Columbia REDI

08/19/2026

Women entrepreneurs shouldn’t have to build their businesses alone.

REDI’s new guide connects women across Columbia and Boone County with the relationships, resources, and opportunities they need to grow.

Explore the guide:https://columbiaredi.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/REDI-Guide-to-Supporting-Women-Entrepreneurs.pdf

05/27/2026

We are excited to announce that we have added to our REDI team.

Regional Economic Development Inc. (REDI) has selected Kaylee Paffrath as its next vice president. Paffrath, an accomplished economic development executive with a proven track record of driving regional growth, will assume her new role on Monday, June 29. Paffrath will also serve as Assistant Director for Columbia’s Economic Development Department.
Paffrath currently serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Moberly Area Economic Development Corporation (MAEDC) and gained valuable experience working for Moberly Area Community College prior to MAEDC. At REDI, she will leverage her experience in site development, business attraction and high-impact project management. Her specialized background in utilizing critical local and state economic development tools, such as Chapter 100 and Missouri Works, will serve as a powerful asset to the REDI team and its core strategic objectives.

Paffrath initially joined MAEDC in February 2023 as the director of business development before being named president and CEO in February 2024. Throughout her tenure, she successfully led the organization through a transformative period of strategic growth, robust regional collaboration, major infrastructure advancement, and expanded business development efforts spanning Moberly, Randolph County and Howard County.
During her time with MAEDC, Paffrath played a central role in advancing critical economic development milestones, including industrial park expansion, business retention and attraction, workforce development partnerships, capturing competitive grant opportunities, and significantly strengthening regional and statewide collaboration networks.

“We are delighted to welcome Kaylee to REDI’s outstanding team. Kaylee’s successes are impressive, and she exemplifies the maxim that economic development is a team sport. Throughout the hiring process, we heard from economic development partners across the state about the deep respect they have for Kaylee's work and her approach.”
— Paul Eisenstein, REDI President

Paffrath shared that she is most excited about joining REDI because of the organization’s proven commitment to collaboration, innovation, and building stronger, more resilient communities. Guided by her core belief that economic development is fundamentally built on relationships and partnerships, she is looking forward to working alongside REDI’s expansive network to support business growth and create a meaningful, lasting impact across the region. She noted that she is incredibly excited for this new chapter and for the opportunity to contribute directly to the fantastic economic momentum already building in Columbia and Boone County.

05/26/2026

The City is hosting a listening session. We hope to see you at The Shops at Sharp End on June 4th.

What’s next for The Shops at Sharp End?

Join the City of Columbia on Thursday, June 4, for a community discussion about the future of this retail incubator space supporting local entrepreneurs and small businesses.

Stop by for refreshments, meet current participants and help shape the next chapter of this vibrant downtown space.

📍 500 E. Walnut St., Suite 109
🕓 Reception begins at 4:30 p.m.
🗣️ Discussion starts at 5 p.m.

Register here: https://ow.ly/Pjp250YZ3Sc

We hope to see you there!

05/21/2026

One word defines last night’s REDI entrepreneur client roundtable: Powerful.

The raw honesty shared and the peer-to-peer encouragement in the room reminded us why these gatherings are so incredibly important. There is nothing quite like being surrounded by people who "get it", who understand the late nights, the high stakes, and the triumphs of building something from the ground up.

According to SBA data, only about 15% of the U.S. population is entrepreneurs. To our local business owners, you are part of an elite group. Your small businesses are what make our community so unique and vibrant.

Thank you to our entrepreneurs for inspiring us last night.

03/31/2026

We are very excited that the Phase One Application for the 2026 Small Business Grant, funded by the City of Columbia Government and administered by Regional Economic Development Inc. (REDI) opens this Friday, April 3rd.
The Small Business Grant is specifically designed to support both startups and established locally-owned businesses that meet the eligibility criteria. Whether you are looking to expand, innovate, or improve operational efficiency, our goal is to help strengthen your business’s long-term sustainability and community impact.
While attending a pre-application informational meeting was not a requirement, all applicants must meet the established eligibility criteria to move forward. Visit www.columbiaredi.com for complete guidelines.
The selection process will be conducted in three distinct phases:
Phase One: Eligibility Determination
Phase Two: Application Evaluation
Phase Three: In-person Interviews
Grant Awards
A total of eight grants will be awarded:
Six (6) grants of $5,000
Two (2) grants of $10,000
Phase One of the application officially opens this Friday, April 3, 2026, at 9:00 AM. The application will be available on our website: www.columbiaredi.com
We appreciate your commitment to the Columbia business community and wish you the best of luck with your application.

03/19/2026

What an amazing REDI entrepreneur roundtable this morning! Our facilitator was Sophia Rivera Hassemer, Director of operations for the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the Robert J. Trulaske College of Business at The University. She imparted practical AI tools that solopreneurs and small businesses could use to streamline their operations and marketing. So much learning occurred. We were so engaged, we did not take many photos.
I guess we could have AI generated a few 😉
We will have another client roundtable on this topic, March 31st.

03/12/2026

We are excited to share a new community resource for local goods and services. Small businesses are the backbone of every thriving community, bringing jobs and upward economic mobility to where we live and work. Explore our new REDI Entrepreneurial Client Directory and discover the newest local small businesses making an impact right here in Columbia and Boone County. Support local and help them grow! https://columbiaredi.com/directory/

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Businesses Archive - Regional Economic Development Inc.

03/09/2026

We are excited to launch the fifth year of grants funded by the City of Columbia, Mo. Government and administered by REDI, supporting entrepreneurs in Columbia.

This opportunity will support start-up and existing small businesses in Boone County that are looking to expand operations, innovate, or improve efficiency. The program also prioritizes business owners living in economically disadvantaged areas of Columbia, helping strengthen long-term economic sustainability and community impact.

Eight local businesses will receive funding:
• 2 grants of $10,000
• 6 grants of $5,000

To help interested applicants learn more, two pre-application informational sessions will be offered:

📍 In-person session
March 16, 2026 | 2:30–4:30 p.m.
REDI Training Room
500 E. Walnut St., Suite 103

💻 Virtual session
March 19, 2026 | 5:30–7:00 p.m.

📝 Register for an informational session:
https://lnkd.in/gNHJYWVg

🗓 Grant applications open April 3, 2026.

Small businesses interested in applying can also review full eligibility requirements and the program timeline here:
https://lnkd.in/g3XDweGD

Supporting local businesses means strengthening our entire community. We encourage eligible entrepreneurs to explore this opportunity and take the next step in growing their business. 💼📈

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03/06/2026

We are still buzzing from our Quarterly Connect !
Our event last week was designed to bring together our investors, entrepreneur clients, board of directors and community members to have deeper connections and move us forward together. We had a great panel that took a deep dive into the journey of bringing six World Cup matches to Kansas City and the incredible economic boost it promises for our state and region.

A huge thank you to Sarah Shorthose owner of Sarah Jane Photography, Visit Columbia MO,
Harpo's Columbia and our amazing panelists.
Thank you to all who attended for making our community stronger, one connection at a time.

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02/26/2026

Congratulations to the Missouri Women's Business Center for ten years of helping entrepreneurs. We love being your resource partner in elevating entrepreneurs in Boone County.
We would also like to recognize our shared clients Raw Roots Turmeric LLC and Ranjana Hans for MWBC client of the year and Sarah Shorthose owner of Sarah Jane Photography for volunteer of the year. Congratulations to these amazing women. We were honored to celebrate along side of you. Congratulations on ten great years!