Woman-led Stories

Startup ambassadors’ pitch to former Kansas Citians: Move your innovation, hustle Back2KC

Kansas City is having a moment, said Liam Reilly, and it’s an opportunity he and fellow Back2KC organizers couldn’t pass up — reviving the tech talent recruitment program amid Chiefs glory, downtown baseball district buzz, KC Streetcar expansion, riverfront revitalization, and a World Cup on the horizon. “We didn’t want to wait another year to…

This Kansas gardener sued to sell fruit and honey; Now her town will allow urban farming

Editor’s note: The following story was published by KCUR, Kansas City’s NPR member station, and a fellow member of the KC Media Collective. Click here to read the original story or here to sign up for KCUR’s email newsletter. Ottawa city officials are trying to strike a balance between people who want to produce food and the interests of their…

Cannabis to canvas: When life goes inside out, Heather Hobbs sees new opportunities 

Life can be messy, Heather Hobbs acknowledged, but cannabis-based wellness products can help bring needed focus, clarity and relief, the now-solo owner of KC Hemp Co. said. “That’s been a big focus of mine, crafting products that can actually help with things like ADHD, and also what I call ‘mom stress’ where you’re constantly up…

KC nonprofit wants to change the face of tech (without leaving its students in debt)

Editor’s note: The following story was sponsored by Resiliency at Work 2.0 Career and Technical Education, a Kansas City-based organization focused on creating and increasing equitable opportunities through education and training for careers in the technically skilled workforce. Dr. Joy Vann-Hamilton set out to close the diversity gap in the tech workforce; her work through…

Proof is in the spending: CEO-to-CEO Challenge yields results in diversifying supply chains

Editor’s note: The following story was sponsored by KC Rising, a regional initiative to help Kansas City grow faster and more intentionally, as part of a campaign to promote its CEO-to-CEO Challenge on supplier diversity.  When she started researching the institutional knowledge at MMC Corp. about working with diverse suppliers, national purchasing director Kelli Fraas found the process was…