Small businesses are big in Ohio: in numbers, impact and employees.  

There are nearly 1 million small businesses in the state, making up 99.6 % of businesses and employing 43.8 % of Ohio workers.   

Small businesses truly drive Ohio’s economy. 

“Small businesses are incredibly important to this region and our overall economy,” says Megan Kim, Executive Director of the Council of Smaller Enterprises (COSE).  “Owners are highly motivated to build their business, create jobs and strength our overall community.” 

COSE, the small business arm of the Greater Cleveland Partnership – the nation’s largest chamber of commerce with 12,000+ members – has been supporting small businesses since 1972. The organization formed as a grassroots response to a 1970 Ohio truckers strike that paralyzed small businesses across the state. In response, more than 200 small business owners banded together. Their “March on City Hall” put the spotlight on the need for a unified voice for Greater Cleveland small businesses, inspiring the creation of COSE within the Greater Cleveland Growth Association in 1972.  

Nationwide, small businesses are just a significant, making up 99.9 % of all business and employing 45.9 % of American workers. 

“Small businesses stimulate the economy – they are vital to its existence. 
Whether the mom-and-pop store or a restaurant or a salon, small businesses keep the economy flowing,” says Dr.  John G. Turner, SBA Cleveland District Director. 

This week, the SBA will celebrate the importance of these independent businesses during National Small Business Week (NSBW), April 28 - May 4. 

For more than 60 years, the SBA has celebrated NSBW to acknowledge the critical contributions to the economy of America’s entrepreneurs.  

Activities include in-person events, an awards ceremony and a virtual summit on a variety of business topics.  

COSE's Executive Director Megan Kim, Board Chair Cheryl Perez and former Board Chair Tim Opsitnick.

Cleveland Events 

Cleveland Small Business Block Party: Small Biz Block Party - Cleveland, OH Tickets, Sat, May 4, 2024 at 11:00 AM | Eventbrite 

Akron Small Business Resource Fair: Small Business Resource Fairs | ECDI 

Virtual Summit: Virtual summit | U.S. Small Business Administration (sba.gov) 

2024 National Small Business Week and Lender Awards for Northern Ohio: Microsoft Virtual Events Powered by Teams  

 

Small businesses, big impact 

Topping off the Cleveland SBA District Office’s week of events is their 2024 awards ceremony on Tuesday, where Clevelander Shakorie Davis will be honored as the SBA Northern Ohio Company of the Year for his Next Generation Construction business. Launched in 2009 by Davis and his wife, today Next Generation has more than 90 employees. 

It wasn’t always an easy path. The first iteration failed but Davis - trained as carpenter - was not deterred. He stepped back, worked for another company in a construction office to learn more about the business side, and started again. 

Perseverance was imperative. He was drawn to construction when he saw a school being built in his east side community – and “nobody on that project looked like me.” 

“Nobody from the community worked on that project, so I always wanted to make a difference. That's really what made me gravitate to the construction arena.” 

Next Generation Construction has grown into the sixth largest minority-owned business in the region.  

“This year we'll probably gravitate to $40 million and five years from now, I think we'll probably be an $80 - $100 million company,” says Davis. 

But it’s not just about the financials, he says. 

“I love to see diverse contractors. Most of the time, we don't get those opportunities to go inside and see how that infrastructure is built, because in the construction industry it is usually generation after generation after generation.”  

 “I think we're extremely inspirational.” 

Making an impact beyond economics was also a driver in Laura Steinbrink’s decision to found Emerald Built Environments sustainability consultants in 2008. 

“There was a clear gap in the market and something that I was seeing being filled in other parts of the country and so I started a firm to do that,” says Steinbrink.   

She hired her first part-time employee in 2009.  Today she has 11 employees and has enhanced 1,659 businesses across more than 40 states plus businesses in other countries, and touched more than 266 spaces in Cleveland. 

Growth wasn’t easy at first.  

“Back in the 2000s, sustainability was much more of a driver on the coast and companies and people knew about it.  Then in 2008, the recession started and there were challenges and economic hardships. But we managed to find our niche and grow.” 

Listening to clients is key for any small business, she says. 

“You should constantly be checking in with your clients and understanding why they're hiring you because it may not be directly obvious, but those are your opportunities for growth.” 

Small businesses are more important than ever to the Ohio economy, says COSE’s Kim. 

“Last year was close to a record-breaking year for business creation in Ohio. More people are becoming entrepreneurs.  That is both the result of the pandemic and people looking at different career paths and the fact that a lot of younger generations are more drawn to entrepreneurship. 

“The business world is rapidly changing, and Small Business Week is a reminder of the importance of celebrating and supporting these businesses that define our community.”  

 

COSE's Chain Reaction is a small business pitch competition.

Small Businesses By the Numbers 

Ohio Small Business stats 

• 989,435 small businesses in Ohio 
• 99.6 percent of Ohio businesses  
• 2.2 million small business employees  
• 43.8 percent of Ohio employees work for small businesses 

Cleveland-Elyria region stats 

• 197,690 small businesses 
• 99.1 percent of businesses 
• 432,653 small business employees 
• 46.7 percent of employees 

U.S. Small Business stats 

• 33.3 million small businesses in the U.S. 
• 99.9 percent of U.S. businesses 
• 61.6 million small business employees in the U.S. 
• 45.9 percent of U.S. employees 

 

Small Business Resources 

COSE Home - COSE 

Cleveland | U.S. Small Business Administration (sba.gov)