Traverse Connect conducted its first quarter Business Growth Barometer Survey of investor and member businesses, aimed at providing a snapshot of our regional business sentiment, outlook, and current challenges. Quarterly surveys inform the organization’s strategic priorities and help it respond to the needs of the business community.
Ninety-six percent of respondents agree that the Grand Traverse region is a good place to grow their business, with 88% in agreement that the region is improving as a place to grow their business; both measurements showed a significant increase from the fourth quarter of 2024. Changes to the 2025 survey offered respondents two different staffing-related responses to the question, “What is the single-biggest barrier to growing your business?”: finding and hiring talent, and skill gaps. Nearly a quarter of respondents cited finding and hiring talent as their primary barrier to growth. Traverse Connect and other economic development partners in Northwest Michigan will be working on talent attraction and retention strategies in 2025.
Traverse Connect’s accomplishments for the first quarter of 2025 are summarized on the second page, with advancement on a diverse set of strategic initiatives focused on the manufacturing sector and economic development for the region and the State of Michigan.
Read the full report by clicking the image below:
