Which of the following statements is true?
- Almost ninety-nine percent of all employer firms are small businesses.
- Small businesses pay more than 45 percent of the total U. S. private payroll.
- Two out of every three new jobs are created by small businesses.
Surprisingly enough, all three of these statements are true.
"Small businesses are the backbone of the American economy, because they are the primary creator of jobs and wealth for the community," says Ray Snow, State of Georgia Department of Economic Development. Snow is assisting Camden with the Camden! Entrepreneur Friendly Initiative, which aims to bring small business to Camden County.
The Entrepreneur Friendly program, which was designed by Georgia Tech's Economic Development Institute, already has many success stories. Coffee County, the first rural city in Georgia to attain official Entrepreneur Friendly status, saw business development requests double as a result of their involvement in this program. Camden hopes to achieve substantial growth as well, by assisting small businesses with start-up, education, funding, marketing and permitting.
Ninety to ninety-five percent of Camden businesses are small businesses," states Christine Daniel, president of the Camden - Kings Bay Area Chamber of Commerce. "Small businesses that receive help do better after five years. We want to provide that help."
Not only do small businesses benefit the community, but the owners as well. The people who run those companies are excited to share what small business ownership has done for them.
"Single moms think it's impossible," said Cathy Kloess, owner of The Jumping Place, a sky-diving business in St. Marys. "But it's not. You can write your own schedule and bring your kids." Kloess, a commercially-rated pilot who has been jumping since 1989, adds, "I feel like the luckiest person alive to be doing what I love for a living."
This sentiment is shared by both Tom Monahan of Up the Creek Xpeditions and Mike Newbern, of Enchanting Media Photography Studio.
"You can do things you like," says Monahan, who bought the St. Marys kayaking and adventure business two years ago. Flexibility is also a big plus for Monahan, who works with his wife, Julie. "We have two children, and we can run out and do things, even though we're very busy."
Mike Newbern agrees. "I love photography," says Newbern. "There are intrinsic rewards, to see the tears in brides' eyes when they see their wedding pictures."
He also waxed philosophical.
"This is the American Dream - to provide a valuable service to the community and take care of your family. There is patriotism and pride in that."
Since the 1970s, small businesses have added tens of millions of jobs to the U. S. economy. They also bring innovation, ideas, services and products to enrich the local community. The Camden! Entrepreneur Friendly Committee is working hard to bring these valuable additions to Kingsland, St. Marys, Woodbine and the surrounding area.
Presently they, in partnership with the Camden - Kings Bay Chamber of Commerce, are in the process of sending out surveys to each and every business in Camden, to discover what these businesses need and want to better their bottom line and quality of life. The Initiative's worthy goal is to make Camden County the first place prospective owners think of when they think of doing business.
For more information, please visit www.camdenchamber.com, or call Daniel at 912.729.5840.