Spillman
28 Grab Your Fork Peggy Jean’s Pies makes comeback The successful blending of tradition and technology. This homemade pie business has been renewed with the help of social media and crowdfunding.
47 Legacy CAROLYN MCDOWELL Carolyn McDowell started out on her own as a young woman with a dream of running her own business in the1960s. She became much more to her community.
Judy Blair A Family Affair
Table of contents
38 What it takes to survive and thrive while holding on to your roots.
50 Daym Approved Andrew Palermo Jefferson City-raised director and cinematorgrapher shares tips on running a successful Kickstarter campaign.
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After 5 Get out Meet People Make Friends
31 Diana Kander
Keith Enloe steps into the Jefferson City karaoke scene.
American Dreamer Diana Kander immigrated with her family and lived the American Dream. Today she gives back to the world of business as a leader of entreprenuers.
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Table of contents Columbia – 573-443-3401 Jefferson City – 573-635-3557 Mexico – 573-581-1948 Moberly – 660-263-7343 Rolla – 573-364-2281
800 - 743 - 4033
jonesbeltone.com
Home office – 1431 Southwest Blvd., Jefferson City, MO 65109
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Angel Investors How they can help you A look into angel investors and a resource for angels and entreprenuers alike.
Listen and Learn
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14 Trending
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17 Column: Nancy Vessell
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22 Q&A: Daphney Partridge
34 Startup Diaries: Angela Williams
37 Girls with Grit
42 The Decade of the Female Entrepreneur
57 After 5: To Do List
62 Games
Idea Bank Business Report
/daym/ PROFESSIONAL
Betsy Bell
Publisher/Editor-in-Chief Nichole L. Ballard
Deputy Editor Nancy Vessell
Editor-at-Large S u s a nn a h S o d e r g r e n
Associate Publisher Central Region
Victoria Amormino
Associate Publisher Southern Region
Ann e T u c k l e y
Stylist/Illustrator Laura Harcharick
Contributing Graphic Artist Virginia Wilson
Advisory Board President Cari Nichols
Advisory Board Vice President C o n t r i b u t o rs Photographers Anthony Jinson, Tom Baker, Nichole L. Ballard Writers Stephanie Detillier, Molly Wright, Bondi Wood, Keith Enloe, Nicole Flood, Nancy Vessell, Sean Spence, Susannah Sodergren, Victoria Amormino Advertising Inquiries advertising@professionaldaym.com
Professional /dÄ ym/ Magazine Do business like a daym. PO Box 15, Auxvasse, MO, 65231 Phone: 573-386-2571 Fax: 573-386-2268
LETTER God is good. He loves sinners and saints. And when you’re down and out he’ll pick you up and dust you off. I think what holds people back from finding success in life is lack of belief in them-
Betsy Bell
selves. We have to believe in ourselves first. We have to believe in ourselves when no one else does. That’s not as easy as it sounds. The people who love us most in life may genuinely want us to be successful. But Mom and Dad aren’t going to accomplish our dreams for us. That we have to do on our own two feet. It would have been easy for me to choose a spot on my cozy couch and rent the next flick on pay-per-view. Starting a business is no small task and it’s not for everyone. It’s a choice to buckle down and go for a ride, full of ups and downs, elation, frustration, laughter and tears. Not to mention the risk around every corner. That’s right, start a business and you might fail. Defend the numbers until you’re blue in the face. Until you walk the road, you just don’t know. It’s the moment you decide you’re OK with the prospect of failing, losing money and looking foolish that your adventure begins. Come to terms with that and you’ll see the world for all its possibilities. And the possibilities are endless. If you see someone shooting for the stars, even if it looks like they won’t make it, encourage them. Trust me, they need it. Failure can be one of life’s great lessons. We are always better off for trying, and even better for trying again.
Betsy Bell A s f o r t h e b o ys During the process of launching one thing became clear: Ladies, your biggest fans are men. That’s right. Mid-Missouri men are thrilled to see a publication embracing and highlighting regional businesswomen and encouraging entrepreneurship. Professional Daym isn’t for only women. Our purpose is to celebrate and encourage mid-Missouri’s working women. We aren’t here to work against men, but to work with our colleagues regardless of gender. Don’t be surprised to see men on our advisory board, submitting columns, writing stories and being featured in Professional Daym. In fact, every issue of Professional Daym celebrates a businessman who inspires through resourcefulness, innovation and business sense. Look for the very first Daym-Approved Man, Andrew Droz Palermo and his helpful tips on crowdfunding in this inaugural issue of Professional Daym magazine.
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equivalent to the rank of a knight. With strength, savvy and spirit. That’s how a daym does business.
BEHIND THE SCENE
/daym/: The title given to a woman
NOTES In the inaugural issue of Professional Daym we felt it appropriate to feature stories revolving around startups because we are one. Tucked away in our pages is a small sample of inspirations and resources for the mid-Missouri professional woman. Nancy Vessell’s column pays tribute to those who take the calculated risks. Our Daym-Approved Man this issue is from Jefferson City. Learn about his tips on putting together a successful crowdfunding campaign. We share the story of Columbia’s Diana Kander and her rise to the top as an expert in business beginnings. And, Angela Williams from Hallsville shares her startup diary and what it took to get her dream going. We did our very best to put together, not only a resource, but an insightful and motivational journal for the women in our region who get things done in the patriarchal business world every day. To the woman who works more than 9-to-5 in pursuit of her dreams, this magazine is for you.
Nichole L. Ballard Deputy Editor
Anthony Jinson shot the first cover of Professional Daym magazine on Dec. 2 at his Jefferson City studio. The mood was celebratory, as the daym team had been counting down the days to this moment. Publishers and editors were joined by columnist, Monica Pitts. And our cover model, Diana Kander, stole the show by donning an authentic suit of armor.
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KNOW
Listen and Learn Media recommendations for new insights and inspirations. B y S u s a nn a h S o d e r g r e n
Watch:
Read:
Listen:
Read:
Amy Cuddy: Your body language shapes who you are
David and Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell
Planet Money podcast What’s a Bubble?
“... the act of facing overwhelming odds produces greatness and beauty.” - Malcom Gladwell
“The word ‘bubble’ drives me nuts, frankly.” - Eugene Fama
The New York Times: Four Executives on Succeeding in Business as a Woman
“Don’t just fake it till you make it. Fake it till you become it.” - Amy Cuddy We know that confident body language can go a long way to create a powerful impression, even when we’re not so sure on the inside. Social scientist and body language expert, Amy Cuddy, explains rather than just fooling others, we can adopt a confident posture to convince ourselves of how powerful we truly are. Streaming online at www.ted.com
Through centuries, David remains our go-to “little guy,” a reminder that faith and determination can conquer giants. But in his latest book, Malcolm Gladwell argues that the strength of the small comes from more than blind belief: It’s the abilities you develop when necessity has taught you to over-compensate, out-smart, out-strategize, or face so many fears that you become, yes, fearless. Gladwell shares true tales of underdogs to show us how our “disadvantages” could be the key to our success. $29 at Downtown Book & Toy (125 E. High St., Jefferson City; 573-635-1185), Osage Beach Book & Toy (3797 Highway 54, Osage Beach; 573-348-4788), and Rolla Books & Toys (1000 S. Bishop Ave., Rolla; 573-368-4155)
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The housing bubble, the dot com bubble … we spend years looking back on so-called bubbles, pointing fingers at who was at fault and who fell for it. But how does one know they’re even in a bubble? Planet Money, a podcast on NPR, turns to a couple of Nobel laureate economists to debate, in a nutshell, “What’s a bubble?” Streaming online at www.npr.org. Search “What’s A Bubble?”
“Niceness and kindness are not the opposite of ambition and drive.” - Marjorie Kaplan Conversations about “work/life balance” are everywhere these days. In a recent edition of his column Corner Office, Adam Bryant points out that there’s plenty more to talk about when it comes to the unique challenges female leaders face. Four powerful women candidly shed light on everything from holding back tears to shutting down a meeting when you feel you’re not heard. Available online at www.nytimes.com
LEAD
Don’t freak out, but chances are you need a blog Business 101: Rules to blog by By Monica Pitts There are a lot of misconceptions about blogging — that they’re pointless, wearisome and only for certain types of businesses. These views couldn’t be further from the truth. Using blog posts can be a fun, yet effective tool to extend your marketing reach among consumers. And they are a key component for the success of any website.
What is business blogging? First and foremost, blogging is a marketing tactic. Through blogging, businesses create short-form content to attract attention to their website. Business blogging gives information to the seeker in exchange for their attention.
How blogging feeds your website Each time you create a blog post, it adds a page to your website. Google and other search engines like to see lots of content, so just by blogging twice a month you can help your website appear more in searches and consequently get more visitors. New blog posts also create an opportunity for social-media sharing and for other sites to link to yours. Using blog posts avoids the clutter that comes from creating random pages for your website, because all of your new pages are categorized under the blog.
The key in keywords Keywords — repeated words or phrases in your post that summarize the content -are a great way to increase the success of your blog posts in search-engine rankings. When using keywords, though, make sure you’re not just creating a word farm. The post has to make sense, or the reader will leave your site.
Congratulations, you’re now an expert. Use your power wisely. By blogging regularly, you can be seen as an expert in your field and gain loyal followers. When those followers need a job done, they’ll think of you first and hopefully become loyal customers. Here are some tips for gaining a following on your blog:
Don’t just talk about how cool you are. Educate your reader and talk about important issues in your industry. Nobody likes listening to someone go on and on about themselves. Your readers are focused on what they can get from listening to you.
Be open to conversation. Make your blog a two-way street; don’t just talk at your readers. Leave a space for comments on your posts and engage your audience. When readers can reply to you, they become more invested
Blog regularly. If your readers never hear from you, they’ll stop listening.
Just because you’re an expert, doesn’t mean you know it all. Do your research before writing a blog post, and make sure you’ve got all of your facts right. When you get them wrong, it decreases your credibility. Readers won’t be loyal if they can’t trust you.
Don’t have resources to get your blog on? If you feel that you don’t have the time, manpower or writing ability to blog regularly, there are other ways to add a blog to your website. One option is using an RSS feed, which is a format for delivering regularly changing web content. In other words, you can link your site to another site’s blog. Then your blog updates every time the outside blog does. Whatever you do, don’t use content from other people or businesses without attribution. Your posts don’t always have to be original, but you do need to cite the original source. Even if you are just creating a synopsis of another’s content, you still ought to attribute the idea — just like you did in English class!
