"If everyone had your attitude and enthusiasm, the state of Georgia would be second to none!" That was the encouraging estimation of Ray Snow, regional project manager for the Governor's Entrepreneur and Small Business Office, after granting a designation of "Entrepreneur Friendly" to Camden County. The Entrepreneur Friendly program, spearheaded by the State of Georgia's Office of Economic Development, was designed to help communities recognize the importance of small businesses and integrate strategies that create a better entrepreneurial environment.

The Camden-Kings Bay Area Chamber of Commerce entered the program earlier this year, with high hopes. "Small businesses are the backbone of Camden's economy," said Christine Daniel, president of the Chamber. "We want to make sure they have what they need to thrive, and we want to encourage and assist those looking to set up shop here in Camden." To that end, the Chamber mailed out 1400 surveys, asking what business owners like and don't like about the local entrepreneurial environment. Results of the survey will be reported in upcoming articles.

The Chamber has also compiled a valuable resource - "Starting a Business in Camden County Workbook" - that is available at no charge. "The workbook helps entrepreneurs go from year one through the life of their business," says Daniel. "It contains information on demographics, human resources, financial options and key local and state contacts."

Snow and his team visited several Camden businesses, and were impressed with what they saw. The first stop was Sheila's Hallmark, in St. Marys. When asked how she has stayed in business so long, owner Sheila McNeill responded, "We treat our employees well. Also, we emphasize customer service - our employees get very excited about helping customers!"

Next on the agenda was Camden Bicycle Center. Owners Terry & Darlene Landreth say they also stress catering to their clientele. "Someone called from out of state, will be vacationing nearby during the holidays and needs a bicycle the day after Christmas. We said we'd be happy to accommodate them."

The last two businesses visited were Quality Cleaners and Camden Party Rentals. "As long as people are happy, I'm happy," says Corey Dawson, owner of Quality Cleaners. Corey's mom, Hattie, does the tailoring and has been sewing for over 35 years. "I love people," she says. When asked "How's business?" by Snow, Kathleen Pergola, owner of Camden Party Rentals, said business is getting better. Behind her was a gleaming chocolate fountain, ready for the next holiday party. "We'll need to add employees within the next year," she said.

During the Entrepreneur Readiness Review, Snow noted that Camden is chock-full of assets that make it a great starting place for small business owners. The coastal location, St. Marys waterfront park, tourism and a banking community that is attuned to the needs of small business help attract the dollars needed to keep Camden's economy healthy. He complimented the Chamber on making good use of existing resources, such as the downtown development authorities, local newspaper, television, and radio stations. The Camden County High School's Entrepreneur Class was also noted as an excellent way to get young people involved in small business. Finally, Snow said that his team recognized "a cooperative and agreeable spirit among the three cities and the county. Build on that." It is that cooperative spirit that will assure that Camden County continues to be "Entrepreneur Friendly" well into the future.