Fayette County's Entrepreneur Friendly Survey results

Welcome! Fayette Entrepreneur Friendly Community

Steering Committee Composition

Fayette County Development Authority

Fayette County Chamber of Commerce

Small Business Development Center

Clayton State University

Fayette County Board of Education

Heritage Bank

Piedmont Fayette Hospital

MainStreet/City of Fayetteville

Local Small Business Owners

Leadership Fayette Co-Chairs

HR and Business Consultants

Georgia Department of Labor

Fayette Entrepreneur Friendly Community

Fayette EFC Timeline

June 2007 Commitment

Initial Steering Committee Meetings – August 2007

Leadership Fayette Survey Process Training – October 2007

Entrepreneur Surveys – November & December 2007

Data review and assessment – January 2008

Review Team Visit – February 2008

Increased Community Awareness

Press Releases

Entrepreneur Extravaganza

BusinessWorks TV Show

August 2007 – Entrepreneur Friendly Overview & Young Entrepreneur spotlight

September 2007 – Business Expo & Entrepreneur Extravaganza

November 2007 – Small Business of the Year Awards Luncheon

Conduit Newsletter Articles

Leadership Fayette

Resources for Entrepreneurs

Chamber & Development Authority Web Sites

Small Business Development Center & SBA

Clayton State University

Peachtree City- What Every Business Owner Needs to Know

Local Banks, accountants & attorneys

Chamber Small Business Luncheons

Griffin Technical College

Georgia Department of Labor, Georgia Dept of Economic Dev.

Retired Executives in the Community

Women’s Economic Development Agency; Ga. Micro Enterprise Network

Entrepreneur Survey Results Fayette Entrepreneur Friendly Community

Interviews

State Req. a minimum of 50 reviews

Committee Developed a list of 100+ candidates

Actually interviewed 61 entrepreneurs

Chamber Member vs. Non-Chamber Member Fayette Entrepreneur Friendly Community

Stage of Business Fayette Entrepreneur Friendly Community

1. What year did your company start? Fayette Entrepreneur Friendly Community

2. What skills do you wish you had when you started the business? Fayette Entrepreneur Friendly Community

3. How did you come to own the business? Fayette Entrepreneur Friendly Community

4. How did you finance the startup? Fayette Entrepreneur Friendly Community

5. Number of Employees Fayette Entrepreneur Friendly Community

6. What is your company’s PRIMARY product or service? Fayette Entrepreneur Friendly Community

Fayette’s Actual Industry Breakdown Fayette Entrepreneur Friendly Community

7. What are the three most lacking skills in the workforce? #1 – Solid Work Ethic (13), Computer Technology (12), Sales & Mkt (10) #2 – Customer Service (12), Sales & Mkt (7), Creative Thinking (5), Electrical/Mechanical (5) #3 – Creative Thinking (11), Interpersonal Skills (7), Customer Service (6) Fayette Entrepreneur Friendly Community

8. What technology do you use to conduct business? Fayette Entrepreneur Friendly Community

9. How would you describe your company’s marketing & sales effort? Fayette Entrepreneur Friendly Community

10. How would you describe your company’s administrative & financial management? Fayette Entrepreneur Friendly Community

11. Where do most of your sales come from? Fayette Entrepreneur Friendly Community

12. Do you currently sell your products to the state of Georgia? Fayette Entrepreneur Friendly Community

13. Do you export your product or service? Fayette Entrepreneur Friendly Community

14. Is your business planning to… Fayette Entrepreneur Friendly Community

15. What is the single biggest obstacle to the future success of your business? Fayette Entrepreneur Friendly Community

16. What type of business, if located nearby, would increase your sales or make it less expensive for you to operate? Fayette Entrepreneur Friendly Community

17. Which service provider has been most helpful? Fayette Entrepreneur Friendly Community

18. What programs or services would you be willing to attend or find out more about? Workshops, Educational Workshops, Seminars on editorial writing skills, Computer based workshops, Chamber activities, financial workshops, mentoring classes, business management, technical training, community Events, HR & Technology, Financial administration, tax laws, management & HR, Labor training, educational seminars, sales and marketing, networking opportunities, mentoring classes, small business management, business owners/managers roundtable, basic accounting, marketing seminars, growth management, sales classes… Fayette Entrepreneur Friendly Community

19. Rate the overall local banking environment for startups and small businesses. Fayette Entrepreneur Friendly Community

20. Rate the community as a location to start and operate a business. Fayette Entrepreneur Friendly Community

21. What Trends have you noticed within your community that support entrepreneurs? Increase of credit/debit cards, government support, more active business promotion activities, traffic, chamber support, more affluent residents, more banks, growth, local desire to do business within the community, college within the community, tax laws, more office space, good schools, this questionnaire… Fayette Entrepreneur Friendly Community

22. What is the biggest challenge for entrepreneurs in this community? Fayette Entrepreneur Friendly Community

23. Please rate the “business friendliness” of your business license and permit process. Fayette Entrepreneur Friendly Community

24. If someone from the community came to you interested in starting a business locally, what organization would you refer them to? Fayette Entrepreneur Friendly Community

25. What would be the most valuable support your community could offer a new business? Fayette Entrepreneur Friendly Community

26. Would you be willing to help other entrepreneurs through a community led effort to encourage and support entrepreneurship? Fayette Entrepreneur Friendly Community

27. What type of travel/tourism business would you like most to see locate in your community? Fayette Entrepreneur Friendly Community

28. Do you have a Convention and Visitors Bureau or Tourism Office? Fayette Entrepreneur Friendly Community