COMO Business Times

06/10/2026

As competition heats up in the housing market, escalation clauses are making a comeback.

As mortgage rates ease and existing homeowners continue to list their homes, more buyers are entering the market — and multiple-offer situations tend to follow. One negotiating tool that often resurfaces in competitive situations is the escalation clause, contract language stating the buyer will p...

06/09/2026

Missouri has always been full of stories worth telling — now, more filmmakers are finally telling them here. 🎬

While Missouri has been home to legendary storytellers like Mark Twain, Walt Disney, and Maya Angelou, storytelling as an industry has never realized its potential in the state, especially on film. With immense natural diversity — from rolling plains in the north to Ozark Mountains in the south an...

06/08/2026

Big wins, inspiring leadership, and community impact worth celebrating.

Celebration Partner for Better Wins 2026 Small Business of the Year Just four years after presenting her idea for a new business at the weekly 1 Million Cups gathering of entrepreneurs and small business owners, Kasey Hammock’s Partner for Better has been recognized as the Columbia Chamber of Comm...

06/05/2026

Not all financial advice is built for people with variable income. For freelancers, entrepreneurs, commission-based workers, and anyone living the 1099 life, financial planning often looks less like a straight line.

Around this time each year, I find myself doing a midyear recalibration. As someone who lives mostly on 1099 income from quarterly commissions, the halfway point feels like a natural moment to look at projections, check trajectories, and assess how the year is shaping up against the plan. Planning a...

06/04/2026

This month, we took a closer look at Bread & Co. and Highball Kitchen & Cocktails.

Bread & Co.   Recently celebrating its first anniversary in April, Bread & Co. is a small cottage bakery specializing in fresh breads and pastries. It’s particularly known for its wide variety of sourdoughs, including original, chocolate orange, multigrain, and whole wheat, as well as its ciabatt...

06/03/2026

What started as a passion for clean, plant-based living has grown into K&K Co. — a Columbia business centered on intentional self-care, handcrafted body products, candle-making workshops, and community connection.

When Krystal and Al Martin found out that Krystal was pregnant in 2019, their whole family was excited. Krystal and Al had three children at the time — Kaylee, Karrington, and Albert. The new baby would be their fourth. “We were really looking forward, all my kids knew I was pregnant already, we...

06/01/2026

Billiards on Broadway and Pierpont General Store are under new ownership. So what’s new at those two staples of Columbia dining and entertainment? And why is COR Development calling its new venture Midtown? The June issue of COMO Business Times also points a lens at Missouri’s growing film industry – and how that involves Columbia.

https://issuu.com/businesstimescompany/docs/como_business_times_the_going_out_issue_june_2

05/27/2026

After the loss of her daughter, Ame Allen found healing through pottery — and now, through CoMo Mud Co., she’s helping mid-MO reconnect with creativity, community, and a little mess. 🧡🏺

From BYOB “Sip and Spin” nights to wheel throwing classes, Allen wants you to know that everyone is welcome in her studio. Read more about CoMo Mud Co. by visiting the link in our bio!

05/19/2026

How cool is this? Our newest editorial intern, Huikai Wu, connected with me barely 24 hours ago, wondering when she should start, and I suggested she cover this morning's Boone County Commission meeting. Here we are with the story written, edited, and now online.
There are a lot of reasons I love my job. THIS makes it even more meaningful.

https://comobusinesstimes.com/2026/05/19/boone-county-commission-proposes-sales-tax-to-fund-new-jail/