Care and Counseling is a private, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that is committed to providing a safe, secure and affordable way for individuals and families to seek psychological help in times of need. Laura Albers is a Licensed Professional Counselor, practicing with Care and Counseling at their St. Charles satellite office and a recently opened second office in O'Fallon. Laura was born in Cape Giradeau, MO and attended Missouri State University in Springfield to earn her Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Master of Science Degree in Clinical Psychology. She moved to St. Louis in …

Welcome back to our series on how to start a small business in O’Fallon. This week, we're offering tips and resources for handling your taxes as a small business owner. Last week’s experts, Richard Shoaf and Chris Coleman, are back with more tips for potential small business owners. Advice from the Experts Shoaf said his number one piece of advice for small business owners is to find and hold on to a good tax professional. “We always document everything, limit our tax liability within what the law allows and never take any questionable deductions,” Shoaf said of his own businesses. “Be …

Welcome back to our series on how to start a small business in O’Fallon. This week, we're offering tips and resources on how to register your business name and obtain local licenses and permits. Next week, we’ll discuss how to deal with your business taxes. Last week’s experts, Richard Shoaf and Chris Coleman, are back with more tips for potential small business owners. Now that you’ve determined the legal structure of your small business, you’re ready to register your business name. Registering Your ‘DBA’ Name First, you’ll decide what to call your business—if you’ll be using a name other …

Welcome back to our series on how to start a small business in O’Fallon. This week, we're offering tips and resources on how to choose the ideal O’Fallon location for your business. Last week’s experts, Richard Shoaf and Chris Coleman, are back with more tips for potential small business owners. Why choose O’Fallon for your small business? As O’Fallon Mayor Bill Hennessy said in a letter to potential owners, the city is full of dedicated businesses and enthusiastic residents. “Our Economic Development team is available to both new and existing businesses in order to help identify …

If you’ve ever been to a kid-friendly event around town that featured inflatable entertainment, you might have met Pam or Bill Dilallo, the owners and operators of O’Fallon-based All the Fun Inflatables, LLC. The Dilallos have been married for 27 years and they have two adult children. Pam Dilallo said that the whole family works together to make All the Fun Inflatables a successful business. “Our son Joe, now 24, and our daughter Jackie, 23, have both helped us since we started up the business and they are still helping us,” Dilallo said. Running their business, in addition to working other …

Mike and Cheri Price say they are blessed in many ways. In addition to having their own family and having the privilege of incorporating their faith into their daily lives, the couple owns and manages AmeriKids Christian Center, a child-care facility that bases its’ curriculum and its ethics around Christianity. Mike Price said AmeriKids was established in August of 2004. “We have cared for over 685 children in the past seven years, and have loved each and every family,” Price said. “Our families are awesome and we love what we do.” AmeriKids offers preschool classes and traditional childcare…

When Miracle Kickham’s grandmother presented her with her very first camera as a child, she fell in love with photography. When she later took photography classes in high school and college, she had no idea that one day she would own her own photography business. Kickham said that the photographer who shot her wedding happened to see some of her work and thought it was good. The photographer invited Kickham to work with her, so she left her job as a recruiter and launched her photography career. “After a year, she told me I should open my own business,” Kickham said. “She offered to help and …