It may not feel like it but baseball season is upon us and we couldn’t be happier. Maybe you’re wondering why I’m discussing baseball on Let’s Talk Business. It is because several local baseball teams affect our tourism industry. And the addition of a new one could have a great impact. Let me explain. The SEMO Redhawks are already playing as the university baseball season began in February. The Redhawks host OVC teams and others throughout the south and Midwest resulting not only in the revenue

There is a lot of information out there forecasting business trends for 2019. Are you ready? There are several central themes when looking at what to expect this year. And while the topics are plentiful, I’d like to highlight just a few. Cybersecurity will continue to gain in importance as more and more information and banking functions are transferred and completed using intelligent devices. Protecting personal and financial information will be top of mind. Technological advances will continue

Dictionary.com defines “hub” as the effective center of an activity, region, or network. We often talk about the Cape/Jackson metro as a regional hub. But exactly why do we say that and what does it really mean. Let’s dive deeper. We are the largest city between St. Louis and Memphis north and south, and between Clarksville or Evansville and Springfield east and west. Our daytime population often approaches 100,000 as we become a bevy of activity. Several things drive this regional hub status.

Many successful employers are using THIS to keep their employees engaged and happy in a time of workforce challenges. In today’s world, employers must consider more than just monetary compensation when hiring and retaining employees. Creative compensation describes a method of looking at an entire compensation package and including things other than actual dollars. Examples are job security, flexible hours, growth opportunities, praise and recognition, fun and friendships. It is true employees

Business success and growth is dependent upon many things. One critical factor is an area’s business climate. Business climate is generally comprised of the attitude of the government, politicos, local consumers and clients, labor organizations, access to capital, and current taxation regimen. A friendly business environment can help tremendously with business stability and growth. However, creating a positive business climate doesn’t just happen. It is important for advocacy groups and

Only eleven cities in the state of Missouri are fortunate enough to be home to one of these important economic drivers. Cape is home to Southeast Missouri State University, founded in 1873. While Southeast’s primary purpose is to increase the human capital of its students, it also serves as a tremendous economic driver for the region. One way the impact is felt is through its graduates. The latest U.S. Census tells us individuals in Missouri with a bachelor’s degree earned an average of $16,720

Employment sector reports reveal valuable information about our local economy. The Missouri Economic Research and Information Center recently released the most up to date employment statistics giving us a snapshot of where we stood at the end of 2017. It is not too surprising Cape Girardeau County has larger percentage of employees in certain sectors than the State of Missouri average. As a regional hub, we have higher than average employment numbers in several key categories including retail,

Significant changes may be ahead positively affecting Missouri workers and businesses. In his state of the state address delivered Wednesday, January 16th, Governor Parson announced he will be making several changes to the Department of Economic Development through Executive Order and will be seeking changes in the programs surrounding workforce development through legislation. In addition, his proposed budget will pursue increased funding in fiscal year 2020 to help these efforts. The Governor

A real area game changer started January 7th, 2019. Any guesses? This past Monday, January 7th, Sky West Airlines began offering three flights a day to Chicago O’Hare International Airport from the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport. Departures are at approximately 6:00 a.m., 12:00 noon, and 4:00 p.m. with return flights at approximately 11:30 a.m., 3:30 p.m., and 11:45 p.m. Monday through Friday. The early morning and late afternoon flight have one stop in Paducah, Kentucky, and the mid-day flight

2019 is a new year and with it comes a new set of laws, rules, and guidelines. Are you prepared? The Minimum Wage Rate in Missouri for private employers changed effective January 1, 2019. The Governor’s office announced the new rate is $8.60 per hour. All private businesses are required to pay at least the minimum hourly rate, except retail and service businesses whose annual gross sales are less than $500,000. They are still covered under the Federal Minimum Wage Law. As a result of the voter