Here’s an idea that makes so much sense that it’s surprising it isn’t done everywhere: combine Small Business Development Centers (SBDC), SCORE, chambers of commerce, and related organizations under one roof. That’s what the Disney Entrepreneur Center does in Orlando, FL.

I wonder if it’s just coincidence that Entrepreneur Magazine included Orlando in its most recent list of the best places to start a business.

I visited there last week, and spoke at a business planning event that included people at the center and people online. Center director Jerry Ross talks about synergy by explaining:

We have 13 organizations here, but only one printer, and one receptionist. We work together.

That makes a lot of sense to me, and it seems to be working. And he doesn’t mean just printers and reception; there’s synergy throughout the building. People from most of those organizations joined me there for my visit last week. I’m a member of SCORE, and my company is a longtime supporter of the SBDC network and of our local Chamber of Commerce, but I’ve rarely seen that much synergy in one place.

(Image: ona1a/Flickr cc)