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INNOVATE
Tech solutions to simplify the startup
B y S u s a nn a h S o d e r g r e n
With empty pockets, a pile of to-dos and only 24 hours in a day, most startup teams could use an extra hand. These hardware, software and consumermessaging solutions work hard for little money, so you can focus on building a business. Software as a service (SaaS)
HootSuite
AppyPie AppyPie claims to make building your own mobile application “easy as pie.” For many small teams with big dreams using the free, cloudbased service is the difference between offering a customized app at launch or waiting to pay a programmer some years down the road. In a matter of minutes, by dragging, dropping, and answering a few questions, you’ll have a new way for customers to get to know your brand. Free at www.appypie.com
HP-ENVY 120 Wireless e-All-In-One Printer This sleek printer/scanner/ copier sets the tone for streamlined operations. The wireless and mobile printing options make for easy set-up and flexibility for the whole team, and the machine is easy on the eyes. But the best part? The transparent top. This brilliant design feature allows you to align your document face-up, close the lid, and see right through to be sure it’s still in place for a good scan on the first try. Take note, this multitasker has no fax component. $307 from DataComm Office Solutions, 211 Metro Dr., Jefferson City, 573-893-5800
Keeping on top of social media communications is a juggling act any day — let alone during the hectic early days of a business. HootSuite brings multiple networks (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, blog, newsletter, etc.) into one platform so you can prepare messages, schedule their distribution and analyze how they take off from there. It’s a totally free service, though businesses can upgrade the program to add support and security for $8.99 a month. Beyond that, prices run into the thousands for international corporations and governments — and HootSuite counts plenty of those as clients. So go ahead, toss this daily responsibility to HootSuite. They’ve got the bandwidth. Free or $8.99 www.hootsuite.com
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Software as a service refers to applications you can purchase from vendors or service providers through the cloud. The days of purchasing and installing individual software for every member on your team are fading fast, cutting time and costs for the programs and the IT services you could pay for their upkeep. The options are numerous and changing every day, so get online to find your best fit. Salesforce.com is a current favorite, namely for their customer relationship management, or CRM, software. Individuals and companies alike are also turning to the cloud for standards like Microsoft Office with the new Office 365, and Adobe’s Creative Suite, now known as Adobe Creative Cloud. Prices vary. www.salesforce.com, www.office.microsoft.com, www.adobe.com and many more
B y S u s a nn a h S o d e r g r e n
Idea Bank
INNOVATE
Every month we dream big with a brainstorm, then break it down to the basics. Just an exercise to get the gears turning.
Some of the best business ideas come from simply looking around and asking, What if?
Idea: Professional organizer
Idea: Doggie daycare
Idea: Doughnut shop
You’d need: Less than $2,000
You’d need: $2,000 – $10,000
You’d need: $10,000 – $50,000
Biggest expense: Marketing materials
Biggest expense: Insurance
Biggest expense: Location and equipment
You’d make: $20,000 – 35,000/year to start, then up to $65,000/year
You’d make: Up to $150,000/year Take home: $30,000 – $60,000/year
You’d make: Around $180,000/year Take home: $30,000 – $60,000/year
The best part would be: Making a difference in the lives of the cluttered
the best part would be: Getting paid to play
the best part would be: Doughnuts!
The worst part would be: Helping hoarders
The worst part would be: Long work days
The worst part would be: Doughnuts...
A passion for putting things in order is a rare gift. If you love organizing, consider this: Everyone else out there … hates it, and they’re all your market! Talk about scalable. Depending on your expertise you could tackle anything from a junk drawer to a full-on hoarder’s den. On the corporate side, help an executive set up a home office in a day, or revolutionize her entire company’s filing system throughout the year. Start by helping family and friends while considering how to formalize and refine your process. Then develop a smart message to spread the word.
A growing number of people are paying to give their dog a day of supervised play while they’re at work, allowing for peaceful evenings at home with a dog who’s no longer bouncing off the walls with pent-up puppy energy. It’s especially useful during these chilly months when walks often get cut short. Besides the obvious love for dogs and tolerance for poop, you’ll need to start with a grasp on the rules: Zoning and permitting for animals and plenty of insurance. Dogs act unpredictably out of their home, so prepare for the unexpected. Fortunately, they’re also lots of fun.
Sure, doughnuts are “on-trend” right now, but they’ll never go away either. This is the stuff of strong weekly traditions. Oh how we reminisce about the old Dunkin’ Donuts on the boulevard in Jefferson City … Some great local bakeries are picking up the slack, but this could be just the time to step up, specialize and become a hometown hero. First, take stock: Besides all that sugar, you’ll need to acquire the tools and techniques to create tradition-worthy treats. After that? The rest is icing. (Well it is!)
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Home Builder Home Renovation Hail & Weather Damage Carpentry Services Custom Woodworking Call Spillman Contracting to set up a free consultation 573-864-2936. We design and build for clients across MO. w w w
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Left to Right: Brooklynn, Jeremy, Noah, Jessica and Emma Spillman
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LEAD
To win big, you have to play big By Nancy vessell
Nancy Vessell is a freelance writer and editor who worked for more than 20 years as a newspaper reporter and columnist. She contributes articles to two national health care publications in addition to freelance consulting.
“I have a confession to make. I’ve long thought that risk taking was a trait more natural to males than females. I’m so happy to be wrong.”
Here’s to women not bound to the middle of the board. In the game of Monopoly, I admire the type of player I am not. If you play the game, you may have noticed there are three basic types of players. Those of the first type grab every property they land upon, spending from an untidy pile of cash. With a lack of strategy, they usually crash and burn early. The second type prefers the mid-board properties. Those players spend a little money from their carefully arranged stacks of bills and are happy to turn a modest profit. But only with a lot of luck from the roll of the dice can they win the game. Players of the third type keep their eyes on the treasure — the premium properties. They wait for the opportunity to acquire Boardwalk and Park Place and then focus their building efforts on them. While this strategy comes with the risk of catastrophic loss, there’s also the opportunity for a stunning victory. I’m the second type. I’m an Illinois Avenue kind of gal. I play it safe: Safe enough to insure against a wipeout from an unfortunate roll of the dice, but never risky enough to win big. It’s the third type I admire. They understand that to win big, they have to play big. They overcome any fear of loss they may have and stay focused on the prize. I’ve long suspected that even when the money is real and there’s no such thing as Free Parking, it takes the likes of Player No. 3 to win in the world of business. Successful entrepreneurs step out of the safe zone — but always in a calculated way. Not blindly, but smartly. They marshal their knowledge, skill and experience, ramp up their courage and apply their work ethic to launch their passion. Do they fear a crash? I don’t know. But the fear that paralyzes some of us motivates others. Think about the “Hail Mary” pass. It’s football’s equivalent of a long shot. Still, it has the elements needed for success. The quarterback is well trained and experienced. His arm is conditioned. He’s familiar with the field and the competition, and he knows the receiver is also trained and skilled. Risky? Yes. Reckless? No. I have a confession to make. I’ve long thought that risk taking was a trait more natural to males than females. I’m so happy to be wrong. It’s now commonplace to hear about women who are taking risks, whether it’s starting a business, spearheading a community initiative, training for a marathon or speaking out against injustice. You won’t find these women settling for the middle. I’m inspired to see more women risking the comfortable to pursue the dream. Just watch what they do when they get their hands on Boardwalk.
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KNOW
BUSINESS REPORT A regional perspective on business news.
Economic Development Boo nv i ll e The Moberly Area Economic Development Corporation did not renew its economic development contract with the City of Boonville. In a statement read at the city council meeting in November, MAEDC stated it did not feel it was in the best interests of both parties to move forward. Boonville plans to instate an economic developer when the MAEDC contract expires. Jeff e rs o n Ci t y Sales taxes in Jefferson City came in above projections for 2013. The capital improvement tax, general sales tax and lodging tax receipts showed substantial increases in all areas. City Council attributed the increasing revenue to city events such as the Lincoln University homecoming and the state cross-country championships. The Parks and Recreation Commission is discussing plans for a 40,000 – 50,000-square-foot multipurpose building in Riverside Park. The building is a potential spot to host athletic games,
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theater productions, concerts and day camps. An estimated cost of $6 million has been attached to the project, which has been contracted out to St. Louis-based architectural firm Hastings & Chivetta. Co l u m b i a A planned annexation to Battle High School is still in the works, but stalled due to infrastructure development timing. The proposed annexation includes area for office development, single-family residences, a new elementary school, city park and commercial areas near the high school. St. Charles Road Development, LLC requested to annex 128 acres west of the school for the project dubbed Somerset Village. L a k e o f t h e O za rks Sunrise Beach Board of Trustees tabled an annexation recommended by the Village Planning and Zoning Commission pending legal and engineering reviews. The property recommended for annexation is Ambrosia Lane and 10 lots in the Scram Acres subdivision.
formed under the auspices of the Fulton Area Development Corporation (FADC) is developing the framework for a business incubator in Fulton. The incubator space could be created by rehabbing one of several existing buildings in the downtown Brick District. The core staff for the incubator could be supplemented with faculty and interns from Fulton’s two institutions of higher learning, Westminster College and William Woods University. The FADC is leading a local business delegation to China where it has been invited to address the annual meeting of the 200-member Zhejiang Wenzhou Chief Engineer Association in southeastern China. The Wenzhou organization is made up of business executives engaged primarily in real estate and manufacturing. Fourteen members of the Association were guests of the FADC and the City of Fulton in late October.
New Businesses & Grand Openings
Fu lto n
C e n t r a lia
Planning is still in its early stages, but an Entrepreneurship Initiative Committee
Allstate Consultants approached the Town of Centralia regarding site selection for a
new biomass-fuel manufacturing facility. Four sites in Boone County are being considered for the plant, and an additional four within 90 miles of Columbia, according to Nancy Heimann, CEO and President of Enginuity Worldwide. Heimann told the Centralia Fireside Guard the site would serve as a pilot location for demonstration of full-sized equipment and engineered biomass-solid fuel called eCARB™. Enginuity Worldwide was awarded a rural energy grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture in the amount of $500,000. Faye t t e Florida Nails has opened a store in Market Street Floral, 107 N. Main St., in Fayette in addition to their original Columbia location. J e ffe rs on C it y Aqueous Vapor, 2111 Missouri Blvd., opened the first Jefferson City vaporizer store in November. The company also has a Columbia location. New franchisee Jon Lippincott opened a Planet Fitness gym, 3239 Missouri Blvd. The new facility is open 24/7. M acon A site for the new Love’s Travel
Stop and Country Store has been chosen, just outside of Macon in Bevier. The truck stop will be on the northeast corner of Highway 36 and Highway O on a 7-acre plot of land. Love’s has purchased 20 acres, but is only building on part of the property. The truck stop is expected to bring 25 to 40 jobs to the City of Macon according to project manager Steve Walters.
from the University of Missouri that specializes in nanotechnology for medical products and devices. The company’s first product is set up for a summer release. Nanova has received more than $15 million in funding through Chinese venture capital firm SummitView Capital and Chinese government loans. Mayor Bob McDavid released a statement in support of the company.
