Those who know Eickenhorst affectionately call her “St. Louis’ Cruise Director,” a nickname she earned not just for her enduring positivity but for her expansive view of leadership. Along the way she’s used her platform to build the region’s reputation, to support recovery efforts after last spring’s tornado, and to advocate for small businesses. “Be a helper and lead with heart,” Eickenhorst says. “Our city thrives when its people of influence are willing to lend their influence, their time, and their passion to uplifting our region as a whole. Don’t just focus on your own success; see it as a platform to contribute to the collective good.
2026 QUESTIONNAIRE
What advice would you give to the next generation of St. Louis entrepreneurs or leaders? My advice to the next generation of St. Louis entrepreneurs and leaders is to be a helper and lead with heart. As you grow your career and your ventures, always consider how you can make a real, tangible impact for those who come next. Our city thrives when its people of influence—business owners and leaders—are willing to lend their influence, their time, and their passion to uplifting our region as a whole. Don’t just focus on your own success; see it as a platform to contribute to the collective good. Specifically, I’d encourage them to identify a pressing local challenge that they have some expertise or influence to fix and commit to being a part of the solution in some way. St. Louis, like any vibrant city, has its unique hurdles. Bring your talent to bear when it comes to helping our region overcome its challenges. Don’t be afraid to think big, but start with one problem and a few actionable steps.
What do you do when you’re feeling stuck or uninspired? When I do hit a wall or feel a bit stuck, my first move is always to seek input from those around me. I’ve intentionally built and nurtured a strong group of talented leaders and colleagues—and I also have a strong network of mentors—who I can lean on when I need to. I work hard to surround myself with people who are smarter than me in various ways. I genuinely value their diverse perspectives and expertise, and I lean on them heavily in those moments. It might involve a quick brainstorming session, a deeper discussion over coffee, or even just popping into their office to share my current challenge and to get their initial thoughts. Through collaboration, I gain fresh perspective and can usually reframe the problem and find a path forward.
Who in your company (or industry) deserves more recognition for their impact? Without a doubt, the person in our company who deserves far more recognition for his impact is my husband, Marcus “Ike” Eickenhorst. While I’m the leader out front in the community, his guidance and leadership on the financial side as our CFO are the bedrock of our growth. Our industry, restaurants, is notoriously challenging due to its lean margins. The reality demands that we’re not just smart but also incredibly strategic and creative every single day in how we operate. As you know, we’re working to build a network of locations in order to achieve the impact we’re striving for. Marcus has been absolutely instrumental in making that vision a reality. Without his work, his foresight and his ability to navigate the complex financial landscape of our business, we wouldn’t have been able to grow… His contributions are fundamental to our past success and our future trajectory.
What’s a local organization, nonprofit, or initiative that more people should know about—and why? One local organization that more people in St. Louis should know about and support is Delmar Main Street. They are an absolutely vital group for the Delmar Maker District and the broader Delmar corridor. Their mission is to bring sustainable economic development and promote entrepreneurship along the commercial stretch of Delmar from the city limit to Taylor. Having spent much of my career working with mission-driven nonprofits, I can honestly say I’ve seen very few make such a profound impact. Felice McClendon and Lisa Potts of Delmar Main Street were already working tirelessly to uplift businesses in the Delmar Maker District. But when the tornado hit, their dedication became even more evident. They immediately sprang into action, assessing the needs of each individual business and working hands-on to help them rebuild, relocate, or retool to weather the storm. They truly are the greatest advocates that area has, and their ongoing work will be critical as we continue to uplift that community.
2025 QUESTIONNAIRE
PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS & OPPORTUNITIES
What has you most excited about the future of your company or industry? At HuSTL Hospitality, we’re working to make hospitality a viable career option for those who wish to make it one. We want to give people a place to grow and quality of life in ways that have not been realized in this industry before. We’re also working to make the St. Louis region a better place to live—and we do this by investing and participating in the neighborhoods where we’re located in a big way. We serve as advocates and active participants in our communities. This year, we intend to take a step back from expansion to recoup some of our financial investments and to find ways to reinvest them in our people to carry out our mission and vision in bigger ways. I’m also excited about what this means for our ability to create bigger impacts for our neighborhoods and the St. Louis region.
If you could change one thing about your industry, what would it be and why? We put a tremendous focus on culture and on training and empowering our people. In an industry known for long hours and high-pressure environments, I’d love to see more care being put into how people are treated.
What’s the toughest business challenge you’ve had to overcome (excluding the pandemic) and why? In an industry with incredibly thin margins, navigating the economic uncertainty of the past four years has been a tremendous challenge. Our labor and cost of goods have gone up more than 30 percent. Our customers are also feeling the pinch, and they are spending less money and going out less often. So while we have big dreams and goals for what we want to provide for our team members, we’ve had to temper our pace of progress in that area while we first assure that the businesses are sound. We continue to navigate with sound business planning and look forward to a time when things are less volatile.
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MENTORS & PEERS
To whom or where do you go for sound business advice? One of my first mentors was my father Steve Sperry—a successful entrepreneur himself for many years, I greatly appreciate his perspective. He instilled a strong business sense and work ethic in me from a young age and taught me the importance of reputation and of taking care of people. Additionally, I’m blessed to have a business partner that I can turn two for advice whenever I need it: My husband, Ike, is an incredible leader who approaches problems in ways I don’t always think to. I seek his counsel daily.
