CBT | The Small Business Issue 2023

DAVID COIL Executive Vice President, Coil Construction

RANDY COIL Founder and President, Coil Construction

Meet the Advisory Board for COMO Business Times

CBT ’s advisory board is made up of industry leaders and small business owners who help ensure CBT ’s content is relevant to our local business community.

ERIC MORRISON President Sundvold Financial STEVE SPELLMAN Senior Investment Officer The Bank of Missouri

SUZANNE ROTHWELL Vice President Advancement Division Columbia College MEGAN WALTERS Founder & Team Lead The Walters Team, eXp Realty

BRIAN TOOHEY CEO Columbia Board of REALTORS®

MATT M c CORMICK President Columbia Chamber of Commerce

MATT MOORE Retired Shelter Insurance

JEN HEDRICK President SOA Architecture

SHAWN BARNES Director of Business Development and Recruiting Williams-Keepers LLC

MIKE GRELLNER Vice President Plaza Commercial Realty

BROOKE BERKEY VP Relationship Manager Central Bank

NICKIE DAVIS Executive Director The District, Downtown CID

A DAY IN THE LIFE AS AN ENTREPRENEUR

On a good day in a good year during a good decade, owning a small business is hard. Brutal. Often terrifying. The last three years have taken that to the next level causing many entrepreneurs to feel isolated and alone wondering how they will be able to keep it all together. However, it can also be rewarding and fun and lifegiving. This cartoon depicts how it feels for us small business owners during any given day. I wish I could say that it was an exaggeration. At the time of writing this article, I am currently riding one of those highs and have the perspective to be able to share what has worked for me over the last ten years of owning this company.

DO WORK YOU LOVE.

First and foremost, it really matters what you do for work. If you hate your work, I strongly encourage you to find something new. You aren’t happy, your family is likely unhappy, and your friends probably hate to talk about it, too. If you do work you love, it gets you through the hard days and the questions. In my faith, we call it following your calling. I firmly believe that my calling is at the intersection of small business, organizational health, and our fair city of Columbia. I get the absolute privilege of being able to work with small businesses every day and tell the stories of amazing people doing incredible things in our community. I keep going because I am

called by God to. I keep going because I love it. Are you there?

DON’T DO IT ALONE.

This is a very isolated world for small business owners. It can feel like you can’t talk to anyone about what is really happening, because if blood gets in the water, it will all be over. I’ll never forget the day I sat in front of my two bankers as life was especially difficult and listened to them tell me that I wasn’t alone. That statement alone had tears streaming down my face. They told me a couple of stories (with names withheld) that made me realize that all of us are going through similar things even if we think everyone around us has it all figured out. I found grace that day for myself.

Another thing that has brought great comfort and strength to me is to be aligned with a group of other women business owners that are very intentional about being authentic and transparent about our worlds with each other on a regular basis. We are safe with each other and thus stronger because we support and learn from each other. Find your tribe. If you don’t have one, email me. I’ll have coffee with you about it and we’ll find you one.

ASK LOTS OF QUESTIONS FROM LOTS OF PLACES.

Be insatiably curious. Ask questions from other business owners about how they handle issues that you are facing even if

ON THE COVER

Randy Coil, founder & president, and David Coil, executive vice president of Coil Construction.

Photography by Anthony Jinson

they are in a different industry. Read books. Remain a constant learner. You will be surprised by what you learn and from where when you do this.

TAKE CARE OF YOU.

This is incredibly important. If you burn out, there’s no one else to hold the fort. It may feel selfish, but it’s not. It is imperative. You must rest. You must read. You must recharge. You must have boundaries. You must do this for the life of your baby business. And no matter how old the business is, it’s your baby.

As always, and maybe especially this time, let me know if you have any questions or just want to talk. You can reach me at Erica@comomag.com. Godspeed, my fellow entrepreneurs!

THIS IS

I MESSED UP.

IT’S WORKING!

UP THE GOOD FOR GREAT.

GOOD. I DON’T KNOW WHY I GET SO DOWN ON MYSELF. I WAS WRONG. I SUCK!

I THINK I’M GOING BANKRUPT.

ERICA PEFFERMAN PUBLISHER

#1 J&S employee!

DID YOU KNOW?

Our business is named after our kids, Jeffrey & Sophia!

Jeffrey, in particular, loves to “go to work” with Daddy and help with whatever he can (and boy, does he work!) When he grows up he wants to be a firefighter and mow lawns like Dad.

Sophia likes to work behind the scenes with Mommy, running errands, taking pictures, and bringing Daddy lunch. While she works closely with Mommy, Sophia is definitely a Daddy’s girl. She also wants to be a firefighter some day!

Fully Insured

& Experienced Reliable & Trustworthy

LOCALLY OWNED & OPERATED

EDITORIAL

Erica Pefferman, Publisher Erica@COMOBusinessTimes.com

Kim Ambra, Editor-in-Chief Kim@COMOBusinessTimes.com

Jodie Jackson Jr, Digital Editor Jodie@COMOBusinessTimes.com

DESIGN

Kate Morrow, Creative Director Kate@COMOBusinessTimes.com

Jordan Watts, Senior Designer Jordan@COMOBusinessTimes.com

MARKETING

Charles Bruce, Director of Sales Charles@COMOBusinessTimes.com

Scott Callahan, Director of Events Scott@COMOBusinessTimes.com

Amanda Melton, Director of Account Services Amanda@COMOBusinessTimes.com

J.J. Carlson, Director of Web Development jj@comobusinesstimes.com

Sarah Hempelmann, Marketing Representative Sarah@COMOBusinessTimes.com

Becky Roberts, Marketing Representative Becky@COMOBusinessTimes.com

MANAGEMENT

Erica Pefferman, President Erica@COMOBusinessTimes.com

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Lana Eklund, Anthony Jinson, Chris Padgett

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Lauren Sable Freiman, Jodie Jackson Jr, Matt McCormick, Steve Spellman, Michelle Terhune, Brian Toohey

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Copyright e COMO Companies, 2023 All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of any editorial or graphic content without the express written permission of the publisher is prohibited.

Amanda Melton J. J. Carlson

Kim Ambra Jodie Jackson Jr

Erica Pefferman

Kate Morrow Jordan Watts

Charles Bruce Scott Callahan

Becky

Sarah

Closer Look

OUTDOOR PROFESSIONAL CLEANING SERVICES

e experts at Outdoor Professional Cleaning Services o er a wide variety of exterior cleaning from homes, driveways, sidewalks, patios, and more. Owner Zachary Grace says his team is known for its ability to connect with customers on a personal level.

“I want my future customers to know that when they hire OPCS, they are not just getting the services requested,” Grace adds. “ ey are becoming a part of our family and gaining a lifelong relationship. I’ve always hated dealing with big corporate companies. I want you to feel like family and that is how we are going to treat you.”

OPCS is based out of Columbia but serves all of the mid-Missouri area. Grace says he started this company for a sense of ful llment.

“Watching something you’ve built from the ground up succeed is a very cool thing,” he concludes. “Operating a pressure washing business is kind of like being a kid again — except now I’ve got a much more powerful water gun.”

573-488-5924

Facebook: Outdoor Professional Cleaning Services - OPCS

SIPZ SODAS

Sipz Sodas specializes in customizing ice-cold sodas, sparkling waters, and energy drinks using di erent avors of syrups, cream, and fruit purees. Some favorites are the Hullabuloo, which combines Dr. Pepper with coconut and vanilla syrups with coconut cream, as well as the Nectar of the Gods, which combines Mountain Dew with mango and strawberry purees.

One of its most popular sparkling waters is the Como Mojo, which combines sparkling water with sugarfree vanilla, peach, and pineapple syrups, along with fresh limes and raspberry puree. Sipz Sodas also o ers a variety of cookies and soft pretzels. e owners, Brenda and Joel Andrus, moved their family to Columbia ve years ago.

“We wanted to bring something fun and di erent to Columbia and this concept is one that is popular in the western U.S.,” Brenda says. Sipz Sodas is also available for birthday parties, catering events, or other special occasions. e shop is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

573-864-5863

Facebook: Sipz Sodas

124 E. Nifong Ste J, Ste J

THE BAKERY

e Bakery is a European-inspired bakery founded in 2021 by owner Rebekah Irby. Irby is a California native who is a professionally trained chef and baker. After attending e Culinary Institute of America Greystone, she cooked and baked all over Northern and Southern California.

After moving to Columbia from California in search of a small, tightknit community, Irby says she noticed a void for European baked goods. She decided to ll the void by starting e Bakery as a cottage bakery, recently moving her operation to the CoMo Cooks shared kitchen.

“ e Bakery o ers a wide variety of croissants, brioche, and other European confections using high quality and local ingredients to give Columbia a piece of Europe at home,” Irby says.

e Bakery is currently located at the Orr Street Farmers and Artisans Market from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Sunday. Follow its Instagram for pop-up dates.

thebakerycomo.com

Instagram: @thebakery_como CBT

Would you like us to take a Closer Look at your business? Reach out to our Editor at kim@comobusinesstimes.com.

