Rabun County is states newest designated Entrepreneur Friendly community
ATLANTA, September 25, 2007 Northeast Georgias Rabun County is one of the states newest Entrepreneur Friendly communities. The designation indicates the community has worked to develop an environment that is welcoming to small business and entrepreneurs. Ninety-four percent of Rabun Countys 877 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.
Rabun County is the 57th community in the state to be named Entrepreneur Friendly by the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD). Previously certified Northeastern Georgia counties include Habersham and White. Nearby counties in the progress of designation include Towns, Union and Stephens. Franklin County received its certification earlier this month.
To earn the designation, Rabun County completed the Entrepreneur Friendly program with the assistance of GDEcDs regional representative Suzanne Browne. The county analyzed its entrepreneurial and small business environment and developed strategies to help foster the growth of this critical business segment. Rabun County also underwent a full-day assessment by a review team composed of GDEcD staff and representatives from the Department of Community Affairs, Hartwell Downtown Development Authority, Small Business Development Center, White County Government and Georgia Centers of Innovation-Northeast Region.
Qualified entrepreneurs and small business owners in Rabun 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.
Going through the process of the Entrepreneur Friendly designation has been very helpful to the Chamber staff to learn more about our resources, said Rhonda Lunsford, President of the Rabun County Chamber of Commerce. The newly created resource workbook for an entrepreneur is going to be a tremendous foundation to begin building a business. Listening to current business owners has also been a learning experience about their struggles to start a business. Rabun County is very excited about the Entrepreneur Friendly designation and the opportunity to help our entrepreneurs and small businesses achieve their dreams.
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 GDEcDs deputy commissioner for Global Commerce. We applaud Rabun 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.
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