Conversation with Chris Clark, Georgia Chamber Artwork

South Georgia Insider

Welcome to the South Georgia Insider Podcast, hosted by Thressea H. Boyd, editor of South Georgia Business Magazine. Join us as we chat with business and civic leaders and community influencers about the exciting—and sometimes challenging things happening throughout South Georgia. Topics range from business and manufacturing to entrepreneurship and rural prosperity, economic development, agriculture, education, healthcare, tourism, and the arts.

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South Georgia Insider

Conversation with Chris Clark, Georgia Chamber

April 13, 2021 • Thressea H. Boyd, Host • Season 2 • Episode 11

In this episode, Chris Clark, CEO of the Georgia Chamber, shared the good, bad, and encouraging. Reflecting on a pre-COVID business climate to how Georgia is moving to a "reimagined economy."

Managing through 2020 to the "bigger picture" of economic recovery, Clarks shares what businesses—small and large—need to do to rebound.

The year 2020, wasn’t all doom and gloom, a bit of good news, Georgia had a 40 percent increase in new businesses relocating to the state during the pandemic.

COVID was a "wake-up" call on several issues, including broadband access. Clark says Georgia has several projects in the pipeline to increase internet access throughout the state, especially rural communities.

Clark encourages small businesses to embrace the "digital presence," which includes digital currency. For small businesses to survive, he suggests small companies develop a hybrid model of bricks-and-mortar and e-commerce.

By 2025: 27% of all retail sales in the U.S. will be e-commerce
By 2030: 33% of all retail will be e-commerce
By 2040: 95% of all retail sale will happen online

The pandemic brought a year of disruptions, and moving forward, businesses need to plan in place for the next disruption and multiple revenue streams.

Clark states that by 2030, 42% of all business revenue that exists today will be lost to disruptions.

What will Georgia’s economy look like in ten to twenty years? To answer that question, the Georgia Chamber is launching its Reimagined New Georgia Economy Tour. The series of virtual and safe in-person planning sessions will gather input and data from all communities across the state to prepare future planning strategies.

April 15: Virtual (Region 9)

April 22: Virtual (Region 10)

April 29: Virtual (Region 9)

May 5: South Georgia Tech, Cordele (Region 8)

May 5: Chehaw Creekside Education Center, Albany (Region 10)

May 6: Downtown Courtyard, Thomasville (Region 10)

May 24: Dublin-Lauren Chamber (Region 9)

May 27: Virtual (Region 11)

Thanks to our sponsor Smalltown Broadcasting and WDDQ, home of the Scott James Matheson Show, where you can listen to live from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m., Monday through Friday on Talk 92.1 http://talk921.com/ or through the TuneIn app https://tunein.com/radio/Talk-921

South Georgia Insider is produced by Spencer Van Horn, Smalltown Broadcasting.

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