Are more people starting businesses?

Surprisingly, no. Despite the favorable economic environment and the popularity of startup shows like ABC’s Shark Tank, the rate of new-business creation is near a 40-year low. There were 452,835 startups founded in 2014, according to the most recent U.S. Census data, far less than the 500,000 to 600,000 new firms that were created every year from the late 1970s to the mid2000s. Startup activity has been ticking up since the recession, but