#Sell my business St. Louis

[bizbrokerstlouis]

Economic Impact: St. Louis's Business Brokerage Scene

St. Louis, known for its rich history and diverse economic landscape, has a thriving business brokerage scene that plays a crucial role in shaping the city's economic development. Business brokers in St. Louis act as intermediaries in transactions involving buying, selling, and merging businesses, impacting the local economy in several significant ways. This article explores the economic impact of St. Louis's business brokerage scene, highlighting its influence on business growth, job creation, and regional development.

Facilitating Business Transactions

One of the primary ways St. Louis business brokers impact the economy is by facilitating business transactions. Brokers assist in buying and selling companies, which helps businesses change ownership smoothly and efficiently. By connecting buyers with sellers, brokers ensure that businesses continue to operate and thrive under new ownership. This facilitation of transactions is essential for maintaining a dynamic and fluid business environment, which supports economic stability and growth in the region.

Driving Business Growth and Expansion

Business brokers play a critical role in driving business growth and expansion. By helping entrepreneurs find acquisition targets or facilitating mergers, brokers enable companies to scale operations, enter new markets, and leverage synergies. This growth contributes to the overall economic development of St. Louis, as expanding businesses often invest in new facilities, technologies, and talent. The influx of investment and resources fosters innovation, enhances competitiveness, and strengthens the local economy.

Creating Job Opportunities

The business brokerage scene in St. Louis also contributes to job creation. When businesses buy, sell, or merge, they often experience changes in their workforce needs. For instance, expanding companies may hire additional staff or invest in training programs, creating new job opportunities in the region. Additionally, the business brokerage industry itself generates employment opportunities for brokers, analysts, legal professionals, and other support staff. By facilitating business transactions and supporting growth, brokers indirectly contribute to job creation across various sectors.

Enhancing Market Liquidity

Market liquidity, or the ease with which assets can be bought or sold, is essential for a healthy economy. St. Louis business brokers enhance market liquidity by providing expertise and facilitating transactions in the local business market. Their ability to connect buyers and sellers efficiently helps maintain an active and liquid market, ensuring that businesses can be bought or sold without significant delays. This liquidity is crucial for entrepreneurs looking to exit their ventures or for investors seeking new opportunities.

Supporting Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship is a key driver of economic development, and St. Louis brokers play a supportive role in this area. By assisting in the acquisition of existing businesses or facilitating business sales, brokers provide entrepreneurs with opportunities to enter or exit the market. Their expertise in valuing businesses and navigating the transaction process enables entrepreneurs to make informed decisions and pursue their business goals. The support provided by brokers helps foster a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem in St. Louis, contributing to the city's overall economic health.

Promoting Regional Development

The activities of business brokers have broader implications for regional development. By facilitating transactions and supporting business growth, brokers contribute to the economic vitality of St. Louis and its surrounding areas. Successful business deals can lead to increased investment in local infrastructure, community development projects, and regional partnerships. This positive impact extends beyond individual transactions, fostering a more robust and resilient regional economy.

Conclusion

The business brokerage scene in St. Louis has a significant economic impact on the region. By facilitating business transactions, driving growth and expansion, creating job opportunities, enhancing market liquidity, supporting entrepreneurship, and promoting regional development, brokers play a vital role in shaping the local economy. Their expertise and efforts contribute to a dynamic and prosperous business environment, supporting St. Louis's continued economic success and growth.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

You can’t shop your way out of a monopoly

I'm on tour with my new, nationally bestselling novel The Bezzle! Catch me in TUCSON (Mar 9-10), then SAN FRANCISCO (Mar 13), Anaheim, and more!

If you're running a business, you can either invest at being good at your business, or good at Google SEO. Choose the former and your customers will love you – but they won't be able to find you, thanks to the people who choose the latter. And if you're going to invest in top-notch SEO, why bother investing in quality at all?

For more than a decade, Google has promised that it would do something about "lead gens" – services that spoof Google into thinking that they are local businesses, pushing down legit firms on both regular search and Google Maps (these downranked businesses invested in quality, not SEO, remember). Search for a roofer, a plumber, an electrician, or a locksmith (especially a locksmith), and most or all of the results will be lead-gens. They'll take your call, pretend to be a local business, and then call up some half-qualified bozo to come out and charge you four times the going rate for substandard work:

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/31/business/fake-online-locksmiths-may-be-out-to-pick-your-pocket-too.html

Some of them just take your money and they "go back to the shop for a tool" and never return:

https://www.riverfronttimes.com/news/when-a-fake-business-used-a-real-st-louis-address-things-got-weird-32087998

Google has been promising to fix this since the late aughts, and to be fair, it's a little better. There was once a time when a map of Manhattan showed more locksmiths than taxis:

https://blumenthals.com/blog/2009/02/18/google-maps-proves-more-locksmiths-in-nyc-than-cabs/

But GMaps is trapped in the enshittification squeeze. On the one hand, the company wants to provide a good and reliable map. On the other hand, the company makes money selling "ads" that are actually payola, where a business can pay to get to the top of the listings or get displayed on the map itself. Zoom out of Google's map of central London and the highlighted landmarks are a hilarious mix of "organic" and paid listings: the British Museum, Buckingham Palace, the Barbican, the London Eye…and a random oral and maxillofacial clinic in the financial district:

https://twitter.com/dylanbeattie/status/1764711667663831455

Hell of a job "organizing the world's information and making it universally accessible and useful," Big G. Doubtless the average Londoner finds the presence of this clinic super helpful in orienting themselves relative to the map on their phone screens, and it's a real service to tourists hoping to hit all the major landmarks.

It's not just Maps users who'd noticed the rampant enshittification. Even the original design team is so horrified they're moved to speak out about the moral injury they experience seeing the product they worked so hard on turned into a giant pile of shit:

https://twitter.com/elizlaraki/status/1727351922254852182

Now, when it comes to locksmiths, I'm lucky. My neighborhood in Burbank includes the wonderful Golden State Lock and Safe, which has been in business since 1942:

https://www.goldenstatelock.com/

But you wouldn't know it from searching GMaps for a locksmith near me. That search turns up a long list of scams:

https://www.google.com/maps/search/locksmith/@34.1750451,-118.369948,14z/data=!3m1!4b1?entry=ttu

It also turns up plenty of Keyme machines – these are private-equity backed, self-serve key-cutting machines placed in grocery stores. Despite Keyme calling itself a "locksmith," it's just a badly secured, overcaptilized, enshittification-bound system for collecting and retaining shapefiles for the keys to millions of homes, cross-referenced with billing information that will make it easy for the eventual hackers to mass-produce keys for all those poor suckers' houses.

