Jul/Aug 2017 Biz417

JULY / AUGUST 2017 | $4.95 July/August 2017 417-LAND’S SOLAR INDUSTRY | 10 FOR THE NEXT 10 | RED MONKEY FOODS’ RETAIL SUCCESS

10 FOR THE NEXT

10

THE RISING NOVAS WHO ARE PAVING THE WAY FOR 417-LAND’S FUTURE

BIZ417.COM

Jeff Houghton

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COMMERCIAL DESIGN AWARDS Six killer spaces that will make you want an office makeover

1.12.18 GO-GETTERS, INNOVATORS & DREAMERS. MARK YOUR CALENDAR.

PRESENTED BY

The Assemblies of God Credit Union operations center has collaboration areas like this one thanks to Buxton Kubik Dodd Creative. The firm won a Commercial Design Award in the general office space category for this project.

10 FOR THE NEXT 10

Big things are coming from the 10 visionaries in our first annual feature about 417-land’s next generation of leaders. We found out their secrets to success and their hopes for the future.

BY VIVIAN WHEELER

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July/August 2017

PHOTO BY BRADLEY WILKINSON; COVER PHOTO BY BRANDON ALMS

24 36

2017 COMMERCIAL DESIGN AWARDS

Step inside the six commercial spaces that snagged awards, all created by four local design and architecture firms.

BY STEPHANIE TOWNE BENOIT

BIZ417.COM

PHOTO BY BRADLEY WILKINSON; COVER PHOTO BY BRANDON ALMS

SPARKS OF INSPIRATION

10 PUBLISHER’S NOTE The commonalities among us

11 TAKEAWAY

A skimmer’s guide to what’s inside

BREAKTHROUGH STRATEGIES

16 FOUR TO FOLLOW

18 UP CLOSE

16 TIPS

20 MEET THE MAKER

17 THE REPORT

21 STYLE

17 Q&A

BREAKTHROUGHS

Allen Kunkel’s biz-y Twitter feed How to display your products successfully

12 FEEDBACK

Reader reactions and celebrations

20

David Agee’s favorite app Jason Hooge’s new trade fits like a glove Blazers that keep you cool

The red-hot solar market The latest projects from A Beautiful Mess

18 NIGHTSTAND

Predict what’s next for your company

16 HYJAX 18 Vasken’s Deli

TOOLS TO HELP YOU DOMINATE

52 CULTURE CLUB

57 HOW-TO

52 DO IT NOW

60 THE BIG QUESTION

53 WHAT IF?

61 VANTAGE POINT

53 JUMPSTART

61 SIMPLIFY

54 ADVICE & WHISKEY

62 NEXT GEN

Hogan Land Title’s long-lasting culture How to stop saying “um” and “like” Get back to business after bankruptcy Picking the right retirement plan CEO-level thinking with Bruce Nasby

56

Let employees go smoothly Securing your business and workers Get your product in front of the big guns

Sell your salary proposal Following the family trail

56 GIVING BACK

PHOTOS BY BRAD ZWEERINK, ALEX SOLOMON

Supporting sports and sustainability

EVERYWHERE YOU NEED TO BE

66 CALENDAR

Where to go and what to do

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July/August 2017

72 SCENE

Relive moments from the best events

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PHOTOS BY BRAD ZWEERINK, ALEX SOLOMON

facebook.com/biz417

@biz417

linkedin.com/company/biz-417

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ADVISORY BOARD Rachel Anderson

EYE CANDY

In our increasingly visual world, there’s no shortage of competition when it comes to getting customers’ attention. Tommi Clark knows all about creating eyecatching product displays. She told us how she makes window displays for local stores such as STAXX and A Cricket in the House (see p. 16), and on biz417.com she shares how to determine if you’ve been successful.

NOT MESSING AROUND

Emma Chapman and Elsie Larson, owners of lifestyle company A Beautiful Mess, find success in all their ventures, but it hasn’t always been that way. Steal their strategies on p. 17 then visit biz417.com to see how they’ve overcome obstacles and planned their projects.

BOUNCE BACK

We talked to HR expert Candida Arvizu to create a primer on how to approach layoffs as an employer (see p. 57), but if you find yourself on the opposite end of the question, visit biz417.com to learn what comes after getting let go.

LOCK IT DOWN

Learn how to insulate your business from crime and accident-inducing hazards on p. 60, then visit biz417.com for more insight from local safety experts on what to do to make your business less appealing to criminals and how to handle an active shooter.

Entrepreneurial Specialist | The eFactory Co-founder | Alumni Spaces Philip Baird

Owner | Spirit Factory and Spirit Box Business Development Manager | Stingray Overseas Manufacturing Brooke Bigham

Managing Partner EOS LLC

Stephanie Bryant

Dean Missouri State University College of Business Teresa Coyan

Legislative and Public Affairs Manager CoxHealth Trevor Crist

CEO Nixon & Lindstrom Insurance Diana Day

Chief Business Officer People Centric Consulting Group Lyle Foster

Owner Big Momma’s Coffee & Espresso Bar Jeff Johnson

Senior Vice President–Commercial Lending Simmons Bank Samuel Knox

Managing Editor Unite.Publication

31 DAYS OF GIVEAWAYS Feeling lucky this July? Every day of the month, enter 417 Magazine’s 31 Days of Giveaways sweepstakes presented by Adelman Vacations at 417mag.com/31days.

Daily winners receive prizes valued at $250 and more plus a shot at the grand prize: a Caribbean cruise from Holland America. On your mark, get set, enter!

SEE THIS MARK? LOOK ONLINE FOR EXTENDED CONTENT AT BIZ417.COM

Jack Stack

Founder, President, CEO SRC Holdings Corporation Kurt Theobald

CEO Classy Llama

MANAGEMENT PUBLISHER

VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES

PRESIDENT/ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

VICE PRESIDENT OF FINANCE

Gary Whitaker gary@417mag.com Logan Aguirre logan@417mag.com

Ammie Scott ascott@417mag.com Joan Whitaker joan@417mag.com

VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS

Megan Johnson mjohnson@417mag.com

SUBSCRIPTION RATES: 6 issues, $24. Please call or visit Biz417.com/subscribe. Allow 4–6 weeks for processing orders, payment and changes of address. SINGLE ISSUE: $4.95; back issues, $6 plus $8 shipping and handling, if available. No back issue orders or subscriptions outside the United States.

ADDRESS CHANGES: Include both new address and mailing label with old address. Biz 417 (ISSN 23763604) is published bimonthly by Whitaker Publishing, LLC, 2111 S. Eastgate Ave., Springfield, MO 65809–2146. © Whitaker Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use in any manner, in whole or in part, without written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited. Postage paid in Springfield, Missouri, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Biz 417, 2111 S. Eastgate Ave., Springfield, MO 65809–2146. The magazine accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, artwork or cartoons. Printed in the United States of America.

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July/August 2017

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PHOTOS COURTESY STAXX, HR ADVANTAGE

B-SCHOOL BREAKFAST SERIES: 10 FOR THE NEXT 10 The future of 417-land depends on the next generation of leaders, and we found 10 who go above and beyond. Join us on August 10 at Andy B’s Entertainment Center to hear four of them share their visions for the future at B-School. Breakfast is served at 7:30 a.m. Get your ticket at biz417.com/bschool.

July/August · Volume 2, Issue 5 · 2017

EDITORIAL EDITOR

Adrienne Donica EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

Katie Pollock Estes SENIOR EDITOR

Savannah Waszczuk

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Heather Kane DESIGNED BY

Jim Nissen | SWITCH Studio EDITORIAL ART MANAGER

Paije Luth

ANCILLARIES EDITOR

Rose Marthis

PRODUCTION EDITOR

Claire Porter

STAFF WRITER

SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER & DESIGNER

Brandon Alms

EDITORIAL DESIGNER

Ryan Saunders

Stephanie Towne Benoit

EDITORIAL ART COORDINATOR

EDITORIAL INTERN

Asia Key

Vivian Wheeler

DIGITAL DIRECTOR

Dayle Duggins

DIGITAL PRODUCER

JuliRose Sullivan

ART INTERNS

Halie Branson, Alina Viknyanskiy

DIGITAL INTERNS

Becca Keathley, Lauren Kratz

CONTRIBUTORS

Gayle Babcock, Ettie Berneking, Ren Bishop, Mike Cullinan, Julie Sedenko Davis, Juliana Goodwin, Janae Hardy, Sony Hocklander, Jeff Houghton, Jeremy Mason McGraw, Kevin O’Riley, Lillian Stone, Walker Hospitality Group, Bradley Wilkinson, Brad Zweerink SALES & MARKETING MARKETING MANAGER

SALES MANAGER

Trevor Collins

Katherine Newman

EVENTS MANAGER

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

EVENTS COORDINATOR

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

BRAND DESIGNER

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

MARKETING ASSISTANT

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

MARKETING INTERNS

SALES ASSISTANT

FINANCE COORDINATOR

ADVERTISING DESIGN DIRECTOR

Jessica Pyle

Brittni Bynum

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN COORDINATOR

Bernadette Pry

Christy Howell

SUBSCRIBER CARE & BACK ISSUES

ADVERTISING DESIGN COORDINATOR

Janelle Haik

Logan Swope Khaley Watts

Danielle McGuire

Jonathan Kirby, Kennedy Liggett

Please call Trevor Collins at 417-883-7417.

TO ADVERTISE

Megan DiVito Drew Owen

Chelsea Warren Jami Wightman Terin Leigh

Maggie Sholes

ADVERTISING DESIGNER

Callie Henry

Please call Ammie Scott at 417-883-7417.

ADVERTISING DESIGNER

PERMISSIONS & REPRINTS

ADVERTISING PHOTOGRAPHER

Please call Brittni Bynum at 417-883-7417.

Kaedy Hess

Alex Solomon

Legal counsel for Whitaker Publishing provided by

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July/August 2017

9

Finding Common Ground

I guess I’m a traditionalist, but I didn’t know you could bring your cell phone on the golf course. Imagine my surprise when I found out there’s now a way to charge your phone on the green thanks to Tyson Petty’s new invention, HYJAX (see p. 16). I was also unaware that you needed an ID to get into federal court. Perhaps the best advice I got from this issue was make sure you don’t have to go to federal court—unless you’re representing a client, as Britton Jobe was (see p. 21).

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July/August 2017

Gary Whitaker Publisher, Biz 417 PHOTO BY KEVIN O’RILEY

GARY’S FAVORITE LESSONS

It was delivered hundreds of miles east of 417-land, but when Pulitzer Prize-winning author and presidential historian Jon Meacham gave the commencement address at Wake Forest University in May, his words hit home.

Meacham, who is the author of highly acclaimed biographies of Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson, and George H.W. Bush, reminded the newly minted graduates, “The point of America is not for all of us to agree. The American republic is founded on the notion that even the person with whom I most stridently disagree may have something to say worth hearing.”

“Be open to the very real possibility that you might be wrong from time to time and people you thought were beyond redemption might be right,” Meacham encouraged.

“Our common welfare depends not on what separates us but what unifies us. St. Augustine defined a nation as a multitude of rational beings united by common objects of their love.”

Friends, lovers and spouses routinely point to what they have in common as the foundation of their relationships. Enough common beliefs and values can soften the sharp edges of disagreement. Put in alignment, they show a way forward—in a marriage, for a business venture, to a community.

Then Meacham took the need for aligned common values even further: “So nearly 250 years after the founding of the United States in a Philadelphia summer, what do we love in common? The painful but unavoidable answer is not enough.”

I was reminded of Meacham’s concern about national discord as I reviewed the profiles of the ten professionals featured in our first ever “10 for the Next 10”. In contrast to our partisan national dialogue, the values expressed by these ten community leaders are steeped in things they love in common: They share a love for the four seasons that have carved the rivers, streams and hiking trails that flow through our rolling hills.

They share a love for making Springfield and 417-land a creative, entrepreneurial hub with a cultural identity that goes beyond Bass Pro Shop and cashew chicken.

They share a love for creating a reputation of diversity and inclusiveness in our community that will attract young talent from outside our area code, as well as keep at home the bright minds that grow up here.

They share a love for expanding opportunity here.

As you “network-in-print” with our 10 For The Next 10 starting on page 24, I think you’ll agree there are enough things they love in common to make history. The impact they will have on our region will be positive, hopeful and enduring.

And we are proud to showcase them here as they confidently voice their declaration for the things they love in common. That declaration can itself be a common object of our admiration.

BIZ417.COM

The most useful lessons of this issue to help you get ahead faster Power Trip

Golf outings frequently turned frustrating for Tyson Petty when his phone lost power.

That led him to create HYJAX, a mobile charger using the battery of golf carts or other vehicles. When he decided to bring the product to market, Petty found taking it slow was the best way to make HYJAX as safe and effective as possible.

PAGE 16

Window Shopping

Ever notice the window displays at STAXX, A Cricket in the House or even First Friday Artwalk? Many of these creations are the handiwork of Tommi Clark. Knowing specifics about the space and project budget as well as having proper lighting and not forcing inspiration are three keys to making product displays successful, she says.

PAGE 16

Soaking Up the Sun

The summer sun is good news for 417-land solar installation companies. We talked to four to see just how much business is booming, especially in the commercial sector. Thanks to lower prices plus more efficient and attractive panels, these local companies have their work cut out for them.

PAGE 17

Creating a Mess

Emma Chapman and Elsie Larson are two power players in the realm of women’s lifestyle blogging. A Beautiful Mess continues to create popular apps and is releasing a cookbook this November. Chapman says turning your passions into your job starts with leading a passionate life.

10 for the Next 10

Collective Action

PAGE 24

PAGE 56

2017 Commercial Design Awards

How to Conduct Layoffs

The 10 people in our first 10 for the Next 10 are behind some of 417-land’s most recognizable institutions. They challenge the status quo and have bold visions for the future of our region.

Given their track record, determination and leadership, we can’t wait to see that future realized over the next decade.

The four winning designers of the second annual Commercial Design Awards know how to create environments as beautiful as they are effective. Their secret? Keeping their clients’ needs in mind every step of the way.

PAGE 36

Years in the Making

Few little kids dream about joining title companies when they grow up. That’s exactly why Hogan Land Title Co. has worked hard to create a positive work culture. Flexible work hours and activities like 5K runs, group volunteering and Christmas parties engage the company’s employees so management doesn’t have to struggle with recruiting and training new talent.

PAGE 52

Lifestyle apparel startup Illumine Collect is built on a giving business model, where 20 percent of each sale is donated to a nonprofit. Owner Jeremy Lux relies heavily on social media to market his new company and has even found success by working with bloggers to cross-promote their respective brands.

Layoffs squarely land in the difficult conversations category that most managers dread. HR Advantage’s Candida Arvizu walks through the process so your company can have as smooth conversations as possible. Once you meet legal requirements, Arvizu says having a consistent protocol and communication is key to laying off employees without a hitch.

PAGE 57

Better Safe than Sorry

It’s easy to think that your employees will never get hurt and your business will never be the target of a crime, but two local safety experts say you can never be too careful. Start with a safety audit and then address any potential hazards with appropriate training and security systems.

PAGE 60

Broke but Not Broken

Bankruptcy is the last thing any businessperson wants to think about, but you can’t predict the future. Lathrop & Gage LLP attorney Dan Nelson, a long-time bankruptcy expert, explains the basics of seeking protection under Chapter 11 and how to get back in the good graces of lenders.

Make Them Look

PAGE 53

PAGE 61

During the past 15 years, Red Monkey Foods has grown from a backyard business in a Golden City barn to a leader in the organic private label spice and seasoning industry. Founder Jeff Brinkhoff initially struggled to get in front of big-time retailers and learned to sell his company by showing executives how he could make their brands shine and connect with customers.

PAGE 17

PHOTOS BY VIVIAN WHEELER, COURTESY DAN NELSON, SHERI AUSTIN

Deli Dilemma

When the online ordering system at Vasken’s Deli wasn’t working as efficiently as possible, founders Staci and Vasken Haroutounian created an ordering app. Despite some bugs, the app has improved overall customer experience, says Tyler Anderson, one of the new co-owners of the Branson location.

If you’re puzzling through which type of employee retirement plan to set up in your business, it’s worth it to consult with an investment professional. Andrea McKinney, vice president and wealth management consultant at Central Trust, says you should ask how a particular plan meets your company’s priorities and what responsibilities come with it.

PAGE 18

PAGE 53

Catching Hold of a New Trade

Top Execs and Tipples with Bruce Nasby

After enough practice and customer interest, Jason Hooge turned his leather-making hobby into a full-blown business called Salt River Leather. Hooge has always been conscious of pricing but has found it’s okay to pass on jobs if a customer isn’t willing to meet your prices.

PAGE 20

BIZ417.COM

Positive Planning

Negotiate Your Way to Higher Pay

Sheri Austin, executive vice president of Marlin Network, has done her fair share of hiring. The key to successful negotiations is to approach your proposal by honestly assessing your worth, considering what’s realistic for your potential employer and factoring in benefits.

PAGE 61

In It for the Long Haul

Bruce Nasby is basically the career coach CEOs wish they had.

To be successful, Nasby says top executives need to be good listeners, honest and empathetic. Most importantly, they need to be vulnerable and admit when they don’t have an answer.

The family business skipped a generation at Trailiner Corp. from H.E. “Spook” Whitener to his granddaugther Amber Edmondson.

Edmondson is beating the odds for third generation companies by joining industry organizations and asking questions.

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July/August 2017

11

Feedback

W

e loved seeing all your emails and posts about the May/ June issue, which featured a cover story on workforce development, a profile of Hudson Hawk Barber & Shop and more.

Avid Reader “Just finished reading the May/June Biz. This is the first time I have read a magazine from cover to cover. Every article was relevant and interesting. Great job, Biz 417. See you July/August.”

—Rick Bilyeu, Big Cedar Properties

Workin’ It “I wanted to take a moment to tell you how much I enjoyed reading the May/June 2017 issue that specifically focused on ‘trouble attracting talent.’ I can personally attest that during my time as a national recruiting director, HR director and business professional I have found this to be such an important factor.

