EXCELSIOR SPRINGS, Mo. (Oct. 3, 2025) — Excelsior Springs took the statewide spotlight last week as hundreds of entrepreneurs, civic leaders, and community developers gathered downtown for the 2025 Connecting Entrepreneurial Communities (CEC) Conference, held September 30 through October 2.
The three-day event, organized by the University of Missouri Extension, brought together people who share a passion for strengthening rural economies through collaboration, innovation, and local pride. The annual conference rotates to a different Missouri town each year, immersing participants directly into the host community’s small businesses and public spaces.
Excelsior Springs Earns the Host Title
Hosting the conference was itself a major win for Excelsior Springs. The city earned the distinction through a competitive statewide selection process. After being named one of three finalists, the final decision came down to a public vote, where Excelsior Springs rallied strong community support to emerge victorious.
“This conference represents the entrepreneurial spirit that defines our state,” said Dr. Ashley Allen-Brown, lead conference organizer. “Excelsior Springs provided a perfect setting for meaningful connections, new partnerships, and an inspiring showcase of what collaboration can achieve.”
Allen-Brown credited the local planning committee, made up of Excelsior Springs city staff, downtown business owners, and volunteers, for their hard work and hospitality in preparing venues across the city.
A Welcome Worth Remembering
The conference opened Tuesday evening with a pre-conference reception at the Excelsior Springs Museum & Archives, featuring catering by Ventana Gourmet Grill and live local entertainment. Attendees toured the museum’s historic galleries while sampling regional cuisine, kicking off the week with a celebration of local heritage.
Wednesday morning began with a neighborhood engagement program featuring David Burton, MU Extension’s community specialist, and Laura Mize, Excelsior Springs’ neighborhood specialist. Their session emphasized the power of local connections, urging attendees to “build strong networks that turn good ideas into lasting change.”
Inspiring Stories from Local Entrepreneurs
The conference’s first full day of sessions started bright and early Wednesday with keynote presenters Jim and Daphne Bowman, longtime owners of Willow Spring Mercantile. Daphne spoke on their behalf, delivering her talk, “Evolution of the Entrepreneur,” which told the story of how their small-town wine and gift shop grew into one of Missouri’s largest retailers of locally produced wine.
Daphne reflected on more than two decades of business in downtown Excelsior Springs and their pivotal role in launching the Downtown Excelsior Partnership in 2006. She spoke about cultivating authenticity, hospitality, and collaboration, values they believe are essential to successful community revitalization.
“Believing in your town isn’t just hopeful; it’s actionable,” Bowman said. “We’ve seen what can happen when people invest in place and lead by example.”
Their remarks earned an enthusiastic ovation and set a tone of optimism for the sessions that followed, which explored topics from community revitalization and local tourism development to youth entrepreneurship and creative marketing.
Taste of Excelsior Springs Afterparty
Following a full day of workshops and breakout discussions, attendees gathered Wednesday evening at the historic Hall of Waters for the conference’s signature networking event, “A Taste of Excelsior Springs.”
Local restaurants, bakeries, and wineries offered samples showcasing the community’s flavors, while attendees mingled beneath the grand Art Deco architecture. The event also featured a Plein Air Art Exhibit Sale, where artists who had painted scenes around Excelsior Springs earlier in the day displayed and sold their work, celebrating the city’s creative community.
Thursday Highlights Local Entrepreneurs
Thursday morning continued the momentum with a local business panel featuring Carol Baxter of Butterfly Kisses Boutique, Carrie Amos of Vesta Hearth and Home, and Jodi and Linda Pasalich of Other Trails Coffee and Goods. Each shared personal stories about navigating small-business ownership, connecting with customers, and creating unique experiences in Excelsior Springs’ growing downtown.
Their discussions reinforced a central CEC theme: how local ownership and creative entrepreneurship fuel community pride and economic vitality.
Jeff Siegler Closes with a Call for Civic Pride
The conference concluded Thursday afternoon with a keynote address by Jeff Siegler, founder of Revitalize, or Die! and author of Your City Is Sick.
Siegler’s keynote, “Civic Pride, Civic Apathy,” explored how community revitalization depends as much on emotion as on economics. He emphasized that apathy stems from disconnection, while pride grows when residents feel ownership and belonging.
“Apathy means not caring at all,” Siegler said. “Pride means caring a ton. Our job is to make it easier for people to care about where they live.”
He urged communities to focus on restoring beauty, maintaining high standards, and fostering local ownership as foundations for civic pride. His closing message encouraged attendees to take action through what he called “relentless incremental improvement”—making small but steady changes that collectively transform a place over time.
A Proud Moment for Excelsior Springs
By the end of the three-day gathering, attendees left with new partnerships, practical ideas, and a lasting impression of Excelsior Springs’ welcoming spirit.
From historic venues to modern meeting spaces, the city provided the perfect backdrop for conversations about innovation in rural Missouri.
As Allen-Brown noted in her closing remarks, the success of the 2025 conference reflected not only Excelsior Springs’ organizational ability but also its identity as a place where entrepreneurship and community pride go hand in hand.
“The spirit of Excelsior Springs embodies what the CEC Conference is all about,” she said. “When people invest in their communities, and in each other, the results speak for themselves.”
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