GDEcD designates 129th and final "Entrepreneur Friendly" community

ATLANTA—Today Johnson County became the 129^th and final community to be named Entrepreneur Friendly, which helps communities create an environment conducive to small businesses and entrepreneurs.  

   “As the Entrepreneur Friendly initiative’s first phase draws to a close, I am proud of the 129 communities that have worked hard to achieve this designation,” said Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue. “Since 95 percent of Georgia businesses are classified as small businesses, it is valuable for communities to have a supportive network of resources for these businesses. We are helping make Georgia a fertile ground for entrepreneurs and small businesses, one community at a time.”

Governor Perdue launched the Entrepreneur Friendly initiative in 2004 to help Georgia communities create a welcoming environment for entrepreneurs and small businesses. Communities had until the end of August 2008 to complete the program. In August 2004, Lowndes and Coffee counties were the first to be designated. Since then, counties large and small, rural and urban across the state have participated in the program.

“The Entrepreneur Friendly surveys indicate that DeKalb will grow 100,000 jobs through small businesses over the next two years,” said DeKalb Chief Executive Officer Vernon Jones.

“Technology has leveled the playing field for small business, and we need to focus on this area of growth.”

“The designation process has been very meaningful to our chamber,” said Bill Rogers, Executive Director of the Swainsboro-Emanuel County Chamber of Commerce. “The process has given us insight into the problems facing our local small businesses and entrepreneurs. From the information gained in the interviews, we hope to develop a plan of action that truly benefits, assists and encourages our small business owners.”

As the number of EF communities has grown, so have small businesses. In fiscal 2008, the Regional Small Business and Innovation Team reported that 69 out of its 101 project announcements—meaning job and investment growth—occurred in EF counties. In contrast, during fiscal 2007, 17 out of 58 project announcements occurred in EF counties.

The designation process consists of working with a GDEcD Regional Project Manager and a review team in order to analyze the business environment and tailor strategies to help entrepreneurs and small businesses grow.

To earn its designation, Johnson County completed the Entrepreneur Friendly program with the assistance of GDEcD’s Regional Project Manager Adela Kelley. Johnson County also underwent a full-day assessment by a review team composed of GDEcD staff and representatives from the Department of Community Affairs, OneGeorgia Authority, Small Business Development Center, CSRA Business Lending, Senator Johnny Isakson’s Office and the United States Department of Agriculture.

Qualified entrepreneurs and small business owners in Johnson County and many of the EF counties are eligible for customized market data, such as demographic and business information, to help give them a competitive edge

“Wrightsville and Johnson County community leaders have worked under the guidance of the State of Georgia to establish an Entrepreneur Friendly Community designation,” said Wrightsville Mayor Philip Boatright. “With the training this designation represents, we look to minimize the risk of starting, expanding, or owning a small business. As a rural community, we realize that small business is the key element to improving the quality of life for all citizens. This designation will tell all entrepreneurs that we want them in Wrightsville and Johnson County.”

“Small businesses are the backbone of Georgia communities.  By helping entrepreneurs and small businesses grow, we help Georgia grow,” said Heidi Green, chairman of the Georgia Entrepreneur and Small Business Coordinating Network and GDEcD’s deputy commissioner for Global Commerce. “We applaud Johnson County for incorporating small businesses into its strategic plan for growth.”

Once a community has been designated Entrepreneur Friendly, it is eligible for the following resources:

• free strategic planning assistance toward implementation of entrepreneur development
• eligibility to apply for the Entrepreneur Friendly Implementation Fund for up to $25,000 to support an entrepreneurial environment
• community and best practices listed on www.georgia.org
• inclusion on mailing list for updates and professional development opportunities

A listing of the 129 Entrepreneur Friendly counties follows:

Athens Clarke County
Bacon County

Baldwin County
Banks County
Barrow County
Bartow County
Ben Hill County
Berrien County
Bleckley County
Brantley County
Brooks County
Bryan County
Bulloch County
Burke County
Butts County
Calhoun County
Candler County
Camden County
Carroll County 
Catoosa County
Charlton County
Chatham County
Chattooga County
Cherokee County
Clay-Quitman-Randolph-Stewart Counties - (RegionFirst)
Crisp County 
Cobb County
Coffee County
Columbia County 
Colquitt County
Cook County
Coweta County 
Dade County
Dawson County
Decatur County
DeKalb County
Dougherty County
Douglas County 
Early County
Effingham County
Elbert County 
Emanuel County
Evans County
  Fannin County
Fayette County
Floyd County
Forsyth County
Franklin County
Gilmer County
Glynn County
Gwinnett County
Gordon County
Habersham County
Hall County
Haralson County
Harris County 
Hart County
Heard County
Henry County
Houston County
Irwin County
Jasper County
Jefferson County
Jenkins County
Jones County 
Lamar County
Lanier County
Laurens County
Lee County
Liberty County
Lincoln County
Lowndes County
Lumpkin County
Macon County
Madison County
Marion County
McDuffie County
Meriwether County
Miller County
Mitchell County
Morgan County
Murray County
Muscogee County
Newton County
Oconee County
Oglethorpe County
Paulding County 
Peach County
Pickens County
Polk County
Pulaski County
Putnam County
Rabun County
Richmond County
Rockdale County
Schley County
Screven County
Seminole County
Spalding County
Stephens County
Sumter County
Thomas County
Tift County
Toombs-Montgomery-Tattnall Counties - (Tri-CREST) 
Towns County
Troup County 
Treutlen County
Turner County 
Union County   
Upson County 
Walker County
Walton County
Ware County 
Warren County
Washington County
Wayne County
Webster County
White County
Whitfield County
Wilkes County
Wilkinson County
Worth County

The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) is the state's sales and marketing arm, the lead agency for attracting new business investment, encouraging the expansion of existing industry and small businesses, locating new markets for Georgia products, attracting tourists to Georgia, and promoting the state as a location for film, video and music projects, as well as planning and mobilizing state resources for economic development.

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