Minority-Led

Toilet bombs dropped less than two weeks ago; retailers can’t seem to keep them on the shelves

By Tommy Felts / December 4, 2021

Bear Soap Co.’s latest bestseller might have begun as an accident, but the bath bombs for toilet bowls are making a splash as shoppers discover a cheeky new stocking stuffer that fizzes beyond the holiday season, said Matt Bramlette. “The toilet bombs can be a fun novelty gift; or they can be something that people…

Cotton candy calling: Why a South KC sweets shop’s signature treat is still hand-spun with an air of nostalgia

By Tommy Felts / December 4, 2021

Each ding of the oven generates more buzz for this whimsy-frosted bake shop and creamery in South Kansas City. But it’s the soft, sticky sweet treat that fills small tubs and lines the store’s shelves — (hand) spinning the entrepreneurial dreams of its owner into a sugar-rush of a reality.  “I really hit the jackpot,”…

Moss-backed design studio nurtures nature indoors with sustainable pieces ‘neither living nor dead’

By Tommy Felts / December 2, 2021

Green statement pieces across Kansas City’s Midtown and Crossroads neighborhoods — from Westside Flats to the spas at The Laya Center and the herb dispensary at Fresh Karma — boast just a snapshot of the story behind the mossy growth of The Fat Plant Society. The eye-catching biophilic designs — which have the appearance of a…

Demo Day: UMKC E-Scholars partners with KC Arts Institute for more authentic entrepreneurial representation, director says

By Tommy Felts / November 30, 2021

Art and entrepreneurship so often go hand-in-hand, noted Alex Krause Matlack.  “Many artists will inevitably become entrepreneurs because they can create their own brand or business to showcase their craft,” explained Krause Matlack, the director of Entrepreneurship Scholars (E-Scholars) at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. “This semester, E-Scholars has a new partnership with Kansas City…

KC startup’s sale charges strategy as battery innovator plugs into century-old tech firm

By Tommy Felts / November 30, 2021

A Massachusetts tech company’s strategy to advance into new clean energy markets is now electrified thanks to the completed acquisition of Grandview-based Spear Power Systems — a leader in next generation battery storage systems for demanding land, sea and air applications. “The acquisition of Spear Power Systems enables us to deliver more comprehensive energy storage…