Minority-Led

KC Daiquiri Shop: Bistreaux bringing a second line of family-focused Cajun flair to Overland Park

By Tommy Felts / April 2, 2021

When a second KC Daiquiri Shop goes marching into the Overland Park faubourg (suburb) later this month, family and flavor will round out the goals of its expansion — a passion project of its owners who are committed to meeting a rising local demand for authentic Cajun cuisine, they said.  “When we first started with…

The secret to KC Black Owned’s success so far? Businesses worth finding, founder says

By Tommy Felts / April 1, 2021

A business’s digital footprint is the new word of mouth, the founder of KC Black Owned said, emphasizing that getting noticed is just half the fight for many Black-owned businesses. “It is so hard to find Black-owned businesses in certain professions and industries. But there’s a demand for it,” said Chelsey M., the mind behind…

Right to Start: States getting $10B in stimulus funds to boost entrepreneurs; Here’s how they should invest it

By Tommy Felts / March 31, 2021

Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. Victor Hwang is the founder and CEO of the Right to Start movement. Click here to learn more about Right to Start, a campaign to drive economic recovery and advance economic justice. This commentary originally appeared on Route Fifty and is republished with…

Digital Sandbox touts two Black women-led companies with latest round of funding

By Tommy Felts / March 31, 2021

The selection of Bodify and Interplay for the latest round of Digital Sandbox KC funding doubles down on the proof-of-concept program’s commitment to bring diverse innovative ideas in the Kansas City region to life, said Jill Meyer. “We’re always thrilled to welcome entrepreneurs with smart, scalable ideas to the Sandbox,” said Meyer, senior director of…

How a pair of chicken footstools hatched into a yarn barnyard of sold-out flock-pleasers

By Tommy Felts / March 30, 2021

What first hatched 11 years ago as a class project at Kansas State University has taken on a colorful and quirky life of its own, Sally Linville said.  “We ask people to think a lot about their names,” Linville, founder and creative director of The City Girl Farm, said of the surprisingly important (and often…