Minority-Led
Germaneke Drone is steeping her daughters’ entrepreneurial vision with her own lived experience to turn the kids’ idea into the Kansas City-based, dairy-free mobile coffee cafe of their dreams, the Blakk Brew founder said. Growing up with a Vietnamese grandmother, Kai, 8, and Keanu, 6, were introduced to coffee and tea culture at an early…
A half-dozen fresh-faced ventures — plus a few high-profile returning businesses — round out the Top 10 finalists for the KC Chamber’s 2023 Small Business of the Year award, announced publicly Friday during a social media rollout. “Small businesses drive KC’s economy, and we couldn’t be more excited for this year’s Top 10, and the…
Godfrey Riddle made it his mission to uplift others, the Kansas City social entrepreneur said, but when a new, high-profile Peacock series begins streaming next week, viewers will witness Riddle on the receiving end of that love and support. The Civic Saint founder is set to appear on an episode of “The Gentle Art of…
The Midwest needs more resources to help creatives start their own businesses and keep them thriving, said Taylor Burris and James Spikes, who designed a one-stop art incubator to give artists’ innovation a fresh canvas. The husband-and-wife team opened AI Hub — powered by IRIS Creative Projects Agency and with funding from The Porter House…

