Fayette County's Entrepreneur Friendly Survey results

Welcome!

FayetteFayette Entrepreneur Friendly CommunityEntrepreneur Friendly Community


Steering Committee CompositionSteering Committee Composition

• Fayette County Development AuthorityFayette County Development Authority

• Fayette County Chamber of CommerceFayette County Chamber of Commerce

• Small Business Development CenterSmall Business Development Center

• Clayton State UniversityClayton State University

• Fayette County Board of EducationFayette County Board of Education

• Heritage BankHeritage Bank

• Piedmont Fayette HospitalPiedmont Fayette Hospital

• MainStreet/City of FayettevilleMainStreet/City of Fayetteville

• Local Small Business OwnersLocal Small Business Owners

• Leadership Fayette Co-ChairsLeadership Fayette Co-Chairs

• HR and Business ConsultantsHR and Business Consultants

• Georgia Department of LaborGeorgia Department of Labor


Fayette EFC TimelineFayette EFC Timeline

• June 2007 CommitmentJune 2007 Commitment

• Initial Steering Committee Meetings – August 2007 Initial Steering Committee Meetings – August 2007

• Leadership Fayette Survey Process Training – October 2007Leadership Fayette Survey Process Training – October 2007

• Entrepreneur Surveys – November & December 2007Entrepreneur Surveys – November & December 2007

• Data review and assessment – January 2008Data review and assessment – January 2008

• Review Team Visit – February 2008Review Team Visit – February 2008


Increased Community AwarenessIncreased Community Awareness• Press ReleasesPress Releases

• Entrepreneur ExtravaganzaEntrepreneur Extravaganza

• BusinessWorks TV ShowBusinessWorks TV Show

• August 2007 – Entrepreneur Friendly Overview & Young August 2007 – Entrepreneur Friendly Overview & Young Entrepreneur spotlightEntrepreneur spotlight

• September 2007 – Business Expo & Entrepreneur ExtravaganzaSeptember 2007 – Business Expo & Entrepreneur Extravaganza

• November 2007 – Small Business of the Year Awards LuncheonNovember 2007 – Small Business of the Year Awards Luncheon

• Conduit Newsletter Articles Conduit Newsletter Articles

• Leadership FayetteLeadership Fayette


Resources for EntrepreneursResources for Entrepreneurs

• Chamber & Development Authority Web SitesChamber & Development Authority Web Sites

• Small Business Development Center & SBASmall Business Development Center & SBA

• Clayton State UniversityClayton State University

• Peachtree City- What Every Business Owner Needs to Know Peachtree City- What Every Business Owner Needs to Know

• Local Banks, accountants & attorneysLocal Banks, accountants & attorneys

• Chamber Small Business LuncheonsChamber Small Business Luncheons

• Griffin Technical CollegeGriffin Technical College

• Georgia Department of Labor, Georgia Dept of Economic Dev.Georgia Department of Labor, Georgia Dept of Economic Dev.

• Retired Executives in the CommunityRetired Executives in the Community

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

Entrepreneur Survey Results


• Interviews– State Req. a minimum

of 50 reviews– Committee Developed

a list of 100+ candidates

– Actually interviewed 61 entrepreneurs


0

1020

3040

5060

70

8090

100

Interviews

Min

Goal

Actual


43%

57%

Chamber Member

Non-ChamberMember

Chamber Member vs. Non-Chamber MemberChamber Member vs. Non-Chamber Member


2%

31%

21%

46%Potential

Existing

Growth

No-Response

Stage of BusinessStage of Business


2%3%12%

12%

33%

19%

19%

1950-1959

1960-1969

1970-1979

1980-1989

1990-1999

2000-2005

2006-Present

1. What year did your company start?1. What year did your company start?


8% 3%

2%

30%

24%

15%

13%

5%

Tech.

Cust. Service

Mech.

Acct./ Fin.

Bus. Mgmt.

Sales & Mkt

HR

Other

2. What skills do you wish you had when you started the business?


73%

20%

7%

Started

Bought

Inherited

3. How did you come to own the business?


63%6%

9%

6%

3%3%

5% 3%2%Personal Savings

Mortgage

Family

Local Bank

SBA Loan

Credit Card

Investors

Other

No Response

4. How did you finance the startup?


Fu

ll T

ime

Par

t T

ime

Sea

son

al /

Tem

p

621

10.35

314

5.2

178

2.960

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

Total

Average

5. Number of Employees


8%

7%

10%

21%

2%

2%3%

8%

12%

2%

5%

8%

2%10%

Construction

Manufacturing

Wholesale Trade

Retail Trade

Trans. & WH

Information

Fin. & Insurance

RE/ Rental/ Leasing

Pro. Sci. & Tech.

Ed & Training

Health

Art, Ent., & Rec.

Accom. & Food

Other

6. What is your company’s PRIMARY product or service?


0%0%15%

4%

9%

12%

2%

1%6%6%

14%

0%

6%

1%

8%

1%

6%8%

Ag/For/Fish/Hunt

Mining

Construction

Manufacturing

Wholesale Trade

Retail Trade

Trans. & WH

Information

Fin. & Insurance

RE/ Rental/ Leasing

Pro. Sci. & Tech.

Mangement Company

Admin. & Waste Srvs.

Ed & Training

Health

Art, Ent., & Rec.

