Department of Economic Development

1. Department of Economic Development Small Business & Innovation Division Governor’s Entrepreneur & Small Business Office

2. GeorgiaDepartment of Economic Development Small Business & Innovation Division • Governor’s Entrepreneur & Small Business Office (ESBO) • Regional Small Business & Innovation Program • Innovation & Technology Office • Centers of Innovation

3. Governor’s Entrepreneur & Small Business Office (ESBO) • GA ESB Coordinating Network • “Entrepreneur Friendly” - EF Phase II • ESB Resource Website www.georgia.org/business/smallbusiness • Small Business Regulatory Reform Initiative (SBRRI) • Governor’s Mentor Protégé Program (GMPP) • Minority Partners Outreach • National Promotion / Gatherings / Connections

4. Governor’s Entrepreneur & Small Business Office Georgia ESB Coordinating Network State and federal ESB resource providers assess statewide ESB issues… - Access to Capital (OneGA ESB Loan Guarantee Program) - Entrepreneur Education (inventory database-all schools) - Minority Partnerships (dedicated staff) - ESB Resource Website / Resource Awareness - Cross Training / Marketing - Education for Practitioners (E-Summit & Best Practices Sharing)

5. Governor’s Entrepreneur & Small Business Office Georgia ESB Coordinating Network • State, federal ESB resource providers address statewide ESB issues • Started out as “design team” - 2003 • Year One: identify (65 / 1) assess outside consultant evaluate

6. Governor’s Entrepreneur & Small Business Office Georgia ESB Coordinating Network Recommendations • Transition design team to “Georgia ESB Coordinating Network” - Executive Order 2/04 - Chair: GDEcD Deputy Commissioner; Staff: ESBO Director • Create Governor’s Entrepreneur & Small Business Office (ESBO) - new director - within GA Department of Economic Development • Address top needs: - resource awareness / leverage each others offerings - cross training / cross marketing - how to reach all of Georgia’s businesses - gap in access to capital - entrepreneur education in schools

7. Governor’s Entrepreneur & Small Business Office Georgia ESB Coordinating Network Addressing top needs: RESOURCE AWARENESS • Created new website - listed all 65 programs from design team - category format - added more as known and developed - Helpful Links - Vendor Relations - Programs • Promote new website - press releases - speaking engagements (Governor, statewide, organizations, etc.) - launched new regional efforts to bring resource awareness to 159 counties

8. Governor’s Entrepreneur & Small Business Office Georgia ESB Coordinating Network Address top needs: CROSS TRAINING / CROSS MARKETING • Breakdown silos - Held cross training session in central location - 200 ESB resource providers (all staff levels) - educational / networking / regional collaborations • Used website to market resources • Distribution of Network opportunities via email broadcast - Network - EF Communities - Regional Staff - Trickle down • Revamped Regional Program focus to bring resource awareness to all of Georgia

9. Governor’s Entrepreneur & Small Business Office Georgia ESB Coordinating Network Address top needs: - GAP IN ACCESS TO CAPITAL • Identified gap of between $50,000 and $250,000 - interviewing lenders - interviewing ESBs • OneGeorgia Authority created program www.onegeorgia.org/esb-web - ESB Loan Guarantee Fund - 50% guarantee – standard bank loan - up to 10 years of life of loan

10. Governor’s Entrepreneur & Small Business Office Georgia ESB Coordinating Network Address top needs: ENTREPRENEUR EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS • Identified actual entrepreneur courses - many good programs - few locations • Created inventory - identify what each school has / does not have • Share inventory findings with counties - no magic wand - awareness created

11. Governor’s Entrepreneur & Small Business Office Georgia ESB Coordinating Network Address top needs: - HOW TO REACH ALL OF GEORGIA’S BUSINESSES TO CREATE RESOURSE AWARENESS THROUGHOUT STATE • Revamped existing Regional Program focus • Department can’t reach all businesses - but smarter communities can • Developed “Entrepreneur Friendly” Initiative in 2004 - Year One: ~ call on 159 counties’ leadership bringing resource awareness ~ ask if they’d like to engage in new “EF” initiative

12. Regional Entrepreneur & Small Business • Small Business Call Program • *0 – 19 employees • *Growth companies • *Strategic industries (Advanced Communications, • Advanced Manufacturing, Agribusiness, • Aerospace, Biosciences, Business & Financial • Services, Energy, Logistics) • *Connect to state & federal resources • Web optimization • Statewide Economic Gardening • *Market research data / SBDC partner • “Entrepreneur Friendly” Initiative • *Develop a local culture that supports • entrepreneurs and small businesses. • *Include ESB in local economic • development strategic plan.

