Getting Down To Business

Turning “what if” into “what is”.

Global leaders and local favorites. Academic powerhouses and research trailblazers. Startups that are really starting something, and industry sectors that are driving future growth. St. Louis is a place of makers, thinkers and creators who foster innovation and collaboration, and bring everyone along for the ride. When you dream big in a place that’s still small enough to make things happen, the results can be remarkable.
Here, entrepreneurs find capital and support through programs like ArchGrants and at places like Cortex Innovation Community. Job seekers look for opportunities at St. Louis’ 15 Fortune 1000 companies and in our growing tech, geospatial and advanced manufacturing ecosystems.
Read on for the stories of bold leaders, small business owners and game changers who make this region an ideal place to thrive.

Featured Stories

Making Moves

Danielle Deavens and Doug Spencer, Bold Xchange founders, and Craig and Mowgli Rivard, owners of Little Fox, share why they…

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Community

Creating Space

At Heydays HQ, Keisha Mabry Haymore provides the space and support for women and founders of color to create, collaborate…

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Work

Hair Care

Rebundle’s CEO Ciara Imani May is revolutionizing the hair extension industry with the first U.S.-made, plant-based hair braiding brand.

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Beyond the Bag

Through her luxury handbag line Lux & Nyx, Lisa Hu seeks to empower women through functional, sustainable bags that marry…

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Life-Saving Science

Dr. Sarah George and other researchers at Saint Louis University School of Medicine’s Center for Vaccine Development are leading national…

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Exploring the Final Frontiers

At Impossible Sensing in St. Louis, Pablo Sobron leads a team of scientists and engineers in building sensors to explore…

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The Future of Farming

Creve Coeur-based Climate LLC is helping transform the possibilities, profits and precision of farming in the digital age.

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Tastes of Home

Nearly 30 years ago, Shayn Prapaisilp’s parents introduced Thai food to St. Louis. Now Prapaisilp is leading the family business…

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Culture

Harnessing Talent

Entrepreneur and talent recruiter Anjie Sanford has launched a new program through BioSTL that offers minority college students internships at…

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Anjie Sanford, talent recruitment & inclusive entrepreneur development lead at BioSTL

Inclusive Economic Growth

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Immigrants Making an Impact

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Shining Bright

Sisters Amanda Helman and Susan Logsdon founded Golden Gems to uplift, inspire and help people feel seen. Their products are…

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Manufacturing the Future

Southwestern Illinois College leads the way in educating the next generation of manufacturing workers, helping to realize the vision of…

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Creating Space

At Heydays HQ, Keisha Mabry Haymore provides the space and support for women and founders of color to create, collaborate…

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The Path Forward

Doug and Bill Mitchell’s startup ScholarPath helps graduating high school students figure out what’s next.

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Trading Up

As part of the Missouri Works Initiative, the Building Union Diversity program is expanding access to careers in construction.

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Bold Moves

Through Bold Xchange, co-founders Danielle Deavens and Doug Spencer aim to improve equity in entrepreneurship by helping large companies support…

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Stitching Vibes

Abbey Eilermann and her team at the Daily Disco bring fresh eyes and unique designs to the vintage art of…

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Taking Care of Business

Rebecca van Bergen’s nonprofit Nest aims to advance gender equity and economic inclusion through craft.

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Free Spirits

St. Louis’ Switchgrass Spirits is carving its own path with its grain-to-glass whiskey and brandy.

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Sustaining Style

With May’s Place, Katie May highlights the merits of shopping vintage – both for you and for the planet.

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Hair Care

Rebundle’s CEO Ciara Imani May is revolutionizing the hair extension industry with the first U.S.-made, plant-based hair braiding brand.

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Sew Crafty

First through a youth academy and now with a new online portal, Olivia Rae Davis wants to get more people…

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Raised on Glazed

Syeeda Aziz-Morris is carrying on the family tradition of donut-making at Pharaoh's Donuts in Downtown and the Central West End.

