Entrepreneur Friendly Community

Haralson County is one of the Georgia's "Entrepreneur Friendly" communities. The designation indicates the community has worked to develop an environment  welcoming to small business and entrepreneurs. Ninety-three percent of Haralson County’s 394 companies are small businesses with fewer than 20 employees.

To earn the designation, Haralson County completed the Entrepreneur Friendly program. The county analyzed its entrepreneurial and small business environment and developed strategies to help foster the growth of this critical business segment. Haralson County also underwent a full-day assessment by a review team composed of GDEcD staff from the Small Business and Innovation team, International Trade and Existing Industry and Recruitment. To get started, the county waived business license fees for one year and gained 61 new businesses and 105 jobs; Honda Lock funded robotics teacher and equipment for high school

Qualified entrepreneurs and small business owners in Haralson 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 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 Haralson 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.

The goal of the "Entrepreneur Friendly" initiative is to help communities in the Peach State establish an entrepreneur support program, enhance relationships with state and federal resource providers, and educate the community about the benefits of supporting local businesses.

The Entrepreneur & Small Business Office (ESB) of the GDEcD has been providing community-based programming since 2004 when Governor Sonny Perdue made entrepreneurship and small business development a priority for the state.