Do you have a business mentor? If so, who and why? I’m a firm believer that if you’re the smartest person in the room, you need to find another room. I’ve curated a friend group of people whom I not only love but also respect. Eric and Mary Thoelke have been mentors in my community work. They’ve done incredible things in the Midtown Alley neighborhood. On the business side, I have a network of incredible women whom I call upon for advice—among them Maxine Clark of Delmar DivINE and Build-A-Bear; Carol Klein, the author of Painting for Peace in Ferguson; and Dawn Krause, a powerhouse realtor and former boss of mine at Keller Williams. Much like me, they have limitless energy, big ideas, and a real desire to leave a positive impact on the community and their people. I’m so grateful to have them in my world.
What piece of advice has had the most significant impact on your career? “Your business grows to the extent that you do.” This resonated with me deeply, and I’ve seen it play out in my life, my leadership and my career trajectory. For this reason, I’m committed to continuous growth and self improvement. I read voraciously, seek counsel of others, and push myself regularly to grow in new ways. When I pour into myself, everyone else around me benefits.
If you could have dinner with any two area business leaders, who would you choose and why? Carolyn Kindle of St. Louis CITY SC and Rabbi Daniel Bogard of the Central Reform Congregation. I had the blessing of being present for some of the early-days meetings at St. Louis CITY SC as Steve’s Hot Dogs has been a food partner there from Day 1. In those meetings, I was struck by the thoughtfulness and intention that went into building the stadium, the team and the culture. I was impressed and inspired and for that reason, Carolyn Kindle would be a top pick for me. I deeply admire Rabbi Daniel Bogard for his tireless work supporting the LGBTQIA+ community in Missouri. He and his family are tireless advocates for this community—and I believe his work is more important now than ever before.
Who is the most interesting under-the-radar/emerging business leader in St. Louis and why? John Knicely of Story on Purpose is an Emmy Award-winning storyteller by trade, but he’s also leads the Peoplecentric movement locally with regular leadership events focused on how business owners and leaders can better love and serve their people. I think that the conversations he’s starting are incredibly important on a number of levels and I think this work has the potential to be transformative to many regional businesses.
What is one thing you would change about the St. Louis metro area business environment and why? I would want City Hall to thoughtfully reduce the red tape for businesses and to implement technologies that allow people to get much of their business done with the city remotely. Navigating antiquated systems slows progress and disinvites investment in our city, which needs it so very much.
BACKGROUND
Where were you born? Springfield, Illinois
What was your childhood aspiration? I wanted to be a singer or a scientist.
What was your first job, and what did you learn from it? My first job was at Dairy Queen, and it was a surprisingly valuable experience. Aside from the obvious skills like cash handling and food preparation, I learned a lot about customer service. Dealing with a variety of customers taught me patience, empathy, and the importance of maintaining a positive attitude, even on the busiest of days.
What educational degrees do you hold, and where were they earned? I hold a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Studies with an emphasis in nonprofit management from Fontbonne University.
HOBBIES & INTERESTS
If you were not in your current profession, what would you be doing and why? I would be knocking on the door of Greater St. Louis, Inc., asking them to put me to work. Making the St. Louis region a better place to live is my why. They are absolutely aligned with that in every way. For that reason, I’m grateful that I am able to make such a substantial impact on our community as a business owner.
What is your favorite St. Louis-area restaurant, and what do you typically order there? Bowood by Niche is one of my favorites. If you invite me for a meeting, I’m probably setting it there. My go-to order regardless of the time of day is their Classic Breakfast with two eggs, gluten-free toast, potatoes, and sausage. I usually order their gluten-free pastry of the week as well. They consistently bake incredibly delicious gluten-free food.
What is one item you recently crossed off your bucket list? Last year was a year of bucket-list items, from seeing Brandi Carlile at Red Rocks with the Colorado Symphony to seeing Dead & Company play one of their final shows at the Sphere in Las Vegas. I’ve done a lot, but my favorite bucket-list item last year was a trip with my parents to Greece. We traveled to Athens, Santorini, and Crete over 10 days, and it was an experience I won’t soon forget.
What is one book you think everyone should read (or podcast everyone should listen to) and why? How to Know a Person by David Brooks is a new favorite of mine. I feel that it should be required reading for every man, woman, and child—and potentially required curriculum in schools. It’s a blueprint for a more connected way of living in an age when we’re less connected than ever. The book is an approachable guide on how to see people for who they really are—and how to make them feel seen. If we all knew how to accurately know people, to let them feel valued, heard and understood, so many of the issues we struggle with would resolve themselves.
What’s your hobby/passion? In my downtime, you’ll find me kayaking, hiking, meditating, and generally finding my zen.
What is your go-to karaoke song? For someone who wanted to be a singer, I have debilitating stage fright when it comes to singing. If I could overcome that, I feel like I’d absolutely crush it.
Hear more from Eickenhorst about HuSTL Hospitality’s mission and tornado relief efforts on the Arch Eats podcast.
