All Stories

Deep Rooted plants new store at busy Troost shopping hub; Here’s how the streetwear brand is growing

By Tommy Felts / March 22, 2023

A Kansas City streetwear brand is extending its roots on the city’s east side, said owner Donnell Jamison. Deep Rooted — which Jamison launched in 2018 out of the trunk of his car — has a new home in the shopping center at Troost Avenue and Emanuel Cleaver Boulevard. “We just want to be that…

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‘More than a thrift store’: Goodwill’s efforts to close digital divide sell an expanded mission — upskilling workers 

By Tommy Felts / March 22, 2023

Editor’s note: The following is the first in a series of stories focused on digital inclusion efforts in Kansas City, and is presented by Google Fiber. Ron Carr’s retirement made him restless, he shared. Wanting to be a valuable player in Kansas City’s economy once again, Carr enrolled in Goodwill’s Digital Skills Training program.  “With…

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Tech sector eyes job cuts to stem losses: Why layoffs are just one option (and should be a last resort)

By Tommy Felts / March 21, 2023

Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. Jennifer Libby is a district manager with human resources provider Insperity’s Kansas City office. Click here to read more from this contributor. Economic turbulence can be daunting for both business owners and their employees. In times of financial uncertainty, layoffs can soar. While…

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Thrive Homes builds ‘life-changing’ independence for those struggling with mobility, aging in place

By Tommy Felts / March 21, 2023

The impact of Thrive Homes is as simple as it is profound, said Christian Hill, whose startup taps into state and federal health funds to provide timely home modifications for residents with disabilities and accessibility issues. The Overland Park-based company makes it possible for people with certain health conditions — and those who are experiencing…

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Brian Roberts, The Black Pantry, right, showing artwork to the store's first-ever customer Thursday

She started by getting Black art into Black spaces; now Natasha Ria El-Scari wants all of KC to know what they’ve been missing

By Tommy Felts / March 21, 2023

A Renaissance woman, Natasha Ria El-Scari — gallerist, curator, poet, spoken word performer, educator, and life coach — has surrounded herself with art throughout her life. However, as the Kansas City native watched her hometown’s art scene flourish and thrive, she noticed not everyone was included. “As the city started to change, and the Crossroads…

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Travel on tap: How a KC couple built a self-serve port for international wine lovers north of the river

By Tommy Felts / March 17, 2023

Grab your wine passport, Russ Johnson said, because this self-serve wine bar allows customers to taste the world one sip at a time. And the technology that makes the business possible? Johnson — a software developer-turned-entrepreneur — built it himself. “Our brand is really focused on going on a vacation and having this world experience —…

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Don’t like cookies? Your new favorite weirdough baker hungrily accepts the challenge

By Tommy Felts / March 17, 2023

Tierney Larson is on a mission to bake the perfect cookies for those like herself with a not-so-sweet tooth, the Outliers Baked Goods owner shared. Each month, the self-taught baker and New York native experiments, developing four new adventurous flavors to please the taste buds of the outliers or weirdoughs of the dessert community —…

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Shocked by a discovery while pregnant, this entrepreneur vowed to make self-care products from ingredients safe enough to eat

By Tommy Felts / March 17, 2023

‘I might as well make my own’ Jess Winns, founder of Ari Rose Body Care, had always been pretty conscious of what she and her three daughters put into and onto their bodies, she said. However, as she researched more about holistic wellness while pregnant with her second daughter, Winns read about how more than…

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Mediterranean of the Midwest: How this restaurateur is crafting authentic tastes for diners in the heart of Kansas  

By Tommy Felts / March 16, 2023

Startland News’ Startup Road Trip series explores innovative and uncommon ideas finding success in rural America and Midwestern startup hubs outside the Kansas City metro. This series is possible thanks to Go Topeka, which seeks economic success for all companies and citizens across Shawnee County through implementation of an aggressive economic development strategy that capitalizes…

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Karis Harrington, right, chief of business development at Kansas City G.I.F.T.

GIFT launches We Are Black pitch competition with 10 entrepreneurs vying for $60K

By Tommy Felts / March 16, 2023

Editor’s note: Kansas City G.I.F.T. is a non-financial partner of Startland News. Ten Black-owned Kansas City businesses are expected to pitch March 24 for their share of $60,000 at what organizers hope will become an annual event that helps to close the funding gap for entrepreneurs of color. The We Are Black pitch competition is…

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