Aug. 28, 2025
Contact: Sara Diedrich, diedrichs@missouri.edu
Kelsey Raymond’s superpower might surprise you.
It’s not hustle or strategy — though she has plenty of both. It’s vulnerability.
Now serving as the new executive director of entrepreneurship programs at Griggs Innovators Nexus at the University of Missouri, Raymond brings with her the wisdom earned from launching, growing and selling a successful marketing firm. And through it all, she discovered that vulnerability is her X-factor — the trait that fuels authenticity, courage, connection and growth.
It’s the same quality she hopes to cultivate in the next generation of Mizzou entrepreneurs.
“I've learned that I can do really hard things,” said Raymond, BSBA ’11, who co-founded the digital marketing firm Influence & Co. in 2011 with two partners after graduating from Mizzou.
In 2022, she sold the company to Intero Digital where she was later promoted to chief operating officer.
“I've also learned that when you treat your employees with respect and build a culture rooted in mutual dignity, that investment comes back to you — especially when times get tough,” she said. “Now, the impact I can have on students and others is so much greater. I can already see that it is something that gives me a lot of joy and energy.”
Raymond’s office is housed within the Griggs Innovators Nexus, a vibrant hub in the Mizzou Student Center designed to foster student entrepreneurship across disciplines. The space offers student innovators a place to collaborate, exchange ideas, refine their pitches and even sell their products. It features a 10-person conference room, a 20-person classroom, two open gathering areas, retail storefronts and incubator-style offices that are ideal for students launching e-commerce, software or other digital ventures that don’t require a traditional storefront.
Building on success
Raymond steps into her new role following the retirement of her longtime mentor, Greg Bier, who led the program for 20 years. In addition to supporting student entrepreneurs, she serves as the faculty advisor for the Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization and leads Mizzou’s Entrepreneur Quest pitch competition as well as the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans. .
As the new executive director, Raymond wants to find more ways to engage alumni, especially those early in their careers.
“It’s so powerful for students to see examples of people who are five or 10 years into their careers and who are doing things the students want to be doing when they graduate,” she said.
Raymond hopes to expand the program by bringing in more guest speakers and potentially launching an entrepreneur-in-residence initiative that pairs students with experienced business leaders for one-on-one mentorship.
Full speed ahead
Just one day after graduating from Mizzou, Raymond co-founded Influence & Co. What began as a modest startup in Columbia — quickly gained traction. Within just a few years, the company had grown to include offices in St. Louis and Kansas City, with a team of a dozen employees.
In the early days, Raymond grappled with imposter syndrome — some of her colleagues were at least a decade older. But as the company grew, so did her confidence. She developed a leadership style rooted in openness and honesty, balancing transparency with authority. By prioritizing support and professional development, she earned the trust of her team and led with both empathy and conviction.
She also learned how to be authentic with her employees, including a particularly tough time during the COVID-19 pandemic when everyone was working from home and trying to keep the company afloat. One day, Raymond showed up at a Zoom meeting with a photo of her cluttered kitchen in the background.
“It looked like a bomb had gone off in my kitchen,” she said. “I told everyone, ‘I want you to see this because I don’t have it all together right now either.’ The truth was, in that chaotic time, none of us were operating at full capacity in every area of our lives. The messy kitchen? That was the part of my life where I was dropping the ball.”
Years later, employees would still bring up Raymond’s “disaster kitchen” and how much it meant to see that moment of honesty.
“That messy kitchen connected with people more than any polished presentation ever could,” Raymond said.
Over the years, Raymond and Influence & Co. found their stride, earning national and regional recognition along the way. Their accolades include Forbes' 30 Under 30 in Marketing & Advertising (2016), Inc. Best Workplaces (2017), one of St. Louis’ Largest Women-Owned Businesses (2019), and Missouri’s Small Business Person of the Year (2020).
More than a decade after co-founding the company, Raymond had bought out her partners and sold Influence & Co. to Intero Digital. By then, the company had grown to 60 employees and was generating about $7 million in annual revenue. They had clients in nearly 40 different cities. Raymond served as chief operating officer for the company until seizing the opportunity to return to Mizzou.
