Joi Neidner

Joi Niedner truly has a heart for helping businesses, especially women business owners, to find the perfect space to grow their companies.

As a commercial real estate broker for McKelvey Properties, Joi feels that her mission is to help other companies increase their revenue and profit so they can create a community where people prosper, grow and help humanity. “The circle of giving,” as she calls it.

“Typically, in commercial real estate, you only hear about numbers…square feet, price per square foot, and term of lease, etc. What I focus on are the stories of these businesses. That is what especially inspires me about what I do…and helping them to find the right building for their business so they can make money and give it back in their community,” says Joi.

Joi came here from northern Indiana/Chicago region, the daughter of an immigrant family. “My father’s family came from Czechoslovakia. They had restaurant-taverns around the steel mills, so I learned a lot, helping my father with his business. He also had a chow mobile – today they’re called food trucks – that went up into the harbors and factories. I visited all his restaurant vendors – the sausage makers, the lady that made the potato chips, the ice company that delivered the blocks of ice,” she says.

“I loved hanging around these people that had businesses. Dad loved talking to everybody and was a likeable salesman and Mom, too, knew no strangers. She could know about a person’s life after meeting them for ten minutes. She had great interest in making other people feel good, very quickly.”

Joi’s entrepreneurial spirit was evident when, as a child, she dragged half of the contents of her bedroom onto her front yard for a sale. “I made my own flyers with crayons and took them on my bicycle to hang them around the area…and people came! I got to meet all the neighbors. I bartered, traded and sold…it was very rewarding.”

Joi took some of those skills and moved to the St. Louis area, where she got into residential real estate, then worked for a bank, and eventually helped to own and operate Emmons Title Company in St. Charles for 14 years. She went on to own a sales & marketing consulting company for about 8 years, then started and was the Director of the downtown St. Louis McKelvey Properties office before becoming a Business Development Officer for St. Louis Economic Development Partnership, where she generated and assisted companies in St. Louis County/City.

“I’ve been back in the private market as a Commercial Broker with McKelvey Properties now for three years. I live in and love St. Charles. I know the history of every city in the region, and it’s important to use that knowledge of the area and how people buy there – that’s the key to putting businesswomen in the right building that will help them generate revenue," explains Joi.

"Whether it’s office space, retail, manufacturing or land they’re looking for, I am not just a 'door-opener,' I truly want to make sure it’s a perfect match for them."

Joi’s experience and expertise has been shared over the years as a keynote speaker and panel member. And she has been honored with several awards, including “Top 100 St. Louisans To Know to Succeed in Business” (2016) Small Business Monthly, Lindenwood University: Outstanding Alumni Award (2015) and Northwest Chamber of Commerce Community Development Award (2015).

She serves on the board of Compass Health Network, the St. Charles Community College Alumni Council and is an active member of the Northwest Chamber and St. Louis Board of Realtors. She has served on over 20 boards since she moved to the region.

When asked what her advice is during these challenging times, she said it would be to reach out and help others in any way you can. She emphasizes that non-profits are especially going to be affected by these past months.

“I truly believe that if you help others, it will come back to you.”

Joi and her clients (l-r):

Jackie & Sarah Williams

Dance Connections Performing Arts Center

636-697-6232

stldcpac.net

Tammy Noel

EYC Academy/Empowering Youth and Communities Inc.

314-753-7071

EycAcademyStl.org

Kira Mulvany

Roses & Mint/Floral & Event Space