Part educator, part problem-solver, Dr. Lance Coffman brings together academic knowledge and practical experience in his role at efactory’s Missouri SBDC at Missouri State University. Over two decades, he's had the opportunity to work with businesses of various sizes across national markets, learning valuable lessons along the way. Through efactory, Lance collaborates with business owners facing growth challenges, offering guidance informed by his own journey as an entrepreneur. His education—including a PhD from Oklahoma State University and degrees from Missouri State—has provided helpful frameworks that complement his hands-on experience. In the classroom, Lance believes in learning by doing. Each semester, he works with alongside students on real-world business projects with local companies, finding as much satisfaction in their discoveries as in his own. Organizations throughout Missouri have kindly welcomed his input on marketing, strategic planning, and process improvement initiatives. When work is done, Lance returns to what matters most—time spent on the family farm with his wife and two boys, where the complexity of business gives way to the simple joys of rural life and family connection.