COMO Business Times

10/08/2026

Entrepreneurship gets plenty of attention when the story ends in success. The failures, wrong turns, and impossible decisions tend to go unnoticed.

Entrepreneurship is often celebrated and romanticized. There is no shortage of success stories, nor harrowing tales of companies rising from the depths to conquer their challenges. What is rarely shared publicly are the stories of business failures. A common statistic we see is that 90 percent of st...

10/07/2026

What can Columbia learn from Chattanooga? Quite a bit.

Seventy Columbia business, economic development, education and city leaders recently spent three days in Chattanooga as part of the Columbia Chamber’s annual Leadership Visit, exploring everything from downtown revitalization and housing affordability to entrepreneurship, workforce development and public-private partnerships.

The theme of “radical collaboration" was a major takeaway for Columbia leaders returning from the Chamber of Commerce trip to Chattanooga.

10/06/2026

What does Chattanooga have to teach Columbia about growth, housing and the future of our community?

Mid-Missouri Board of REALTORS CEO Brian Toohey shares some of the insights he took away from the Columbia Chamber’s Leadership Visit to Chattanooga and how those lessons compare to what we’re seeing right here at home.

From housing and development to the challenges that come with a growing community, Brian offers a look at where Columbia and Chattanooga have some surprising similarities — and where there may be opportunities for Columbia to learn from Chattanooga’s approach.

10/05/2026

20 Under 40 looked a little different this year — and we loved every minute of it. ❤️

We traded the formal evening for a family-friendly celebration, and we were blown away by the turnout. Colleagues, friends, families and kiddos all came out to celebrate the 2026 class, making the night feel like a true community celebration.

Thank you for being part of this year’s 20 Under 40 and helping us celebrate this incredible group of young leaders. We’re so proud of the 2026 class and grateful to everyone who made this year so special!

📸: Chris Kendrick

10/01/2026

What is radical collaboration? Well, it’s something Chattanooga does well. Here’s Mayor Barbara Buffaloe’s recap.

10/01/2026

We kicked off Day 2 (9/30) at Erlanger Park, Chattanooga’s minor league stadium. The facility opened earlier this year and, among many amenities, features family friendly green space, party decks, and historic building preservation.

In this venue, we talked about workforce development and education, small business start ups, and perhaps one of Columbia’s biggest challenges — housing. Stay tuned for more about our takeaways.

09/30/2026

Yesterday’s sessions (9/29) included a warm welcome to Chattanooga and an overview of the city’s history, along with discussions about high-growth startups and electrical infrastructure.

Some of the city’s early initiatives that stood out to us included investing millions of dollars in attracting people downtown through an extensive riverwalk and creating green spaces for free concerts and other community events.

With tourism playing a significant role in Chattanooga’s economy, city leaders have also put considerable thought into making these spaces work for everyone, from visitors to local residents.

09/30/2026

So what exactly is the Chamber Leadership Visit? How does the planning work?

Caitlin Ferguson from Columbia Chamber of Commerce answers some of our questions on day 1, live from Chattanooga!

09/25/2026

Got questions? We’ve got answers. 👀

Check out our 20 Under 40 FAQ before tonight’s celebration at 6 PM! We can't wait to see everyone.