As I review the changes in Decatur County that occurred in 2008, I wonder what we could do differently.

With the job and industry loss and Decatur County is leading the state in unemployment, what can we do to improve the situation which has a trickle-down effect to all aspects of our local economy?

The Bainbridge-Decatur County Chamber of Commerce worked diligently to earn the designation as an Entrepreneurial Friendly Community. This means the chamber has proven to the State of Georgia our commitment to assisting our community by providing resources for Decatur County residents interested in starting their own business.

Entrepreneurship was one of the major catalysts to pull our country out of past economic downturns.

Every year of the past decade, more than half a million businesses were created in our country. The majority of new jobs created in the 1990s were due to small- and medium-sized entrepreneurs in high-growth businesses.

According to the most current federal data, Georgia has 722,089 small businesses. Now, granted the most favorable condition for a new business to thrive is an urban area; however, rural Georgia presents new opportunities.

We are focused on industries and agriculture the large cities may not be, so there are opportunities for an entrepreneur to see what may be lacking in the area and fill that need.

Through the Chamber of Commerce you can assess the feasibility of the business you would like to start based on the local demographics you are targeting.

The chamber has resources available to assist in creating a business plan. We will also schedule a meeting with the Small Business Development Center to discuss the implementation of your plan. We can provide you with the resources necessary to apply for your sales tax number, federal employer identification number, and put you in contact with someone who can discuss financing your new business.

Americans have always been resilient and we will bounce back from this downturn, but, in the meantime let’s seize this opportunity to create!