Profiles

Mike Hastings and Armando Vasquez, Anchor Island Coffee

Why this KC couple will be lifting a celebratory ‘Dirty Sunrise’ when GEWKC drops anchor

By Tommy Felts / November 3, 2021

The married duo behind Anchor Island Coffee already knew they’d have to defy expectations for their tropical-themed breakfast spot to succeed on Troost. And then came COVID. “Just two weeks after we opened in March 2020, we closed,” said Mike Hastings, who owns the shop with husband Armando Vasquez. “By May, we were able to…

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Gavin Dell with the Mystery Machine from "Scooby Doo!"

New in KC: Hollywood veteran designs animation academy to make young artists more hirable

By Tommy Felts / November 2, 2021

Editor’s note: New in KC is an ongoing profile series that highlights newly relocated members of the Kansas City startup community, their reasons for a change of scenery, and what they’ve found so far in KC. This series is sponsored by C2FO, a Leawood-based, global financial services company. Click here to read more New in KC profiles. [divide] A touch of…

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Jonelle Jones, co-owner of Kind Food; photo by Jennifer Wetzel

Fill ’em with kindness: Why one plant-based eatery is moving it’s do-good mission to KCK

By Tommy Felts / October 29, 2021

With every order up at Kind Food’s Iron District-forged counter, Kansas City becomes a little more compassionate — or at least compassion-curious, Jonelle Jones said, dishing on the do-good mission and plans for growth that will soon take the North Kansas City-based restaurant into the heart of Kansas City, Kansas.  “Eat more plants and be good…

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Brett Malinowski, Magic Mushroom Clubhouse

How an Overland Park blockchain creator grew $1.4M in 17 minutes with ‘Magic Mushrooms’

By Tommy Felts / October 29, 2021

More than 3,300 individuals entered the biotic metaverse, becoming members of the exclusive Magic Mushroom Clubhouse. “I dropped everything for this project, and then we ended up selling out in 17 minutes,” said Brett Malinowski, the creator of the non-fungible token (NFT) profile picture project, Magic Mushroom Clubhouse.  “It’s this new wave of NFTs where…

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Kansas City-made fitness apps flex tactics to monetize training’s trend toward tech

By Tommy Felts / October 26, 2021

Jake Heyen’s Fitic exercises its potential at the intersection of pandemic-pumped fitness and influencer marketing industries, the Kansas City founder said, detailing the intertwined world of fitness-minded consumers and content creators. “We love the fact that we sit within two industries that are poised for explosive growth going forward,” said Heyen, who also serves as…

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