Thank you for putting together such an incredible issue and providing our Springfield community great tools to empower their small businesses and employees!

Hope all is well, and keep doing what you do! It is fantastic!”

—Andrea Flores, Qualified Pension Services Inc. We took a look at the innovative approaches companies and organizations are taking to find and train top-notch employees in our cover feature, “It’s Not Them. It’s You.” Head to biz417.com to read the article now.—Editors

“A GREAT read on workforce development in southwest Missouri.

Thanks, Biz 417!”

—The Facebook page of Elliott, Robinson & Co. LLP

Looking Sharp “Just wanted to thank you for the authentic article on Hudson Hawk. You did a really great job, and we have heard so much positive feedback from it. Thank you very much, and please let us know if there is anything we can do for you and your company.”

—Paul Catlett, Hudson Hawk Barber & Shop Now that you mention it, we’re due for a trim. Just kidding, of course, but glad to hear you liked the article!—Editors

“[Hudson Hawk] is such a fun company—the coolest owners and still one of my favorite places in Springfield.”

—Rosie Dobronski

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July/August 2017

BIZ417.COM

Give It Up for Give Ozarks “Thanks to the team at Community Foundation of the Ozarks for leading the charge for all nonprofits on our third annual Give Ozarks Day! Let’s do this!”

—Jan Robbins Ever wondered how Community Foundation of the Ozarks organizes its signature fundraiser? Read all about it at biz417.com.—Editors

Stress Busters “I loved the ‘Under Pressure’ article. I needed to hear the part about actually being less productive when you’re always on call. Great article!”

—Dee King, DoubleTree by Hilton Find strategies to minimize stress for yourself and your employees at biz417.com.—Editors

Corrections: We published the incorrect name for the entity of American National referred to in the May/June cover feature, “It’s Not Them. It’s You.” The correct name is American National. In the special advertising section “Meet the Masters” for the same issue, we incorrectly identified one of the featured companies. Springfield Sign is the correct name. We regret the errors.

WHAT TO KNOW & WHERE TO GO TO WIN THE WEEK. Straight to your inbox every Monday.

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Email Send your notes, feedback and story ideas to

biz@417mag.com www.

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July/August 2017

13

BREAKTHROUGH STRATEGIES

Solar is steadily creeping into the commercial scene, and even whole cities are taking advantage.

PHOTOS COURTESY SHUTTERSTOCK,

BY BRAD ZWEERINK

See story p. 17.

17 Having a Ball Jason Hooge caught a break when he started turning baseball gloves into leather wallets.

16 16 16 17

Breakthrough Four to Follow Tips The Report

17 18 18 18

Q&A Nightstand Biz 100 Up Close Watercooler

18 20 21 21

Breakthrough Meet the Maker Style Nailed It Failed It

PAGE 20 BIZ417.COM

July/August 2017

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FOUR TO FOLLOW WITH ALLEN KUNKEL

BY: KATIE POLLOCK ESTES

Allen Kunkel, associate vice president of economic development at Missouri State University, says that Twitter is the social media that fills his world. Here are his top four recommendations for readers in the know.

SKIP PRICHARD

Prichard shares ideas, tips and insights from various sources and leading authors on all business topics.

@SkipPrichard

TECHCRUNCH

POWER TRIP The Problem

Tyson Petty knows that some of the best business is done on the golf course.

Petty works in information technology, and often golfs with clients. However, he grew tired of lugging his devices around only to lose power halfway through a round. “By noon, if we haven’t charged our phone, it’s probably starting to wear out,” Petty says.

The Big Idea

Three years ago, Petty was out of power and out of patience. That’s when he realized that golf carts are a power gold mine. Petty bought two small gator clips and attached them to a cigarette lighter adapter, hoping to give his phone a “jump” on the cart. To his surprise, it worked.

The Learning Curve

When Petty started making chargers for his friends, he realized that his product was in high demand. Manufacturing, however, was another story. “It looked very dangerous at the time,” he says. Petty configured the device with a car fuse battery to make it safer. He called the product HYJAX, and spent about a year working with a manufacturer in China to get it right.

The Takeaway

The manufacturing roller coaster instilled a sense of meticulousness that Petty applies to his marketing strategy. “Most creators or people like me can barely spell their name,” he laughs, explaining that writing press releases doesn’t come easily. He’s selling HYJAX on Amazon and hyjaxpower.com, and is working on putting HYJAX on store shelves. “Once people get their hands on the thing, they’ll gladly shell out $40 to stay charged,” he says. In the meantime, he’ll be conducting business as usual—without wasting a second on charging.—Lillian Stone

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July/August 2017

Innovation is key to all business, and TechCrunch provides analysis and opinions of new technologies and their impact on business.

@TechCrunch

ENTREPRENEUR

Here you’ll find vast topics and information to support and inspire entrepreneurs and business leaders.

@Entrepreneur

BUSINESS TALK

This global business blog provides insights and discussions on business trends.

@BusinessTalk

FIVE ON FIRE DAVID BARBE TRICIA CLARK SHALLINA GOODNIGHT STONEY HAYS DAVID PENNINGTON

[TIPS]

WINDOW SHOPPING Tommi Clark created window displays in her parents’ furniture store growing up and now has made successful displays for STAXX, A Cricket in the House, First Friday Artwalk and more. She practiced making displays quickly while managing Good Girl Art Gallery, but as a freelancer she now takes hours or days to create installs. Clark shares tips on showcasing your merchandise to make it work for you.

BY: ROSE MARTHIS

Tip 1: Know Your Boundaries

Clark always starts her meetings by asking clients questions about the space she has to work with, their budget and the products she needs to showcase. “Sometimes it’s better to know what they don’t like than what they do,” she says. She measures the space, sketches a diagram and runs it past the client before creating the display.

Tip 2: Let Your Brain Do the Work

Although sometimes clients give Clark pictures for inspiration, she prefers to not load her brain up with visuals. “I think of what they want and I let it roll around in my head,” she says. “I don’t work on it for a day or two, and then when I’m doing something else it will hit me what to do.”

Clark starts with one piece of merchandise or one color and lets the display develop from there.

Tip 3: Make it Last (or Don’t)

It’s important to create your display for its purpose: Are you collecting likes on Instagram or is it greeting customers in your store window? Clark says creating trendy displays for a photo is fun to do, but a store display has to be physically constructed and have longevity. But both need correct lighting.

PHOTO COURTESY HYJAX, BY VIVIAN WHEELER

[BREAKTHROUGH]

HEAD TO BIZ417.COM TO READ HOW CLARK MEASURES THE SUCCESS OF A DISPLAY AND THE LESSONS SHE’S LEARNED IN THE BUSINESS.

Tommi Clark BIZ417.COM

FEET OF SOLAR PANELS INSTALLED IN 417-LAND IN 2016

[THE REPORT]

SUNBELT ENVIRONMENTAL: 600 FEET

SOLAR SOLUTIONS: 4,000 FEET

= 1,000 FEET

SOLAR ENERGY SERVICES:

COMPANIES

4,812.5 FEET

SUN SOLAR:

134,250 FEET

PHOTOS COURTESY SHUTTERSTOCK, BY JANAE HARDY

SOAKING UP THE SUN When Derek West with Solar Energy Services began installing solar panels 10 years ago, the market was slim. Today, competition has moved in, and the 417-land market for solar power is steadily growing. To understand just how much the industry has grown in a few years, consider one of West’s recent competitors: Sunbelt Environmental Services. Sunbelt has worked in the renewable energy market for 31 years, but it expanded into solar energy in 2016. In its first year, Sunbelt installed 120 solar panels. This year, the company has contracts for 10,000 panels. As solar continues to grow in popularity, we looked at four local solar companies to see how many miles of panels were installed around 417-land in 2016.

Solar is steadily creeping into the commercial scene, and even whole cities are taking advantage of solar. Sunbelt’s CEO Leeroy Schaefer says the company is getting ready to install 8,000 panels, or about 15 acres, in Lebanon. That’s a drop in the well compared to the city of Nixa, which will soon be the largest solar farm in the state after it installs 40 acres of solar panels this year.

Although the technology to produce solar power dates to the 1880s, recent advancements have helped the look, efficiency and price point. Not only can solar panels produce 70 to 80 percent of a household’s energy, the cost has plummeted. “One panel used to cost around $1,200,” Schaefer says.

“Now, a panel is about $250 to $300.” This year, Tesla released new glass solar panels that mimic traditional roof shingles. Needless to say, the market is red hot.—Ettie Berneking BIZ417.COM

[Q&A]

CREATING A MESS A Beautiful Mess is much more than the blog 417-landers Emma Chapman and Elsie Larson launched in 2010. The lifestyle company encompasses two bestselling photo apps, several books, Emma Chapman a cookbook due this November and more. Chapman shares the details of the duo’s latest projects and how passion and patience go hand in hand.

BY: MIKE CULLINAN

BIZ 417: YOUR LATEST APP, A COLOR STORY, HAS MORE THAN 4 MILLION DOWNLOADS. WHAT WAS YOUR INSPIRATION? Emma Chapman: A Color Story, at its heart, is a filter app.

It’s very much about being able to press one button [to make] your photo look the way you want—obviously, people will press a lot of buttons and tweak it, and you can do that, too. But the point of it is to let people make their photos look very cohesive on their grid on Instagram or if they want to print them or [if] they want to bring in Facebook. We wanted to do something that we saw people wanted but just didn’t yet have a tool for it.

BIZ: WHY WERE YOU INTERESTED IN WRITING A COOKBOOK? EC: I’ve wanted to do a cookbook for a long time. I think almost every food blogger wants to write a cookbook.

But this cookbook is not just about the recipes; it has a concept behind it. The title of the book is Weekday Weekend. So it’s about eating healthy five days a week, and then enjoying life on the weekends. It sort of has a challenge along with recipes.

BIZ: FOR SOMEONE LOOKING TO TURN THEIR PASSION INTO A JOB, WHAT ADVICE CAN YOU OFFER? EC: For someone starting down that path, keep in mind it might take some time. It took us many years until we were really profitable doing something that we love. And that’s hard because then you have a lot of years where you’re just scraping by. But the journey is worthwhile. I’d also say there are some things in life that maybe should stay a passion. Don’t feel like that makes them less important than business things. You can’t always discover those things unless you constantly are willing to be passionate. So that would be my No. 1 piece of advice: If you want to do something that you’re passionate about for a living, you need to be a passionate person first.

VISIT BIZ417.COM TO READ ABOUT HOW EMMA CHAPMAN AND ELSIE LARSON NAVIGATED CHALLENGES AND LEARNED HOW TO TAKE A BEAUTIFUL MESS TO THE NEXT LEVEL. July/August 2017

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[BREAKTHROUGH]

“Demographic changes happen 1 or 2 percent per year, so you don’t notice them. But they can make a significant difference. If you want to skate to where the puck is going, you need to be aware of how trends and demographics are changing over time.”—Greg Burris, Springfield City Manager

UP CLOSE David Agee is no stranger to flying. When he’s not traveling for work, the attorney is likely working with a client in the aviation industry as a member of Husch Blackwell’s Technology, Manufacturing & Transportation group.

HIS MORNING ROUTINE:

“I travel somewhat frequently or from time to time I may have international phone calls, so my routine is not always routine. I typically wake up around 5:30 or earlier depending on daily circumstances. If at home, I have a protein milkshake, bike ride (weather permitting) or light workout in the home gym (not as often or as much as I should), shave, shower, get dressed, kiss my wife, pet the dog and head out the door.”

PHONE APP HE COULD NOT LIVE WITHOUT:

“Uber. I use it traveling domestically and internationally. American Airlines and Open Table would rank a close second and third.”

PAPER OR ELECTRONIC CALENDAR?

“Electronic. Always with me.”

TV SERIES HE’S BINGE WATCHING RIGHT NOW:

“I am not a binge TV watcher, but [my wife, Suzi, and I] have made a point of following the new Designated Survivor series.”

READ MORE ABOUT DAVID AGEE AND THE REST OF THE BIZ 100 AT BIZ417.COM/BIZ100.

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WATERCOOLER LEADING

Governor Eric Greitens tapped former 417-lander Rob Dixon to lead the Missouri Department of Economic Development.

Dixon served as executive vice president of the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce until 2015.

NOW PLAYING

While some are still mourning the loss of The Palace, many 417-landers are finally catching a flick at Alamo Drafthouse.

The old Campbell 16 now serves dinner and has 48 beers on tap. We call that an upgrade.

OPENING

Andy’s Frozen Custard opened its 50th store in Fort Worth, Texas. The new location, which opened in June, is the seventh in the Dallas area. Meanwhile the company is one step closer to reaching its goal of having 75 stores by the end of the year.

CELEBRATING

A recent Forbes blog named Springfield as the No. 1 unexpected city that’s great for business because of the city’s low labor costs, low tax basis and regional programs that support growth. Tell us something we don’t know, Forbes.

DELI DILEMMA The Problem

Vasken’s Deli has been feeding hungry 417-landers for years, but quick service hasn’t always been the restaurant’s forte due to limited staffing. “A good portion of our business is call-in and online orders,”says Tyler Anderson, who purchased the Branson location of Vasken’s Deli with his father, Dennis, from original owners Staci and Vasken Haroutounian in late 2016. Those online orders were placed on an outdated system that required a staffer to manually plug orders into the physical register. The Haroutounians saw the value of an online ordering system but knew they needed to find a system tailored to customers, who typically have their phones on them.

The Big Idea

Before transferring ownership, the Haroutounians met with ChowNow, a company that makes customized online food ordering systems and apps. Customers can pay directly on the app and schedule for pickup times.

Vasken’s Deli To Go app launched in October.

The Learning Curve

Anderson inherited the app when he bought the Branson Vasken’s. The challenging part? Making the app match the deli’s menu as closely as possible. “You have to make sure that the customer experience is as close to ordering in-store as possible, which can take a lot of time,” he says. Anderson realized that a lot of customization options weren’t available on the app, which wasn’t ideal.

The Takeaway

Now Anderson’s biggest concern is integrating the app with Vasken’s online ordering system. “ChowNow is standalone,” says Anderson. “It doesn’t integrate with anything, which can get complicated.” The app was a great start, and now, Anderson is focused on enhancing the customer experience further. Whether that means tweaking the deli’s current system or finding something new, he continues to work with the customer experience in mind.—Lillian Stone

BIZ417.COM

PHOTOS COURTESY PEW RESEARCH CENTER, SHUTTERSTOCK, DAVID AGEE

NIGHTSTAND

service

to keep your image bright First impressions can mean the success or failure of gaining a new customer. A busted light here and there may seem like no big deal, but to a prospective customer it could speak volumes about the quality of service they might expect inside. Let us help you keep that business bright, sharp, and presentable. From lot-lights to neon, we are there to help.

Small business? Franchise? Corporate?

Contact us, and let’s take your brand to its potential.

417.862.2454

springfieldsign.com

Jason Hooge transforms old baseball gloves into wallets, and he scores a little cash for himself during the process.

CATCHING HOLD OF A NEW TRADE When old baseball gloves helped a graphic designer find his niche in leatherworking, a part-time hobby became a money-making side gig.

BY: ETTIE BERNEKING

B

efore making leather wallets, bags and jewelry became a profitable sidehustle for Jason Hooge, it was just a hobby. In 2011, Hooge spent his free time at Springfield Leather picking up tips on what tools to use and what types of leather worked best for different projects. “I got the itch,” he says. “I wanted to learn to make my own wallet.” So he did. With the help of the staff

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July/August 2017

at Springfield Leather and some inspiration from The Art of Manliness blog, which covers everything including how to survive a dog attack and how to dead lift, Hooge tiptoed his way into leatherworking.

In 2013, Hooge’s basement studio began filling with finished wallets, bags and watch bands. Thanks to a loving nudging from his wife to clear out merchandise, Hooge launched an Etsy page. To his surprise, customers found him.

With orders coming in, Hooge had to define his brand and his price points.

The branding was easy. He loves old-fashioned slogans like sending someone down the salt river. “It means to give someone a hard time,” he explains. “You can’t worry about your name or logo pleasing everyone all the time. You just want to pick something you connect with.”

Fine-tuning his price points was a little trickier, though, because Hooge was new to the world of retail. He worried about scaring customers off with steep prices or alternatively devaluing his time. After some trial and error, Hooge landed on a range of prices that has helped him bring in a wider net of customers.

As business grew, Hooge registered Salt River Leather with the state, got his business license and got a booth at Farmers Market of the Ozarks to bring in more foot traffic. “I went into leather because I love the touch, the smell, the tactile experience,” he says. “I wanted customers to have that interaction at the market.”

Along with the farmers market booth, Hooge found his niche in turning old baseball gloves into wallets. The new line of merchandise isn’t just catching the attention of customers. Area stores have asked to carry his wallets, and Hooge says he was asked to make 200 baseball glove wallets for a company that works with the New York Mets. But when they couldn’t agree on pricing, Hooge had to pass. “You have to decide what your time is worth and what growth you’re happy with,” he says. “Last year, we had 10 percent growth, and I’m happy with that.”

VISIT BIZ417.COM TO LEARN HOW JASON HOOGE TURNS A BEAT-UP BASEBALL GLOVE INTO A SIGNATURE WALLET.

BEHIND THE BUSINESS Date opened: 2013

Number of employees: 1 From mind to market: 3 hours Most popular item: Rawlings baseball glove wallet Maker’s choice: Simple three-slot wallet.

“This is the wallet I carry. It’s made out of a catcher’s mitt, and I prefer the minimalistic style. That’s the look I set out to make.”

Jason Hooge BIZ417.COM

PHOTOS BY BRAD ZWEERINK

[MEET THE MAKER]

[STYLE]

#NAILED IT FAILED IT

TEMPERATURE CONTROL When the dress code is business formal but the forecast warns of oppressive heat, the right blazer makes all the difference.

BY ALINA VIKNYANSKIY

Silk is luxurious yet very thin and moisture wicking. A silk shirt layered underneath a light blazer is the key to keeping you cool and dry this summer.

Linen is a classic summer fabric because of its lightweight, open weave and casual structure. Paired with a light-colored shirt, it will keep you cool without sacrificing style.

