Minority-Led

This 11yo kidtrepreneur is skipping past lemonade stands, taking Nelson’s Flavorades straight to the store

By Tommy Felts / February 11, 2022

A shot of flavor is headed for Hy-Vee as the grocer gives a KCK-raised kidtrepreneur the chance to stock his sellout product in a limited run. “It’s amazing,” Nelson McConnell, the 11-year-old owner of Nelson’s Flavorades, said of the opportunity to sell his lemonade blends on store shelves. Beginning Saturday, customers can visit the Mission…

One of KC’s top emerging founders joins cast of new reality TV show for startups; see who else is competing

By Tommy Felts / February 10, 2022

Twenty startups picked to live in a house — competing in a series of entrepreneurship games for a reality TV show — could’ve been a nightmare, said Jonaie Johnson. But the bootstrapped creator of a KC-built smart dog crate was up for the challenge, she said. “Spending a week in a mansion with a bunch…

New initiative has a message for KC: When Black men say they need a ’90s self-love reboot — listen

By Tommy Felts / February 10, 2022

Love yourself enough to know you matter  It’s virtually impossible to love others when there’s not already a sense of self love, said Kansas City small business owner Christina Williams, announcing the launch of an initiative to guide its community of Black men to understanding and believing in their own self-worth. “I know a lot…

Faking it ’til you make it might be why you have imposter syndrome (Holistic Hustle)

By Tommy Felts / February 8, 2022

Kharissa Forte is a writer, certified health coach, and columnist for Startland News. For more of her self-care tips on how to keep your cup full, visit graceandgrind.co. I’m not one to get caught up in the hoop-lah of celebrity crushes, but if there’s anyone who I #WCW it’s my Pisces twin Rihanna. (I mean,…

‘Everybody at TripleBlind is better than me,’ founder says as top startup’s global team firewalls groupthink

By Tommy Felts / February 8, 2022

Startup companies are on a continual mission to create, define and own the category in which they operate within, Riddhiman Das noted, and to do so — startup founders must build a proficient team.  “If you’re not the category-defining company, then it’s not as big a win. Categories are typically defined at the global level,…