Rob Gilligan

The Missouri Department of Economic Development International Trade and Investment Office will be visiting Cape Girardeau and Southeast Missouri this week and that means a great opportunity for areas business to look at new markets for expansion.

Employee retention is a high priority for businesses as the continued labor shortage affects hiring and recruitment. Is your business doing its best to keep employees by meeting their Core Needs?

Riverboats, Football Games, Music Festivals and more! Fall events and activities are bringing residents and guest out and about, are you ready to take advantage of the traffic?

The Missouri Department of Economic Development is currently receiving comments on guidelines for the Small Business Grant Program that will open in October. If your business was negatively impacted by the pandemic this program is meant for you.

On June 28, 1894, President Grover Cleveland singed Senate Bill 730 formally establishing Labor Day as a Federal Holiday celebrated on the first Monday in September. “Labor” is a key part of our regional economy and critical for business success, today is a great day to reflect on that.

Last week a large crowd gathered for the official ribbon cutting for the new Neighborhood Solar Project at the Show Me Center. This collaborative effort can be a model of how going “Green” can be good for business.

Today kicks off the fall semester for Southeast Missouri State University as thousands of students return to Cape Girardeau to start the school year, and that is good news for our local economy.

Labor economist coined the phrase “The Great Resignation” last year as the world saw a huge increase in voluntary job separations. A report last month issued by researchers with McKinsey and company indicates it may actually just be “A Great Renegotiation”.

A recent report released by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce indicated that 93% of small businesses surveyed use at least one technology platform in their operations.

It’s August 1 and that means our attention is turning to the end of summer and the back-to-school season that is on its way. Now is the time for areas businesses to get prepared for this seasonal transition.