(Hilariously, Keyme claims to be an "AI" company):

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200114005194/en/KeyMe-Raises-35-Million-to-Further-Its-Mission-of-Building-the-Premier-Locksmith-Services-Company-in-the-Nation

But despite the fact that you can literally see the Golden State storefront from Google Streetview, Google Maps claims to have no knowledge of it. Instead, Streetview labels Golden State "Keyme" – and displays a preview showing a locksmith using a tool to break into a jeep (I'd dearly love to know how the gadget next to the Slurpee machine at the 7-Eleven will drive itself to your jeep and unlock the door for you when you lose your keys):

https://www.google.com/maps/place/KeyMe+Locksmiths/@34.1752624,-118.3487531,3a,75y,350.19h,90.21t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1ssHrtqjqvgFir3NBauMy13Q!2e0!7i16384!8i8192!4m15!1m8!3m7!1s0x80c2959cd65dbb1b:0x4b3744cf87492a71!2sBurbank+Blvd+%26+N+Hollywood+Way,+Burbank,+CA+91505!3b1!8m2!3d34.1750025!4d-118.3493484!16s%2Fg%2F11f37_3lq8!3m5!1s0x80c2951cedbf4d39:0xe8ff9fd5872e66e9!8m2!3d34.1755176!4d-118.349!16s%2Fg%2F11mw7nr4fx?entry=ttu

It's pretty clear to me what's going on here. Keyme has hired some SEO creeps and/or paid off Google, flooding the zone with listings for its machines. Meanwhile, Golden State, being merely good at locksmithing, has lost the SEO wars. Perhaps Golden State could shift some of its emphasis from being good at locksmithing in order to get better at SEO, but this is a race that will always be won by the firm that puts the most into SEO, which will always be the firm that puts the least into quality.

Whenever I write about this stuff, people inevitably ask me which search engine they should use, if not Google?

And there's the rub.

Google used predatory pricing and anticompetitive mergers to acquire a 90% search market-share. The company spends more than $26b/year buying default position in every place where you might possibly encounter a new search engine. This created the "kill zone" – the VC's term of art for businesses that no one will invest in, because Google makes sure that no one will ever find out it exists:

https://www.theverge.com/23802382/search-engine-google-neeva-android

That's why the only serious competitor to Google is Bing, another Big Tech company (Bing is also the primary source of results on Duckduckgo, which is why DDG sometimes makes exceptions for Microsoft's privacy-invading tracking):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DuckDuckGo#Controversies

Google tells us that the quid-pro-quo of search monopolization is search excellence. The hundreds of billions it makes every year through monopoly control gives it the resources it needs to fight spammers and maintain search result quality. Anyone who's paid attention recently knows that this is bullshit: Google search quality is in free-fall, across all its products:

https://downloads.webis.de/publications/papers/bevendorff_2024a.pdf

But Google doesn't seem to think it has a problem. Rather than devoting all its available resources to fighting botshit, spam and scams, the company set $80 billion dollars alight last year with a stock buyback that was swiftly followed with 12,000 layoffs, followed by multiple subsequent rounds of layoffs:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/02/21/im-feeling-unlucky/#not-up-to-the-task

The scams that slip through Google's cracks are sometimes nefarious, but just as often they're decidedly amateurish, the kind of thing that Google could fix by throwing money at the problem, say, to validate that new ads for confirmed Google merchants come from the merchant's registered email addresses and go to the merchant's registered website:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/02/24/passive-income/#swiss-cheese-security

Search is a capital intensive business, and there are real returns to scale, as the UK Competition and Market Authority's excellent 2020 study describes:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5fe4957c8fa8f56aeff87c12/Appendix_I_-_search_quality_v.3_WEB_.pdf

But Google doesn't seem to think that its search needs that $80 billion to fight the spamwars. That's the thing about monopolists, they get complacent. As Lily Tomlin's "Ernestine the AT&T operator" used to say, "We don't care, we don't have to, we're the phone company."

That's why I'm so excited about the DOJ Antitrust Division monopolization case against Google. Trusting one company to "organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful," was a failure:

https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-sues-google-monopolizing-digital-advertising-technologies

I understand why people want to know which search engine they should use instead of Google, and I get why, "There aren't any good search engines" is such an unsatisfactory answer. I understand why each fresh round of printer-company fuckery prompts people to ask "which printer should I get?" and I understand why "There are only six major printer companies and they're all suffering from end-stage enshittification" isn't what anyone wants to hear.

We want to be able to vote with our wallets, because it's so much faster and more convenient than voting with our ballots. But the vote-with-your-wallet election is rigged for the people with the thickest wallets. Try as hard as you'd like, you just can't shop your way out of a monopoly – that's like trying to recycle your way out of the climate emergency. Systemic problems need systemic solutions – not individual ones.

That's why the new antitrust matters so much. The answer to monopolies is to break up companies, block and unwind mergers, ban deceptive and unfair conduct. "Caveat emptor" is the scammer's motto. You shouldn't have to be an expert on lead gen scams to hire a locksmith without getting ripped off.

There are good products and services out there. Earlier this year, we decided to install a (non-networked) programmable pushbutton lock. I asked Deviant Ollam – whom I know from Defcon's Lockpicking Village – for a recommendation and he suggested the Schlage FE595:

https://www.schlage.com/en/home/products/FE595PLYFFFFLA.html

I liked it so much I bought another one for my office door. Eric from Golden State Lock and Safe installed it while I wrote this blog-post. It's great. I recommend both of 'em – 10/10, would do business again.

Name your price for 18 of my DRM-free ebooks and support the Electronic Frontier Foundation with the Humble Cory Doctorow Bundle.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/03/05/the-map-is-not-the-territory/#vapor-locksmith

Image: alicia rae (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kehole_Red.jpg

CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en

--

Budhiargomiko (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wasteland.jpg

CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en

[sirfrogsworth]

Some of you may remember me mentioning my quest to get black cherry soda and several shipments ending in tragic bottle breakage. I have been seriously craving this soda for nearly a month now.

I contacted Boylan and accused them of shoddy shipping.

They very politely informed me it was not their shoddy shipping store on Amazon.

After some additional Amazon analysis, I felt foolish about my inaccurate accusations.

They informed me there were no local distributors of Boylan brand bottled black cherry beverages. They said they had no control over Amazon shipments and recommended I order directly from them. That would make this already pretty pricey pop about $15 more expensive after shipping and tax.

