‘Not an over-glorified hobby’: Comic book creator designs app to help vendors find conventions, sketch path to profitability

Juaquan Herron, VenBoo, 2923 Comics, The Scarlet Knight

Juaquan Herron spent countless hours actively searching for comic conventions to share and sell his work — often feeling frustrated after learning about conventions too late, he recalled. “Especially starting out in the industry, I didn’t have many friends and wasn’t finding out about vending opportunities,” said Herron, who founded 2923 Comics and created the…

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How a Columbia startup spun smart window tech into a holoflective gun scope that could help prevent accidental shootings

Windgo Advantive holoflective gun scope

Innovation has no limits for Fielding Staton — and his company’s 250-plus inventions offer just a glimpse into how he and his team hope to shape the future. Among the most recent products to take shape inside the walls of Columbia-manufactured Windgo: a holoflective gun scope with the potential to save lives.  “A lot of gun…

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What began as a T-shirt line now boasts a coast-to-coast marketplace backing women-owned businesses

Tiffiney Baumgarden and Jennifer Riley, Crossing Broadway

For women in entrepreneurship, competition can hinder collaboration, Tiffiney Baumgarden said, outlining her mission to judge less and live more.  “I was really sick of the way women were talking to each other — particularly online,” said Baumgarden, founder and CEO of Crossing Broadway, detailing her experience (and that of many other local women she’s encountered,…

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KC to DC: Students roll out legislation to ban secondhand smoke in vehicles; ‘Quit Kids Smoking’ nationwide

Editor’s note: Startland is the parent organization of Startland News, though this report was produced independently by Startland News’ non-profit newsroom. Click here to read more about Startland’s education and real-world learning work. Four teenagers from high schools across Kansas City have banded together in hopes of passing legislation to prohibit smoking products that contain…

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