SLU is a big reason there are no good jobs to be had in St. Louis to start with. It favours rich St. Louis County students over the residents of the city of St. Louis. Furthermore, SLU adds to the culture of corruption via its support of drunkness and alcohol sales in the St. Louis area. We do not want anymore bars or food service establishments in St. Louis. We are full fledged Americans and are under no obligation to render menial services to anyone especially the drunks at St. Louis area bars. The richest most power organization in St. Louis corrupts the entire city with alcohol. This leads to a respect for thugs who want the thug life. Not only should we not put any good jobs down there we should close the brewery and the bars that spread tyranny down there.

Amen Michael. I’d even take it one step further: Lets bring back Prohibition and just it over with. We should also kick out all our nationally recognized schools and outlaw all religious institutions while we are at it;)

I’m with you two liberals!!! I totally agree, but I’m willing to take it a step further… I think we should outlaw any form of private business whatsoever, because its obvious, we the people are too uneducated to do what is best. Only the politicians should decide whats in our best interests. We need to have complete government takeover of everything. I think people should all be paid the same amount by our almighty government based upon our needs!! Ah, then we’ll get rid of poverty and evil, fat cat, rich, private business owners at the same time!!! Obama!! Obama!! Obama!! Yes We Can!! Yes We Can!!! –I’m Fired Up, I’m Reaady To Go!!!, –I’m Fired UP, I’m Ready To Go!!!

I agree with the article. I believe that if you can “make it here, you can make it anywhere.” I also believe it’s tougher to start a business in St. Louis than New York, LA, etc. There is just less money velocity as people in St. Louis do not have high wages compared to those areas. I’d rather see the researcher do a study of money velocity and job growth.

That is a bunch of Mullarky.

I am aware that Saint Louis University as well as some of the other major universities in town have been looking for ways to create another silicon-valley type of entrepreneurship in St. Louis for about 5 years. Their approach seems to be to try to encourage entrepreneurship within the community. I’m not sure that’s going to work. Individuals are either entrepreneurial by nature or they’re not. It certainly seems that we have enough economic development council type resources to support those who demonstrate that entrepreneurial spirit.

Is the solution, then, to attract entrepreneurs from other parts of the country? Unfortunately, to be attract we need funding sources that are committed to entrepreneurship as well. That requires a level of risk tolerance that I don’t see in the limited “angel investor” and venture capital sources we have here in St. Louis.

I applaud what Strauss and others are trying to do. I just wonder if their efforts should begin with attracting the funding sources these entrepreneurs need before investing time, energy and resources trying to stimulate or attract entrepreneurial activity.

Sorry about the last post, but the first two guys really had me laughing… In all seriousness, Its very simple actually. Why would a small business want to stay in St. Louis, when the tax rate is higher??? I for one would want to open my business in a more “tax-friendly” part of town. Thats the problem with Michigan, Illinois, New York, New Jersey, California and so on and so on…. I wonder if you did a study on Texas and Florida, where the taxes are much, much lower; how the “engine” of economic growth and job creation would look??? –My guess, it would look a whole lot better.

To fix this problem is simple… Lower taxes, stop with the wasteful government spending and rid ourselves of so many of the entitlement programs that are currently in place. By doing that, more and more small business will be created and thus private sector jobs. Its very simple. However, it will never happen as too many people are looking for a “free lunch” and will only vote demacrat, as the democrats have been, “buying” votes forever. –Ooops, did I just say that?? –I must be a racist. Sorry.

Finally, if you think its bad now; just wait until our savior raises taxes, (oopps, sorry, I mean, repeals the Bush tax breaks) and just wait until Cap and Trade…

WWhhhssshhh…–Did you hear that?? –Thats the sound of thousands of jobs going overseas with the creation of the carbon tax… –Obama, Obama, Obama!!

St. Louis business is risk adverse. There is no funding for small businesses that can grow to become large.

I work for a software company that was started in St. Louis. When the founder was looking for funding to begin to accelerate growth, we went with VC’s in the Bay Area. Now our corporate headquarters is in Redwood City, CA as is our Bay Area executives.

St. Louis is 25 to 30 years behind in business.

Cass, you seem to be of the mindset that I was actually being serious. Didn’t you notice my winking emoticon? In all seriousness, as a small business owner in South City, I am always astounded by the opportunities that are just sitting out there for entrepreneurs. With all the cheap commercial properties available in the city (I bought my unique live/work space in Benton park for dirt cheap) it astounds me how few people are taking advantage. Maybe it’s SLU who is keeping the business folk away:)

A downturn in the economy (with layoffs and buy-outs) can sometimes lead to a spike in new business starts. If I recall correctly, St. Louis and Missouri ranked very high nationally in entrepreneurial start-ups back during the defense downsizing and MD/Boeing lay-offs of the 90s. But the difference then was that the State and Federal government was providing some small business assistance. Today, at least at the State level, they are unwilling to make that a priority for spending. Perhaps we all have a role in letting the State know that small business support is the most likely path for economic recovery - and they had better help!