Why Do Business in Columbus?
Home to both startups and established Fortune 500 companies, businesses of all sizes thrive in Columbus, Georgia. So why should companies do business in Columbus?
“Several factors make Columbus a good and unique place to do business,” says Jerald Mitchell, former president and CEO of the Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce. “One is the geography in terms of our proximity to Atlanta Hartsfield (Atlanta’s airport) and other parts of Georgia. Then, there are top-tier universities like Georgia Tech and Auburn being good feeders. Locally, we have a very good university, Columbus State University. The geography works in our favor in our ability to curate a quality workforce for new and existing businesses.”
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High Rankings
Georgia was ranked as the fourth best state for business by CNBC, which considers factors like infrastructure, workforce, economy and the cost of doing business. Located approximately 100 miles southwest of Atlanta, Columbus is the second-largest city in the state by population. Its broader labor shed includes over 250,000 people.
“Columbus is being very thoughtful about trying to express and communicate its identity to people everywhere,” Mitchell says. “It’s unintentionally been off the radar for people, but we are endeavoring to change that. We’re in a good position.”
Funding the Future
The region voted to invest $1.1 billion over the next 10 years in infrastructure funding to make sure it continues to be an excellent location to do business.
Infrastructure Assets
Columbus offers access to Georgia Ports Authority ports, Class I rail carrier Norfolk Southern and highways including Interstate 85 and I-185. In addition, Columbus Airport (CSG) offers commercial service through Delta, and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is less than 100 miles away.
“Columbus offers daily flights that connect in Atlanta, so you can pretty easily get to any place in the world by connecting in Atlanta,” Mitchell says.
“You don’t have to go through Atlanta TSA; you’re able to clear security in Columbus. This makes flying a lot less stressful.”
Higher Education Opportunities
There are several higher education choices nearby, including Columbus State University, Columbus Technical College, Mercer University School of Medicine, Troy University, Georgia Military College and Chattahoochee Valley Community College.
In addition, this education is affordable. U.S. News & World Report ranks Georgia in the top 10 for states with the lowest tuitions and fees. Mitchell adds that 60% of the Columbus workforce has some college education.
Military Might
One of the largest military bases in the world is located in the region. “Fort Moore is a huge part of the Columbus and regional economy. A large portion of the jobs in the Columbus region are dependent on military activities and opportunities,” Mitchell says.
Over the past five years, Fort Moore (formerly Fort Benning) has transitioned an annual average of 2,300 soldiers back to civilian life through its Army Transition Assistance Program. In addition, employers who hire these individuals receive special employer incentives of up to 50% of the veteran’s salary for up to six months.
“It’s a really big benefit to help companies get the workforce that they need and help so many people who choose to serve our country to integrate back into the civilian workforce,” Mitchell says. “It benefits our community, region and employers.”
High-Tech Industries
Speaking of Fort Moore, Columbus serves industries such as defense, robotics, fintech and aerospace.
Robotics and research and development take place at the Fort Moore Maneuver Battle Lab. For example, MBL established the protocol for how to use night vision in training and warfare.
Pratt & Whitney anchors the local aerospace industry, and there are several key players in fintech, including Aflac, Synovus and TSYS. Columbus is home to the headquarters of several major corporations like Aflac, Synovus, Realtree and CharBroil.
“Having these large corporate presences creates opportunity in the community,” Mitchell says. “It leads to well-paying jobs, as well as a skilled and educated workforce.”
Startup Support
In addition to the big hitters, small businesses, startups and entrepreneurs in the region receive support through entities like StartUP Columbus, the Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce and the University of Georgia Small Business Development Center.
“Columbus has been a community that supports startups from the beginning,” Mitchell says.
“In fact, John Pemberton created the Coca-Cola formula in Columbus, Georgia. W.C. Bradley, seeded Columbus Bank and Trust, which is now Synovus. Synovus seeded TSYS, which is now a Global Payments company. Columbus has a really good track record for embracing and supporting startups.”
Business Spotlight: Georgia’s Oldest Jeweler
Soon after emigrating from Germany to America, watchmaker Carl Schomburg purchased his own shop in Columbus selling clocks. As the area grew, he expanded to jewelry. Though not in the same location, the family-operated jewelry store – now in its fifth generation – still serves the community today.
“I’ve got people who come in, and it might be a bride, and she’s registering,” says manager/buyer Mary Luby. “Well, her grandmother also registered with us, and her mother before that. We’ve had a woman come in to get a 60-year-old ring fixed that her husband bought from us. We are so rooted. We see people grow up, and we know their families.”
The store still provides those customers with old-school services like wrapping and delivering presents or engraving baby gifts. In addition to the classics, Luby enjoys seeing what’s new and sourcing items a lot of other companies don’t carry.
“We really try to focus on ordering from smaller companies,” Luby says. “We have glass that’s hand-blown in Vermont, china that’s hand-painted in Hungary and rattan from Myanmar. I love shopping for everything in the store.”
Schomburg’s is currently co-owned by brother and sister Ricky Schomburg and Laura Patrick. They operate the store with Luby (Patrick’s daughter) and Collins Schomburg (Ricky’s son).
“There aren’t many places anymore that are family-owned and remain a small business,” Luby says. “I stand by my work, because it’s my family and I’m proud of it. We want to keep the store in the family and running for years to come.”
Get to Know Columbus
Want to learn more about living and working in Columbus, GA? Check out the latest edition of Livability Greater Columbus, Georgia.