2

1

Share your triumphs and stumbles with us on Twitter with the hashtag #naileditfailedit. #Nailed It Failed It

Tyson Petty, see his story on p. 16 Like many entrepreneurs striking out for the first time, Petty didn’t always receive support while developing HYJAX. “When you want to create something that has never been created before, everyone wants to tell you how many ways you can’t do it,” he says. “They will give you a hundred reasons why you can’t design, create and sell your item.” He proved those naysayers wrong and #NailedIt when HYJAX hit the market.

Of course, not everything went as planned. “I have never been known for my spelling abilities,” Petty says.

“When I created 2,000 expensive business cards for HYJAX, I had an extremely bad grammar mistake on the back. None of them have ever been used.” #FailedIt

1. Chelsea and Walker waterfall blazer in ivory, $349, Diane von Furstenberg colorblock silk shirt, $328, both at Harem & Company 2. L.B.M 1911 linen sport coat, $695, ETON contemporary fit linen blend shirt in green, $235, ETON floral silk pocket square, $68, all at Blackwells

PHOTO BY BRANDON ALMS

PHOTOS BY BRAD ZWEERINK

#Nailed It Failed It

BIZ417.COM

Britton Jobe, see his story on p. 24 “My proudest accomplishment was having the opportunity to argue in front of the Missouri Supreme Court,” says Jobe, who argued the case with a fellow Neale & Newman attorney.

“That was the first time I really had tracked a case from the beginning all the way until the very end, so that was such a neat opportunity so early in my career.” #NailedIt Not every day in court has been so smooth for Jobe. “The first time I ever went to federal court, I went with a partner, and he said the only thing that you have to remember when you go to federal court is you have to bring your ID. I said, ‘That’s easy. I can handle that.’ Of course I show up, and I don’t have an ID. I guess I had left my wallet in the office or in my briefcase at the office.

He still gives me a hard time to this day.” #FailedIt July/August 2017

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WHITEPAPERS

DON’T LET

YOUR

COMPANY RUN YOU!

BY DON HARKEY

DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN RUNNING A COMPANY WAS FUN?

Your team was engaged, focused and fully accountable to their work. Your team tackled challenges together. Your team members did what they needed to do. Things got done and, looking back, it was fun.

But that was then.

Now your company has grown. Things are more difficult. As your team grows, so do the fires you have to put out. You and your team are flooded with emails, customer challenges and noise that prevents you from working on the business itself. The list of new ideas lies unfinished in a file cabinet as you wade through emails and struggle to find new talent.

It’s not fun anymore. It feels like your organization is running you.

SCALING YOUR COMPANY—MAKE YOUR SIZE WORK FOR YOU

The key to regaining control of your business is to scale your company.

The things that worked for your small organization won’t work as you grow. Commu-

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July/August 2017

nication breaks down, managers wear too many hats and performance suffers as processes become unwieldy. Your company needs to clearly define roles and responsibilities, and build systems. These systems should be centered around improving three characteristics: engagement, focus and accountability.

ENGAGE YOUR PEOPLE

When employees feel powerless and aren’t given a clear purpose or direction, the result is a lack of motivation. Employees bring problems instead of solutions and have to

be managed on basic functions. However, when you engage employees with a clear purpose and empower them, you will see them perform at a whole new level. Empowerment and engagement doesn’t simply happen. It begins with hiring and onboarding and grows through systematic training and development. The best companies have systems for cross-functional teams that identify, prioritize,and implement meaningful improvements throughout the company.

BIZ417.COM

FOCUS YOUR TEAM

Most teams don’t struggle to have ideas. Instead they choke on opportunities. Teams work on multiple initiatives and don’t make enough meaningful progress to help the company.

The secret is to do less and, again, systematize. Focus your team on the most important objectives for the year and set short term goals toward those objectives. Great companies conduct intentional and annual strategic planning sessions where key objectives are set. These companies then set goals and review their progress throughout the year.

MOST TEAMS DON’T STRUGGLE TO HAVE IDEAS. INSTEAD THEY CHOKE ON OPPORTUNITIES BUILD ACCOUNTABILITY

Nothing is more frustrating than when people don’t follow through. Your managers spend their days checking work or doing the work your employees were supposed to do. They have to expend a lot of time and energy making sure it all gets done. Accountability starts with management. Great managers coach, inspire and create a culture of accountability.

You can systematize great management. It starts with training. Management training should include theory and practical advice.

Companies need to add management sys-

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MAKE IT HAPPEN

Real change comes from practicing new habits. If you are ready to start running your business:

1) Don’t invent from scratch

They say experience is the best teacher, but only fools learn from experience. Why invest your time figuring out how to create change or inventing new processes when someone else already has it figured out?

People Centric has the experience and can find existing processes that will work best for your company.

2) Find some outside insight

You don’t know what you don’t know. Our team at People Centric will never tell you how to run your business, but we can share some powerful insights that help you find your best opportunities.

67% of employees in the U.S. are considered disengaged—or worse, toxic. Only 33% are considered truly engaged.

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Real change requires buy-in from your team. Many consultants tell companies how they should do things. This approach meets natural resistance. People Centric works with your team to co-create the best approach while building ownership within your team.

It’s time to take back your business. Start by giving us a call or learn more at PeopleCCG.com. People Centric will start with a conversation about your business, and then work with you to create a proposal that meets your needs. People Centric will never surprise you with a bill and we don’t charge by the hour.

21% is the average increase in profitability for companies with higher levels of employee engagement.

DON HARKEY Don began his career as a public speaker and management consultant through a very “traditional” path—as a chemical engineer. After 10 years working for Fortune 500 companies Archer Daniels Midland and 3M, he took his engineering problem solving skills and non-engineering people skills on the road. He co-founded People Centric Consulting Group and serves as the Chief Innovation Officer. People Centric partners with their clients to help them build stronger cultures based on engagement, focus and accountability.

BIZ417.COM

July/August 2017

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BIZ417.COM

Watch out for these 10 change-makers who are carving out a new identity for 417-land.

FOR THE NEXT BY: VIVIAN WHEELER PHOTOS BY: BRANDON ALMS

T

he quickest way to understand the impact the 10 for the Next 10 have had on 417-land is to imagine what it would look like without them. Imagine Springfield without The Mystery Hour, which has been entertaining locals for more than 11 years and delighted millions with its Instagram Husband video. Or without Rosie, which is leading the charge in equal pay with its Rosie Makes Cents campaign. We’d be missing a County Commissioner and the chair of The Network, the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce’s young professional networking group. Think about the fact that you might not be able to catch an Uber downtown to grab a cocktail at Scotch & Soda. It’s not a fun exercise.

This is by no means an exhaustive list of the contributions these 10 individuals have made, but it’s easy to see that we’d be missing a lot without them. Besides being driven, creative and hardworking, one trait that ties this diverse group of people together is their passion for our community—passion that translates to an enormous amount of time spent thinking about and putting into action ways to make 417-land better. These are people we want on Springfield’s team, and we can’t wait to see what they’ll do next.

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July/August 2017

25

Joshua Widner FOR BRINGING COCKTAIL CULTURE TO 417-LAND

J

oshua Widner’s cocktail empire almost didn’t happen. Widner was finishing his senior year at Full Sail University in Florida and was all set to take a job at an Icelandic recording studio when it unexpectedly closed.

Widner landed back home in Springfield working as a barback at MudLounge. There he fell in love with the bar industry. Today Widner is the co-owner of four bars, including Cherry Picker Package x Fare, two locations of Scotch & Soda and Golden Girl Rum Club, several of which have received national attention. Now he’s showing no signs of slowing down.

WHAT AH-HA MOMENTS HAVE BEEN CRUCIAL TO YOUR SUCCESS? “For the first couple years, maybe the first year, stress was really high. If you can, imagine selling your soul to start a bar at 23 or 24. First of all, I had no management skills. I was flying by the seat of my pants not really knowing what I was doing. I’ve learned to manage by positive reinforcement rather than negative.

A lot of the jobs I had growing up, there was lots of negative reinforcement. The only time I talked to a manager was when I was doing something wrong. I’ve tried to change that every day, and I think I’ve done a pretty good job. They’re the lifeblood of my companies.

I couldn’t do anything I did without them.”

WHAT’S THE THING THAT DRIVES YOU? “I think entrepreneurship is an addiction. In talking to other people, I say it’s a problem. I’m aware that it’s a problem. My wife’s aware that it’s a problem. I just love the whole process: writing things down, creating business plans, interacting with people, pitching to partners, bringing in partners, bringing in financers.

It’s like the thrill of the hunt. It’s not as barbaric as that, but that’s what drives me. I can’t and will not stop. I love what I do. I wouldn’t do anything differently.

It’s never been about the money. I don’t make a lot of money, and I don’t need a lot of money, and I don’t care about the money. It’s working with the people I work with and progressing the city that I come from and trying to make it a better place for everybody.”

HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE 417-LAND CHANGE IN THE NEXT DECADE? “I don’t know if change is the right word. What I’ve kind of struggled with is creating some kind of identity.

Springfield is much more than Bass Pro and cashew chicken, and we know that. What I would like to do is help mold and create this identity of being a beacon of food and beverage. Kansas City and St. Louis take a lot of the focus away from Springfield, and I think creating these projects that actually get national press and people are actually interested in talking to us about is exciting for Springfield to try and put us on the map.”

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BIZ417.COM

Teresa Coyan FOR ADVOCATING FOR YOUNG PROFESSIONALS

I

n Teresa Coyan’s role as the legislative and public affairs manager at CoxHealth she has to be highly attuned to the internal workings of the organization and any external pressures that affect it. On any given day she could be tracking health care legislation, lobbying in Jefferson City or Washington D.C. or helping manage the company’s community sponsorships and engagement. Six years ago, Coyan also started CoxHealth Young Professionals. The organization has been so successful that groups in places such as Florida and Texas have used it as a model when creating their own young professional groups.

WHAT AH-HA MOMENTS HAVE BEEN CRUCIAL TO YOUR SUCCESS? “When I realized that not only did I want to stay in Springfield but [that] I wanted to move the dial with retaining talent in Springfield. I want people to be proud to be here. And then second, when I truly realized that in my career it was less about titles and more about working on projects and taking on roles that I felt passion and drive for. Loving what I do definitely has been a tipping point for me. It’s amazing the momentum and opportunities that are presented when you love what you do and are there for reasons far beyond a job title.”

WHAT’S THE THING THAT DRIVES YOU? “Making a difference is a huge factor in what drives me.

Working in health care and specifically with health care policy has been a way for me to be part of big initiatives that have been impactful for [people] in southwest Missouri. Everyone has a story related to their health care experiences; through my legislative and administrative role, I’m driven by those stories and by the lives in our community to propel us forward.”

HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE 417-LAND CHANGE IN THE NEXT DECADE? “I feel like a lot of communities have this time when they’re at their tipping point, where they’re on the verge of greatness. Everyone’s pushing toward the same direction, and I think that we’re moving in the right way—more inclusion just overall and continuing to embrace who the community is and just really highlighting the things we do well. I think as we continue to focus on those areas we’ll see growth. I think oftentimes we get really caught up in being the third largest city, and we kind of set the bar a little bit lower than we should. I think that we have a lot of potential, and we’re moving in that direction already.”

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July/August 2017

27

Heather Hardinger FOR INNOVATING BRANSON

A

laska native Heather Hardinger came to Springfield to attend Evangel University where she majored in international multicultural studies. When she graduated, the recession was in full swing and jobs were scarce.

She took a position in workforce development with AmeriCorps in St. Louis only to be subsequently transferred back to Springfield. These days she’s working to find creative solutions to Branson’s unique labor issues as the programs and communications director for Taney County Partnership. The job has recently taken her to Puerto Rico to help fill Branson’s worker shortage.

WHAT AH-HA MOMENTS HAVE BEEN CRUCIAL TO YOUR SUCCESS? “I graduated from college with bright eyes ready to conquer the world, and there weren’t a lot of jobs out there. I think for me, keeping an open mind and being teachable has been crucial. I’m kind of a risk-averse person naturally, so taking some risks and saying, you know, you want to do this? Go out, try it, put your all into it and just see what happens. If it doesn’t work out, there’s always something else.”

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE PART OF YOUR JOB? “I love learning about the different things that other communities are doing that are working really well and taking that information and seeing what works for the community in Branson. There’s really no other place like Branson, but I think that the workforce issues that we have there are definitely solvable. I see it like a cool puzzle. There’s just so many moving parts. It’s like, okay, something will work, you just have to figure out what that is and how to get the community on board.”

HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE 417-LAND CHANGE IN THE NEXT DECADE? “More economic changes for everyone. Whether you have a college degree or maybe you haven’t gotten your GED [certificate] yet, there’s so many options here where we could plug people in and figure out where they’d be the best fit. I think we’re a little bit late to the game in that regard. A lot of areas have been working on these comprehensive workforce plans for a long time, but I think that if we can nail that down, that will be one of the things that makes us stand out.”

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BIZ417.COM

Lincoln Hough

FOR DEDICATING HIS LIFE TO PUBLIC SERVICE

W

hen Lincoln Hough was 26 years old, he ran against Roseann Bentley, one of Springfield’s most beloved public servants, for the 2nd District County Commissioner seat. He lost that race but was undeterred from public service and went on to serve three terms in the Missouri House of Representatives. In 2016, Hough ran again for the seat that had previously eluded him. This time he won, and today he serves as one of Greene County’s three commissioners. In his free time, which is normally early in the morning, he works on his dairy farm, a business he started in seventh grade.

WHAT AH-HA MOMENTS HAVE BEEN CRUCIAL TO YOUR SUCCESS? “They always say you learn more when you lose an election than winning. When I lost my commission race the first time, Roseann Bentley came up to me and she said stay involved. That gave me a lot of confidence. That the generation in our community that has been the driver for so many years believes in the next generation, that was huge. I just remember walking away from that totally exhausted. I’d killed myself campaigning. The easy thing to do would have been to be done with politics. But when you have those people that will lend guidance, I think we’re all better for it.”

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE PART OF YOUR JOB? “My favorite thing about my current role is being in the community. I love Springfield. There are so many cool things that happen in Springfield. I’m constantly trying to be the conduit to get young professionals to come back to Springfield. I want our community to grow in that way. And when you bring them here and you take them downtown, we’ve got nice restaurants, we’ve got the ball field, and we’ve got theater and art. We have a lot of things that I think people would be surprised about for a community our size. My favorite part of this job is being an advocate for my community.”

HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE 417-LAND CHANGE IN THE NEXT DECADE? “What I would like to see our community do is to foster relationships with the next round of leaders. Let’s not discriminate against the next generation because we’re still figuring out where we fit in the world. We have a lot of ideas. We have a lot of momentum. There’s a lot of just really good, talented people that I think as long as the leaders that have been continuing to foster those relationships to maximize succession planning, our community will continue to grow.”

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Rachel Anderson FOR EMPOWERING LOCAL STARTUPS

A

s the entrepreneurial specialist for The eFactory, Rachel Anderson is the go-to business resource for the entrepreneurship center’s clients, including the startups that are lucky enough to land in its competitive accelerator program. Anderson knows firsthand what it takes to launch a successful company as she’s a co-founder of the tech startup Alumni Spaces, which creates software for university alumni chapters. This past November, Anderson also co-founded women’s advocate and networking group Rosie.

WHAT AH-HA MOMENTS HAVE BEEN CRUCIAL TO YOUR SUCCESS? “Mine really goes back to when I was in college. The best advice [my mentor Vicky Riback Wilson] gave me is ‘Do something every day that gets you out of your comfort zone.’ You’re going to be able to better relate to people and different experiences. You’re able to make better decisions, have a better place of understanding and think through things differently than if you only lived in your bubble forever. That’s something I still try to put into practice each and every day.”

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE PART OF YOUR JOB? “I love helping people follow their dreams. Everything I do gets to be the yes person. This is your idea, it may need some refinement, it may not be ready to go tomorrow, but I get to be that person that helps people figure out how to do it. It’s very liberating that you get to live in dream world all day but to mix it with reality. How can we help to mitigate these risks to have these startups succeed? And then I get to help be that matchmaker—to be able to connect those people who are established out in the community doing well and partner them with startups.”

HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE 417-LAND CHANGE IN THE NEXT DECADE? “For Springfield to continue its growth pattern, we must be intentional about diversity. Springfield has long been a community that is attractive to business and families. To remain competitive with top talent and millennials staying in and moving to Springfield, we have to rival what people expect and want in their city of choice. We have a lot of great things going for us, but we also have a lot of opportunity to diversify and appeal to more people. I’d love to see additional diversity in not only ethnicity, but also restaurants, bars, music, types of businesses, clothing stores, etc. Music, arts and culture are part of what make a community great. I’ve seen a tremendous amount of emphasis in the last few years and am excited to see more.”

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BIZ417.COM

Jeff Houghton FOR LIVING HIS HOLLYWOOD DREAM IN SPRINGFIELD

J

eff Houghton wears a lot of hats. The list includes creator of The Mystery Hour, TV personality, Instagram husband, writer, producer, father and actual husband. And while his accomplishments continue to pile up—such as his 2016 Emmy win for the mega-popular Instagram Husband video—it’s his unabashed love for Springfield that sets him apart in our eyes. Houghton’s on a mission to make everyone love Springfield as much as he does, one hilarious skit at a time.

WHAT AH-HA MOMENTS HAVE BEEN CRUCIAL TO YOUR SUCCESS? “This sounds so simple, but all these ideas I have, I can just do them. I used to have a lot of ideas and think someone should do that, and now I’m like, ‘Oh, I can do it.’ And going to Los Angeles was a huge deal to me. I didn’t know how much confidence it was going to take.

So the realization for me was decide to do something and then figure it out. I didn’t know how scary and hard this was going to be, otherwise I wouldn’t have done it.”

WHAT’S THE THING THAT DRIVES YOU? “Fear of failure. That’s half-joking. I think probably deep down it’s real. It’s just not something you say in a magazine. The other side of that is that I always see the potential in things and want to work to reach that potential. So the flip side of that is I can get too much like, ‘Oh but we aren’t there yet. Let’s work on these things to get there.’ That’s the side that annoys me, but the good side of it is I do see the potential of everything, and so I think that drives me.”

HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE 417-LAND CHANGE IN THE NEXT DECADE? “One, I would like to see more diversity and more of a celebration of diversity. Where I’m from, Iowa City, it’s probably a similar city demographically but it really celebrates diversity and values it. I’d like to see Springfield value that diversity more. Two, more pride in the area. Springfield has a great creative community—better than you would expect for a city this size I think, and I’d love to see that grow. I’d love to see Springfield become that creative hub. There’s also a big poverty problem. Domestic violence is a big issue.”

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Britton Jobe FOR FIGHTING THE BRAIN DRAIN

K

nowing he wanted to pursue a career in law, Britton Jobe didn’t consider staying in Springfield after college because he thought there wasn’t a strong law sector. It wasn’t until he was graduating law school in Nebraska that he realized he was wrong. Now that he’s back in Springfield and an attorney at Neale & Newman LLP, he’s working to connect local college students with the business community through a partnership between Springfield universities and The Network, the Springfield Chamber of Commerce’s young professionals group.

WHAT AH-HA MOMENTS HAVE BEEN CRUCIAL TO YOUR SUCCESS? “I’ve received this advice from multiple people at different levels of my education and career; it’s been to find a mentor. As you go to each different stage of your life, there are so many questions. To be able to find someone that you can trust—somebody who is where you want to be and have that respect for them—that has really paid off. Whenever you can have a good relationship with a mentor, I think that really helps with your confidence. It helps with you professionally.

It helps you personally. And I think that I’ve really benefited from that.”

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE PART OF YOUR JOB? “What I like about my job and why I’m so happy here is because it’s allowed me to do what I wanted to do when I went to law school, which was to be in court with some frequency. That’s getting rarer these days, and Neale & Newman wasn’t afraid in the beginning to give me those opportunities. I like the—I hate to use the word—but the rush, the advocacy. I’m an advocate.

I like that being in court allows you to do that. I went to Missouri State on a debate scholarship, so I’m just kind of wired that way. Law school was the same way and being able to continue to do that in my professional life has really been special.”

HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE 417-LAND CHANGE IN THE NEXT DECADE? “For years there were so many colleges and college students here. Springfield was kind of a training ground for college students, and then they went to the cities.

And you’re always going to have some of that. That’s not necessarily going to change, but I think you’re going to start to see Springfield evolve into a destination as opposed to a starting place. That’s going to happen as more young professionals stay here. That’s going to happen as we get more cultural amenities here, as we become more diverse. I think that those are things that are changing right now. There’s some resistance to that. Some of that has been very public. I think that for the most part we’re moving in the right direction.”

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Amanda Callaway FOR MAKING SPRINGFIELD A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE

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s a Springfield native, Amanda Callaway loves seeing the positive impact her job as an assistant city attorney has on her hometown. Callaway is responsible for drafting the city ordinances that made it possible for transportation network companies like Uber and Lyft to operate. She also simplified ordinances that govern outdoor events on city property, making it easier to throw events like Artsfest and Taste of Springfield.

WHAT AH-HA MOMENTS HAVE BEEN CRUCIAL TO YOUR SUCCESS? “We get asked a lot of questions on the spot, and sometimes it’s in a public meeting. My former boss Dan Wichmer told me, ‘Never give an answer that you’re not sure of. It’s always okay to say “I wrote down your question. I’ll get back to you.”’ I love the idea that you don’t always have to have the answers. You’re not supposed to be an encyclopedia of all the legal answers under the sun. I will go back and research it, and I’ll provide them with a timely answer. That builds confidence in you as an attorney.”

WHAT’S THE THING THAT DRIVES YOU? “Anything is possible. It is even written in a sign that I have hanging on my office door. I believe that if you work hard, find ways to overcome setbacks and have a positive attitude you can achieve much more than you realize. I applied this mantra to law school, the bar exam, half-marathons, even when I was recovering from a bad ACL tear. In all of those situations, I have briefly let doubt creep into my thoughts—wondering if I could do those things—but I reminded myself that anything is possible and if I keep trying, I can succeed.”

HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE 417-LAND CHANGE IN THE NEXT DECADE? “I hope that we continue to be a competitive market for young professionals. I hope that Springfield is a place where people choose to vacation due to our access to some of the most beautiful hiking trails, rivers and lakes. I think we just need to continue with what we have been doing over the last few years—being open to change and new ideas. We are doing something right because this is a wonderful place to live.”

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Catherine Bass Black FOR SHAKING THINGS UP

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hen Catherine Bass Black found herself dissatisfied in the nonprofit sector, she made a plan and got busy. The plan included a career move to the world of executive recruiting and enrolling in the MBA program at Goizueta Business School at Emory University. This eventually led to her current role as the head of talent acquisition and community affairs at Bass Pro Shops, where the South Carolina native draws on her experience from the corporate and nonprofit worlds.

WHAT AH-HA MOMENTS HAVE BEEN CRUCIAL TO YOUR SUCCESS? “It’s critical to understand not only the culture of the company you’re going to work for in your career but who your boss is going to be. So interviewing your manager or your boss is going to be critical. And that chemistry that you have between you and him or her is incredibly important to your happiness and success in that path. Another a-ha moment is you need to own your success. Know what’s going to do it for you, and when things don’t go your way, you need to adjust and not expect the environment to shift or put blame on others. Just own your own path.”

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE PART OF YOUR JOB? “Working with people. I enjoy building relationships and getting to know all the incredible team members that we have here at Bass Pro Shops, but also we have such an amazing story, it’s rewarding to get to share that experience with individuals, either prospective associates and candidates [or] community partners and community members. From a philanthropic standpoint, it’s rewarding both internally and externally to be in the position I’m in.”

HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE 417-LAND CHANGE IN THE NEXT DECADE? “Four-one-seven–land has been incredibly welcoming and very open to discussing and hearing new ideas.

We had a great experience coming to 417-land on the surface. I think once you peel back one layer, you’ll see that a lot of leadership is very risk-averse and has yet to make goals and commitments or changes to move this region forward. We just haven’t had the appetite to take the risk, and the rewards can be so much greater.

I also think we’re very insular in thought leadership.

There is a huge opportunity to tap into individuals that are from outside of Springfield on ideas of how to better improve Springfield. In a lot of ways, I’m incredibly appreciative and grateful to be in a position to offer my opinion as somebody so new to the community.”

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Max Buetow FOR INCREASING ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE ACROSS 417-LAND

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ax Buetow first moved to Springfield to play junior hockey. While here he fell in love with the city and his future wife, but it would take a few more years and a couple of moves to different cities before he’d settle down and take a job as vice president of regional services and neurosciences at CoxHealth. In his position, he’s been instrumental in the implementation of DirectConnect, the region’s first direct-to-consumer telemedicine program.

WHAT AH-HA MOMENTS HAVE BEEN CRUCIAL TO YOUR SUCCESS? “I was working as an overnight supervisor in a bakery at Sara Lee, and we had a conveyor belt that kept going down [and] all the product that was in the oven would burn up. So every night for like two straight weeks, I would go over with our foreman, and we would take these hot trays of hot dog buns off the line and put them on racks. Once the conveyor belt got back up and working, we’d put them back on the conveyor belt, and I was really proud of the work I was doing. My plant manager strolls in one night. He sits across from me and says, ‘What are you doing?’ And I said, ‘What do you mean what am I doing?’ He said, ‘All you’re doing is firefighting. Your job is to make sure the conveyor belt never goes down again.’ And that was probably the biggest change—to make that transition from firefighting to proactive problem solving. I think I’ve been on a different path since then.”

WHAT’S THE THING THAT DRIVES YOU? “I think I’ve been placed in a position where a lot of people put a lot of trust in me, and I want to be able to rise to that occasion. I live by a saying: To whom much is given, much is expected. I feel like I’ve always been put in a position that’s probably a step ahead of where I should be in life. I take that very seriously when someone puts that level of confidence in me.”

HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE 417-LAND CHANGE IN THE NEXT DECADE? “We’re in a state that politically a lot of things are driven by two larger cities. I think we’re starting to come into our own as a region and are being seen as on par and not necessarily a tertiary thought.”

BIZ417.COM

READ MORE ABOUT ALL THE 10 FOR THE NEXT 10 ON BIZ417.COM. July/August 2017

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Missouri State University’s new Davis-Harrington Welcome Center was designed by Dake Wells Architecture. It’s the winner of the Commercial Design Awards’ General Commercial Space category.

2017COMMERCIAL ore than most, designers and architects realize how important good design is to a productive work environment. When we asked local designers to share their best recent work with us for the second annual Biz 417 Commercial Design Awards, we were impressed. Ultimately we left it up to Julia Kirkendall— founder and principal designer at Kirkendall Design Firm in Tulsa, Oklahoma—to judge each project based on aesthetics, design skill and narrative explanation. The winning designs represent spaces where collaboration, innovation and comfort are front and center.

BY: STEPHANIE TOWNE BENOIT

FIND THE LOCAL RESOURCES THAT WINNING DESIGNERS USED TO MAKE THEIR PROJECTS FLAWLESS AT BIZ417.COM.

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July/August 2017

Toast the winners of the 2017 Biz 417 Commercial Design Awards at Sky Eleven, winner of our historical renovation category.

Where: Sky Eleven, 331 Park Central East, Springfield When: 5:30–7:30 p.m., Thursday, July 13 Host: Springfield Design Association Tickets: Free for SDA members, $10 for non-members.

Purchase tickets at 417tix.com.

BIZ417.COM

PHOTOS BY GAYLE BABCOCK, ARCHITECTURAL IMAGES LLC

DESIGN AWARDS M

Design Awards Reception

DAVIS-HARRINGTON WELCOME CENTER AT MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY

S

eeking a striking entrance to campus, Missouri State University turned to Dake Wells Architecture for its Davis-Harrington Welcome Center. Designed by the firm’s Andrew Wells with the help of Bethany Henry, Mark Wheeler and Cara Collins and constructed

by Wright Construction Services Inc., the sleek, 13,000-square-foot structure captivates visitors with dramatic lines, a flexible floor plan and thoughtful design details.

Biz 417: First impressions are essential in college recruiting. How did that influence this project?

Andrew Wells: A lot, I would say. The whole goal was to provide a sort of physical and symbolic point of entry into the campus, the idea being that they would have a worthy place for greeting visitors, prospective students and parents and guests of the university.

Biz: The building contains references to MSU’s history. Can you describe them?

AW: A lot of people that have seen the building may recognize the perforated screen that’s on the west side that sort of extends out. That’s a gesture of welcome right at the entrance to campus and it identifies the main entry point into the building. That perforation pattern was developed by scanning a typical black-and-white composition book that’s used for essays. We scanned that pattern and then digitized it and translated it into this dot pattern of circles. So that provides a sun shade to cut down on solar heat gain from the west side, but it also has this reference back to the fact that it was originally a teacher’s college and it’s all about education. The other reference is the slate wall that leads you in, which is a reference back to the old chalkboards.

Biz: This building welcomes guests, houses offices and hosts events.

Was it challenging to incorporate the multiple functions?

Missouri State University’s new DavisHarrington Welcome Center is a well-designed space brought to life with school colors (top).

Situated along South National Avenue, the welcome center’s sleek, dramatic lines create an appealing focal point along the edge of campus (above). The space, including this walkway and stairway (right), is filled with natural light. The stairwell leads to various offices on the building’s second floor.

GENERAL COMMERCIAL SPACE BIZ417.COM

AW: I think that was one of the issues that we had to really think through. How do we design in enough specificity that it’s identified as a university building—not just a university building, but Missouri State’s building—while at the same time being open-ended and flexible for a variety of things that we couldn’t even imagine yet.

WINNING DESIGNER: Andrew Wells, Dake Wells Architecture, 134 Park Central Square, Suite 300, Springfield; 417-831-9904; dake-wells.com | PROJECT SUMMARY: Replete with floor-to-ceiling windows, a large meeting space, interactive displays

and plenty of school pride, this stunning welcome center draws visitors into campus and provides a destination for events.

JUDGE’S COMMENTS: “This building gives a sense of hope and growth in the future. Great use of natural light and pattern

detail—ensures progress in an energetic environment.”

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DAYS INN SPRINGFIELD SOUTH

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HOSPITALITY

Designer Andrea Deckard used natural elements and modern touches to refresh the common areas (top) and guest rooms (middle) at Days Inn Springfield South.

She also gave the cafe area a face-lift (below).

WINNING DESIGNER: Andrea M. Deckard, A. Deckard Interiors, 1501 E. Sunshine St., Suite D, Springfield; 417-831-9300; adeckardinteriors.com | PROJECT SUMMARY: The designer used creative, outside-the-box fixes to update and modernize

this hotel and create a beautiful, restful environment inspired by nature and outdoor recreation.

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PHOTOS BY WALKER HOSPITALITY GROUP

hile renovating its Days Inn property, Walker Hospitality Group realized it wanted a sharp eye to give the project design direction. They enlisted designer Andrea M. Deckard, who didn’t have to look far to find inspiration: Bass Pro Shops, which is just a stone’s throw from the property and is a destination for many hotel guests.

“We wanted to take an approach that was giving them an earthy design that was representative of their proximity to Bass Pro Shops and kind of play into that concept of extending a guest’s stay so they can feel like they are continuing that experience of Bass Pro,” Deckard says. That required incorporating natural elements balanced with modern touches in the corridors, breakfast room, guest rooms and lobby, the latter of which sets the tone for that rustic yet contemporary vibe with features like a coffee table made from root balls and custom window sheers with a branch motif.

The natural aesthetic also came into play with a particular design challenge: creating privacy for the pool, which is visible through lobby windows. Deckard had custom window graphics made to look like layered branches and twigs, providing privacy while making a striking statement. Another smart, high-impact addition is the breakfast room’s tall community table customized with a laminate reminiscent of petrified wood.

Together, such unique touches in combination with the natural color palette create an atmosphere that’s miles from cookie-cutter. “They wanted to elevate themselves with something that was special, something that was different, something that would appeal to people traveling through who would make an effort to stay here not just because of the location, which is really great, but also because of the design,” Deckard says.

SKY ELEVEN

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umerous organizations have called the Woodruff Building home. Considered Springfield’s first skyscraper, the building has sustained considerable wear and tear since its 1911 debut. But where others saw dereliction, developers Tim Roth and Matt Miller of The Vecino Group saw potential for dynamic multifamily housing, so they brought on Buxton Kubik Dodd Creative architect Brian Kubik and designer Joyce Buxton to execute that vision.

For Kubik, the first step was assessing the building’s dilapidated state and figuring out how to make it code compliant. That required major renovations, such as having contractor O’Reilly Build LLC (then Build LLC) create a new stair tower connecting all ten floors of the building. “That was a pretty big feat to do that,” Kubik says. Once those and other key structural changes were made, Buxton got to work giving Sky Eleven a sleek, Mad Men–like vibe inspired by the 1950s, the era during which the building’s signature teal panels were installed.

That color is woven throughout the building, including on the first floor, home to several buzzing common areas. “We really wanted to make it fun for the students and their activities, so we have open areas, TVs, a workout space and a bar, [which is] a place where they could rent the space out,” Kubik says. They also had a luxe saltwater pool installed, creating another gathering place for the dozens of tenants now living in 90 fully furnished units, replacing what were once empty offices. Buxton and Kubik view such transformation as a hugely positive force in Springfield’s urban core. “That truly is what’s going to revolutionize downtown,” Kubik says.

PHOTOS BY GAYLE BABCOCK, ARCHITECTURAL IMAGES LLC

The Woodruff Building in downtown Springfield (left) was transformed into a jaw-dropping apartment complex. The interior of the space was designed by Joyce Buxton and Brian Kubik of Buxton Kubik Dodd Creative. The features in the common areas and the outdoor pool (below) make Sky Eleven an attractive residence for college students and young professionals.

HISTORICAL RENOVATION BIZ417.COM

WINNING DESIGNERS: Joyce Buxton and Brian Kubik, Buxton Kubik Dodd Creative, 1435 E. Bradford Parkway, Suite 100, Springfield; 417-890-5543; buxtonkubikdodd.com | PROJECT SUMMARY: To create a vibrant student and young professional housing community, the historic Woodruff Building had to be completely gutted before it could house stylish new units and amenity-rich common areas.

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CASH FAMILY ORTHODONTICS

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MEDICAL 40

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The waiting room at Cash Family Orthodontics (top) features wood floors and residential-style lighting, making it feel more like a living room than a medical facility. In the clinical area (above), vibrant customupholstered dental chairs bring pops of color to the bright, airy space.

PHOTOS BY BRADLEY WILKINSON

edical environments can sometimes skew into cold, institutional design territory, but Joyce Buxton and Jon Dodd of Buxton Kubik Dodd Creative sought to go in the opposite direction for Cash Family Orthodontics. When Dr. Tara R. Cash, who holds a degree in interior design, and her father, Dr. Jerry F. Cash, decided to relocate their practice, they hired Buxton Kubik Dodd and BP Builders LLC to create a space that could be tailored to their specific needs. Chief among those needs was efficient patient flow. “Everything kind of went from that or was based on that because when the patient flow works well within a dental office, the whole operation works well,” says Dodd, who was the architect on the project.

That flow starts in the waiting room, which now features wood flooring and residentialstyle lighting. It continues into the clinical space, to which the designers applied emphasis so it could function as efficiently as possible. They worked with Jerry to equip the open bay with custom cabinetry made to his specifications. “He actually designed down to the quarter of an inch how he wanted those cabinets to work,” Buxton says.

The clinical area also contains vibrant touches such as colorful custom-upholstered dental chairs, bringing an unexpected pop of color. “The thing that really makes this successful is just the uniqueness and the beauty of the interior design—not just the products used, but how everything worked together,” Dodd says.

WINNING DESIGNERS: Joyce Buxton and Jon Dodd, Buxton Kubik Dodd Creative, 1435 E. Bradford Parkway, Suite 100, Springfield; 417-890-5543; buxtonkubikdodd.com | PROJECT SUMMARY: The designers sought to create a comfortable, inviting space where patients and families would feel welcomed, whether they’re sitting in the waiting room or receiving treatment in the clinical area.