I had nearly given up.

After the $220 pizza and the $250 battery replacement and an almost assured account overdraw in my future, I'd have to wait at least until next month to satisfy my soda craving.

But when I went to my local Schnucks grocery store last night I decided to check the soda aisle to see if there were any alternatives.

My first find was Schnucks' own generic brand black cherry soda.

I have to say, that is a cute label for a generic store brand product.

After some research, I discovered this is a rebrand of a classic Vess soda. I like Vess soda! They make a wonderful cream soda concoction that my grandma used to buy whenever I would visit on the weekends. And I specifically told my mom never to buy cream soda for home because then it wouldn't be special when I had it at my grandma's house.

Sadly, I was unaware it was Vess-in-disguise and I was not trusting of a generic store-branded soda. Sometimes these low-cost rebranded items can be good, but it is always a crapshoot. I mean, their generic peas are 70 cents cheaper than Green Giant, but they are also mushy as heck. So based on my previous peas experience, there was a good chance it would taste more like black cherry cough syrup than soda.

I didn't know it was Vess, okay?

REMEMBER THE PEAS, PLEASE!

I fell into a soda research rabbit hole. Vess was acquired by a company called Cott Beverages in 1994. And Cott was then acquired by a company called Refresco in 2018. And Refresco partnered with Coca-Cola and is now their main manufacturer in the United States.

So I guess it is actually a Refresco Cott Vess Schnucks brand black cherry soda in partnership with Coca-Cola.

Capitalism is fucking weird, dude.

So the possible cough syrup RefresCoVesScnhucks was in my cart. I was considering taking the risk.

But then I noticed... the Fitz's section.

A locally owned and operated boutique soda bottler.

*heavenly music*

And do you know who owns Fitz's?

Mr. Alfred J. Fitz! (I don't actually know his first name or middle initial.)

Who founded Fitz's in 1947 as a drive-in restaurant based around his popular secret root beer recipe.

That's right. Fitz's was not enveloped by an incestuous line of conglomerates successively eating each other.

And because of that, they went out of business in 1976. The soda biz is rough if you don't have a multinational manufacturing and distribution network.

But then Fitz's was revived in 1993 by two plucky entrepreneurs who were determined to rebuild the brand using the original secret root beer recipe from Mr. Alfred J. Fitz.

Small business wins the day!

And then they sold out to The Westgate Group in late 1999.

Which then sold it again to Clayton Capital Partners in 2003.

Will capitalism please stop fucking with soda?

But then one of those plucky entrepreneurs thought the brand was being damaged by soulless investment firms and bought back Fitz's. He restored it to glory and I'm sure he will never sell it again*. He is intent on maintaining the Fitz's tradition and image as a beloved St. Louis small business that culturally enriches our famed Delmar Loop with vintage soda bottling techniques customers can watch when they visit the Fitz's restaurant. Neat!

*Unless RefresCoVesScnhucks offers him a bunch of money.

I can't believe I forgot about Fitz's. I used their root beer as a subject for one of my favorite product photos.

To make a long story as long as humanly possible my god why are you even still reading this...

...wouldn't you know it, Fitz's makes black cherry soda!

It is delicious.

Craving accomplished.

[holycompendium]

Ascendants OC Masterlist ⛊ Pt. 1

⚔︎ quick context : ascendants is my upcoming descendants fic series centered around merlin academy. you can catch the first chapter of the first installment right here!

ADAM ST. ROSE

Fate : Become cursed to live as a beast & marry Belle. Face Claim : Maxwell Jenkins

ANA CRESTA

Legacy : Daughter of a Neverlandian mermaid. Face Claim : Daniela Avanzini

ARTHUR "ART" PENDRAGON II

Legacy : Son of King Arthur of Camelot. Face Claim : Joshua Bassett

ASTERIA CHARIS

Legacy : Adopted daughter of Erato, muse of lyrical poetry. Face Claim : Bailey Bass

AZRIEL INDIRA

Legacy : Son of the Blue Fairy. Face Claim : Omar Rudberg

BELLE BAPTISTE

Fate : Marry the beast king Adam & establish the United States of Auradon. Face Claim : Zoe Colletti

CASPIAN DELMAR

Legacy : Son of Arista, nephew to Ariel & Eric. Face Claim : Reece King

LYNN ORELLA

Fate : Become the all-powerful enchantress who curses Prince Adam. Face Claim : Choi Yunjin

CLAUDE FROLLO

Fate : Become the villainous archdeacon of Notre-Dame. Face Claim : Case Walker

CRUELLA DE VIL

Fate : Descend into madness and become a tyrannical heiress. Face Claim : Riele Downs

ELI LA BOUFF

Fate : Inherit his family's business and become a wealthy sugar baron. Face Claim : Maxwell Acee Donovan

EUGENE "FITZ" FITZHERBERT

Fate : Abandon his royal heritage and become the thief Flynn Rider. Face Claim : Aryan Simhadri

FINCH

Legacy : Illegitimate son of Robin Hood. Face Claim : Brandon Severs

GASTON LEGUME

Fate : Become an arrogant and selfish game hunter. Face Claim : Belmont Cameli

GRIMHILDE

Fate : Become the Evil Queen & stepmother to Snow White. Face Claim : Ariana Greenblatt

JAFAR

Fate : Become the scheming royal vizier of Agrabah. Face Claim : Jahed

KIRSTI LINDT

Legacy : Daughter of Anna & Kristoff, niece to Elsa. Face Claim : Shay Rudolph

LEAH ROSE

Fate : Marry King Stefan and give birth to Aurora. Face Claim : Dior GoodJohn

LOUIS FACILIER

Fate : Sell his own soul in exchange for the power of a Hodou bokor. Face Claim : Niles Fitch

MIMINA "MIMI" MIM

Legacy : Granddaughter of Mad Madam Mim. Face Claim : Avantika Vandanapu

MAI TREMAINE

Fate : Become the head of the house of Tremaine & become Cinderella's stepmother. Face Claim : Kang Haerin

MULAN FA

Fate : Defeat the Hun army and save the Imperial Kingdom. Face Claim : Zhou Xinyu

ODILE "ODIE" ARNAUD-CHRISTOPHE

Fate : Become an eccentric & benevolent Houdou priestess. Face Claim : Whitney Peak

SAM "SMEE" SMIEGEL

Fate : Serve as Captain Smith's boatswain and first loyal mate. Face Claim : Owen Joyner

STEFAN MOREAU

Fate : Marry Queen Leah & father Aurora. Face Claim : Kahlil Beth

URSULA

Fate : Become a fearsome sea witch. Face Claim : Chandler Kinney

ZEVON

Legacy : Son of Yzma. Face Claim : Charlie Bushnell

[twopoppies]

According to deuxmoi Harry has been in LA since January 5 and I love that no one has taken his picture. Whenever he gets spotted a lot and then goes MIA for long periods in busy cities is a good reminder no one is as famous as we think they are and that money makes it so easy to hide even in LA. I know it is probably to sell the Hussell narrative since she moved to LA last year and since Brad and others from his team now have LA as their main base but it is funny to me when him and Louis are mia at the same time everytime.

