Growth By Numbers Business Retention & Expansion Survey highlights momentum, reveals top challenges in sustaining it This past year, Forward Janesville met with dozens of local employers to understand what they’re experiencing on the ground—what’s working, where they’re growing, and what challenges they’re facing. We formalized that effort by launching our first-ever Business Retention & Expansion (BRE) Survey, a structured look at the health of our business community. Fifty employers participated, representing more than 11,000 workers across Rock County. Their responses offer a data-driven snapshot of Janesville’s economic climate—and a clearer sense of what lies ahead. The results were striking: • 92% rated Janesville’s business environment positively • 84% said the city enables them to grow • 74% expect to add employees this year • 60% plan to expand within the next two years This feedback doesn’t just confirm that momentum is building. It also highlights the areas where employers need the community to focus—particularly housing availability, workforce readiness, and the pipelines that connect young people to local careers. The full report dives deeper into those trends and provides insights that shape Forward Janesville’s work with local government, educators, developers, and employers of every size. What follows in the feature story reflects not only the numbers— but the voices behind them. Local leaders, employers, and developers share why Janesville is growing, what keeps them here, and what we must address to keep that momentum moving forward. Together, the data and the stories point to the same conclusion: Janesville’s future is taking shape—and the work we do today will determine how far that growth can go. Scan here to read complete report www.forwardjanesville.com | 7
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