13. “Entrepreneur Friendly” Initiative

14. Future of “EF” Program The EF designation opportunity: June 30, 2007: commit to become EF August 31, 2008: last date to earn designation TO DATE: 91 / 159 - 40 in process

15. Governor’s Entrepreneur & Small Business Office “Entrepreneur Friendly” Phase II (EFII) • Value-add to “EF” - Identifies entrepreneur innovation/creativity through challenges and opportunities discovered during EF process • Fosters an entrepreneur culture and non-traditional thinking • Facilitated Strategic Planning: ~ post-EF designation ~ anniversary ~ to re-energize ~ ownership ~ timelines for accountability ~ sustainability • Incorporates ESB strategic plans into a community’s overall economic development strategic plan • Grant opportunities (Year 1: none)

16. Governor’s Entrepreneur & Small Business Office EFII includes continuous post-designation support: - Professional Development for EF communities - EFIF grant awards & project follow through - PR - Best Practices listing and promotion - Speaking engagements - ‘Hot off the Press’ News - Opportunities for trade missions, marketing events

17. what we’re finding . . . . Through EF and EFII: Top needs: • Business education (#1 marketing, #2 sales, #3 finance) • Skilled workforce (#1 work ethics, #2 soft skills/professionalism) • Resource awareness > why don’t I know about them??? > just in time…just for me!

18. what we’re finding . . . . Through EF and EFII: Surprises . . . ? • Creative thinkers • Shop at home – promote us • Website development • No time to take classes

19. what we’re seeing . . . Top trends . . . • 100% of EF communities have created an ESB Resource Guide and How to Start of Business Guide • Majority has these Guides online • Minority has a tracking system • 100% have hosted at least one ESB Resource Fair/Expo • Majority are hosting Fairs/Expos annually • 95% of the EF communities are providing small business educational workshops • At least five EFs have created a dedicated, comprehensive Resource Center

20. building provisions into local economic development strategies by …. • More of what we’re seeing . . . • Offering a series of targeted business workshops on a continuous basis • Providing “Achieving Maximum Marketing” courses • Identifying and promoting local mentors/instructors • Continuing to talk with businesses; build relationships • Building resource centers as a one-stop area for all business needs • Creating top notch ESB resource websites • Creating more resource awareness • Offering SB incentives package • Teaching youth about Eship / soft skills / work ethics • Conducting comprehensive ‘Buy Local’ campaigns • Hosting business and resource expos –annually • Developing better tracking methods • Dedicating staff to ESB development • Creating forums for roundtables / networking opportunities / leads • Improving business-to-government relationships • Enhancing business licensing process / resources to new licensees

21. so what do the experts tell us . . . • Entrepreneurship is not always measured by job creation, investment time frames, etc… • Inappropriate measures lead to unrealistic expectations Instead . . . - activity - participation - traffic - attitude/environment - customer satisfaction - budget increase - ROI - increase in business starts - # hits / hand outs / calls - self-employment - reduced failure rates - firm growth/new investments - spin offs - aspiring entrepreneurs • Track activity – imperative!! • Youth will ‘figure it out’ but wouldn’t it be nice to make it easier for them? • Teach entrepreneurialism in youth programs - how to start - do’s and don’ts

22. ask … • Are my ESB programs going to support my ESBs long term? • Do I really know where to send someone? Do they even know we have resources? • If the state wasn’t involved, would I do this anyway?

23. Governor’s Entrepreneur & Small Business Office Small Business Regulatory Reform Initiative • Launched February 2007 “faster – friendlier – easier” < < < 877 REGS 4 GA - www.regs4ga.org > > > > • Selected agency liaisons responsible for responding to each question • Report nature of the call to ESBO for tracking most frequent regulatory concerns, reporting back to Governor

24. Governor’s Entrepreneur & Small Business Office Minority Partners Outreach • Network and connect with Georgia’s minority communities • Workshops, exhibits, speaking engagements, sponsorships, etc. • Dedicated staff necessary due to large volume of partners

25. Governor’s Entrepreneur & Small Business Office National connections – staying abreast – learning more. . . . State of Mississippi IEDC Economic Gardening - Gatherings Lowe Foundation NFIB Kauffman Foundation State of South Carolina State of North Carolina Northern Initiatives Upper Peninsula Fall Southern Legislative Conferences Economic Opportunities in the Delta SARL / State Agriculture & Rural Leaders Texas Rural Innovators Forum RUPRI / Rural Center for Entrepreneurship Purdue Center for Regional Development

26. East GA College-GREDC Centers of Innovation GA Dept. Administrative Services GA Dept. of Agriculture GA Dept. Technical & Adult Education GA Dept. of Community Affairs GA Dept. of Economic Development GA Dept. of Education GA Dept. of Labor GA Dept. of Revenue GA Micro Enterprise Network GA Research Alliance GA Rural Development Council Russell Int’l. Center for Entrepreneurship GA Technology Authority Advanced Technology Dev. Center GA Minority Business Dev. Center Governor’s Office Office of Planning & Budget Office of Secretary of State OneGeorgia Authority Small Business Development Center University System of Georgia Federal ESB Resources: Small Business Administration USDA Rural Development Internal Revenue Service Statewide ESB Resources… everyone has them

27. GA Department of Economic Development Small Business & Innovation Division can’t find your competitive edge? be a world-class entrepreneur community! thank you! Mary Ellen McClanahan Director Georgia Department of Economic Development Governor’s Entrepreneur & Small Business Office 75 5th Street NW, Suite 1200 Atlanta, GA 30308 404.962.4820 www.georgia.org/business/smallbusiness