Well, Harry being in LA after being in St. Barth’s is kind of a long shlep, but he’d been in the UK for a while prior, so… maybe.

Also, I rolled my eyes so hard at this new disclaimer.

[samantha-and-her-chaotic-desires]

Okay, so, heres the boi I kidna ship with Silas

His name is Dallas Hayden, and he comes from a fairly wealthy family in Galveston, Texas. Dallas' father used his gun company to outsource to countries during the Great War and, after the war, started selling to gangs during the prohibition, which quickly lead to them becoming one of the richest families in Texas.

Dallas and his siblings had a very privileged life growing up, but they were fairly sheltered by their parents, not wanting them to be negatively influenced by the outside world (ei, they didn't want the kids to grow up to have differing values than what they ste in place, so they kept them sheltered so all they really knew was what their parents told them/allowed them to experience). This only increased when Dallas, who was the oldest at 14, started showing a macabre interest in death and murder. Rather than seek help and risk tarnishing the reputation they'd built up, the family chose to reprimand Dallas, forcing him to simply conceal this part of himself rather than get him the help he needed. Dallas started hiding his fascination with death, though it never fully went away.

When Dallas turned 19, he started working for his father's business, traveling to cities across the country to meet with gang leaders and discuss deals and partnerships. This was less due to Dallas wanting to join his father's company and more because Dallas was desperate to explore and experience the world, and traveling for business deals was the only way he could do so with his parents approval.

During his travels, Dallas was able to live outside his parents' influences, getting a better grasp on who he really was. However, because he no longer had his family as a form of control, his interest murder and death started to grow. One night, a man attempted to rob Dallas, and during the altercation, Dallas managed to get the upper hand and kill him. This served to only deepen his fascination, and eventually, Dallas soon felt the urge to kill again.

This led to a string of murders that took place over several years. Every time Dallas traveled, he'd find a new victim and murder them in increasingly brutal ways. Because of how much he traveled and his families status, no one suspected him.

Eventually, he ended up in St. Louis, where he ended up meeting Silas Tueuse. Dallas had heard of the fench actor and had always liked his work, but upon meeting him, he found himself almost fascinated by Silas. He'd never met anyone like him before, and he couldn't help but want to get to know him more. Before long, he found himself falling for Silas, actively shifting around appointments and meetings, and even making excuses to stay in St. Louis, just to be able to see him. Despite knowing his family would heavily disapprove if they found out and worrying that Silas would be disgusted if he found out about the murders, he still pushed to see him any chance he got.

Dallas is very charismatic and, despite being somewhat socially awkward due to lack of experience, very social. He's loves talking to people, especially those from other countries, and learning about what their life is like and what other places are like. When he's meeting with business partners, he is very suave and confident, often putting on his "southern charm." to catch people's attention, complete with southern accent and everything. However, outside of meetings, he's much more approachable and almost a little shy when meeting new people. But once hes used to them, he becomes a lot more open and excitable towards them. He bonds with people quickly, though sometimes too quickly for others' comfort. He also uses country-isms often and uses them as terms of endearment. He also has a thick southern accent, which, unlike his parents, he refuses to hide or tone down his accent

OH MY GOD. OH MY GOD.

ANON....YOUR BRAIN. I am infatuated with Dallas' backstory, his interest, personality, and your descriptions and plot points of his. I hope you come around more to talk about him! By the way, what should I call you, Anon? Would Dallas be fine, since it's your OC's name, or would you prefer something else?

I hope to hear more!! And if you have a specific color palette for Dallas and certain design, I can draw him you want :))

[kennyfischerconsulting]

Wild and crazy guys  - 1965-1975

The junk business attracted so many crazy individuals that it would take me forever to jot down their names and give at least one story per guy to back up these claims. My customers were basically Jewish scrap  dealers who were the largest in their market area.  They had to be large wholesaler dealers to be able to sell and ship to our national consumers. Almost all were first- or second-generation family businesses. Most were well off financially and enjoyed the perks of having a cash business.  As Les Finkle from Oakland once said on the subject, “What is so great about cash? It can only buy, clothes, jewelry, art, food, booze, and women; well come to think about it, it is pretty good!” Although the fun stories about the junk dealers will come, I want to write about two adventures with a DMC employee, Roger Bowler. I worked with Roger when he was part of the DMC dismantling Division in St. Louis on a job in Canada, and when I lived in LA and we did a job in Mercury, Nevada.  When I moved back to St. Louis as DMC’s president, I made him quit his current job at Chemetco and be our VP of Purchasing.  

In the late 60’s most copper producers published and lived by fixed “public consumer prices”, which was what they charged their customers for their copper rod, etc. The Canadian (Noranda) price for rod was about 20 cents per pound below what the US scrap market was, because the finished rod price was fixed, but scrap fluctuated daily.  Percy Weismann, who sold DMC his Canadian scrap company, was running our plant in St. Jerome, Canada where they were chopping insulated copper wire. He was buying scrap wire from all of the wire makers and saw a real opportunity.  Why not buy rod from them at the published price and ship it to the USA as scrap?  Good idea, but how would you get finished rod across the border through customs as anything but high duty rod?  Easy, have Kenny Fischer and Roger Bowler go to Windsor, Ontario (across the river from Detroit) open Percy’s railroad cars full of new wire rod and beat the rod with axes and hammers until it looks like scrap.  Then ship it to Olin Brass as scrap and make about $10,000 per carload. It was almost that easy and quite a learning experience. We had to hire about 10-day workers in Windsor, go to the rail yard, find, and open the cars and then do our work. 

[mthepagan]

HAPPY 420!!!!! IM STARTING AN HERB BUISNESS!!!!!!! (also gonna have Candles :3)

I can't sell online, but if you're around the St Louis area you're in luck!!!

