CHEROKEE COUNTY, GA — The Cherokee Office of Economic Development is proud to unveil a bold new identity for their entrepreneurship initiative: Startup Cherokee. Launched in 2016, Fresh Start Cherokee has served as the launching pad for hundreds of Cherokee entrepreneurs and small businesses through programs, mentorship and community for nearly ten years – now that legacy will be continued as Startup Cherokee.
Startup Cherokee is where innovative ideas get a fresh start – a vibrant and energizing hub for trailblazing startups and bold entrepreneurs, powered by the Cherokee Office of Economic Development (COED). Fueled by passion, smarts, and a rich community history full of entrepreneurial spirit, Startup Cherokee is committed to supporting Cherokee entrepreneurs and helping startups learn, grow and innovate. The mission is simple – to make launching and scaling a venture more accessible and easier to navigate for entrepreneurs of all stages by connecting them to the education, resources and community that they need.
Through this rebrand, COED is evolving to meet the future of entrepreneurship. Startup Cherokee reflects the community it serves: bold, modern and built for innovators. As the startup landscape shifts, this updated brand is built to connect with the next generation of forward-thinking founders. This rebrand is not just a new look – it’s a fresh start designed to inspire growth and innovation across our region.
“Fresh Start Cherokee has made a profound and lasting impact on our community,” said Mark Goddard, Chairman of Cherokee By Choice. “Launched in 2016 through our public-private partnership, Fresh Start Cherokee was the first initiative of its kind focused on empowering Cherokee County entrepreneurs. Today, we are excited to build on that strong foundation and take the program to the next level.”
Alongside Startup Cherokee, COED is launching a new website that is the homebase for Cherokee entrepreneurs: startupcherokee.com. This new website connects local small businesses to resources, events and programs offered through the initiative, as well as highlighting local small business owners to share their stories.
Despite the name change, the heart of the initiative remains the same – to bring education, resources and connection to Cherokee entrepreneurs. Longstanding programs like Fresh Start Mornings, LaunchPad Bootcamp Series, the North Atlanta Venture Mentoring Service, the Cherokee Tech Meetup and more will continue to operate and support local businesses, including The Circuit Woodstock, the 3,000 square-foot coworking and community space.
Startup Cherokee was launched at Fresh Start Mornings on Wednesday, July 2. In addition to launching the new brand, Fresh Start Mornings hosted J.R. Charles, Customer Service Manager to demonstrate the new SizeUp Cherokee tool, making powerful market research and business intelligence available to local businesses to help them succeed.
SizeUp Cherokee becomes the first official tool and resource to launch out of the Startup Cherokee rebrand and a great way to enter this new chapter of entrepreneurial support. SizeUp was first introduced at a kickoff session in June that brought together leaders from every city including Ball Ground, Canton, Holly Springs, Waleska and Woodstock, along with other partners like Reinhardt University, Cherokee County, and the Cherokee Chamber of Commerce to train business and community leaders who help support local businesses across the county.
Local businesses can now access industry-specific and hyperlocal information to help them grow and make smarter decisions using Big Data analysis. The research is individually customized for each company. By using the website service local businesses are able to:
1. Rank their business performance compared to industry competitors
2. Discover potential customers, suppliers, and better understand their competitive landscape
3. Optimize advertising to target ideal customer segments
SizeUp Cherokee helps to level the competitive business playing field by providing small businesses with similar market research that typically only large corporations can afford to access by contracting multinational management consulting companies or hiring internal research analysts. “In today’s information economy, if you don’t have access to information your business is at a significant disadvantage. With the launch of SizeUp on the Startup Cherokee website, we are empowering our small businesses in Cherokee County to be able to make more data-driven decisions to better operate, succeed, and grow,” said COED President Heath Tippens.
SizeUp uses big data, cloud computing, and computer algorithms to deliver custom analysis for local businesses. The data comes from hundreds of public and proprietary data sources covering firmographic, demographic, geographic, labor, wage, cost, consumer spending, transportation, and more.
This new service provided by Startup Cherokee is completely free to local businesses and available anytime through their website.
Visit startupcherokee.com to learn more and get involved.
