All Stories

KC-built delivery platform recruiting drivers, retailers ahead of summer app launch

By Tommy Felts / July 16, 2025

Dwayne Overton is no stranger to the hustle, he said. The Kansas City entrepreneur once juggled gigs with Lyft and DoorDash — jobs that gave him an up-close look at the struggles drivers face every day.  Now, as founder and CEO of VendiSafe, he’s building a delivery platform that spins the traditional model on its…

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Tech catches up to this ‘hot commodity’: Trially scaling to next level as an early investor forecasts unlocked opportunity

By Tommy Felts / July 16, 2025

Editor’s note: The following story was produced through a paid partnership with MOSourceLink, which boasts a mission to help entrepreneurs and small businesses across the state of Missouri grow and succeed by providing free, easy access to the help they need — when they need it. [divide] Kyle McAllister and his Trially co-founders see the Kansas…

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KC Defender invests in Black-owned bookstore’s legacy, keeping its story alive as media startup’s new HQ

By Tommy Felts / July 15, 2025

Missouri’s oldest-operating Black-owned bookstore is set to evolve into a public archive, programming venue, and the new headquarters for The Kansas City Defender — a bittersweet turn of the page for a space marked by resilience and community action, organizers said. Willa’s Books and Vinyl, 5547 Troost Ave., has long stood as a sanctuary of Black…

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How this Top 10 small biz says ScaleUP! KC kept her company on the right path amid growth spurts

By Tommy Felts / July 15, 2025

Entrepreneurs tout business program’s impact as it hits 10-year mark Over the course of a decade, ScaleUP! Kansas City not only has helped develop a foundation of success for dozens of companies; the acclaimed initiative built a legion of champions from within 14 cohorts of growth-minded small business owners. [pullquote] ScaleUP! KC helps Kansas City…

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Small Biz to Watch: El Café Cubano brews rich simplicity inspired by ancestors’ appetite for the American dream

By Tommy Felts / July 12, 2025

Editor’s note: Startland News is showcasing five Kansas City small businesses this week through the newsroom’s first-ever Small Biz to Watch series, presented by Bank of America. The following highlights one of the 2025 honorees, curated by editors from Kansas City’s wide array of hard-working entrepreneurs and business owners. Selection criteria is based on factors…

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Small Biz to Watch: Matchless Cabinet throws ‘BBQ nerds’ onto national spotlight’s grill

By Tommy Felts / July 11, 2025

Editor’s note: Startland News is showcasing five Kansas City small businesses this week through the newsroom’s first-ever Small Biz to Watch series, presented by Bank of America. The following highlights one of the 2025 honorees, curated by editors from Kansas City’s wide array of hard-working entrepreneurs and business owners. Selection criteria is based on factors…

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KC-built creator marketplace expands to connect small businesses to influencers of all sizes

By Tommy Felts / July 10, 2025

When Wes Elder and Caleb Vetter launched CreatorSpace more than a year ago, they set out to carve their own path through the blended world of entertainment and technology, Elder shared. Now their startup — what they bill as the world’s first creator marketplace — is taking a new turn. The co-founders plan to release…

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Tiger 21 expands its invite-only peer network in KC as number of ultra-wealthy leaders rises

By Tommy Felts / July 10, 2025

A prestigious — and relatively new-to-Kansas City — resource for high-net-worth C-suite leaders and successful entrepreneurs and founders is expanding: Tiger 21, a premier peer membership organization for ultra-wealth creators and preservers, is adding a second group. The launch is being orchestrated by Heidi Lehmann, a seasoned investor, board member and five-time startup founder leading…

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Small Biz to Watch: Deposit The Work builds mass with tech-enabled consistency — no excuses, all grit

By Tommy Felts / July 10, 2025

Editor’s note: Startland News is showcasing five Kansas City small businesses this week through the newsroom’s first-ever Small Biz to Watch series, presented by Bank of America. The following highlights one of the 2025 honorees, curated by editors from Kansas City’s wide array of hard-working entrepreneurs and business owners. Selection criteria is based on factors…

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KCMO is building a skate park under the Buck O’Neil Bridge (and tagging artists for the blank canvas)

By Tommy Felts / July 9, 2025

Editor’s note: The following story was published by KCUR, Kansas City’s NPR member station, and a fellow member of the KC Media Collective. Click here to read the original story or here to sign up for KCUR’s email newsletter. [divide] Local artists can have a hand in creating public art to accompany a planned skate park between River Market and…

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