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Ohio named 1 of the top places to start a small business, study shows

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Ohio named 1 of the top places to start a small business, study shows


CLEVELAND — Ohio is making the list yet again and garnering national attention; a new study shows that Buckeye State is one of the best places in America to start a small business.

This all comes as the Small Business Administration reports roughly 33 million in operations here in the U.S. Ohio is ranked the 6th best place in America to start a small business.

Research shows Ohio’s affordability and internal support make it a top spot to pursue your entrepreneurial dreams. And for many in Cleveland—it’s working out pretty well.

Molly Cheraso is still in the mix and mixing up plenty of mocktails and alcohol-free beverages inside her Ohio City shop.

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“It is so close to the real thing that it gives you a placebo effect,” Cheraso said.

News 5 spoke to the Cleveland mom of two back in May of 2023, as she planned to ditch her career in finance and dive headfirst into small business ownership.

Northeast Ohio mom to open alcohol-free bar, hangout in Ohio City this summer

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Northeast Ohio mom to open alcohol-free bar, hangout in Ohio City this summer

“It’s really a new concept for people, which is why I wanted to have a brick and mortar that was really accessible to people here in Cleveland,” Cheraso said.

She opened Verbena Free Spirited—Non-Alcoholic Cafe and Shoppe last July.

It’s located along West 29th Street in the heart of the historic neighborhood.

“We are thriving one year into our non-alcoholic journey here in Hingetown,” Cheraso said.

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A new study from Lendio, dubbed a top marketplace for small business loans, just ranked Ohio as one of the top 10 best places to start a small business in America.

They broke down a series of metrics, which include survival rates of a small business, cost of living, business finances and tax incentives. Ohio ranked sixth overall this year. Last year, it was third.

“There are certainly incentive programs that Ohio has to try and help small businesses. But really, that cost of living is the big deal,” said Lockwood Reynolds, professor of economics at Kent State University.

Reynolds says Ohio has no corporate income tax rate, and overall, low taxes coupled with affordability are why it ranked so high.

He says the news is telling, as 5.5 million new business applications were filed last year.

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“If you think about the difference between starting a business here in Ohio versus starting it in, you know, like San Francisco or something like that, it’s just the amount of money you would have to bring in from the customers to offset those much higher costs would just make it a very challenging environment,” Reynolds said.

Caitlin Shea moved to Cleveland from Canada 15 years ago as a pastry chef. She capitalized on the cost of living and warm environment.

She opened Philomena Bake Shop and continues to champion other entrepreneurs.

Ohio named 1 of top places to start a small business, study shows

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“When a new business opens up, there’s a wellspring of support from neighbors and residents around the area,” Shea said.

As Cheraso continues to build up Verbena, she stresses that the first year in operation, at times, has its growing pains.

But between a strong support system of fellow entrepreneurs and community— coupled with small business loans, grants through the city and overall affordability—she says it’s all possible.

“These people here that have proven to me, they’ve been in business in this neighborhood for ten years with strong businesses. They’ve shown me like it’s very possible to keep a business up and running,” Cheraso said.

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Cheraso stresses that all future business owners must research and review the overall demographics.

Consider the cost of living, your income, foot traffic in the neighborhood, and whether people want and need your product.

Everything is traditionally two to three times more expensive, so be prepared to shell out more cash.

She kept her day job as a parachute for the first year of her business.

The study also reports that small businesses in Ohio have a 53% survival rate compared to other states. Most typically make it past that crucial 5-year mark, which is major.

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Florida, Texas, and North Carolina topped the list of other best places to start a small business.

For the full list, CLICK HERE.





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Ex-husband arrested in deaths of Ohio dentist and his wife | CNN

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Ex-husband arrested in deaths of Ohio dentist and his wife | CNN


The ex-husband of Monique Tepe has been arrested in connection with the killings of the mother and her husband Spencer Tepe, a respected dentist, in their Ohio home last week, Columbus police said Saturday.

Michael David McKee, 39, who court records identify as Monique Tepe’s ex-husband, is in custody in Winnebago County, Illinois, according to inmate records with the sheriff’s office.

McKee is scheduled to appear in court Monday, records show. He was arrested on two counts of murder in the killings on Saturday, an incident report shows, and was taken into custody “without incident” in Rockford, Illinois, police said.

Spencer Tepe, 37, and Monique Tepe, 39, were found dead with apparent gunshot wounds on December 30 in their house in Columbus. The couple’s two children, ages 4 and 1, were also inside but were not physically harmed, police said.

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The arrest marks a major development in the case after the suspect in the couple’s killings remained on the loose for more than 10 days, during which police released scant details on the investigation.

Police said Saturday they will release further information “as appropriate” to avoid compromising the “active and ongoing case progress” and urged people to contact them with any information related to the tragedy.

Authorities did not find any obvious signs of forced entry or any firearm at the scene, CNN affiliate WSYX reported.

Colleagues in Spencer Tepe’s dental practice called 911 after he uncharacteristically didn’t show up to work. One of Tepe’s friends went to the couple’s house, peered inside and saw a gruesome scene next to a bed, according to emergency dispatch audio.

“There’s … there’s a body,” the friend told 911. “Our friend wasn’t answering his phone. We just did a wellness check. We just came here. And he appears dead.”

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Asked if Tepe had been ill, the friend responded, “No, no. I was just with him yesterday.”

The couple’s two children and dog are now in the care of relatives, the Tepes’ brother-in-law said.



