Three-way tie: Public vote mixes ‘Fan Favorite’ small business honors between meals and more

A trio of Kansas City small businesses is sharing the Honeywell Fan Favorite Award this week after wowing the public during the Chamber’s recent candidate showcase at Union Station.

La’Nesha Frazier and La’Nae Robinson, Bliss Books and Wine, speak with event-goers April 21 during the Chamber’s Small Business Showcase at Union Station

“The rules can be bent,” said Eric Wollerman, president of Honeywell Federal Manufacturing and Technologies, announcing the three-way tie in the lead-up to the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce’s unveiling of its Top 10 finalists for Small Business of the Year.

About 55 candidates for the Chamber’s biggest award at the 2022 Small Business Celebration were also in consideration for the Honeywell honor, showcasing their ventures to members of the public, civic leaders and secret judges who moved between booths in Union Station’s Grand Hall.

The fan favorite winners — determined by an online public vote after the event — includes:

• Bliss Books and Wine — an independent bookstore for wine enthusiasts and booklovers. They promote the reading culture by encouraging curious readers, endorsing local art, and connecting great pastimes like social drinking and introverted reading.

• The Mixing Bowl — a family-owned restaurant on Southwest Boulevard serving delicious breakfasts, lunches, and desserts.

• More Than A Meal — offers simply yet meaningful dinner kits that help you do the little things that mean a lot to someone else. You can get a meal kit for a friend, family, a colleague, or yourself.

The April 21 event featured a range of companies and entrepreneurs — from Kansas City Startups to Watch like Kenzen, Homebase, Diversity TeleHealth and Ronawk to such emerging ventures as Brown Suga Bakes and runner! cocktails. Established brands like Chicken N Pickle, KD Academy and SnapIT Solutions helped round out the room.

Click here to see more photos from the Candidate Showcase.

The Honeywell Fan Favorite Award is in its third year — coming to the in-person event at Union Station this year for the first time. (The 2020 and 2021 award seasons included virtual pitch competitions among small business candidates.)

Up next: The Chamber is set to announce its Top 10 finalists for the Small Business of the Year or “Mr. K Award” Friday on social media. The overall winner is expected to be revealed June 15 during the Chamber’s 2022 Small Business Celebration.

Watch the Honeywell Fan Favorite announcement below, then keep reading.

The Chamber this week also announced open nominations for its Champion of Diversity Award.

In 2021, the organization awarded the honor to Cerner, as well as recognizing Troost Market Collective as its Nonprofit Champion of Diversity (a first for the award).

Click here to apply by May 15.

Winning businesses are able to demonstrate their organizational practices are inclusive of all people and have a strong focus on diversity in their workplace, diversity supplier partnerships, and in the KC community.

The award’s sponsors include CommunityAmerica Credit Union, Evergy and Hallmark.

Honorees are expected to be announced at the Chamber’s Power of Diversity Breakfast.

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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.

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