Entrepreneur’s Guide to Missouri SBDC at UMKC and APEX Accelerator
Knowing how to start or grow a business without squandering valuable time and money can feel overwhelming or confusing. The business development consultants at the Missouri Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and APEX Accelerator at UMKC are here to help entrepreneurs.
Each Missouri SBDC at UMKC and APEX team member and consultant is a small business owner able to draw from industry experience. Whether discovering the best path to move an idea forward, learn a skill to improve operations or scale a business for growth, we can provide guidance.
Our Missouri SBDC at UMKC and APEX Accelerator guide covers who we serve, areas of expertise, our consultants who provide support and the types of training programs and workshops available.
Connect with us
Where is Missouri SBDC at UMKC and APEX Accelerator located? Who do you serve?
Missouri SBDC at UMKC and APEX Accelerator is affiliated with the University of Missouri–Kansas City and a member of the Missouri Small Business Development Center and APEX Accelerator network.
Based at the UMKC Innovation Center (4747 Troost Ave.) in Kansas City, we serve people in Greater Kansas City and Northwest Missouri who want to start a business, entrepreneurs who are ready to grow and scale a business, technology startup founders, and business owners seeking to secure government contracts.
What business consulting and training does Missouri SBDC at UMKC and APEX Accelerator offer?
Startup Planning
- Validating ideas
- Customer discovery
- Creating a value proposition
- Business model evaluation
- Business planning
Classes and programs for startup entrepreneurs include Proof to Profit, StartSmart Business Foundations, Tech StartUP Mastery, GovCon 101 and more. View all startup training.
Marketing
- Branding
- Social Media Strategies
- Digital marketing and AI supported marketing
- Customer acquisition
Courses to build your skills: Build Your Brand & Marketing Blueprint, Social Media Strategies, Content Creation With AI. View all courses.
Growth Strategy
- Making decisions and taking action
- Growth opportunities
- Leadership
- Operations
- Human resources
- Sales
Growth360 is designed for established business owners who are ready to step back, see the bigger picture and make smarter, more confident decisions that can drive business growth. Learn more.
SCALEUP! Kansas City is a selective, high-impact program designed for businesses that are ready to move their business to the next trajectory. This series of classes is built for companies with the potential to reach well beyond $1 million in revenue—or for those already there and looking to continue their upward momentum. How ScaleUP! KC works.
Financial Planning
- Understanding financial statements
- Cash flow knowledge
- Creating projections
- Funding preparation
- Investor readiness
Classes and programs include Show Me the Money! and Reading and Understanding Financial Statements. View all courses.
Technology Startups and Government Contracting
- Idea validation
- Business certifications
- SAMS registration
- Government procurement and contracts
- SBIR/STTR Support
Build your technology business, explore pathways to federal grants and learn how to compete for and secure government contracts. View our courses and programs led by industry experts.
Who can help me learn how to start or grow my business?
Meet the Missouri SBDC at UMKC and APEX Accelerator team. Learn how they can help.
Leadership
Jill Hathaway (LinkedIn)
Senior Director of Entrepreneurial Education Programs and Projects – UMKC Innovation Center; Regional Director – Missouri Small Business Development Center and APEX Accelerators
- Specialist in small business strategic advising, business and financial planning, certified facilitation, transformational life coaching and succession planning.
- Generational family manufacturing business, learning the pros and cons of effective succession planning.
- Previous banker with strong sales acumen.
- Retail expertise as 15-year owner of multiple retail shoe stores in the Kansas City area.
- Trade relationships – Served on the National Shoe Retailers Association and created strong trade relationships with overseas manufacturers.
At Missouri SBDC at UMKC and APEX, Jill leads a team of small business advisors, contractors and procurement consultants promoting economic growth through entrepreneurial education in an eleven-county region.
Entrepreneurial Education
Jen Spilker (LinkedIn)
Entrepreneurial Education Senior Program Coordinator
- Jen is your initial contact when you connect with our programs, including the Missouri SBDC at UMKC, APEX Accelerator Kansas City, ScaleUP! Kansas City and other training programs.
- Small business owner in real estate with nearly 30 years of experience working in and with small businesses.
- Expertise in administrative operations.
“I’m passionate about helping entrepreneurs find the right support and resources. We have all owned businesses. We understand our clients from more than just an academic point of view,” says Jen.
Startup Specialists
Katie Alsip (LinkedIn)
Contracted Business Development Coach
- Focused on leadership consultation.
Patricia McCreary (LinkedIn)
Contracted Business Development Coach
- Skilled in community building, entrepreneurship education, coaching and youth generational wealth building.
- Founder of Margaret’s Place, a business that provides recreational and leisure services to adults and persons with disabilities.
Known for their intuitive ability to guide entrepreneurs through their next steps, Katie and Patricia are skilled business coaches, instructors and facilitators who lead training programs and workshops. They are entrepreneurs who have launched and managed multiple businesses. Both Katie and Patricia bring expertise in marketing, business development and practical business strategies with insights gained from their deep involvement in community organizations. They were small business clients of Missouri SBDC at UMKC before joining the team.
“I love working with people,” says Katie. “We are all entrepreneurs helping entrepreneurs.”
Technology & Innovation
Mark Calhoun (LinkedIn)
Senior Business Development Consultant focused on technology, startups and growth.
