Our Mission: Helping Businesses GROW
The Ozarks Small Business Incubator aims to be a community of support for entrepreneurs and business owners at all stages in their business development. Our team of professionals, mentors, successful entrepreneurs and board members surround your emerging business with skills, experience and networks to help you start and accelerate towards success. We support entrepreneurs with an idea to those who want to take an existing business to the next level.
Our clients operate social service businesses, breweries, software companies, salons, manufacturing plants, medical services, IT companies, professional services and more. Their businesses are large and small, new and old. We have helped them build strong companies through mentoring, business trainings, affordable office space and capital.
Background
OzSBI opened its doors in January of 2012 after the renovation of the Butler Furniture Building in historic downtown West Plains. It was the ninth incubator in Missouri to open and the first rural incubator in the state. It was developed as nonprofit entrepreneurial assistance organization serving Douglas, Howell, Oregon, Ozark, Shannon, Texas and Wright Counties.
What We Do
Our passion is to help talented local entrepreneurs gain business skills, build relationships, get funded, and grow successful business. Our goal is to improve the economy of the Ozarks by growing businesses that create good jobs, provide new products and services, and pursue innovation. Profitable, sustainable and long-lasting businesses is what we help our clients create.
Our Timeline
2010
After a long application period, several grants are awarded to begin the renovation of the Butler Furniture Building in historic downtown West Plains.
2011
The first Operation Jump Start Class is held at MSU with 15 students.
2012
OzSBI opens its doors in January of 2012 after the first phase of renovation.
2013
Coworking space opens in January and four new store front offices are completed and open for business.
2015
Ten professional business mentors are certified and the OzSBI business mentoring program grows.
2017
The second floor of the incubator is remodeled to include 5 large offices, a meeting room and lobby.
2020
OzSBI launches the Howell County CARES Small Business Relief Grant in partnership with the Howell County Commission. Demand for mentoring and other services increases.
2021
OzSBI partners with Rural LISC and a receives SBA Community Navigator Pilot Program grant, which is used to expand its mentoring services and technical support services.
2022
OzSBI Microloan Fund is recapitalized, increasing the loan limit to $50,000. New OzSBI logo is designed and unveiled. The OzSBI Pop Up Shop opens.
2023
OzSBI wraps up the Community Navigator Pilot Program grant, which provided funding for 600+ hours of free business mentoring, and is awarded a Community Revitalization Grant extending the support for free mentoring through 2026.
2024
OzSBI receives a new grant to hire a new Mentor Coordinator and expand its popular 1:1 mentoring services to outlying communities, including Ava, Mountain View, and Thayer.
OzSBI hires a new Business Engagement Specialist to mentor businesses and help expand onsite mentoring services to OzSBI’s full seven-county service area.
Meet Our Team
Heather Fisher
Chief Executive Officer
As the Chief Executive Officer, Heather oversees OzSBI’s strategic development, fundraising and outreach. She is a certified Business Advisor with GrowthWheel and LaunchU, mentoring small business and facilitating workshops. Heather moved to the West Plains area in 1998 and with her husband Chrys and has two sons. She has a […]
Contact Heather
Ila Sloan
Chief Financial Officer
As the Chief Financial Officer, Ila Sloan manages OzSBI’s microloan programs, the incubator finances, mentors clients and teaches classes. She recently moved to West Plains with her husband Mark from San Antonio, TX and brings with her over 25 years of banking experience. Ila most recently worked for the Bank […]
Contact Ila
Autumn Shirley
Business Development Specialist
Autumn Shirley is the Business Development Specialist for the Ozarks Small Business Incubator (OzSBI). She has also served as Chairperson of the Board, the Howell County CARES Grant Administrator, and as a certified Business Advisor through GrowthWheel, LaunchU, and We Love Mentors. Autumn is also the CEO of a software company […]
Contact Autumn
Madison Sutterfield
Program Administrator
Madison Sutterfield is the Program Administrator for the Ozarks Small Business Incubator (OzSBI), where she oversees marketing and coordinates business workshops and networking events. She develops and implements marketing strategies, manages social media outreach, and creates newsletters and press releases to promote OzSBI’s programs. Additionally, she assists with tenant onboarding […]
