Minority-Led

ATHENA honorees: Lifting up the next generation elevates us all; give them a reason to dream

By Tommy Felts / October 1, 2025

When women lead, communities rise, Dana Foote said, lifting up two ATHENA award winners whose work in Kansas City has created outcomes more meaningful than mere professional success: “the ripple effect of leadership.” “And I see that in the room tonight,” continued Foote, national managing partner of audit operations for KPMG, sponsor of the Greater…

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Photos: Folklore transformed this rooftop for one-night; its $100K impact on small biz lasts even longer

By Tommy Felts / October 1, 2025

A packed rooftop event that started five years ago as a small gathering among friends has grown into a sold-out celebration that not only highlights music, food, and tradition, but also invests back into local nonprofits and entrepreneurs, said Luis Padilla, founder of Folklore and its popular small business grant program. “That balance of culture…

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Check out the entrepreneur winners of this library pitch competition (and beyond-the-shelf resources)

By Tommy Felts / September 27, 2025

Overwhelmed and excited to make a bigger impact, Rasheedah Villarreal expressed joy and gratitude Thursday after her name was announced as the top winner among a wide-ranging catalog of entrepreneurs pitching for cash prizes, community support, and serious momentum. Her business, Social Emotional Yoga with Mrs. V, also earned “Crowd Favorite” honors, sending the founder…

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BeVel’s edge on Troost: Scaling culture alongside barbershop’s executive clean up

By Tommy Felts / September 26, 2025

A young Casie Murff jumped from cutting lawns to shaping lines, but it wasn’t until decades later — after embracing support from groups like The Porter House KC, Kansas City G.I.F.T. and a resurgent Troost business community — that the entrepreneur’s vision truly started buzzing. “Sometimes as entrepreneurs, you need that reassurance,” Murff, founder of…

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Meet the competition: AltCap Your Biz unveils finalists for pitch event, $60K in awards

By Tommy Felts / September 23, 2025

A popular fall pitch competition for emerging entrepreneurs is returning to Union Station in November with AltCap today announcing 10 finalists for $60,000 in cash prizes — ranging from Kansas City’s first mobile matcha cart to specialty wellness retailers and a dog toy innovator. “The AltCap Your Biz Pitch Competition is so much more than…

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