Budding entrepreneur
A self-professed extrovert, Raymond grew up in St. Louis, the youngest of three children. Her father, a golf instructor and budding entrepreneur, built his own real estate business from the ground up, while her mother focused on running the household.
From an early age, Raymond had a knack for spotting opportunity and turning ideas into action. One of her mother’s favorite stories is about 5-year-old Kelsey collecting rocks from neighbors’ yards, painting them and then selling them back to those same neighbors — her first taste of entrepreneurship. Later, she launched a weekly neighborhood newsletter featuring a “mystery neighbor” — someone from the block whose identity readers had to guess. The twist? You had to purchase the next issue to find out who it was.
“I was always interested in making things and selling things,” Raymond said.
While growing up, life in her household revolved around golf. Weekends were filled with road trips across the state to compete in tournaments. By the time she was in high school, Raymond had already made a name for herself and won the state championship in her freshman year.
Mizzou made
Her standout talent on the course caught the attention of then-Mizzou women’s golf coach Stephanie “Coop” Priesmeyer, who invited Raymond and her parents for a campus visit. She accepted the invitation but with reservations because Mizzou didn’t offer a major in entrepreneurship.
“I told my parents they didn’t have to go with me because I wasn’t going to Mizzou,” said Raymond, who was considering attending Vanderbilt University or the University of Richmond.
During the visit, she shared her concerns with Coach Priesmeyer, who knew exactly how to respond. She introduced Raymond to Bier, then executive director of entrepreneurship programs at Mizzou. The rest, as they say, is history.
“After meeting Greg and the other players on the golf team, I verbally accepted and called my parents on the ride home,” Raymond recalled. “They were over the moon.”
Turns out Mizzou had everything she wanted and more, especially through her experience with the entrepreneurship and leadership programs at the Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. College of Business.
“I learned so much about what it takes to start a business, what failures they had, what it looks like to have employees and even how they handled taxes,” she said.
While still a student, Raymond took part in pitch competitions and launched multiple startups. The experience was invaluable, giving her the freedom to take risks, learn from failure and grow within the safety net of a supportive environment.
“I learned so much by having the opportunity to really do it,” she said.
Passing the torch
At every stage of her journey, Bier was there to support Raymond. He mentored her through college and remained a steadfast advocate long after, ultimately becoming her business partner, alongside his wife, Karla, when Raymond bought out her co-founders at Influence & Co. He even officiated her wedding.
For Bier, the relationship has always been a two-way street. He continues to be inspired by Raymond’s “unbreakable positive attitude” and unwavering team spirit.
“She clearly understands that entrepreneurship is a team sport,” he said. “She also understands the importance of support. Whether that be her husband tag-teaming on their kids’ activities or getting advice from some of our very successful Columbia entrepreneurs, Kelsey realizes how important it is to surround yourself with the right team.”
Raymond hopes to follow in Bier’s footsteps and continue his legacy of leadership at Mizzou. “This job is an honor of a lifetime,” she said. “How lucky am I that my job now is to help others realize their dreams.
Raymond’s advice for young entrepreneurs
1. Share your idea widely.
Don’t keep your idea a secret. Tell every single person who will listen. Talking about your idea opens you up to feedback, objections and insight that will sharpen your thinking.
2. Seek out criticism early.
You need to hear all the reasons your idea might not work. That feedback will help you figure out if you're solving a real problem and for whom. Ask yourself: Is the person criticizing this my target audience? If not, find your target audience and talk to them.
3. Validate your idea before building anything.
Don’t waste time or money building something no one wants. Validate first.
- Walk around campus and ask people if they’d use or buy your product.
- Build a simple landing page and run ads to see if anyone clicks.
- Talk to potential users to see if they share your problem.
Read “The All-In Startup” by Diana Kander — it’s a great resource on this process.
4. Take advantage of being a student.
Ask for help now. People love helping students. Use your time on campus — it's the safest, most risk-free environment you'll ever have to start something.
5. Understand that life only gets busier.
Right now, your responsibilities are fewer than they will be later in life. Use this season of life to experiment, take chances and learn fast.
