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Move Your Business to Minnesota

By
Industry Observer

Many corporations find themselves questioning whether their current location is beneficial to the sustenance of their business.  Moving the company to a state with a healthier business climate is not unlike a family moving to a new home.  Considerations like cost, location, educational opportunities, and the neighborhood are part of the decision.

While no location is going to be number one in all aspects, there should be a preponderance of attributes favoring the final decision.  Minnesota deserves a serious look for anybody thinking about moving the store.  Consider the following:

Strategic location.  Yes, Minnesota is part of Flyover country.  Fact is, however, that we are three hours or less from just about everywhere in the lower 48, and five or so hours from Alaska.  If, along with your morning coffee and reading of the WSJ, you find you need to be somewhere, you can get there today.  Need to get some heavy product moved quickly?  You can get just about anything just about anywhere by truck in about two days. 

Cost of Business.  According to a CNBC analysis, Minnesota ranks in the middle third of cost of business rankings.  This isn't ideal, but consider that it is one of only two categories out of ten in which the state does not excel. 

The neighborhood.  If your corporation relocates to Minnesota, you'll find more than the average number of good corporate neighbors.  Twenty Fortune 500 companies are headquartered in Minnesota, possibly a good source of business for your company.  There are only seven other states with more than twenty Fortune 500 companies, and none of them has the same combination of measurable attributes you'll find in Minnesota. 

For a large percentage of corporations, there are more reasons to relocate to Minnesota than to stay where you are.  Do yourself and your company a favor.  Take a look at Minnesota.

 

Posted by

 Mike Carlier  Lakeville, MN

 

612-916-3033

 

Paul S. Henderson, REALTOR®, CRS
Fathom Realty Washington LLC - Tacoma, WA
South Puget Sound Washington Agent/Broker!

Please Mike, don't take this the wrong way. I still have family in Minnesota and I love the lakes and all the recreational pursuits available.

To alot of the rest of us we hear Minnesota is the land of 10,000 taxes. How would you address this? 

May 26, 2011 06:27 AM
Mike Carlier
Lakeville, MN
More opinions than you want to hear about.

Paul, Minnesota taxes compare favorably to Illinois and most of the other densely populated states. There would not be as many large corporations headquartered here if the taxes were prohibitive.  We have more Fortune 500 companies here than WA, UT, OR, ID, MT, NV, WY, ND, and SD combined.  That's about every state west of here.  Thriving business opportunities almost always trump taxes.  Also, it depends partly on what you get for your tax dollar.

May 26, 2011 06:39 AM
Paul S. Henderson, REALTOR®, CRS
Fathom Realty Washington LLC - Tacoma, WA
South Puget Sound Washington Agent/Broker!

Like I said Mike, I was just wondering why I hear so many people state that about Minnesota.

You have defended your state well and I understand that no one likes taxes in this economy.  

Thank you for clearing the up for me... 

May 26, 2011 06:55 AM
Mike Carlier
Lakeville, MN
More opinions than you want to hear about.

Paul, I am not a proponent of high taxes, and I will not try to defend Minnesota's high tax rates.  Finding the optimal state to relocate a corporation has to take into consideration cost/value.  Some of the evidence of a good ratio, although anecdotal, can be observed in Minnesota's prominent presence in the Fortune 500 companies.

In contrast to Minnesota's twenty companies, the five lowest taxed states (according to the tax foundation) are Wyoming, Alaska, South Dakota, Nevada, and Tennessee.  Their cumulative presence in the F-500 is eleven companies.  Just as in real estate, low price does not always equate to great value. 

The corporate community in Minnesota is intimate enough to create great synergy opportunities.  If I were responsible for the success of a corporation, I would at least have one of my number crunchers spend a week on a spread sheet and get me the facts.  Of course, potential is hard to quantify, and only the best of the prominent CEO's could see the value in coming to Minnesota.

May 26, 2011 07:56 AM