L a k e o f the O za rks
Businesses Closing
BP Lanier Enterprises Inc. is opening a new restaurant, Ozark Bar-B-Que on the Strip at 1263 Bagnell Dam Blvd. Heroes Sports Saloon in Osage Beach opened in November at 939 Premium Outlets Dr. The restaurant features 15-percent-off checks to local heroes such as firefighters, nurses and hospital personnel, police officers, soldiers and teachers. Col u m bi a BioPharma Services, Inc., out of Toronto released plans to open a 48-bed facility in northeast Columbia at 300 Portland St. The company intends to use the facility for clinical trials for pharmaceuticals. The new facility is expecting to bring about 50 full-time jobs to the area in 2014. Lucky’s Market, 111 S. Providence Rd., is scheduled to open January 15. The store sells organic groceries and was originally expected to open in October. The company claims to have the widest selection of micro-brewed beers in Columbia. Nanova Biomaterials Inc., is receiving support from the Missouri Department of Economic Development. According to the department, Nanova is investing $1.5 million in equipment and local real estate as well as creating up to 50 jobs within the next five years. Nanova is a spinoff
H a llsvi lle Kadoodle Artworks and Furniture, 134 E. Highway OO, is closing. Fay e t t e Dents and Dings, 209 N. Church, is going out of business. Ro ll a Pepper’s Sports Bar & Grill, 560 Old Rt 66, closed in November. Way n e sv i lle Vidie’s Bistro Express closed its doors after announcing in October. The owners attributed the closing to “ongoing staff and management issues.” The catering side of the business will remain open.
Grants & Funding Fu lto n Gov. Jay Nixon proposed issuing state bonds to a new $211 million psychiatric facility at Fulton State Hospital. $11 million has already been allocated to planning of the project. The project is listed as a top priority for capital improvements for the state Senate. Gov. Nixon said appropriations bonds would be used to fund the project. B o o n v i lle The Mid-Missouri Solid Waste Management District grant application and guide is available at www.mmswmd.org.
The deadline for preliminary applications (required) for grant applications requesting more than $15,000 and up to $100,000 is Jan. 1. Final applications for larger grants are due at 4 p.m. Feb. 7. The preliminary application (optional) deadline for small grants, $5,000 – $15,000 is March 3 and final applications are due by 4 p.m. March 21. Columb ia The True/False Film Fest won financial support from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to continue exploring the boundaries between truth and fiction on the silver screen in the form of a three-year $75,000, grant. The festival previously received two one-year grants of $20,000 each from the academy, which produces the Oscar awards. Roll a Benton & Associates Inc., was given the go-ahead from MODOT to work on a report to summarize, recommend and rank, low-water crossing structures in Phelps County. The company has applied for a department grant for the study, which is estimated to cost $4,300.
Mergers & Acquisitions Columb ia Nonprofit online newspaper St. Louis Beacon, and UM Curatorowned NPR St. Louis Public Radio are partnering with the University of Missouri-St. Louis College of Fine Arts and Communication and the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Journalism. Newspapers reported that outside donations are funding the merger. Nearly $3 Million had been raised in November, which, according to UMSL Chancellor Thomas George, will sustain the opera-
tion for the next five years. The merger is intended to be a research and teaching platform for the J-School and give Mizzou students the ability to apply classroom knowledge to a real-world urban setting. E.W. Scripps Company acquired the digital video news provider Newsy for $35 million. In a company press release, E.W. Scripps stated the 35 full-time Newsy employees and all part-time employees would remain in Columbia. J e ffe rs on Cit y Cole County Commission, Lincoln University and the Community Health Center are exploring a partnership to establish a health clinic on the east side of Jefferson City. Representatives from each organization discussed plans to renovate part of Thompkins Health Center, located on the Lincoln University campus, to house the clinic. M ob e rly MFA Oil Co. announced plans to buy former Mamtek U.S. site in Moberly. The co-op stated no plans are in place for the 33-acre site, but said the property gives it “strategic opportunities.” Moberly released claims on the site in December after the bankrupt Mamtek defaulted on bond payments in 2011 causing the city to default. The city settled with bondholders for $95,000 in November before it was able to release its claims and UMB Bank, the trustee, could sell the property. M acon The Randolph County Ambulance District board made an agreement with Air Evac EMS, Inc., to build a medical transport helicopter base in Moberly. The decision to switch from its current provider, Columbia-based Staff for Life to Air Evac was based
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on the unwillingness by Staff for Life to build a helicopter base in Randolph County. The agreement to lease the base outlines Air Evac plans to construct a 30-foot by 50-foot hangar, a 40-foot by 40-foot helipad and a jet fuel system. The lease is for five years, with options for two additional terms. Lease payments by the city range from $15,000 – $16,882.68 annually in the first term, from $17,389.20 -$19,571.64 in the second and $20,158.80 – $22,689 in the third, if the option to renew the lease is chosen.
Awards & Accolades Boo nv i ll e The Boonville Area Chamber of Commerce received a Preservation Legacy Award from Missouri Preservation for the Katy Depot. The Boonville Katy Depot is the only surviving Spanish Mission style depot
on the old MKT rail line and is on the National Register of Historic Places. According to the chamber’s website, the Katy Depot was restored for $433,000 between 1990 and 1998 through state grant funds of $293,250; donations from DNR for $60,000 and the Rails to Trails Foundation of Columbia for $47,000; and $42,050 from local fund-raising efforts. Co l u m b i a 3 Interactive, 2011 Chapel Hill Rd., was awarded a 2013 Fast Track Award at the annual Missouri Chamber of Commerce awards dinner held in Kansas City Nov.14 in recognition of dramatic growth within the last four years. 3 Interactive is a digital media agency that aids in planning, purchasing and managing online advertising. Chamber of Commerce Executives of Missouri (CCEM) awarded Columbia Chamber of Commerce first place
in the Special Publications category at the Ninth Annual CCEM Awards of Excellence Luncheon for the 2012-2013 Annual Report at the fall conference in Kansas City. The CCEM Awards of Excellence honor achievements and outstanding work of the chamber professionals in the state of Missouri. The City of Columbia was ranked No. 1 small city in economic performance by the Milken Institute think tank. Columbia rose from 10th place in 2012 to the top spot in 2013. Faye t t e Addison Biological Laboratories, Inc., 507 N. Cleveland St., was awarded the 2013 Fast Track Award at the annual Missouri Chamber of Commerce awards dinner held in Kansas City Nov. 14. The company is one of seven businesses recognized for dramatic growth within the last four years. The
company produces and sells animal vaccines and other products in the U.S. and more than 20 countries. L a ke of t he O zarks The 2013 Missouri Quality Award from the Excellence in Missouri Foundation was given to Lake Regional Health System in Osage Beach. This is the third time Lake Regional earned the honor.
Earnings Columb ia Graybar, a distributor of electrical, communications and data networking products and provider of related supply chain management and logistics services that just opened a branch in Columbia in September reported net sales of $1.5 billion for the third quarter of 2013, an increase of 7 percent compared to 2012. Net sales for the first nine months of the year increased 4.6 percent to $4.2 billion. The company also reported $29 million in net income for the quarter, which is a 43.1 percent increase from the same period in 2012. Net income for the first nine months of the year decreased 26.1 percent compared to 2012, primarily due to gains from the sale of company properties in the second quarter of last year, according to a press release by the company.
Business Briefs F ulton Aramark celebrated two years of being accident-free Nov. 13. The streak is the longest among the 85 plants throughout the nation. The safety results were from increasing safety awareness with employees, involving incentives for practicing safety.
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Co l u m bi a Mark Stevenson, the agent for 106 Business Loop 70 W, LLC, which owns the strip mall where O’Reilly Auto Parts was located before the mall burned down April 1, 2012, pleaded guilty to violating city ordinances requiring the demolition and cleanup within a specific time period. Trittenbach Development is moving forward on a mixeduse development in southeast Columbia, but with changes to the original plans. Less housing and eliminating retail space are some of the changes proposed. The Centralia Fireside Guard reported that Broadway Brewery brewmaster, Michael Ivancic announced at a Centralia Kiwanis lunch the brewery would soon be distributing six packs of their micro-brew beer to local stores after starting a new bottling plant outside of Rocheport. TAG Events is ending its contract managing the Central Missouri Events Center June 30. County officials are looking at new marketing strategies. Roll a Ellis Hawkins was named the president of SSM St. Clare Health Center in December. Me x i co The Audrain County Health Department and the state health department temporarily closed Mexico County Market, 500 W. Jackson St., owned by Niemann Foods, Inc., because of asbestos concerns. An embargo was placed on all food products, drugs and cosmetics at the market after health department officials received a consumer complaint on Oct. 30. The embargo began Nov. 5. Niemann Foods and Klinger and Associates provided a
plan to address food protection and safety to county health officials. The embargo was removed and renovation resumed in December. B o o n v i lle Chuck’s Bikes in Boonville, 200 E. Morgan St., is in negotiation for a new owner. Interested parties should call Rodger, 918397-0376. The City of Boonville is selling a 74-year-old documentary commissioned by the Boonville Lions Club. The film has been re-edited and put on DVD. A portion of sales is being donated to the Friends of Historic Boonville. Centralia The Centralia Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously endorsed an additional 14 lots to the Southwest Country Estates development project for local developer Boyd Harris in its October council meeting. “We will continue to develop them prudently as demand and the economy dictate,” Harris told reporters. The endorsement is stipulated on the condition by the city for the receipt of a $25,000 letter of credit to cover sidewalk construction within the development. M aco n Sharon Scott resigned as executive director of the Macon Area Chamber of Commerce in early December. L a k e o f t h e O za rks Lake TV Channel 90 is now supported on the Co-Mo Connect television network. Co-Mo Connect stated plans to broaden its coverage to Boonville and the Missouri River areas over the next five years. Camdenton Chamber of Commerce is launching a tiered membership structure in 2014.
