Springfield Business Journal_2020-11-16

417.887.6595 | hdesigngroup.com Beyond Architecture. Imagine your vision—only sharper. That’s what you can achieve with perspectives — the project support division of hdesigngroup . Let us help examine, enhance, and focus the way your project proceeds from one phase to the next. Complete consulting, process auditing, and support services bring you a better look at where you are and where you’re headed—and deliver more confidence you’ve found the right way forward. SPRINGFIELD BUSINESS JOURNAL · 3 NOV. 16-22, 2020 Sponsor Letter . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Soul Care for Business 4, 5 The Buy/Sell Game 6 E-commerce Saves the Day . . . . . . . 8, 9 E very cloud has a silver lining. That’s how the saying goes. But the truth is, not every cloud does. Some dark clouds are just dark clouds. The dark clouds with the luminous white outlines – those are the special ones. Those are the clouds that let us know the sun is still there. It’s just hiding, not gone. We’ll soon feel its warmth again and all will be right with the world once more. Springfield Business Journal just wrapped up a fifth forum discussion on the 2020 Economic Growth Survey that was appropriately themed Silver Linings. In this print edition and in the forum content at SBJ.net/growthsurvey, we spoke with area busi- ness leaders and strategists that illuminate opportunity, hope and successes in our lo- cal economy as it currently exists. They give us a glimpse of the bright spots providing promise that when COVID-19 becomes a thing of the past, we will have something familiar, and maybe even stronger and better, to return to. Current interest rates, the overall economic environment and an impending political shift all have implications for businesses and individuals that want to make the most of their money. You’ll learn from business brokers, developers and bankers about what makes now a good time to sell or buy a business. As you read on, you will hear from small-business owners that successfully made the “pivot.” As tired as that word has become, these businesses and individuals that have learned to thrive in an environment that wasn’t of their choosing are our “special clouds.” They are providing hope for the future of retail and other small businesses that have traditionally depended on foot traffic for survival. You will also read about what some area businesses are doing to protect their most valuable assets during the pandemic, their people. You will read about the importance of an investment in “soul care” from the perspectives of a local business culture consul- tant, a psychiatrist and a sales and leadership coach. These are but a few of the silver linings that should give us all hope for the coming sunshine. TABLE OF CONTENTS PUBLISHER’S NOTE Jennifer Jackson Publisher, Springfield Business Journal graphics by AMANDA MILLER cover art by HEATHER MOSLEY *Wave 1 (collected Feb. 15-March 1) sample size 492, with a +/- 4.4% margin of error and 95% confidence inter- val; wave 2 (collected April 9-19) sample size 696, with a +/- 3.7% margin of error and 95% confidence interval SILVER LININGS