Movers & Shakers

REGAN FRENCH-UBIÑAS

Regan French-Ubiñas has been announced as Columbia College’s new general counsel following a nationwide search. French-Ubiñas joined Columbia College in 2020 as associate director for grants and foundations and assumed her new position in March 2023.

As general counsel, French-Ubiñas will report to the board of trustees and advise the group along with President Dr. David Russell and key officials on legal and regulatory matters, policies, and procedures.

French-Ubiñas earned her bachelor's degree in business administration in 2001 from the University of Kansas and then secured her juris doctorate from the University of MissouriKansas City in 2004.

ELIZABETH NAYLOR

Central Trust Company, a division of The Central Trust Bank, has announced that Elizabeth Naylor was recently promoted to trust officer and relationship manager for the Columbia market.

Naylor has acquired a wide variety of experience within the financial services industry over the last decade. Within her new role, Naylor will be responsible for the administration of trusts, estates, IRAs, and taxable investments.

Naylor earned her bachelor of business administration and finance from the University of Missouri –Kansas City, and her certified trust and fiduciary advisor (CTFA) designation.

AMY HENDERSON

Amy Henderson is now a member-owner of the Cripps & Simmons, LLC firm. She joined the firm as an associate in 2019. Her practice areas include estate planning, including trusts, wills, non-probate transfers, durable powers of attorney, healthcare directives, and durable powers of attorney for health care; probate-decedent estates; and trust and estate administration.

RYAN M c

CULLEM

The Partners at Professional Contractors & Engineers (PCE) announced that Ryan McCullem has been promoted to president and CEO. McCullem joined PCE in 2016 and became a partner in 2017. He has previously served as vice president and senior project manager.

McCullem graduated from Columbia College with a BA in business administration in 2020. He brings 22 years of combined residential and commercial construction experience to the PCE team. He enjoys meeting clients and developing relationships.

SARAH CARNES

Sarah Carnes has been promoted to chief operating officer at Lift Division. She oversees all aspects of Lift Division, including digital marketing, design and web development, community management, photography, videography, and company operations.

With over 15 years of experience in marketing, Carnes has been instrumental in the high growth of multiple companies and brands.

Carnes and her creative teams have won branding and identity awards for Brassy Bird, Lotus Hot Yoga, and Boone Health. Carnes has won over 15 design awards.

BECCA BABCOCK

Becca Babcock has been selected as the next principal at Blue Ridge Elementary School for the 2023‐24 school year. Babcock is currently the assistant principal at Blue Ridge Elementary School. She will take over the role from current principal Mark Burlison.

Babcock is a Columbia native, attended Russell Boulevard Elementary School, and graduated from Rock Bridge High School. She earned a master’s in elementary education from Truman State University. CBT

FRENCH-UBIÑAS

NAYLOR

HENDERSON

BABCOCK

M c CULLEM

CARNES

Are you or your employees moving up in the Columbia business community? Send us your news at kim@comobusinesstimes.com

Briefly in the News

BUSINESS

Anderson Engineering Changes

Name to OWN; Rebrands to Reflect Employee Ownership

Anderson Engineering has changed its name to OWN and rebranded to celebrate its successful business culture built on 100 percent employee ownership. e rebranding builds on the rm’s signi cant growth over the past few years, with sta expanding from 70 to 230 employees across 10 o ces, including six in Columbia, and its share price doubling twice. OWN serves the commercial, healthcare, education, residential, industrial, hospitality and sports, and entertainment sectors, as well as the federal/military, state, county, municipal, transportation, and utility sectors. Licensed to operate in more than 40 states, OWN’s core services include civil and structural engineering, land surveying, eld services, and related subdisciplines.

e Columbia o ce has supported numerous projects around central Missouri with civil and structural engineering services since it was established in 2018, including the Kirk Building renovation at Truman State University, the new athletic complex at Warrensburg High School, and an annual pavement evaluation and maintenance program for the National Nuclear Safety Administration.

CELEBRATION

The State Historical Society of Missouri Lists Fellowship Opportunities

e State Historical Society of Missouri is seeking proposals for two Center for Missouri Studies fellowships to begin Jan. 1, 2024. Each fellowship carries a stipend of $5,000 for a project that results in the completion of a 6,000 to 8,000-word scholarly essay on one of two topics.

Topics

for

2024 Center for Missouri Studies

Fellowships are Labor History in Missouri and Missouri Women in the Great Depression or World War II. e fellowship awards will be announced in December. e chosen projects will be considered for publication in the Missouri Historical Review, the only quarterly journal devoted to scholarship on Missouri’s history. Fellowship recipients will also have an opportunity to make a public presentation of their work.

e deadline for submitting proposals is Sept. 5, 2023, and the competition is open to both academic and independent scholars.

EDUCATION

Columbia’s First Dual Language School Will Expand to New Location

La Petite Ecole is expanding with a new location at 201 S. Fairview Rd.

e new location will provide larger classrooms and will allow the school to provide its unique educational model to a larger group of children.

e school’s mission is to provide language immersion education to a diverse and multi-aged student population. La Petite Ecole has been at its current location at 1111 S. Fairview for the past 15 years, but additional space has become a necessity with the school’s continued growth.

“Since planting a seed in 2005, when our little school began, we have done a terri c job of expanding children’s minds,” says Principal Joelle Quoirin. “Hence the need now to expand their space. It’s all about the kids.”

CELEBRATION

Boone Health Celebrates Two Years of Independence

In celebration of Boone Health’s twoyear anniversary as an independent healthcare organization, the board of

directors reported that the hospital and its subsidiaries are on track to return to its historical record of institutional growth and nancial strength.

“After 32 years of hospital management by BJC HealthCare, the board was well aware of the signi cant costs and challenges of the transition to independence,” said Dr. Jerry Kennett, board chairman. “When we made the decision to go independent in 2018, we recognized that this was going to be a multi-year process — one that would require the kind of steady and measured progress we continue to achieve.”

e board of directors is in the process of selecting an executive search rm to assist with a nationwide search for Boone Health’s next CEO.

COMMUNITY State Historical Society of Missouri Showcases

Historic ‘Mizzourians’

As part of its core mission to support educational outreach, the State Historical Society of Missouri is expanding the Historic Missourians website, a free resource that features notable people who in uenced the Show-Me State.

New biographies are made possible through a generous donation from Carolyn P. and Robin R. Wenneker, whose nancial support allows the SHSMO to expand the “Historic Mizzourians” initiative, highlighting prominent Missourians whose lives have intersected with the University of Missouri in meaningful ways. Recently added biographies to the site include Avis Tucker, newspaper publisher and the rst woman to serve as president of the UM Board of Curators; MU alumni Edward “Ted” & Hilda “Pat” Jones, known for both nancial and conservation legacies; Paul Henning, early television sitcom producer who attended what would become the UMKC School of Law; and Hazel McDaniel Teabeau, the rst Black woman to attend Mizzou.

CELEBRATION

CPS Foundation Provides Spring Grants

e Columbia Public Schools Foundation (CPSF) has announced two spring grants for 2023. e CPS Planetarium will receive $3,361 to upgrade the facility’s sound and lighting. e Columbia Area Career Center (CACC) will receive $12,215 to purchase t-shirt printers and heat presses for the digital media department.

“ e Foundation is excited to award these grants to the Planetarium and the Career Center,” said Katie Harris, executive director of CPSF. “ e Planetarium is truly a gem for the school district and the community, and we are pleased that this grant will keep its lighting and sound stateof-the-art. We also look forward to returning to the Career Center to see what the digital marketing students will produce.” CBT

Government Isn’t a Business ... But Needs to be Run More Businesslike

BY STEVE SPELLMAN

EVERY FEW YEARS Uncle Sam maxes out the latest credit card, and Capitol Hill erupts with a debt ceiling hissy t. All the political drama is foolish, irresponsible, and just plain unbusinesslike.

Cut spending? Raise taxes? Some of both? Or oftentimes neither, as Washington perpetually spends more than it takes in.

When additional spending is desired, you need to have the revenue to do so rst. If hard times hit and some temporary de cit spending is warranted, you have to develop a plan to pay down that debt once good times return.

But to overspend in the good times, then really overspend in the bad times, is no way

to run the most powerful government in the world, let alone a state capitol, town council, small business, charity project, or even a lemonade stand.

STATE SPENDING HAS TO KEEP IT REAL

Closer to home, our state and municipal governments thankfully have balanced budget requirements, and are unable to print money. When revenue is up, they have more to spend. When revenues are down, they have less to spend.

A small committee representing the Missouri House, Senate, and Governor’s o ces is joined by Mizzou Economics Professor Joe

Haslag before each legislative session to hash out real-world tax-collection estimates, to guide the annual budget process.

Not to say our state government is running a tight ship overall. State worker wages have waned, as politicians ignore labor market realities. As many private employers realize these days, when employee salaries are not market-based, many of their best people leave for greener pastures. is should not be ideological.