- Founder, co-founder, partner or investor in a wide variety of startups primarily focused on financial technology, retail or retail technology.
- Specialty as a technologist and consultant in a variety of industries including banking, insurance, reinsurance, healthcare and transportation.
Mark also has experience in exiting several startups as a co-founder or investor. Learn how Mark and Jim Starcev co-founded the big data platform PerfectCube.
Jessica Powell (LinkedIn)
Business Counselor
- Specializes in business sustainability, social media strategy, content development, event sponsorship and production and business networking.
- Owner of Social Balances, a startup created to support growing companies through tools, connections and resources to boost brand visibility and growth.
- Program Director at Back2KC focused on connected a curated group of high-level, high-growth tech, consulting and capital markets professionals to Kansas City’s growth-stage innovation ecosystem.
Growth
Sharon Forni (LinkedIn)
Senior Business Development Consultant
- Expert in business analysis to assess how organizations function, behaviorally and structurally at critical moments such as mergers, leadership transitions and organizational restructuring.
- Seasoned banking professional with more than 13 years of experience.
- Consultant specializing in strategic business development and growth; President & CEO, Crescita Consulting.
- Multilingual with fluency in English, Spanish and Italian.
Sharon’s work focuses on observation, analysis and truth before action, so leaders understand what they are truly working with before decisions are made or change is attempted.
“I do this work to encourage conscious thinking, accountability and decisions grounded in truth rather than convenience. Organizations shape people’s lives, livelihoods and communities—and when they operate without clarity or integrity, the cost is human as much as structural. My aim is not to impose change, but to help leaders see clearly, act responsibly and organize in ways that honor both reality and people,” says Sharon.
Business strategist, attorney and entrepreneur coach
Lisa Brooks (LinkedIn)
Contracted Business Development Coach
- Business and legal strategist with more than 25 years of experience in developing business protocols, strategic plans and intellectual property asset management.
- Extensive background in training and leadership development.
- Mentor for growth-stage entrepreneurs through Growth Mentoring Service.
- Intellectual property advisor and business coach who educates and trains creative entrepreneurs to maximize the exploitation and management of creative assets to build a thriving and sustainable business.
“I’ve helped thousands of entrepreneurs and executives plan for and create success (in life and business) by providing proactive business protocols; strategic plans and coaching for business or personal alignment,” says Lisa.
Government Contracting
Jason Cole (LinkedIn)
Senior Business Development Consultant, APEX Accelerator
- Specializes in operational efficiencies, workforce development, government contracting and turnaround management, including business growth planning, marketing, financial analysis and management and business operations.
- Provides one-to-one counseling and delivering training sessions on methods used by government agencies to purchase goods and services.
- Expertise includes research and analysis of clients’ industries for the purpose of connecting them with pertinent contacts, news, events and other resources.
Jason helps businesses navigate the complexities of the government marketplace. With a background rooted in manufacturing and construction, he brings a wealth of experience in change management and operational efficiency. Prior to joining APEX, he played a key role in a start-up arbitrage business, implementing streamlined operations to position the company for sale.
“I help organizations optimize systems, align teams and deliver measurable results,” says Jason.
Jeff Rosenblatt (LinkedIn)
Program Manager for Missouri statewide network, APEX Accelerator
- More than 25 years of leadership experience in program management, organizational development, business consulting and community engagement.
- Experienced in government procurement and resource partners aligned with technology innovation, manufacturing and supply chain programs.
- Missouri APEX Accelerator helps businesses compete for and obtain federal, state and local government contracts. APEX helps to identify opportunities and understand the government contracting process.
ScaleUP! Kansas City
Dr. Elton Norman (LinkedIn)
Contracted Business Strategic Coach
- Fractional CFO, owner of Dominion Consulting Group.
- Lean Six Sigma Black Belt- management techniques focused on minimizing waste, delays and errors to reach maximum efficiency.
Tim Rock (LinkedIn)
Contracted Business Strategic Coach
- RockCore Partners, owner focused on supporting firms in the areas of operations, sales and leadership. With a primary focus on methodology and alignment of business, personal and financial goals.
Why work with Missouri SBDC at UMKC and APEX Accelerator?
- Experienced entrepreneurs as consultants
Our advisors and consultants are often experienced small business owners. They not only speak from experience but also have assisted hundreds of other entrepreneurs navigate common challenges and opportunities. - Customized business guidance
Our staff and consultants meet in person or online, listen, gather information and seek to understand each client’s needs. We don’t prescribe solutions or cite answers from a list. - Confidential consulting
Individual meetings are confidential, designed to foster trust and help entrepreneurs grow without sharing trade secrets or confidential information. - Local knowledge
Based in Kansas City, our team is familiar with the Kansas City market and audiences, trends and concepts that add perspective to aspects that a business owner may not have considered. - Connections to experts
Missouri SBDC at UMKC and APEX Accelerator enlists local experts in social media, AI, design, marketing, funding, and many other areas. Our experts add value to programs, workshops and events that help entrepreneurs learn, gather helpful feedback and make smarter decisions. - Industry expertise
Experts on our team have experience in retail, food businesses, professional services, government contracting, technology, manufacturing and other industries.
Ready to Get Started?
Your next big breakthrough is just a connection away. Reach out today and discover how SBDC can fuel your business growth.