Small Business Superstars in photos: When people belong, ‘the possibilities are endless’
March 10, 2022 | Channa Steinmetz and Tommy Felts
Editor’s note: The Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce is a non-financial partner of Startland News, which serves as the media partner for the Small Business Superstars program.
A celebration Wednesday for the Chamber’s new class of Small Business Superstars came with a message for entrepreneurs of all kinds, said Vicky Kulikov.
You belong.
“That was always the point of the Small Business Superstars initiative. To connect with different businesses and people from different backgrounds and let them know that they belong here,” said Kulikov, small business director for the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce and lead coordinator of the Superstars program. “They are small business owners and entrepreneurs, and they drive our local economy.”
In February, the Chamber announced that more than 2,160 Small Business Superstars — all for-profit businesses with fewer than 250 employees, headquartered in Greater Kansas City — had joined the program for its second class.
Click here to read more about those selected as 2022 Small Business Superstars.
Wednesday’s event in the Medallion Theater at Plexpod Westport Commons, which featured a variety of local vendors and performers, gathered a diverse group of entrepreneurs for a celebration of Superstars — notably bringing together people who otherwise might not have thought connecting with the Chamber was relevant to them or just weren’t interested, Kulikov said.
Small Business Superstars reception
Dan Smith and Jannae Gammage on stage at the 2022 Small Business Superstars reception
“It’s also personally rewarding for me to see the steps we’ve taken to connect with different communities and the relationships we’ve been building,” she added. “Some examples are Dan Smith of The Porter House KC, Elaina Paige with the Next Paige Agency, and Jannae Gammage and The Market Base and so many more small business owners. I’m just excited that we will continue to support this community of Superstars and to see how we will grow even further.”
Small Business Superstars in the 2022 class are now eligible to become Chamber members if they are currently not, and to apply for the 2022 Small Business of the Year “Mr. K” Award or one the Chamber’s specialty awards, such as emerging business or equity honors. (The 2021 winners of both specialty awards were members of the first group of Small Business Superstars.)
Award applications are open now through March 22, culminating in late spring with the Chamber’s 2022 Small Business Celebration June 15 during the awards luncheon at the Downtown Marriott, where winners are announced.
Click here to learn more about the Chamber’s 2021 winning businesses.
Small Business Superstars reception
Kulikov also is proud of the impact Small Business Superstars has had on solo entrepreneurs, many of whom previously have been isolated within the business community, she said.
“Some have told me they feel like they’re on an island at times,” Kulikov said Thursday after the event. “In fact, I received an email this morning from one woman saying sometimes you don’t feel like you make a difference when it’s just you running your business alone. She said that last night, she felt connected.
“Seeing so many solo entrepreneurs at the reception connecting with each other, that’s just the power of the KC community,” she continued. “When we can connect people and work together, the possibilities are endless.”
Click here to learn more about the Chamber’s coming Small Business Celebration.
Check out a photo gallery from Wednesday’s Small Business Superstars reception below.
This story is possible thanks to support from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, a private, nonpartisan foundation that works together with communities in education and entrepreneurship to create uncommon solutions and empower people to shape their futures and be successful.
For more information, visit www.kauffman.org and connect at www.twitter.com/kauffmanfdn and www.facebook.com/kauffmanfdn
Featured Business
2022 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Meet KC’s cowpunk basement guitar hero: This DIY dreamer is demanding more from himself
Kansas City’s DIY music scene has long been a hub for raw, creative talent — with eclectic frontman Kole Waters quickly becoming one of its standout names. As the lead guitarist and co-vocalist for post-country phenomenon Big Fat Cow and the centerpiece of synth-infused Dreamist, Waters blends influences ranging from folk storytelling to cathartic soundscapes.…
Build to barrel: Inside Holladay Distillery’s ironclad plan to boost bourbon production by one-third
WESTON, Missouri — Holladay Distillery is breaking ground with Rickhouse D — its first new barrel-aging warehouse in 75 years — marking a major step in expanding bourbon production from the historic plant. Renowned as the only Missouri operation to age bourbon in ironclad rickhouses, Weston-based Holladay Distillery is increasing capacity to meet surging demand,…
So you think you’re CEO material? UMKC’s ‘CEO Academy’ puts that ambition to the test
Aspiring executives with an eye on the C-suite need to be ready well before the opportunity arises, said Dan Hesse, leaning on his years of past experience as president and CEO of Sprint. It’s not about just being the boss, he emphasized. “Of all the roles, that of the CEO is so different than any…
Pitch locally or look to outsiders? How founder bias toward funding at all costs could leave your distracted startup without a why
Kansas City’s funding gaps often feel deeper for women entrepreneurs, two top founders said Tuesday, describing a startup ecosystem that pits emerging entrepreneurs against each other — but perhaps more critically, against time — in a highly competitive fight for a limited amount of local capital. “Kansas City is very startup friendly — at least…