And the readers going to the Royals playoffs are …
October 7, 2015 | Bobby Burch
Four lucky Startland News readers are heading to see the Kansas City Royals take on the Houston Astros this Thursday and Friday.
From more than 300 contestants, a random number generator selected Tom Bliss and Marybeth Oliver as the winners, each of whom will bring one friend.
Bliss, who serves as executive director of the Missouri Association of Councils of Government, successfully rallied several friends to sign up to Startland, earning him Royals tickets in the referral contest.
“Are you serious? Wow!” Bliss said upon receiving the news that he won. “This is great news for me. … I’ve been a Royals fan since I was a kid — since back in the 1970s with Whitey (Herzog) and even before Whitey. This is so cool!”
A relatively new Royals fan, Oliver was selected randomly among hundreds of Startlanders to win the new subscriber contest.
“I won the tickets?” said Oliver, an executive assistant and intranet content editor at UnitedLex. “Oh my gosh — I never win anything! I’m so happy.”
Thank you to all those who participated in this contest. We look forward to continuing our service to the area community with coverage on its entrepreneurs and innovators.
Go Royals!

2015 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Taste tested: This entrepreneur’s proven pairing puts KC red wine chocolate on the map
Wine and chocolate: a classic pairing that compelled chemist-turned-entrepreneur Shawn Hall to concoct what he believes is the perfect combination of two beloved tastes. Cocoavino — his velvety blend of Belgian dark chocolate and a complex red wine reduction that first debuted on the market in 2021 — recently skied to the national stage at…
Photos: Founders score electric vibes, human connections with Startup Crawl’s return
Even tech startups benefit from one-on-one conversations with peers and the public, founders said, reflecting on the connections, collisions and real-time feedback earlier this month during Startland News’ Startup Crawl in downtown Kansas City’s Power & Light District. “It was an incredible experience that allowed for free-flow conversations and engaging activities between myself and the…
How Kelly Clarkson’s well-timed Father’s Day gift boosted a KC entrepreneur’s nonprofit
Life’s recent whirlwind initially shocked James Hogue — the newly-minted “rad dad” who earned a shoutout (and a couple thousand dollars) on the Father’s Day edition of Kelly Clarkson’s hit daytime talk show. “My first thought was, ‘Is this really happening?’” the Kansas City dad and certified doula said. The founder of Fathers Assisting Mothers…
Venture Noire is ready to activate KC with focus on improving outcomes for Black entrepreneurs
Venture Noire comes to Kansas City late this month with a two-day event to help early-stage entrepreneurs plan their next moves and reintroduce the Northwest Arkansas-based nonprofit to local business owners. Planned for June 26-27 at Keystone CoLAB, the “KC’s Playbook for Entrepreneurial Excellence” event is expected to feature a boot camp with workshops on…
