Cobb: Royals’ win adds to KC’s entrepreneurial swagger
November 5, 2015 | Joni Cobb
Entrepreneurs are competitive by nature.
They love passionate, tenacious competitors that go for it all. That is why they resonate so closely with athletes.
“It’s just one more example of Kansas City staking its claim as an exciting place where you can drive toward your dreams. We are on the map in so many ways.” – Joni Cobb
In fact, if you look into their backgrounds, many entrepreneurs were or are fierce athletes as well. It’s similar DNA that drives you to succeed despite enormous odds and competition.
So are our entrepreneurs are ecstatic about the Royal’s World Series Crown? Of course! Entrepreneurs love success, but they also love the teamwork, passion and camaraderie that the Kansas City Royals exude. The Royals are a very special group of competitors that show that they care deeply about each other as friends, as well as teammates. They are dazzling to watch and lead by example.
I believe that Kansas City is in a renaissance of sorts right now. Having been born and raised here, I can tell you there is a new electric energy both here in KC, as well as “on the road” when people hear where you’re from.
It’s so wonderful to have our city kicking on so many cylinders. So does being World Series Champs help our community? Sure! It’s just one more example of Kansas City staking its claim as an exciting place where you can drive toward your dreams. We are on the map in so many ways.
And just like entrepreneurs need to do from time to time, we all need to take break and celebrate the Royals’ achievements with them. Yes they are World Series Champs. But I think we are equally proud that they have the hearts of champions, too.
Joni Cobb is President and CEO of the Pipeline Entrepreneurial Fellowship program. Follow her on Twitter at @joni_cobb

2015 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Small Biz to Watch: Someday Sunday opens the door to me-time without guilt (or toxins)
Editor’s note: Startland News is showcasing five Kansas City small businesses this week through the newsroom’s first-ever Small Biz to Watch series, presented by Bank of America. The following highlights one of the 2025 honorees, curated by editors from Kansas City’s wide array of hard-working entrepreneurs and business owners. Selection criteria is based on factors…
Fund Me, KC: ULAH asks Kansas City to help save Westwood menswear store as pandemic debt looms
Startland News is continuing its long-running “Fund Me, KC” series to highlight area entrepreneurs’ efforts to accelerate their businesses or lend a helping hand to others. This is an opportunity for business owners and innovators — like menswear retailers and trendsetters Joey Mendez and Buck Wimberly — to share their crowdfunding stories and potentially gain…
These 15 KCMO projects just got a $19M+ boost; funding focused on inclusive community investments
A pair of high-profile projects at 18th and Vine — restoring the Boone Theater and its Kansas City jazz legacy, along with transforming the long-vacant Workhouse Castle into a boutique hotel — offer just a few notes from a chorus of just-funded redevelopment initiatives aimed at buoying small business and tackling challenges in Kansas City’s urban core.…
Meet 7 startups just funded to turn potential into Kansas City-built tech innovation
The latest crop of Digital Sandbox KC companies — earning up to $20,000 in project funding for their concepts — are poised to make significant impacts within their industries, said Jill Meyer, noting a through-line from digital health to AI-powered construction and fantasy sports solutions. “These exciting innovations show some great promise, and we’re honored…
