Springfield Business Journal_2021-03-01

by Mike Cullinan · mcullinan@sbj.net After a false start in 2020, plans for a mural art and cul- ture festival in downtown Springfield have renewed. The MidxMidwst Arts & Culture Initiative is set for Sept. 11-12 and organizers are about to launch a crowd- funding campaign to help fund the event, which features live mural painting and music. The Kickstarter campaign will start March 16, said Meg Wagler, founder of the festi- val and the MidxMidwst organization. “Essentially, this is our year one, try two. I’m kind of viewing it as 2020 didn’t happen,” she said of last year’s festival plans being dashed amid the coronavirus pan- demic. Last year’s MidxMidwst cancellation was made in July – a decision Wagler said saved the festival an unde- termined amount of money. The organization, which is a fiscal agent under Branson-based nonprofit Southern Missouri Arts Connection, was only out around $200 at the time it pulled the plug, she said. “As a first-year event, it’s much different to get that off of the ground,” she said, noting MidxMidwst’s nine-per- son artist roster, including her, carried over to this year. “It was very intentionally curated to be a mix of local, re- gional and national talent so that we can bolster our local artists and give them a spotlight, but also cross pollinate these creative ecosystems with other successful art com- munities.” Wagler is a self-employed visual artist and muralist who worked a few years as art director for digital market- ing and design firm Departika LLC until 2019. One of her Springfield murals is at the recently renovated East Sun- shine Street store of St. George’s Donuts. She said negotiations are ongoing with building owners for mural locations. She’s targeting most of the festival ac- tivity in the Robberson Avenue alley area downtown, near Park Central East. The music roster is probably a few months away from being determined but is designed to be a mix of local and national talent, she said. Organizers are working with Springfield-based Headline Productions LLC. Financial considerations Wagler estimated the inaugural event will cost around $100,000. This month’s Kickstarter campaign has a $10,000 goal. “A portion of a Kickstarter goal is to raise funds. As a grassroots organization, it’s imperative to do that on the by Emily Cole · ecole@sbj.net Springfield-based Enactus, an international academic and entrepreneurial nonprofit, is searching for a new CEO and transitioning into its next phase following un- expected growth in 2020. CEO Rachael Jarosh plans to step down in June from the position she’s held since 2016. At the time, she suc- ceeded 30-year Enactus CEO Alvin Rohrs and committed to a multiyear restructuring plan. “It’s really just the right time for the organization,” Ja- rosh said. “I think the next phase of growth for Enactus is a four- to five- or six-year endeavor, and I could not make another five-year commitment for a number of reasons.” Jarosh said the organization recorded a surprising jump in participating students in 2020, with numbers rising to 500,000 from 72,000 students in 2019. Enactus currently works in 35 countries with participants from 1,730 campuses. “We had a huge surge in growth last year through the pandemic, which is a really interesting phenomenon,” Ja- rosh said. “While so many of us were really sad and over- whelmed by what was happening with the pandemic and its economic impact, we saw thousands of young students reaching out to us because they saw Enactus as a way to do something good to help their communities.” Students in Enactus programming work to solve social issues by engaging entrepreneurs or businesses in their markets. Making adjustments Being education focused, Enactus had to adjust its programming as schools began remote learning during the pandemic. Jarosh said Enactus’ virtual learning mod- els allowed more students to participate. Rachael Jarosh is leaving her CEO position in June. $2.00 · SBJ.NET MARCH 1-7, 2021 · VOL. 41, NO. 32 40 YEARS • YOUR BUSINESS AUTHORITY BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT A Nixa tea distributor rewrot e its first-year business plan, and it’s not looking back. PAGE 6 Upstart arts organization makes second attempt at first festival Enactus begins search for new CEO Entrepreneurial nonprofit hires international search firm as multiyear restructuring concludes MCKENZIE ROBINSON ALLEY ART MidxMidwst, a mural art and culture festival organized by Meg Wagler, plans to occupy part of downtown’s Robberson Avenue alley in September. See ARTS on page 22 See ENACTUS on page 22