KC Chamber’s Superstars celebration empowers everyday small business heroes
March 1, 2024 | Nikki Overfelt Chifalu
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.
The Blueprint KC has come a long way, said Sheraz Pompey, emphasizing the meaningful impact of being showcased as one of the KC Chamber’s Small Business Superstars.
Victoria Campbell Osborne, The Scented Webb; Rickey Leathers, Savvy Salon KC; Vicky Kulikov, Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce; and Jannae Gammage, Foresight; at the KC Chamber’s Small Business Superstars reception; photos by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu, Startland News
“I’ve come through a lot of hurdles with managing time and finances,” Pompey, co-owner and designer of the Grandview boutique, explained Thursday evening at a celebration event for the 2024 Superstars. “It’s amazing being recognized because of all that I went through: us opening during COVID, coming out of it, still having a business today. It’s amazing. So for me, it’s a humbling experience.”
The Blueprint KC is one of about 2,000 Small Business Superstars — all for-profit businesses with fewer than 250 employees, headquartered in Greater Kansas City — honored this year in the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce’s initiative for emerging, Main Street, and startup ventures.
Check out photos from the event below.
“I think it’s empowerment for me,“ said Kenyata Gant, owner of Pink Lipps Cosmetics, about the importance of being recognized as a Superstar, especially as a woman. “No hate, no woman left behind, pull them up, encourage them in everything every day.”
About 500 entrepreneurs attended a reception — complete with networking, remarks from Chamber executives, several local vendors, a DJ, and a 360-degree photo booth — Thursday night at Town Pavilion in downtown Kansas City.
“It’s really important to set aside time just for celebrating small businesses,” noted Vicky Kulikov, small business director for the KC Chamber and lead coordinator of the Superstars program, now in its fourth year. “Nothing else is expected of these business owners, other than to let them know that we as an organization know they’re doing great work and the small business community is here to support them in whatever way we can.”
Small Business Superstars in the 2024 class are now eligible to become Chamber members if they currently aren’t, and able to apply for the 2024 Small Business of the Year “Mr. K” Award or one the Chamber’s specialty awards, such as emerging business or the first-time Luminary Arts and Creative Small Business Award.
RELATED: KC Chamber adds honor for artists, creatives to its awards lineup
Award applications are open now through March 20, culminating with the Chamber’s 2024 Small Business Celebration in June, where winners are announced.
Click here to learn more about the 2023 Small Business Celebration winners.
Featured Business
2024 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
This 11yo kidtrepreneur is skipping past lemonade stands, taking Nelson’s Flavorades straight to the store
A shot of flavor is headed for Hy-Vee as the grocer gives a KCK-raised kidtrepreneur the chance to stock his sellout product in a limited run. “It’s amazing,” Nelson McConnell, the 11-year-old owner of Nelson’s Flavorades, said of the opportunity to sell his lemonade blends on store shelves. Beginning Saturday, customers can visit the Mission…
One of KC’s top emerging founders joins cast of new reality TV show for startups; see who else is competing
Twenty startups picked to live in a house — competing in a series of entrepreneurship games for a reality TV show — could’ve been a nightmare, said Jonaie Johnson. But the bootstrapped creator of a KC-built smart dog crate was up for the challenge, she said. “Spending a week in a mansion with a bunch…
MTV veteran’s new docu-series crowns ‘greatest startup on The Blox,’ evolving reality TV beyond ‘messy’ sensationalism
The premiere of a 17-episode, gamified entrepreneurship challenge marks a pivot in reality TV — as “Shark Tank meets Top Chef” within a competition show that focuses more on startup development than sensational conflict. “We weren’t prepared to go down a ‘messy’ reality TV path, because we don’t want to exploit or hurt entrepreneurs. But,…
As book banning spreads across US, one KC media company calls out specific threat to diverse creators
The Kansas City publishing powerhouse behind many of the nation’s most-beloved newspaper comics — from Calvin & Hobbes and The Far Side to Garfield and Peanuts — this week raised its voice amid a growing push to condemn book bans flaring up across the country. “Books are safe harbors, where the freedom of expression and…