YOUR BUSINESS AUTHORITY
Springfield, MO
YOUR BUSINESS AUTHORITY
Springfield, MO
A publishing company that considers itself a cheerleader for the Ozarks received some cheers of its own May 28 after receiving an award from the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce.
The local chamber announced Four One Seven as the recipient of the 2025 W. Curtis Strube Small Business Award.
Started in 1998 and owned by Logan Aguirre since 2020, the multimedia publishing company, which rebranded last year from 417 Magazine, was given the honor during a ceremony at the O’Reilly Family Event Center on the campus of Drury University. The company was a finalist for the annual award last year, as well as 2006 and 2013.
Aguirre took over ownership of the company after purchasing it from her parents, Gary and Joan Whitaker, who had owned the publication since 2001 under Whitaker Publishing LLC. The company operates at 2111 S. Eastgate Ave.
Fighting back tears as she got on stage to accept the award, Aguirre thanked the chamber “for creating space for small businesses.”
“We’re lucky here in 417-land – a town built on entrepreneurs,” she said.
Noting her parents were unable to attend, Aguirre said she wished they could be present at the ceremony to celebrate.
“Maybe it’s good luck that they’re out of town because they were here last year and we didn’t win,” she said with a smile. “They’re off on one of their adventures. My dad used to say that every issue of 417 was like writing a love letter to his hometown. His hometown has become my hometown.
“It is a great honor for all of us to keep those love letters going.”
Aguirre, who began working for the publication in 2006, recently told Springfield Business Journal it doesn’t feel like nearly five years has passed since becoming owner.
“By the time the papers were signed, nothing felt any different,” said Aguirre, who was president of the company at the time of the ownership change. “I was running it for (my parents) for several years while they were semiretired. It had really gotten to the point where they had no day-to-day responsibility. They were really just a sounding board, and I would meet with them and just kind of get their advice and take on things.”
Aside from its flagship brands of 417 Magazine and Biz 417, the company’s platforms include websites, e-newsletters, community events and a custom publishing division, which creates magazines and content for local businesses and organizations such as Home Builders Association of Greater Springfield, Prime Inc., Russell Cellular Inc. and the local chamber.
“Four One Seven exemplifies the spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation that drives our local economy,” chamber President and CEO Matt Morrow said in a news release. “Their commitment to fostering connections and elevating quality of life in Springfield is truly commendable.”
According to chamber officials, roughly 360 people attended the annual award presentation, which also included a keynote speech from Shawn Askinosie, founder and CEO of Askinosie Chocolate LLC.
Other finalists for the award were as follows:
Concluding a roughly one-year process, Aguirre said the company’s comprehensive rebrand last year also involved a redesign of 417 Magazine and a new tagline: For the Ozarks.
“It was really a full rebrand from the ground up, not really changing who we are or how we cover things or what we cover, but really just the look and feel of it and embracing a regional aspect,” she says. “The tagline ‘For the Ozarks’ really just helped us put a bow on what we’ve always been, but really embracing the word Ozarks was important to me. It’s something we should be really proud of as a region.”
Aguirre said the redesign and rebrand process involved stakeholder feedback from advertisers and readers, and the company also hired award-winning magazine designer Carla Frank, former founding design director of O, The Oprah Magazine, to work with staff on the project.
“It was neat to have somebody from outside have their take on it, because if you’re living inside of it, it’s sometimes hard to see what’s really special about it,” Aguirre said. “That was a great experience. Our team got to work really closely with her, but it helped keep the bulk of the work outside of our day-to-day.”
Describing the process as both “exhausting and energizing,” Aguirre said there was a determination to keep the company’s focus as cheerleaders for the region intact.
“Our mission is to shine a light, to inspire a life full of passion, purpose, pride and experiences. Obviously, we’ve expanded that into lots of different products beyond just the magazine,” she said. “But the goal in general stays the same.”
Dake Wells Architecture Inc., an architectural firm co-founded in 2004 by Brandon Dake and Andrew Wells, was the 2024 recipient of the Small Business Award, according to past Springfield Business Journal reporting. The business owners were the presenters for this year’s award.
The finalists are selected based on written applications reviewed by an independent panel of judges comprising previous recipients, local business representatives and volunteers of the chamber’s Small Business Council. This year’s judges were Brad Coy, Small Business Council chair; Linda Daugherty, Academy of Hair Design Inc.; Chrystal Irons, Missouri Small Business Development Center at Missouri State University; Mary Andrews Martin, Drury University; and Chris Rozier, vice chair of the Small Business Council.
The council was founded by the late Curtis Strube, a former director at Drury University’s Breech School of Business Administration. The Small Business Award is given annually in his honor.
Meet the finalists
Learn more about the chambers Small Business Awards 2025 finalists.
Four One Seven
Executive: Logan Aguirre, owner and publisher
Employees: 26
Products/services: Multimedia publishing on platforms, including print, social media, website and e-newsletters
Founded: 1998
Leadership
Started in 1998 by Radio 2000 as 417 Magazine, the publication was sold in 2001 to Whitaker Publishing LLC founders Gary and Joan Whitaker. Leadership at 417 Magazine remained steady until 2020 when the Whitakers’ daughter, Logan Aguirre, purchased the company. The company rebranded last year to Four One Seven.
