City of Warner Robins Recognized as a GURU Trailblazer for Small Business Support

Warner Robins is using GURU Site Selection to provide personalized, data-informed location assistance to entrepreneurs and growing businesses.

At GIS WebTech, we recognize GURU Trailblazers for finding innovative ways to use GURU to serve their communities.

The City of Warner Robins, Georgia, is doing exactly that by transforming GURU Site Selection into the foundation of a concierge-style location assistance program for small businesses.

While many economic development organizations use GURU to market large industrial properties, Warner Robins uses the platform to promote approximately 300 available properties of all sizes. This allows the city to help entrepreneurs find spaces ranging from small storefronts to light industrial facilities.

Helping Entrepreneurs Find the Right Place to Grow

Many of the City’s requests come from entrepreneurs who are ready to move beyond a home-based business but are unsure how to begin searching for commercial space.

Instead of simply directing them to an online property search, Warner Robins provides hands-on assistance. The City’s economic development team meets with business owners to understand their space requirements, budget, preferred location, customers, and business plan. The team then uses GURU to identify properties that may meet those needs.

This personal approach has helped Warner Robins establish itself as a trusted first stop for entrepreneurs, real estate professionals, lenders, elected officials, and partner organizations seeking property guidance.

Adding Data to the Location Decision

Warner Robins also uses the Esri demographic and market data available through GURU to help entrepreneurs evaluate the potential of a business concept or location.

Using GURU, the City is able to provide information such as demographic characteristics, retail demand, and market leakage to help answer important questions:

• Is there sufficient demand for this business?
• Which areas may offer the strongest customer base?
• Does a proposed location align with the business plan?
• What data could support a financing request?

For entrepreneurs with limited access to research tools, this information can provide a valuable starting point for conversations with lenders, real estate professionals, and business advisors.

By combining property information with demographic and market data, the City can help entrepreneurs make more informed location decisions and prepare for conversations with lenders and business advisors.

“The data allows us to give entrepreneurs meaningful guidance. It is about what the demographic information shows and how that aligns with their business goals.”

From a Binder to a Better Way

Before adopting GURU, the Warner Robins team searched individual real estate websites and maintained a binder of available properties. The process was time-consuming and made it difficult to provide timely, comprehensive assistance.

GURU gave the City a centralized and more efficient way to search available properties, apply specific criteria, and provide targeted options to each business.

One of the City’s early location assistance clients was an entrepreneur searching for approximately 2,500 square feet of light industrial space for a sign business. Warner Robins used GURU to identify potential sites and helped him find a location.

Several years later, the business owner returned to the City for assistance again. This time, his business had grown, and he needed a larger space.

The impact extends beyond properties listed in GURU. Because the program has positioned Warner Robins as a trusted resource, community partners now bring unlisted opportunities to the City as well.

In one recent example, the team connected a homeschooling organization seeking multiple classrooms with a local church that had available space in its family life center.

Building a Reputation as a Community Resource

The City receives referrals from its chamber of commerce, Small Business Development Center, elected officials, other city departments, and neighboring communities. Hogan expects the team to complete approximately 40 location assistance requests in 2026, its highest annual total to date.

These engagements are tracked as key performance indicators and included in the City’s annual reporting. They also help Warner Robins better understand the evolving needs of its small business community.

The location assistance program complements Startup Warner Robins Week, an annual series that connects entrepreneurs with business education, community resources, and practical guidance. Together, these efforts are helping change the way local entrepreneurs view city government.

“Our business community was not accustomed to looking at the city as a resource. We have worked to change that narrative and show businesses how we can help.”

A Trailblazer in Small Business Development

Warner Robins demonstrates that site selection technology is not limited to major industrial projects. In the hands of an innovative local economic development team, it can help an entrepreneur open a first storefront, guide an established company toward its next location, and give small businesses access to information they might not otherwise have.

By combining GURU’s property and market intelligence with personal service, Warner Robins is helping local businesses make more informed decisions and find a place to thrive.

That commitment to practical, data-informed small business support makes the City of Warner Robins a true GURU Trailblazer.

Visit the Platform

Visit the City of Warner Robins GURU Site Selection platform: https://wrga.giswebtechguru.com

Support Your Small Business Community

Could GURU help you provide more personalized, data-informed support to your small business community? Learn more about GURU Site Selection and discover what is possible for your community: https://giswebtech.com