Profiles

The Fat Plant Society installation at The Laya Center in Kansas City's Crossroads Arts District

Moss-backed design studio nurtures nature indoors with sustainable pieces ‘neither living nor dead’

Green statement pieces across Kansas City’s Midtown and Crossroads neighborhoods — from Westside Flats to the spas at The Laya Center and the herb dispensary at Fresh Karma — boast just a snapshot of the story behind the mossy growth of The Fat Plant Society. The eye-catching biophilic designs — which have the appearance of a…

Luke and Paul Harwerth, TwinSauce

‘Just dudes who dance and we’re not ashamed of it’: Twin influencers chassé their way to 100K+ TikTok followers

Paul and Luke Harwerth were born in “the-middle-of-nowhere” Nebraska, they said half-jokingly, yet the rise of YouTube in the early 2000s allowed them to fully explore their passions despite perceived geographic challenges.  “We didn’t start dancing until I saw ‘High School Musical,’ and then I was like, ‘I want to do that!’” Luke shared, laughing…

ThinkPod

Why an interactive digital business card could replace LinkedIn for startup, small business leaders

People want to get their foot in the door, Jess Phillips said, laying out her plan for a newly launched social media platform that opens professional connections with an insightful twist: an interactive digital business card offering data on who visits and why.  Free of the awkward sales pitches and forced conversations that often come…

Jessi Levine, Gary floral design studio; photos courtesy of Jessi Levine

Gary floral design blooms along ‘upside-down’ path as founder pivots from camper pop-up

Even when a side hustle grows organically, it still takes a creative mind to arrange a meaningful and worthwhile venture, said Jessi Levine, whose drive to pay homage to her father led to an eye-catching floral design business. The journey to her subscription floral service has been admittedly “upside down,” she said. From the outside,…

How the relaunched Classic Cookie plans to craft KC’s best breakfast sandwich (without overcomplicating it)

A longtime Waldo restaurant and sweets shop is under new ownership, Chef Bryan Sparks announced, serving up a plan to fix the broken restaurant industry he thought he’d left behind. But a more immediate and daunting task awaits ahead of the Classic Cookie & Cafe’s relaunch in December: crafting the best breakfast sandwich in Kansas…