HIGHWAY TO HECK

Our state highway network has been too neglected for decades now. e Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) is

overextended because, in the 1950s, the state government absorbed rural lettered highways to subsidize farmers bringing their products to market.

We had a good fuel tax in place, but since the 1990s the rate has been eroded to in ation. Any adjustment proposal gets met with cries that it’s a tax increase — a half-truth, as motor fuel taxes should be described like a user fee: generally the more you use the roads, the more fuel taxes you pay.

A small fuel tax increase squeezed through in 2021, but sorry folks, it still won’t be enough to play catch up. It was federal COVID largess that put the recently approved upgrade of I-70 over the top to become three lanes in each direction across the state.

Once this temporary bonanza subsides we’ll be back to hard decisions, at which point they should further adjust the fuel taxes for in ation, and/or toll all the interstate-type highways. Also delegate minor MoDOT roadways back to the locals, such as College Boulevard, Route K south of Rock Bridge Elementary, or West Broadway past Hy-Vee; none of which carry any sort of cross-state tra c.

e Business Loop improvement district is already actively proposing this, as e Loop wants to x up what is obviously a local street, which MoDOT e ectively abandoned years ago.

KEEP THE LIGHTS ON

Columbia’s public-owned utilities are a hot topic in that rates might soon be hiked across the board. Yep, in ation is a thing. Yep, worker pay has not kept pace with market wages. But deeper down, come to nd out that local public infrastructure has not been kept up for a long time, too Political indecision has become chronic in COMO. (Let’s not get started on the trash debate that simmered for years.)

But even when we have had public votes to approve utility infrastructure improvements,

political indecision nixed it. Loud locals didn’t want ugly electric poles near their homes. City Hall decided it was unable (or unwilling) to run a new sewer line out to Midway.

So here we are years on, with unbuilt projects galore, the rest of the network aging, in a community that keeps on growing, risking the specter of brownouts and low water pressure. Surely the price tag on those delayed projects has increased substantially.

A few heroic concerned citizens such as John Conway, Jim Windsor, Tanya Heath,

e businesslike approach would be to take stock of our current situation, realize mistakes have been made in the past, and make the decision to get a long-term plan together to right the ship over the next ve to 10 years. Be frank with everybody that their bills are going up — like it or not.

BUSES TO NOWHERE

Speaking of consultants to rehash the obvious, Columbia Transit is having the bus system studied (yet) again.

Here’s a free preview: the buses run too infrequently and to not enough places, potential riders are confused, so buses run around town largely empty and the system bleeds money. When you cut fares to free, and there are still not enough takers, something is missing the mark.

I talked to a local business leader who observed transit success on the Columbia Chamber of Commerce’s site visit to Gainesville, home of the Florida Gators. Like many college towns, Gainesville's bus system thrives on strong ridership from college students.

Former Mayor Bob McDavid oated this idea a decade ago but unfortunately, it went over like a lead balloon at the time.

and Bill Weitkemper are now sounding the alarm all over town to any interested citizen who will lend an ear. Come to nd out the electric utility has been operating in the red lately, so something has to give. (Source: www.comobuz.com.)

Yet another high-dollar consultant was hired to gure out something our professional sta seemed to know all too well already.

If Columbia Transit is to recover, we need to get city hall, the environmental activists, Mizzou students, and local employers together to refocus the whole thing. Establish a core route map, run them often, and look into subsidizing Uber vouchers for lastmile service beyond that. Like any business, realize that Columbia Transit can’t be everything to everybody, so focus on your target market, and keep from going broke.

Public entities need to have multiple bottom lines: serve the public and o er stable services, but also observe economic realities.

Governments aren’t businesses, but they need to be run more businesslike. CBT

Steve Spellman is a lifelong Columbia-area resident and political observer.

But to overspend in the good times, then really overspend in the bad times, is no way to run the most powerful government in the world, let alone a state capitol, town council, small business, charity project, or even lemonade stand.

A Master of Hair Texture and Diversity

Missouri Startup Weekend winner Chrystal L. embraces systems and success

BY JODIE JACKSON JR

PREPARING FOR WEEKS or even months ahead of time and cramming to make last-minute tweaks to polished-andshined presentations is not an uncommon description of the activity that leads up to Missouri Startup Weekend, the granddaddy of all entrepreneurial pitch fests.

But that was hardly the case for Chrystal L., the Missouri Startup Weekend 2023 winner and the namesake owner of Chrystal L. Hair & Makeup. She learned about the storied pitch event — previously called Columbia Startup Weekend — just three days before it happened. With her style and tech company All Hair Academy already available on the web, Chrystal liked the idea of pitching her business to an audience and group of other entrepreneurs.

“I knew it would be a valuable experience,” she recalls, “so, I thought, ‘Why not?’”

Chrystal was among the 12 nalists — from among a eld of 100 entrepreneurs pitching their ideas — to make the nal round of judging on March 12, two days after rst presenting her online business platform that o ers salon owners instructional videos, diversity training, and coaching that covers all aspects of building a successful beauty business.

e newly eshed-out business model that she and her new team of partners crafted over Startup Weekend won over a panel of ve judges, who awarded All Hair Academy rst place, $7,500 prize, and the

2015

business support she will use to take her startup from edging to full-scale success.

“We are all given one life, one opportunity. You have to go for it,” Chrystal said in a news release from EquipmentShare, which hosted the massive pitch fest. “ e only fear comes from your ego. If you put your ego aside, there’s no fear. I know I’m going to inspire somebody else, just like somebody inspired me.”

e meaning of staging Missouri Startup Weekend at the EquipmentShare headquarters in east Columbia can’t be overstated. Jabbok and Willy Schlacks won the contest in 2014 for their construction tech business called EquipmentShare, which has grown into a billion-dollar nationwide company. e event was hosted by Scale, a Columbia venture studio that invests in and supports tech startups.

Fifty of the more than 100 participants made one-minute pitches on the rst night of the event and a crowd vote narrowed the eld to 12 nalists. e nalists formed teams that included participants who didn’t make the cut, and they spent the rest of the weekend developing their ideas. e result was a ve-minute presentation and answering questions from the judges in the nal round.

In addition to its rst-place cash prize, All Hair Academy received a spot in the Scale cohort to help raise money and accelerate growth; a startup formation package

from Transitions Law Group; and a startup branding package from Heist Collective.

“What stood out about Chrystal was her passion and her knowledge of the industry,” said judge Sarah Hill, the CEO of Healium. “She’s spent 14 years in that business and knows it like the back of her hand.”

Chrystal said when she started her salon, she was like many newcomers to the eld — she knew a lot more about styling hair than managing money. Now, she’s eager to share that knowledge with her peers.

“I probably didn’t get a grasp on my nances until my fth year in,” she said. “If I had known about that before, I would have scaled a lot faster. We’re creatives, so we have one side of our brain that ghts the side associated with business structure.”

Chrystal says, “as far back as I can remember,” she wanted to be a hair stylist, and she grew up doing her whole family’s hair. She went to college to pursue a career in education but had an even bigger passion for “helping people look and feel good about themselves.” She started Chrystal L. Hair & Makeup in 2014 after completing a beauty apprenticeship, renting a booth for two years, overcoming some obstacles, and building a solid clientele based solely o referrals.

By even the humblest of observations, Chrystal declares the salon “a huge success,” and she was recently hired to do hair and makeup for a national CBS Sports and Motorola commercial.

After being gifted a salon, Chrystal L. opens Chrystal L. Hair & Makeup.

Chrystal L. launches her mobile wedding and makeup business.

She establishes The BOLD Academy, a nonprofit to empower black and brown girls in the COMO area. Chrystal L. is recognized as Entrepreneur of the Year by the Columbia Missourian newspaper.

e business had two components: the daily behind-the-chair business of doing hair and makeup, and the traveling, mobile wedding and makeup component. Chrystal, 40, essentially “retired” from the salon part of the business in March 2022 but had employees who continued to operate that business.

On May 31 this year, she sold the salon’s day-to-day book of business but continues to do wedding makeup and hair with a team, but without a physical location.

“We have got that calling card” as a traveling team, adds Chrystal, a mother of three. (Incidentally, all three of her children own or have owned businesses. Spoiler alert: It’s a family that doesn’t spend much time watching television.)

She also created an education company in 2019 and that business has “skyrocketed.” Chrystal was quickly discovered as a keynote speaker and teacher, which keeps her traveling around the country.

“I’ve coached about 173 stylists worldwide on how to make a scalable, inclusive, pro table beauty businesses,” she says. It’s a di erent lifestyle from being a stylist apprentice, a car sales representative, working in a dental o ce, working at

Target, and “a million other jobs” before she got into the hair business at age 27.

“I’d done all these things that I think prepared me for entrepreneurship, but what I noticed is what worked well were corporate things, because they had systems and they were very branded,” Chrystal explains, noting the strategies she would soon learn and implement in her own businesses.

Getting a handle on how to manage her business’s money — and hiring a fractional chief nancial o cer — were the most signi cant shifts for Chrystal L. Hair & Makeup and the other businesses in her entrepreneurial portfolio.

