Provo wins 'business bowl'

Provo wins 'business bowl'

If Brigham Young University students want a little something to cheer about this fall, they might pick up the latest copy of "Inc." magazine. The issue lists Provo as the entrepreneurial capital of America and credits BYU for that first-place ranking.

Provo not only finished first, in fact, it blew out the competition. Provo averages 18.1 upstart companies per million residents. The closest competitor was Trenton, N.J., with 11.3 per million. After that, cities bunch up in the middle of the pack.

The football team may struggle to score points, but the business school is obviously alive and kicking.

The magazine credits the emphasis on business at BYU, along with the fact graduates look to stay in the Utah County area, for the blossoming of so many new businesses in the city. Anyone who visits Provo can quickly see the entrepreneurial spirit at work there — from the eateries that feature exotic dishes to the mom-and-pop shops specializing in the unusual. Among the companies showcased in "Inc." as winners are United Underwriters, SafeHome Security, MyFamily.com, Wolf Electronix, Cafe Rio and Omniture.

Successful business thrives on a stable environment, a talented work force, and a generally sunny, optimistic outlook.

Provo and BYU ring the bell on all three.

When it comes to winning businesses, BYU is in a league of its own. Football is another matter.

At Harvard University, when the football team struggles, the student body chants, "That's all right, that's OK, you're going to work for us someday." In fact, similar cheers have been heard in recent weeks at the BYU stadium. It may soon grow in volume. And, indeed, in the scheme of things, coming out a winner in life is more important than winning on the athletic field.

Still, budding business professionals are a competitive lot. They hate to lose. And that means the "Inc." piece probably isn't salving many bruised egos and wounded feelings at the moment.

In time, however, it will.