People hoping to become their own boss know the roadblocks involved in starting their own business, especially in today's tight economy. However, a new survey has found that more than a quarter of Maryland's residents have started their own company. According to the On Entrepreneurism: A Statewide Survey of Business Owners conducted by the research firm Opinion Works, 28% of Marylanders have owned or operated their own business, with close to half directly involved with a new company at some point in their career. Governor Martin O'Malley said the survey found that many business owners had a diverse background of work and educational experience on their resume. "We are fortunate to have within our State so many innovative self-starters, small and micro businesses, and rapidly growing gazelle firms that are an important part of our diverse business community," O'Malley noted. "The results of this survey will help guide our efforts, both through policy and programs, to provide the resources, support and infrastructure needed to sustain and advance Maryland's entrepreneur community so together we can create the next generation of companies and jobs." The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports approximately 2.5 million jobs in the U.S. were created by new establishments in 2010. |