Profiles

Sheila Martinez, A.S.K. Associates, and Neelima Parasker, SnapIT Solutions

SnapIT acquires fellow minority-, woman-owned tech company, expands customer footprint into government solutions

SnapIT Solutions is scaling once again, announcing Tuesday the acquisition of a Lawrence-based tech company with a more-than-40-year legacy.  The Overland Park-based solutions and training company formally completed its purchase of A.S.K. Associates last month, signaling a path of steady and continued growth for SnapIT and the end of an era for the acquired company…

Molly Balloons posing in one of Balloon Wonderland’s backdrops; Art set by Kansas City’s Quixotic

Molly Balloons blows back: Inflating a life full of Tuesdays with weekend wonder, whimsy

The pandemic twisted life for Molly Balloons, forcing the whimsical balloon artist — who thrives amid public exhibitions of her creativity and work — to reflect on what truly fills her soul with the most purpose and joy, she shared. A new summer popup launches this weekend in the West Bottoms, officially blowing Balloons back…

Matt Baysinger and Ryan Henrich, co-founders of Swell Spark, on an April biking trip in Utah

Why Swell Spark founders needed a business breakup to keep the startup (and their friendship) moving forward

Matt Baysinger and Ryan Henrich pedalled 100 miles over Utah’s rocky terrain as a milestone marker in the duo’s relationship — exiting a business partnership and riding ahead on a tight, decades-long friendship, Baysinger shared.  “You hear time and time again that you shouldn’t go into business with your friends,” said Baysinger, who in October…

Annie Powell and Luke Powell, Legacy Skates

Legacy Skates rolls beyond fads; neighborhood skate shop laced with roller derby expertise

Luke and Annie Powell’s skate shop in Westside South isn’t just a way to make ends meet; it’s a legacy-building endeavor, deeply rooted in family. And it got its start with a childhood wish. “I wanted a pair of inline speed skates,” Luke Powell recalled, noting his 1990s dream came affixed with a ridiculous price…

Sulaiman Z. Salaam III, Suli4Q

R3AL potential: Why Suli4Q’s work in KC doesn’t stop with the final track on his Top 10 hip hop album

A wildly successful 2020 for indie performer Suli4Q wouldn’t mean as much if the entertainer, entrepreneur, and evangelist for Kansas City prosperity didn’t also focus on impact in the real world, he said. “In my journey, my biggest goal in reaching my full potential is being able to visibly see the changes that I’m having…