Business Insider Gregg Stebben talked to Bill about How the city of Des Moines chills entrepreneurship in 66 steps The process can be like death by a thousand cuts. No single step is fatal in isolation, but the cumulative effect can be overwhelming.
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"Don't Be Des Moines."
That's the point of this article in the local Des Moine Register newspaper:
Opinion: How the city of Des Moines chills entrepreneurship in 66 steps
The process can be like death by a thousand cuts.
No single step is fatal in isolation, but the cumulative effect can be overwhelming.
https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/opinion/columnists/2022/02/16/des-moines-chills-entrepreneurship-66-steps/6727507001/
And here's why we should we be talking about Des Moine in Cleveland:
1. In Des Moines, if you want to open a restaurant you have to complete a 66-step process that includes:
* Filling out 12 forms
* Paying 10 fees
* Making 8 in-person visits to government offices
* Interacting with 6 different city and state agencies.
How about in Cleveland?
2. In Des Moines, if you want to open a barber shop you have to complete a 64-step process that includes:
* Filling out 11 forms
* Paying 11 fees
* Making 9 in-person visits to government offices
* Interacting with 6 different city and state agencies.
How about in Cleveland?
3. In Des Moines, if you want to open a simple retail store with minimal health or safety risks you have to complete a 22-step process that includes:
* Filling out 6 forms
* Paying 4 fees
* Making 3 in-person visits to government offices
* Interacting with 7 different city and state agencies.
How about in Cleveland?
4. What's the first lesson we should all learn from this?
Right. Don't be Des Moines.
But maybe Cleveland is just like Des Moines, or even worse.
If your city leaders in Cleveland are smart, they will take a close look at Des Moines and figure out how to make it as easy as possible for new businesses to launch.
5. Why should we care about what's going on in Des Moines, and how Cleveland compares?
Because the economic health of your community depends on small businesses.
When you make it easy for small businesses to launch, you help with job creation, local tax creation, and create a vibrant community.
6. What can we as small business owners, managers and others do to make sure Cleveland is as small-business friendly as possible?
Share this article from the Des Moine Register on social media and tag your local leaders.
Get your company to share the story too.
Be sure to include an attention-getting headline like:
"Hey, Cleveland...don't be like Des Moines!"