Rhonda Dolan, on-demand personal assistant Udo honored as Chamber’s Entrepreneur of the Year
May 23, 2019 | Austin Barnes
A lunchtime affair at the 2019 Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business Awards quickly turned from celebratory mingling to shock and awe for Rhonda Dolan.
Rhonda Dolan, Udo
“For [the Chamber] to recognize my efforts over the last year, which have been pretty intense, means a lot,” said Dolan, founder and CEO of Udo, reflecting on her honor Thursday as the Chamber’s Entrepreneur of the Year. “It’s a little bit overwhelming. I’m still soaking it in.”
Such kudos come as Udo — an on-demand personal assistant platform — reaches a critical crossroads, Dolan explained.
“My hope is that there’s an awareness element for us,” she explained of how the win could push Udo forward. “… We have customers lining up, but we need some capital. So, we’re trying to figure out that next step. We’re ready to rock and roll, but we need a little bit of help.”
A previous Digital Sandbox award winner, entrepreneurial support programs have been great resources for Dolan in the run-up to her recognition by the chamber, she noted.
TREKK Design Group
In addition to the Entrepreneur of the Year Award, the Chamber awarded its small business of the year honor — the Mr. K Award — to TREKK Design Group, a 150 employee, civil engineering firm with an affinity for environmental work.
Wendy Guillies, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
The company is responsible for such projects as lighting and drainage on the iconic Christopher S. Bond bridge.
“There is a huge problem with old infrastructure in this country and the unseen things underground,” said, Kimberly Robinett, managing partner and CFO at TREKK. “We are the eyes for the unseen.”
Building a Kansas City business in the spirit of Ewing Kauffman, Robinett was presented with the Mr. K Award at Thursday’s luncheon for her efforts as an entrepreneur.
“I was at Sprint and my husband had been in the civil space his whole career, and we saw an opportunity to do work that our lives touch every day,” said Robinett. “The work that we do everyday is clean water and safe roads. It doesn’t get any more rewarding than that.”
An additional nine companies were finalists for the Mr. K Award and were honored with spots on the Chamber’s Top 10 Small Businesses list, including: Agforce, Charlie Hustle, IBC, Inc., KC Bier Co., Lever1, Odimo, RFP360, Ripple Glass, and VeriShip.
Click here to read more about the companies in the Top 10.
Thursday’s ceremony also saw The Roasterie honored with the 2019 Legacy of KC award; Datalocker with the inaugural Weida International Small Business Award; and Weave Gotcha Covered with the 2019 Diverse Business of the Year Award.
Featured Business
2019 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
KC’s FairWave coffee pours into the Carolinas with latest small-batch roaster acquisition
Joining Midwest-based coffee collective FairWave gives Black & White Coffee Roasters access to the enhanced equipment, resources and network needed to scale the North Carolina business to its potential — while staying true to its values, said Kyle Ramage. “It’s a natural progression that will allow us to build upon our existing foundation and reach…
DoorDash Accelerator opens applications to local businesses through KCMO partnership
Independently-owned brick-and-mortar businesses — think restaurants, flower shops, mom-and-pop supermarkets, and more across Kansas City — that partner with DoorDash for deliveries can now apply to join a new-to-KC entrepreneur-focused accelerator, Quinton Lucas announced Wednesday. Up to 10 local businesses are expected to be selected to receive mentorship, professional programming, and funding through the accelerator.…
Meet the winners: Pitch Black competition rewards founders’ vision with $60K in prizes
Founder Godfrey Riddle was overwhelmed with emotion Saturday, he said, after accepting the $30,000 grand prize at the Pitch Black Business Summit — a game-changing development for his sustainable, affordable housing venture, Civic Saint. “I’m feeling phenomenal. Shocked, relieved — just elated,” said Riddle, following the announcement of his win. “It’s crazy because when you…
This young baker tore up the instructions for starting a business (but kept all the best recipes)
Overland Park cookie shop gets a new baker behind the counter, adding a frosted twist to familiar favorites She learned to bake as a child by her grandmother’s side. So by middle school, Maddie Callicott was so proficient she not only held popular bake sales, she printed up business cards for her “You Take the…