County receives "Entrepreneur Friendly" designation
By Deborah Bennett Millen News Editor

Jenkins County was declared "Entrepreneur Friendly" during a program held Wednesday, May 9, at the City of Millen Municipal Building. From left, are Mary Ellen McClanahan, director, Governor's Entrepreneur and Small Business Office; Adela Kelly, regional representative, Georgia Department of Economic Development; Art Johnson, manager, Millen Better Hometown; James Henry, chairman, Jenkins County Commissioners; Ivey McMillan, Millen City Councilman; King Rocker, mayor, City of Millen; Paula Herrington, executive director, Jenkins County Chamber of Commerce; Kyle Hensel, business consultant, Small Business Development Center; Pam Dwight, Jenkins County Commissioner; and Renee Rosenheck, international trade specialist, Global Commerce. Not pictured is Diane Masters, loan officer, CSRA Business Lending. (Staff photo by Deborah Bennett)

Jenkins County is the 46th Georgia county to be certified "Entrepreneur Friendly" by the state. The designation was announced during a presentation program held Wednesday, May 9, at the City of Millen Municipal Building by a review team of the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDED), sponsor for the program. The designation means that the community is planning and building an environment to support small businesses and entrepreneurs.

GDED regional representative Adela Kelly assisted the Jenkins County Chamber of Commerce, Millen Better Hometown and Downtown Development Authority in fulfilling the requirements for certification which included analyzing the current business environment and developing options for fostering small businesses and entrepreneurs. Also, assisting were the Small Business Development Office, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Georgia Tech.

Qualified entrepreneurs and small business owners in Jenkins 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 grant to help implement specific, long-term programs that support local 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 becoming an Entrepreneur Friendly community has increased our awareness of our businesses' needs and concerns, which will help us better assist existing and startup businesses," said Paula Herrington, executive director of the Jenkins County Chamber of Commerce.

"The designation process has been a valuable learning experience in economic development for Millen Better Hometown and for the chamber of commerce. We are certainly better prepared to create an environment of encouragement and support for small businesses and entrepreneurs in Jenkins County," she added.

During the process of certification, over 200 small businesses were identified in Jenkins County, and 25 of these were interviewed to determine their needs and concerns. Information obtained from the interviews revealed the following.

+ Forty-four percent of business owners have over 40 years experience;

+ Sixty-two percent are involved in multiple businesses;

+ Sixty-four percent started their own business;

+ Forty percent rated Jenkins County as a "fair" place to start a new business;

+ Thirty percent rated Jenkins County as a "good" place to start a new business;

+ Finding skilled employees was the main challenge for small businesses; and

+ A skilled work force was thought to be the main obstacle for future success.

The review team commended those involved in the certification process and encouraged them to continue their efforts to support and encourage small businesses and entrepreneurs in the community.