Keeping Businesses Healthy, Thriving, and Local

Keeping existing businesses healthy, thriving, and local is critical for every community’s growth. Fortunately for us, we have that here.

So before I go any further, I would like to acknowledge two local businesses for incredible achievements:

Universal Alloy received a Supplier of the Year award from the Boeing aircraft manufacturing company.

R&M Sandwich Shop was listed among the best sandwich shops in Georgia by OnlyInYourState.com.

These types of recognition represent the outstanding quality of businesses that call Canton home.

Existing businesses are important to Canton, and we understand the importance of encouraging local businesses to stay and grow.

Research has shown that existing businesses represent 70-80% of new investment and job creation. Here are a few of the many positive economic impacts that existing businesses have on their communities:

• Creates jobs
• Provides tax revenues
• Compliments other businesses
• Invests in existing facilities
• Serve as advocates for business recruitment

Understanding the value of existing businesses demonstrates the reality that we cannot take local businesses for granted. Much of my job consists of interacting with existing businesses on a daily basis to discover their needs and concerns. This comes in many forms, whether it is lunch, coffee, emails, table-top meetings, phone conversations, or just stopping by a business to say “hello.”

These interactions are important for a number of reasons, among them are:

• To establish and maintain a rapport and solid working relationship with our existing businesses
• To foster a better understanding of businesses and their products
• To give insight and information during company visits that can be used to identify supplier linkages, and to create business-to-business partnerships
• To increase understanding of the Canton business community
• To (most importantly) — provide the company with the opportunity to learn more about Canton and our commitment to retaining and expanding our existing businesses.

We like to constantly remind businesses that we are here for them. In fact, earlier this year, the Canton Downtown Development Authority issued a ‘Downtown Business Operators Survey’ to more than 70 local businesses. The survey asked participating businesses about their thoughts and opinions on a number of issues immediately impacting their operations. The survey’s main goal was to obtain data that will help identify the issues and opportunities for growth among downtown businesses. The data will also shape community focus on long-term solutions that can be addressed strategically and collaboratively. The surveys have been completed, and results will be made available later this month.

It is initiatives like these that create a better understanding of what can be done to improve Canton’s current business climate, accommodate the needs of existing businesses, and provide an opportunity to show businesses how much we appreciate them, in addition to patronizing them, of course.

Business retention is one of the most effective ways to keep our community vibrant, strong, and competitive. As dialogue and assistance for our existing businesses continues, citywide and for any type of business, please feel free to contact me with any questions or recommendations you believe would be helpful, for us as a city, to keep our existing businesses healthy, thriving, and local.