Profiles

Kelli and Glen Dakan, Liquify Group

Prestio founder dissolves headaches of business closings, pivots with Liquify Group

By Tommy Felts / March 5, 2019

Closing a brick-and-mortar space is difficult enough, said Glen Dakan. Why should entrepreneurs be forced to endure the pains of offloading expensive equipment too? Such a predicament prompted Dakan and his partners to create a remedy for the common pain point: Liquify Group, a newly launched service that helps businesses liquidate their assets through a simple,…

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startups kcmo budget

Startup advocates rally, demand KCMO invest more of its $1.73B budget in entrepreneurs

By Tommy Felts / March 3, 2019

If Kansas City leaders want to build a stronger community, they should start by supporting early stage entrepreneurs, said Lesa Mitchell. “I’m simply here to say — we’re not spending enough money … and we need to look at it,” Mitchell, managing director of Techstars Kansas City, told KCMO city council members Saturday during a public…

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Darcy Howe, KCRise Fund

KCultivator Q&A: Darcy Howe helps awaken a sleepy city from its safe spaces, talks rest and refueling

By Tommy Felts / March 1, 2019

Editor’s note: KCultivators is a lighthearted profile series to highlight people who are meaningfully enriching Kansas City’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Empowering Kansas City entrepreneurs to realize their dreams is in Darcy Howe’s blood, she said with a coy smile, seated in an open meeting space atop the 24th floor of her downtown office. “Kansas City was…

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Gary Fish, Fishtech Group

Fishtech securing market position in the face of emerging threats, founder’s own win record

By Tommy Felts / February 28, 2019

On track to reach $100 million in annual revenue by 2020, it’s full steam ahead for the cyber security freight train Fishtech Group, said serial entrepreneur Gary Fish. “It took me about 14 years to get [to $100 million] in my first company,” explained Fish, founder and CEO of the three-year-old, Martin City-based, data-driven security…

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Bo Nelson, Conquer for Good; Photo courtesy of Mahalo Media, https://mahalo.media/

Bo tell it on the mountain: Thou Mayest founder reveals spirit driving his brand of business

By Tommy Felts / February 27, 2019

Your spirit makes you alive — don’t ignore its voice when it speaks to you, Bo Nelson advised a captive audience gathered to hear how his entrepreneurial experience at Thou Mayest Coffee Roasters has enabled Kansas Citians to reach their highest good. Nelson read Tuesday from a personal journal he kept during a significant time…

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