Garry A. Camarano
Garry A. Camarano

The common belief among most Americans is that “Corporate America” is the key to creating jobs.

It has long been a common assumption that small business does not contribute a large share to the employment outlook of the U.S. It is a fact, however, that in the last 15 years, “Corporate America” has not contributed one net job to the employment picture of this country.

Small businesses serve as important contributors to the economies of many of the nation’s communities. Between 1995 and 2013, second-stage companies (those with 10 to 99 employees and past the startup phase) comprised only 13 percent of U.S. establishments, but generated 35 percent of all jobs and about 35.4 percent of sales.

Several of our region’s economic development organizations have come together and created a program to assist the area’s existing, second-stage growth companies to expand and grow their businesses. It, spearheaded by the Whiteside County Economic Development Department and Sauk Valley Community College’s…