All Stories

Will CBD get me high? Plus three more burning FAQs about the cannabis cousins

By Tommy Felts / April 24, 2019

Selling CBD is about more than the bottom line, said Heather Steppe, co-owner of KC Hemp Co. “Ninety-percent of what we do is educate. We have people come in here and ask questions and they go home and think about it,” she said from her business’ Downtown Overland Park storefront, noting that the general public…

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Michael Wilson and James DeWitt, United American Hemp

Niall luxury watches founder, longtime friend: Time to harvest hemp potential in the heartland

By Tommy Felts / April 24, 2019

With a traditional business mindset and solid entrepreneurial track record, James DeWitt and Michael Wilson could have done just about anything they wanted in life. Uniquely bold, each in their own regard, the longtime friends didn’t want to stick to the status quo as they looked for new ventures after their former acts burned down,…

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cbd risks

Evolving attitudes, laws dissolving risks on mainstream CBD, hemp ventures, experts say

By Tommy Felts / April 24, 2019

The smoke is lifting on cannabis as a commodity, Heather Steppe said, grateful for the entrepreneurial opportunity a waning stigma has created for her family.   “Our farmers are finally getting an opportunity to grow this plant and, by God, we’re going to be some of the people who support them,” Steppe said, looking out…

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Henry Bloch dies, H&R Block

H&R Block co-founder, legend of KC entrepreneurism Henry Bloch dies at 96

By Tommy Felts / April 23, 2019

Henry Bloch’s contributions to Kansas City will last generations, business leaders said Tuesday, as word spread of the H&R Block co-founder’s death. “Henry Bloch was an absolute champion of Kansas City in everything he did,” said Joe Reardon, president and CEO of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce. “From business endeavors involving H&R Block,…

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Rogue Games

After $1.25M seed round, Sprint alumni credit KC roots for Rogue Games’ agility, hungry hustle

By Tommy Felts / April 23, 2019

At just over 2 years old, a formerly indie mobile game publisher is rocketing to the top of its industry, with one of its founders attributing LA-based Rogue Games’ success to its origins in KC. “We take pride that our Kansas City roots have given us an edge in the industry, to be honest with…

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Kansas City marijuana

KCMO ready to do business with marijuana startups; entrepreneurs of color see ‘catalyst for empowerment’

By Tommy Felts / April 20, 2019

A green rush is soaking up sunshine in Missouri, and if attitudes of state officials, businesses owners and marijuana advocates are any indication, Kansas City is fertile ground for the movement. “We have a huge diversity of business opportunities,” said Rick Usher, KCMO assistant city manager for entrepreneurship and small business. Usher is spearheading the…

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PopChef, Startup Weekend KC

Calendar update: Startup Weekend KC event postponed until fall, organizer says

By Tommy Felts / April 20, 2019

Entrepreneurs hungering for intensive, organic product development will have to wait a few more months for their fix. Techstars Startup Weekend KC — originally slated for April 26-28 at the SafetyCulture North American Headquarters in the Crossroads — has been postponed until September, event organizer Rebecca Dove said. The annual “three-day long sprint to launch…

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Kansas city startup funding

Most-funded tech startups: $100M-plus investment puts PayIt on the map with C2FO

By Tommy Felts / April 19, 2019

Companies in the Midwest and South are making major plays for investment dollars, according to CB Insights, with Kansas City’s PayIt and C2FO earning spots on the latest map of the nation’s most well-funded tech startups. “The tech boom has diffused beyond the traditional hotbeds of California, New York, and Massachusetts, across the entire United…

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Prime Digital Academy

Prime Digital Academy pledges $20K in scholarships to boost inclusion in KC tech

By Tommy Felts / April 18, 2019

A coding boot camp that freshly arrived in Kansas City this winter plans to underwrite $20,000 in scholarships specifically for individuals who are part of demographics underrepresented in the coding profession, said Rachael Bromander. “At a time in the market where tech talent is scarce and growth is booming, programs like Prime represent a way…

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Paws up! Scollar aims to fetch 200 jobs for KC, trades Silicon Valley for Animal Health Corridor

By Tommy Felts / April 18, 2019

Building a business in Silicon Valley might seem sexy — but it isn’t always the right choice, Lisa Tamayo said. “I don’t know what you guys hear about the Coast, but hardware is quite challenging for any company in the Bay area because a lot of these Silicon Valley folks in San Francisco only like…

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