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How would one go about raising millions of dollars and an army of volunteers after being out of the game for more than nine years? We didn’t know, so we found a woman who does.
75 active volunteers $2.3 million since 2006 Proving big things happen when you marry your work with your passion.
Photo by Nichole L. Ballard
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LEAD
Daphney Partridge. Mother of three. Entrepreneur. Marketing whiz. And a passionate woman. As told to Nichole L. Ballard
How I brand myself “When I talk to my daughters about college and how hard it is to decide what you want to be when you grow up, I tell them that I probably couldn’t have picked a better course of study for myself. Marketing is part of what I have always done in my career, and frankly, in my life. Most of what I do on a daily basis involves communication, and trying to get people to dedicate their time, energy, resources, and even themselves to support a common vision. This applies to AmeriCorps members and volunteers, to peers, to superiors, to funders, and even to the community at large. Developing, fine-tuning, and delivering a consistent and honest message about what you do and how you do it is fundamental in creating a successful program and then keeping it going. Passion is contagious. Let’s face it, if I can’t get excited about the program and the vision, how can I expect anyone else to? Operating under federal grant funding can be tedious; the paperwork and documentation is overwhelming. While those tasks are necessary (and why I have a wonderful staff to take care of them because I am just not that great at “I” dotting and “T” crossing), I realized a long time ago that
Daphney Partridge took years of multi-industry marketing experience to found and fund Partners Actively Volunteering in Education or PAVE. The program is partnered with AmeriCorps and VISTA AmeriCorps to place 30 full-time and 45 summer volunteers in Eldon, Miller and Camden counties, Springfield, Independence and Kansas City. To date, she has raised more than $2.3 million since founding PAVE in 2006. She credits self-branding as her secret to success. my real job is getting people excited about PAVE AmeriCorps and keeping them excited by telling the story of service and impact. It is also important to thank people for what they do, whether it is for a financial donation or grant, or their time or talent in support of the program.”
How I pulled from experiences and re-entered the workforce “I didn’t have a straight career path. Transitioning back into the work force was a challenge for me as I think it must be for all ‘professional mommies’ who take an extended break to be home with their children. I was prompted to return to the workforce because our family needed money to provide for the children we created! We decided it was time for me to go back to work when our youngest daughter started kindergarten. The transition was made easier for me because my work turned out to be an extension of the volunteering I did while ‘staying home.’ Quotes there because neither I, nor my kids were really ‘stay at home’ type of people. We were always out exploring, visiting, volunteering, or doing something. Those contacts I made while staying at home helped develop a network I used to re-enter the workforce.”
The program is partnered with AmeriCorps and VISTA AmeriCorps to place 30 full-time and 45 summer volunteers in Eldon, Miller and Camden counties; Springfield, Independence and Kansas City.
How I balance my family and career “It is really impossible to dedicate yourself 100 percent to your job and 100 percent to your family and yet, that is what I continually feel compelled to do. I have high expectations for my program, my family and myself. Being a high-energy person does help. What I have compromised with is a system that I think of as JUST IN TIME delivery. That means that I am constantly prioritizing and ranking all the to-dos on the list, and shuffling the personal and the professional lists back and forth. Of course, there are times when I make the wrong judgment call but honestly, I think I probably disappoint myself more often than I disappoint others and realizing that has helped me a lot. I recently benefitted greatly from the support of a leadership mentor who taught me to ask this question, “Are you launching the space shuttle with this decision?” Meaning - is somebody likely to die if this task isn’t completed perfectly. If the answer is no, then I can let some things slide and realize that it is OK to buy cookies at the grocery for the softball team instead of making them from scratch. That awareness has freed me up to be much more productive and effective both professionally and with my family.” To volunteer for PAVE or for more information visit paveamericorps.weebly.com.
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By nichole L. ballard
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Investors
W e ’ ve all heard of them . Nameless investors coming down from above with cash in hand for some lucky idealist. Facebook, for example, got its chance to make a mark through multiple investment rounds with smart business people whose funding transformed the simple idea of an online social network, popular with college students, into a global phenomenon and created an empire. Angel investors they call them. Professional /daym/
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Resources for investors and entrepreneurs: Angel Capital Group,
www.theangelcapitalgroup.com, is an angel group without geographic boundaries and a location in Kansas City.
Angel Capital Association, www.angelcapitalassociation.org, is a trade organization where you can search for information and find locations of angel networks.
The Angel Resource Institute, www.angelresource.org, can tell you everything you ever wanted to know about angel investors.
Centennial Investors Angel Investors Network, www.centennialinvestors.com, is located in Columbia and has a network of angel investors available for mid-Missouri entrepreneurs.
The Halo report, www.angelresource.org/
research/halo-report, published by the Angel Resource Institute, Silicon Valley Bank, and CB Insights, surveys national angel group investment activity.
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The Center for Venture Research in New Hampshire estimated there were more than 268,000 active investors in 2012, with almost $30 billion backing more than 67,000 ventures. While yield rates are low, about 20 percent, the opportunity to receive funding from an angel can’t be discounted. “Angel investors continue to play an important role in funding startups,” says Rob Wiltbank, Vice Chairman of Research, Angel Resource Institute. “The steady valuation, growth in investment size, and wide geographic activity among angel investors is more evidence that angels are a reliable and a critical part of growing the next generation of great new companies in this country.” Finding an angel isn’t hard. They mainly organize into groups or networks. A simple Internet search for angel investors in your area will get you started. Or, visit the angel trade group, Angel Investment Association, for a directory. The tricky part is getting them to buy what you’re selling.
Getting an angel to invest Some angel groups charge small fees to entrepreneurs. Centennial Investors charges a $100 application fee, but warns applicants to have all their ducks in a row. Like other angel groups, Centennial applies selection criteria to applicants, focusing on mid-Missouri companies that are technology-
based and in the early stages of business. The local group also prefers to invest in deals asking $250,000 – $500,000 in equity capital. Revenue requirements for companies: $20 million plus within five years. Like the popular NBC show “Shark Tank,” small business owners pitch their ideas to potential pools of money. Unlike the tank, entrepreneurs need a plan to get in front of investors, not just an idea. Angel Capital Group’s (ACG) interest lies in “unique and/or protectable products or services with large market opportunities and recurring revenue models.” That basically means if you have a beta and it’s testing well, we like you. Or, if you have a positive cash flow in less than two years and are on track to break even within three years, we like you. Exit strategy is important to ACG as well as valuation, like in the $1.5 million to $5 million range. Things that turn off ACG: Real estate and REITs, retail (fashion, etc.), restaurants and food service, research and development laboratories, companies solely focused on managing government contracts, service-based businesses outside of software, foreign-based businesses. Lots of “R”s. But, when it comes down to it angel groups are smart and they make smart investments, which is the reason behind limitations for applicants.
It’s all about the deal. Angels make deals togeth-
er. Literally. The most recent Halo report stated 75 percent of all angel deals are syndicated, meaning split among more than one investor. Syndicated deals help manage risk and improve returns. “Clearly, angel groups are successfully syndicating opportunities,” said Rob Wiltbank, Vice Chairman of Research, Angel Resource Institute. “Syndication remains highly concentrated geographically, as with formal venture capital, but with growing online angel activity, it will be interesting to see how this changes in the future.” An interesting idea and one that sparks a sense of unlimited funding for small business owners. The complicated structures of some deals may feel a little overwhelming, but groups will walk applicants through the process. It begins with a proposal. Most networks accept proposals through online platforms. Some require it. Once a proposal passes through an analysis stage to evaluate how attractive a proposal is, a service agreement is usually signed by both parties. Due diligence
comes next where all required and requested documents need to be submitted and reviewed in a timely matter. Typical documents include general corporate documents such as bylaws and shareholder information, a certificate of good standing from the state, financial statements and projection sheets, leases, asset schedules, licenses, permits, public relations and marketing materials and employee information. After everything is received, the network creates a term sheet structuring the deal before an entrepreneur presents to investors. Now is the time to sweat. The pitch. An applicant’s time to shine in front of the person or persons who can give the capital to make someone’s dream a reality.
Ding, you got a halo. It’s not that easy. A potential investor can’t just walk into an angel group or network and declare, “I’m an angel, like you.” Like all business, there is a process. One of the reasons angel groups are sought after by entrepreneurs is because only accredited investors can join. An accredited investor is defined by a very complicated
set of rules by the government, but it boils down to a natural citizen who can prove A) $1 million or more in net worth minus primary residence, B) personal income exceeding $200,000 in the prior two
years or C) joint income above $300,000 in the last two years. Angels in a network are typically charged an annual fee. Centennial charges angels $500 annually — a nominal fee considering the qualifiers.
75% of angel investments are syndicated 9.7% of all angel investments in the second quarter of 2013 were made in the Great Plains region The healthcare sector takes the highest angel investment dollars at 30.9M “Angel investors continue to play an important role in funding startups. The steady valuation, growth in investment size, and wide geographic activity among angel investors is more evidence that angels are a reliable and a critical part of growing the next
37.2% of deals were made in the Internet sector
generation of great new companies in this country.” -Rob Wiltbank, Vice Chair-
$461M was invested by angels in the first half of 2013
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photos and story by Nichole L. Ballard
Leave it to Kickstarter to catapult another company into the spotlight. Peggy Jean’s Pies has a long history. After running a successful pie shop, Peggy and Jeanne had to close shop in 2004 after Peggy became ill. Nearly 10 years later, the internationally renowned pies are making a comeback through mother and daughter team Jeanne Plumley and Rebecca Miller. “I don’t have to tell you this, but a lot happens to people’s lives in 10 years. Things occur and pieces move and suddenly, you start to think that bringing back Peggy Jean’s is an AHHHH-MAAZZZ-ING idea,” Rebecca wrote in her Kickstarter profile. “So you mention it to a few people and uh … everyone wholeheartedly agrees. You start to talk about logistics and money and long-term plans and you don’t have any red flags just smooth sailing through calm seas. You think A LOT. You use your iPhone calculator A LOT. You Google the market cost of a 1,000 pounds of flour. (You only do this once, but consider it enough to mark it off your bucket list). You think some more. And you find a spot you like. And you make a list of to-dos a mile long. You count how many days between today and Thanksgiving week, because if we are coming back … well, we are coming back in time for Thanksgiving, right?” Jeanne and Rebecca needed money to bring back the tasty treats, but were only able to raise $20,000 in personal funds to reopen the dessert legacy in Columbia. Another $20,000 in tenant improvement is in negotiations with a brick-and-mortar location, but the duo was still short on startup cash, Rebecca says. A Kickstarter profile and plea for help brought in a
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Photo courtesy of Peggy Jean’s Pies
INNOVATE
Grab Your Fork Peggy Jean’s Pies makes a comeback
resounding $10,246 — plenty for the pair to be ready to bake their backsides off for the holiday season. The week before Thanksgiving Peggy Jean’s pies received more than 150 pie orders and sold one gift certificate, which was personally delivered by Rebecca. The only funding received has been through crowdsourcing and press coverage. Peggy Jean’s Pies is committed to opening its store sans bank loans and Kickstarter was instrumental in making that happen.
