In a recent episode of WisconsinEye’s Newsmakers, Steve Walters interviewed Mark Lange, a senior official at the University of Wisconsin-Extension. Lange explained what Wisconsin small businesses are up against, where they’ve come from, and where businesses can expect to be heading.

Lange explained that there has been an explosion of start-ups and new small businesses since 2004, but many of these new establishments don’t make it five years.

Lange also said the average number of jobs in business establishments has gone down overall. Many large companies are becoming more efficient and scaling down, “The scale down of our economy is a little frightening… We need to either rebuild it, or adjust.”

One suggestion Lange had for the shifting US economy, was for people to embrace economic development and higher education together.

You can watch the full interview at WisconsinEye.org.