Contact Madison
Ricky Baker
Business Engagement Specialist
A Navy veteran, Ricky brings a strong background in accounting and finance, having served as Chief Financial and Operations Officer for a chain of retail stores. He also owned and operated a successful family business in Hawaii for over nine years. After selling their business in 2020, Ricky and his […]
Contact Ricky
Gene Weinbeck
Mentor Coordinator
Gene Weinbeck coordinates the mentoring activities at OzSBI, including recruitment, training, and expansion of the program to the surrounding counties. He moved to West Plains in the early 1980’s for a job that didn’t last. So, he started a business that became FundRaiser Software, which publishes donor management software for […]
Contact Gene
Pat Bearden
Finance Administrator
Community Impact
524 New Businesses
Our OzSBI Board
Cheri Combs
Vice Chair
Retired managing partner of Deloitte and Touche
Bryan Adcock
Board Chair
Southern Missouri Community Health Center
Gabe Chambers
Treasurer
Hawkins, Yarber & Chambers, CPAs
John Perkins
Secretary
Recovering Attorney, former Missouri Securities Commissioner
Myles Smith
Member
Howell-Oregon Electric Cooperative
Trent Courtney
Member
SCOCOG
Mike Ennis
Member
Eminence Mfg INC
Kelly Slayton
Member
Community First Banking Company
Dustin Harrison
Member
City of West Plains
Jenny Long
Member
Midwest Counseling & Assessment
OzSBI Resource Partners
The Small Business Development Centers of Springfield and West Plains have partnered with OzSBI at many levels, including funding, workshops, mentor assistance and more. They are a critical resource for small businesses in our area.
Rural LISC supports resilient and inclusive rural communities as great places to live, work, and innovate. They are also OzSBI’s “hub” organization for the Community Navigator Pilot Program, an SBA grant that OzSBI was awarded, which allowed us to offer our mentoring services for free.
The Show-Me Network is a collaborative network of businesses and organizations that work together for greater impact. They connect entrepreneurs, innovators, and small businesses with the resources, training, and funding they need – right in their own communities. Through their statewide network of Regional and Community Connectors and Training Partners, which includes OzSBI, they are breaking down barriers, building stronger local economies, and creating opportunities that last.
The Missouri Technology Corporation (MTC) is a public-private partnership created by the Missouri General Assembly to promote entrepreneurship and foster the growth of new and emerging high-tech companies. MTC focuses on the life sciences and technology industries, which build on Missouri’s rich history in agriculture.
Justine PETERSEN is a Missouri Not-for-Profit Corporation with a mission to connect institutional resources with the needs of low-to moderate-income individuals and families, helping them to build assets and create enduring change – not just for each individual or family, but the community as a whole. They are an OzSBI Partner Microlender and have provided funding for several of OzSBI’s small business clients.
New Growth Capital builds the pipeline of bankable rural businesses with micro-enterprise financing and credit building. Beginning in 2023, OzSBI will be hosting a New Growth Capital Credit Building Coordinator in our building to assist individuals seeking loans of up to $5,000.
MOSourceLink connects entrepreneurs and small business owners with a network of nonprofit resource organizations that provide business-building services. Use their powerful Resource Navigator to identify resources in your area or throughout the region.
As both the Designated Economic Development District and the Regional Planning Commission for seven counties in South Central Missouri, SCOCOG is dedicated to providing high quality service that many municipalities and counties expect only from urban centers. SCOCOG has also partnered with OzSBI to expand our Microloan Fund.
Through the innovations and ideals of the University of Missouri, MU Extension improves lives, businesses and communities by focusing on solving Missouri’s grand challenges around economic opportunity, educational access, and health and well-being.
The APEX Accelerators program assists businesses, including small, disadvantaged, veteran, and women-owned firms, obtain federal, state and local government contracts.
The West Plains Chamber of Commerce works to enhance the economic vitality and quality of life in West Plains by supporting local businesses and community development initiatives. They provide community information, resources for relocation, ribbon-cutting ceremonies for new businesses, and a searchable directory of local businesses.
