All Stories

Strength in numbers: Chamber’s Superstars bench surges to 2,500 KC small businesses

By Tommy Felts / February 7, 2023

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 new round of nominations and submissions have brought the KC Chamber’s roster of Small Business Superstars to more than double its initial size — further amplifying…

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KC-based Tico Sports is headed back to the Super Bowl too; this time play-by-playing both sides

By Tommy Felts / February 7, 2023

A Kansas City production is returning to the Super Bowl Sunday as the official Spanish language broadcaster for both the Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles. It’s Tico Sports’ third trip to the big game — but the first where the Latino-owned company will broadcast for both competing teams. “We are incredibly thankful for our relationships…

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To love your coworkers, love yourself first; and, yes, the Golden Rule applies at work too (Holistic Hustle)

By Tommy Felts / February 6, 2023

Kharissa Parker is a news producer, writer, certified health coach, and columnist for Startland News. For more of her self-care tips on how to keep your cup full, visit kparker.co. Editor’s note: This commentary on relationships — and how getting along with co-workers begins closer to home than you might think — wraps up Parker’s…

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They’re plating my jam! How a homecoming dance inspired this teen’s charcuterie business with family on board

By Tommy Felts / February 4, 2023

Curating colorful boards of meats, cheeses, nuts and fruits always came natural to Bella Messmer, she shared; it wasn’t until after she started her charcuterie business that she learned that passion was passed down from her grandmother.  “In the ’70s, Bella’s grandmother would host these lavish parties among other Miami socialites, and she would make…

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We’re all going to die: What’s more inclusive than death? asks KC’s favorite doomed streetwear brand

By Tommy Felts / February 4, 2023

Wasteland Society is for the strange; those who believe that there’s no such thing as “normal”; people who recognize the reality that sadness is part of life, and that’s OK, the duo behind the irreverent apparel company detailed. “Whenever people ask us what we stand for, I always say existentialism with inclusion,” said Peter Nonprasit,…

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10 startups tapped for K-State accelerator; heavy emphasis on KC founders (and a chance at $100K in grants)

By Tommy Felts / February 3, 2023

MANHATTAN, Kansas — Half of the entrepreneurs in a new K-State accelerator cohort hail from Kansas City with other founders joining from Topeka, Wichita and across the nation. The Kansas State University College of Business Administration has selected 10 high-potential startup ventures for participation in the Center for Entrepreneurship Accelerator program. The program is intended…

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MO cannabis, MO workers: Businesses staff up as Show-Me marijuana market glows cherry

By Tommy Felts / February 3, 2023

Editor’s note: This story was originally published by Missouri Business Alert, a member of the KC Media Collective, which also includes Startland News, KCUR 89.3, American Public Square, Kansas City PBS/Flatland, and The Kansas City Beacon. Click here to read the original story. COLUMBIA, Missouri — Marijuana employers across the state are hiring a flood of new…

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KC-created comic’s evolution in motion as ‘Scarlet Knight’ quests toward animated streaming series

By Tommy Felts / February 2, 2023

Kansas City comic book creator Juaquan Herron is adding another chapter to his ongoing graphic novel series, “The Scarlet Knight,” though this next iteration will be even more animated. Describing the coming move as a long-expected next step, Herron announced he’s begun working on a five-episode animated video series — each about 10 minutes long…

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Venboo heads to market(s), hoping to make local vendors the next Crumbl Cookies with its event booking tech

By Tommy Felts / February 2, 2023

The Venboo app — which connects individual vendors and event organizers on a single platform — will soon gain a dashboard that allows all parties to connect more seamlessly, detailed Juaquan Herron. The dashboard is expected to further streamline the user’s booking experience of Venboo, which lets vendors set criteria for events that match their…

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Behind the blooom deal: How Morgan Stanley at Work boosted its robo-advising tech with startup buy, but kept a human touch

By Tommy Felts / February 2, 2023

Editor’s note: Morgan Stanley is a financial supporter of Startland News. The investment management and financial services company has branches in Leawood and on the Country Club Plaza. Acquisition is scaling blooom’s tech ‘beyond our wildest dreams’ Integrating a Kansas City startup’s tech into its globe-spanning robo-advising portfolio — along with securing a soft landing…

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