Accom. & Food

Other

Fayette’s Actual Industry Breakdown


7. What are the three most lacking skills in the workforce?

#1 – Solid Work Ethic (13), Computer Technology (12), Sales & Mkt (10)#1 – Solid Work Ethic (13), Computer Technology (12), Sales & Mkt (10)

#2 – Customer Service (12), Sales & Mkt (7), Creative Thinking (5), #2 – Customer Service (12), Sales & Mkt (7), Creative Thinking (5), Electrical/Mechanical (5) Electrical/Mechanical (5)

#3 – Creative Thinking (11), Interpersonal Skills (7), Customer Service (6)#3 – Creative Thinking (11), Interpersonal Skills (7), Customer Service (6)


Em

ail

E-C

om

me

rce

Inte

rne

t

We

bs

ite

Oth

er

57

2

21

16

53

3

54

1 30

10

20

30

40

50

60

Yes

No

8. What technology do you use to conduct business?


52%

36%

12%

Needs Improvement

Adequate

Excellent

9. How would you describe your company’s marketing & sales effort?


25%

40%

35%

Needs Improvement

Adequate

Excellent

10. How would you describe your company’s administrative & financial management?


31%

26%

15%

23%

5%

County

Regional

State

National

International

11. Where do most of your sales come from?


35%

65%

Yes

No

12. Do you currently sell your products to the state of Georgia?


22%

78%

Yes

No

13. Do you export your product or service?


Add a product

70%

30%

Yes

No

Sell to a new Market

69%

31%

Yes

No

Add new Employees

88%

12%

Yes

No

14. Is your business planning to…

Research New Markets

71%

29%

Yes

No


Expand Advertising and Promotions

84%

16%

Yes

No

Invest in New Equipment

75%

25%

Yes

No

Expand Current Facilities

54%46% Yes

No


Redesign Current Facilities

35%

65%

Yes

No


Seek Additional Financial Capital

32%

68%

Yes

No

Seek Professional or Technical Advice

62%

38%

Yes

No

Relocate Business

36%

64%

Yes

No


Sell Business

11%

89%

Yes

No


Close Business

0%

100%

Yes

No

Merge Busienss

6%

94%

Yes

No



34%

17%9%

4%

9%

10%

3%

13%1%

Sales

Costs

Access to Capital

Collections

Competition

Skilled Workers

Access to Market

Other

No Response

15. What is the single biggest obstacle to the future success of your business?


19%21%

25%

35%

Suppliers

Retail/Commercial

No Response

Other

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


2%

22%

42%

3% 11%5%

0%

0%

10%

5%

SBDC

Bank

Accountant

Lawyer

Chamber

Local College

SCORE

GDEcD

Other

No Response

17. Which service provider has been most helpful?


18. What programs or services would you be willing to attend or find out more about?

Workshops, Educational Workshops, Seminars on editorial writing skills, Workshops, Educational Workshops, Seminars on editorial writing skills, Computer based workshops, Chamber activities, financial workshops, Computer based workshops, Chamber activities, financial workshops, mentoring classes, business management, technical training, community mentoring classes, business management, technical training, community Events, HR & Technology, Financial administration, tax laws, management & Events, HR & Technology, Financial administration, tax laws, management & HR, Labor training, educational seminars, sales and marketing, networking HR, Labor training, educational seminars, sales and marketing, networking opportunities, mentoring classes, small business management, business opportunities, mentoring classes, small business management, business owners/managers roundtable, basic accounting, marketing seminars, growth owners/managers roundtable, basic accounting, marketing seminars, growth management, sales classes…management, sales classes…


3%

21%

28%

18%28%

2%

Very Risk Tolenant

Risk Tolerant

Conservative

Very Conservative

Don’t Know

No Response

19. Rate the overall local banking environment for startups and small businesses.


38%

46%

9%

5%

2%

Excellent

Good

Fair

Poor

No Response

20. Rate the community as a location to start and operate a business.


21. What Trends have you noticed within your community that support entrepreneurs?

Increase of credit/debit cards, government support, more active business Increase of credit/debit cards, government support, more active business promotion activities, traffic, chamber support, more affluent residents, more promotion activities, traffic, chamber support, more affluent residents, more banks, growth, local desire to do business within the community, college banks, growth, local desire to do business within the community, college within the community, tax laws, more office space, good schools, this within the community, tax laws, more office space, good schools, this questionnaire…questionnaire…


29%

41%

7%

17%

3%

3%

Financing

Skilled Employees

Building Space

Local or state regs /Licensing

Other

No Response

22. What is the biggest challenge for entrepreneurs in this community?


50%

31%

17%

2%

Friendly

Adequate

Unfriendly

N/A

23. Please rate the “business friendliness” of your business license and permit process.


7%

28%

40%

7%

7%

2%

2%

0%

5%

2%

SBDC

Bank

Chamber

Mentor

Another Business

SCORE

CVB/Tourism

GDEcD

Other

No Response

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


15%

17%

8%

24%

17% 2%

2%

8%

5%

2%

"Buy Local"

Pro. Dev.

HR Assistance

Access to Capital

Marketing Help

Legal Help

Trade/Export Help

Supplier/ New BusinessRecruitment

Other

No Response

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


87%

13%Yes

No

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


19%

52%

15%

7%

7%

Accomodations

Restaurants

Attractions

No Response

Other

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


35%

60%

5%

Yes

No

No Response

28. Do you have a Convention and Visitors Bureau or Tourism Office?