PUBLISHER
Red Door Design & Publishing, LLC
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Stephanie Williams
CREATIVE | DESIGN
Elizabeth Beasley
Stephanie Williams
ASSISTANT MANAGER
Nikki Anderson
DIRECTOR OF MARKETING
AND MEDIA RELATIONS
Ann Owens
SALES
Dottie Hicks
Randall Montague
Daphne Walker
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Renée Martin
Beverly McClellan
Beth O’Neal
Ann Owens
Tonya Parker
Teri R. Williams
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Lillian Morse Burton
Logic4Design/Eric Love
Ann Owens
PIX Photography
Daphne Walker
Mary Gen Williams
PROOFING
Beverly McClellan
COVER PHOTO
Mary Gen Williams
Toombs County Magazine© is
published bi-annually by
Red Door Design & Publishing, LLC
148 Williams Avenue • Lyons, GA 30436
(912) 526-4195
All rights reserved. Copies or reproduction of this publication in
whole or in part is strictly prohibited without expressed written
authorization from the publisher. Every effort is made to ensure
the accuracy of the information contained herein. Advertising is
subject to omission, errors, and other changes without notice.
F R O M T H E P U B L I S H E R
The entrepreneurial spirit is
alive in Toombs County
“If you want to be in business, there is no better state than Georgia.” It
was a definitive statement that came from my husband Tommie who spent
18 years in the state senate helping solidify Georgia as the number one state
for commerce. There are many reasons that Georgia has earned this title
for five consecutive years. A competitive labor environment and workforce
development programs, low taxes and utility costs, favorable regulatory
environments, global connectivity, a strong economy and a cooperative state
government that supports small business are among the attributes that have
helped put Georgia at the top.
Of course it is easy to take this all for granted if you don’t understand
how good you have it. We’ve noticed during our time in Italy that small to
medium-sized ventures make up 90% of the market, but getting them started
is often complicated by bureaucracy, red tape and heavy tax burdens. Even
though Georgia has recently been cast into political drama for its values, the
bottom line is still this: it’s easier than ever to start a business in the Peach
State where the budding entrepreneur is welcome with open arms. That
means our door is open, and our future is bright.
While not everyone has the temperament, desire, or endurance to
start a business, we all reap the benefits of living in an enterprise-friendly
environment. So in this issue, we celebrate those who have made owning
a business, and thus improving the community, a reality. Every business’s
story has a different beginning. Lynn Skinner wanted to encourage reading
and good stewardship when she began writing children’s books (p. 12), Earl
and Kathy Butler decided to continue the business Kathy’s father started
(p. 23), Samantha Moore wanted to provide locals with a place to slow down
and congregate (p. 34), Sandra Williamson was inspired by her passion for
horses (p. 88), Matthew Bright wanted to change his life’s course (p. 78), and
Jennifer Wooten decided to pick up where her mother left off (p. 103). Our
youngest entrepreneur is Saylor Herrin (p. 64) who, at age 11, has already
started her own baking company.
Toombs County is FULL of commerce. A glance through our magazine
reveals a diverse selection of businesses
that all started with some kind of hope and
dream. These businesses are built with
love, dedication and hard work, so that
you can enjoy trading local. We celebrate
ALL the risk-takers and the doers who had
the courage to weather the tough times,
make some sacrifices and even reinvent
themselves from time to time in order to
bring the best businesses to Toombs County.
cheers to our businesses,
Stephanie Williams
Executive Editor
To share a story, send a note, or just get information:
toombscountymagazine@gmail.com • (912) 293-0063
For more stories, visit us at
www.toombscountymagazine.com
6 Toombs County Magazine
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M A G A Z I N E
To discover more that Toombs County has to offer,
see our business index on page 144!
/www.toombscountymagazine.com
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