Arch Grants Co-Founder Calls for St. Louis to Believe In Itself

Image courtesy of St. Louis Business Journal

Joe Schlafly, co-founder of Arch Grants and former Stifel executive, has a powerful message for St. Louis. After 35 years helping build Stifel from a $5 million company to one approaching $5 billion in revenue, Schlafly remains passionate about our city’s potential.

In a recent interview with the St. Louis Business Journal, Schlafly shares his perspective on the region’s challenges, including what he calls our “civic lack of self-esteem” and the fragmentation across municipalities. But more importantly, he offers his vision for growth: building from within rather than chasing outside corporations.

This philosophy drove him to co-found Arch Grants in 2011. We’ve since awarded over $18.5 million to 272 startups, creating more than 4,000 jobs and generating $1.2 billion in revenue for our region.

“We want to build our own,” Schlafly explains in the article, emphasizing the importance of early-stage capital, retaining young talent, and attracting entrepreneurs from around the world to St. Louis.

Read the full interview in the St. Louis Business Journal (subscription required)