News

Mahomes-era Chiefs prove a game-changer for small biz, community alike, says Tom’s Town owner

By Tommy Felts / February 8, 2023

Editor’s note: The following is part of a multi-story feature profiling Kansas City small businesses reaping wins thanks to the Kansas City Chiefs’ 2023 Super Bowl bid. Click here to read more from this limited series. Time and time again, the Chiefs organization and team show how they are truly ingrained in the local community,…

Travis Kelce’s Super Bowl catchphrases score big for KC merch makers, driving business into the end zone

By Tommy Felts / February 8, 2023

Editor’s note: The following is part of a multi-story feature profiling Kansas City small businesses reaping wins thanks to the Kansas City Chiefs’ 2023 Super Bowl bid. Click here to read more from this limited series. When the Kansas City Chiefs’ Travis Kelce opens his mouth, fans roar, social media lights up, and makers across…

Strength in numbers: Chamber’s Superstars bench surges to 2,500 KC small businesses

By Tommy Felts / February 7, 2023

Editor’s note: The Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce is a non-financial partner of Startland News, which serves as the media partner for the Small Business Superstars program. A new round of nominations and submissions have brought the KC Chamber’s roster of Small Business Superstars to more than double its initial size — further amplifying…

They’re plating my jam! How a homecoming dance inspired this teen’s charcuterie business with family on board

By Tommy Felts / February 4, 2023

Curating colorful boards of meats, cheeses, nuts and fruits always came natural to Bella Messmer, she shared; it wasn’t until after she started her charcuterie business that she learned that passion was passed down from her grandmother.  “In the ’70s, Bella’s grandmother would host these lavish parties among other Miami socialites, and she would make…

We’re all going to die: What’s more inclusive than death? asks KC’s favorite doomed streetwear brand

By Tommy Felts / February 4, 2023

Wasteland Society is for the strange; those who believe that there’s no such thing as “normal”; people who recognize the reality that sadness is part of life, and that’s OK, the duo behind the irreverent apparel company detailed. “Whenever people ask us what we stand for, I always say existentialism with inclusion,” said Peter Nonprasit,…