, some of the key findings for Houston include:

  • Houston is the second easiest city in the country for starting a business.
  • Five Texas cities made the top ten for overall business friendliness – Houston (#3), Austin (#4), Dallas (#6), Fort Worth (#7), and San Antonio (#8).
  • This is the second year in a row that Houston has earned an A+ grade for its friendliness to small business.
  • Male business owners were significantly more optimistic about the local economy than female business owners, reporting scores that were 6 percent higher than their female counterparts.
  • 60 percent of Houston business owners report they are happy with the level of taxes they pay.

For more information about the survey & to review its full methodology and analysis the link below:

2014 Thumtack.com Small Business Friendliness Survey: Methodology & Analysis