Madison County is states newest designated Entrepreneur Friendly community
ATLANTA, December 4, 2007 – Northeast Georgia's Madison 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-five percent of Madison County's 602 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.' Madison County is the 73rd community in the state to be named Entrepreneur Friendly by the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD). Previously designated Northeast Georgia counties include Elbert, Franklin, Clarke and Hart. Nearby counties in the progress of designation include Oconee and Banks. Oglethorpe County received its designation in October. To earn the designation, Madison County completed the Entrepreneur Friendly program with the assistance of GDEcD's regional representative Ryan Thornton. The county analyzed its entrepreneurial and small business environment and developed strategies to help foster the growth of this critical business segment. Madison County also underwent a full-day assessment by a review team composed of GDEcD staff and representatives from the Department of Community Affairs, Small Business Development Center and Georgia REAL. Qualified entrepreneurs and small business owners in Madison 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. 'Small businesses and entrepreneurs create economic activity that is a very strong part of Madison County's business growth,' said Marvin White, president of the Madison County Chamber of Commerce. 'Since we only have a small number of large employers, we have been growing our businesses with the help of Ryan Thornton and Susie Haggard of the Georgia Department of Economic Development. We feel achieving the Entrepreneur Friendly status will help bring more businesses to Madison County. This initiative gave us a clear understanding of what we have and what we can improve on. We look forward to continuing our work and developing more program initiatives for business." '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 Madison 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.