WATCH: Faces of KC entrepreneurship find strength in numbers, community resources
April 5, 2019 | Startland News Staff
A new video from KCSourceLink highlights the faces of Kansas City entrepreneurship — featuring makers, innovators, tech founders and social entrepreneurs — and their connection to the resource network and ecosystem infrastructure in Kansas City.
“It takes very special people to be able to put everything on the line,” says Reggie Gray, executive director of Black Privilege, a nonprofit movement rooted in a mobile app that connects black businesspeople and encourages spending within the black community. “Most of us will never make the big money, but it’s not always about the money — it’s about what fulfills us. It’s about being able to make a difference. Being able to build relationships.”
Gray is featured in the video alongside such well-known startup community members as Andy Kallenbach, founder of LendingStandard; Philip Hickman, founder of PlaBook; Kyle Smith, founder of Determination Incorporated; Jeff Rohr, founder of SquareOffs; and Matt Condon, founder of Bardavon Health Innovations — each sharing insights about the city and its support structure.
SquareOffs was named one of Startland’s Startups to Watch in 2019; Bardavon was one of the Startups to Watch in 2018.
“It’s not redefining Kansas City. It’s re-establishing who we are,” says Condon in the video. “We’re an entrepreneurial community. And we’re cowboys, and dreamers, and all the things that make that journey possible.”
The video was released to coincide with the publication of KCSourceLink’s We Create KC 2019 report. Click here to read more about the report’s findings.
Check out the video, which also includes commentary from Joe Vazquez, Vazquez Commercial Contracting; Marquita Miller, Five Star Tax & Business Solutions; Nick Ward-Bopp, Maker Village KC; CiCi Rojas, Tico Productions; Gigi Jones, Gigi’s Kale Chips; and Catina Taylor, Dreams KC.
Featured Business
2019 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Food delivery giants are eating up restaurant profits; KC startups add survival back to the menu
Ordering a meal at the press of a button is convenient for customers, but behind-the-scenes deals with the delivery giants that made on-demand food popular are running some independently owned restaurants out of business, said Vincent Son. “We’re not making a dime,” said Son, owner of China Feast in River Market, which uses five different…
Hometown startup launches Swappa Local in KC, trading tech junk sellers for secure deals
A firsthand experience with a mysterious Craigslist seller served as fuel for Kansas City-listed startup Swappa’s latest innovation of the local marketplace: Swappa Local. “I exchanged money with the seller, we both drove off, leaving the parking lot at the same time,” recalled Ben Edwards, Swappa founder and CEO. “We ended up stopped at the…
Take a seat: How do Bird’s new Cruisers fit into KCMO’s approach to disruptive innovation?
With a cushioned seat for two, the new Bird Cruiser’s potential arrival in Kansas City this summer would ride within KCMO’s approach to emerging technologies and disruptive business models. Featuring 20-inch wheels, the electric Cruisers travel uphill in areas like Kansas City’s downtown with ease, according to Bird, and are a new take on the…
Latest Digital Sandbox startups: Connecting solutions on climate change, supply chain, child therapy and voter education
Four new companies welcomed this week into the fold at Digital Sandbox KC help showcase the ongoing success of the 6-year-old proof-of-concept program, said Jeff Shackelford. “We’ve now provided project development funding for 118 area startups, and this group has raised over $70 million in add-on investment and created nearly 700 new area jobs,” said…