On March 11, 2008 the Georgia Department of Economic Development officially Designated Pickens County as Entrepreneur Friendly. This designation was the result of months of careful planning and diligent effort by the E-friendly committee led by volunteers from your Pickens County Chamber of Commerce. 

Last month, the Steering Committee reorganized from a designation seeking project team into the long range planning and management team that will keep efforts to assist potential and current small businesses at the forefront of community economic development activities in Pickens County. The community is encouraged to view the Strategic Plan and volunteer to participate on one of the committees.
Please check back in this area often for news of programs, conferences and support designed for and delivered to the vital economic engine of our community-small business. 

From the very first days of the committee's efforts it became clear that a Resource Guide for Entrepreneurs and Small Business Owners would be one of the cornerstone products of the program. The first version was delivered to the Department of Economic Development certification committee and the community on March 11, 2008. The Resource Guide is intended to assist aspiring entrepreneurs as well as established businesses. The information compiled runs the gamut from "How do I get a Business License?" to "Who at the state level can assist me with international trade?"
It is the intent of the committee to constantly update the Guide as new information and resources become available. The current version of the Guide is available free to the public either on a CD or as an Adobe Acrobat PDF file that can be downloaded from this website. In order to gain a better understanding of how the Guide is used and to allow follow-up for suggested changes, we request that you complete the following short form. Once you submit the form, you will be able to download the Guide. We encourage you to submit proposed changes to the Guide based on your experience using it.

Community Bank of Pickens County
Don Martin-Torrey Mountain Properties
ETC Communications
Jasper Banking Company

Small Business Counseling -FREE
The Dalton Small Business Development Center provides confidential business consulting and technical assistance to small business owners and future entrepreneurs.  Business consulting is offered at the Chamber by appointment.  A variety of training programs both in the classroom and online are also offered.  Visit the SBDC website for information on services offered by the SBDC including, free business counseling, answer questions many new and current business owners have, as well as business workshops offered at a nominal cost.

To schedule an appointment to meet with the SBDC, contact the Chamber of Commerce.

 

Kennesaw State University SBDC

 

 

Economic Stimulus Benefits for Small Business Owners
SBA Launches Tax Savings Resource Center

News Release
SBA PRESS                                                                       
www.sba.gov/news
 
Online tools will educate small business owners on economic stimulus package benefits
 
WASHINGTON, DC - The SBA has created an online tax savings resource center to help small businesses understand how they can benefit from the 2008 economic stimulus package signed into law by President Bush earlier this year.  
 
The package includes the following tax incentives for businesses: a 50% bonus depreciation allowance on equipment purchased and placed in service in calendar 2008 and an almost 100% increase in the amount (from $128,000 to $250,000) that a business can expense for equipment purchased and placed in the business tax year beginning in 2008.
 
"The stimulus package is designed to spur the economy by putting money back into the pockets of American workers and encouraging small businesses to invest and expand," said SBA Acting Administrator Jovita Carranza. "However, many small business owners are unaware of how it could boost their bottom line. In the roundtables I held with dozens of small business owners last week on tax policy, many were amazed to learn how much their companies could benefit from the temporary tax incentives in the package."
 
SBA's new tax savings resource center demonstrates the benefits entrepreneurs can gain from the 2008 economic stimulus package. The center, located on www.sba.gov/stimulus, contains three resources on the package:
 
1.      Fact Sheet The fact sheet provides a clear explanation of the small business tax benefits.
 
2.      Deprecation Calculator This useful tool provides an estimate of the first-year depreciation available under the provisions.
 
3.      Online Seminar This brief tutorial summarizes the tax benefits and concludes with the depreciation calculator.
 
These resources should help small businesses take advantage of the stimulus package.  However, because there are exceptions and additional requirements, small businesses are encouraged to contact their tax advisor to determine exactly how the provisions and implementing tax code of the 2008 economic stimulus package apply to their business. They may also refer to the IRS Web site: www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=179227,00.html for additional information regarding tax changes.

Contact the KSU SBDC at 770-423-6450 or online at: www.sbdc.kennesaw.edu

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
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