small successes

Dallas-Fort Worth makes top 10 list of U.S. metros to start a small business

Today a small business. Tomorrow, a skyscraper in downtown Dallas.

Photo by R K on Unsplash

Dallasites whose New Year's resolution is to start their own small business will be happy to learn they're in the right city to do it. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington has been ranked the No. 8 best metropolitan area to start a small business in a new report.

The report by personal finance website The Credit Review touts the Metroplex's rapid growth, its diverse economy, and its ever-expanding population among the reasons for its top ranking.

Small business owners in Dallas specifically thrive in the "management of companies and enterprises" sector, with the study calling it "the bread and butter" of the Dallas area's economy. Several large employers have invested in a place like Dallas, while earning high recognition for their efforts in improving the workplace atmosphere for employees.

"Launching a management of companies and enterprises small business [in Dallas-Fort Worth] would be wise considering all the networking opportunities that are available," the report said.

With the shift to remote work, it's now much easier for Dallasites to launch their business than ever before, the report claims. But in order to ensure longevity with a small business, the study suggests launching the venture in a place with the right number of resources and connections.

"The more resources a small business owner has, the better chances they have to succeed," the report says. "This is why, despite the overall shift to a remote-centric world, geographic location matters more than ever for a small business’s long-term success."

Another Texas metro earned the No. 1 spot on the list: Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown. The Central Texas region is also the No. 1 hotspot for businesses in the information services sector, and the arts, entertainment, and recreation industry.

Elsewhere in Texas, Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land ranked No. 22 and San Antonio-New Braunfels ranked No. 32.

The top 10 U.S. metros for starting a small business are:

No. 1 – Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, Texas
No. 2 – Provo-Orem, Utah
No. 3 – Raleigh-Cary, North Carolina
No. 4 – Salt Lake City, Utah
No. 5 – Boise, Idaho
No. 6 – Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin, Tennessee
No. 7 – Jacksonville, Florida
No. 8 – Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas
No. 9 – Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, North Carolina-South Carolina
No. 10 – North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, Florida

The report analyzed the top 100 U.S. metro regions across 10 factors to determine the rankings, including unemployment rates, growth rates, new business success rates, and more.

The full report can be found on thecreditreview.com.

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Sky's the limit

Futuristic air taxis are taking test flights over Dallas-Fort Worth

Photo courtesy of TXDot

Perot Field Fort Worth Alliance Airport served as the launchpad for a statewide air taxi pilot program.

By 2029, Dallas-Fort Worth skies could be buzzing with air taxis, much like they are with drones today.

Perot Field Fort Worth Alliance Airport served as the launchpad for a statewide pilot program that could result in air taxis, self-piloted planes, and vertical take-off-and-landing aircraft permanently buzzing across the skies of Texas.

To kick off the "Project Nexus" pilot program in Texas, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, and Texas Department of Transportation officials attended an event Thursday, September 10 at Fort Worth Alliance. It was the first demonstration in Texas of next-generation aircraft under the pilot program.

Texas is the sixth state to participate in the program.

Air taxi service on the radar for Dallas
The federal government has teamed up with aviation companies BETA Technologies and Joby Aviation as well as the Texas Department of Transportation to develop regional air taxi service in Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, and eventually Houston.

Roger Venables, Fort Worth’s aviation director, told CultureMap in January that he foresees regular air taxi service becoming a reality in the next five years.

On Saturday, September 12, a Joby-made electric air taxi will take a roundtrip flight between Fort Worth Alliance and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport to test flight operations.

Joby says Saturday’s mission will be part of a five-day test involving Fort Worth Alliance and DFW Airport flights, and flights over the Fort Worth Stockyards, Toyota Motor North America’s Plano headquarters, and other sites.

A new facility at Fort Worth Alliance will be Joby’s long-term home for regional flight operations.

Building a 'framework' for electric aircraft
TxDOT said Project Nexus is aimed at creating “a scalable system” to connect urban areas, rural communities, and neighboring states as air mobility technology advances.

In a TxDOT release, Marc Williams, the agency’s executive director, said the pilot program will “build a framework for how electric aircraft could one day connect people, goods, and communities across the state.”

Three-phase project will test flight capabilities
Initial flights in the third-year pilot program won’t carry passengers, according to TxDOT. Instead, the flights will gather data, validate air travel routes, and help improve the safety of air mobility technology.

The first phase of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Project Nexus will feature piloted aircraft such as helicopters and fixed-wing planes. CultureMap previously reported Plano-based VertiPorts by Atlantic, which develops takeoff and landing sites for airplane-helicopter hybrids, would be part of Project Nexus.

The second phase will involve testing airborne medical and cargo logistics. This includes transporting critical medical supplies or donor organs between rural and urban hospitals in the Austin and San Antonio areas.

In the third and final phase, passengers will fly aboard air taxis across the Texas Triangle. Dallas-Fort Worth, Austin, Houston, and San Antonio anchor the triangle.

“In Texas, we don’t wait for the future to arrive, we build it,” Cruz said in the TxDOT release. “The Lone Star State is pushing the boundaries by testing the next generation of aircraft through Project Nexus.”

“These technologies will connect communities, expand access to jobs and services, and strengthen supply chains,” the senator added. “What starts in Texas will help shape the future of aviation throughout the entire country.”

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