Georgia Awarded A+ For Small Business Friendliness

ATLANTA — Thumbtack, a website and app that finds local professionals for projects, announced its 2019 Small Business Friendliness Survey, ranking 49 states and 44 cities based on licensing requirements, tax regulations, and labor and hiring regulations. Small business owners awarded Georgia an A+ this year, ranking fourth in the survey of small business friendliness in 49 states.,>

With more than 5,000 small business owners surveyed, it is the largest continuous study of small business perceptions of local government policy in the United States. Georgia was previously ranked sixth in the 2018 Thumbtack Survey.,>

"Building on our success as the top state for business, I am proud to see Georgia receive top marks for our small business climate," said Gov. Brian Kemp. "Small businesses are the backbone of our state's economy, comprising over 99% of all businesses in Georgia. This A+ ranking confirms what entrepreneurs across the nation and around the world know: Georgia is a great place to live, work, and do business.",>

Here are some highlights from Georgia's score:
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• Overall friendliness: A+,>
• Ease of starting a business: A+,>
• Regulations: A+,>
• Employment, labor, and hiring: A+,>
• Tax code: A+,>
• Licensing: A+,>
• ,>Government websites: A+

Between May 8, 2019 and July 1, 2019, Thumbtack surveyed more than 5,000 small business owners from across the U.S. operating across hundreds of categories including electricians, music teachers, wedding planners, and wellness professionals. The survey asked these entrepreneurs about the policies of their states and cities toward small business, as well as the overall level of support in their community.