Fred Perry, a well-known foodie and Publisher of Inside Columbia Magazine rallied his readership in support of the once famous bakers.
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LEAD
What Does the Customer Want? Diana Kander
Entrepreneurs are Less Fortuneteller and More Private Eye By Bondi Wood
“Most people think of early-stage companies as smaller versions of the larger business; they are not. Startups are a temporary organization seeking a business model.”
istorians disagree on the origins of the well-known phrase, “The customer is always right,” but most credit early 20th century retail for coining the phrase intended to make one’s customers feel special. For Diana Kander, who has advised hundreds of startup companies, “The customer is always right” takes on a whole new meaning. Kander is a Senior Fellow for the Kansas City-based Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, where she uses her experience as a business owner, investor and academic to foster entrepreneurial opportunities for others. She also contributes frequently to publications like Forbes.com and The Huffington Post. The core of Kander’s advice to potential entrepreneurs is simple: Find out what your customers want and need before you start your business. According to Kander, most failures in transitioning startups to full-fledged companies happen because the business didn’t pay enough attention to the customer in the beginning. “Most people think of earlystage companies as smaller versions of the larger business; they are not,” she says. “Startups are a temporary organization seeking a business model.”
New entrepreneurs often spend a great deal of time naming officers, assigning titles, making up marketing plans and designing logos and packaging. Kander says none of that is necessary at the early stage of a business. What is necessary is making sure your product or service is truly what customers want or need. “Your job is that of a detective; figure out if what you are proposing is filling a need for customers. Find out what your customers are interested in and why.”
Inspired by Immigrant Parents Kander, 32, is considered a brilliant mentor for fledgling companies. But her journey toward becoming an entrepreneur started much earlier in life. At age 8, Kander immigrated with her family from the Soviet Union to New York. “My parents came to the U.S. as immigrants. They were both 30 years old, spoke no English and had only $200,” Kander recalls. Kander’s father began working at Pizza Hut and her mother at TJ Maxx. The family lived in an apartment with donated furniture and hitched rides to work with neighboring immigrants. “We were very poor.” Kander’s parents saved their earnings and started a company in the
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Job Title: Entrepreneur, author and Senior Fellow at the Kauffman Foundation Education: Bachelor of Arts from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Juris Doctor from Georgetown University
Accolades:
Named one of Kansas City’s Most Influential Women by KC Business magazine. Described by Ingram’s as the “model of entrepreneurialism.” Chosen in 2011 as one of the Enterprising Women of the Year by Enterprising Women magazine, and one of Kansas City Business Journal’s Woman Who Means Business. Member of the Kansas City Women’s Political Hall of Fame.
Business: Served as COO of multi-million dollar real estate development com-
pany, owned and operated bars and restaurants, launched software products, project-managed the renovation of a 24,000 square foot historic property, raised three rounds of angel investment, adjunct professor of political science.
Family:
Married to her high school sweetheart, Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander and proud mother of their son, True.
Kansas City area when she was a teenager. The family business, a dental lab that manufactures crowns, now has 17 employees. Within 16 years of immigrating to this country, her parents worked their way up to become part of the top five percent of U.S. income earners. “I really lived the ultimate American dream,” Kander says. Her parents fulfilled another dream when they celebrated Kander’s graduation from Georgetown Law School.
“I thought I always wanted to be an attorney until I became an attorney,” Kander says. “I’ve just always enjoyed learning. I found that being an entrepreneur allows me to continually learn about new industries, new business models. It’s like a giant puzzle I get to work on every day.” Inspired by her parents’ hard work and success, Kander left her job as an associate at a prestigious law firm in 2006 and set a goal: she had six years to
make it as an entrepreneur. Since 2006, Kander has partnered on launching five companies, including bars and restaurants, consulting and staffing services, online advertising, and software. In June, she sold her last company, KR Legal Management, which she launched from her living room in 2009. At selling, the company had revenues in the millions and some of the country’s largest law firms and corporations on its client list. Jon Kohrs, a self-described serial entrepreneur, first met Kander about a year ago when he was enrolled in the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s Entrepreneurship Scholars Program. Kander is an adjunct faculty member in Political Science at UMKC and a mentor for the Scholars program. Kohrs tapped into Kander’s expertise to improve his e-business, Stand Up For Good, which assists communities and nonprofits with mobilizing volunteers. Although he’s no longer involved with Stand Up For Good, he has moved on to a new venture, a user-experience (UX) consulting firm for small businesses and nonprofits called Fresh Eggs, within the past few months. He again relied on Kander’s expertise to guide his business decisions. Kohrs says Kander’s mentoring would often “course correct” his business trajectory. “She’s done wonders and can do what very few can. My business has made giant leaps, and I’m very indebted to her. “There are certain conversations you walk away from and you think, ‘That was
“I think entrepreneurship is a great equalizer. It gives women many opportunities and they determine their own future,” Kander says. “I just wish more women saw it as an opportunity.” 32
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good advice or that was interesting,’ but when I walk away from a conversation with Diana, I think, ‘That was brilliant. That so helps. I can now go this direction’,” Kohrs says.
Wrong Way Correction Kander admits she approached her first business launch like many others do, “I did it the wrong way and spent a lot of time and money doing it wrong,” Kander says. She was playing the fortuneteller rather than the detective. Kander credits her about-face to business author and Stanford faculty member, Steve Blank, “[He] was a great influence on me, and he developed a new way to look at launching companies.” She subscribes to his “Lean Startup” process, in which owners focus resources on the customer rather than clinging blindly to a business plan. Kander agrees with Blank’s teachings that the customers, not the plan, ultimately determine the success or failure of a startup, “There’s a saying we have,” she says: “No business plan ever survived its
had long been a fan of positive affirmations and learned that the subconscious is most receptive to them in the morning and late at night. Schmidt didn’t know Kander when she launched her business, Notes to Self, two years ago. However, when they met six months ago through a mutual friend, Schmidt says Kander dramatically improved her business. “She’s a valuable resource,” Schmidt says. “She asks questions, gives suggestions and helps me focus on things that will benefit my business the most.” For example, although Schmidt had a presence on Facebook, Kander was able to show her how to employ “promoting posts” to increase activity. “It provided a direct increase on my ‘likes’ on Facebook and also I ended up with increased online retail sales,” Schmidt says. “Diana is an entrepreneur herself and has smart, practical suggestions. And if she can’t help me she can refer me to other professionals who can help.”
first contact with a customer.” Adaptability goes a long way for entrepreneurs whose finances allow just one opportunity to pursue a dream. “Be careful about putting all your eggs in one basket,” she warns. “The biggest lesson I learned is to make a list of all the bets you can afford to lose.” Resources like the Kauffman Foundation help would-be business owners to build a smart approach. Their 1 Million Cups program, created in 2012, provides a forum for entrepreneur members to share their developing ideas and receive feedback. Kander is emphatic that too many entrepreneurs are unbendingly wedded to their original ideas and fail to see them from the customers’ perspective. Entrepreneurs need to remain open to change, as dictated by their prospective customer base early on. The effort and time it takes to talk to customers is the key to launching a viable business: “Don’t try to make your product perfect. Spend as much time as possible with potential customers so you have a better idea of what problem you are solving for them,” she warns. “You’re not a fortuneteller; you’re a private eye.
A New Story These days, Kander is launching a new business to promote a product of her own. She has written a book, and rather than the business section, you’ll find it on the fiction shelves. Her novel about starting a business, called “All In Startup,” is scheduled to publish June 2014. In the book she outlines a simple process to turn ideas into profitable business, which she developed in her work at Kauffman. “The story is an amalgam of lots of entrepreneurs I’ve worked with,” Kander says. “I find fiction is a really powerful tool to communicate ideas, and people who read it will really internalize it.” After all, Kander knows quite well how to connect to an audience.
Gender is No Barrier Kander especially encourages women to follow their entrepreneurial dreams. While women’s success in corporate America is still lagging behind men, that’s not the case when it comes to starting the company. She doesn’t see gender as a barrier for entrepreneurs. “I think entrepreneurship is a great equalizer. It gives women many opportunities, and they determine their own future,” Kander says. “I just wish more women saw it as an opportunity.” Laura Schmidt seized her opportunity. A few years ago, and several hours into a family trip, with her feet propped up on the dash, Schmidt came up with idea to put positive affirmations on socks. She
Diana Kander www.dianakander.com
Kauffman www.kauffman.org
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Hallsville salon gets a beauty makeover Angela Williams is taking the next step in her career and opening a business by Nicole Flood Photos by Tom Baker
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A new stylist is recreating a place for beauty in Hallsville. Nestled behind the post office on a quiet neighborhood street sits The Beauty Bar. Angela Williams opened for business Nov. 1 and is excited to have her own salon. The building has been a salon since 1986, and when the opportunity to take over presented itself, she readily accepted. Williams wanted the name of the salon to reflect the look and feel of the space. “The way the salon is set up, the stations kind of look like a bar,” said Williams. “Since you come here for beauty, the name just made sense.” The Beauty Bar offers clients haircuts, facial waxing, perms and relaxers. Williams specializes in hair color and said about 80 percent of her clients come in for her that service alone. “I love hair color!” she said raising her voice excitedly. “Adding highlights brings dimension, body and style to a haircut.” Williams has been a hairdresser for 15 years. “This is the next step in being a hair dresser …,” she said. The timing felt right for her. Williams worked for the Regis Corporation for eight years, then rented a booth at a salon in Columbia for six years before branching out on her own. Williams also has experience as an educator with Matrix Haircare. She left Matrix in June to focus on her family. Owning a business allows Williams a flexible schedule.
