Latest Stories
Pivoting to freelance: Getting started on your own takes step-by-step attention to detail
Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. Chris Brown is the founder of Venture Legal where he represents startups, freelancers, and small businesses. This column — originally published by Venture Legal and part of a limited series on freelance entrepreneurism — is intended to be general in detail and does…
Westport facing dwindling foot traffic: Online sales will only get us so far, resilient entrepreneur says
Matt Bramlette is stretched thin, bouncing between his two retail shops as Westport storefronts struggle to reopen after a pandemic-induced shutdown, protests that disrupted business and other unexpected challenges. “We rely on tourists and foot traffic — two things that are few and far between right now,” said Bramlette, owner of brick-and-mortar Mid Coast Modern and…
Treat yourself: Iconic pink cone fits entrepreneur’s hunger for nostalgia, growth
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. Just…
DoubleTapKC powers past real-world complications with River Market VR arcade, pub
Timing and preparation are everything for DoubleTapKC as the virtual reality arcade and pub prepares to unleash a new experience in the River Market — one its owners say is a perfect release for COVID-wary Kansas Citians eager to reconnect. “To be quite honest with you, I feel really blessed,” co-founder Terry Keith said, reflecting…
Pandemic pauses genre-bending band’s tour, but amplifies message of music as a business, form of activism
In a world where empathy can be in short supply, the brothers behind Kansas City Latinx rock band Making Movies see music and songwriting as a way young people growing up in a divided country can level the playing field. The key is exposing them to mentors who can illustrate what’s possible, said Enrique Chi,…
Wave Money: H&R Block deposits its $405M startup investment into small business banking
A year to the day after its acquisition by Kansas City tax giant H&R Block, Wave Financial is churning up change in the sea of small business banking. The Toronto,Canada-based fintech company announced Thursday the launch of Wave Money — a first-of-its-kind small business banking solution that eliminates banking fees, has built-in bookkeeping, and gives business…
Employer survey: KC digital media talent weak on tech, soft skills — even with a college degree
Area colleges and universities are falling short in preparing graduates for careers in digital media, a new study suggests. Cross-industry collaborations could help fill in the missing pixels. “The survey really highlights some gaps that are preventing the industry from moving forward,” explained Ron Green, executive director of digiSTORY KC — a Kansas City-based non-profit…
Business, civic leader: Chains of slavery were built for profit (then and now) — together we must dismantle them
Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. Jeff Simon is managing partner of Husch Blackwell’s Kansas City office. Simon is currently on the board of STARTLAND, the parent organization of Startland News, and previously served as president of the Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners, chair of the Kansas City…
Milkman of CBD: How closing KC Hemp Co’s storefront helped deliver a 600-percent sales increase
A new strain of strategy has KC Hemp Co. going all in on eCommerce, its owners said, announcing the company has permanently closed its downtown Overland Park retail space — transitioning to online sales and limited same-day delivery. “We’ve been able to cut over 80 percent of our overhead,” explained Kyle Steppe, who owns KC…
Donations drop as KC reopens — but need for help outlasts COVID’s peak, says Merry Outlaw
Merry Outlaw’s quick pivot to a COVID-19 Mutual Aid app raised $11,000 in a little over a month — but donations slowed as people turned their eyes back to “normal life,” said Lindsay Smith. “Our first month we hit $10,000 — and you don’t want to get discouraged about this — but in the beginning,…
