Our goal is to make Winston-Salem and Forsyth County the best place to start and grow a business – nationwide. It’s a common goal shared by many partners working together to make it happen, as you heard from Inmar CEO, David Mounts, at the Chamber’s 134th Annual Meeting.
The vehicle for achieving the goal is our Entrepreneurial Ecosystem. Dozens of entities have created a clear, concise, and actionable pathway to success for anyone with a business idea to find support through the inception, growth, and scale phases of their startup journey. It’s a network unlike any other in the US, and it is gaining momentum.
This year, Winston-Salem ranked first in the country tied with Charlotte and Austin, TX for the highest growth in startup companies, number four on a list of the best cities to start a small business, and has received numerous other accolades from various online sources. Since August 2017, Winston-Salem has led the way in job growth among similar-sized metros at 3.9%.
The momentum is real. With announced expansions like Cook Medical and Truliant Federal Credit Union, we are not slowing down. Our business community and educational institutions are in lockstep to continue the pace of growth. Programs like the Hope and Opportunity Scholarships, which will allow every Winston-Salem/Forsyth County graduate that needs help the chance to attend Forsyth Tech, are creating real change. So are many other educational partnerships announced this year.
Our future is bright in Winston-Salem and our time is now. It is time to reimagine our future and focus on what’s next.
Let’s create it, together.