“ ere’s a di erence between a successful business that makes money and then a successful business that understands the money that they’re making and what it’s doing and scaling it,” she says. And understanding that every successful business is solving a problem is a key that many businesses struggle with, she adds.

“It’s a problem I’ve been looking to solve forever and it’s an industry problem that’s been around for 200 years, but no one has ever tried to disrupt the industry and solve it. It’s a $255 billion industry in the U.S. alone.”

What is the problem she is solving?

“Most salons don’t have systems in place. ey don’t understand how to scale, they don’t understand pro t, they don’t understand how to price, they don’t understand how to onboard, they don’t understand how to be inclusive,” she answers. And the big issue central to the industry? “ ey don’t understand hair textures or di erent hair types. e beauty industry is one of the most segregated spaces in the world outside of churches.”

It’s a social, economic, and lifestyle challenge that she’s eager for others to join.

Chrystal lists three key factors for her success.

“ e rst one being God, the second one being that nothing beats a failure except not to try,” she explains. “And the last one — the answer is already ‘no,’ so it doesn’t hurt to ask. If you do all those things in life, I don’t think there’s anything that you couldn’t do.” CBT

As one of 12 finalists, Chrystal L. pitches All Hair Academy and wins Missouri Startup Weekend.

COMO Magazine honors Chrystal L. as a 20 Under 40 winner.

Chrystal L. starts the online All Hair Academy and the Beauty Collective.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT LENDING.

By Brad Roling broling@midambk.com

Starting up or expanding a business means you need people in your corner helping you navigate the new, exciting chapter in your business. One of the first people you should get to know is your local lender. Your lender will sit down with you and talk through the specifics of your business plan. They will then use established criteria to evaluate you as the borrower and your borrowing request. This is called the 5 C’s of Credit. The criteria are as follows:

1. Character: This refers to the borrower’s reputation and history of paying debts on time. Lenders will look at the borrower’s credit report and score to assess their past behavior, as well as any bankruptcies or foreclosures on their record.

2. Capacity: This refers to the borrower’s ability to repay the loan. Lenders will look at the borrower’s income, expenses, and debt-toincome ratio to determine whether they have the financial resources to make payments on the loan.

3. Capital: This refers to the borrower’s assets and net worth. Lenders will look at the borrower’s savings, investments, and property to determine whether they have the resources to cover the loan in case of default.

4. Collateral: This refers to any assets that the borrower offers as security for the loan. Lenders will look at the value of these assets and their marketability in case of default.

5. Conditions: This refers to the economic and industry conditions that may affect the borrower’s ability to repay the loan. Lenders will consider factors such as the borrower’s industry, market conditions, and overall economic outlook to determine the risk of the loan.

Brad Roling is the Columbia Market President for Mid America Bank. Brad has more than 10 years of banking experience that he uses to help businesses in and around Columbia thrive. When he is not helping your business with its financial needs, Brad is serving the community in a variety of capacities. He is proud to serve on the Ronald McDonald House Mid-Missouri Board of Directors as Treasurer, the Columbia Chamber Foundation Board, and Beta Theta Pi Advisory Board. Brad is a proud Mizzou grad and loves cheering on the Tigers!

By evaluating these 5 C’s, lenders can make informed decisions about whether to approve a loan and at what terms. Borrowers who consider these factors in their business plan and have a strong credit history, stable income, and valuable assets are more likely to be approved for loans with favorable terms.

Working with a local lender means you can build a plan for success together and help move your business forward! At Mid America Bank, we’re ready to serve as your trusted local lender. For more information about how we can help with your business journey, visit our website at midambk.com.

VALUE ENGINEERING SAVES TIME AND MONEY: UNDERSTANDING

FIVE KEY PRINCIPLES

By Vaughn Prost info@prostbuilders.com

If you’ve heard the concept of Value Engineering talked about with regard to building projects and construction plans, it might sound like a foreign idea. But Value Engineering (VE) is central to how Prost Builders does business and interacts with clients/owners.

One recent example, among many, of how Prost Builders has proven the concept of VE was a major building project at Jefferson Middle School in Columbia. Prost saved the Columbia Public School District over $300,000 when the designed steel bar joists and metal deck system was going to delay the construction for five months due to steel supply issues. In response to that schedule demand, Prost value-engineered a double-tee, pre-stressed concrete roof system for the new gymnasium roof system to save the school three months’ time on the schedule — and save over $300,000.

What is Value Engineering?

The construction contractor has the best knowledge of today’s pricing and supply chain issues.

The most money can be saved, and the schedule controlled early in the design process, when Value Engineering (VE) is most effectively used. VE is a deliberate, disciplined methodology to look at all building systems to deliver the best possible value for initial and long-term project investment.

There are six stages of VE:

• Information gathering from plans, specifications, and owner requirements.

• Brainstorming VE ideas.

VAUGHN PROST Owner

& President

Vaughn Prost is the owner and president of Prost Builders lnc., a design/build and construction services firm located in Columbia. Vaughn has over forty years of domestic and international design and construction experience as a cost and scheduling engineer, structural engineer, owner’s construction representative, and general contractor.

• Evaluating cost and schedule ideas.

• Developing plans to implement VE ideas.

• Presentation of VE to client.

• Implementation of VE if approved.

VE is beneficial to the project owner because it uses these five key principles:

• Optimizes efficiency: By adopting VE in the building’s planning and design phases when the contractor is engaged, a more accurate project schedule and cost is determined in the preconstruction phase. This can help the owner save money and time. VE finalizes the cost/time schedule at the earliest stage, so that there are minimal design changes that add extra time and cost to the project.

• Function-focused: The VE team can find alternative materials or design concepts that provide better function at a lower cost to maximize project function and quality.

• Can lower project cost: The VE team can propose these lower-cost alternatives (without compromising the client’s functional and value goals for the building): Architectural design, construction materials (such as energyefficient options), construction methods (including streamlined workflows),

(573) 635-0211 | prostbuilders.com 3305 Crawford Street Columbia, MO 65203

efficient staffing structures, and reduce long-term maintenance costs.

• Supports creativity: Viable VE proposals result from creative brainstorming to provide as many alternate solutions as possible to deliver the required function cost-effectively to the owner.

• Multidisciplinary effort: The team of experts, from engineers to architects to contractors, actively participate in the creative design, analysis, evaluation, and development processes. Each team member of the VE team has a proper grasp of the client’s vision for the project and is aware of the original project specifications and use their experience to enable the project owner to optimize function, quality, and cost across all project areas.

In short, Value Engineering is a systematic approach to analyze the project building systems individually and determine better alternatives to achieving maximum return on time and money invested, and to find the best value for the owner’s projects. The main goal of VE is project improvement in design, function, schedule attainment, and reduced long-term operation and maintenance costs for the owner.

FOUR WAYS A BUSINESS CAN PROTECT ITS ASSETS WITH INSURANCE

By Matt Dallmeyer matt@accountingplusinc.com

In today’s uncertain business environment, it is crucial for businesses to protect their assets and minimize potential risks. Insurance plays a vital role in safeguarding a company’s financial stability and ensuring its long-term success. In this article, we will discuss four ways businesses can use insurance to secure their assets and mitigate potential losses.

1. Property Insurance

Property insurance covers the physical assets of a business, such as buildings, equipment, and inventory, against damage or loss due to theft, fire, or natural disasters.

2. Liability Insurance  Liability insurance protects a business from financial losses resulting from claims of injury or property damage caused by the business’s products, services, or operations.

3. Business Interruption Insurance

This insurance compensates a business for lost income and additional expenses incurred due to a covered event, such as a fire or natural disaster, that disrupts normal business operations.

4. Key Person Insurance

Key person insurance provides financial protection to a business in the event of the death or disability of a key employee or owner, ensuring the

MATT DALLMEYER Insurance Advisor

Matt has worked in the insurance industry for nearly 20 years. He began in the industry in auto and property claims before owning his own insurance agency for 6 years. Holding SBCA and PWCA designations, Matt has been with the Insurance Plus team for 2 years. He is passionate about meeting new clients and advising business owners and individuals on how to protect their assets with insurance. In his free time, Matt loves being outdoors, playing golf, duck hunting, spending time with his dog, Madison, and hanging out with friends and family.

573-615-0291 | insuranceplusllc.com 573-445-3805 | accountingplusinc.com

continuity of the business and covering costs associated with finding a suitable replacement.

Business owners can benefit from a thorough review of their current insurance coverage. Insurance Plus, a sister company of Accounting Plus, offers a free noobligation review of business policies to

identify gaps in coverage as well as to find ways to save on annual premiums. Why choose Insurance Plus? Their team has a combined 60+ years experience in the industry, plus they work alongside accountants each day so they’re in tune with the unique demands and challenges of business owners.

