Meg Walker, co-owner of the Signal Mountain Sportzone, didn't let the recession dissuade her from opening the store she had always wanted. For her, the timing was just right.

"My kids were grown, and I had more time to focus on the business," she said.

The Sportzone, which opened in August 2008, sells a variety of athletic equipment, apparel and gift items.

"We (set up shop) right as the economy started going down," said Mrs. Walker, "but the community has supported our business."

Susan Paden opened Good Dog, a hot-dog eatery, about 11 months ago on the North Shore.

"We've been doing fine. Things could be better," she said, "but we're getting there. They say it's the toughest year to open a business. Maybe it's just a hot-dog economy, but we've seen a lot of support from the community during this hard economic time, which helps."

Small businesses, which are those with fewer than 500 employees, "represent 99.7 percent of all employer firms, employ just over half of all private sector employees, and pay 44 percent of the total U.S. private payroll," according to the U.S. Small Business Administration.

In addition, "over 64 percent of net new jobs over the past 15 years have been generated by small firms." However, only 69 percent of small businesses survive their first two years, and only 50 percent last their first five, according to the SBA.

Kathryn Foster, director of the Hamilton County Business Development Center, said support and business resources from the community are vital.

"(The BDC) is an incubator for small businesses," she said. "Our organization is managed by the Chamber of Commerce. Small businesses stay with (the BDC) for up to three years."

Ninety percent of the small businesses that have worked with the BDC for the past three years are still viable, she said.

Sarah Miles is a student at Signal Mountain High School.