Ohio
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.
“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
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.
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.
“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
“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.
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.
Florida, Texas, and North Carolina topped the list of other best places to start a small business.
For the full list, CLICK HERE.
After years of unchecked dominance from the SEC, the Big Ten Conference cemented its place as the best in college football in the 2025-2026 season.
The Indiana Hoosiers completed a remarkable 16-0 season by winning a National Championship, beating Ohio State in the conference championship game, dominating Alabama in the Rose Bowl, then blowing out Oregon in the College Football Playoff semifinal.
That completed a Big Ten trifecta, with the Michigan Wolverines winning a championship in 2024, then the Buckeyes following it up by beating Notre Dame to win the title in 2025. While the SEC might have better depth overall, it’s no question that the top of the Big Ten is as good or better than anyone.
SEC, BIG TEN ARE DOMINATING COLLEGE FOOTBALL THANKS TO MASSIVE ADVANTAGES OVER OTHER CONFERENCES
Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti after defeating the Miami Hurricanes in the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida on Jan. 19, 2026. (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)
And a new program might be ready to take their turn at the top of the Big Ten: those same Oregon Ducks.
One of the most predictive measures of a team’s strength from year to year is how much production they return from the previous season. It makes sense; the more key players that stay with the team, the better it is for continuity and development.
The Big Ten, oddly enough, has several teams that return much of their production on both sides of the ball. ESPN’s Bill Connelly ran the numbers, finding that teams like Maryland, Nebraska, Minnesota and UCLA all ranked in the top 10 nationally in returning value. Though given how these teams played in 2025, that’s less important. Number 12, though? The Oregon Ducks.
And that carryover production is coming from a team that lost just two games all season, both to Indiana. They handled a very good USC team, 42-27, overcame miserable conditions to outlast the Iowa Hawkeyes on the road, beat the rival Washington Huskies, and most impressively, shut out an elite Texas Tech team 23-0 in the College Football Playoff. And they bring back the players responsible for 66% of their overall production, including star quarterback Dante Moore.
Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore (5) warms up prior to the 2025 Orange Bowl and College Football Playoff quarterfinal against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. (Sam Navarro / Imagn Images)
Just behind them at 65%? USC, heading into a pivotal season under Lincoln Riley.
Here’s where Oregon has the advantage, however. They bring that percentage back from a team that was significantly better than USC. It’s no surprise then, that per Connelly’s SP+ projections, Oregon is expected to be the No. 2 team in the country, by efficiency on offense, defense and special teams.
IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR A BIG 12 WINNER NOT NAMED TEXAS TECH OR BYU, CONSIDER THE HOUSTON COUGARS
What about the other Big Ten schools, though?
USC is the biggest wildcard. They sit at No. 13 in the SP+ projections, thanks to an elite offense and a defense that’s expected to be solid, if unspectacular. But their special teams projections are all the way down at No. 100 in the country, thanks to a series of disastrous mistakes in 2025. Special teams, though, should be the easiest area to improve upon. So if the Trojans can make some adjustments, they could exceed the eight game win expectancy.
Ohio State and Indiana, the two most recent champions, have a bit of a tougher hill to climb, though their roster composition is far from disastrous. The Buckeyes bring back 60% of their production, while Indiana is at 56%, even with several huge departures. That ranks at No. 31 and No. 52, respectively. Important, but not enough to push either team out of the top 5 in the national projections. And Ohio State sits at No. 1, thanks to consistently elite recruiting and key players like Julian Sayin and Jeremiah Smith returning.
Oregon head coach Dan Lanning attends Oregon Pro Day on March 17, 2026, at the Moshofsky Center in Eugene, Oregon. (Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
But if there is an upset brewing at the top of the conference, Oregon might be the place to look. The question then becomes, can they put it all together against a difficult schedule? The Ducks play USC on the road, host Nebraska, travel to Illinois, play Ohio State on the road, host Michigan and have their rivalry game against Washington at Autzen.
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It won’t be easy, but don’t be surprised if at the end of the season, Dan Lanning and the Ducks are right back in the mix.
A Kentucky woman who had been missing for more than two weeks was found dead in her vehicle in Ohio, authorities said.
The body of Debra Wireman was found in her vehicle on July 3 in Clermont County, Ohio, the Flemingsburg Police Department in Kentucky said on Facebook on Wednesday. Investigators were called to the scene after a report identifying the vehicle as belonging to a missing person, police said. The remains were identified as Wireman’s by the Clermont County Coroner’s Office on July 7, according to law enforcement.
Police in Kentucky said the Clermont County Sheriff’s Office in Ohio is investigating the woman’s death. No additional information will be released by Flemingsburg police “out of respect for Debra’s family and the integrity of that investigation.”
“While this is not the outcome any of us hoped and prayed for, we are thankful that Debra has been found and that her family can now begin to receive the closure they deserve,” police added on Facebook.
Wireman, according to police, was last seen on June 17 at around 4:30 p.m. in Aberdeen, Ohio, while traveling toward Maysville, Kentucky. She was driving a white 2020 Kia Forte with front-end damage. Police said family and friends were “concerned for her welfare.”
“The overwhelming response from our community, neighboring agencies, the media, and countless individuals across the region demonstrated the very best of people coming together in the hope of bringing someone home safely,” Flemingsburg police said.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — Central Ohio has a new option for late-night sweets.
Jeff’s Donuts opened its first Ohio location Wednesday morning at 5717 N. Hamilton Road, between Gahanna and New Albany.
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The shop will be open 24 hours.
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