News Stories
These chefs are baking fine dining (and shareable small plates) into one of KC’s favorite cookie spots
Classic Cookie by day; Wild Rose Bistro by night. Two dining concepts will share the same space in Waldo as Chef Bryan Sparks builds a new menu — and business — from his obsession with food and growth. “It doesn’t really make sense for us to get another brick-and-mortar spot,” said Sparks, who launched the rebooted…
‘The opposite of growth is death’: Why the founder of EquipmentShare is driven by process, not an end goal
Startland News’ Startup Road Trip series explores innovative and uncommon ideas finding success in rural America and Midwestern startup hubs outside the Kansas City metro. This series is possible thanks to the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, which leads a collaborative, nationwide effort to identify and remove large and small barriers to new business creation. COLUMBIA,…
Hair and beauty emergency? On-demand app matches stylists with last-minute needs nearby
Inspired by the need for a last-minute blowout at a hotel in Florida — as well as her life-changing experience with contract work — Ruth Shrauner turned to tech that she hopes will reshape the foundation of the beauty industry. The Shawnee-based founder and CEO plans to launch her app — Poshed On The Go…
‘Credit score for startups’: Foresight founders aim to replace pitch decks with investability scores
Every founder deserves a fair opportunity to succeed, said Jannae Gammage, which is why she partnered with Charlotte Clark to launch a platform that would help entrepreneurs make value-driven decisions — while empowering investors to invest in them. A core idea behind the new startup: entrepreneurs believe tech over people. “I have been working side-by-side…
‘Funds and coaching equally crucial’: GIFT reports $460K for Black-owned entrepreneurs as business center books up
In its second fiscal year, the Kansas City-based nonprofit Generating Income For Future Generations (G.I.F.T) has more than doubled its grant amount for Black-owned businesses — but there’s no hidden secret to that success, said Brandon Calloway. “We simply acknowledged this big elephant in the room that everybody already knew existed and created a path…
