As Jefferson City tries to rebuild following the May 22 tornado and current flooding, local entrepreneurs encourage local leaders and business owners to think outside the box.
During 1 Million Cups' State of Entrepreneurship event Wednesday, business leaders said the community has several resources it can tap into like various media platforms, training outlets and local universities and colleges. However, one of the top things holding Jefferson City back is an unwillingness to move forward and try new things, panelists said.
"In our community, people are just too afraid to do something different," said panelist JJ Smith, owner of Express Signs and Banners in Jefferson City. "Businesses need to be going forward, and you have to make sure what you did yesterday is not stale. You have to make sure that what you're going to do today, which is your day-to-day, is OK. But tomorrow, which is scary, you've got to make sure you're moving in that direction."
Community leaders also need to "really take a hard look at economic development and what we need in our community," said panelist Missy Bonnet, economic development director for the Jefferson City Area Chamber of Commerce.
"I feel like, with the tornado, we have this great opportunity to take a very hard look at our community," she said. "We can take a hard look at this devastation and say, 'OK, we don't have to rebuild it just like it was. What can we do differently?' Let's be creative. Let's roll up our sleeves and do some hard work and take a hard look at our community. Now is the time."
Another challenge in Jefferson City is finding ways to finance startup companies so entrepreneurs can focus on hiring the "right team," said panelist Jill Antweiler, director of product for league scheduling and tournaments for TeamSnap.
Created by the Missouri General Assembly, Missouri Technology Corporation is a private-public partnership that provides grants and resources to help promote entrepreneurship and new high-tech companies, MTC Interim Executive Director Tori Benson said.
There is more to a startup company than just funding, Benson said, adding new businesses need co-founders, employees, business planning, working space and product testers.
"Startups always need a community around them to celebrate when times are good and to pick them up when times are hard," she said. "I think Jefferson City over the last couple of weeks has absolutely proven that that kind of community already exists here, which is a great foundation for building a thriving startup ecosystem."
It's important to start small, connect individuals and highlight what they are doing to help kickstart a new company, said panelist Collin Bunch, entrepreneurship program coordinator with Regional Economic Development, Inc.
Entrepreneurs also need to spread the word through local media and social media about successful local startup companies, David Frahm, of 1 Million Cups, said.
"Jill had this startup (FanApp) from Jefferson City acquired (by TeamSnap) and that's a big deal but we're humble here in the Midwest," he said. "That's a good quality but at the same time, we need to tell our stories and need to nudge each other to tell our stories so that more of that gets out because more people need to hear stories like Jill's."
1 Million Cups organizers moved the event to Columbia College after the tornado impacted its original location on East Capitol Avenue, Campus Coworking Space. Organizers said they will provide updates on the locations of their future meetings on their Facebook page: facebook.com/1millioncupsjeffcity.