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Ohio high school girls basketball scores: Friday, Jan. 9, 2026

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Ohio high school girls basketball scores: Friday, Jan. 9, 2026


CLEVELAND, Ohio — OHSAA girls basketball scores from Friday in Ohio, as provided by The Associated Press.

Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard, Mich. 43, Notre Dame Academy 35

Baltimore Liberty Union 47, Cols. Hamilton Twp. 34

Berlin Center Western Reserve 68, N. Jackson Jackson-Milton 46

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Blanchester 40, Bethel-Tate 37

Chagrin Falls 37, Burton Berkshire 32

Circleville 62, Amanda-Clearcreek 40

Cle. Hay 88, Cle. Glenville 2

Cols. Centennial 78, Columbus International 50

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Cols. Linden-McKinley 54, Cols. Whetstone 28

Cols. Walnut Ridge 73, Cols. Marion-Franklin 12

Delaware Buckeye Valley 50, CSG 43

Delta 48, Bryan 44

Dublin Coffman 47, Cols. Upper Arlington 39

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Hilliard Darby 43, Thomas Worthington 32

Johnstown 47, Johnstown Northridge 41

Mason 54, Cin. Colerain 32

Newark 56, Ashville Teays Valley 42

Oak Harbor 52, Millbury Lake 31

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Ohio Deaf 50, Ky. School for the Deaf, Ky. 9

Pemberville Eastwood 65, Rossford 35

Pickerington North 41, New Albany 33

Springboro 66, Centerville 33

Stryker 54, Montpelier 20

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W. Chester Lakota W. 76, Fairfield 24

Wauseon 55, Swanton 13

Western Reserve Academy 65, Lawrenceville School, N.J. 33

Westerville Cent. 57, Grove City Cent. Crossing 20

Worthington Christian 57, Tree of Life 16

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Zanesville 58, Newark Licking Valley 40



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Ohio State students hone academic, business skills through study abroad programs

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Ohio State students hone academic, business skills through study abroad programs


Students across various majors at The Ohio State University recently gathered at the Fisher College of Business to discuss how study abroad opportunities have helped them hone skills that will benefit their studies and chosen career paths.

Fisher’s Office of Global Business and its Office of Advancement hosted the inaugural Global Experience Luncheon. The event was held at the Blackwell Inn on the Columbus campus.

The luncheon brought together alumni who have donated to study abroad programs with students who have participated in them, said Dominic DiCamillo, senior director of the Office of Global Business.

“We were excited to partner with Advancement for the first time to facilitate this type of personal connection. The families that have created these endowments, oftentimes, they hoped it would have some sort of positive impact,” he said. “This is the first time for them to hear firsthand from the students who recently participated.”

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Xin Lin, a third-year finance student, shared her experiences studying abroad in Hamburg, Germany, and Chiang Mai, Thailand. While in Germany in summer 2024, Lin completed the Fisher Freshman Global Lab with Professor Michael Knemeyer and studied at the Kühne Logistics University.

During Lin’s semester in Germany, her cohort toured the facilities of several international companies, including the Mercedes-Benz auto manufacturer, Seven Senders logistics enterprise, and Jack Wolfskin outdoor apparel.

“This was my first time being in Europe,” she said. “It was a really eye-opening experience and taught me to be curious about exploring other cultures, which is why I made the decision to study abroad in Chiang Mai, Thailand.”

This past summer in Chiang Mai, Lin completed the competitive Fisher Global Consulting: Nonprofit program, which is funded by an endowment established by Chris Connor, a 1978 Ohio State alumnus, and his wife, Sara. The participating students, called Connor Scholars, gain firsthand insights into the cultures and business practices of countries in developing regions worldwide.

“We were there for two weeks working on the sustainability and the marketing for the local elephant foundation, as well as to support the villagers,” she said. “And my team and I, we worked on the sustainability curriculum for the local school.”

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Lin said participating in study abroad programs sharpened her decision-making and problem-solving skills.

“Leveraging these experiences has strengthened my understanding of international business and macroeconomics,” she said. “Most importantly, it is the growth mindset and the endless learning that these experiences have taught me, and I’m really excited to be carrying these values into my future career and my academic journey.”

Jacob Brodson, a fourth-year marketing major, said participating in the Fisher Global Marketing Lab in Taiwan this past summer was “a transformational, life-changing trip.”

Jacob Brodson (center) said he met more than 25 Ohio State alumni in Taiwan.“If you can go to someplace that’s so fundamentally different from what we experience here on a day-to-day basis, you should absolutely take the opportunity to,” he said. “And Taiwan is that opportunity.”

Brodson said studying marketing and visiting 10 companies in Taiwan gave him a broader perspective on business practices in different countries.

“We went to TSMC, which is the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company. That’s the 10th largest company in the world that you probably have never heard of, but they make all the phone and computer chips that are in your cellphones,” he said. “It was an unbelievable experience to see that.”

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Brodson and his classmates also toured a Kenda Tire facility.

“They actually do a lot of marketing at Ohio State sporting events because their U.S. headquarters is out in Reynoldsburg,” Brodson said. “We got to see their entire manufacturing plant in Taiwan.”

Brodson said he was pleasantly surprised to discover a Buckeye community overseas. He met more than 25 Ohio State alumni throughout Taiwan.

“We are halfway across the world and yet the most beautiful thing is that there are still reminders of home. We’re halfway across the country and there are still Buckeyes there,” he said. “That is one of the coolest things – seeing the Ohio State alumni and the fact that this Buckeye tradition transcends countries.”

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