Minority-Led

KC’s first Black-owned brewery could open within weeks; Here’s how its debut lager could land in your hand even sooner

By Tommy Felts / February 16, 2023

Vine Street Brewing’s long-anticipated opening is nearly here, said Kemet Coleman, teasing a late March first pour for the taproom and brewhouse space, which sits adjacent to the city’s historic jazz district. “It’s crazy to see something that for so long has been just an idea in our minds starting to become real,” said Coleman,…

Fashion meets cannabis: This KS-engineered, on-the-go rolling station blocks odors, makes smoking prep safer

By Tommy Felts / February 16, 2023

Missouri voters legalized it; now cannabis accessories can cleanup in a newly de-stigmatized market A Kansas City cannabis lifestyle brand hopes this month’s legalization of recreational marijuana sales in Missouri will spark new interest in its products designed for on-the-go cannabis users, said Mohamed Dia. Gopack Station markets itself as “fashion meets cannabis,” said Dia,…

Children’s book tells KC entrepreneurs’ stories; challenging traditional pathways to success

By Tommy Felts / February 14, 2023

Christle Reed wants Kansas City’s next wave of potential business builders to know they needn’t be bound to a mainstream plot line for wealth and happiness, the entrepreneur-turned-author shared. Her new children’s book about more than a dozen local entrepreneurs could help rewrite that narrative. “College isn’t the only way to success for kids,” she…

PMI Rate Pro pivots to tech solutions firm as pricing tool integrates with mortgage software solution 

By Tommy Felts / February 9, 2023

The mortgage industry is lagging behind in the current world of technology, Nomi Smith said; but PMI Rate Pro is innovating to become a one-stop shop for private mortgage insurance (PMI).  “We began as a quoting service, so we developed an API (application programming interface) supporting another API. But we quickly realized that there needed…

Travis Kelce’s Super Bowl catchphrases score big for KC merch makers, driving business into the end zone

By Tommy Felts / February 8, 2023

Editor’s note: The following is part of a multi-story feature profiling Kansas City small businesses reaping wins thanks to the Kansas City Chiefs’ 2023 Super Bowl bid. Click here to read more from this limited series. When the Kansas City Chiefs’ Travis Kelce opens his mouth, fans roar, social media lights up, and makers across…