By 2015, West Virginia ranks first in the nation in the percentage of residents who start a business.

Vision Shared believes West Virginia requires an “entrepreneurial revolution” that will focus public attention on the role of business innovators in a dynamic and growing economy.

Small businesses, whether started from scratch in a garage or spun out from larger corporations, account for 99.1 percent of all firms in the United States. They pay 45 percent of all private payrolls and generate 60-80 percent of all new jobs according to the U.S. Department of Commerce.

West Virginia has the opportunity to shape a prosperous future. Building a strong support system for facilitating entrepreneurship is critical for success. Local level entrepreneurial activity is increasing statewide, and community groups are forming to encourage innovation. These efforts must become state level initiatives. The key role of comprehensive entrepreneurship education must be promoted; existing and new business initiators must have the financing, facilities, and training they need; and West Virginia must become a place where the value of entrepreneurial effort is recognized by the population in general.

Vision Shared is dedicated to generating the enthusiasm and supporting the policies which will allow entrepreneurship in our state to thrive.

Click here to review the full white paper, Entrepreneurship in West Virginia by Dr. Cal Kent, Marshall University.