Profiles

SquareOffs public polling pilot with Oregon TV station could be a new niche

By Tommy Felts / August 14, 2018

Opinions are constant, said Jeff Rohr, CEO of the Kansas City startup SquareOffs. As social media consumers look for new ways to voice a plethora of differing views, Rohr said he and his company have inked a major deal with News-Press and Gazette Co. (NPG), that could overhaul the public polling conducted by local news…

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Maurice Woodard, Champ System

Limited edition: Champ System carries sports apparel from the field to Westport

By Tommy Felts / August 14, 2018

When the choice came down to quick, easy money or grinding out his own brand, Maurice Woodard played the long game. His payoff comes Saturday with the grand opening of Champ System’s first brick-and-mortar ChampZone storefront in Westport. “You’re going to look different because there’s such a limited amount that we’ll release,” he said, noting…

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Anatolij Gelimson, Sara Baker, and Jill Cline, Fast Democracy

Digital Sandbox startup Fast Democracy building non-partisan social database for tracking legislation

By Tommy Felts / August 11, 2018

Today’s political climate demands not only a better-informed public, but accurate tools to help voters arm themselves with timely information, said Sara Baker, co-founder of Fast Democracy. The Kansas City-based startup — one of four early-stage businesses recently accepted into Digital Sandbox KC — aims to help people “touch their democracy” through its non-partisan web…

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Cheddies

Say ‘cheese,’ KC! Cheddies arrive in Hy-Vee stores after Sprint Accelerator success

By Tommy Felts / August 6, 2018

For the brothers behind Cheddies, maintaining the integrity of their real-cheddar cheese cracker through the transition to larger manufacturing is paramount as the firm scales, they said. “It really is a guilt-free experience,” said Tomas Pergola, describing the snack he created with his brother, Francisco. “A lot of times we feel the need to indulge…

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Trey and Chad Hickman, Coaster Oven

Cut from Sandlot’s lineup: Demand for Coaster Oven ‘coming out of the woodwork’

By Tommy Felts / August 4, 2018

A faint smell of leather washes over customers when they enter Sandlot Goods’ new Crossroads space at 2125 Washington St. But the most recent buzz comes from owner Chad Hickman’s side venture with his brother: Coaster Oven. In the back corner of Sandlot’s workshop, where the Kansas City-born company specializes in leather and stitch work,…

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