Posts by rgilligan_robgilligan

The Human Advantage: Why Personal Connection Matters Most in an AI-Driven World It feels like every business headline and event keynote is currently dominated by the topic of artificial intelligence and automation in business. While it’s certainly important to stay on the cutting edge in business, leaders risk forgetting that true commerce is still built…

Ripple Effects: What Higher Interest Rates Mean for Local and Regional Economies With the Federal Reserve recently raising interest rates and another increase projected for December, the cost of capital is shifting. Beyond corporate boardrooms, these monetary policy changes profoundly influence local economic vitality, regional job markets, and commercial investment. When borrowing costs rise, regional…

Celebrating American Business Women’s Day Tomorrow is American Business Women’s Day, established by join congressional resolutions in 1983. The day is to celebrate the remarkable leadership, resilience, and economic power of women entrepreneurs and executives shaping our modern economy. Last Friday the Cape Chamber hosted our “Women in Business: At the Heart of It All”…

Welcome to Town: Why Local Businesses Are the Ultimate Fair-Season Host The corn dogs are spinning, the midway lights are shining bright, and the Southeast Missouri District Fair officially kicked off this past Saturday and continues running strong through this weekend! (check out all the fun at semofair.com!). For local businesses this is a week…

Labor Day and the Value of Mutual Investment Most discussions surrounding Labor Day frame business and the workforce as opposing sides of a persistent tug-of-war. But in any resilient local economy, enterprise and labor are not competing forces, they are partners in mutual investment. When we assess the economic momentum of Southeast Missouri, we often…

What Makes an Industrial Park “Platinum Ready” and Why Does it Matter When looking at an industrial park, it’s easy to see just open ground and access roads. In economic development, however, a master-planned industrial site is a region’s most powerful job creator and tax-based anchor. Modern companies investing millions in new facilities focus on…

Back to School (Adult Edition) Even if your classroom days are long behind you, late August has a way of resetting the entire community. Yellow buses are back on the road, Friday night football lights are turning on, and the energy across town shifts almost overnight. You don’t have to be a student to feel…

Navigating Late Summer Inflation Data as We Turn to Planning for Q4 With headline inflation settling near 3.4% and core inflation cooling to 2.5%, the overall economic picture shows signs of stabilizing. However, for regional business leaders across Southeast Missouri, macro trends hit differently on the ground. As we head into fall and map out…

Unlocking AI For Your Small Business – A New 4-Part Workshop Series with Codefi Artificial intelligence is no longer just a buzzword reserved for tech giants; it is becoming an essential toolkit for local businesses looking to save time, streamline operations, and boost daily productivity. To help regional small businesses navigate the latest shift in…

Unlocking Opportunity: Exploring SEMO REDI’s New Industry Insights The regional economy is moving quickly. Rapidly evolving technologies, changing workforce demands, and a competitive national landscape mean that staying ahead requires clear data, strong partnerships, and shared vision. Last week SEMO REDI launched a new publication called Industry Insights. Designed to highlight the trends, success stories,…