Middle TN Business by the Numbers

Quick, credible facts to inform better leadership decisions—plus BizCoachTN insights and resources.

Last updated: September 24, 2025

Local-first

Middle TN emphasis with state & national context

Source-backed

Every number links to its source

1) Economic & Business Landscape

• Tennessee non‑farm employment exceeded 3,308,400 (Apr 2023). TN ECD

• 12‑month new business filings: 76,767 as of Q1 2023 (‑0.3% YoY). TN ECD

• Small businesses accounted for 72,477 net new jobs (≈95.6% of statewide net job growth) in 2024. SBA Advocacy

• Q4 2024: 24,151 jobs added by openings vs 23,420 jobs lost by closings. BLS

Implication: rapid small‑business dynamism → focus on systems, culture, and leadership capacity.

2) Workforce, Talent & Labor

• Ongoing investments in statewide workforce & education pipelines. TN ECD

• 66% of TN business leaders cite labor force challenges (hiring/retaining). Haslam College Survey 2025

• Local wage/benefit surveys help benchmark compensation. Tennessee Central

Implication: retention strategies + leadership development are high‑ROI levers.

3) Leadership, Teams & Performance

• Only ~21% of workers globally report being fully engaged. Gallup

• High‑trust teams consistently outperform on productivity and retention. (management research consensus)

Implication: clarity, trust, and aligned execution beat heroic firefighting.

4) Regional Highlights

Middle Tennessee

• Population exceeds 2.1M across the broader region. TN DOLWD

• Nashville–Murfreesboro–Franklin MSA is a major employment hub. BLS

Rutherford County

• Estimated population ~367,000 (2023). Wikipedia

• Economy includes higher ed, mfg, logistics, and services. Wikipedia

6) “Did You Know?” Quick Facts

• Small businesses added 72,477 net new TN jobs—nearly all statewide net job growth. SBA Advocacy

• 66% of TN leaders cite labor force as a top concern. Haslam Survey

• Only ~21% of employees report being fully engaged at work (global). Gallup

7) Resources & Further Reading

• BizCoachTN Blog — leadership, change, resilience, culture

• BLS: Nashville MSA Economy at a Glance

• TN ECD Quick Facts

• Haslam College Business Leaders Survey (Winter 2025)

Let’s Turn Facts into Focus

These numbers tell a consistent story: growth is outpacing the structures many leaders have in place. The bigger question is not whether you can hire talent—it’s whether your team can perform with clarity, trust, and alignment. That’s where coaching closes the gap between data and decisions

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