A Little Push “My fiancé and several of my girlfriends pushed me to open the salon,” Williams said when asked who was pivotal in making her dream a reality. Several friends and family members helped to paint and redecorate. “I was extremely blessed because all of the salon equipment that I needed was already in place,” she said. This saved her a lot in terms of expenses. Essentially all the remodeling expenses she incurred were cosmetic things like paint, flooring and art for the walls. She added that she was fortunate enough to have her fiancé do the labor. In all, they spent less than $1000 to give the space the feel she wanted. “For my first place, it’s the best,” she beamed. “It’s small enough to be intimate, but not so small to be in each other’s space.” Without Marilyn Lathen,
Williams said she would not have had the opportunity to own her own business and she is thankful to come into an extablished salon. Lathen is still a stylist at The Beauty Bar and works for Williams two days a week. “She has given me full freedom to make it my own salon.” says Williams. “The chemistry we have together is so amazing.” Williams and Lathen have different clientele and that adds to the diversity of the salon. Several of Lathen’s clients come in for a weekly set and this is “an art form” that Williams hopes to learn from her. “It’s been great working together and it’s awesome to have someone you can learn from working right there with you.”
When Opportunity Comes Knocking In terms of the timeline for the opening of The Beauty Bar, Williams hit the ground running. She came across the opportunity just five weeks before opening the first week of November. Williams said she learned patience is key when opening a new business. Pacing oneself is very important as is taking things one step at a time. “I learned that it will all come, so just be patient.” Incorporating social media has been a large part of her marketing plan for the salon, as well as word of mouth. “It’s been great getting started and making my clients feel important,” Williams said. “Being able to grow through word of
mouth is the best in the hair styling business.” She enjoys using Facebook and Pinterest to connect with clients and post before-and-after pictures. Williams hopes to be able to hold classes in the salon and share knowledge with other stylists. The goal is to provide the best service to clients and not just to compete with each other. “I want to give beauty to everyone … By inspiring other stylists to do their best and be their best, everybody wins.”
INNOVATE
Stylist Marilyn Lathen previously managed the salon for a number of years. She recently decided to take a step back to work solely as a hairdresser, and put it up for lease. Williams learned of the salon’s availability through a client and decided it was time to go for it. Williams only questioned the idea very briefly. “As a booth renter at the previous place I worked at I was craving more responsibility,” she said. “As you grow in your professional career, no matter what the field, you want more. And that is why I took the leap.”
Keeping Motivated Williams gives this advice to those looking to open their own business: “Keep motivated and surround yourself with people who will motivate you and love and want you to do well. This is so important for your well-being and the wellbeing of your business.” She added that you have to be passionate about what you’re doing because there are so many hours that go into making it your own. Talk to different business owners you admire and look up to. Don’t just ask how they set up their business, but also ask how it will affect your family and your free time, said Williams. “You want to be business savvy, but you also have to take care of yourself as well.” Within the first few weeks, Williams said 125 existing clients and 20 new clients had visited The Beauty Bar. “That is so amazing! I am excited to see what the next month turns out.”
“I learned that it will all come, so just be patient.”
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LEAD
Cari Gibbs Nichols was promoted to loan production marketing specialist at M i d Am e r i ca M o rtg ag e S e rvi c e s , In c . in Columbia. In her new role, Nichols is focusing on new business relationships and developing a mobile lending program.
Anne Farrow of J . H i l b u r n , M e n ’ s Clothi n g received the Greater Missouri Leadership Challenge tuition scholarship for the 2013 symposium offered through the Greater Missouri Leadership Organization. Farrow is a personal stylist at the Columbia clothing store. She has a background in sales.
Amy Hernandez joined T h e Co mmu n i t y F ou ndati o n of t h e L a k e board of directors in December. She and her husband created the Forget Me Not Ball annual fundraising event. Hernandez is co-owner of the La Roca Dance Studio in Osage Beach and a wedding and event coordinator.
Katherine Reed of the Je ffe rs o n Cit y Conv e nt i o n & V i s i to rs Bureau was promoted to Communications Manager. Katherine joined the CVB in May of 2013 as the Administrative Assistant and has experience in marketing, advertising, event coordinating and office management.
Girls with Grit Opportunity looks a lot like hard work.
Melissa Smith of The Ba n k of M isso uri in Columbia also received the Greater Missouri Leadership Challenge tuition scholarship for the 2013 symposium offered through the Greater Missouri Leadership Organization. Smith is a financial planner with more than 15 years of experience in business development.
Karen Hodson, president of He a rt of t he Oza rks P rofe ssiona l Busin e ss Wome n , was recently hired as a property manager at U.S. Resort Management in Lake Ozark. Hodson is in her second term as PBW president.
Ann Brown, Spa Shiki director, received a 2013 Spafinder Wellness 365™ Readers’ Choice Award at the International Spa Association Conference and Expo. The annual award recognizes the top 10 most-voted spas in the world. This is the third year the Lake of the Ozarks spa has earned the award.
Victoria Brees, Director of Program Development for the Columb ia C ha mb e r of Comme rc e, was appointed to a three-year seat on the Chamber of Commerce Executives of Missouri Board of Directors.
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LEAD Behind this Smart Woman… is a Great Family Affair Judy Blair knows what it takes to not only survive, but also thrive in today’s market. Owner of Lake Ozark’s Blair’s Landing, Chestnut Ridge, The Landing On Main Street, and Main Street Music Hall, Blair has continued to venture into new industries since she began her first business in 1974. Family is an essential component to Blair’s success. Photos by Nichole L. Ballard. Story by Vicki Amormino Blair is a master of multitasking. On a typical day she can be found advising employees on ordering issues, helping a customer pick out “the perfect outfit and accessories” and readjusting a floor plan to make room for new inventory. It’s a pace she’s maintained for 40 years. Judy grew up in Kansas City where she attended college and became certified as an X-ray technician. In college, she fell in love with Alan Blair. They married in 1972, and soon joined the Blair family at the Lake of the Ozarks to start their future together. Judy put her passion for fashion and shopping to work and Blair’s
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Landing came to life. The clothing store was, and still is, located just across the parking lot from Ozark Maid Candies, her in-law’s business. In fact, the success and progress of the conglomerate of businesses that Judy owns and manages was built on the foundation the candy business established in 1952 by the Blair Family. Adventure into new industries continued through the decades. In 1986 she added the shopping development, The Landing at Main Street, which up to then was known as Poverty Flats Village. She opened Main Street Music Hall, featuring a professional live music variety show, in 1987. Chestnut
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Ridge Boutique was opened in 2003, and Blair bought the candy business, now known as Blair & Company Confectionary, from her in-laws in 2004. How does one family handle such varied companies? Just like any family, there are many different interests, passions, and situations that require solutions, supporting one another and negotiating, even if it is with your father and mother in-law, Blair said. Main Street Music Hall itself was made possible through family ties. A close friend told Blair that the performers at the Denny Hilton Show needed a new venue because Denny Hilton was moving his business to Florida. This was during construction of the shopping center, Blair said. “Alan and I had a great idea to change some of our construction plans and incorporate a 1,000-seat auditorium into our development and help out friends at the same time.” The only problem with the change was that Alan’s parents’ house was sitting directly on the land needed to complete the expansion. “Imagine the discussion when we consulted with them about this idea
and said we needed to demolish their home to complete this project,” she said. In the end, the family unit stood strong and created the Music Hall. Judy went on to explain that this expansion hasn’t always been easy or by the book. “We’ve seen some hard times, had to regroup, readjust and work hard.” In 1987 the economy took a plunge and interest rates went up to 18 percent. Blair was just finishing the development, had a new Music Hall to fill, and several empty units to lease. She sought consultation on the overall business plan from an unbiased outsider looking in to make it through. Blair emerged from the challenge with a totally new marketing plan, including new branding and a new look. Main Street Poverty Flats became The Landing on Main Street. “I would recommend having a business plan, period,” Blair advises would-be business owners. “Business, just like fashion, is in a constant state of change and you can’t plan for everything. Having a plan gives you a vision and a goal to strive for. You may have to adapt a little, but a least you have a plan.”
PROFESSIONAL
Gives Back
Dedicated to the audience we serve.
What once was a hobby: Inspirational Speaker Beth Snyder, co-owner and founder of 1Canoe2, a successful mid-Missouri Letterpress company whose products have been featured in Southern Living, Oprah.com, Better Homes and Gardens, talks of their fast rise from basement craft room hobby to the nationally known, wildly successful company it is today. Discover why their devotion to brand has catapulted 1Canoe2 into its current success and how you, too, can turn a hobby into a career. sponsored by
PROFESSIONAL DAYM GIVES BACK is on a mission to encourage and support the development and growth of entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs in mid-Missouri and to provide inspiration, motivation and leadership to other working professionals — men and women.
Beth Snyder, Co-Founder 1Canoe2
W h e n : February 21 W h e r e : Regional Economic Development Inc. (R.E.D.I.) Downtown Business Incubator 500 East Walnut, Columbia, MO W h e n : 4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. Thanks to our sponsor Mid-America Mortgage this event is f r e e to the public S pa c e i s l i m i t e d • R S V P Call Nichole Ballard to reserve your seat or table (307) 321-1635 or email nichole@professionaldaym.com
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By Sean Spence
There are 2 3 . 7 milli o n pe o ple in the United States empl o yed by w o men - o wned firms . There are 191 countries with smaller populations than that.