BIZ417.COM

LAW OFFICES OF KRISTOFFER BAREFIELD LLC

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PHOTOS BY JEREMY MASON MCGRAW

hen attorney Kristoffer Barefield leased space in this more than 100-year-old building, it was essentially a blank slate for Obelisk Home designers Nathan Taylor and J. Martin to transform into a beautiful brand-new office for the growing practice. “It was a great big, open space, so we had to come up with a plan to infill and give them offices and a conference room and a reception area,” Taylor says. That required getting creative, given the building’s historic bones, which were incorporated throughout the design.

For example, old pine columns and beams were left visible, the concrete floor was waxed and stained but kept otherwise intact, and original brick was left exposed for a stylish effect in the gallery-like entry area.

Such industrial features fit well with the designers’ goal of creating a casual yet professional environment. “They didn’t want it to feel like a stuffy law office,” Taylor says. To create an inviting atmosphere, Taylor and Martin tucked eye-catching original artwork throughout the space. That provided appealing pops of color in spots such as the conference area, another room where a sense of warmth and welcome was emphasized in design decisions as simple as the small size of the table.

“They wanted a very simple conference table,” Taylor says. “They wanted it to feel intimate.”

That focus on client experience was top of mind throughout the entire project. “Someone can come in, they can go to the restroom, they can get a cup of coffee, they can get a soda, and they feel like they can sit and wait and not feel like they are in a place that they are not really welcome or they are not comfortable,” Taylor says.

FINANCE/ LEGAL

Designers Nathan Taylor and J. Martin used original artwork and other pops of color to bring an inviting look to the law offices of Kristoffer Barefield (above). The building was formerly a large, open space, so the designers had to get creative when they added individual rooms to the space (far left).

The office is located in a historic building, and the old pine columns and beams were left visible (left).

The building also features the old concrete floor, which was waxed and stained.

WINNING DESIGNERS: Nathan Taylor and J. Kent Martin, Obelisk Home, 214 W. Phelps St., Suite 101, Springfield; 417-6166488; obeliskhome.com | PROJECT SUMMARY: Working within the constraints of a historic structure, the designers created a warm, inviting office where clients could feel like family. | JUDGE’S COMMENTS: “Awesome design. You did just what you set

out to accomplish.”

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ASSEMBLIES A

OF GOD CREDIT UNION

ssemblies of God Credit Union approached Buxton Kubik Dodd Creative to create an outside-the-box office for its new operations center that consolidates staff from member services, marketing, the call center and the executive team. Executed with the help of contractor Rex Winslow with Construct, the finished product boasts an open floor plan, high-tech audiovisual technology, amenities like a full kitchen and numerous informal meeting areas geared toward collaboration.

Biz 417: Why did Assemblies of God Credit Union pursue this project?

Joyce Buxton: This was really done for their staff. It’s an operations center, so by the nature of it, it’s sort of back of house. So they weren’t doing this for a show for the public. It was really to attract and retain good people. They literally said to their staff, “You are important. We want you to have a nice place to work.”

Biz: What did they want to achieve with the design?

Jon Dodd: They wanted an open environment that was kind of an exposed structure, a fun atmosphere that was colorful and collaborative. They didn’t want to just stick people in rooms with acoustic walls to separate one department from another, even though there were some areas that needed a little more acoustical control than others.

Biz: How did you provide that acoustical control?

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July/August 2017

Biz: How has this project impacted the company’s staff?

JD: They were scattered in different facilities, so they never had the benefit of working together.

So [there’s] a lot of synergy being together for the first time.

WINNING DESIGNERS: Joyce Buxton and Brandi Bailey (interiors), Jon Dodd and Jonathan Sproule (architects), Buxton Kubik Dodd Creative, 1435 E. Bradford Parkway, Suite 100, Springfield; 417-890-5543; buxtonkubikdodd.com [Editor’s note: Brandy Bailey and Jonathan Sproule are no longer with Buxton Kubik Dodd Creative.] | PROJECT SUMMARY: Eschewing basic, boring office design expectations, the designers and architects stylishly executed an open floor plan intended to encourage collaboration.

BIZ417.COM

PHOTOS BY BRADLEY WILKINSON

The new open floor plan at Assemblies of God Credit Union includes numerous informal meeting areas (above), so employees have their choice of inviting spaces to sit and take a quick break. The space was designed by a team of designers at Buxton Kubik Dodd Creative.

They brought the space to life using stylish office furnishings and vibrant colors (right).

JD: We actually kept the environments open, but we used spaces like conference rooms and other functions to kind of psychologically separate one zone from another to help acoustically separate it without making it feel like it was closed off. And then within those quieter areas we used acoustical ceiling clouds that were suspended at multiple heights within the space to help cut down on sound in those areas.

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B I Z 417 P R E S E N T S

MEET MASTERS the

EACH ISSUE WE INTRODUCE YOU TO 417-LAND’S TOP PROFESSIONALS. There are many experts in 417-land who set the bar high for others in the industry. From masters in creating the perfect building design for your business, helping with financial goals to building or refreshing your rooftop, find out what makes those businesses, and those who are behind them, so exceptional.

BIZ417.COM

01. BATES 02. COX ROOFING 03.

THRIVENT FINANCIAL July/August 2017

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meet the masters in

ARCHITECTURE

BLUEGREEN VACATIONS, in joint venture with Big Cedar Vacations, partners with Bates for a dreamy Ozark Mountains resort. The property is a 26-acre development, bordering Table Rock Lake. Bates’ knowledge, expertise and creativity have resulted in loyalty and local success since 1973.

Project Manager Jason Gundy and Associate Architect Eric Motley are the experts for Phases 1 and 2.

Phases 1 and 2 consist of the 150,000-squarefoot six-story Main Lodge with 79 units, and a Grand Lodge. The Main Lodge and site are de-

DESIGNED WITH INFLUENCES FROM CRAFTSMAN STYLE ARCHITECTURE WHILE RESPONDING TO THE LANDSCAPE CONSISTENT THROUGHOUT THE OZARKS.

signed with influences from craftsman style architecture while responding to the materials and landscape consistent throughout the Ozarks.

Amenities include a miniature golf course, an additional pool with expanded pool deck and a presidential lounge. This will bring added value to the Cliffs at Long Creek Villas, an enhanced range of experiences for Bluegreen Vacations guests and an expanded timeshare lodging market for the JV Partnership.

Phases 1 and 2 will be completed in May of 2018.

B AT E S 433 West Walnut Springfield, MO

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417-865-2056

batesarchitects.com BIZ417.COM

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meet the masters in

ROOFING

Left to right: Chuck Hinkley, Production Manager; Rebecca Morton, Office Manager; Ron Cox, Founder/Sales Manager; Ken Mills, President

THE PEOPLE AND THE ITEMS everyone loves

most…can all find protection under one thing: a roof.

Having a roof that withstands the crazy Ozark weather is important. Because the people and heirlooms underneath are important. In business nearly 40 years, Cox Roofing has a reputation for roofing done right.

It starts with the right estimators. People trained in all things roof-related. They look at the entire roof system (not just shingles)… sheathing, flashing, vents, soffit, fascia, gutters and downspouts.

Of course, having the right roofers is paramount.

Only the best are hired. That’s right… hired. Not subcontracted. Cox Roofing has several fully staffed roof-

THIS COMPANY MAINTAINS AN A+ RATING WITH THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU AND HAS NEARLY FIVE-STAR ONLINE FEEDBACK.

ing crews. People who work together every day. People who know roofs inside and out. They’re licensed and insured.

When a roof is done right, backing it up with a warranty isn’t a problem. Cox Roofing services have a 10 year labor warranty for most roof replacements.

And, most product lines that are offered come with a LIFETIME warranty.

There’s a reason property managers and real estate companies trust Cox Roofing. This company maintains an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and has nearly five-star online feedback. Cox Roofing protects its customers by doing roofing right.

COX ROOFING 3221 S Scenic Springfield, MO BIZ417.COM

417-887-3874

coxroofing.net July/August 2017

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meet the masters in

FINANCES

Rachel D Curley-Financial Associate, FIC; Jeffrey J Kohls-Financial Consultant, CFP, ChFC, CLU; Tony Manasseri-Financial Associate, RICP®, CLTC®, FIC; Paul A Lekar-Financial Consultant, FIC Insurance products issued or offered by Thrivent Financial, the marketing name for Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, Appleton, WI. Not all products are available in all states. Securities and investment advisory services are offered through Thrivent Investment Management Inc., 625 Fourth Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55415, a FINRA and SIPC member and a wholly owned subsidiary of Thrivent. Thrivent Financial representatives are registered representatives of Thrivent Investment Management Inc. They are also licensed insurance agents/producers of Thrivent. Thrivent Financial representatives and employees cannot provide legal, accounting, or tax advice or services. Work with your Thrivent Financial representative, and as appropriate, your attorney and/or tax professional for additional information. 1313607-093015

FOR MORE THAN 100 YEARS, Thrivent Financial has helped their members—over 2.3 million strong—to be wise with money and live generously. As a membership organization of Christians, they succeed when their members and communities thrive.

Whether you’re just starting out in your career or are preparing for the retirement you’ve dreamed about, Thrivent Financial helps you identify financial opportunities to help you reach your ultimate destination with confidence. They can help with the things that matter the most: protecting your and your family’s financial future, planning for long-term

Thrivent Financial helps you reach your financial destination with confidence.

—Thrivent Financial

care expenses and saving for specific needs like retirement or education.

Based on your goals, needs and budgets, they can help develop a spectrum of financial solutions— including retirement income accumulation and distribution—which may include investments, insurance or annuities.

They’ll also work with accountants and estate planning attorneys to help create and implement tax minimization and estate preservation strategies so you can live and leave a legacy for the people and causes that matter to you.

THRIVENT FINANCIAL 2200 E. Sunshine Ste. 214 Springfield, MO

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July/August 2017

417-890-2413

connect.thrivent.com/greater-ozarks-associates BIZ417.COM

ADVERTISING

417.877.0395 | northernsummit.com

3 WAYS YOUR OLD ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE IS LEAVING YOUR BUSINESS VULNERABLE TO CRIMINALS

If you’re relying on traditional anti-virus solutions to prevent advanced attacks, you are an EASY target for these criminals. You’ve done everything you know to do: select a firewall, keep your anti-virus software up to date and train your employees—so you’re safe from these crooks, right?

WRONG! According to recent studies, anti-virus only stops about 35% of malicious software. That means that a whopping 65% of threats may be infiltrating YOUR network because today’s attacks are sneakier, stealthier AND spread much more easily than in the past.

SO HOW DO YOU KEEP YOURSELF SAFE FROM THIS? While nothing is 100% foolproof, there are advanced solutions that boast up to a 99.6% success rate. Any advanced solution must protect you during three critical times:

1

Before an attack. Every solution you evaluate must focus on keeping your network safe before a threat even begins. That solution should not react to yesterday’s news, but should proactively keep you safe from current threats.

an attack. It is important that the attack. Some threats will 3 After 2 During your solution is sophisticated enough to sneak through even the best defenses. It detect malicious software and shut it down immediately so it doesn’t spread through your network.

is imperative that you have the ability to see what files were compromised, what countries your network connected to and exactly how the threat got into your network AND clean it up!

CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE AT NORTHERNSUMMIT.COM TO FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN GET A FREE NETWORK ASSESSMENT TO MAKE SURE YOUR COMPANY IS PROTECTED.

BIZ417.COM

July/August 2017

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TOOLS TO HELP YOU DOMINATE

“You do feel that pressure on your shoulders of making sure you can keep things going for your family. It’s a heavy mantle to wear.”

PHOTOS BY BRAD ZWEERINK, COURTESY ILLUMINE COLLECT

—Amber Edmondson, President of Trailiner Corp., see story p. 62

THE GIVING TEE

Graphic T-shirts bring in big bucks for active lifestyle nonprofits.

62 52 52 53 53

Culture Club Do It Now What If Jumpstart

54 56 57 60

Advice & Whiskey Giving Back How To The Big Question

61 Vantage Point 61 Simplify 62 Next Gen

PAGE 56 BIZ417.COM

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[CULTURE CLUB]

Keith Chaffin, Kim Hogan Chaffin and Bud Hogan are the co-owners of Hogan Land Title Co. The trio took over the company more than 30 years ago.

Years in the Making The owners of Hogan Land Title Co. have figured out what it takes to keep employees around for the long haul—a key to success in their specialized industry.

BY: SAVANNAH WASZCZUK

T

he three co-owners of Hogan Land Title Co. are each quick to credit their success back to their employees. “We believe that the root of our success and growth stems from our employees and the culture we have built since the beginning,” says Bud Hogan, who owns the business with his sister, Kim Hogan Chaffin, and her husband, Keith Chaffin.

Because Hogan Land Title operates in a very specialized industry, the owners focus their energy on developing and maintaining the employees they have. “It could take a year to train someone, so having a stable workforce is critical for us,” Kim says. Last year an employee retired in her mid 80s after starting with the company in 1962. “She is a great example of our culture, because she grew with the company,” Keith says.

“Any time we had an industry change she was

great about changing with it.” Keith shares more examples of long-time employees who have been with the company for 20 or more years.

“We’re doing something right, because people don’t leave,” Bud adds. “When they do, they retire,” Keith says.

Bud, Kim and Keith also have many years of experience behind them—the three took the company over from Bud and Kim’s father, Jack, more than three decades ago. Since then they can all say they’ve learned how to manage employees and keep them around—a task that is made successful with a bit of trust on their end. “The best piece of advice I would tell somebody is to not micromanage,” Keith says.

“I think that’s the key. Get your people trained to know what they’re doing and let them do it, and then trust that they’re going to do it.” This trust also allows the owners to give their employees leniency. “Our kids are all grown now, but through raising families and our values—there were a lot of times we took off for soccer games, practices and school functions—that all goes through to our employees,” Bud says.

When employees are in the office, they are often focused on working, but they also still make sure to take some time for fun, a lot of which is organized by Hogan’s marketing director Emily Laurie. “You know we talk about the culture going back in history, but she’s changed a lot for our company in the last five years,” Keith says of Laurie. “She’s elevated things for us.”

Laurie helps communicate the company’s culture among all locations—there are five offices and approximately 65 employees—and she also plans a variety of events including luncheons, nutrition classes, nonprofit events and the annual company Christmas party. Regardless of the event they’re celebrating, the owners agree that the main goal is keeping their employees happy. “Our employees are skilled, and they’re skilled in a very unusual business,” Keith says.

“If everyone is comfortable here and they’re happy here, it’s easier for us to all be successful because we’re not trying to go out and find that next new person. To us, that’s a big deal.”

[DO IT NOW ]

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GET FEEDBACK

Determine how often filler words sneak into your speech. “Have a close friend or colleague count those for you during a meeting, because a lot of times we say uh, umm or ah and we don’t even realize it,” Greiner says.

BE ORGANIZED

Filler words often snarl delivery when speaking off the cuff, so organize your thoughts in advance. That mental exercise leads to mastery and poise, even if you deviate from the exact pre-planned phrasing.

PAUSE

Stumped by a question or comment? Rather than fumbling through a response, pause, think through your words and even ask for time to research or consider the question before you reply.

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PHOTO BY BRANDON ALMS

ELIMINATE FILLER SPEECH

Toastmasters member LaDonna Greiner, president and CEO of LG Consulting & Training LLC, helps eradicate the use of umm, like and other unprofessional interjections.

[WHAT IF]

[JUMPSTART]

POSITIVE PLANNING

BROKE BUT NOT BROKEN

The benefits of having an employee retirement plan don’t end when the employee leaves.

BY: JULIE SEDENKO DAVIS

Win-Win. Offering an employee retirement plan is obviously good for the employee. But employers also benefit by more easily attracting and retaining quality talent. Many plans offer solid tax incentives, too. “Employers need to work with a specialist for plan design,” says Certified Financial Planner Andrea McKinney. To start, find an investment professional and ask these questions:

Although no business owner ever wants to file for bankruptcy, it happens. Learn what to expect if you ever find yourself in the unfortunate situation.

Which type of retirement plan is appropriate for my business?

BY: SAVANNAH WASZCZUK

PHOTOS COURTESY SHUTTERSTOCK, ANDREA MCKINNEY

T

hings don’t always work out the way they were planned. This isn’t always a bad thing, but when it comes to owning and operating a business—and being financially successful in that business—you definitely hope that those original plans live to be true. Attorneys, like Dan Nelson, a partner at Lathrop & Gage LLP, are equipped to help you if they don’t.

Nelson has been practicing law for 34 years, and he frequently works with clients who are in struggling with bankruptcy. “I started representing people who filed for bankruptcy very early in my career,” Nelson says. He joined Lathrop & Gage some 20 years ago, which is when he shifted his main focus to representing creditors and banks, and he also served as a trustee in bankruptcy for 22 years.

“What we would do first is ask the prospective client to bring us the most recent financial information that they have,” Nelson says.

This includes two to three years’ worth of tax returns as well as a year or so of financial statements. “We want this so we can get some idea of what the problem is,” he says.

Next an attorney analyzes the information and determines what might work for the client. This includes checking if a Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, which allows the debtor to propose a plan of reorganization to keep its business alive and pay creditors over time, is feasible for the client.

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Frequently attorneys don’t have the luxury of time in the bankruptcy process, so they might initially deal with fighting off things such as foreclosures and wage garnishments and analyze later. “The quicker a client gets to us, the more options they have,” Nelson says.

“Bankruptcy is kind of a last resort.”

In most cases, the client has 120 days to file a plan of how they’re going to restructure or figure out how to pay their debts, whether it be by reorganizing, selling assets or a combination of the two. The plan is then served to all creditors, and there’s a voting process to approve or reject it. If the plan is approved, it becomes binding and the debtor is responsible for making approved payments. If the plan is not approved, the case is dismissed or converted to Chapter 7 Bankruptcy and clients must consider other options.

