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Houston Small Businesses Play Vital Role in the Region’s Economy

Published May 27, 2020 by Kelsey Seeker

Houston’s small business community plays an integral role in both the local economy and the city's vibrant quality of life. This community is driven by diverse owners and is a leading source of job creation and innovation. In fact, Houston's small business community represents a vast majority of establishments within the greater Houston SMA.

Small Business Presence in Houston 

According to the US Census' County Business Patterns, 97% of Houston businesses have fewer than 100 employees and 70% have fewer than 10. Businesses with fewer than 100 employees make up more than 50% of Houston’s workforce. These numbers reflect a powerful engine influencing employment, entrepreneurship and policy.  

In addition to small employers, there are over 627,000 non-employee businesses in the Houston region. Think freelancers, contractors and self-employed Houstonians. These companies have no paid employees but generate at least $1,000 in income annually. Overall, non-employer businesses in the Houston region generate $31.1 billion in annual revenue.  

Houston also ranks among the top 20 cities where small-business owners are thriving, with a startup density of 92.6 startups for every 1,000 businesses. Startups help diversify the region’s economy and foster innovation, strengthening the economy in more ways than one.

Supporting Small Business During COVID-19 

The COVID-19 crisis poses mounting challenges for small businesses here and across the country. With more than 1,000 member companies representing one-quarter of the region's workforce, the Partnership has long been a trusted advocate for the business community and this pandemic is no different.  

In addition to offering member support through COVID-19, the Partnership has created a hub of small business resources that includes vital information and resources.

We have also shifted our Small Biz Insider digital series to delve into topics that we’ve been hearing from our small business members. Topics like: 

As part of the Partnership's mission of making Houston the best place to live, work, we are dedicated to supporting small businesses, particularly during these times of uncertainty by offering resources, guidance and opportunities to connect with fellow members around timely topics.

To learn more about becoming a member of the Partnership or to get involved, email membership@houston.org
 

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New Partnership Members in March

4/7/25
The Greater Houston Partnership welcomed 23 new member companies in the month of March. The Partnership works to connect companies with resources, information and networking opportunities to help increase business while also providing a platform to influence the direction of the region.    New members who joined in the month of March include: Alzheimer's Association, Houston Global Southeast Chapter: The Alzheimer's Association is a voluntary health organization with a mission to lead the way to end Alzheimer's and all other dementia by accelerating global research, driving risk reduction and early detection, and maximizing quality care and support. Website. AZA: Ahmad, Zavitsanos & Mensing, or AZA, is a trial law firm based in Houston, Texas with over 60 lawyers excelling at high-stakes litigation for multinational companies and representing individuals and mid-sized businesses. Website. Brooksource: Brooksource is a business management consultant based in Houston, Texas that specializes in delivering Engineering and IT solutions and initiatives for Fortune 500 organizations. Website. Capital IDEA Houston, LLC: Capital IDEA Houston is a non-profit that fully funds education and training for adults who are unemployed or have lower-paying jobs, providing educational pathways to attain thriving careers and financial self-sufficiency. Website. Cell Therapy Manufacturing Center (CTMC): CTMC is a joint venture between National Resilience and MD Anderson Cancer Center located in the Texas Medical Center. CTMC unites robust biopharmaceutical manufacturing with access to MD Anderson Cancer Center’s leading research capabilities into groundbreaking medicines to cure cancer. Website. Complete Shipping Solutions Corp.: Complete Shipping Solutions is a global 3PL solutions provider, offering industry-leading technology through a SMARTT Shipping platform. Website. Corporate Catering Concierge: Corporate Catering Concierge is a catering company offering a wide selection of food options and personalized menu planning. Website. Definity First: Definity First is an IT consulting firm of advanced enterprise-grade solutions with expertise in Custom Development, Staffing, Microsoft Azure, Microsoft 365, Office 365, Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM, and Microsoft Copilot, as well as tailored additional services for on-premises Microsoft products. Website. Greenback Cost Recovery: Greenback Cost Recovery, LLC is a Houston-based company that specializes in delivering bottom line improvements to businesses by recovering overpayments and reducing ongoing costs associated with property tax, telecommunications, and real estate leases. Website. H-Town Dream Center: H-Town Dream Center is a community center in Splendora, Texas with a mission to give the hope, healing and freedom of Christ to the most vulnerable by feeding the hungry, rescuing women and children in crisis, and educating at-risk youth. Website. Magnum Staffing Services, Inc.: Magnum Staffing Services is a recruiting and staffing solutions firm based in Houston, Texas, specializing in workforce strategy, talent management, and providing staffing solutions for various industries, including warehouse distribution, logistics, manufacturing, and professional services. Website. Metro Houston Charter Bus: Metro Houston Charter Bus is a charter bus rental company providing flexible scheduling, trained drivers, and transparent pricing to make budgeting simple. Website. Minaret Foundation: Minaret Foundation is a multi-faith organization based in Houston, Texas focused on bringing faith communities together by tackling on issues related to child welfare and food insecurity. Website. Moelis & Co.: Moelis & Company is a global independent investment bank that provides financial advisory services to corporations, governments, and financial sponsors. Website. Mo'Kai'Ana Luxury Transport: Mo'Kai'Ana is a luxury chauffeur service for special events in Cypress, TX and the surrounding Houston Area, offering a variety of van services fully licensed by the city of Houston with background checked chauffeurs. Website. One Digital: OneDigital Impact Studio is an insurance brokerage, financial services, and HR consulting firm that provides a centralized platform that equips companies with real-time visibility and heightened control over their organization's total spending. Website. Palletized Trucking, Inc.: Palletized Trucking provides freight transportation services for domestic and international markets shipping through the Port of Houston to sectors including the petrochemical, construction, fabrication, energy, oilfield, and manufacturing industries. Website. Plug and Play Tech Center: Plug and Play Tech Center is an American venture capital firm headquartered in Sunnyvale, California focusing on deploying capital to early-stage technology companies. Website. Rigid Global Buildings: Rigid Global Buildings is metal buildings manufacturer based in Houston, Texas, offering custom and pre-engineered metal building solutions. Website. Tricon Energy: Tricon Energy is a logistics service in Houston, Texas that offers chemical and plastics trading and distribution services in general and liquid chemical, aromatic, methanol, solvent, chlor alkali, and more. Website. Trinity River Authority: The Trinity River Authority of Texas is a conservation and reclamation district that provides water and wastewater treatment, along with recreation and reservoir facilities, within the nearly 18,000-square-mile Trinity River basin. Website. Venice: The Bridge Church is a nondenominational Christian church serving the Venice, FL, community with a mission to help people find and follow Jesus Christ here and around the world. Website.  Zoho: Zoho is an Indian multinational technology company that makes computer software and web-based business tools designed to help break down silos between departments and increase organizational efficiency. Website.   Click here to see the Partnership's Membership Directory.   To learn more about membership with the Greater Houston Partnership click here, or contact membership@houston.org.
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