The Kauffman Foundation has dubbed this decade the decade of the female Entrepreneur. we asked sean spence to find out why.
here are 23.7 million people in the United States employed by women-owned firms. There are 191 countries with smaller populations than that. This is according to a 2009 study by the Center for Women’s Business Research. Today, women are the world champions of entrepreneurship — the category is growing more quickly than any other, and in the process they are producing hundreds of thousands of jobs and tens of billions of dollars. According to research by American Express, between 1997 and 2013, when the total number of businesses in the United States increased by 41 percent, the number of women-owned firms increased by 59 percent — a rate one and a half times the national average. American Express also found that employment by women-owned firms in Missouri has grown 6.2 percent, from 134,301 to 142,600; and sales have grown 49.3 percent, from over $15 million to over $22 million. Yes, business is booming for female entrepreneurs. Would you believe this is a controversial issue? It is January 2014 and it turns out discussing the status of female entrepreneurs can be
- Center for Women’s Business Research, 2009
both controversial and emotional. There are those who express exasperation that it is still discussed at all, and others who feel passionately that it must be. Interestingly, several of the women interviewed for this article did not want to be quoted — some because they say the issue is dead, and others because they did not want to be viewed as complaining. A female physician who has run a medical practice for decades asked, “Why are we still making a big deal about women entrepreneurs? Why aren’t we past this yet? “While the feminist movement was raging,” she said, “I was deep in medical texts, human bodies, and rubbing the backs of women in labor. “Honestly, I am concerned that by speaking of women — fill in the blank — including entrepreneurs, that you are increasing attention on gender, when it may be time to either: one, focus less on gender or two, look at how being male impacts being — fill in the blank — including entrepreneurs. “How would these questions sound if you replace the word woman with man? With ‘black’? With ‘Jewish’? With ‘disabled’? ‘Gay’? “I’ve been pretty relieved
to no longer be referred to as ‘that lady doctor’ as if that was the most important thing about me.” Dr. Kelli Winarski, a Columbia chiropractor has a different point of view: “I think it’s important to talk about women entrepreneurs because we have a unique position of being mother and career driven. “I want my cake and eat it too. If I can learn from other women how to be a great mom and business owner, with neither suffering, then I’m all ears. We can debate all day that fathers have this challenge too, but there is no comparison in my mind. Men don’t lactate; they don’t carry babies or take maternity leave. If we’ve found a way to do all of the above, why wouldn’t we celebrate it and share it with other women?” Anne Williams, owner of Columbia-based Job Finders Employment Services is in the middle. “I am not sure how important it is to talk about issues related to women entrepreneurs. I think it is important to talk about issues affecting all entrepreneurs.” Suzanne Rothwell, a communication professional at Columbia College thinks women and entrepreneurship is still an important topic “because
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“When you are the one writing t h e r u les , you can choose to take a long maternity leave, not take one at all, or hire someone to do almost anything in your business and not really work IN the business at all.” women are still not properly represented at the very top of organizations. We’ve done very well at all levels but the top layer, which remains a ‘good ole boys club.’” Williams echoed this sentiment, pointing out that there is still a glass ceiling. “There is a ‘good ole boy society,’ and women are not allowed very often into the inner circle of the club. I would like to just listen to the wisdom in some of those groups.” Looking back at the past 10 years, most seem to agree that it has been a good decade for women in business. The American Express research revealed that in Missouri the number of women-owned firms has grown 37 percent, from 103,000 to 142,000. The problems of breaking the glass ceiling that have blocked women from advancing into CEO and other top executive positions are still worrisome, but entrepreneurism seems to be an alternative. “Very, very good period of time,” Rothwell said. “Women have almost achieved full equality, short of the top executive level.” Mirra Greenway of Columbia-based Greenways Wellness sees more of a mixed bag for women in business, “The last 10 years have been a range of rapid expansion for women (and men) followed by a sharp contraction due to economic tightening,” she said. “Many opportunities remaining have been given to men, particularly those seen as breadwinners, compared to women as single head of households.”
Most of the women interviewed were in agreement with the statistics: “This is a good time for entrepreneurs,” Williams said. “If you weathered
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the storms of 2001 – 2003 and 2009 – 2012 you must be stronger and smarter than before. It was two very difficult times to develop goals since no one had any idea of when the next attack was happening, and where the ‘correction’ or ‘recession’ would take us. I do think women entrepreneurs could have had the advantage of being successful because we are protectors and we tend to do whatever it takes, from lowering our own pay, cutting recycle paper up for notes, or doing our own office cleaning in order to survive.” Winarski predicts a trend toward more female entrepreneurs because of the flexibility it offers to focus on family. “When you are the one writing the rules, you can choose to take a long maternity leave, not take one at all, or hire someone to do almost anything in your business and not really work IN the business at all,” she said.
Looking forward Columbia realtor Kristin Kaiser believes women have a lot of work to do to help each other reach their potential. “Women need to work together,” she said. “There is still a great deal of competition and jealousy that present themselves in circumstances where it would be most beneficial to respect each other and learn from each other. I do not mean to imply that we join forces to excel beyond men, rather that the petty judgments and criticisms need to be tossed away.” Some reports predict that by 2018, one-third of new U.S. jobs will be generated by female-owned small businesses, compared with recent research figures attributing 16 percent to the demographic.
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PROFESSIONAL
Send your resumes to Nichole Ballard at nichole@professionaldaym.com or call Betsy Bell at (573) 310-1357.
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Cari Nichols Title: Mortgage Loan Officer and Corporate Marketing Director Years with Mid-America Mortgage: 10 Areas of Expertise: Home, Commercial and Jumbo Loans Specialty: That would be our exclusive Jumbo Loan program. What is a jumbo loan and who needs one Mid-America Mortgage Services, Inc offers jumbo loans at a wonderful rate!!! Our jumbo loan program is exclusive to the Mid Missouri market and can save thousands and thousands of dollars. The max loan limit for the conventional conforming market is $417,000. A jumbo loan is a fixed rate loan exceeding this loan amount. Generally, a lender will originate a 1st mortgage for $417,000 then originate a 2nd mortgage for the remaining loan balance....at a significantly higer rate (for customers refinancing loan balances exceeding this amount, purchasing a home or securing permanent financing on a newly built home valued at or above $600,000). We have done SEVERAL jumbo loans lately for newly constructed homes in town. Anyone curious should call today and ask for Cari. It’s my specialty.
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LEAD
Legacy: CAROLYN MCDOWELL When Carolyn McDowell started a business as a young woman in the 1960s, she just wanted to work. B y S u s a nn a h S o d e r g r e n
She remembers walking to school at Simonsen Junior High, looking at downtown Jefferson City laid out before her, and realizing she’d like to help run the place someday.
Carolyn McDowell is always downtown. That’s the way it’s always been and why she’s a familiar name to many in mid-Missouri. Yet there once was a time, about 47 years ago, when her position wasn’t so certain. “There’s that young woman down the street,” she recalls hearing around High Street, “You know, she opened a store. Her mother and dad didn’t own it.” When McDowell opened her Merle Norman Cosmetics Studio in 1967 at the age of 26, more women were joining the workforce, but rarely as their own boss. That didn’t work for McDowell, a firm believer in the idea that “if you want to get things done, you’ve got to do them yourself.” She remembers walking to school at Simonsen Junior High, looking at downtown Jefferson City laid out before her, and realizing she’d like to help run the place someday. So she went to work early and she never stopped. Her father was an auctioneer. He took her to help at auctions and taught her to count money. She joined the Parks Department at 15 and stayed for years. As a cashier at the ice skating rink she loved talking to every single person who walked in. Next came seven years at the Missouri Highway Department. By 1966, McDowell had worked her way up to the title of Computer 1, a self-described gal Friday on a team of civil engineers. That’s where she got the idea to open a cosmetics store. She realized that to keep working, she’d have to leave the Highway Department, “They weren’t going to advance any young women. That just wasn’t going to happen.” When McDowell’s mother brought her a blush rouge from a Merle Norman store out of state, the gears started turning. McDowell and a friend ventured out to investigate the Merle Norman in Kansas City. Soon she sent an application off to Los Angeles to open her own franchise in Jefferson City. To get started, she picked up with an old colleague - her father - to help her find a location and oversee renovation. When McDowell finally went in to sign a lease for a 12-foot wide space at 202 East High Street, she found her father’s name on the bottom line. The landlord refused to lease to a single woman. “So,” McDowell explains, “Dad signed it. I signed it. That was May 3rd. May 18th my dad died.” In the wake of her father’s sudden death, McDowell and her mother joined forces to pull the store together. “So [the landlord] had to deal with two of us women,” she laughs, “That was really quite fun.” By August of 1967, after managing the overhaul of the walls, flooring, plumbing, heating, and fixtures they were ready. The retirement fund McDowell took out from her state job was just about what she needed to purchase her first inventory,
Photo courtesy of Carolyn McDowell
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Her first customer bought a jar of cold cream for $2, and she remains a c u st o mer t o t h is day .
Images courtesy of Carolyn McDowell
Campaign fliers from the 1970s point to McDowell’s business experience as ideal training for city government.
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and on the day she opened the doors, she made $27 back. For a day of selling lipstick and the like at a dollar apiece, she was very proud. Her first customer bought a jar of cold cream for $2, and she remains a customer to this day. People are what McDowell enjoys the most about her business, and she insists that the way you keep a customer for 46 years is to always be there for them, advising, “My best customer may be here at 5:00 (p.m.). Post your hours and maintain them.” Over the years if someone couldn’t make it in until really late, she’d enlist the guys across the street at High Street Pub to hold their package for them. Now, if a customer can’t make it in at all, she’ll come to them: “Some of them have grown with me, started out as young people with me and we’re still together. I deliver product to a lot of nursing homes, residential care facilities, mail a lot. It’s been fun.” To expand on her business practices, she sticks to the basics, like prioritizing expenditures in good times as well as lean. She forgoes a cash register since she doesn’t happen to really need one, but gamely points to other necessities around the store. “The most important things in here are my lights as much as anything. I’ve got to have lights.” McDowell found that her business responsibilities prepared her well to serve on the City Council for a total of ten years, beginning with her election in 1973. Just as she’d planned as a teenager, McDowell has played many roles in serving Jefferson City through the council and beyond. She helped the city make great strides in areas like public safety and historic preservation, and represented the state twice as a presidential elector. The list goes on. “I used to be on every board, commission, authority there was,” she explains. McDowell would like to see more women in government today. For now, she’s still holding court at Merle Norman. Once the new girl on the block, McDowell receives visits from the friends and customers she’s gained in her 46 years downtown. Council members still stop in to fill her in on the latest. Sure as her hours are posted on the door, they know she’ll be there.
Images courtesy of Andrew Palermo
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A D ay m - A p p r o v e d m a n i n s p i r e s u s t h r o u g h e n t r e p r e n e u r s h i p, p a s s i o n a n d l e a d e r s h i p.
Kickstarting Rich Hill
B y M o l ly W r i g h t
For Andrew Droz Palermo, 2013 was a pretty good year. The Jefferson City-raised cinematographer and director not only made the “25 New Faces of Independent Film” list in Filmmaker magazine, but his current project, “Rich Hill,” a documentary co-directed with his cousin, director-producer Tracy Droz Tragos, has been selected to showcase at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival.
