July 20, 2021
Hannibal, MO. – On Thursday, the Ignite program kicked off with the “Your Business Toolbox” Panel. Over twenty individuals attended the event at Fiddlesticks and was sponsored by Homebank, who provided light refreshments for the guests. The event provided business owners with information about local resources while facilitating connections within the community.
Panelists for the event included:
- Devyn Campbell from Mark Twain Council of Governments
- Allie Bennett from Northeast Power Cooperative
- Josh Wilson and Will Konrad from Homebank
- Maria Kuhns from the Small Business Development Center at Hannibal Regional Economic Development Council. Corey Mehaffy, Hannibal Regional Economic Development Council Executive Director emceed the event.
Each of the panelists shared about their respective programs then opened the floor for questions. Panelists discussed potential funding opportunities for small business including revolving loan funds, commercial loans, and SBA loans. Each panelist shared the ins and outs of their financing program and what business owners can expect if they apply. Maria Kuhns also discussed the services offered by the SBDC including start-up assistance, loan applications, real estate acquirement, process improvement, and succession planning.
“The panel was invaluable to attendees because so many great resources and opportunities were shared that they may not have known about,” panelist Devyn Campbell said in regards to the event. “Guests were able to ask questions and network with others which is always beneficial.”
The Ignite Program is a partnership between Hannibal Regional Economic Development Council, the Small Business Development Center, Northeast Power, and the Hannibal Chamber of Commerce. Ignite is dedicated to creating an ecosystem that attracts, creates, supports, and accelerates new and existing businesses in Northeast Missouri. For more information, visit www.hredc.com/ignite. For more information on any of the programs discussed at the panel, contact Maria Kuhns at sbdc@hredc.com.