The final step for bankruptcy clients is simply sticking to their repayment plan, making sure not to miss payments and, of course, paying attention to accounting information and correcting the mistakes that got them there in the first place. It’s also important for clients to work on their relationships with lenders, because they might need them again in the future. “After you’ve operated successfully under a new plan for a year or two, sometimes you can find a lender who is willing to lend again,” Nelson says. “It’s all about relationships.”

There are many types of retirement plans such as 401(k) accounts and individual retirement accounts (IRA).

Some are suited for sole proprietors; others are better for larger companies.

Understand differences and potential tax benefits associated with each.

How will the plan meet my priorities?

Some business owners want higher contribution limits. Others might desire less plan administration. Employers should choose a plan that meets their priorities. “A retirement plan can be the best way to secure your financial future as well as [the financial future of] your employees,” McKinney says.

What are my responsibilities if I offer a plan?

Responsibilities change depending on the type of plan. Some require business owners to make contributions every year, despite varying levels of income.

Others have the owner acting as fiduciary, meaning more liability and plan administration. Be careful to understand the owner’s obligation when choosing retirement benefits.

Andrea McKinney is vice president and wealth management consultant for Central Trust Co. She is also a member a Rosie.

July/August 2017

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[ADVICE & WHISKEY]

As a professional CEO, Bruce Nasby knows a thing or two about running a business, and he’s happy to share his advice with others at the top.

Top Execs and Tipples with Bruce Nasby Bruce Nasby has had a varied career, and much of his experience has been running companies. He knows firsthand the perks, as well as the obstacles, of being alone atop a company. Nasby, the retired executive vice president of Enactus, consults CEOs through his company, Global Advisory Associates, and hosts a peer advisory group as a part of Vistage.

He sat down for drinks at Barley, Wheat & Rye Social House to talk wisdom for CEOs. BY: JEFF HOUGHTON

“CEOs need to be good listeners. They’re usually Type A type of people. They’re usually self-confident, but they need to listen because when you’re having a conversation with somebody, usually you’re thinking of what you’re going to say while somebody’s talking. You need to learn how to be totally engaged in listening.”

“You’ve really got to have empathy for your people. Everyone that works for you is dealing with an issue. Everyone has got something going on in their life besides going to work, and if you don’t understand and care and be empathetic towards that, you’re really not ever going to be respected as their leader.” “[If] you care about your employees, they’ll give you 150%. If you don’t, they’ll just punch the clock.”

“CEOs also need to know how to take care of themselves, how to be healthy. You’ve got to learn to take care of yourself as well as you care for the people around you.”

“Everybody has to answer questions they don’t know the answer to, and if you’re going to be perfectly honest, you’re going to say, ‘I don’t know the answer to that, and I’m going to find it out and get back to you.’ Quite often you get yourself into trouble by making up stuff.”

ILLUSTRATION BY RYAN SAUNDERS

“I think people aren’t willing to be vulnerable and say, ‘I don’t know.’

I know a lot of businesspeople around the world that are just too proud and they know all the answers and don’t need to learn everything. [They think] they’ve got it nailed, but they don’t.”

ttan 1 Manha d ashione 1 Old F

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[GIVING BACK]

Collective Action A new lifestyle apparel company in Springfield aims to aid nonprofits that promote action sports by donating 20 percent of each sale to a partner agency.

BY: JULIANA GOODWIN

Jeremy Lux, a lifelong fan of skateboarding and biking, founded Illumine Collect with the intention of benefiting nonprofits that impact lives through action sports.

W

hen Jeremy Lux was a teen, skateboarding and biking taught him discipline, patience and passion. So in fall 2015, when Lux started thinking about founding an apparel company, he knew he wanted to donate a portion of the proceeds to nonprofits that promote action sports. “I found out that there are thousands of nonprofits that use this lifestyle as a vehicle for making a positive impact on others, so why not partner with those organizations?” Lux says.

His company, Illumine Collect, launched in January. Each quarter, he partners with a different nonprofit and donates 20 percent from each sale to that partner. His first partner was TrailSpring, which builds multi-use trails in the Ozarks. Other partners include WAVES for Development and Future 6.

“I wouldn’t say this model is easy, but there are some clear benefits for the nonprofits and our company,” the 26-year-old says. “It’s a symbiotic relationship. We help promote their cause and give back while they help raise awareness for Illumine Collect.” Some industries operate on smaller profit margins, so if you’re interested in adapting this business model, make sure you determine if it makes financial sense for your company.

Before his company started, Lux, who has a background in sports marketing, spent a year promoting Illumine Collect on social media.

Instagram has been his favorite tool, followed

by Facebook. “Use hashtags relevant to your brand,” he says. “Post as often as you can.

Interact with anyone who interacts with you.”

Lux also looks for co-branding opportunities, such as blogs. He reaches out to bloggers to see if they can cross-promote each other, and he’s always searching for other marketing ideas.

Lux has his apparel printed at Crackerjack Shack, a Springfield screen printing and embroidery company where he works fulltime. He runs Illumine Collect at night and on weekends. The biggest challenge is raising brand awareness on a national scale. Right now, his products are sold online and locally at Five Pound Apparel and Sunshine Bike Shop, where donations from sales continue to support TrailSpring. Eventually he’d like to sell in big-box retailers and be able to give back a significant amount of money to nonprofits.

For any business owner who wants to donate to a cause, Lux advises following your heart. “Do it for the right reason,” he says. “If you are giving back, give to something you are passionate about.”

NUMBER OF NONPROFIT PARTNERS:

3 56

July/August 2017

RETAILERS CARRYING ILLUMINE COLLECT:

2

PERCENT OF EACH PURCHASE DONATED:

20%

INCREASE IN DONATIONS FROM 2015 TO 2016:

20%

AMOUNT DONATED:

$500

MONTHS TO LAUNCH:

17

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PHOTO BY ALEX SOLOMON

PHILANTHROPIC PROFILE

[HOW TO ]

HOW TO CONDUCT LAYOFFS Business is booming these days, but memories of a weaker economy aren’t too distant. Should profits slow or a big contract fall through, company expenses will need to be reduced. That can mean layoffs are on the table. Candida Arvizu, an adviser for HR Advantage, explains what business owners can expect about this difficult decision.

BY: SONY HOCKLANDER

Candida Arvizu

KNOW YOUR LEGAL OBLIGATIONS

Consider any applicable compliance issues from employment and union contracts. Those might determine what parameters to use when deciding which positions must go. Employers not bound by contingencies have to decide which employees are most valuable based on seniority, qualifications, the department they work in and other factors. Try to make decisions in a fair way, Arvizu says, and “be mindful of any unequal treatment; be mindful of people in protected classes.” Companies with more than 100 employees planning massive layoffs like a plant closing must provide 60 days of advance notice to employees, and, if appropriate, a labor union. They should also notify elected community officials because that kind of layoff can affect the entire community.

CREATE A PROTOCOL

Especially if you are laying off more than one person, it’s important to have a consistent procedure. Involve human resources and all stakeholders to strategize layoffs and determine which and when information will be revealed. Prepare a packet of info that includes COBRA health benefits, how employees will access retirement information and details about final paycheck, paid time off and, if appropriate, severance. Determine also how to retrieve company property such as a car, laptop or cell phone. You should also consider whether security measures should be taken to protect company data and confidential information. Employees react in varying ways, Arvizu says. In some cases the layoff is amicable, but if there’s concern employees might delete files, download confidential information or use email or company social media in a negative way, be prepared to quickly change passwords and restrict access to data.

PHOTO COURTESY HR ADVANTAGE

EXECUTE YOUR PLAN

Communication is key, Arvizu says. When it’s time to lay off employees, deliver the news with honesty, kindness and respect. Stress that the layoff is a business decision and doesn’t reflect performance. The meeting should be reasonably brief, “but you want to give the employee time to ask questions—not to change your mind, but questions about what happens next,” Arvizu says. Also share post-layoff contact information with the employee. Some employers provide resources for other job or retraining opportunities. Others contact the Missouri Career Center, or even competitors, on employees’ behalf. Finally, understand that remaining employees will view layoffs with fear. Be as transparent as you can to set minds at ease.

HEAD TO BIZ417.COM TO FIND OUT WHAT TO DO NEXT IF YOU ARE THE ONE GETTING LAID OFF. BIZ417.COM

July/August 2017

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S P OT L I G H T S

Business Spotlight

TURNING DREAMS INTO REALITY. That’s the mission at Larry Snyder and Company. A construction project isn’t considered complete until the client’s dreams have materialized.

At Snyder, a team approach is an important part of turning a dream into reality. Owners are welcome to be as involved in the construction process as they desire. In a relationship – and reputation-based business, the interest of every team member is important.

After more than 35 years, Snyder has the construction process down to a science. Clients appreciate the pre-construction process with in-depth preliminary budgeting. The construction phase is where they’ve earned a reputation for delivering the highest level of service. It’s more than quality building. It’s cost and schedule management, safety and quality control.

It’s about a highly skilled team working together to turn a client’s dream into reality.

LARRY SNYDER & CO. G E N E R A L C O N T R AC TO R S 417-887-6897 4 8 2 0 N . TO W N E C E N T E R OZARK LSCINC.COM

Business Spotlight

OA S I S H O T E L A N D CONVENTION CENTER A U N I Q U E H OT E L 417-866-5253 1-800-532-4338 2 5 4 6 N . G L E N S TO N E SPRINGFIELD S P R I N G F I E L D OA S I S . C O M

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IT’S HARD TO CREATE GREAT MEMORIES with the ordinary.

That’s why Oasis Hotel and Convention Center was created to be everything except ordinary.

Oasis can’t be described by comparing it to another hotel. Because it’s different. Unique. There’s simply nothing else like it.

Ordinary hotels have rooms. Oasis has 173 retreats… either poolside or courtyard. Fully updated with modern, tropically inspired decor and every amenity to provide for complete comfort. Refrigerator, microwave, coffeemaker, hair dryer, irons (and boards) are high quality.

Ordinary hotels have TVs. Oasis has 43-inch LED flat screens, along with free, high-speed internet.

Ordinary hotels have pools. Oasis has one of the area’s largest indoor and outdoor saltwater pools surrounded by a tropical atrium and hot tub.

Ordinary hotels have restaurants. Oasis has Fire & Ice Restaurant & Bar. The only ice bar in Springfield, it is a tastebud smorgasbord, serving only the most memorable steaks, seafood, salads and sandwiches. Even the cooking is extraordinary as chefs prepare meals in an open kitchen, putting on an impressive show of flames.

Ordinary hotels have meeting rooms. Oasis has more than 30,000 square feet of ultra-modern facilities with theatrical lighting, drop-down screens and the latest in audio-visual.

Oasis. Everything except ordinary.

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S P OT L I G H T S

ENTREPRENEURS ARE A UNIQUE BREED. They usually go out on their own because they’re talented, driven and have dreams about the life they want to live. A full, personally rewarding life. Too often the entrepreneur ends up buried in details, documents and stress. The fortunate ones find the ultimate business partner: Sanford Lea & Associates.

Business owners don’t always make great accountants. Sanford Lea & Associates allows entrepreneurs to be entrepreneurs. This renowned CPA firm takes over the details of cash flow, forecasting, payroll, business valuations, bookkeeping and more. Sanford Lea & Associates allows the business owner to make money while enjoying their life.

Sanford Lea & Associates utilize technology to keep life simple. Clients can access the secure CloudAdvisor from their desktop or cell phone. It’s a paperless way to take the pain out of payroll and get vitals on the business. Then there’s BOSS™. Sanford Lea & Associates uses this to pay their clients’ bills and prepare payroll and financial statements. Businesses access the information in real time.

Sanford Lea & Associates partner James Lea says, “The biggest success stories we have are the ones who partner with us the most.” When a full, personally rewarding life is the goal, call Sanford Lea & Associates.

LOOKS ARE POWERFUL. But they aren’t everything.

The company is housed in a 145,000-square-foot facility. Providing everything from design to delivery and maintenance. Everything happens in-house 100% of the time.

Springfield Sign owner Mark Wessell is an engineer by trade, along with other members of his elite staff. It means Springfield Sign customers can be confident their products are professionally engineered using sound principles and quality materials.

It’s easy to go for the lowest bid. However, you could end up with a sign of poor quality that is likely to bend, fade or deteriorate. Springfield Sign Marketing Director Michal Moss Early understands a company’s sign is synonymous with their story. She says, “If people see a quality sign they associate a quality business.”

Springfield Sign has manufactured some of the most recognizable insignias locally and nationwide. One-of-a-kind signs and mass quantity manufacturing. Customers include names like Wal-Mart, CoxHealth, Bass Pro, Culver’s, Applebee’s, Mercy and Sam’s. Other premier custom signs include BYOP (Build Your Own Pizza) and Branson’s Dick Clark Theater. CEO and Founder of America’s Incredible Pizza Company says, “We consider Springfield Sign a key vendor that has played a major role in our success.”

Looks matter. Springfield Sign has mastered it all.

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Business Spotlight

SANFORD, LEA & A S S O C I AT E S ENTREPRENEURS 417-886-2220 1 6 5 5 S . E N T E R P R I S E AV E .

SPRINGFIELD A D I F F E R E N TC PA . C O M

Business Spotlight

SPRINGFIELD SIGN C O M PA N Y S I G N S

417-862-2454 4 8 2 5 E . K E A R N E Y S T. SPRINGFIELD SPRINGFIELDSIGN.COM

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[THE BIG QUESTION]

Better Safe Than Sorry Keeping your business secure and employees safe doesn’t have to be expensive or timeconsuming, but it needs to be done. Two local experts share why.

BY: REN BISHOP

Preventing Theft In Walker’s experience, local businesses are most likely to experience crime during an overnight burglary outside of the company’s normal business hours. But they aren’t usually smash-and-grab type of crimes, he says. “A large number of theft crimes are committed by professional thieves who are incredibly intelligent,” Walker says. “They’ll case a business or a neighborhood, and they’re predators. They’ll stalk their prey, and they know when the right opportunity is.”

To deter thieves, Walker recommends a three-pronged prevention strategy: Invest in a

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ployees to have a written safety plan and all to follow its guidelines. But that’s just a place to start, Cullins says.

“Our products are in about 250,000 workplaces across the country, and I can say with certainty that there is no such thing as common sense,” he says. “There’s one thing to know something, and there’s another thing to do it, so we teach behavior-based safety.”

To prevent injuries, Cullins recommends starting with the basics. Do a safety audit to evaluate what is a potential hazard in your workplace and what is not. Purchase and use personal protective equip“THERE’S NO BUSINESS THAT’S ment, like keyboard wrist rests in offices EXEMPT FROM ANY TYPE OF and safety glasses on construction sites.

And have a training plan in place so CRIME.” employees are trained to prevent and —Springfield Police Officer address accidents at work.

“The most important thing is employMichael Walker ees’ lives and their injuries,” he says.

“No one wants to make that call to a family member that your husband lost his life today or Preventing Injuries your daughter was injured. There are instances Keeping businesses safe includes helping almost every year, even in Springfield, when employees prevent injuries. Coby Cullins, someone dies in the workplace, and so much of president of National Safety Compliance, helps that is preventable.” business owners navigate the Occupational Safety and Health Act. The national mandate VISIT BIZ417.COM TO GET EVEN MORE INSIGHT ON requires all businesses with 10 or more emKEEPING YOUR OFFICE SECURE. high-quality video camera, have a well lit business at all times and install an alarm system that actually works. Fake cameras and faux alarm system signs do nothing to stop a professional thief, Walker says.

“If you make yourself a harder target than the next business, then a criminal is going to pass over you,” he says. “Professional burglars are good at what they do, but they’re also lazy. They don’t want to go through the extra effort if they don’t have to.”

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ILLUSTRATION COURTESY SHUTTERSTOCK; PHOTO COURTESY DRURY UNIVERSITY

A

burglar unscrews the metal panels of siding to slip inside an office. A thief smashes a window to get into a dark store. It might not happen to you, but it does happen all the time. Businesses get broken into and employees get hurt, says Officer Michael Walker, a Springfield police officer assigned to the Community Services Section.

“It may not happen to you or your business, but there are professional thieves here locally, and they will hit and target businesses,” he says.

“There’s no business that’s exempt from any type of crime, so you have to do whatever you can to prevent criminals from targeting you.”

[VANTAGE POINT]

“In addition to following up, think outside the box,” Brinkhoff advises. “We manufacture spices and seasonings, so we would send our product samples on a Friday along with a couple of individually wrapped Omaha steaks, Red Monkey Foods started out of a milk a couple of potatoes and a note that says, barn in Golden City in 2002 ‘Check out our seasonings on your grill this and today is an industry weekend.’ Don’t always make your contact a leader in organic private hard sell. Supplement it with forwarding an label spices and seasonindustry- or product-related article they will ings. Founder Jeff Brinkhoff find interesting or helpful.” explains how to get major His breakthrough came in 2007 when he landed a contract with Safeway which he retailers’ attention. pursued for two years. Safeway launched 18 BY: JULIANA GOODWIN spices under its organic brand, O Organics, in Jeff Brinkhoff its 2,000 stores. “Instead of focusing on convincing the trade we are a legitimate company f you want to succeed, it takes hustle and with potential to be a player in the category, persistence coupled with patience. “‘No’ we spoke about how the spice category was rarely means ‘no’; it means not right changing and the success of the program at now,” says Jeff Brinkhoff, founder of Red Safeway,” Brinkhoff says.

Monkey Foods.

“It was a game-changer Brinkhoff started an for us.” organic spice and seasonToday from a facing company in 2002 out tory in Republic, Red of a milk barn in Golden Monkey produces tens City. He hoped the name of millions of jars for Red Monkey Foods would companies like Walmart, be easy for consumers —Jeff Brinkhoff Safeway and Target, and to remember, but most Founder of Red Monkey Foods he’s learned how to pitch consumers don’t know his to grocery giants. Brinkcompany’s name because hoff says the key is to show how the product today he produces premium private labels for offers a solution to the retailer. grocery stores. The company is an industry “A lot of companies go in front of decisionleader in the organic spice and seasoning indusmakers with a 25-page PowerPoint presentatry. In January, private equity firm San Francisco tion explaining every detail of their products Equity Partners acquired a majority stake of Red and company,” he says. “Boring! Keep all that Monkey Foods, a move which Brinkhoff says information short and concise. What can you will propel the company to the next level. teach them about category trends across the Although Brinkhoff is enjoying significant U.S., and how do they compare in the category success, it’s been a long road, as the grocery to their competition? How does your product store industry is fiercely competitive. Landing connect with consumers? How can you enshelf space in a store is tough, and it takes sure them that by working with your company persistence and tenacity through multiple they don’t have to worry about issues? How channels of contact including calls, emails can you make them look like a hero?” and trade show discussions, he says.

