Transforming Muskogee: From Historic Port to Entrepreneurial Hub

By:

Samantha Pedrosa

July 16, 2024 - (5 min read)

This blog is part of a series highlighting NLC’s City Inclusive Entrepreneurship (CIE) Network. Cities in the network have committed to implementing new policies, programs and practices that increase economic opportunity for residents through small business ownership and entrepreneurship. In November 2023, City Manager Mike Miller of Muskogee, OK, committed to the implementation of an ecosystem mapping to aid business development efforts.

Over the past few years Muskogee, Oklahoma, a bustling port city with a population of nearly 37,000 residents, has launched a campaign to turn their city into a hub for entrepreneurship and job creation. Known for its historical significance as a railroad town, the city has a rich heritage rooted in the development of the American West. It was here that travelers and merchants would gather, building one of the region’s first trading posts. As a port settlement, development within the city continued when one of the first railroad lines across the west was established in the area. Muskogee has evolved with the times, reinventing itself while continuing its tradition of welcoming trade throughout the country and globally. Now, the city enters a new chapter as it looks ahead, focusing on local entrepreneurship, creating hubs for established businesses to settle in the area, and job creation.

Ecosystem Resource Mapping

Muskogee continues to establish itself as a small but mighty economic hub, working to create an inclusive environment for entrepreneurs through its ecosystem resource mapping efforts. Due to capacity constraints, the city had faced the challenge of centralizing tools and resources for its entrepreneurial ecosystem in the past. Seeing the opportunities that additional staff and a small business development center could provide, Muskogee partnered with local community leaders to facilitate a grant, allowing for an extension of the Oklahoma Small Business Development Center (OKSBDC) solely focused on their city.

Together with Port Muskogee, the OKSBDC has accomplished several initiatives focused on economic prosperity within the city. As they look toward increasing the longevity of local businesses, their current goal is to create an entrepreneurial ecosystem by mapping the available resources for entrepreneurs in their community.

To launch an effective project, Muskogee enlisted the help of the National League of Cities’ City Inclusive Entrepreneurship (CIE) program, committing to the implementation of ecosystem mapping to aid business development efforts within the city.

Building a Collaborative Network

The CIE Resource Mapping Commitment helps to create a catch-all resource hub for entrepreneurs by combining the data, tools, templates, and other resources from all nearby providers. These partners can include chambers, accounting firms, legal providers, or nonprofits known to support businesses.

Recognizing all available information can be quite challenging. In Muskogee, the necessary tools and resources were scattered across various sources, lacking a unified network. The city recognized the importance of resource mapping as emphasized by Dana Brashear, Business Advisor at the OKSBDC.

“It’s important for the city because our small entrepreneurs are having challenges finding resources to help them grow and be sustainable. This is a game changer.”
– Dana Brashear, Business Advisor, OKSBDC

The establishment of this resource aims to expedite the expansion of small businesses, ultimately aiming to create more jobs and attract new residents. Consequently, this initiative aligns with Muskogee’s commitment to fostering innovation within its community.

The success of this initiative relies on the collaboration of various partners, including the City of Muskogee Foundation, Muskogee Chamber of Commerce, Muskogee Main Street Foundation, OKSBDC, Port of Muskogee, other nonprofit organizations, tribal nations, utilities, and community resources. This broad team ensures that resources cater to a diverse range of business owners, including people of color, veterans, and women. The goal is to design a hub that provides resources for all residents to foster a cohesive entrepreneurial community.

“You’ll see stronger collaborative networks within Muskogee – not just entrepreneurs, but with mentors and investors.”
– Heather Davis-McDowell, Economic Development Director at Port Muskogee

With the city anticipating the outcome of these efforts to provide an increase in new business development there are several steps this partnership must take over the next year to officially launch the Ecosystem Resource Map for residents.

Four Steps for Mapping the Resources in your Ecosystem

1. Identify Resources: Determine the kinds of resources your city currently offers to entrepreneurs.

2. Conduct Assessment and Analysis: Perform a local resource assessment and analyze potential partners with a history of supporting businesses.

3. Convene Resource Providers: Organize a roundtable of potential partners to obtain information, identify any overlap in resources, discover new or needed tools, and determine servicing needs.

4. Build a Searchable Database: Catalog the existing resources by determining which organizations provide which services and improve the process for local business owners to discover needed tools.

Muskogee continues to become a beacon of entrepreneurship and economic vitality, with the city standing in a moment of transformation. From its beginnings as a railroad town to its status as a thriving port city, Muskogee has continually reinvented itself. Now, with the implementation of ecosystem resource mapping and the collaborative efforts of local stakeholders and partners, it is prepared to nurture an active entrepreneurial community. With these efforts developing, Muskogee looks forward to a future of economic prosperity and community resilience, driven by a vibrant ecosystem that embraces entrepreneurship at its heart.