Stephens County is States Newest Designated Entrepreneur Friendly Community
ATLANTA, January 15, 2008 – North Georgia's Stephens 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-one percent of Stephens County's 1,048 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.'
Stephens County is the 76th community in the state to be named Entrepreneur Friendly by the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD). Previously designated North Georgia counties include Habersham, Hart, Franklin, Rabun, White and Forsyth. Nearby counties in the progress of designation include Lumpkin and Banks. Madison County received its designation last month.
To earn the designation, Stephens County completed the Entrepreneur Friendly program with the assistance of GDEcD's 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. Stephens 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, Small Business Development Center, Cornelia Main Street, Hartwell Main Street & Downtown Development Authority and Senator Nancy Schaefer's office.
Qualified entrepreneurs and small business owners in Stephens 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.
'The best part of the Entrepreneur Friendly designation process was going in pairs to interview the entrepreneurs at their worksites,' said Wendi Bailey, president of the Toccoa-Stephens County Chamber of Commerce. 'We recently summarized the responses and are using what we learned to better serve our entrepreneurs by developing products and services as well as encouraging and enhancing the relationships with our service providers."
'Our goal was and still is to create an entrepreneur friendly environment and build entrepreneur and small business strategies into our overall economic development strategies,' said Toby Goodlett, Entrepreneur Friendly Committee chair, past chamber chairman and division executive for First Citizens Bank and Trust Company, Inc. 'This seven month Entrepreneur Friendly designation process was another great example of Toccoa-Stephens County working together to grow and improve our community.'
'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 Stephens 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. Visit us at http://www.georgia.org/business-resources/small-business-resource-directory/ for more information.