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Pumped Up

Babyation founders Samantha Rudolph and Jared Miller have redesigned the breast pump to meet the needs of parents today.

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Life-Saving Science

Dr. Sarah George and other researchers at Saint Louis University School of Medicine’s Center for Vaccine Development are leading national…

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Work

The Future of Farming

Creve Coeur-based Climate LLC is helping transform the possibilities, profits and precision of farming in the digital age.

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Work

Freedom Through Food

Urban farmer Tyrean “Heru” Lewis brings fresh produce to underserved communities and advocates for more equitable growing practices across St.…

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Beyond the Bag

Through her luxury handbag line Lux & Nyx, Lisa Hu seeks to empower women through functional, sustainable bags that marry…

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Hive Mind – Part Two

A team of local scientists work together on how to improve produce yields in urban orchards and community gardens.

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Hive Mind – Part One

With the goal of helping community gardens produce more fresh food, scientists from six different St. Louis institutions are collaborating…

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Space for STEM

With Black Girls Do STEM, chemist Cynthia Chapple and her team are carving out an inclusive space for young Black…

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More Than Skin Deep

Tiffany Wesley creates health and wellness products with the greater aim of cultivating community through her worker-owned co-op, Pure Vibes.

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Raising the Bar

With ethically sourced cacao and local raw honey, Cam and Haley Loyet’s Honeymoon Chocolates makes bean-to-bar craft chocolate in its…

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Cream of the Crop

Amy and Beth Marcoot are innovating and expanding their seventh generation dairy farming business in Greenville, Illinois.

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Climbing High

With So iLL, the Chancellor family has created an aesthetically pleasing, environmentally conscious experience for the modern urban rock climber,…

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Springboard for Success

A collaborative workspace and incubator founded by Betsy Blancett Nacrelli, MPWR is expanding to support even more women-owned businesses.

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Snacking for Change

With Airly crackers, a team from Brentwood-based Post Holdings has created a tasty way for people to combat climate change.

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Turning the Tables

David Stine crafts one-of-a-kind wood furniture for restaurants and homes around the country, all made from fallen trees on his…

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Rethink and Refill

At her sustainable lifestyle shop, Dharma + Dwell in Webster Groves, Jordan Blackhurst helps consumers make more environmentally friendly choices.

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Upping the Game

With Stonemaier Games, Jamey Stegmaier turned his favorite hobby into a St. Louis-based company that publishes beautifully designed board games…

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Celebrating St. Louis Startups

Learn more about the incredible organizations starting up in St. Louis.

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Screening Startup

With Geneoscopy, Erica Barnell is looking to change the game of colon cancer screening and ultimately, save lives.

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Building Space to Grow

Jason Deem opened St. Louis’ first coworking space, Nebula, more than 10 years ago, and continues to restore and develop…

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Flavor Full

Charlene Lopez Young and Darren Young are bringing Filipino flavors to the region with their barbecue and smoked meats business,…

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Be(er) Well

With WellBeing Brewing's craft nonalcoholic beers and waters, Jeff Stevens is helping reframe the stigma around sobriety.

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White man holding a beverage standing on a rooftop.

Security Solution

Led by CEO Ron Indeck, Olivette-based Q-Net Security is protecting government organizations and businesses across the nation from online threats…

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Flipping the Script

Akeem Shannon is on a gravity-defying entrepreneurial rise with his creation, Flipstik.

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Organic Growth

In Wright City, Maria Marshall leads certified organic Marshall Family Farms in practicing regenerative agriculture, raising heritage poultry and producing…

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Ice Cream Queen

Opening her fifth location in six years, Clementine’s Creamery owner Tamara Keefe takes pride in the growing national buzz around…

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Building Bridges

Natissia Small, Ed.D., reduces barriers for St. Louis youth to pursue and succeed in higher education.

