Search
Menu
Account

Business development

hooded computer hacker

Is your business protected?

Measure your business’s cybersecurity risk. Take our no-cost cybersecurity course.

Small business, big threat
older man with younger woman in storefront

Succession planning

Your plan for succession will be as individual as your business.

Learn your options
Better by Design consulting at site

Win government contracts

Procurement specialists help firms grow through selling to the government.

Learn how this business succeeded

The University of Missouri Extension Business Development Program assists businesses throughout the state. The programs below are what make the Missouri Business Development Program and provide assistance to most industries. Learn more by clicking on a program.

Events

View all events
Job Descriptions, Interviews, and Hiring: Identifying and Recruiting the Right Employees

April 20, 2021

| 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Businesses across Missouri regularly report challenges and frustrations in the hiring process. Stories abound of potential employees not showing up for interviews, quitting without giving notice, and committing other ‘sins’ in the hiring process. ...

Small Business Certifications for Federal, State & Local Government Contracts

April 21, 2021

| 9:00 am - 10:30 am

This virtual seminar is an overview of the current small business socio-economic certifications in federal, local state and city government. The federal government spends over $500 billion in goods and services each year, and 23% of this spend is set ...

Increase Sales in Your Hospitality Business

April 21, 2021

| 9:30 am - 10:30 am

My seats are empty! If I don’t fill up the empty seats, I cannot store them to sell tomorrow. Where can I find customers?I just opened my business. Now what? Where do I go from here?What you’ll learnHow to promote your business or products on ...

Competitive Compensation and Benefits Program

April 21, 2021

| 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Compensation – whether through wages or employee benefits – is a central component in attracting and retaining a qualified workforce. Yet, many businesses struggle with creating a compensation and benefits package that helps their business grow. ...

View all events

Publications

View all publications
Sampling Safely at Farmers Markets

Publication date: March 1, 2021

Farmers market vendors will find tips for safely offering samples to patrons in this publication, as well as a summary of sampling regulations. Directions and estimated costs for sanitizing stations are included.TopicsFood ...

Federal Contracting Trends in Missouri

Publication date: Feb. 1, 2021

Executive summaryFederal contracting is an important generator of economic activity — not only in places like Washington, DC — but also throughout the country in states such as Connecticut, New Mexico and Missouri. Private firms of all sizes ...

Selecting an Appropriate Pricing Strategy

Publication date: Feb. 1, 2021

Consumers and competitors easily can access pricing information for goods sold at retail and use this information for various purposes. One example is that a product’s price can signal its perceived quality. Consumers may view a high-priced product ...

Entrepreneurial Dynamics in Missouri Counties

Publication date: Jan. 1, 2021

Entrepreneurial dynamics — the flow of business startups and business turnover, or churn, in a place — shape economic growth. Entrepreneurs may spark economic growth and development by contributing to employment growth, innovation, quality of ...

Local and Regional Food System Resilience During COVID-19

Publication date: Jan. 1, 2021

COVID-19 elevated U.S. food access, affordability and supply chain issues into media, industry and policy discussions during 2020. Known for their short supply chains and locally focused marketing, local and regional food systems (LRFS) nimbly ...

Using NRCS Technical and Financial Assistance for Agroforestry and Woody Crop Establishment Through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)

Publication date: Oct. 1, 2020

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that is responsible for assisting landowners to improve our soil, water, air, plants, wildlife and energy use. Ensuring productive lands in harmony ...

View all publications

Online courses

View all online courses

Starting a Small Business-The First Steps

online $0.00

This self-directed course provides information on the steps necessary to start a new business in Missouri. There are a total of ten steps addressing legal considerations, planning, licensing and registrations, and financing. The Missouri SBDC is ...

Fundamentals of Supervision

Aug. 3, 2020 - June 30, 2021

online $240.00

Transitioning to a supervisory role can be difficult; it can be challenging to be the boss of those who used to be your peers. As an individual contributor, you developed specific technical expertise that made you proficient in completing ...

How to Understand Financial Statements

July 1, 2020

online $0.00

How To Understand Financial Statements provides self-paced instruction in how to read and interpret a balance sheet and an income statement, which is also called a profit and loss statement. The distinction between cash and accrual accounting and ...

Government Contracting Basics

July 1, 2020

online $0.00

Government Contracting Basics is self-paced course that explains the process to obtain government contracts. Questions can be answered and follow-on assistance provided by contacting the nearest Missouri Procurement Technical Assistance Center. ...

Business Plan Basics

July 1, 2020

online $0.00

Business Plan Basics is a self-paced course that describes the importance of a business plan and the planning process as well as the four fundamental topics any business plan must address. Access to LivePlan through the SBDC and the alignment of the ...

Closing Your Business

online $0.00

The purpose of course is strictly to provide information and knowledge. There are no prerequisite knowledge and competencies. If the time comes, for whatever reason, to close a business it requires more than just locking the doors and walking away. ...

View all online courses

Resources

View all resources
Missouri State Statutes

Missouri General Assembly website includes state statutes, elected officials, legislature, hearings, bill search and legal codes.

SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans Available to Missouri Small Businesses

Small nonfarm businesses in 33 Missouri counties and neighboring counties in Arkansas, Kansas and Oklahoma are now eligible to apply for low‑interest federal disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). These loans offset ...

Department of Homeland Security - Small Business Specialists

The individuals listed on the website are available to provide advice to small business owners on individual procurement opportunities and how to do business with their individual components.

Missouri Small Business Insights Series — Cheetah Businesses: High-Growth Stage Two Missouri Businesses (PDF)

This brief explores fast-growing companies during the past business cycle — a good launching point for considering which small businesses may be poised for growth. But 2020 jolted the economy, so owners also want to know how their industry is ...

National Association of Procurement Technical Assistance Centers

Find your local PTAC to learn how to sell your products and/services to local, state and federal government agencies.

Federal Procurement Data System - Next Generation

The FPDS-NG is the current central repository of information on Federal contracting. The system contains detailed information on contract actions over $10,000.

View all resources
View all Resources

Featured programs

Missouri Small Business Development Centers

Helping businesses at every stage from concept to startup, growth to renewal, mature to succession succeed through counseling, training and access to technology.

Growing Agribusiness Sustainably

The Growing Agribusiness Sustainably program strives to double the value of Missouri agriculture by 2030.

Mid-America Trade Adjustment Assistance Center

Helping manufacturers in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska respond to import competition through cost share grant funding and support.

Missouri Procurement Technical Assistance Centers

MO PTAC helps businesses - including small, disadvantaged, veteran and women-owned firms - obtain federal, state and local government contracts.

All programs

Meet the experts