Janssen Coffee
Entrepreneurs joining the latest ScaleUP! Kansas City cohort represent ventures from such varied business sectors as photography, construction, design, counseling, film and engineering, said Jill Meyer. An ability to scale knows no single industry, emphasized Meyer, program director of ScaleUP! KC. “This program has shown us, time and time again, that not only can you…
Side hustles of any flavor can provide relief from the daily grind of a stressful startup, said Venture Legal’s Chris Brown of his “hobby” — delivering the homemade Sweet & Sassy Brownie’s Barbecue sauce. “Whether you like hiking or making barbecue sauce or riding horses or doing whatever … I think it’s important for people…
Closing a brick-and-mortar space is difficult enough, said Glen Dakan. Why should entrepreneurs be forced to endure the pains of offloading expensive equipment too? Such a predicament prompted Dakan and his partners to create a remedy for the common pain point: Liquify Group, a newly launched service that helps businesses liquidate their assets through a simple,…
From bootstrapped to exit, Kansas City citation solutions platform TicketRX on Monday announced its sale to an Overland Park fintech company with global reach. “I’m excited to bring our mobile, AI-driven technology under the MSTS umbrella,” said Bryan Shannon, TicketRX founder and CEO. “MSTS’s long history and leadership experience in the transportation industry will ensure…
Innovators and leaders in new construction, redevelopment, capital investments, job creation and expansion projects in Kansas City, Missouri, are set to be honored in late May at the 2019 Cornerstone Awards. The Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City, Missouri, (EDCKC) announced 22 finalists for the honors today. “The Cornerstone Awards are a chance to take…
Bill Gautreaux sounded the alarm with a mixed refrain meant as a KC Rising call to action: “We’re good, but we’re not good enough.” Throughout a recent KC Rising update on the region’s economic growth, Gautreaux and other KC Rising leaders championed Kansas City’s efforts to move the needle, while also lamenting the slow speed…
If Kansas City leaders want to build a stronger community, they should start by supporting early stage entrepreneurs, said Lesa Mitchell. “I’m simply here to say — we’re not spending enough money … and we need to look at it,” Mitchell, managing director of Techstars Kansas City, told KCMO city council members Saturday during a public…
The first fruit to bare in an effort of ecosystem elevation, two Kansas City startups have received a jumpstart — courtesy of Edison Spaces, the flexible office space provider announced Friday. “Ultimately, we know the challenges entrepreneurs face when starting a business, because we ourselves faced these challenges,” said Matt Druten, Edison Spaces CEO. A barrier…
Bridging the digital divide in Kansas City is simple: Put WiFi hotspots in the trees, quipped Steve Miller, while pitching startup ideas — formed through on-the-spot brainstorming — to a crowd of entrepreneurs. “I love this tree idea … It’s very unique,” laughed fellow Kansas City, Missouri, mayoral candidate and equally off-the-cuff Alissia Canady, Tuesday…
Editor’s note: KCultivators is a lighthearted profile series to highlight people who are meaningfully enriching Kansas City’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Empowering Kansas City entrepreneurs to realize their dreams is in Darcy Howe’s blood, she said with a coy smile, seated in an open meeting space atop the 24th floor of her downtown office. “Kansas City was…