News

A St. Joe CEO handed him a franchise after graduation; two years later, the risk is paying off 

By Tommy Felts / October 17, 2025

Spencer Engelman’s expectations for his post-college career were shredded by an offer he couldn’t refuse. The Northwest Missouri State University graduate was awarded a business of his own — minus the franchise fee — by a veteran entrepreneur who had visited one of his classes. “It’s a crazy opportunity,” said Engelman, who now operates a DocuLock…

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What a catch: Kansas City fandom creates custom appeal for taco-loving cartoonist vibe

By Tommy Felts / October 17, 2025

Drawing from Kansas City’s spotlight moments — whether trendy and new or iconic and timeless — W. Dave Keith balances a quirky aesthetic with a practical focus on what will actually sell. “I’ve slowly learned that if I want to make money off this business, I need to make stuff that people want to buy,”…

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Power through purpose: How a winding journey led this eco devo steward to deep-rooted impact

By Tommy Felts / October 17, 2025

Editor’s note: The following story was written and first published by the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City, Missouri (EDCKC). Click here to read the original story. [divide] Going behind the scenes of CCED with the people who make it happen Some people are drawn to city-building because of the bricks and steel, the architecture, the skyline, the…

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Missouri’s weapon in the AI race with China: KC tech companies, says GOP lawmaker

By Tommy Felts / October 16, 2025

As artificial intelligence reshapes the way Kansas City works, civic and elected leaders want to ensure small businesses and the region’s tech community have seats at the table. Federal regulation could help, said Eric Schmitt. “For me, [it’s about] making sure that the big tech companies don’t block out a lot of the innovators, say…

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ECJC carves out early-stage startup track for its popular mentoring program: GMS-Tech

By Tommy Felts / October 16, 2025

After a decade boosting Kansas City founders, Growth Mentoring Service at ECJC is expanding to target assistance specifically toward the region’s early-stage technology startups — using the same proven approach: high-impact, team-based mentoring from top-tier business leaders who’ve already been through it. “We have all these amazing volunteer mentors with deep expertise as either technologists…

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