Liberty County is states newest designated Entrepreneur Friendly community
ATLANTA, December 13, 2007 – Coastal Georgia's Liberty 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 Liberty County's 1,664 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.' Liberty County is the 74th community in the state to be named Entrepreneur Friendly by the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD). Previously designated Coastal Georgia counties include Tattnall, Glynn and Camden. Nearby counties in the progress of designation include Evans, Chatham and McIntosh. Bryan County received its designation in July. To earn the designation, Liberty County completed the Entrepreneur Friendly program with the assistance of GDEcD's regional representative Ray Snow. The county analyzed its entrepreneurial and small business environment and developed strategies to help foster the growth of this critical business segment. Liberty County also underwent a full-day assessment by a review team composed of GDEcD staff and representatives from the Department of Community Affairs, Department of Labor and the Small Business Development Center. Qualified entrepreneurs and small business owners in Liberty 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 and also have a regional impact. The grant must be matched 50 percent in dollars or in-kind value by the community. 'The Liberty County Chamber of Commerce enthusiastically supports the initiation of the Entrepreneur Friendly program because of the tremendous opportunity that it will offer to our county,' said Janie Diggs, Liberty Entrepreneur Assistance Program (L.E.A.P.) chairperson. 'The most interesting information came from the interviews that our community's entrepreneurs participated in. The data collected proved to be very useful to our county's efforts to expand the business community. We learned about what our citizens need from their leadership and 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 Liberty 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.