Have a few names in the works and building up stock

So far I have: ( with some possible uses)

Green: Lemon Verbina (window cleaner)

Peachy: Mint (great as syrup)

Orange: Lemon Balm (good tea)

Red: Lavender (cookies)

Blue: Sweet Banana Pepper (tasty) (( probably wouldn't be ready this year))

Purple: Grapes (this variety is good for juice) ((probably wouldn't be ready this year)) (((or the next)))

Here's a poll, possible names for the business:

The business will open when I can build up stock (sometime after I get my 403(b) from a previous job)

[gawcio]

$20 Billion Dollars in Fast-Food Business

Chick-fil-A finds its home in Saint Louis

Wait, What?! You can generate close to $20 billion dollars in revenue by selling chicken sandwiches?

Chick-fil-A clearly did and its success is enough to make any existing or aspiring restauranteur envious.  So, how do they do it? What is their secret sauce for success? I live in Saint Louis, MO. One weekend, while running errands with my daughter, she asked me if we could stop by at one of the Chick-fil-A restaurants to grab a bite to eat. I have never been to Chick-fil-A before, so I asked her why she wanted to go there and what was so special about this place? The first thing she said to me was, dad, have you been living under the rock? Everyone goes there!

So, on the way back we stopped by at the restaurant, and for the first time I had a chance to experience the unique vibe and the tasty chicken sandwich with fries that my daughter kept bragging about. I must say that I was rather impressed by this experience. The place was packed, customer service was friendly, and the food was great. Since then, whenever we take a family trip somewhere, or go shopping, making a stop at the Chick-fil-A restaurant is a must!

But there is more to Chick-fil-A and Saint Louis. While driving around town, I started to notice new Chick-fil-A restaurant locations popping up all over the city.  The local news channels 5-on your side posted an article on their business journal about their expansion in the area, Chick-fil-A to open St. Louis-area distribution center.

It is quite amazing to watch the success story of this rapidly growing fast food restaurant business, especially in our own neighborhood. According to Indigo-Digital (2024), Chick-fil-A is seen as the greatest threat to McDonald’s dominance.

#ChickfillA4TheLou

https://twitter.com/hashtag/ChickfillA4TheLou?src=hashtag_cli

[canadiancanvas]

Where to buy a painting in Montreal

Nowadays the decoration of our interiors is a reflection of our personality, culture and lifestyle. From pop art to copies of classical grandmasters, the possibilities are endless and the offers are numerous. There are several hundred galleries, auction houses and websites in Montreal that offer a wide variety of art that can satisfy all tastes. With all these choices available to us it sometimes becomes difficult to know where to start to find the perfect painting for your place. So, I offer you 5 galleries that I like and where you can start your search for the perfect painting that will brighten your home for years.

Simons Blais Gallery.

If you are interested in abstract art, this gallery offers a fine selection of pieces by 20th century Automatistes and Plasticiens painters. Jean-Paul Riopelle, Claude Tousignant, Guido Molinari, Pierre Gauvreau and others but also contemporary artists such as Marie-Eve Beaulieu, Louis-Philippe Côté, Alexis Lavoie, Jessica Peters and my favorite: Frédérique Ulman-Gagné. Located in Montreal, at 5420 Boul. Saint-Laurent. If you're around, be sure to check it out. The staff is welcoming and helpful.

Carré D’Artistes

Old Montreal is another great place to find art shops. On St-Paul Street there are a dozen very fashionable galleries offering works by contemporary artists, pop art, abstract expressionism and urban art. Among these galleries, I noticed a newcomer, open only a few months ago. Carré d'artistes is a consortium of galleries that offers works by Canadian artists but also from elsewhere. Many beautiful pieces, a diversified style and above all reasonably priced. The gallery is located at 20 Rue St-Paul. Combine business with pleasure, take advantage of  a walk in Old Montreal on a beautiful sunny day to discover this new gallery.

COA Gallery

Another shop on St-Laurent, here, modern abstraction, surrealism and concept art that reign. The COA Gallery presents works by emerging artists who explore new forms of visual expression. Very contemporary and experimental. I recommend to all those who are passionate about novelties. Located in Montreal at 6405 Saint-Laurent Boulevard. Combine your visit to COA Gallery to the Simons Blais Gallery and make it a day of artistic discovery on St-Laurent Street.

Canadian Classic Fine Art

For those who love Canadian figurative painting of the 20th century, this virtual gallery offers works by recognized Quebec artists such as Albert Rousseau, Armand Tatossian, Serge Brunoni and many others. The company has chosen to sell on the internet only, which allows it to offer works at a reasonable price. High-resolution photos and a powerful zoom allow you to examine the paintings in great detail and the gallery accepts returns up to 14 days after the date of receipt (see their return policy). Shipping is free anywhere in Canada and the United States. An excellent address to find works on the secondary market.

Artists in Canada

Many people find it very rewarding to buy a painting directly from the artist. By doing so they gain direct access with the creator of the work allowing them to establish a more intimate connection, understand his inspiration and discuss his artistic influences. If you think you would like this direct approach, I suggest a website that brings together several hundred artists that you can contact to explore their art and discuss the possibilities to buy one of their pieces. Artists in Canada is an independent, member-funded repertoire. You will find the links to contact the painters you are interested in and negotiate directly with them.

[bizbrokerstlouis]

Trends and Predictions in St. Louis Business Brokerage

The business brokerage landscape in St. Louis is evolving, influenced by technological advancements, changing market dynamics, and shifting economic conditions. As we look toward the future, several key trends and predictions are shaping the industry. Understanding these trends can help businesses and investors navigate the complexities of buying and selling in the St. Louis market.

Emphasis on Technology Integration

One of the most significant trends in St. Louis business brokerage is the integration of advanced technology. Digital tools and platforms are transforming how business brokers operate, from marketing and valuation to client communication and transaction management. Brokers are increasingly leveraging customer relationship management (CRM) systems, data analytics, and virtual tour technology to enhance their services.

For instance, virtual tours and online presentations allow potential buyers to explore businesses remotely, expanding the reach of marketing efforts and attracting a broader audience. Data analytics tools help brokers provide more accurate valuations and market insights, enabling clients to make informed decisions based on real-time information.

Increased Focus on Niche Markets

As the business landscape becomes more specialized, St. Louis brokers are increasingly focusing on niche markets. This trend reflects the growing demand for expertise in specific industries, such as technology, healthcare, and manufacturing. Brokers with specialized knowledge in these areas can offer more tailored services, providing valuable insights and connecting buyers and sellers within these sectors.