HOW TO RESPOND TO NEGATIVE REVIEWS

By Erica Pefferman erica@comomarketing.co

Unfortunately, as hard as we all work to please our clients, things happen. Mistakes get made, clients may have unreasonable expectations, or bad communication just happens. When responding to negative comments or reviews, it’s essential to keep in mind that it’s not just the initial reviewer that will see the response; it’s the whole internet, and that speed is of the essence.

First Things First

The first thing to do is to acknowledge that the customer had a bad experience and promise to immediately look into it. Even if the company wasn’t in the wrong, being sympathetic may help defuse the tension raised by the poor review.

Move It Offline

Try to move the conversation offline as quickly as possible. This can be done by offering contact information to the reviewer so that they can talk on the phone or inperson to a customer service rep or the head of the department. This shows both the offended party and anyone else reading the review that you were responsive and attentive to their needs as well as their privacy.

Confirm Their Identity and Problem

Be specific and know the customer. Rephrase what the client complained about when you’re responding. Try paying

ERICA PEFFERMAN President & Owner

Erica Pefferman is the owner and president of COMO Companies, which owns and operates COMO Magazine, COMO Business Times, COMO Marketing, and COMO Tickets. Erica shares her love of Columbia with the people she serves with on a multitude of boards including the Chamber of Commerce. In 2017, Erica was named Outstanding Business Woman of the year and her team was named the Columbia Chamber Of Commerce’s Small Business of the Year.

573.499.1830 | comomarketing.co

attention to who they are. Do they have a name on their account? Can you look at their account? It’s important to confirm this person was actually a client. The sad reality of our world is that there are trolls out there whose daily job/hobby in life is to spread hate and discontent. If this is one of those times for you, acknowledge they are upset, confirm that you can’t find them listed as a customer and would like to take the conversation offline to better serve their concerns. It’s important to say this so that others reading reviews can identify that this is likely a troll.

Be Brief

Keep the responses as short and well mannered as possible. A long-winded reply may come off as the company trying to defend themselves and the situation. This would beg the questions, why and what do they need to defend? Three to four sentences should provide enough information for everyone to understand that the company cares about the customer and their experiences and that they want to work on improving the situation.

Don’t Use Business Names

When responding, try to avoid using the business’s name or any relevant words

relating to the company. Words corresponding with the company may show up in online searches, dragging up past problems after they were resolved. It’s counterproductive and would demand more work.

Last But Not Least, Always Respond

Be smart and act quickly when responding to negative comments, keeping the reputation of the company in mind. The very worst thing that can happen is to not respond to negative reviews as it shows other potential customers two things: 1) you aren’t attentive and 2) the offended customer was likely right.

For more information or help in communicating to your clients or dealing with reviews, please contact Erica Pefferman at Erica@comomarketing.co.

Drink Local

Local bars weave themselves into Columbia’s business community.

BY LAUREN SABLE FREIMAN | PHOTOS BY CHRIS

TWENTY YEARS AGO, Karen Krone and a business partner opened Snappers Bar on South Seventh Street. She was a recent college graduate, earning a business degree from the University of Missouri less than one year earlier. Within six months, she bought out her partner’s interest in Snappers and became the sole owner.

Today, Krone's portfolio includes three bars around Columbia.

“I’ve been doing it so long,” Krone says, as she looks back on her years as a small business owner in Columbia. “Even before I owned my businesses, I was in the restaurant and bar industry.”

After working in a grocery store throughout high school, Krone says, she transitioned to working in restaurants after graduating from Hallsville High School and beginning college at Mizzou. She worked as a server until she turned 21 then began bartending, too. After a brief stint in restaurant management at Isle of Capri Casino in Boonville following college graduation, Krone made the leap to business ownership.

SNAPPERS BAR

With an occupancy of 50, Snappers is a cozy but lively spot serving beer and alcohol.

“It’s kind of known as the Jell-O shot bar, and we are known for dollar Jell-O shots,” Krone says. “We’ve been doing that from day one.”

Krone says patrons purchase Jell-O shots by the tray to share with their friends on home football game days, graduation weekends, and other special occasions. Since regulations changed during COVID-19, Snappers can now sell Jell-O shots, prepared in two-ounce to-go cups with a lid.

“It’s a quick, inexpensive social thing — a shot that everyone enjoys,” Krone says.

For those who choose to drink inside, Snappers o ers a pool table, darts, a puttputt golf game, and a buck hunter game for entertainment. Because of its proximity to campus, Snappers enjoys some foot tra c and some of the college crowd.

KLIK’S DELI & BAR

With Snappers up and running and a reliable team of employees by her side, Krone set her sights on the next project.

“At the time it seemed like the next step,” Krone says. “With Snappers being such a small place, it wouldn’t have been a full-time job to run it. ings had started going well, I could hire a couple bartenders and not be there as much. It seemed like the next logical step if I was going to stay in the business was to have a second business.”

With the help of her dad and a group of handy and helpful friends, Krone says they worked o blueprints drawn by an architect and engineer, completing as much of the painting, tile work, and renovations as they could handle themselves.

KLiK’s Deli & Bar at 205 N. Tenth St. opened in October 2006, and one month later, Krone gave birth to a daughter.

“I have a 16-year-old bar and a 16-yearold kid,” she says. “It was very scary opening KLiK’s. It was a race to the nish because of the pregnancy, but KLiK’s opened before I had a baby in November.”

With an occupancy of 136, KLiK’s has a small kitchen and a patio. Known primarily for beer and alcohol — and also for its casual environment — Krone says KLiK’s caters to a post-college crowd.

“We consider ourselves an industry bar because we have a lot of regulars who work at other bars and restaurants,” Krone says. “When they get o , they want to get away from those crowds and relax at KLiK’s." She describes the

bar as "a local, inexpensive little getaway for local people and other people who work in the food, restaurant, and bar business.”

While KLiK’s now has an established clientele, Krone says that the rst year or two was slow and challenging, as is the case for most new businesses. She relied heavily on word-of-mouth advertising to counter a lack of foot tra c.

“It’s been a long-term e ort,” she says. “ ere were several very slow years before the word got out. We were one of the rst businesses north of Broadway, besides Mojo’s,” (now Rose Music Hall).

e area has "boomed" in the past ve to eight years, Krone says, noting the drastic change from 17 years ago when she rented the empty spot that is now KLiK’s.

PADGETT

“With Snappers being such a small place, it wouldn’t have been a full-time job to run it. Things had started going well, I could hire a couple bartenders and not be there as much. It seemed like the next logical step if I was going to stay in the business was to have a second business.”

— KAREN KRONE

THE 5TH DOWN BAR & GRILL

ough she wasn’t looking for a third location, an opportunity presented itself when the owners of e 5th Down Bar & Grill approached Krone about buying their business. e spot had been open for two years when she purchased it in October 2011.

“I pulled the trigger and went ahead and bought it,” Krone says. “It was different because it was already established and had a clientele when they approached me to buy it.”

With a full kitchen and grill, a large patio, large screens for watching sporting events — and plenty of games, from shufeboard and pool to Golden Tee and PopA-Shot — e 5th Down Bar & Grill has a sports bar vibe and a menu lled with appetizers, wings, burgers, sandwiches, and salads.

Each bar has di erent games to pass the time.

BACKED BY A SOLID TEAM

Krone continues to be the sole owner of each bar, but over the years, she has built strong relationships with employees who have eased the burden of small business ownership in a time-consuming and demanding industry. Her sta numbers between 25 and 30 at any given time. Several have been her employees for 10 or 15 years.

“I'm the sole owner," she explains, "but at the same time I have good employees who have become friends and family who help me when I need it.”

ough she has no plans to add another business to her portfolio, Krone also says she doesn’t foresee slowing down anytime soon. And, as a business

owner in a tight-knit community like Columbia, Krone says she is committed to giving back to the community that has supported her.

She adds, “I’m always willing to help an event or donate to local charities and local fundraisers.” CBT

Snappers Bar 12 S. Seventh St. 573-256-4901

KLiK’s Deli & Bar 205 N. Tenth St. 573-449-6692

The 5th Down Bar & Grill 912 Rain Forest Parkway Suite D 573-442-8700

New Business Licenses

Somatic Shift

2718 Forum Blvd. Massage.

Sipz Sodas

124 E. Nifong Blvd.

Selling cookies and sodas.

Defy Time Aesthetics

510 E. Green Meadows Rd. Dayspa and aesthetics.

MCDO-Delivery

1731 Timber Creek Dr. Delivery Door Dash and other delivery platforms.

Ark Roofing, LLC

4001 S. Ponderosa St. Roo ng

The Whole 9 Yards Mowing Co

7422 S. Lavender Dr. Lawn mowing and lawn services.

Thornhill

Financial Solutions

3610 Buttonwood Dr. Working with clients to meet their nancial goals. Helping them align with the right strategies and products to meet their needs.

Quality Cut

Lawn Care

600 Hillsdale Rd.

Patacake Kids

14 E. Business Loop 70

Ecommerce/online retail packaged pancake kit.

