5/08/2026

UPPER MICHIGAN – This week was National Small Business Week as entrepreneurship continues to surge in Michigan. The Great Lakes State is home to almost 950-thousand small businesses, accounting for almost all businesses in the state. Nationally, more than 36-million small businesses employ nearly half the workforce, with many launching at a lower cost thanks to digital tools. Alison Todak with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation says there's never been a better time to start your business.

                    0:13  "If you've had an idea you've been sitting on, there are more tools available through technology, through resources that the state provides, more appetite, and I think more accessibility to a global market to really get your business off the ground."

 Todak says everything from website builders to payment platforms and artificial intelligence tools are making it faster and cheaper to launch a business, setting the stage for competition.