Coming in hot (and no we’re not just talking about those FL fall temps’ 🌞) Lakeland has ranked no. 5 on Just Businesses’ national list of The 15 Best Cities to Start a Home-Based Business.

Let’s be real: We’ve all had an awkward Zoom call once…or one-hundred times. | GIF via Giphy
The briefcase of how Lakeland ended up on the list – and how it made it as the only Florida city to be included – is due to:
💼 The city’s median home price ($173,000) + download speeds.
💼 The state’s tax rates (14.82%).
💼 The LLC filing costs ($125 + 138.75 annually).
These combined factors helped propel LAL past its neighboring cities, like Tampa, where the median home price is $201,000.
Additionally, and unprecedentedly, The Oxford Dictionary has announced an expansion of its dictionary to include several new words this year, like “WFH,” which means: “to do your job in your own home, especially a job that is usually done in an office.” The reason for this addition is because of the high volume of businesses that have flexed to a WFH policy, due to COVID-19.
But what does it mean + have the Oxford Dictionary gurus added a definition for starting a home-based business? If trends continue, maybe one day. (Though, IMO, “SAHBB” doesn’t really roll off the tongue.)
According to the stats, applications to start new businesses are up 40% – meaning that people are still birthing out their dream biz, despite a pandemic. And Lakeland – a booming/zooming city – remains a metropolis for entrepreneurs. 🎉
Encourage that one friend who thinks their entrepreneurial idea is “all but a pipe dream,” by passing along our city’s new ranking.
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