Here To There

Contracting

1700 Tide Water Dr. Transportation and delivery.

UScellular

2005 W. Broadway UScellular o ce.

Columbia

Carpet Cleaning

2504 Ridge eld Rd. Carpet, tile, and upholstery cleaning, air cleaning, water damage mitigation, carpet repair.

Skin Amor Aesthetic Studio, LLC

4603 John Garry Dr. Providing aesthetic and cosmetic skin care using non-invasive procedures. Specializing in aesthetic injections including neurotoxin, llers, and vitamin injections.

Bruce Roofing & Remodeling, LLC

2330 E. Calvert Hill Rd. Roo ng, siding, and ooring contractor.

Reverie Hair Studio X Jess Remy

2101 Corona Rd. Hair salon.

Cornerstone Landscaping, LLC

3336 St. Charles Rd. Mowing, mulch, rock, and gardening services.

White Cap, LP

N. 5250 Hwy. 763 Wholesale retail construction materials. CBT

573-445-1020

Strong communities are built by strong business owners. At FSCB, banking is about more than deposits, loans and checking. It’s

The PCE team has proudly served mid-Missouri since 1912. With over 100 years of crafted expertise in commercial construction, we have remained dedicated to building reliable, functional, beautiful buildings across Missouri. PCE’s legacy is defined by the work we do and the relationships we build, and we always strive to exceed expectations.

Call: (573) 442-1113

Visit: www.pce-mo.com

Can We Bridge the Gap?

BY BRIAN TOOHEY

EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO OWN A HOME. Homeownership has been a means to create generational wealth, whereby past generations who were able to purchase a home transferred nancial gains to future generations. In some cases where homeownership was multi-generational, those nancial gains were compounded, creating even more wealth for fortunate benefactors.

Unfortunately, minority groups have been unable to capitalize on the bene ts of multi-generational homeownership to the same degree as white homeowners.

In 2021, the homeownership level for White Americans was just shy of 73 per-

cent, while Black American homeownership was only at 44% percent. Homeownership rates for other minority groups also lag behind White homeowners. Asian Americans' homeownership was almost 63 percent — an all-time high — while Hispanic Americans were at 50 percent for homeownership.

From 2011 to 2021, Black Americans only saw an increase in homeownership of less than half a percent, while Asian Americans and Hispanic Americans increased by 5 percent and 4 percent, respectively.

Improving minority homeownership is an important issue that deserves attention. Several federal laws have been passed since the Civil War to improve Black Americans’

lives, including the 1968 Fair Housing Act. roughout history, several barriers have prevented minorities from owning homes, including discrimination in the housing market and lack of access to a ordable nancing.

Most recently, Black Americans have suffered undervalued appraisals when re nancing and turn to “whitewashing” (removing any items in a home during an appraisal that would signal the owner's ethnicity) to improve appraisal values. All have led to very little growth for increases in Black homeownership.

e struggle for minority ownership has only made small gains since the 1968 Fair Housing Act. Minority homebuyers still report discrimination issues, such as steering to certain areas and much higher rates of being denied a mortgage. Black and Hispanic buyers experience denial rates of 20 and 15 percent when obtaining a mortgage. Compare that to White and Asian buyers, who only are denied 10 to 11 percent of the time.

Homeownership can have many bene ts, including building wealth and promoting community stability. Policymakers, REALTORS®, and lenders need to work together to address these barriers and encourage greater access to homeownership for all Americans.

More minorities working in the real estate industry could also help increase minority homeownership rates. Locally, we need to see many more minority REALTORS®, mortgage lenders, and appraisers. is could help minorities feel more comfortable starting the home-buying process.

In addition, promoting the value of homeownership in schools and teaching kids the steps to achieve owning a home is another way to increase minority homeownership. Some of these programs already exist in other areas, where stories emerge from students who said they didn’t even know homeownership was possible until they learned about it while in school.

Not everyone can handle the responsibility of owning a home and the requirements that go with it. Still, through homebuyer assistance programs, government policy, and education, homeownership can become a reality for more American minorities. CBT

Brian Toohey is the Chief Executive Officer for the Columbia Board of REALTORS®

D’ANDRE THOMPSON

Photo by Lana Eklund

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION OFFICER AT COLUMBIA – CITY MANAGER’S OFFICE

JOB DESCRIPTION: Perform work of considerable di culty leading the development and implementation of proactive diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in support of the city’s strategic plan to create a working environment where all have an opportunity to succeed.

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND:

I am a diversity, equity, and inclusion practitioner. I’m also skilled in organizational development and community convening/engagement.

HOMETOWN: Ypsilanti, Michigan

YEARS LIVED IN COLUMBIA: 13 years

FAVORITE VOLUNTEER/COMMUNITY ACTIVITY: I’m the co-convener for the Source Summit Global, which is led by Dr. Lester Woods Jr., our convener and founder. rough our convenings we bring faith-based organizations, communitybased organizations, and corporations together to address social and economic disparities within our community.

FAVORITE RECENT PROJECT: Helping instruct the Cycle of Success Training (COST) program in partnership with Moberly Area Community College. rough this training program, we help individuals explore the life skills and soft skills necessary to gain upward mobility in their career opportunities.

A COLUMBIA BUSINESS PERSON

YOU ADMIRE AND WHY: Brittany

Hilderbrand of Writers Block LLC. Brittany is a very impressive, charismatic, and intelligent businesswoman who has been a valuable asset to the Columbia community. Her business acumen and in uence have helped raise the bar for entrepreneurs of color in this community.

WHY YOU ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT YOUR JOB: I’m passionate about the

work that I do because I know I’m called by God to build strong communities.

e work I do through the city of Columbia is a part of my assignment, which involves developing a cultural environment that honors the humanity of each individual while striving to make Columbia a place where everyone can live, learn, and grow.

WHY YOU ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT YOUR COMPANY: I’m passionate about the city of Columbia because I know that I work with amazing people who genuinely want to serve the community.

IF YOU WEREN’T DOING THIS FOR A LIVING, YOU WOULD: Still be involved in community building, because it is my God-given purpose.

WHAT PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT YOUR PROFESSION: As a DEI practitioner, I get the opportunity to explore new concepts that support the nuanced complexity of human social behavior. Every day is an opportunity to learn something you didn’t once know before and use that knowledge to better those around you.

THE NEXT CHALLENGE FACING YOUR INDUSTRY: e next challenge facing DEI work is overcoming the misaligned agenda of bigotry and hate within our communities and our country overall.

YOUR NEXT PROFESSIONAL GOAL: I would have to say my next professional goal is to become a reputable consultant in the DEI space that helps organizations build capacity and develop equitable target goals.

BIGGEST LESSON LEARNED IN BUSINESS: I would consider myself to be a serial entrepreneur, and one thing that I’ve learned in business is that a quality team will place you in the fast lane for success.

HOW YOU WANT TO IMPACT THE COLUMBIA COMMUNITY: By leaving a legacy of good works and immeasurable acts of kindness. When I’m no longer here I want others to know that I cared about this community and displayed my a nity through altruistic acts of service.

QUOTE YOU LIVE BY:

GREATEST STRENGTH: My desire to see others reach their greatest potential.

GREATEST WEAKNESS: My huge heart leads me to overextend myself at times.

WHAT YOU DO FOR FUN: I’m an avid sports fan so I love attending live sporting events and keeping up with the latest sports news. I also love museums and science centers (anything educational and interactive).

FAMILY: Most of my immediate family is from both Michigan and Georgia. Growing up in southeast Michigan de nitely made me the man I am today, but if you know me you know my southern roots are noticeably robust.

FAVORITE PLACE IN COLUMBIA: North Village Arts District.

ACCOMPLISHMENT YOU ARE MOST PROUD OF: Helping found the live music and special entertainment company Soul Sessions CoMo, LLC. rough this endeavor, I’ve been able to blend my love for soulful music with my passion for building inclusive communities. is is a great cultural experience that has been truly bene cial for the Columbia community.

MOST PEOPLE DON’T KNOW THAT: I have a blog that I dedicated to a close friend of mine named Keifor Johnson who died in 2018. e name of the blog is Black Label / Code NOIR and it serves as a think tank for black male consciousness as well as critical conversations on social issues. CBT

“If there is no struggle, there is no progress.”

— FREDRICK DOUGLAS

Nurturing Our Small Business Community

BY MATT M C CORMICK

EVERY NOVEMBER, WE CELEBRATE National Small Business Saturday in which consumers are encouraged to shop small for the holidays. However, small businesses and all they do for the community should be celebrated, supported, and focused on every day of the year.

As an industry, small business is not that small. According to the Small Business Development Center (SBDC), small businesses are credited with just under two-thirds (63 percent) of the new jobs created between 1995-2021. ey also employ just under 47 percent of private sector employees. As an industry, small businesses employ more than many other industries, making small businesses one of the largest industries in the nation.

By shopping small, using local services, and supporting your local businesses, you are supporting your community. Don’t forget the money you spend with these companies is multiplied by that small business supporting another local business or organization. Plus, the sales taxes you pay go to fund your local schools, parks, roads, sidewalks, and your public service workers. By investing in small businesses, you are investing in your community.