The emphasis on niche markets also means that brokers are developing deeper networks and relationships within these industries. This specialization enhances their ability to match businesses with the right buyers and secure transactions that meet the unique needs of both parties.

Rise of Remote and Virtual Transactions

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the shift towards remote and virtual transactions in business brokerage. While in-person meetings and site visits remain important, brokers and clients have become more comfortable with remote interactions. This shift is expected to continue, with virtual meetings, electronic document signing, and remote negotiations becoming standard practices.

The rise of remote transactions offers several advantages, including increased flexibility, reduced travel costs, and the ability to reach a wider pool of potential buyers and sellers. Brokers are adapting to this trend by investing in secure online platforms and digital communication tools to facilitate smooth and efficient transactions.

Growing Demand for Advisory Services

In addition to facilitating transactions, business brokers in St. Louis are increasingly offering advisory services. This trend reflects a growing demand for comprehensive support throughout the buying and selling process. Brokers are providing strategic advice on business valuation, market positioning, exit planning, and investment opportunities.

Advisory services help clients navigate complex decisions and optimize their business strategies. Brokers who offer these services position themselves as trusted partners, providing added value beyond the transaction itself. This shift towards advisory roles is expected to continue as businesses seek more holistic support from their brokers.

Sustainability and Social Responsibility

Sustainability and social responsibility are becoming important considerations in business transactions. Buyers and investors are increasingly looking for businesses that prioritize environmental and social impact. St. Louis brokers are responding to this trend by highlighting businesses with sustainable practices and social responsibility initiatives.

This focus on sustainability and corporate responsibility can influence buyer preferences and investment decisions. Brokers who understand and promote these values can attract buyers who align with these principles and support businesses that contribute positively to the community and environment.

Future Outlook

Looking ahead, the St. Louis business brokerage market is expected to continue evolving with advancements in technology, increased specialization, and a growing emphasis on remote transactions and advisory services. Brokers who adapt to these trends and embrace innovative practices will be well-positioned to succeed in a competitive and dynamic environment.

As businesses and investors navigate these changes, partnering with forward-thinking brokers who understand and leverage these trends will be crucial for achieving successful outcomes in the St. Louis market.

[notebooknebula]

Expand Your Real Estate Wealth Through BRRRR Method with David Dodge & Jay Conner

Private Money Academy Conference:

https://www.JaysLiveEvent.com

Free Report:

Join the Private Money Academy: 

In today’s episode of Raising Private Money with Jay Conner, David Dodge joins Jay to teach people what is Wholesaling Real Estate as well as using The BRRRR Method to acquire Rental Properties with NONE of your own money!

David is a St. Louis Real Estate Investor with over 18 years of experience. He first started investing in Real Estate when he was in college, at the age of 20 while attending the University of Missouri-Columbia.

He loves teaching others how easy it is to learn how they too can wholesale Real Estate for huge profits & how they can use OPM to buy rental properties!

David and his team have wholesaled over 750 houses to date and his company “House Sold Easy” averages about 5-10 wholesales a month. He also loves to fix and flip properties as well as add properties to his rental portfolio.

David has over 90 rentals currently (over 20K in Cashflow) and he has a goal to take his rental portfolio to over 200 properties in the next 24 months.

He is the author of 3 books: “The Ultimate Guide to Wholesale Real Estate”, “The BRRRR Method” & “The 3 Pillars of Wholesaling Real Estate”.

His podcast “Discount Property Investor” teaches people all about wholesaling real estate as well as tons of tips and tricks about marketing, land-lording, rehabbing, and utilizing the BRRRR Method and now he is the newest Host & Coach over on the Wholesaling Inc Podcast too!

Private Money Academy Conference:

https://www.JaysLiveEvent.com

Free Report:

https://www.jayconner.com/MoneyReport

Join the Private Money Academy: 

Have you read Jay’s new book: Where to Get The Money Now?

It is available FREE (all you pay is the shipping and handling) at

https://www.JayConner.com/Book

What is Private Money? Real Estate Investing with Jay Conner

https://www.JayConner.com/MoneyPodcast

Jay Conner is a proven real estate investment leader. He maximizes creative methods to buy and sell properties with profits averaging $67,000 per deal without using his own money or credit.

What is Real Estate Investing? Live Private Money Academy Conference

YouTube Channel

Apple Podcasts:

Facebook:

[sirfrogsworth]

Looking Forward

If I trust my brother... and he did my dad's will properly... and set up my trust correctly... then I should be able to stay in the house for roughly 2 years.

If I trust my brother.

Then I can either sell the house and use that money for a small apartment or try to find a roommate situation to help me stay in the house a little longer. The nice thing about paying the mortgage is I can get most of that money back if I ever do sell the house. It's almost like a savings account with all my stuff inside.

Let's just hope the property value doesn't plummet for some reason. Though it has been around the same amount for many years.

I like living in my house. It's what I've known for 30 years. But being alone in the house is going to be a hard adjustment. After two years (or sooner) I may want to move near Katrina or Delling so I am closer to a support system. I wish we could all live next door to each other. Or live on a farm/ranch situation. And instead of chickens it is just a bunch of free range corgis.

I tried convincing Katrina to build a pool house, but she has a small backyard and no pool. HOWEVER... Apparently Florida has a lot of "mother-in-law suites." I had no idea that had a name, but I could be Katrina's mother-in-law. I have the skill set to guilt trip, make passive-aggressive comments, and judge how she raises her future kids. (And any other outdated stereotypes I've learned from 80s comedians.)

But I also like the idea of having a roommate. I could accommodate a single person or a small family. And I'd love to have an animal of some kind around. We have a huge fenced-in area left over from Otis.

I think I could offer someone a pretty sweet living situation. I have a full basement apartment that I reside in and so the entire upstairs is available for people to live in. I could charge cheaper rent than a cheap apartment in exchange for helping with chores that I struggle to do.

There is plenty of furniture and appliances ready to use. Full laundry room. I've got a really nice home theater in the living room so they can watch movies in style. I also have a few hundred TV series and several thousand movies on Plex. They get a full kitchen and bathroom to themselves. Plenty of garage space and a long driveway to park vehicles. They can have up to 5 rooms to do whatever in. They could do 3 bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen, and a small den area. My mom liked the den because she could watch her Judge Judy shows while my dad watched JAG in the living room.

