"The Role of Small Businesses in Job Creation (What that Suggests about Economic Development in Rock Hill)"

Rock Hill Economic Development Director Stephen Turner gave an impressive update to an audience of about 25 small business owners. He showed graphs and explained that between 2001 and 2008, jobs had decreased in large businesses in York County. During that same time period, small businesses had added about 15,000 from 2001 to 2008 (County Business Patterns). Turner showed that small businesses were responsible for 100% of the net employment growth in York County between 2000 and 2008 (Edward Lowe Foundation from Dun and Bradstreet databases).

Turner also discussed the traditional model of economic development, recruiting large companies, as well as a new model called economic gardening where Stage 2 small businesses (those with 10 - 99 employees) are helped to grow by providing them with data and research support.