The Open for Business Index

Yesterday, we released the names of the 10 Best and Worst States for Business in our Open for Business Index. Today, for the first time, we are releasing the entire list of the Open for Business Index rankings. On the chart below, you can find your state.

If you’re a business owner, consider how well your state is serving you. Are taxes low? Does your state produce educated citizens who are healthy enough to show up to work each day? Is your state’s infrastructure capable of transporting your goods to market efficiently? Is your state’s cost of living so high you have to pay your employees top dollar just so they can afford to survive? Do the laws in your state put you at risk for massive damages should something go wrong with one of your products?

The index gives employees something to consider as well. Of the top 10 states, all protect citizens from forced unionization with a right-to-work law, and none of the 10 worst do. Right-to-work laws eliminate the union middlemen who want to take a cut of your paycheck in order for you to get a job. And a low cost of living is of as much or more importance to the employee as to the employer. Education and health are also brought to a company via its employees. Does your state adequately prepare your children for jobs in school?

If you’re an out-of-work employee or an entrepreneur looking for a place to start a successful business, vote with your feet, your dollars, and your spirit. Give yourself the best chances of being successful by locating your business in one of our 10 Best States for Business.

On the other hand, if you’re a politician in one of the states on the wrong end of our Open for Business Index, consider what you could do better to serve your citizens. Lower taxes, better education and health outcomes, better infrastructure, and protection of citizens from forced unionization via a right-to-work law are all steps you can take today to make your state more competitive.

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E.J. Smith - Your Survival Guy

Preparing your investments and family for when disaster strikes.

E.J. Smith is the Founder of YourSurvivalGuy.com, Managing Director at Richard C. Young & Co., Ltd., a Managing Editor of Richardcyoung.com, and Editor-in-Chief of Youngresearch.com. E.J. graduated from Babson College in Wellesley, Massachusetts, with a B.S. in finance and investments. In 1995, E.J. began his investment career at Fidelity Investments in Boston before joining Richard C. Young & Co., Ltd. in 1998. E.J. has trained at Sig Sauer Academy in Epping, NH, where he completed course-work in Practical and Defensive Handgun, Conceal Carry Pistol, Shotguns, Precision Scope Rifle and Kidnapping Prevention. E.J. plays a Yamaha Recording Custom drum set with Zilldjian cymbals. His first drum set was a 5-piece Slingerland with Zilldjians. He grew-up worshiping Neil Peart of the band Rush, and loves the song Tom Sawyer—the name of his family’s boat, a Grady-White Canyon 306. He grew up in Mattapoisett, MA, an idyllic small town on the water near Cape Cod. He spends time in Newport, RI and Bartlett, NH—both as far away from Wall Street as one could mentally get. The Newport office is on a quiet, tree lined street not far from the harbor and the log cabin in Bartlett, NH, the “Live Free or Die” state, sits on the edge of the White Mountain National Forest. He enjoys spending time in Key West and Paris. Please get in touch with E.J. at ejsmith@youngresearch.com. Sign up here to receive all the best content from Richardcyoung.com each week.