Minority-Led

Play It Forward reunites South Kansas City-inspired brands, startup leaders

By Tommy Felts / September 21, 2019

A bright and sunny pre-autumn day silhouetted the shadows of basketball fans lining up last weekend to enter Smith-Hale Middle School. As the smells from a food truck and sounds of laughter filled the parking lot, players inside readied themselves for a South Kansas City showcase. “We wanted to involve many entities that are directly…

KCultivator Q&A: Tina Peterson turned a career stop into a platform to accelerate dozens of startups

By Tommy Felts / September 19, 2019

Editor’s note: KCultivators is a lighthearted profile series to highlight people who are meaningfully enriching Kansas City’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. The KCultivator Series is sponsored by Plexpod, a progressive coworking platform offering next generation workspace for entrepreneurs, startups, and growth-stage companies of all sizes. Living in Kansas City couldn’t have been further from Tina Peterson’s mind…

DC-based digital SWAT team descends on KC as Social Driver for mission-based clients

By Tommy Felts / August 30, 2019

From being included in selfies to getting tagged on social media posts, carving a digital footprint is the best way for social movements to gain traction, said Thomas Sanchez, CEO and co-founder of Social Driver.  “We are the digital heavy hitters. I always kind of talk about us as almost being like the SWAT team…

Mid Coast Modern founder joins Westport bar scene with sudsy, eco-friendly concept

By Tommy Felts / August 28, 2019

Matt Bramlette bathes in the wordplay of it all. His new venture in Kansas City’s quirky Westport entertainment district — known for its shops, restaurants and bars — floats a clean business prop: bars of soap with a low carbon footprint. Hence, “Soap Bar.” Just a few feet away from his popular retail storefront Mid…

Innovation versus inclusive prosperity: Can hub developers create both in Kansas City?

By Tommy Felts / August 22, 2019

Place and prosperity go hand-in-hand, said William Dowdell. Less clear, however, is how developers and communities will strike a balance in their efforts to generate innovation and wealth in Kansas City. “Geography is a big part of this. When we talk about expanding opportunity and bringing innovation, we also have to look at those spaces…