Posts by rgilligan_robgilligan

Show Me Sports Investment Act Sports stadiums aren’t just venues—they’re economic catalysts that stimulate tourism, create jobs, and amplify civic pride. Missouri’s recent legislative push to support the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals vividly illustrates how proactive investment can yield business and community dividends. Last week Missouri lawmakers passed the Show Me Sports Investment Act,…

Expand Business Horizons with Missouri Export Programs Missouri businesses looking to break into international markets have powerful allies in the Missouri Department of Economic Development. Two standout programs are opening doors for companies ready to take their products global. The MO STEP=UP program offers small businesses grant opportunities to fund qualifying international activities that further the importance…

SEMO Industrial Park Certification Opens Doors for Regional Growth A big opportunity for Southeast Missouri’s economy as the SEMO Industrial Park in Scott City has been named a Missouri Certified Site, a designation that could help bring industrial development and new jobs to our region. So, what does that mean that the SEMO Industrial Park…

Watch Out for Fraud Following Spring Storm Damage This spring has been one for the records books in the amount of activity from severe weather events. Damage from storms have left many businesses and residents needing immediate help which can make them vulnerable to fraud. Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey has issued a warning to…

Business Startup Checklist Now Available from SEMO REDI If you’ve been dreaming of launching your own business in Southeast Missouri, now is an exciting time to take the leap—and there’s a new resource to help make the process easier than ever. SEMO REDI (Southeast Missouri Regional Economic Development, Inc.) has just rolled out a series…

Business Strategies to Respond to Consumer Confidence this Summer As we head into summer 2025, U.S. consumer confidence is showing mixed signals. According to recent reports, overall confidence has dipped slightly due to lingering inflation concerns and uncertainty around interest rates. However, this doesn’t mean consumers are tightening their wallets across the board. In fact,…

Proposition A Takes Effect, what You Need to Know Missouri’s Proposition A, approved by voters in late 2024 and upheld by the state Supreme Court in April 2025, is now in effect as of May 1. This new law requires many employers to provide paid sick leave to their employees, marking a significant shift in…

Innovate SOMO Partnership Expanding Programs Statewide Last Friday, the Missouri Department of Economic Development (DED) announced an award of over $2.9 million out of Federal State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) funds to Codefi and Missouri State University’s efactory. This significant investment will expand the reach of the Southern Missouri Innovation Network (Innovate SOMO), enhancing…

Developing Young Professionals Last week, I had the opportunity to join 150 “Young Professionals” at the 7th Annual YPC Summit. Even though I maybe a few years past the “40ish and Under” target market, I still found some great takeaways to share. In today’s ever-changing business environment, organizations that commit to investing in the development…

Business and Community For businesses or organizations, the opportunity to support a variety of groups, programs or activities can often be overwhelming. Retail locations can sometimes have multiple contacts in a day for contributions, donations, or other similar requests. How to balance a desire to support everyone with the reality of limited resources can be…