Who Gets the Opportunity as Columbus Grows? Community Says Not Small Businesses
Columbus, OH is growing and growing fast. New development, infrastructure investments, corporate expansions, and public projects are reshaping the region and creating billions of dollars in economic activity.
But during our recent Big Table conversation, “Who Gets the Opportunity as Columbus Grows?”, participants wrestled with a more difficult question: Are local small businesses actually growing alongside Columbus?
For the people in the room, the answer was overwhelmingly no.
The discussion brought together perspectives around small-business participation, procurement, supplier development, and what needs to change if Columbus wants its economic growth to create meaningful opportunities for the businesses already operating in the community.
Columbus Is Growing, But Are Small Businesses Growing With It?
The conversation began with a simple question: Are local small businesses growing with Columbus? Participants could answer yes, no, or not sure. The strongest response was no, with others indicating they were unsure.
That response was especially significant given the scale of investment happening across the region. Columbus is seeing major projects and expansions from the new airport terminal and LinkUS transportation investments to significant private-sector development.
Growth itself, however, does not guarantee participation. A city can attract investment, create jobs, build infrastructure, and expand its economy while small businesses remain disconnected from the contracts and purchasing opportunities generated by that growth.
The group identified four significant problems contributing to that disconnect:
Gatekeeping preventing small businesses from accessing opportunities.
Difficulty in navigating various procurement systems.
Insufficient time and resources for small businesses to conduct research and submit proposals
Decentralized purchasing with multiple decision-makers and procurement processes within one organization.
What Would Make Participation Easier?
The conversation quickly shifted from identifying barriers to discussing solutions. One of the strongest messages was that small businesses have to show up. Businesses must participate in procurement events, build relationships, learn how organizations purchase, and consistently position themselves in front of decision-makers.
But the responsibility cannot fall entirely on the supplier. Participants also called for more resources specifically designed to help growing small businesses (not just startups), including more procurement training and technical assistance. Procurement departments could work more closely with business-support organizations and other agencies like Aventi Enterprises to help suppliers understand requirements and successfully navigate the contracting process.
The group also discussed the power of collaboration. Rather than expecting every small business to pursue larger opportunities independently, businesses could form cooperatives, teams, partnerships, and other collaborative arrangements that allow them to combine capacity and pursue larger contracts.
Another recommendation was to examine contract thresholds and procurement requirements that may unintentionally make smaller opportunities unnecessarily difficult for small businesses to access.
Moving From Conversation to Action
Aventi's Big Table conversation highlighted that economic growth and inclusive economic participation are not the same thing.
Who is getting the contracts?
Who is building capacity?
Who is developing relationships with buyers?
Who is being positioned for the next opportunity
Who continues to be left outside the room?
These are questions that should be asked when new opportunities come to Columbus, OH.
As Columbus continues to grow, Aventi Enterprises believes suppliers, buyers, corporations, government agencies, financial institutions, primes, and business-support organizations have an opportunity to build a stronger pathway between economic investment and small-business participation.
Learn more about Aventi Enterprises and how we're building the supplier ecosystem by visiting www.aventienterprises.com.
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