It is great to see large private businesses and public organizations like municipalities and higher education institutions support local and small for their goods and services. However, remember that many of our small and startup businesses don’t always have the capital and cash ow for 90-day payments if that is your policy. We encourage our larger companies to evaluate their payment process and see if there is a way to process payments in 30 days especially for our local small businesses.

Don’t forget that many small businesses are online, too. We understand the convenience of shopping online with everyone’s busy life, and it is always easy to go to certain online retailers. However, take a moment and look at your local small business's online presence and how you can shop online directly with their company. You might be surprised how fast you received your items and the ease of nding that perfect item. ere are a number of resources for our small businesses. You have access to counseling around topics such as human resources and nancials.

e Small Business Development Center, the REDI Hub, ProsperU, Missouri Women’s Business Center, and so many other organizations in Columbia are good resources to take advantage of. When it comes to funding and capital there are programs like the Revolving Loan Fund along with many resources from all of the banks and nancial institutions in our community.

If you are looking for ways to build your network and customer base, the Columbia Chamber of Commerce has wonderful programs like our Small Business Committee, the Annual Small Business Fest, and our annual Showcase COMO. ere are other small business bene ts at the Columbia Chamber such as access to our Chamber Bene t Plan, which is health insurance specifically built for businesses of two to 49 employees.

Columbia is constantly ranked as one of the best cities for small and startup businesses and has a long history of businesses being successful and growing locally. e only way this has been possible — and will continue to be successful — is because of you. ose of you who decide to call Columbia home for your business to start and grow, and to you who support your local small businesses by shopping with them or hiring them for all your needs.

Remember to think small every day! CBT

Matt McCormick is the president and CEO of the Columbia Chamber of Commerce.

So, You Want to Start a Business

BY JODIE JACKSON JR

The easily recognizable names of entrepreneurs and businesses with roots in or connections to Columbia is vast: EquipmentShare, Veterans United, Paytient, Carfax, and Zappier are just a few examples of individuals and teams that took an “aha!” moment and followed the path to enormous nancial and community success. While there’s not a single playbook or only one path to success, there are common threads and to-do lists for those wanting to follow their dreams and to possibly, someday, join the ranks of COMO’s homegrown business icons. A variety of organizations o er help to startups and existing businesses seeking to navigate growing pains. In Columbia, the selection of local resources includes the Missouri Women’s Business Center (MoWBC); the Regional Economic Development Inc. (REDI) and, more speci cally, the 1 Million Cups network that meets weekly at the REDI Hub; and the Women’s Investment Network for Entrepreneurs (WINe). Also keep in mind that local banks and each of the local business assistance entities will stress the advantages of working with local lenders have either teams or specialists who will help would-be entrepreneurs turn their brainstormed business ideas into full- edged, viable, and even thriving businesses.

1 MILLION CUPS

One of the best COMO resources for making an immediate connection with other entrepreneurs — many of whom have started multiple businesses — is 1 Million Cups, the energetic, eager-to-help group that meets at 9 a.m. every Wednesday in the REDI Hub. e weekly event is for local entrepreneurs to meet and present their startups to a thriving peer network. Virtual attendance is also available via the group’s Facebook page.

Each week, entrepreneurs present business ideas to the community and learn how those around them can support their business in its growth. It’s a chance to re ne your business’s elevator pitch to a diverse audience. Training programs and a support network are additional bene ts of the free program.

Columbia was one of the rst 12 cities that launched 1 Million Cups chapters 10 years ago. e initiative was created by the Ewing Marion Kau man Foundation in 2012 and is a free opportunity to help educate and connect entrepreneurs and business owners. Entrepreneurs share their experiences and wisdom with startups and existing businesses by making a short presentation — not a pitch for funding — about their businesses and the challenges they face.

Nickie Davis, executive director of e District and a moderator/emcee for 1 Million Cups, says one of the most appealing facets of the initiative is that it “fosters a safe culture of inclusivity and support.”

e sense of community is unmistakable.

“If you try to go o in a silo and do it yourself, it’s often too hard,” Jay Sparks, REDI’s entrepreneurship coordinator, told COMO Magazine in an interview about 1 Million Cups last fall. “ e hill is too steep.”

e list of myriad presenters is evidence of the diverse menagerie of startups, entrepreneurs, small businesses, and nonpro ts that dot Columbia’s economic and cultural landscape. Presenters have included: Life and business coaches; media and technology businesses; pet sitting services and services focused on kids; event and party planning; digital and virtual training and education; “boutique” bookkeeping (services tailored for niche businesses); marketing and consulting for small businesses; and dozens of other topic areas.

“1 Million Cups is that oasis that links some of our silos and opens doors” to expanded knowledge and resources, Sparks says. “ at happens when everyone starts to pull together.”

HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT …?

Sparks, who joined the REDI team in September 2020, is often among the rst with tough questions for presenters. e backand-forth with 1 Million Cups attendees and organizers is never intended to call out anyone, but it’s intended to o er points of view and questions that help entrepreneurs strengthen their presentations and plans.

ose questions, ranging from “have you thought about this?” to “how do you manage the pitfalls that have derailed others?” re ect how Sparks coaches business owners and entrepreneurs through his work at the REDI hub.

MISSOURI WOMEN’S BUSINESS CENTER

e MoWBC, a program of Central Missouri Community Action (CMCA), is dedicated to breaking down barriers to entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial success, with a focus on women-owned, minority-owned, and low-to-moderate income-based businesses. e center o ers sundry resources to help entrepreneurs explore and navigate the process of creating and starting a new business – or assistance in helping take a business to the next steps of growth.

e MoWBC website explains: “From initial concepts to building a steady stream of economic resources, our mission is to break down the barriers that women and minorities in our community face when owning and operating or growing a business.” But the center is not exclusively for women or minorities, following a “deeper purpose … to assist CMCA on their mission to eradicate the causes and conditions of poverty through individual empowerment, access to resources, and entrepreneurial success.”

e nonpro t MoWBC is designed to help anyone seeking assistance not just women. e organization contributes to the economic development and stability of mid-Missouri's small business ecosystem, supporting Boone, Cooper, Howard, Audrain, Callaway, Osage, Cole, and Moniteau counties. It has o ces in Columbia and Fulton. MoWBC sta and coaches own and operate multiple businesses “and understand the di culties of balancing family, career, and other responsibilities,” according to the organization’s website MoWBC, like REDI and 1 Million Cups, o ers its business assistance programs free of charge. MoWBC provides business coaching, access to the Kau man FastTrac Business Academy, business funding coaching, and other resources.

Some aspects of the MoWBC coaching navigation include:

• Registering your business

• Creating a sustainable business model

• Developing your o er

• Fine-tuning your target market

• Brainstorming successful marketing strategies

• Increasing revenue

• Decreasing expenses

• Basic bookkeeping,

• Community impact and networking

• Building a team of professionals to support your business

• Writing a business plan

• Obtaining capital

• Assistance with the commercial loan process

• Employee management

• Work-life balance

• Maintaining a successful entrepreneurial mindset.

e Kau man FastTrac Business Academy is a training se-

Regional Economic Development Inc.

1 M illion Cups

• 500 E Walnut St #103

Columbia, MO 65201

Missouri Women’s Business Center

• 573-818-2980

• mowbc.org

• 500 E Walnut St #103

Columbia, MO 65201

• 510 Market Street

Fulton, MO 65251

(by appointment only)

• winforentrepreneurs.com

ries that helps aspiring and early-stage business owners complete a written feasibility plan to help determine if the business idea is a “go” or a “no.” at plan can be adapted into a business plan.

For business funding coaching, MoWBC’s trained coaches will help discuss funding options and whether the would-be entrepreneur is facing a lack of capital, credit challenges, or both.

In 2022, MoWBC provided 763 coaching sessions, assisted 31 new businesses, held 24 training events, and helped bring about an estimated $2.3 million in capital infusion for businesses it helped.

WIN FOR ENTREPRENEURS

e Women’s Investment Network (WINe) is a somewhat relatively new organization whose genesis was an idea for creating an opportunity for women investors to pool their resources via “angel” investing, shared knowledge, and business skills to help support and invest in other women entrepreneurs.

e mission is to bring together women who have strong business skills, networks, interest in investing, and capital to recognize and enable growth for women entrepreneurs by supporting and promoting companies with women as executives and leaders. Despite its name, WINe isn’t exclusively for women, though that demographic is its main audience.

WIN For Entrepreneurs positions itself as an organization to help “demystify” the questions around investing in others to build wealth. e factors WIN For Entrepreneurs focuses on are:

• What it looks like to invest in women-led business

• What it looks like to build your women-led business and know when to seek investment

• What it looks like to build a sense of community among entrepreneurs and investors.

• Discovering the empowering freedom of putting your dollars toward others and yourself.

e WINe website explains: “Women start-ups and women investors have been looking for each other for quite some time. Historically, women start-ups are vastly underfunded and under-represented.” But that is changing, and WINe is “part of that constellation.”

