Tennessee has continued to show no signs of slowing down when it comes to small businesses hiring, according to a recent report.
Paychex, a national payroll and HR company, released its small business employment watch report indicating the Volunteer State ranked number one in the nation in small business employment with a 1.2 percent growth.
Tennessee was followed by Indiana and Florida.
The positive trend has lasted for five months despite the slight slowdown in job growth and wage growth nationally over the past month.
"It's more good news for Tennessee and Nashville. Tennessee is really in a groove right now when it comes to small business growth," said National Federation of Independent Business State Director Jim Brown.
Brown said major unemployment, workers comp, and tax reforms over the years helped contribute to the positive trend.
Across the board, Brown said NFIB's 6,500 members in the state have been doing well, especially manufacturing and retail companies.
"What we do know about small businesses is that they employ 99 percent of the economy, and about half of the gross domestic product (GDP) in the state comes from our small businesses," added Brown.
Last week, Governor Bill Haslam announced unemployment rates in all 95 counties in the state were below 5 percent for the first time ever.
It was the second consecutive month rates dropped in each county.
Davidson and Williamson Counties had the two lowest unemployment rates in Tennessee.
Small businesses in Davidson County like Slim & Husky's and Paddle Up have experienced the positive trend in small business job growth.
"We have had a steady increase in our business since 2012. We have a lot of people who like to work for us that we simply don't have room for. We started with one employee, and now we're up to eight or nine," said Neil Newton, owner of Paddle Up, located on the Rock Harbor Marina.
Slim & Husky's Co-Owner Clinton Gray and his business partners have opened their second restaurant on Buchanan Street called The Rollout.
The Rollout opened across the street just eight months after the successful launch of Slim & Husky's.
"We are a vital part of our community. About 75 percent of our staff comes from the north Nashville community. It feels really good to be able to see Slim & Husky's shirts walking up and down the road everyday knowing they didn't have to get in their cars and drive across town," Gray told NewsChannel 5.