326,431
Through 417 Magazine and Biz 417, the company’s business publication, an audience of 151,576 print and 174,855 digital users are reached monthly, which includes print readers, digital contacts connected through social media, its websites and outbound e-newsletters with content tailored to different segments within its audience.
Vision
When Aguirre bought 417, she set out to transform it with a five- and 10-year strategic plan, marking a first in company history. That work included redefining the company’s vision, mission and core values, which led to key initiatives such as diversifying beyond-the-page revenue, redesigning 417 Magazine, rebranding the logo and elevating the employee experience.
Advanced Car Care Center LLC
Executives: Chip and Megan Broemmer, owners
Employees: 7
Products/services: Full-service import automobile repair
Founded: 2015
Expertise
The foundation for Advanced Car Care Center is the skill level of its technicians, who have almost 100 years of combined experience. The company is the only Automotive Service Excellence Blue Seal import specialist in the Springfield area and the only AAA authorized auto repair center specializing in import vehicles.
Responsibility
Recognizing that auto repair generates industrial waste, Advanced Car Care Center has come up with a way to recycle almost everything, which has reduced its actual trash to just one roll cart each week. The Midwest Auto Care Alliance has recognized the business for its efforts with its Green Star Award for six years in a row.
Apprenticeship
Through the company’s paid apprenticeship program, a pathway exists for an entry-level candidate to progress toward a career as a journeyman automobile technician. Participants must complete safety training, 8,000 hours of mentored on-the-job training and a certificate or associate of applied science degree from Ozarks Technical Community College in automotive technology.
Partnerships
As Kids Inn Child Care Center marked its first anniversary after opening its doors in July 2022, the milestone also led to a significant increase in collaborative partnerships. Those included the Discovery Center of Springfield Inc., Dickerson Park Zoo and Kinderdance. It also collaborated with Community Partnership of the Ozarks Inc. to offer scholarships, ensuring families facing emergencies could access safe child care services.
Retention
Noting a challenge in retaining staff, Kids Inn took proactive measures to establish a bonus structure along with a system for increasing pay, both of which are based on performance and the length of employment. The approach has successfully cultivated a sense of loyalty among its employees, resulting in a notable boost in staff retention rates.
Registration
The center was born out of struggles founder Christina Ford experienced securing reliable care. By observing successful drop-in child care facilities in other cities, she compiled best practices while integrating her insights from the nonprofit sector and community needs to establish a for-profit business model that not only meets child care demands of the community but fosters partnerships to enhance service offerings. The center’s registration list now exceeds 1,000 children.
Growth
Since launching, Kinetic Design and Development has partnered with national clients such as Bass Pro Shops, 7 Brew Coffee and Dollar General. The firm has completed over 1,000 projects, grown its staff to nearly 50 and is on its second home in Chesterfield Village, where it occupies nearly 9,000 square feet in a building it purchased in 2023 with Sanders, Myers & Blackwell CPAs LLP.
Pathway
In 2024, the firm created The Purpose Pathway, a positional growth program that intends to help an architect newly out of college see how they could work through their career at Kinetic to one day be a leader. The pathway is clearly defined and is used during quarterly check-ins to measure their success and provide opportunities for growth throughout their career with the company.
Service
Through its Kinetic Cares initiative, the firm embraces community service. The quarterly program is designed to give back through donations, public service and volunteerism. Past efforts include partnering with Convoy of Hope, James River Basin Partnership, Ozarks Food Harvest Inc., United Way of the Ozarks and hosting a blood drive with Community Blood Center of the Ozarks. Over 75% of the staff regularly participate in the projects.
Maxon Fine Jewelry
Executives: Jessica Harmison-Olson and Ryan Olson, owners
Employees: 8
Products/services: Fine jewelry and watches, appraisals, custom designs and repairs
Founded: 1972
History
Starting in 1972 by Joe Maxon, the business was established in the Plaza Towers and was purchased in 1994 by Rick and Jane McElvaine. In 2019, the couple sold a minority stake in the company to Jessica Harmison-Olson, the store’s operations manager, and her husband Ryan. By 2023, the Olsons took over ownership of the business at 2850 E. Battlefield Road.
Membership
The company’s mission is to offer the utmost quality and value in its jewelry and provide exceptional customer service through its team of well-trained professionals. Maxon’s is the only family-owned jewelry store in the region granted membership to the American Gem Society, the country’s preeminent jewelry trade association dedicated to consumer protection through areas such as education, accreditation, gemological standards and industry standards.
Community
Aside from donating over $1 million in jewelry for live and silent auctions over the past 50-plus years, the company also earlier this year launched bimonthly tours for its staff of the nonprofit organizations in the community it supports, such as Harmony House. The tours allow employees to gain a deeper understanding of the resources within the region and the critical impact of the funds raised.
This installment of Springfield Business Journal’s Architects & Engineers Project Report showcases 26 endeavors by area design and engineering professionals.
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