If they don't have a family, they could convert 2 of the bedrooms into office space or craft rooms or S&M dungeons. They can decorate any way they'd like. But they have to keep the sex swing clean so I can use it. Not for sex--I just enjoy centripetal forces. And they'll have great privacy as I will be in the downstairs apartment. They'd only see me if I exit the house or if they invite me to dinner or movie night.

All they would have to pay is whatever I can't cover. I'd estimate in the $600-$800 range once the trust fund runs out. Plus the chores like cleaning and yard duty. That's a good deal, right?

The only downside is the house is in a deteriorating neighborhood. Businesses are closing and people are moving away. Our street is pretty isolated so there isn't much danger or crime. But we are adjacent to a dangerous neighborhood and the schools aren't great. That said, while there isn't much around here, in St. Louis you are always ~25 minutes from anything you need. The highway is literally down the street so driving to anywhere is fairly hassle free.

Also, I'd be happy to lend out the car for transport to a job. I'll only need it to get groceries every few weeks. They'd have to get added to my insurance and help with gas and maintenance.

Soooo... yeah, I think I have a lot to offer with my house.

They do have to be okay with my big subwoofer rattling things. The sound doesn't really travel through the floor, but the vibrations can. I can tone it down if they are sleeping though.

Oh! We also have a huge workshop on the property too. It could be used for working on cars or woodworking or an art space. It has electricity, lighting, heating and is perfect for anything that requires getting dirty. If that makes sense.

One idea I have been considering is seeking out an unhoused queer individual who was kicked out or is struggling to afford a decent place. If their parents don't want them, maybe I could provide a safe place. Things are so scary for LGBTQ+ folks right now. Especially in Missouri. St. Louis is a pretty blue city, but Missouri is a blood red state. If I could do something small for someone like that, I would be happy to help. Could be mutually beneficial.

So those are all of my thoughts and ideas as of now.

Again, if I trust my brother, I should have a decent amount of time to figure things out.

If things go sideways, I might be screwed.

So far he seems to be doing all the things he should be doing to get me sorted.

I'm going to choose to trust him.

With my life.

Oof.

[sellmyhousefastlakestlouismo]

Home prices soar in north St. Louis County as investors compete with individuals

A veteran from St. Louis needs help getting his first house because of obstacles. He thinks the competition is so fierce that he has no chance. "This is my city," said Melvin White, a St. Louis native. For 53 years, White has called St. Louis home. He spent 20 years working for the US Postal Service. He served his nation. "Proud to be a veteran of the United States Air Force," he said. Additionally, he works with his foundation to rehabilitate streets with Dr. Martin Luther King name. "Called Beloved Streets of America. It's a national initiative that we started right here in St. Louis." He now wants to settle down with enough room for his children to visit. In north St. Louis County, a single-family home had captured his attention. "It had a two-car garage, it had a fireplace and a finished basement." "Was this your dream home?" asked the I-Team's Paula Vasan. "Oh, yeah, this was it right here," White said. His wish was not fulfilled. "It kind of deflated me at that time," he said. White offered $15,000 more than the asking price, but it was insufficient. White is using a loan from the Veterans Benefits Administration to search for a property because he is a veteran of the United States. This eliminates the requirement for a down payment on White's home, according to his realtor, Paris Friarson. The longer inspection process is one of the other conditions of Friarson's federally guaranteed loan, according to him. According to her, some sellers may be making it more difficult for White to locate a home because they don't want to deal with the complications that a home with federal support might bring. "It's frustrating," said White. There were 28 offers on one of the final houses he put an offer on. Four of them were representatives of real estate investment trusts. Even though an investor still needs to submit the winning bid, Friarson claimed that investors are fueling competitiveness, particularly in regions like north St. Louis County. "They are just coming in with really competitive offers," said Friarson. According to her, these businesses often purchase houses, remodel them, and rent them out or sell them for a profit. "It's really hindering a lot of first-time homebuyers," she said. To determine how frequently investors buy properties in our area, 5 On Your Side collaborated with Realtors. According to documents we examined through a data aggregator, investors purchased around 28% of the residences in St. Louis County over the previous year. According to St. Louis Realtor Joe McCall and the economist team at CoreLogic, a software company that compiles real estate data, it's about 45% in some areas of north St. Louis County. According to its data, 400 residences in north St. Louis County went to investors over homeowners like White in the previous year. According to real estate brokerage company Redfin, a record 18.4% of the properties sold nationwide during the fourth quarter of 2021 were purchased by real estate speculators. This has increased from 12.6% a year ago. Realtors claimed it makes sense why first-time homebuyers and investors are interested in north St. Louis County. Homes here typically cost less than those in other parts of St. Louis. Homes in north St. Louis County, where Melvin White wants to buy his first home, are increasing in value at some of the fastest rates compared to all of St. Louis.

[aristotle-darcy]

I haven’t been on fb in years. I logged on today and within minutes, I found out how much the wife of a queer poly British man I met on a business trip in St. Louis 10 years ago is selling her house in Tennessee for. Getting that kind of information that quickly is terrifying. But also oh my god Kelsey you’re killing it!!!

[calacuspr]

How to build a brand for a new football team

Most Arsenal fans know who Peter Wood is – even if they’re not aware of it.

‘Pedro’ as he goes by, runs one of the most successful Arsenal blogs ‘Le Grove’ and the Arsenal Opinion podcast.

But he has rarely watched a game in person in recent years after taking up the opportunity to move to New York to follow his dreams in the advertising world.

You could say that it has worked out well for him, winning more than 100 awards that have established him as a major player in the advertising world.

So perhaps it came as a surprise that he would leave the bright lights of the Big Apple and the advertising world behind to move to Missouri and the city of St Louis, to take up a role as the Vice President of Content for St. Louis City SC, a brand new Major League Soccer (MLS) team , bringing together his expertise in marketing with his passion for football.

Peter’s journey to St Louis came through one of his advertising clients, Enterprise Rent-a-car, which also took him to New York in the first place. After six years, a meeting with his client Lee Broughton, who was a senior marketing executive at the company and part of the family who founded Enterprise, led to discussions about the plans for St Louis.

“Growing up going to the football with my dad and my extended Arsenal family, it doesn’t matter what the score is, right? It’s just being together and you learn so much as a kid going to football.

“The idea that I could help craft that experience with all of the amazing people that work here was just something that doesn’t come around very often. There aren’t too many new clubs that pop up, so to be here from the start was the attraction.”

The decision was made to create a new soccer club in the heart of the city with training facilities and a new model that differs from most others in the MLS, who officially granted the city an expansion franchise in 2019.