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Shot in the small Missouri town by the same name, “Rich Hill” focuses on the lives and dreams of three adolescent boys. But the underlying current of the film reveals a dismal picture of a community struggling to survive in the midst of economic hardships. The town of Rich Hill actually holds a special significance for Palermo and Tragos. Palermo’s mother and Tragos’ father, siblings, grew up in this tiny Midwestern community just 70 miles south of Kansas City. In 2004 it served as the backdrop for a previous film project by Tragos, “Be Good, Smile Pretty,” which aired on PBS’s Independent Lens and won Tragos the Emmy for Best Documentary. Palermo, who studied graphic design at Columbia College in Chicago, got his
foot in the door of the film industry making music videos before branching out into indie films. His resume includes: director of photography for Adam Wingard’s horror “You’re Next,”; cinematographer for “V/H/S,” which premiered at Sundance in 2012, and Hannah Fidell’s “A Teacher,” a film that debuted at Sundance 2013. According to Palermo, producing an indie film can be an expensive venture. “A documentary can easily be upwards of $400,000,” he says, citing production and post-production, sound design and festival release costs, just to name a few. For “Rich Hill” Palermo and Tragos were fortunate to receive financial assistance through grants and angel investors. The Sundance Institute also provided financial opportunities, such as the
Catalyst Weekend where they were paired with producers and venture capitalists. But to cover additional costs, Palermo and Tragos turned to online crowdfunding, an increasingly popular way for individuals or groups to fund projects by collecting small amounts of money from large numbers of people. Palermo and Tragos raised more than $60,000 in 30 days through their Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign. While Palermo and Tragos ran a thoroughly successful fundraising campaign for their documentary, not everyone can. Only with careful and fully thought-out planning and a preformed strategy was the duo able to get the support they needed. The Kickstarter supporters ended up funding a worthy documentary, and Palermo and Tragos have the support of big-name film
festivals to prove it. Palermo and Tragos are looking forward to Sundance and other screening events for “Rich Hill,” such as those in Kansas City and St. Louis, and Columbia’s True/False Film Fest in February. Palermo is also currently working on a fiction narrative, “One & Two” which he is directing and cowriting with Neima Shahdadi, another native of Jefferson City who currently lives in Columbia. The pair keeps in touch with the Rich Hill boys through phone calls and social media. “How do you end a movie that is about real life,” says Palermo, who now lives in Los Angeles and hopes to follow up with the boys in the future. “I’m interested in the next generation, when the boys have children themselves.”
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A few Kickstarter pointers Palermo learned along the way: Find the right platform for your project. Start by researching the different sites to determine the better fit for your own particular project or service. For instance, Kickstarter, unlike IndieGogo (another popular site) has an all-or-nothing funding model. In a nutshell, this means unless the funding goal is reached, the project founder gets nothing. The structure and layout of websites also differ widely. Palermo chose Kickstarter because he prefers the website’s user-friendly interface.
Plan before you post. Regardless of the site, consider your visibility before a launching a project. “You don’t want to look like you just signed up with Kickstarter to make mon-
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ey [for] yourself,” says Palermo. Contribute to other projects, which shows up on your Kickstarter profile where others can see. This also allows Kickstarter users to link back to your project. Plan well in advance. Palermo and Tragos spent five months brainstorming about people and publications to contact before creating their Kickstarter site. Also, carefully consider rewards or incentives you will offer to contributors. “You don’t want to give out a bunch of trinkets that cheapen your project,” says Palermo who further suggests offering a range of rewards. For $5 or more, contributors to the project received digital thanks on Facebook and Twitter; $15 or more, a handwritten postcard post-marked from
Rich Hill, and for $25 or more, a streaming copy of the finished film. Generous supporters received autographed DVDs of the documentary, a photo book, tickets to the premier and even a chance to be an associate or co-producer with their name in the film credits.
Palermo and Tragos sent 400– 500 emails each to friends and associates to find supporters for the film. Don’t rely on “organic” investors — those who stumble upon your site. Palermo says their organic outreach was fewer than 10 percent.
Make a personal appeal.
Know your numbers.
Don’t drop the ball once the process begins. “It’s like raising a child. You have to be there, actively hands-on every day,” says Palermo who believes attracting interest by blogging about the project and writing personal emails is key. “We found one-to-one communication gives the best results, not sending a blast email, but really personalizing the emails to each person and providing the link to Kickstarter.”
Overall, Palermo says think carefully about when you will need the money and how much you genuinely need. Kickstarter, for instance, offers an option of 30, 60 or 120 days for project fundraising. But, there is also a 14day waiting period before backers’ funds are available. Also, be sure to figure in all project costs, such as contributor incentives, before deciding upon the funding goal.
Now we can’t be all work and no play, can we?
A fter F ive
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Music, Theatre and Dance January 9-11, 16-18 at 7:30 p.m. The Harry & Sam Dialogues
Scene One Theatre, Jefferson City $10 ($5 on opening night) 573-635-6713 SceneOneTheatre@yahoo.com January 10 – 12 SPBGMA 40th Annual Bluegrass Awards and Mid-West Convention
Capitol Plaza Hotel, Jefferson City $15 – 35, Children under 12: half-price 660-665-7172 info@spbgma.com Thursday, January 23, 7:00 p.m. Green Day’s American Idiot
Jesse Auditorium, Columbia $15 - 39 573-882-3781 www.concertseries.org/event/greendays-american-idiot/ Friday, January 24, 7:00 p.m. “We Always Swing” Jazz Series presents the Dr. Carlos Perez-Mesa Memorial Concert featuring Arturo O’Farrill Quintet
Lee Raney Wood Hall, Stephens College, Columbia $18 – 36 573-449-3001 wealwaysswing@gmail.com Saturday, January 25, 7:00 p.m. Kansas City Celtic Pipes and Drums
Moberly Area Community College Auditorium, Moberly Adults: $10, Students: $3 660-263-4100 ext. 11262 Saturday, January 25, 7:00 p.m. St. Louis Irish Arts Dance Troupe
AFTER 5
To Do List
A look around the region at some highly entertaining happenings in January. The Royal Theatre, Versailles Adults $10, Students $5 573-378-6226
Columbia Public Library, Columbia Free / films.dbrl.org
Saturday, January 25, 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, January 22, 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Thodos Dance Chicago presents “The White City”
The Voice Within Us: An Evening of Poetry
Leach Theatre, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla $26 – 50 573-341-4219 each@mst.edu
Missouri River Regional Library, Jefferson City Bring a poem or favorite poet to share Reservations preferred. Call Kim Bolton at 573-634-6064 ext. 233.
Sunday, January 26, 6:30 p.m.
January 29, 6:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
School of the Osage Jazz Band and Lake Jazz Band Presented by the Ozark Jazz SocietyOsage
MU Celebrates MLK Jr. with Hill Harper
National Golf Resort, Lake Ozark Buffet at 5:00 p.m. 573-365-3411 info@lakeozarkjazz.org Sunday, January 26 Annual Maples Repertory Theatre Winter Ball
Elks Lodge, Macon 660-385-2924 info@maplesrep.com
Missouri Theatre, Columbia Free / 573-882-5838
Food Thursday, January 9, 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Soup for SERVE Soup Cook Off
A Kingdom of Callaway Chamber of Commerce Event - The Brick District, Fulton 573-642-3055 or 800-257-3554 Thursday, January 9, 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. Taste of Jefferson City*
January 16, 7:00 p.m.
A Jefferson City Area Chamber of Commerce Event - Capitol Plaza Hotel, Jefferson City 573-634-3616
Missouri State Archives: Shanks to Shakers
January 25, 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Arts & Culture
Missouri State Archives, Jefferson City - Historian and author Mark S. Schreiber on the Missouri State Penitentiary. Free 573-751-3280
7th Annual Polar Meltdown Chili Cook-Off
Wednesday, January 22, 6:30 p.m. Center Aisle Cinema presents:
*This event is not open to the public, but includes many local businesses. Contact the chamber for more information.
“Ping Pong”
A Waynesville - St. Robert Chamber of Commerce Event - St. Robert Community Center $5 (Ages 10 and under are free) 573-336-5121
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AFTER 5
…Like Nobody’s Listening For the next “girls’ night out,” grab the mic. B y K e i t h En l o e
Come Sing By Me Karaoke shows are scheduled every Thursday night at Paddy Malone’s Pub, 700 W. Main St., Jefferson City, and every Saturday night at Bones Restaurant and Lounge, 210 Commercial Ave., Jefferson City, after 9 p.m.
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You know you’ve got it. You’ve always known it. Deep inside you, just waiting to get out. Once in a while you let it loose. Like when you’re in your car and the radio is blasting. Or in the shower where the sound reverberates off the tile and swirls around your head like the water circling the drain. You can really hear yourself in the shower, and that’s when you truly know it: You CAN sing. You were BORN to sing. And, yes, deep down in your heart of hearts, you KNOW you were meant to be a singer. That’s just what local entertainer and businesswoman, M’liss Saph, thought, too. So she decided to do something about it. M’liss (pronounced Meliss) always enjoyed entertaining people and often worked as a singer to supplement her income. In the ‘90s, she started hosting karaoke shows with friends. Eventually, she branched out on her own, and in 2000, started Come Sing By Me Karaoke. “Karaoke was just coming into its own around here then, and finding venues willing to book was difficult,” M’liss recalls. “Sometimes it took a couple of weeks to catch on. Sometimes it didn’t catch on at all.” But it has caught on now. Karaoke nights include a diverse collection of people — perfect for a “girls’ night out,” a small group gathering, a date night, or singles just looking to hear some good music. “Coming out and enjoying drinks and laughter, listening to your friends get up there and give it a go … it’s always a lot of fun,” M’liss says. Of course, there’s usually “liquid encouragement” involved. “Alcohol is the vocal Viagra,” she muses. “Most people need a bit of the nectar to enforce their bravado.” The fear factor is a very real issue since most people have never performed in front of a crowd. But M’liss makes her singers feel comfortable and welcome. If they are noticeably scared, she tells them, “‘This ain’t Broadway—just have fun with it. Pretend we’re just hanging out singing to the radio’ … the only one gettin’ paid to sing is me!” She doesn’t allow hecklers or tolerate belittling and there’s applause after every song — good or bad. She’s most pleasantly surprised when a really timid singer gets up and “nails” a song. One of her favorite memories was helping one 96-year-young lady cross an evening of karaoke off her bucket list. “An absolute delight.” When asked why she thinks people are drawn to karaoke, M’liss says, “I truly think that in their heart, everyone wishes they could sing. It’s healing, enlightening, and a wonderfully uplifting feeling. “God didn’t give great singing talent to everyone (and I do believe it is a gift) but karaoke is for everyone and it allows them those few minutes to shine.”
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Concannon Plastic Surgery and Medical & Laser Spa
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573-635-2222 | J e ffe rs on Cit y 573-348-9600 | La ke O za rk Email Dr. Concannon: dr@mconcannon.com 3115 Falling Leaf Court | Columb ia 1706 Christy Drive, Suite 215 | J e ffe rs on Cit y www.ConcannonPlasticSurgery.com