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Tap Into Talent

Led by Chief Operating Officer Sarah Bernard, Inclusively connects employees with disabilities with compatible jobs, and helps companies adapt to…

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Exploring the Final Frontiers

At Impossible Sensing in St. Louis, Pablo Sobron leads a team of scientists and engineers in building sensors to explore…

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Transforming Tea

Lisa Govro, through her company Big Heart Tea Co., is not only revolutionizing how tea tastes, but ensuring it’s ethically…

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Health and Healing

Naturopathic physician Jamila Owens-Todd extends her mission of healing further into the community through her ownership of the Golden Grocer…

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A Conscious Cup of Joe

Inspired by the coffee they grew up drinking in their native Honduras, Patrick and Spencer Clapp are elevating the St.…

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Ready, Set, Launch

Je'Nell McCrary transitioned from radio to tech thanks to skills she gained through LaunchCode's CoderGirl program.

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Solving Challenges

Biotech startup PercayAI and Washington University are collaborating to find treatments for COVID-19, through the work of people like computational…

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Starting Up

St. Louisans on why they chose to start their businesses here — and why they’ve flourished.

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What is Geospatial?

Have you heard the term "Geospatial" bantered about in St. Louis lately. St Louis is an global leader in the industry. Find out more about how your life already interacts with this exciting technology every day.

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In Full Bloom

At Oliver’s Coffee + Flower Bar in Maplewood, Olivia Ridgel's focus on creativity and inclusion have blossomed into a magical,…

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Mapping Out The Future

St. Louis is positioned to become an international hub for the geospatial industry.

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Mapping Inequities

Kemba Noel-London used geospatial data in her doctoral research to discover disparities in access to youth sports throughout the St.…

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Flying High

Entrepreneur Bronwyn Morgan brings drones and geospatial tech together with her company, XEO Air.

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Defining
Geospatial

Leaders in the region explain geospatial technology and the many ways it's being used in St. Louis.

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Community Game Changer

Entrepreneur Julian Keaton aims to foster community engagement and move St. Louis forward through “Dimensions,” a new interactive geolocation mobile…

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Smooth Moves

Angela Zeng didn’t listen to critics who told her to start her line of superfood drinks, Karviva Beverages, elsewhere; after…

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Bridging the Gap

The Foodshed.io app links small family farms to grocery stores so consumers can buy more local produce and farmers can…

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Full Circle

Okunsola M. Amadou is improving health outcomes for Black women with a wraparound model of care at Missouri's first equal…

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Opening Doors

Dwayne Smith's first job was with the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, and now, through education, he seeks to build up the…

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Sewing Hope

The Collective Thread's small-batch manufacturing company was hard-hit by the pandemic, but once they pivoted to making and selling cloth…

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Community

Kitchen Collaboration – Part 2

Gibron Jones starts a new model for healthy food in St. Louis.

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Kitchen
Collaboration

In the COVID-19 crisis, Gibron Jones adapts his planned food incubator and co-op space to serve thousands of meals each…

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Community

Friends in Knead

At Knead Bakehouse + Provisions, AJ and Kirsten Brown Rise to Meet Changing Needs During the Pandemic.

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Novel Tees

In St. Peters, Shirt Kong is Screenprinting T-Shirts to Support Small Businesses throughout the Metro Area.

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Data for the Greater Good

Saint Louis University professor Enbal Shacham, Ph.D., uses geospatial techniques to track the spread of the coronavirus.

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woman wearing a blue blazer smiling

Coffee for a Cause

How Sump Coffee is Fueling Health Care Providers on the Front Lines.

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Download, Dine, Donate

Washington University graduate Andrew Glantz is giving back to the St. Louis community with his app, GiftAMeal.

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dark-haired man looks at phone

4 Hands For Hands

4 Hands Brewery adds a new product to its beer and spirit offerings – hand sanitizer.

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STLMade
4 hands van delivering hand sanitizer on market st

A World of Knowledge

Attorney Nalini Mahadevan is helping St. Louis corporations attract and retain top international talent for the region's growing industries.