The founder group includes the Taylor Family, led by patriarch Andy Taylor, and Jim Kavanaugh with Carolyn Kindle the first female President and CEO of a MLS team, which notably is also the first majority female-ownership group.

St Louis has a fine soccer tradition, providing almost half of the 1950 World Cup team who famously beat England and plenty of international players since – but the city never had its own professional team.

“Research had shown that St Louis could be quite down on itself for a whole number of historical reasons, while people in other cities didn’t have an opinion or know anything about it.

Peter added: “St Louis really is a soccer city: they absolutely love the sport. When you’re driving through the highways and you look over at the fields, it’s soccer goals everywhere. We’ve got 22,500 seats in the stadium and 70,000 ticket deposits were put down, so there’s a there’s a huge demand for soccer.

“The mission of the club is to make people pay attention to what's going on in St Louis and to help regenerate downtown. It's not about how many T-shirts can you sell or how we can make a big profit on this.

“It's a gift to the city and we hope it's going to be one part of a regeneration project that will bring new business to downtown and give people in the city a feeling of increased pride.”

Peter’s role focuses on managing fan engagement, ranging from content creation to marketing, the fans’ singing section within the stadium and even the e-sports team, who just won their first MLS Cup.

With football still a challenger sport in the US, Peter’s role is to keep fans interested even when things are not going so well on the field.

He added: “We are really focused on the bigger picture than just soccer, because a lot of clubs focus on what happens between the lines in 90 minutes and that's great if you're doing well. But if you're not doing well, people can switch off. People here don't generally understand British sports fandom being your birth right, where you don't have a choice in who you support and you pass it down to your kids.

“In England, it doesn’t matter how badly a club treats you or how awful the product is on the pitch, you're going to turn up with your friends, your family every week and you all sit there, because that’s what we’ve done for 140 years.

“In America, it's a bit different. We've got baseball, we've got hockey, so to get eyeballs and to get love in this town like we really have to work hard for it, we have to show fans that we are in the community, that we care about their opinions and integrate their good ideas into the fabric of the club.

“For instance, many clubs have a pay-to-play model where you pay a lot of money to go to an Academy and that takes a lot of people out of the system. So our ownership decided that they were going to break that model and we created a programme called City Futures which teaches kids about the beautiful game and also how to be better people. The focus is on the kids having fun, giving everyone a chance to taste what it’s like to be a part of soccer.”

Premier League clubs in England are finding out the hard way that fans will not turn up and pay big money for their second-rate food with little more than big screens, and St Louis are also utilising local cuisine to bring the fans in earlier.

Fans were asked which local restaurants they wanted to see in the stadium which resulted in over 8,000 submissions and 25 local experiences being integrated into the stadium. The impact of this approach is smaller queues in the stadium at bottleneck moments, and it encourages fans to arrive early because there’s always something new to try that is authentically St Louis.

FootyScran, the popular football food review account on Twitter recently saw 1.2 million views for the St Louis pork steak sandwiches.

Peter explained: “We've also been trying to integrate local culture into our stadium, to make it feel like a stadium for everybody. So we've got a programme called CITY BLOCK PARTY which uses the stadium as a platform for new music, bringing in local artists.

“Everybody has loved the vibe and it gave people a little bit of pride: this is our city; this is our food; this is our music. The Premier League could take this approach but it’s hard to change entrenched pregame behaviours that have lasted generations. We have had the opportunity to start afresh and create the tradition.” 

St Louis has established a number of commercial partnerships with brands such as Purina, BJC Healthcare, Moneta and Cisco, and has an innovative agreement with banking sponsor Together Credit Union called the ‘Saves for Savings’ initiative which sees a new US$300 savings account opened for a local student for every save made by club captain and goalkeeper Roman Bürki.

With such a diverse and interesting range of stories to tell, it’s no wonder that content creation comes easily.

Peter added: “The real focus in year one is to land the plane with the fans and hope that what happens on the pitch brings more excitement to the city.

“The sponsorship team work very closely with us because they know the job that we're trying to do is to build the brand in the first few years. Everything is very intentional and thought through.

“We smashed the MLS record for kits sold and the Adidas CEO for North America thanked our ownership for driving so much additional revenue. So it's the town that has really taken to the sport. We're very lucky to have that passion and our job is to maintain it. How do we keep people feeling engaged in the club and how do we make them feel that this is their club.

“We're working with such a simple construct – would this idea make someone from outside of St Louis pay attention? Yes, OK. We're good to go. So it just makes everything a lot simpler. It's nice to work in a club that values doing things the right way rather than the easy way. Doing things the right way is the hard way nine times out of 10 and they pay off in the end. 

“The more economic impacts of what we're doing like are more people going into downtown, are new businesses setting up, are their new hotels in the region, are businesses thriving and can this be the catalyst to regenerate a downtown that's needed a bit of love over the last 20-30 years.” 

MLS has also benefited from a broadcast partnership with Apple, who provide a dedicated app and streaming service for fans to consume content, which has transformed exposure of the teams and competition.

With a central broadcasting deal rather than local agreements and a simple subscription, as well as via a television, fans can watch games, receive scores or written updates via an app on their phone.

Peter explained: “We're getting the real Apple treatment. They spend a lot of time with us because they want to make this the best possible, and it's been a really good start so far. 

“Our social metrics have been through the roof and we've already gone past some of the more recent teams who've entered as franchises. Our engagement numbers tick upwards and our merchandise sales have been getting better and better.

“The clubs create the content and we’re like a media platform. We’ve just created a three-part documentary with Rafa Honigstein that's going to go up very soon. We’ve got origin stories and comeback stories as well.

“We track all of the numbers like we know how engaged fans are, we know how often that opening the app, we can track when they get into the stadium, what they purchase. So there are lots of ways to track the success and the overall sentiment of fans.“

St Louis made a great start to their inaugural season as well, winning their first three games to put a marker down that they won’t be the whipping boys of the MLS Western Conference.

“Everybody's very focused on the sporting side, so we’re feeling very confident that all the predictions that we were going to finish 14th are off,” Peter said.

“It's fun and I’m in a privileged position. I don't feel like it's a job because I love football. Every meeting I go into is like some sort of experience I've had on the other side. It's been better than I could have imagined, and a lot of that is driven by the ownership group that I work with.

“They're principled people, they want to do what's best for the local community and they want to give St Louis the pedestal that it deserves. They want to elevate the city and have a clear mission.

“It's been a great project and I feel blessed that I've got to work on it.”