Fayette County is States Newest Designated Entrepreneur Friendly Community
ATLANTA, February 7, 2008 – Metro Atlanta's Fayette County is one of the state's newest 'Entrepreneur Friendly' communities. The designation indicates the community has worked to develop an environment that is welcoming to small business and entrepreneurs. Ninety percent of Fayette County's 4,820 companies are small businesses with fewer than 20 employees. 'Small businesses and entrepreneurs create the kind of economic activity that is integral to ensuring prosperity and opportunity throughout Georgia,' said Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue. 'By encouraging and supporting these businesses, we are investing in a stronger future for our communities and the state as a whole.' Fayette County is the 77th community in the state to be named Entrepreneur Friendly by the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD). Previously designated Metro Atlanta counties include Gwinnett, DeKalb, Rockdale, Henry and Spalding Counties. Nearby counties in the progress of designation include Cobb and Meriwether. Coweta County received its designation last November. To earn the designation, Fayette County completed the Entrepreneur Friendly program with the assistance of GDEcD's regional representative Lindsay Martin. The county analyzed its entrepreneurial and small business environment and developed strategies to help foster the growth of this critical business segment. Fayette County also underwent a full-day assessment by a review team composed of GDEcD staff and representatives from the Department of Community Affairs, Georgia Tech, Department of Labor and Georgia Power. Qualified entrepreneurs and small business owners in Fayette County are now eligible for customized market data, such as demographic and business information, to help give them a competitive edge. The county is also eligible for an Entrepreneur-Friendly Implementation Fund (EFIF) grant to help it implement specific, long-term programs that support their entrepreneurs and small businesses. The grant must be matched 50 percent in dollars or in-kind value by the community. 'Being a small business owner myself, I am very excited about the designation of Fayette County as an Entrepreneur Friendly community,' said Jack Smith, Fayette County Commission Chairman. 'I understand the challenges small business owners face as they go out on their own with an idea and a shear will to survive. As an accountant, I have seen many entrepreneurs fail because they weren't able to secure the right resources to succeed, whether it is capital, employees or basic business knowledge. The Entrepreneur Friendly designation will help Fayette County ensure that those resources are there for all entrepreneurs so that they can succeed and help broaden Fayette County's economy. ' '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 Fayette County for incorporating small businesses into its strategic plan for growth.' 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. To learn more this program, please visit our "Entrepreneur Friendly" Initiative page.