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Nalini Mahadevan

‘Round and ‘Round

For 50 years, Mathew and Niah Foggy have built community while circling the roller rink at Skate King.

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Culture
Man and woman standing at skate rental counter

Home(Town) Brew

Here in one of the nation's top beer cities, St. Louis brewers are shaping the industry's future.

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Culture
A man pulls a beer tap in a brewery

Pump Up the Volume

Through their Tunespeak platform, St. Louis musicians Tom and Rick Pernikoff are connecting international performers with ardent fans.

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Tom Pernikoff with his brother Rick

A Global Community

As the St. Louis region recruits top international talent to its companies, Susan Gobbo is building a support system for…

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Community
Susan Gobbo of the International Spouses Meetup Group

Spilling the Beans

Estie Cruz-Curoe’s Cuban-style black beans at del Carmen Foods are filling a delicious niche in the St. Louis food scene.

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Culture
del Carmen beans header

Road Trip

Brothers Nick and Irfan Sinanovic are innovating the trucking industry through their rapidly growing, St. Louis-based company Vega Transport.

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Nick Sinanovic in a Vega Transport Truck

Making a Mark

In creating custom wood pieces through Mwanzi Co., Jermain Todd is taking the St. Louis maker movement around the globe.

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Culture
Jermain Todd produces custom wood pieces at Mwanzi.

Call of the Wild

For Kari Musgrave, honing her veterinary skills at the world-class Saint Louis Zoo is a dream come true.

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portrait of st. louis veterinarian

Shifting Gears

Mike Weiss believes that St. Louis could become one of the hottest cycling destinations in the country -- and the…

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Culture
Mike Weiss of Big Shark

Fresh From the Vine

Tony White’s locally grown tomatoes are the not-so-secret ingredients in many St. Louis chefs’ acclaimed dishes.

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Culture
tony white holding box of fruit

Rising Stars

Women business owners in St. Louis are drawing more funding and attention than ever before while giving other women a…

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Career Center

New industries in St. Louis are helping to fuel Missouri’s rise in employment opportunities.

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The Business of Basketball

Khalia Collier has transformed the St. Louis Surge into both a competitive team and an economic driver.

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Culture

Shared Solutions

Through Odd Couples Housing, John Levis is tackling local lodging issues by pairing senior and millennial roommates.

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Community
“We think this idea has legs to expand to other communities,” founder John Levis says of Odd Couples Housing.

Sweet Dreams

La Patisserie Chouquette co-owner and executive pastry chef Simone Faure has become the maven of macarons in St. Louis.

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Masters of Light

Just as their great-great grandfather did, Aaron Frei and his siblings are coloring St. Louis with hand-crafted stained glass.

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Culture
Emil Frei

Cool Rider

Sump Motorcycle owner and mechanic Mike Henneberry just might love your bike even more than you do.

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Sump Motorcycles

Innovation Destination

OPO Startups founder Randy Schilling boosts Main Street St. Charles by connecting local tech, retail and service communities.

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Randy Schilling

Midwest Millennials

Post-grads are learning that St. Louis’s low cost of living means more money for business and leisure.

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T-rex building

Education for All

Through EdHub STL, Sherita Love helps educators shake up their classrooms and eliminate barriers for students.

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Sherita Love Stands

Planting Seeds

Angi Taylor found meaningful work in St. Louis’s growing agriculture industry.

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Niche of Time

John Clark and Masterclock keep the world in sync.

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Masterclock CEO John Clark examines a time-keeping device.

Game On

With dozens of studios, courses and events, St. Louis is becoming the nation’s next video game development hot spot.

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Graphite Lab employees

Open Invitation

The tech community in St. Louis is reaching out to diverse groups, and the nation is taking notice.

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Venture Cafe'

Speaking the Language

St. Louis is positioning job seekers for global opportunities.

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Bilingual resident

Barrelling Along

Creating barrel-aged beard oils helped Jeremy Allen Stanton rediscover his fire.

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