Empowering Encore Entrepreneurs is an 8-week program designed to equip entrepreneurs and small business owners aged 55+ with the skills and knowledge needed to launch or grow their new business. This program will provide older entrepreneurs not only with the tools to build their business, but to do so while protecting their retirement, demystifying technology, and learning how to recognize and combat ageism. This series will run every Tuesday from March 24 to May 12, 5:30-7:30 p.m., at the Clark Family Branch. 
 
Apply here - Encore Entrepreneurs - by February 28th!
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 Small Business Programs in February
 
Your Guide to Government Contracts Series
This six-part series provides foundational and advanced training for businesses new to the public sector, guiding them from initial registration and assessing readiness to leveraging small business certifications, crafting capability statements, performing market research, and decoding essential procurement regulations. Presented by Missouri Apex Accelerator.
 
Join us on Wednesday evenings at 6:00 p.m. The sessions will be held in person at Clark Family Branch and via Zoom simultaneously.
 
1. February 4: Get Started in Government Contracting 
This foundational workshop is designed for businesses new to the public sector. You will learn the basic requirements for doing business with the government and essentials for succeeding in the public sector. 
 
2. February 11: Unlock Opportunities with Small Business Certifications 
For businesses eyeing government contracts, obtaining certain certifications can be a game-changer. This session will demystify available certifications, outline eligibility, and show how they can provide your business with access to unique government set-aside opportunities. 
 
3. February 18: Assess Your Government Contracting Readiness 
Understand what it takes to be a preferred vendor for a risk-averse government. This session will guide you through the procurement process and highlight the essential elements that signify your business's readiness to sell goods and services to the public sector.
 
4. February 25:Craft a Winning Government Contracting Capability Statement
Learn to create the essential 1-2 page document that acts as your company's resume in government contracting. This session will teach you how to effectively showcase your core competencies, qualifications, and experience to impress potential clients and partners. 
 
 
Small Bytes: Using and Creating QR Codes
Thursday, February 5, 2:00 p.m. @ Bridgeton Trails
By learning what QR codes are and how to create them, entrepreneurs and small business owners can master a versatile tool that streamlines customer interactions, modernizes marketing efforts, and creates efficient, contactless links between physical products and digital brand experiences.
 
Introduction to Cricut - The Basics
Saturday, February 7, 1:00 p.m. @ Clark Family Creative Lab
Cricut empowers entrepreneurs to launch and scale profitable businesses with high-speed production of personalized products, custom branding, and intricate packaging. Learn about and how to use the Cricut cutting machine through an informative presentation, followed by a step-by-step demonstration tailored for beginners.
 
Virtual Program: Introduction to Measuring Your Impact
Tuesday, February 10, 1:30 p.m.
Presented by Candid
Shift your focus from what your nonprofit does to what it achieves. In this beginner-friendly session, we’ll demystify outcomes measurement and show you how an outcome-centric approach can strengthen program design and attract more funding. Learn the basics of logic models and start proving your impact.
Register here - Candid
 
Virtual Program: Design with Canva
Thursday, February 26, 10:00 a.m.
Learn how to navigate Canva's drag-and-drop tools to create professional marketing materials like logos, social media graphics, and promotional materials. Canva is a cost-effective, user-friendly alternative to complex design software, that allows small businesses to maintain brand consistency and produce high-quality visual content without needing to hire a professional designer. 
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National Inventors’ Day honors the genius behind design and celebrates the creativity and innovation that drive progress. The day is celebrated on February 11, Thomas Edison's birthday, 
to honor one of the most prolific inventors in the world has ever seen and to recognize all inventors, who are, as President Reagan stated, "the keystone of the technological progress that is so vital to the economic, environmental, and social well-being of this country." SLCL supports inventors by providing guidance, specialized resources, and community connections needed to navigate the next steps of their entrepreneurial journey.
 
Resources
  • United States Patent and Trademark Office - Patents
  • Patent & Trademark Resource Center (@ St. Louis Public Library's Central Branch)
  • LegalCORPS Inventor Assistance Program
  • United Inventors Association (St. Louis)
  • Library of Congress Patent Assistance Research Guide
 
