Woman-led Stories

Chinecherem Ihenacho, founder of Naeche's Nourishment; photo by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu, Startland News

‘Fitting in is boring’: How this young founder gained the glow of entrepreneurship with her family’s meat pies

Naeches Nourishment is serving up savory meat pies with a side of its student founder’s Nigerian roots, Chinecherem Ihenacho shared, noting she started the business to make her culture more approachable to people who otherwise might not see the richness of its flavor.

Kamia Kindle, Soda Hunt; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News

Destination discount: Mobile business hunt hides prizes across KC (and you can find them without a new app)

A new venture from Soda Pop Graphics founder Kamia Kindle is turning everyday errands into something more interactive, inviting Kansas Citians to play their way through local neighborhoods while helping small businesses see who is actually walking through the door.

This brand on the rise smells a lot like cookies fresh out the oven; why Brown Suga tastes better in Leawood

A fan-favorite Kansas City cookie shop has found its sweet spot in Leawood’s mixed-use Park Place district, said founder Ebony Paul, noting the setting for Brown Suga Bakes’ second storefront clicked right away. “We have people coming in from other businesses, visitors from the hotels, and residents from nearby apartment complexes,” she explained. “We see…

No late risers: KC’s hottest line leads to a sell-out doughnut; owners balance appetite with days-long production

At 4:45 a.m. on a rainy Saturday morning, Susan Worrel of Overland Park was first in line at the new Slow Rise doughnut shop by her subdivision.  She had tried the week before, arriving an hour before the doors opened, only to find a line of hungry would-be diners stretching down the shopping center. The…

Keystone Angels takes wing with emerging leader; next up: saving startups from the valley of death

A familiar face in Kansas City’s business ecosystem is stepping into a leadership role aimed at tackling one of the biggest challenges facing local startup founders: access to early-stage funding. In February, Regina Sosa Valdovinos launched into a newly-developed director position at Keystone Angels, an angel investment network focused on connecting founders with investors across…