In 2018, about 26 percent of the 300,000 self-described angel investors in the U.S. — about 78,000 — were women. A dozen years earlier, only about 5 percent of the 225,000 angel investors — about 11,000 — were women. It’s a best of both worlds scenario that WINe envisions building wealth as both an investor and as an entrepreneur bene ting from those investments.

An additional local resource to consider is the Small Business Development Center located downtown.

Missouri SBDC is a program of University of Missouri Extension and is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. e SBDC helps businesses in every stage, from concept to startup, growth to renewal, and maturity to succession.

• 540 S. Hitt St.

• 573-884-7667

• sbdc.missouri.edu

Statewide, the program assisted 878 startups from scal year 2020 to scal year 2022, resulting in some $440 million in increased sales and $452 million in approved capital. Demographically, 22 percent of SBDC assisted businesses were women owned; 26 percent were minority owned; and 7 percent were veteran owned. CBT

BUILT FROM THE GROUND UP

Coil Construction may not be so small these days. But its humble beginnings may inspire businesses that are.

BY MICHELLE TERHUNE PHOTOS BY ANTHONY JINSON

You may think a story about Coil Construction appearing in an issue focused on small business is like referring to Target as a mom-and-pop store. It’s true that while the company manages multimillion dollar projects, it’s still a local business with about 50 employees that started with a dream, a pickup truck and a $500 loan.

What might make you think of Coil Construction as a big business could have more to do with the big, highly visible structures it has left across Columbia.

ose structures range from buildings housing Boone Health, Shelter Insurance, and Veterans United, to those for Scooter’s Co ee, Central Pantry, Woof’s Play and Stay, and Club Car Wash.

ere’s no doubt that the Columbia-grown, family-based business has left an indelible mark on the city. But that mark didn't happen overnight. Randy Coil has never forgotten where his small company began, and he’s enthusiastic about where it could go.

A HAMMER AND AN OPPORTUNITY

Randy was raised in a family that built and repaired most of what it needed. As he learned to con dently use his own hands for building and repairing — taught by his grandfathers and father — Randy also discovered the satisfaction of that creative process. Earning a degree at Mizzou also prepared him for success.

In the spring of 1975, he saw an opportunity — a gap — in small, commercial projects that weren't drawing much attention from builders. e projects were too small for major commercial contractors and too commercial for residential contractors. Like the stories of most upstart companies, his vision was to build a small enterprise by lling that unmet need.

With a pickup truck and a $500 loan to buy more tools and a toolbox for the truck, Randy launched the company. He had a partner for a few months and hired a couple of employees, letting others help lead his ambitious startup.

“ e key to moving forward was hiring really great people — people who knew more about certain areas than I knew,” he says. “When we were hired to frame apartments, I hired one of the best carpenters that I could nd to lead us.”

Randy says that philosophy continues to hold true at Coil Construction today.

“ ere’s a lot of people in our o ce today who have a lot more experience and expertise in certain areas than I do," he explains. " ey have engineering degrees, for example, and can do some things that I can’t do. At the level where we’re at now, it takes a lot of collaboration with a lot of experience.”

THE FIRST WATERSHED MOMENT

“In every business, there are certain watershed moments,” Randy says. “You’ve got to get to a certain level to cross over and break through a wall.”

For Coil Construction, that wall was constructed of obstacles to overcome, such as capital, human resources, and opportunities.

“You have to get those things aligned,” he says. “You might have an opportunity, but you don’t have the capital or human resources. But once you start building those and they get bigger, and you know enough people out there, then the stars really align for that next big step.”

Coil Construction’s big step took it to Concordia, Mo., in 1988 for the company’s rst project exceeding $1 million. To call it a truck “stop” doesn’t do it justice. e plan called for a campus of buildings and major infrastructure that required Randy to obtain a bond as a guarantee that the company would complete the scope of the work as promised.

“To pull all of that together and have the expertise and supervision on site to do what at the time for me was a very complicated and expensive project was the rst breakthrough,” he says.

ROOM TO GROW

Today, Coil Construction has about 50 employees managing projects in eight states. Some of those projects are small, such as those related to the company’s facilities management services. Others exceed more than $30 million — a long way from that rst million-dollar contract.

Coil Construction’s services include pre-construction, design/build services, construction management, and facilities management. Except for facilities management and small projects, the scope of the company’s projects requires subcontractors to handle the construction.

Although Coil Construction trailers might be scattered far from Columbia, central Missouri remains at the heart of its

“In every business, there are certain watershed moments. You’ve got to get to a certain level to cross over and break through a wall.”

- Randy Coil, founder & president, Coil Construction

business. Currently, Coil has 40 local projects at some stage, from concept to handing the keys over to the client. At any given time, roughly 60 percent of the company’s volume is in central Missouri.

Many of the out-of-state projects are related to local clients, says Craig Riordan, vice president of business development.

“When we go to other states, it’s not because we go looking for work in Iowa,” Riordan says. “It’s usually growing businesses in mid-Missouri that take us there. ey may say, ‘Hey, we need another plant in Indiana or Arkansas.’ So, these are typically businesses in Columbia or mid-Missouri that are taking us there. And it’s a rewarding feeling to grow with these businesses and have the capability to travel with them and help them expand.”

IT'S ALL ABOUT FAMILY

Randy’s son, David, is the executive vice president of Coil Construction. He’s preparing to take the reins from his dad, but that didn’t happen overnight either. David started working for the company in high school before he was old enough to drive. His parents would drop him o at job sites where he would sweep up, help with demolition, and run errands.

In 2007, David joined Coil full-time as a project engineer after graduating from Southern Methodist University. His rst major project was as assistant project manager for the building of the Anheuser-Busch Clydesdale breeding facility, Warm Springs Ranch, in Boonville. David earned an MBA from Mizzou in 2014 to further prepare him for a transition into an executive role leading and managing the company’s operations. He became a company owner in 2015.

“ ere’s de nitely a tremendous amount of pride I take in taking over the family business,” David says. “ ere’s a lot to live up to.”

David seems far prouder than daunted by the task of leading Coil Construction forward. Randy Coil envisions the day when David’s 9-year-old daughter — who has set her sights on being president of the company — starts helping out.

“I have three daughters who are very aware of what I do and can point out buildings that I’ve built around town,” David says. “I think that’s one of the greatest satisfactions of being a builder and for a lot of our tradespeople, too. Just the abil

ity to drive around and point to physical objects and facilities and say, ‘I helped build that.’ It’s a pretty cool feeling to be a part of something tangible that will be around, hopefully for a very long time.”

As far as Randy and David are concerned, everyone who works for them is family. at helps keep Coil feeling like a small business despite its expansive reach.

“We try to keep that family atmosphere as much as we can,” David says. “I think we are growing in size and sophistication, but I think the work-life balance, some of the exibility that we o er our employees are really family-centric because that’s where they originated.”

“It’s all about people,” Randy says. “We’re selling a service and a resource and a knowledge base that comes from our people. And I enjoy coming in every day and talking to the folks that work here. I am truly interested in their kids, what’s going on with soccer practice, and where they’re going on vacation.”

Randy and David also value their help in how the company should move forward. ey ask for and listen to input from their employees on new products, services, technology, and processes.

“It’s more than just their job. ey collaborate with each other, and we try to involve them in our growth,” Randy says.

BE BOLD

Randy says that when he started Coil Construction, he wanted to be a good, smart, ethical businessman with a good work-life balance.

“It’s real easy to put in 80 hours a week when you rst start a business,” he says.

What advice would 2023 Randy give himself in 1975?

“Be bold about where you want to go and stick to it,” he says. “For the most part, I did. But there were probably some opportunities that I missed because I wasn’t bold enough. I was sometimes a little too conservative because I didn’t want to spend more than I made. But there is a time and place to borrow money and take a little risk, and you have to know when that time is right.”

Randy has no regrets about the decisions made to grow Coil Construction, which is a debt-free company these days. at $500 loan, plus interest, was paid in full a long, long time ago. CBT

Randy holding a young David's hand at a Coil Construction job site in 1990.

“There’s definitely a tremendous amount of pride I take in taking over the family business. There’s a lot to live up to.”

- David Coil, executive vice president, Coil Construction

In 2022, MoWBC provided many resources including

763 coaching sessions.

31 new businesses assisted.

How does the Small Business Association define a small business?

The SBA assigns a size standard to each NAICS code. Most manufacturing companies with 500 employees or fewer, and most nonmanufacturing businesses with average annual receipts under $ 7.5 million will qualify as a small business.

24 training events.

$ 2.3 million estimated capital infusion for businesses it helped.

Columbia was one of the first

12 cities that launched a 1 Million Cups chapter.

$ 500

3 Bars that Karen Krone owns and operates.

Loan amount that Coil Construction took out to start their business.

YOU DREAM IT. WE BUILD IT.

It all began with this car. The Cobra started as just another side project for Tyler Willy but ultimately led to making his dream of opening a custom build shop a reality. If you want to learn more about GKR Motor Cars, scan the link to the right and discover our story — one that we believe has only just begun.

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