Woman-led Stories
How a $10K Folklore grant bloomed at just the right moment for this struggling small business
After her Bloom With Love flower shop flooded in summer 2025, an unexpected grant win from the Folklore initiative served as a sign from the universe to keep going, Olivia Esquivel shared. Her store is now flowering along the KC Streetcar line with new opportunities.
‘Right on plan’: Digital Health KC enters next growth phase, elevating Liz Shaffer to president
The first few years of Digital Health KC were about activating the ecosystem, said Liz Shaffer, noting the organization was propelled forward by its co-founder and longtime leader Dick Flanigan’s vision and strategy — pointedly growing the industry advocate to become a catalyst within the larger nexus of human and animal health.
Treating yourself: Sometimes a bedazzler offers the right dosage, says crafty side hustler
When women need help forming deep connections and honest conversations, Suzi Nelson said, it takes more than a simple prescription for sparkle — but it’s a start. “I trick people into talking about their feelings,” said Nelson, founder of Rxtra Co., a small business that hosts intimate bedazzling parties across Kansas City.
Being your authentic self is serious work, founders say; why women need to be in the business of saying ‘no’ more
In a world that’s so focused on AI, now’s the time for entrepreneurs to lean into the authentic quirks that make their businesses different, said Colleen Robertson, encouraging women to “be OK doing something crazy and turning people’s heads.”
Rare KC hires first exec in bid to close gaps for families impacted by rare health threats
Adding a full-time executive director to lead the Rare KC initiative is expected to help the organization accelerate support and innovation around rare diseases, genetic conditions, and cancers, said Dennis Ridenour, announcing the hire as an extension of BioNexus KC’s partnership and shared regional strategies.