MAKE THEM LOOK

I

‘‘

PHOTOS BY VIVIAN WHEELER, COURTESY RED MONKEY FOODS, SHERI AUSTIN; ILLUSTRATIONS COURTESY SHUTTERSTOCK

No rarely means ‘no’; it means not right now.”

Red Monkey Foods produces spices for private labels.

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[SIMPLIFY]

NEGOTIATE YOUR WAY TO HIGHER PAY Everyone dreads negotiating salaries, but being prepared is key. Sheri Austin, executive vice president of Marlin Network, discusses the steps for crafting a proposal your future employer can’t refuse.

BY: ASIA KEY

BE HONEST Austin suggests you take a humble, self-reflective look at the things you’ve done.

Consider your educational background and life experiences.

What is your value to this employer?

Be willing to look at yourself critically and go through this process to prepare a value proposition. Being heavy-handed or demanding might put your potential employer off.

BE SPECIFIC Understanding how the employer makes money is essential to crafting your salary proposal. The deal should be a win-win versus a one-sided win. Furthermore, Austin says, potential employees should discuss their value relative to specific employers as opposed to the industry market.

DON’T IGNORE THE BENEFITS Your compensation is more than just a salary, but Austin says many people forget to factor in benefits when negotiating. It’s more than okay to ask what the value of any offered benefits are—and if you can negotiate them—as you continue to polish your proposal.

Sheri Austin, executive vice president at Marlin Network, recommends thoughtfully considering your salary proposal before talking to a potential employer.

July/August 2017

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In It for the Long Haul Thanks to the guidance of her grandfather H.E. “Spook” Whitener, Amber Edmondson is leading refrigerated truckload carrier Trailiner Corp. into its fourth generation of business and showing no signs of slowing down.

BY: CLAIRE PORTER

W

hen the summertime heat kicks in and you crave fresh fruit, you have the trucking industry to thank for ripe produce. But getting a strawberry from the field to your fridge before it spoils takes the coordination of skilled teams of drivers and dispatchers, and it takes people like Amber Edmondson leading them.

Edmondson is president of Trailiner Corp., a refrigerated truckload carrier that hauls produce, food products, pharmaceuticals and health

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care products across the country. The company picked up steam in 1976 under Edmondson’s grandfather H.E. “Spook” Whitener.

“My great-grandfather was all about nicknames,” says Edmondson, who went by Ber. “He never called me by my name my whole life.”

Whitener owned a dairy farm before joining a family member’s struggling trucking business. Whitener took over the business, bringing his daughter Brenda Keithley into the fold.

It wasn’t long before Edmondson—Keithley’s daughter—jumped in, too. “I wouldn’t say [working here] was something I ever really thought about,” she says. Edmondson started at Trailiner in 1999 while working toward her business administration management degree at Drury University. In 2005, Larry Beets, the vice president of operations, announced his plan to retire and began training Edmondson to take over his position. “I don’t know that it was ever really a conscious decision until that happened,” Edmondson says.

Now Edmondson oversees the entire company, which encompasses 200 trucks, 300 trailers and 200 employees. And Trailiner is still very much a family business. Edmondson’s father, uncle and aunt have trucks with the company, and her mother, three of her cousins and Whitener’s wife work at headquarters. And of course, Whitener comes in daily and serves as a mentor when needed.

Despite her 18 years at the company, Edmondson faces insecurities many second and third generations face. “I still find myself from time to time looking for that need to impress,” she confesses. “You want to do a little bit more and a little bit better just to show people that you deserve the position you were given.” Further driving Edmondson is BIZ417.COM

PHOTOS BY BRAD ZWEERINK

After successfully running Trailiner Corp., H.E. “Spook” Whitener is passing the mantle of leadership to his granddaughter Amber Edmondson.

[NEXT GEN]

‘‘

You want to do a little bit more and a little bit better just to show people that you deserve the position you were given.”

—Amber Edmondson, President of Trailiner Corp.

PHOTOS COURTESY TRAILINER CORP.

the knowledge that, according to the Family Business Institute, family businesses have only a 30 percent success rate by the third generation.

“Seeing those statistics, it is scary,” Edmondson says. “You do feel that pressure on your shoulders of making sure you can keep things going for your family. It’s a heavy mantle to wear.”

Unfortunately, trucking doesn’t have many female leaders for her to turn to for guidance. “This industry in particular, it’s extremely maledominated, so not only do you come into it with that pressure of, ‘I didn’t just get this job because I’m family,’ but also, ‘I can do this job just as well as a man could,’” Edmondson says. “I definitely felt that pressure, and I think it was more pressure from myself than pressure from the outside, but you don’t want people to get the idea that you’re just going to float through the job and not put your all into it.” So that’s exactly what she did by working every job in the company except one. “I did not go through the driver training program, not because I think I am above it by any means; I just don’t think I can back up an 18-wheeler!” she says. Additionally, Edmondson has joined industry associations to make connections with experienced leaders.

Under Edmondson, the company has expanded its presence as a leading carrier for pharmaceuticals, and she ensures the company stays at the forefront of the industry’s technological advancements.

Her secret is asking questions. “Don’t be afraid of looking like you don’t know what’s going on or like you don’t understand,” she says.

“Ask questions. It’s only going to help you in the long run.”

Back in 1956, H.E. “Spook” Whitener drove this truck, his first as a professional driver. He later went on to run Trailiner Corp.

BIZ417.COM

These trucks are part of Trailiner Corp.’s first fleet in 1975, back when the company was known as Grady County Farm Lines.

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“Recruiting is a year-round, continuous activity.”

—Amanda Kastler, Partner at Elliott, Robinson & Co. SEE PAGE 84

EVERYWHERE YOU NEED TO BE

PHOTO BY BRAD ZWEERINK

Charlie Rosenbury gives an Ignite talk during the Spin66 Innovation Summit at The eFactory.

The event centered on local ideas and entrepreneurs.

CALENDAR

SCENE

66 NETWORK 68 LEARN

72 Biz Blitz 74 Small Business Week Breakfast 76 Small Business Awards

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78 Spin66 Innovation Summit 80 Diversity & Inclusion Panel 82 Branson Business Breakfast

84 B-School Breakfast Series 86 Summer Fest 88 Downtime July/August 2017

65

NETWORK 8:30–10 a.m., Wednesdays

1 MILLION CUPS

Local entrepreneurs are energizing the community.

Keep your finger on the pulse of their sprouting businesses and innovative ideas at this weekly presentation program.

Free; Springfield Art Museum, 1111 E. Brookside Drive, Springfield; visit 1mcsgf.com for information about speakers and more THE IN PARTY

Mix and mingle in Springfield’s living room at this weekly event featuring live music and half-price happy hour specials.

When: 5–7 p.m., Wednesdays Where: Hotel Vandivort, 305 E. Walnut St., Springfield Cost: Free More information: 417-832-1515 SPONSORED EVENT

7:30–8:30 a.m., Thursday, July 6 and August 3

GOOD MORNING, SPRINGFIELD!

Knock out some networking before the day really begins at the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce’s monthly breakfast event. Hear the latest news from the city, county and chamber. At the August event, get an update from Springfield Public Schools about some of its innovative programs at the State of the Schools address. $20 for members, $25 for nonmembers; location varies; for location information and other details, call 417-862-5567 or visit springfieldchamber.com 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m., Thursday, July 6

WOW + WWIN

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Working Ozark Women and Working Women in Nixa are teaming up for this supersized networking luncheon. Members of both groups are invited to this collaborative event. $12 in advance, $17 day-of; location July/August 2017

to be announced; call 417-581-6139 or visit ozarkchamber.com for location information and other details 7–8 a.m., Friday, July 7 and August 4

FIRST FRIDAY COFFEE

The Ozark Chamber of Commerce hosts a monthly meetand-greet for its members. Drop in for a few minutes or stay for the whole hour.

Free for chamber members, Ozark residents and Ozark businesses; location varies each month; call 417581-6139 or visit ozarkchamber.com for more information 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m., Tuesday, July 11 and August 8

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP LUNCHEON

Join the Nixa Chamber of Commerce for lunch, networking and an update on the Chamber’s activities, progress and events. $12–15 for members, $20 for non-members; The Bridge, 308 W. Mount Vernon St., Nixa; call 417-725-1545 or visit business. nixachamber.com/events for more information 11:45 a.m.–1 p.m., Wednesday, July 12

EXPERT EDGE LUNCH & LEARN SERIES

This expert Lunch & Learn Series gives you the chance to hear presentations from local experts and learn about local companies. For the July event, guests learn all about franchises, including how they differ from a license or distributorship. Also, are you wondering if your own business is ready to expand? If so, you want to make sure and attend—you’ll hear information to help you determine if you’re a potential franchisee. $15 for members, $25 for nonmembers; Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, 202 S. John Q. Hammons Parkway, Springfield; for more information, call 417-8625567 or visit springfieldchamber.com BIZ417.COM

Morning Event

Lunch Event

5–7 p.m., Thursday, July 13 and August 10

BUSINESS AFTER HOURS

Mix and mingle with Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce members at this monthly happy hour held around Springfield. $5 for members, $15 for nonmembers; location varies; for location information and other details, call 417-862-5567 or visit springfieldchamber.com 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m., Tuesday, July 18

THE EFACTORY SOCIAL: GRILL, CHILL & MILL

Forget your cold sandwich and join The eFactory’s cookout and lunch social. This event is BYOT—bring your own toppings.

Free; The eFactory, 405 N. Jefferson Ave., Springfield; for more details, call 417-837-2600 or visit efactory.missouristate.edu 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m., Tuesday, July 18 and August 15

WWIN (WORKING WOMEN IN NIXA) LUNCHEON

Business advice often means most from someone who has been in your shoes. Enjoy lunch while meeting other businesswomen at this monthly event by the Nixa Area Chamber of Commerce featuring speakers, lunch and networking. $12–15 for members, $20 for nonmembers; Nixa Area Chamber of Commerce, 106 W. Sherman Way, Suite 6, Nixa; call 417-725-1545 or visit business.nixachamber.com/ events for more information 5:30–7 p.m., Tuesday, July 18 and August 15

TIE TUESDAY AFTER HOURS

The Ozark Chamber of Commerce invites the local business community to Take It Easy at this laid-back networking event held every month.

Free for chamber members, Ozark residents and Ozark businesses; location varies each month; for details, call 417-581-6139 or visit ozarkchamber.com BIZ417.COM

Evening Event

All Day

6–8 p.m., Thursday, July 20

IGNITE BRANSON

Calling all young professionals: Join the Branson Area Chamber of Commerce’s newest networking and professional development organization for an evening of socializing. $10, includes drink ticket and heavy appetizers; The Atrium, 2849 Gretna Road, Branson; call 417-334-4084 or visit bransonchamber.com for details 8–9 a.m., Friday, July 21 and August 18

COLLABORATION COFFEE

Share ideas, troubleshoot challenges and more with the Ozark Chamber of Commerce, the Carl G. Hefner Enterprise Center and fellow business owners at this monthly roundtable series.

Free with registration, Ozark Chamber of Commerce, 1471 W. South St., Ozark; call 417-581-6139 or visit ozarkchamber.com for more information 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m., Tuesday, July 25 and August 22

XMIN (EXCEPTIONAL BUSINESSMEN IN NIXA) LUNCHEON

This Nixa Area Chamber of Commerce event is catered to businessmen looking to build long-term relationships with business owners in a variety of industries and fields. Join the XMIN for lunch, networking and a roundtable discussion. $12–15 for members, $20 for nonmembers; Nixa Area Chamber of Commerce, 106 W. Sherman Way, Suite 6, Nixa; for details, call 417-725-1545 or visit business. nixachamber.com/events 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m., Thursday, July 27 and August 24

GOOD AFTERNOON OZARK

Stay current with the Ozark Chamber of Commerce and network with other chamber members at this luncheon. (continued on p. 68) July/August 2017

67

(from p. 67) $12 in advance, $17 day-of, free for first-time guests; Ozark Community Center, 1530 W. Jackson St., Ozark; for details, call 417-581-6139 or visit ozarkchamber.com 7:30–9 a.m., Friday, July 28 and August 25

CHAMBER COFFEE CONNEXION

Re-energize your morning with a jolt of coffee and valuable networking with Nixa Chamber of Commerce members at this monthly meet-up. Chamber membership is required to attend.

Free for members; location varies; for location and other details, call 417-725-1545 or visit business. nixachamber.com/events 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m., Friday, July 28

BRANSON BUSINESS CONNECTION LUNCHEON

Get some face time with other businesspeople in Branson at this networking luncheon.

Networking starts at 11 a.m., so don’t forget your business cards. $15 for members, $25 for nonmembers; The Keeter Center, 1 Opportunity Ave., Point Lookout; for more information, call 417-3344084 or visit bransonchamber.com 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m., Wednesday, August 9

ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP LUNCHEON 2017

Grab your coworkers and head to the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual luncheon.

Chat with other businesspeople and catch an update on the chamber’s 2017 Action Plan. $30 for members, $40 for non-members; Oasis Hotel & Convention Center, 2546 N. Glenstone Ave., Springfield; for details, call 417-862-5567 or visit springfieldchamber.com 2–4 p.m., Wednesday, August 16

THE EFACTORY ICE CREAM SOCIAL

Beat the summer heat and get

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in some valuable networking at this event hosted by The eFactory.

They provide the ice cream; you bring the toppings.

Free; The eFactory, 405 N. Jefferson Ave., Springfield; for more information, call 417-837-2600 or visit efactory. missouristate.edu 5–8 p.m., Thursday, August 17

SIP & SAVOR

Kick back and enjoy some of 417-land’s great restaurants, wineries and distilleries at this Branson/ Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce soiree. Sample food and drink while relaxing with fellow Branson residents. $15 in advance, $25 day of; location TBA; for location and other information, call 417-3344084 or visit bransonchamber.com 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m., Monday, August 28

CHRISTIAN COUNTY NONPROFIT ROUNDTABLE

Bring a brown-bag lunch to this melding of minds for nonprofit executives working in Christian County. Share resources and learn how your organization can improve services to the benefit of the whole community.

Free; Nixa Area Chamber of Commerce, 106 W. Sherman Way, Suite 6, Nixa; for more information, go online to business. nixachamber.com/events or call 417-725-1545 LEARN Ongoing

SMALL BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT CENTER COURSES

School might be out for the summer, but the SBTDC is still hosting a few small business training courses and seminars.

Class times and prices vary, and topics include basic accounting and QuickBooks training.

Prices vary by class; The eFactory, 405 N. Jefferson Ave., Springfield; BIZ417.COM

Morning Event

Lunch Event

call 417-837-2615 or visit sbtdc. missouristate.edu for details 6–9 p.m., Wednesday and Thursday, July 12–13 and August 9–10

THE SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS: PLANNING & FUNDING

Kick-start your business with this two-evening course that is hosted by the Small Business & Technology Development Center.

You will learn how to create a sustainable business plan and secure funding. $139; The eFactory, 405 N. Jefferson Ave., Springfield; for more information, call 417-837-2615 or visit sbtdc.missouristate.edu 2–4 p.m., every other Wednesday

LEGAL OFFICE HOURS

Drop into The eFactory for a free legal consultation with Amanda Tummons of Husch Blackwell.

Free with registration; The eFactory, 405 N. Jefferson Ave., Springfield; for details, call 417-837-2600 or visit efactory. missouristate.edu 9 a.m.–4 p.m., Thursday, July 13

INTRODUCTION TO QUICKBOOKS PRO

Get introductory training on one of the business world’s most relied-upon software: QuickBooks. Whether you’ve never used the program before or have some training already, you’ll learn how to better utilize QuickBooks at this course hosted by the Ozarks Small Business Incubator. You must register by July 7 at 2 p.m. to attend. $95 for OzSBI members, $125 for non-members; Ozarks Small Business Incubator, 408 Washington Ave., West Plains; call 417-256-9724 or visit ozsbi.com for more information 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m., Thursday, July 13

ACCESS TO THE ISSUES: MAYOR KEN MCCLURE

Network Chair Britton BIZ417.COM

Evening Event

All Day

Jobe interviews Mayor Ken McClure about his vision for Springfield and the role of young professionals in the community.

Have a query? Submit questions online.

Free; Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, 202 S. John Q. Hammons Parkway, Springfield; for more information, call 417-450-6764 or visit thenetworkspringfield.com 5:30–7:30 p.m., Tuesday, July 18

SMART START: DEVELOPING A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS

Want to turn your business idea into a reality? You can do just that after learning the basics of launching a company from two local business experts.

Free; Ozarks Small Business Incubator, 408 Washington Ave., West Plains; for more info, call 417256-9724 or visit ozsbi.com 8:30 a.m.–3 p.m., Wednesdays and Thursdays, July 19–August 3

OFFICE ASSISTANT CERTIFICATE COURSE

Whether you’re looking to land an office job or become more effective at the one you already have, this OTC Center for Workforce Development course teaches the skills you need for success. Sharpen your Microsoft Office Suite skills and reinforce your professionalism and business etiquette at twice weekly sessions spanning three weeks. $795; OTC Campus, Graff Hall 123, 1001 E. Chestnut Expressway, Springfield; for more information or to register call 417-447-8888 or visit workforce.otc.edu/course/ millennials-at-work

SPONSORED EVENT

SPRINGFIELD CREATIVES MONTHLY MEETING

Improve your craft at this Springfield Creatives series. In July, learn about the power of design to transform companies during a showing of documentary film Design Disruptors. In August, hear from Matt Wegerer, owner of Whiskey Design.

