Minority-Led Stories

Founders urge confidence, not Midwest nice: Stop apologizing for thinking bigger, builders say

Kansas City should be a hotbed for talent and startups, said Usman Wajid, lamenting a trend where entrepreneurs allow themselves to be penned in by a mentality that they’re overlooked locally and need to relocate to raise capital. Sometimes the catalyst for funding is confidence, the Block & Mortar AI founder told a crowd gathered…

Just funded: 8 tech products get Digital Sandbox KC boost to strengthen KC’s innovation economy

Project funding and extended resources are expected to help more than a half-dozen emerging startups — including six in the digital health space — whose innovative technology concepts are forging the future of entrepreneurship in Kansas City, said Maria Meyers.

Small Biz to Watch: Safi Fresh gives resurgent 18th & Vine a new flavor

As new businesses open and foot traffic returns to the historic 18th & Vine Jazz District, LaRonda Lanear wants Safi Fresh to be part of what comes next for a neighborhood that has long-awaited revitalization.

Fan Fest food vendor loves the exposure (but she’s missing results); her nearby restaurant sits quiet too

The international soccer tournament has delivered an unexpected one-two punch for LuLu’s Thai Noodle Shop: disappointing sales for vendors at the official FIFA Fan Festival and slower-than-normal traffic at the brand’s Crossroads location.

This artist’s vision is larger than life; her World Cup installation was created to match

Whitney Manney’s massive KC•House installation welcomes the world to Kansas City, the fashion designer and multi-hyphenate creator said. She’s hanging on hope they arrive with curiosity and an eye for whimsy.