Why Do Kearney Entrepreneurs Excel?

Claire Schwartz

Two well-known Kearney entrepreneurs couldn’t be less alike. Jonah Staab is a 20-something social media influencer and inventor, and Cory Morris is the owner of a traditional retail business, Gary Michael’s Clothiers, plus he operates a boutique bookkeeping firm. Despite their differences, they have something very important in common. 

Staab and Morris chose Kearney as their preferred place to operate a business, and they encourage other potential entrepreneurs to follow in their footsteps. 

“The Kearney community is awesome,” Staab says. “They are extremely supportive of new businesses. Whether it’s a brick-and-mortar store, a food truck or a small lawn mowing business, the Kearney community is ready and willing to support it.” 

Meet Morris

Morris, who relocated to the region from Pierre, South Dakota, in 2018, has also had a positive experience living and running a thriving business in Kearney. 

He purchased the Kearney location of Gary Michael’s Clothiers, which specializes in tailored men’s clothing, from Tammy Valentin and Trish Ludemann in June 2024. 

“[My wife and I] love the Kearney area,” he says. “We have been here six years, and every day, I’m more amazed at all that Kearney has to offer. Downtown is vibrant, and the business owners and community really support each other.” 

And the support he’s received has come from all over the community. “We have had so many people come in and tell us they are excited for us and welcome us. It has been awesome,” he says. “The chamber is great, and I’ve enjoyed attending the ribbon cuttings. We’ve also been supported by local networking groups.” 

While Morris is new to his role, Gary Michael’s has had a positive reputation in the area for years. 

“In reality, Gary Michael’s came to Kearney 13 years ago because the community begged Tammy Valentin and Trish Ludemann to open here (they still own a location in nearby Hastings). It’s been a mission of theirs to keep it running, and we are so excited to continue that mission of making men look their best,” he says. 

And to help entrepreneurs perform at their best, Morris offers some advice: “Get to know people, think through your ideas, and, most importantly, get some sales,” he says. 

“You don’t have to have a fully built-out business to start getting sales, but getting sales is the biggest proof that your idea is working.”

Staab’s Story

Staab, who got his start in an engineering class at Kearney High School, designed a skateboard wheel that can roll sideways. His invention won first place at Big Idea Kearney, a competition led by the Cultivate student organization, and Center for Entrepreneurship and Rural Development at the University of Nebraska at Kearney to showcase business and product ideas from UNK students and the wider community. 

Later, Staab created a grilling basket and went on to sell thousands of them on Amazon. But he didn’t stop there. Now, he has turned to social media. 

“I am always thinking and looking for new business ideas or things that interest me, but I have really been devoted to creating YouTube videos and making social media content lately – filming, editing and everything in between,” he says. “It is something I love to do and have always wanted to do long term.” 

While Staab has worked hard, he says he has had help from the community along the way. 

“Kearney is full of great people and great economic opportunities,” he says. “It is growing very fast, and the chamber of commerce and economic development council are extremely helpful and have a lot of tools to help businesses get started and get off the ground. I didn’t even know the chamber or EDC existed when I first started my entrepreneur journey, but they did an amazing job coming alongside me to help me get started and get involved with like-minded people.” 

Staab further shares that the chamber and EDC occasionally host interactive and hands-on meetings, where people can meet other entrepreneurs and do team-building exercises. “There is a great network of all kinds of entrepreneurs in town that are incredibly smart,” he says. 

Resources for Kearney Entrepreneurs

Here are some local resources available to assist entrepreneurs in the Kearney region.

Entrepreneurship Center: The Entrepreneurship Center at Central Community College provides technical and financial services to anyone starting or growing a business, and all coaching services are free. Workshops, seminars and other events are offered so entrepreneurs can learn about marketing, finance, taxes, legal issues, developing a business plan and more.

Big Idea Kearney: This annual competition, held every February and March, allows University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK) students and other community entrepreneurs to pitch their business, products or service ideas in front of an audience and a panel of judges. Cash prizes of $2,000, $1,000 and $500 are awarded for first, second and third places.

Nebraska Business Development Center: The Nebraska Business Development Center at UNK has operated since 1977 to provide a variety of technical assistance free of charge to entrepreneurs. It uses resources and expertise from organizations like the U.S. Small Business Administration and helps more than 2,000 businesses in Nebraska each year.

Center for Entrepreneurship and Rural Development: The Center for Entrepreneurship and Rural Development is in UNK’s College of Business & Technology, and the program focuses on effective small-business counseling and education. The center often connects entrepreneurs with partnerships throughout the state, including grants and other funding opportunities.

Kearney Area Chamber of Commerce: The chamber is an advocate of entrepreneurial development and offers resources such as Entrepreneur Hour, hosted by the Young Professionals Network, Envision, which is a one-day youth summit, and the NEXT Leadership Program, which allows UNK students to learn about leadership development and provides several networking events and workshop opportunities.

Development Council for Buffalo County: The Development Council for Buffalo County is the conduit to deliver the financing assistance businesses need to be successful in the region. It assists with everything from understanding the best federal and state incentives to accessing local funding.

– Kevin Litwin contributed to this article.