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(continued on p. 70) (from p. 69) When: 6 p.m., Wednesday, July 19 and August 16 Where: Location TBA Cost: Free for members, guests welcome More information: springfieldcreatives.com 4–5:30 p.m., Thursday, July 20 and August 17

MATA IDEA MASHUP

The Mid-America Technology Alliance presents a monthly happy hour centered around panel discussions on technology with an eye on retaining and attracting a strong tech workforce.

Beverages and food provided.

Prices vary; The eFactory, 405 N. Jefferson Ave., Springfield; call Sherry Coker at 417-343-3017 or visit matasgf.com for more details

417

TIX

7:30–9:30 a.m., Friday, July 21 and August 18

LEADERSHIP MASTERMIND

People Centric Consulting Group gathers organizational leaders each month for a strategic breakdown of ways to manage and lead effectively. Join speaker Don Harkey and local leaders for dynamic presentations, engaging discussions and breakfast. In July, learn about emotional intelligence in the business world.

At press time, the August topic was not finalized. $89 per session or $890 for the year; 425 Downtown, 425 W. Walnut St., Springfield; call 417-887-6760 or visit 417tix.com for details 8 a.m.–noon, Tuesday, July 25

MILLENNIALS AT WORK

No one likes the “M” word, but employers and managers still need to know how to best work with the millennial generation.

Learn communication, engagement and recruitment tactics in this course from the OTC Center for Workforce Development.

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$175; OTC Campus, building TBA, 1001 E. Chestnut Expressway, Springfield; for the exact location and to register call 417-447-8888 or visit workforce.otc.edu/course/ millennials-at-work 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m., Tuesday through Friday, July 25–28

MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE PURCHASING CERTIFICATE PROGRAM COURSES

Get a leg up in business with an array of certificate and training programs offered by the Missouri State Management Development Institute, housed in The eFactory.

This summer, earn 28 hours toward a Purchasing Certificate at two courses, each held across two full days, focused on contract basics and negotiations. $799 per seminar; The eFactory, 405 N. Jefferson Ave., Springfield; for details, call 417-837-2615 or visit sbtdc.missouristate.edu 10–10:45 a.m., Thursday, July 27 and August 24

MEMBER BRIEFING AND ORIENTATION

Learn the ins and outs of the Nixa Chamber of Commerce and discover how to get the most out of your membership.

Free with reservation; Nixa Area Chamber of Commerce, 106 W. Sherman Way, Suite 6, Nixa; for details, call 417-725-1545 or visit business.nixachamber.com/events

SPONSORED EVENT

B-SCHOOL BREAKFAST SERIES

The future of 417-land is bright, especially considering the impact our 10 for the Next 10 will continue to make in the coming decade. Enjoy breakfast at the bowling alley while discovering what makes three of these promising leaders tick.

When: 7:30–9 a.m., Thursday, August 10 Where: Andy B’s Entertainment Center, 1127 E. Battlefield Road, Springfield Cost: $15 in July, $20 in August BIZ417.COM

Morning Event

Lunch Event

More information: 417-883-7417 or biz417.com/bschool Noon–1 p.m., Tuesday, August 22

SPEAKER SERIES: UNDERSTANDING MILLENNIAL THOUGHTS

Singling millennials out isn’t helpful, but understanding their perspectives can improve your working relationships.

Professional development/life coach James Bonds of Well Driven Life LLC tackles just this at The eFactory’s Speaker Series August event.

Free; The eFactory, 405 N. Jefferson Ave., Springfield; for more information, call 417-837-2600 or visit efactory.missouristate.edu 4–5:30 p.m., Tuesday, August 22

MEMBER HUDDLE

Get the most out of your Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce membership by learning new opportunities and benefits at this quarterly event. Don’t forget to bring your business cards for the networking mixer.

Free; Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, 202 S. John Q. Hammons Parkway, Springfield; call 417-862-5567 or visit springfieldchamber.com for more information

Evening Event

11:30 a.m.–1 p.m., Tuesday, August 29

YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR PANEL

Thinking about starting a business? You won’t want to miss this panel hosted by The Network featuring young local business owners sharing their success stories and what they’ve learned along the way.

Free; 425 Downtown, 425 W. Walnut St., Springfield; for more information, call 417-450-6764 or visit thenetworkspringfield.com 11:45 a.m.–1 p.m., Wednesday, August 30

60 MINUTES TO SUCCESS

Stay successful at this Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce event designed to help you tackle the biggest challenges facing business owners today. In August, join the discussion about Michael Gerber’s The E-Myth: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It. Even if you haven’t read the book, this event provides helpful tips for strengthening the business side of your company. $15 for members, $25 for nonmembers; Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, 202 S. John Q. Hammons Parkway, Springfield; for more info, call 417-862-5567 or visit springfieldchamber.com

11 a.m.–1 p.m., Wednesday, August 23

2017 ECONOMIC OUTLOOK

Find out the latest local economic trends to make sure your business is on the right track at this Springfield Business Development Corp. event.

Networking begins at 11 a.m. with programming starting a quick half-hour later at 11:30 a.m. Don’t be late! $35 for members, $45 for nonmembers, $325 for table of eight; University Plaza Hotel & Convention Center, 333 S. John Q. Hammons Parkway, Springfield; call 417-862-5567 or visit springfieldchamber.com for more information BIZ417.COM

All Day

SPONSORED EVENT

AUGUST ROSIE EVENT

Meet with other boss ladies at this Rosie event.

Designed to provide a network and resources to Springfield’s businesswomen, Rosie meets quarterly to foster connections in the community.

When: 4–6 p.m., Thursday, August 31 Where: Location TBA Cost: Free More information: Get location information and other details at rosiesgf.com.

FOR MORE EVENTS, CHECK OUT THE FULL CALENDAR AT BIZ417.COM. July/August 2017

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[THE SCENE]

Biz Blitz

Brandon Bevis, Scott Hutson and Stephanie Fletcher

Jennifer Pitts and Shauna Mitchell were two participants at the first Biz Blitz, a speed networking event for members of eight area chambers of commerce.

Paden Wilcox and Rand Henslee talk all things business.

Merideth Swain and Dee King

Derek Lyons and Pam Dudley

Matt Morrow talks with Eric Wubbena during one of the morning’s many networking opportunities.

Kara Turner PHOTOS BY BRAD ZWEERINK

Nathan Wood and Andrew Gathright

Event Info: DATE: April 27, 2017 | HOST ORGANIZATION: Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce | LOCATION: Highland Springs Country Club WEBSITE: springfieldchamber.com

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BIZ417.COM

STRUGGLING TO T GAIN TRAC A TION AC ONLINE?

We all understand the importance of being on page one of Google search results, yet many of us struggle to get there.

417 Marketing utilizes a proven method to help clients dominate search results, maximize traffic and generate qualified leads.

When looking for an SEO, I wanted to find a full-service firm that I could rely on for all aspects of SEO, including keyword strategy, technical website optimization, visibility, conversion tracking, and more. I needed a partner that I could trust to do the right thing and make wise recommendations for the benefit of my business.

417 MARKETING HAS EXCEEDED MY EXPECTATIONS. I FOUND MY PARTNER. JAY SANDIDGE

INTERNATIONAL MARKETING DIRECTOR, POSITRONIC

417 MARKETING HAS DONE SUCH AN AMAZING JOB WITH OUR SEO CAMPAIGN! They are pleasant, efficient, and fast! We love working with them!

CHERYL BRIGGS

OWNER, DERMAHEALTH

417 MARKETING IS BY FAR THE BEST SEO COMPANY I HAVE WORKED WITH.

I tried three other companies over the past five years, and 417 Marketing blows them all away. I wish I would have found them sooner.

417 Marketing has done everything they said they would do and more when it comes to increasing visibility, traffic, and conversions with our website, hitandruncandlesticks.com.

I CAN'T EVEN BEGIN TO EXPLAIN HOW EASY THEY ARE TO WORK WITH. THEY DO EXACTLY WHAT THEY SAY THEY WILL DO. RICK SADDLER

PRESIDENT, HIT & RUN CANDLESTICKS

PATRICK PRUTSMAN

OWNER, SOUND RELIEF HEARING CENTER

417 Marketing has been providing world-class SEO services since 2010 and knows what it takes to get you results.

CALL OR VISIT US ONLINE TO SCHEDULE A FREE CONSULTATION.

417.889.0044 417MARKETING.COM

[THE SCENE]

Small Business Week Kickoff Lender Appreciation Breakfast

Dustin Royster, Jessie Hughey and Darren Sorrell

Annette Darnell speaks during the Small Business Week Kickoff Lender Appreciation Breakfast.

Don Reese of the Small Business Administration presents a top ten lender award to Christian Lewis.

Ilene Glenn and Mick Nitsch network during the event.

Don Reese presents a top ten lender award to Jeff Killian. Springfield Small Business Week included several events to coincide with National Small Business Week.

Lance Coffman, Tara Horton and Sandra Smart-Winegar

Ryan Cosby talks to Craig Millington.

PHOTOS BY BRAD ZWEERINK

Clayton Rogers talks with John Fleming during the Small Business Week Kickoff.

Event Info:

DATE: May 1, 2017 | HOST ORGANIZATION: Springfield Small Business Week | LOCATION: Ocean Zen | SPEAKER: Donnie Brawner WEBSITE: springfieldsmallbusinessweek.com

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[THE SCENE]

2017 Small Business Awards

Matt Morrow speaks at the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce Small Business Awards.

Nick Menke, Jason Whitesell and Clay Trautman

Justin Loveday and Derek Fraley

“We believe at our company that small business can really, truly solve problems of the world.”

—Shawn Askinosie, Founder and CEO of

Askinosie Chocolate

Shawn Askinosie, founder and CEO of Askinosie Chocolate, addresses the room after accepting the W. Curtis Strube Small Business Award.

Shawn Askinosie, Caron Askinosie, Cat Canterbury, John Taylor and Missy Gelner from Askinosie Chocolate

The Grooms Office Environments team gather onstage. The business was a finalist for the Small Business Award.

Event Info: DATE: May 3, 2017 | HOST ORGANIZATION: Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce | LOCATION: University Plaza Hotel & Convention Center SPEAKERS: Matt Morrow, Shawn Askinosie | WEBSITE: springfieldchamber.com

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PHOTOS BY BRAD ZWEERINK

Rick Hughlett and Steve Nurnberg chat during a free moment at the awards banquet.

JOHN YOUNGBLOOD Founder of Youngblood Auto Group

“The folks at SFC Bank really go the extra mile to ensure your needs are met. I am proud of my involvement with SFC Bank.”

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[THE SCENE]

Spin66 Innovation Summit 2017

Zola Finch and Amy Blansit

Aaron Hardinger and Danny Perches

Mary Louise Helbig and Charlie Daniels take part in an engaging panel discussion.

“Passion is the differentiator that sets great innovations apart from the rest.”

—Scott Perket, Product Designer at

Amazon Web Services

Scott Perket, with Amazon Web Services, was one of the three keynote speakers at this year’s Spin66 Innovation Summit.

Cody Stringer of Mercy Research welcomes the crowd to the event on Friday.

Brian Kincaid and Brad Davidson enjoy a drink as the day winds down.

Event Info: DATE: May 4–5, 2017 | HOST ORGANIZATION: Mercy Research | LOCATION: The eFactory | SPEAKERS: Joyce King Thomas, Scott Perket, Bryce Rutter, Mary Louise Helbig, Josh Burch and Charlie Daniels | WEBSITE: spin66.org

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PHOTOS BY BRAD ZWEERINK

Megan Buchbinder of Revel Advertising gave a five-minute Ignite Talk during the event.

10 FOR THE NEXT 10 PRESENTED BY

What could the future hold for 417-land?

We're asking four of Springfield's next generation leaders at our high-energy networking breakfast.

CATHERINE BASS BLACK, HEATHER HARDINGER, JEFF HOUGHTON, JOSHUA WIDNER

Thursday, August 10 | 7:30–9 a.m.

Andy B’s Entertainment Center

PURCHASE TICKETS AT BIZ417.COM SPONSORED BY SPRINGFIELD

[THE SCENE]

Diversity & Inclusion Panel

Robert Moore and Ryan Reed chat during a break.

Marshall Kinne listens to the discussion at the Diversity & Inclusion Panel, which was hosted

by The Network.

Britton Jobe, chair of The Network, leads the Diversity & Inclusion Panel.

Christina Lederman and Madeline Brown

James Bonds chats with JP Roberts at the event.

Kristin Lochner and Naomi Murphy

Jessica Harmison-Olson and Caitlin Kissee PHOTOS BY BRAD ZWEERINK

Samuel Knox with Minorities in Business was one of the panelists at the event.

Event Info: DATE: May 18, 2017 | HOST ORGANIZATION: The Network | LOCATION: Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce SPEAKERS: Brad Bodenhausen, Samuel Knox, Jan Kraft, Krista Moncado | WEBSITE: thenetworkspringfield.com

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[THE SCENE]

Branson Business Breakfast

Peter “Bodie” Connolly and David Arney

Dennis Wiggins and Celeste Cramer

The Branson Business Breakfast at Chateau on the Lake Resort Spa & Convention Center focused on the generational workforce.

Rod Glaze and Craig Kesner

Keynote speaker Libby Spears founded a communications consulting firm called Bravo CC in 2015. She spoke to the crowd at the Branson Business Breakfast about generational differences in the workforce.

Jeff Seifried and Brad Erwin

Aaron McCullough, Samantha Gutting and Emily Sutliff PHOTOS BY BRAD ZWEERINK

Ashley Harkness and Grace Donaldson

Event Info: DATE: May 23, 2017 | HOST ORGANIZATION: Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce | LOCATION: Chateau on the Lake Resort Spa & Convention Center | SPEAKER: Libby Spears | WEBSITE: bransonchamber.com

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BIZ417.COM

Standing the test of time Quality Products Since 1988

1364 N Kelly Ave Nixa MO 65714

417-725-TILE uniquetile.com

BIZ417.COM

July/August 2017

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[THE SCENE]

B-School Breakfast Series: It’s Not Them. It’s You.

Attendees arrived early to B-School to enjoy breakfast and networking.

Hallie Sale and Mollie Crawford

Alicia Hampton, Justin Bess and Bridget O’Hara

“There’s no one silver bullet for recruiting, and really you have to have a comprehensive strategy that includes multiple things.”

—Scot Scobee, Human Resource Director for Springfield ReManufacturing Corp.

Amanda Kastler, Scot Scobee and Celeste Cramer shared their hiring strategies and fails with attendees during the panel portion of B-School.

Antoinette Shields and Beki Fischer

Rachael Snow and Heather Hardinger

Event Info: DATE: April 13, 2017 | HOST ORGANIZATION: Biz 417 | LOCATION: Andy B’s Entertainment Center | SPEAKERS: Celeste Cramer, Amanda Kastler, Scot Scobee, Adrienne Donica | WEBSITE: biz417.com/bschool

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PHOTOS BY BRAD ZWEERINK

Lauren Holder and Danielle Wise

UNIFIED WORKFORCE

MANAGEMENT in the palm of your hand.

Real Time Visibility & Data Access

Accrual & Absence Management

Payroll Human Resources Affordable Care Act

Time & Attendance Marketplace

www.apluspayroll.com • 417-890-6404

CLUB MANAGEMENT SERVICES C O M P L E T E A S S O C I AT I O N S O L U T I O N S

Don’t get tangled up.

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It takes a lot to run your association. Let us manage the details, giving you the freedom to focus on the big picture.

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417.886.8606 - 1717 E. Republic Rd., Ste. A, Springfield, MO BIZ417.COM

July/August 2017

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[THE SCENE]

Summer Fest

JT Kendall, Cole Elliott and Amy Ray

The Farmers Park Pavilion provided the perfect summer backdrop for The Network’s annual Summer Fest event.

Nate Black and Sarah Jenkins

Lauren Cooksey, Emma Vasquez and Sofia Caito

The Mixtapes brought live music and ’90s energy to Summer Fest.

Terrence Ferguson and Emily Hindman

Amanda Peryer and Amber Darding PHOTOS BY BRAD ZWEERINK

Courtney Ukena and Jordan Silva

Event Info: DATE: June 9, 2017 | HOST ORGANIZATION: The Network | LOCATION: Farmer’s Park Pavilion | WEBSITE: thenetworkspringfield.com

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BIZ417.COM

July/August 2017

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PHOTO COURTESY BRYAN BEVEL

DOWNTIME

A PITCHING GOOD TIME

“Once you’ve played rugby, you can’t quit playing rugby,” says Bryan Bevel, formerly with Springfield Brewing Company. Bevel was first introduced to the sport in San Diego in 1989 and has since played across the country and the world with the Springfield Rugby Club. The game even inspired Bevel’s new restaurant, The Pitch Pizza & Pub. Playing the game and working in the kitchen are both team endeavors, he says. Although his playing days are winding down, Bevel continues to be involved as a referee and Springfield Rugby Club president. He shares his love of the sport with his 21-year-old son, Connor.

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NOW HIRING!

A Bluegreen / Big Cedar Vacations, LLC Development Project

MEP Engineer:

HP Engineering, Inc. Phone: 479-899-6370

Geotechnical:

Palmerton & Parrish, Inc. Phone: 417-864-6000

Interior Desig

Company -6897

Structural Engineer:

Wells & Scaletty Phone: 417-890-7711

Landscape Architect:

SWT Design Phone: 314-644-5700

Graphics:

er Engineering -9697

NO W HIRIN G EXPERIENCE D PR OJE C T MA NA GE R S & S U P E R INT E NDE NT S Surveyor: Wolfe Surveying, Inc. Phone: 417-334-8820

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BU I L D ING TRU ST SINCE 1 978.

4820 N TOWNE CENTRE DR | O ZARK, MO 65721 | PHONE: 417-887-6897 | FAX: 417-447-3040 | WWW.LSCINC.COM

JULY / AUGUST 2017 | $4.95

07 2111 S. Eastgate Ave. Springfield, MO 65809

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74470 29349

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VOLUME 2 ISSUE 5