Patent It Yourself: Your Step-By-Step Guide to Filing at the U.S. Patent Office by David E. Blau
Patent It Yourself: Your Step-By-Step Guide to Filing at the U.S. Patent Office
Get information, forms, and clear instructions to help you conduct a proper patent search, evaluate your idea's commercial potential, file for patent pending status, prepare and file a complete patent application, respond to examiners, and protect and market your invention both domestically and internationally.
Patent, Copyright & Trademark: An Intellectual Property Desk Reference by Richard Stim
Patent, Copyright & Trademark: An Intellectual Property Desk Reference
This is a comprehensive reference book on intellectual property law and terminology for creators, inventors, and companies that work with intellectual property.
Nolo's Patents for Beginners by David Pressman
Nolo's Patents for Beginners
This primer is packed with everything inventors need to know about patent law basics. Learn to document an invention, read and write patents, make a patent search file for a patent, determine patent ownership, understand the basics of patent infringement, get international patent protection, and decide whether to file a provisional patent.
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Sports betting is not just a new entertainment option in Missouri, it’s a multi-sector business engine. It is positioned to become a major economic catalyst in the state, transforming multiple adjacent sectors far
beyond casinos, stadiums, and traditional sports venues. Let's explore some broader opportunities for entrepreneurs and small businesses in Missouri:

Technology and Data Ecosystem

The industry is fundamentally driven by fast, secure digital transactions and complex data. Small businesses can thrive in B2B services supporting the major national operators.
  • Payment Infrastructure & FinTech:
    • Opportunity: Offer local payment processing support, compliance consulting, or specialized digital wallet services that are optimized for the gaming industry's strict regulations.
  • Geolocation & Cybersecurity:
    • Opportunity: Provide geofencing auditing/verification services for sportsbooks, or cybersecurity consulting specifically tailored to the Missouri Gaming Commission regulatory standards to protect user data and financial assets.

Hospitality and Tourism

Legal betting generates increased fan engagement and tourism, translating directly to foot traffic and revenue for physical locations.
  • Enhanced Fan Experience & Venue Partnerships:
    • Opportunity: Create premium viewing spaces in existing restaurants or bars, and secure exclusive marketing agreements with specific sportsbooks to be their "Official Partner" location in a given neighborhood (e.g., promotional material, exclusive odds displays).
  • Tourism and Local Event Services:
    • Opportunity: Offer specialized travel, transportation, and catering services for groups coming in for stadium games or retail sportsbook launches. This includes luxury transport, corporate box experiences, or themed rental property management.

Regulatory and Compliance Services

Any new, heavily regulated industry creates an immediate and ongoing need for specialized legal, accounting, and compliance expertise.
  • Legal & Regulatory Consulting:
    • Opportunity: Law firms or compliance consultants can specialize in gaming regulatory affairs, license application support, and ongoing compliance audits for both state and national operators entering the Missouri market.
  • Specialized Accounting and Tax Prep:
    • Opportunity: Accounting firms can develop a niche in gaming industry taxation, helping operators manage gross receipts tax reporting, and assisting professional bettors with tracking and filing their winnings and losses.
  • Responsible Gaming Services:
    • Opportunity: Provide certified problem gambling counseling, educational materials, or training programs to employees of sportsbooks and hospitality venues.

Merchandising Opportunities

The legalization of betting creates a new cultural identity for Missouri sports fans - the "Bettor" fan, if you will. This niche can be monetized with localized, non-licensed goods.

1. Niche Apparel and Accessories

  • Opportunity: Create unique, clever, and localized merchandise - apparel and betting accessories - that appeals directly to the sports betting audience without infringing on official team or sportsbook logos.

2. Promotional Products (B2B)

  • Opportunity: Sportsbook operators (DraftKings, FanDuel, Fanatics, etc.) need massive amounts of branded items for launch events, stadium giveaways, and retail sportsbook openings.

Marketing and Advertising Opportunities

The launch of legal sports betting triggers an extremely aggressive customer acquisition war among licensed operators, creating a massive influx of advertising dollars into the state.

1. Affiliate Marketing and Content Creation 

  • Opportunity: Sportsbooks pay substantial commissions for new customers referred through approved marketing channels. Small businesses can capitalize by launching niche, Missouri-centric sports betting blogs, podcasts, or YouTube channels that offer objective analysis, betting tips, or local odds comparisons, and engage in influencer marketing.

2. Hyper-Local Advertising Services

  • Opportunity: Sportsbooks need to ensure their advertising is compliant and targeted only to users physically located in Missouri and over 21. They need partners who understand local media markets deeply. Local ad agencies specializing in geo-fenced digital ads, local TV/radio buys, or billboard placements near stadiums and casinos in the state, and data providers offering hyper-local demographic data to help sportsbooks target the right Missouri resident with the right promotion are much sought after.

Key Takeaway for Missouri Businesses:

The biggest long-term opportunity for Missouri businesses is not to compete with the betting operators, but to become an essential service provider or key marketing partner that the large national operators need to successfully and compliantly operate in the unique Missouri market.
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DATABASE UPDATE
 
Statista is no longer directly accessible to the public through SLCL. But it has not disappeared entirely! If you need this statistical research, please book your librarian today (see below).
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Book a Librarian

For one-on-one assistance with your research needs or help navigating library databases, contact us through this form: Book a Librarian