Reopening Betty Rae’s Ice Cream could prove as risky for Alec Rodgers’ waistline as his wallet, the 23-year-old employee-turned-owner jokingly suggested — smiling as he looked across the River Market shop with a mix of nostalgia and youthful exu... Read more
LaRonda LaNear was tired of the working world’s status quo. “I’ve always hated authority and it’s always been men in power, telling me what to do — and it never made sense,” she joked, shedding light on a real problem that robbed he... Read more
Six years after moving to Kansas City to build his brand, Crumble Co., Brandon Love is changing directions — both in his business model and in his physical location, he said. “I miss my family,” Love shared, noting that he is moving home to Bal... Read more
Traditional paths aren’t for Lisa Peña — and her latest business venture (or adventure) is proof, aiming to show Kansas Citians on both sides of the state line an unfiltered version of two cities they might think they already know. “It really p... Read more
Opening a restaurant doesn’t happen overnight; it takes planning, hours of hard work, a good team, and solid funding, said Esra England — the head chef and founder of KC Cajun. “I knew opening a restaurant was a strategic move, and everything n... Read more
Editor’s note: The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is a financial sponsor of Startland News. One of the nation’s premier advocates for entrepreneurs and small businesses on Thursday lauded the passage and signing of a massive COVID relief bill... Read more
Retirement in the palm of your hand: Blooom launching mobile app after passing $5B in assets managed
If you’re not a lottery winner, selling a business or inheriting a considerable amount of money — the only way to become financially independent and have the ability to stop working is to save … and invest, said Chris Costello. “That’s what life... Read more
In the years leading up to BacklotCars’ historic exit, Justin Davis steered clear of the startup social scene — detouring instead into deep collaboration with capital and automotive industry partners, he said. “As a startup, getting connected is... Read more
A new era has entered the ring as an entrepreneur fights to bring inclusivity to Kansas City’s legacy-rich professional wrestling community — in the midst of an all-out brawl in his own battle against Stage 4 brain cancer. “Everyone is welcome... Read more
Editor’s note: The following is the first in a two-part series looking at an initiative at one of the city’s largest law firms to provide pro bono legal representation to minority businesses. This piece, sponsored by Husch Blackwell, provides fi... Read more
