Editor’s note: Startland News selected 10 Kansas City scaling businesses to spotlight for its annual Startups to Watch list. Now in its eighth year, this feature recognizes founders and startups that editors believe will make some of the biggest news in the coming 12 months. The following is one of 2023’s companies.
Click here to view the full list of Startups to Watch — presented in partnership with Social Apex, supported by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, and independently produced by Startland News.
MADE MOBB has become more than Kansas City’s staple streetwear brand, said Vu Radley as he reflected on nearly a decade dropping designs for the crew’s loyal following.
“It’s crazy to think back and realize that we started all of this 10 years ago. In 2023, we are pushing our creativity and pieces to places that people haven’t seen MADE MOBB go yet. I don’t want to say too much, but we are going to really highlight our 10 years and just create cool new shit,” teased Radley, who co-founded MADE MOBB in February 2013 alongside owners Mark Launiu and Jesse Phouangphet.
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Elevator pitch: Influenced by Midwest grit, MADE MOBB is a minority-owned business that works to build onto the growing streetwear scene by pioneering their take on streetwear.
- Owners: Vu Radley, Jesse Phouanphet, Mark Launiu
- Founding year: 2013
- Current employee count: 6
- Amount raised to date: N/A
- Noteworthy investors: N/A
Each piece by the brand is created with midwest values in mind: hard work, craftsmanship, culture and most importantly, community, Radley noted. MADE MOBB has built its reputation through partnering with local small businesses, hosting community events and its exclusive collaboration with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2022.
“Working with the Chiefs was definitely a bucket list item for us,” Radley said. “It was cool to be able to think outside of the box and learn about the process of what happens in a collaboration that big. We were able to take the iconic features of the Chiefs, as well as continue to be ourselves and stay true to MADE MOBB.”
Click here to read more about MADE MOBB’s collaboration with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Confidence and understanding of one’s brand doesn’t happen overnight, Radley acknowledged, recalling the early days of making do with what they had and running on passion.
“As we’ve grown, we’ve wanted to be a hub for other artists and entrepreneurs because we know how hard it is to get into the business,” Radley shared. “For the first three-to-four years, we were carrying inventory out of our cars and popping up wherever we could. If we can help other businesses get past those barriers quicker, we would love to do that.”
For the past two years, MADE MOBB has invited artists, small business owners and the public to come together for First Fridays at their shop in Kansas City’s Crossroads Arts District. With the COVID-19 pandemic temporarily halting public gatherings, the team worked to bring back their monthly celebrations in a safe and responsible manner, Radley said.
Jesse Phouangphet, Vu Radley, and Mark Launiu, MADE MOBB
“In 2022, we definitely saw the rise of people wanting to get back out, getting social again and just having fun,” he continued. “We will continue to run First Fridays in our shop every month in 2023. First Fridays give us a chance to highlight our friends or vendors who are starting out. It also gives us a chance to network and meet new people and showcase our drops. It’s really important for us to talk to our customers and everyone who comes in because they’re part of the MOBB too.”
Even after a decade of designs, Radley still gets excited when he sees a MADE MOBB piece out in public, he shared.
“Seeing that support is what keeps us pushing forward,” Radley said. “Walking down the street and seeing someone wearing a MADE MOBB T-shirt or hat, and knowing you had a part in creating that, is just a really cool experience. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it.”
Startups to Watch presented in partnership with Social Apex, supported by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, and independently produced by Startland News.
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Kansas City Startups to Watch in 2023
- Founders: Sam Kulikov, Alex Laughlin, Jeremy Terman, Mark Josey
- Founding year: 2019
- Current employee count: 33
- Amount raised to date: $1.4 million
- Founders: Mason Mullenioux, Aaron Hawkey, Charles Reilly, Trevor Jensen
- Founding year: 2012
- Current employee count: 50
- Amount raised to date: $32 million
- Founders: Nick Smith and Clive Cadogan
- Founding year: 2018
- Current employee count: 18
- Amount raised to date: $1.55 million
- Founders: Michael Wilson, Ronald Rice (DJ Rice)
- Founding year: 2020
- Current employee count: 12 (projected to grow to 18 by March and 30 by June)
- Amount raised to date: $2 million
- Founders: Anders Ericson and Charles Clow
- Founding year: 2022
- Current employee count: 9
- Amount raised to date: $1.8 million
- Founders: Emily Brown, Elise Bates
- Founding year: 2021
- Current employee count: 7
- Amount raised to date: Undisclosed
- Founder: Chad Hickman
- Founding year: 2014
- Current employee count: 48
- Amount raised to date: Undisclosed
- Founders: Vu Radley, Jesse Phouanphet and Mark Launiu
- Founding year: 2013
- Current employee count: 6
- Amount raised to date: N/A
- Founder: Dr. Brandy Archie
- Founding year: 2022
- Current employee count: 1
- Amount raised to date: $40,000
- Founder: Randy Wasinger
- Founding year: 2018
- Current employee count: 32
- Amount raised to date: $12.5 million
Startups to Watch is possible thanks to support from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, a private, nonpartisan foundation that works together with communities in education and entrepreneurship to create uncommon solutions and empower people to shape their futures and be successful.
For more information, visit www.kauffman.org and connect at www.twitter.com/kauffmanfdn and www.facebook.com/kauffmanfdn
