With the assistance of the Craig School of Business鈥檚 Center for Entrepreneurship at 含羞草社区, a recent Missouri Western alumnus became an entrepreneur and a longtime local business will remain open. A grand opening for Heartland Paint at 2327 N. Belt Hwy., previously Store of Colors, will be held at 2 p.m. Oct. 29.
Justin Myers graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in December 2014 and enrolled in the spring 2015 Applied Entrepreneurship course with the hope of being awarded a Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory or Aspen Leaf Yogurt store through Missouri Western鈥檚 unique entrepreneurship program.
He was not selected to receive a store, but Myers wasn鈥檛 ready to give up his entrepreneurial dream. He met with Annette Weeks, director of the CSB鈥檚 Center for Entrepreneurship. She knew that Peter and Elizabeth Kamstra were interested in selling their St. Joseph Benjamin Moore paint store, and she was able to connect them with Myers.
The Center and its advisory council offered resources and assistance to Myers, and in early October, financing was arranged to purchase the store. Myers renamed the store Heartland Paint.
鈥淚t was the best helping hand I鈥檝e ever had,鈥� Myers said of the Center鈥檚 assistance. 鈥淎nnette helped me know which steps to take and introduced me to the connections I needed.鈥�
Weeks said one of the Center鈥檚 focuses is trying to keep longtime local businesses from closing, so she was more than willing to work with Myers. The Benjamin Moore store opened in 1956 and was owned by Bill Schaller.
鈥淚 am very happy for Justin, and I know he will be successful with Heartland Paint,鈥� Weeks said. 鈥淭hat is exactly the mission of the Center for Entrepreneurship.鈥�
Myers said, in a way, he has come full circle. Growing up in Grain Valley, Missouri, his father was a self-employed contractor, and the young Myers spent a lot of summers with a paintbrush in hand. Now he owns a business that sells paint.
鈥淚 feel very good. I am looking forward to getting out in the community to network and see how I can offer my services to the community,鈥� Myers said. 鈥淚 hope to eventually give back by helping other small businesses.鈥�
Missouri Western鈥檚 Center for Entrepreneurship opened in the fall of 2014, and offers help to both new and existing business owners so they can be successful. The Center also helps business owners with succession plans if they are interested in retiring or selling their businesses.
Weeks noted that all of the Center鈥檚 services are free and strictly confidential. To contact her, call the Center at (816) 271-4283 or email aweeks@missouriwestern.edu.
含羞草社区 is a comprehensive regional university providing a blend of traditional liberal arts and professional degree programs. The university offers student-centered, high quality instruction that focuses on experience-based learning, community service, and state-of-the-art technology. Missouri Western is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit .