What is the
Local Business Institute?
The Local Business Institute is a nonprofit organization based in Austin, Texas that is dedicated to the creation and support of thriving, sustainable local business communities through education, research and community-building programs.
It’s Shop Local Week!
At the Local Business Institute, we don’t refer to businesses as the classic B to B (Business to Business) or B to C (Business to Consumer). We refer to all business as H to H (Human to Human) because that’s what local business really is. It’s easy to lose sight of...
We Speak Local
I have always sought to live a life of meaning that delivered fulfillment for me and contributions to others. Most often this has been focused on the local business community—helping where I can through the tools and skills I have. In the past this has largely been...
10 Tips to Survive a Coming Recession and Other Storms
As local businesses, we’ve learned resilience. In fact, we all probably have a PhD in resilience, at least those of us who survived—make that are surviving—the pandemic. In our third year of pandemic life, we are innovative, adept, creative survivors. There may be...
More about what we do at LBI
Part think tank, part school, part national leadership, part training ground for local leadership, the Institute will be home to local leaders from across the country. Through special projects, distance learning, virtual and eventually live conferences, lectures and events, we will work to foster local, national and even global conversations around entrepreneurship and local economies. We will bring substantial resources to students of all ages and in many under-served regions, including many who are not currently engaged in education, policy work or business ownership at all.
