What are the barriers and challenges of owning and operating businesses in downtown Macon?
A look into the barriers and challenges that business owners in downtown Macon face day-to-day.
By: Cheyenne Hines
Walking around downtown Macon, you’re likely to see many restaurants, clubs, and bars along your way. As more businesses continue to pop up in downtown Macon, owners and operators find themselves faced with new challenges everyday.
Scott Long, who has owned and operated Spud Dogs for nearly four years, had an unusual start to his business, but still faces day to day challenges.
“The barriers are very different for people. I didn’t raise money. I didn’t go through this and that. It was here. It was a broken concept. I had a vision for it, the opportunity to play with it and I had a little bit of time to get my feet running,” Long said.
Although his start was different than others, Long said his toughest challenge is remaining positive when things get tough.
Meagan Jenkins, general manager of The Greek Bar and Grill and Cherry Street Scoops, has found issues with getting people in the door, but also with her staffing.
“Just having to trust your staff and trust your training that you’re laying out for them and continuously on the job training,” Jenkins said.
Whatever the issue may be, NewTown Macon, a non-profit dedicated to helping new and current business owners, provides various services including loan opportunities, one-on-one consulting, and anything else local businesses are in need of.
Bethany Rogers, director of business and real estate at NewTown Macon, said that some of the biggest mistakes businesses owners make revolve around finances, but also in their start-up ideas.
“A lot of people come up with a business idea because it’s something that they love. But the most successful entrepreneurs are figuring out what the market really needs,” Rogers said. “You really need to know who your customer is and what problem your fixing or what competitive advantages you have to be truly successful.”
In addition to the opening of a business, Rogers said many new business owners don’t realize how much is involved when operating a business.
“You have to wear a lot of different hats from being the creative person who likes to be the chef or the stylists with a women’s clothing. You’ve also got to be a bookkeeper, you know, and a marketer,” Rogers said.
Saving money is also an issue for many business owners. Rogers said that nearly 55 percent of businesses are started with money from the owner’s pocket, and an even higher percentage starts with funds from friends and family of the founder.
“Coming to a lender for the very beginning sometimes can be really hard because you can’t prove it’s a really good business idea if it’s going to be successful,” Rogers said.
However, NewTown has a loan assistance program, funded by a county issued bond as well as outside donations by Dr. Kirby Godsey, The Knight Foundation, The Griffith Family Foundation, Rogers said. The loan process takes anywhere from four to six weeks to complete.
NewTown has assisted over 100 new or existing businesses with various issues, and Rogers said they hope to help more in the future.
For more information on services offered by NewTown, please visit their website at newtownmacon.com
