COLLEGE PARK, Ga.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Club Entrepreneur (www.clubemembers.com) announced today the successful launch of Club E Atlanta, a public-private partnership that promotes entrepreneurship in Greater Atlanta.
The permanent offices in the 11,000-square-foot facility, which is based in the Atlanta suburb of College Park, have sold out. Only a few memberships, which allow entrepreneurs to rent office space by the day and even the hour, remain.
The success of Club E Atlanta is attributable to a handful of factors – the vision of Club E founder Peter J. Burns III (http://peterburnsiii.com/), the drive of entrepreneur Bob Johnson and the participation of the City of College Park.
The driver behind the city’s involvement in the collaborative workspace was Director of Economic Development Barbara Coffee.
“Club E Atlanta is a model for how the private and public sector can work together to revitalize a once vibrant downtown in Small Town America,” said Burns, who is also the CEO of B3 Funding Partners (www.b3fundingpartners.org). “Through the hard work of Bob, Barbara and countless others, Club E Atlanta has taken old and unused space and jumpstarted a local economy with entrepreneurial initiatives like workshops.”
Burns added that the concept is ripe for replication. “The SBA grant both assisted and validated the Club E concept and created a model from which to work from. Downtown College Park now resonates with positive energy and hope for American entrepreneurship. Other communities could benefit from this.”
Cities and Owners of Vacant Buildings Form a Bond
Burns said the recipe for success centers on forward-thinking economic development officials, like Coffee, and owners of vacant office buildings, who recognize the value of having a long-term tenant.
“One of the benefits for the real estate owner is that they get a tenant, who is backed by the support of a municipality,” said Burns. “Another benefit is that as these small businesses outgrow their space, they are looking for office space, which the owner can easily provide.”
About B3 Funding Partners
B3 Funding is a business platform that helps small and medium-sized businesses secure capital from willing lenders. The platform features an encrypted, secure and very streamlined process where applicants can submit their data electronically and receive tangible feedback within a matter of days.