Opinion: Business Authority is not a slogan; it’s a promise

Marty Goodnight

Over the past year and a half since returning to Springfield Business Journal after three insightful years at Classy Llama, where I had the chance to immerse myself in digital marketing, e-commerce and the broader world of modern business, I’ve had a chance to reflect on what it really means to be Your Business Authority.

That phrase was born out of a focus group with ADsmith in 2016. At the time, it was a bold move. But now, I’ve come to understand it differently. This isn’t a label we give ourselves to sound important. It’s not about putting ourselves above anyone else. It’s a promise. A real one. And like all real promises, it comes with responsibility.

We are a small but mighty team of 14 people, and we are planning to grow. We are building every day. But more than anything, we see ourselves as stewards. Stewards of business information. Stewards of trust. Stewards of the truth that this region’s business community needs to make wise, informed decisions.

In the coming months, leading to my ownership starting Jan. 2, 2026, you will see changes. Some will be small. Some will be significant. This column is one way I plan to share those updates with you, but more importantly, it is where I will explain why we are making the choices we are making. Because what we are doing is not about shaking things up for the sake of it. It is about being faithful to the promise we’ve made.

Like every business, we have to evolve. And SBJ will evolve under my ownership. This is not a criticism of our past. I am proud of our legacy and of the people who built this organization over the years. But what got us here is not going to get us where we need to go. That is true for every company, and it is true for us. And we cannot do it alone.

A recent example of how we are trying to grow with intention is the work we asked Joey Powell to lead for us. Many of you know Joey through her marketing leadership at Dickerson Park Zoo, but in this case, she helped us with a very different project. We asked her to lead a series of focus groups to gather unfiltered community feedback about SBJ’s events. The initial round of those discussions did not mention that SBJ was the host of the events being discussed. When it did come out that they were ours, the feedback was brutally honest. And I welcome it.

It takes thick skin, but that is something I have. I’ve always said I get my hugs at home, and if you know my wife, Shallina, you know those hugs are plentiful. I’m just fine. SBJ is just fine.

What I need from this community – and what our organization needs – is truth. Candid feedback. Because I know people sometimes wonder: Am I going to hurt SBJ’s feelings? Am I going to make them mad? The answer is no. Your honest feedback is an investment. And our job is to turn that investment into action. We will listen. We will adapt. And yes, we will sometimes make mistakes. But we will recalibrate quickly. Because our heart is in the right place, and we are here to serve. That mindset begins now, and it will guide us going forward.

Over the past year and a half, I’ve had the opportunity to talk one-on-one with many of you. Readers. Business leaders. Mentors. Friends. I’ve also worn nearly every hat inside this company. I’ve helped manage events. I’ve worked on internal systems. I’ve filled in as a sales rep. I’ve done everything except write news. And that’s on purpose.

Because I’m not here to determine what gets covered or how. That’s not my role, and it’s not what this community needs from me. When we talk privately, that doesn’t get shared with my newsroom (unless you want me to). What this community needs is a strong, independent newsroom. And we have one.

Springfield Business Journal has won the Gold Cup for the most awards among newspapers in our size category two years in a row by the Missouri Press Association, including first place in General Excellence in 2024, and has received numerous national accolades. MPA, based in Columbia, is one of the most respected and long-standing press associations in the country. We are proud to be part of their community and proud to be recognized by our peers. We’re also proud to share this media landscape with other local outlets. We support them, we learn from them and we cheer for them. Because a strong press helps build a strong business climate, and there is plenty of important work to go around.

My job is to support our newsroom. To protect their independence. And to build a business model that allows them to keep doing their work with excellence and integrity.

That is what Business Authority means.

It is not a slogan. It is a responsibility. And we intend to keep it.

Marty Goodnight is the publisher of Springfield Business Journal. He can be reached at mgoodnight@sbj.net.