Startups

Paul McRoberts, Jacque Hansen, Matt Kirchner, and Brian Schumacher, Atonix Digital

Black & Veatch spinout gives Atonix Digital the startup space to scale on its own

By Tommy Felts / February 23, 2021

A newly independent Atonix Digital is leaning into growth opportunities after being spun out of its corporate home at Black & Veatch earlier this year. “The benefit to Black & Veatch is: they get to stay on their core business model. The benefit to Atonix Digital is: we get to be more nimble, pursue new…

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Jessica Washburn, Bliss Chocolatier

How one artisan chocolatier rewrote the recipe for her life — and molded a new, more approachable luxury chocolate

By Tommy Felts / February 19, 2021

A Blue Springs-dipped chocolate shop isn’t just selling show-stopping sweets, it’s unwrapping a community-coated adventure for a local mom — eight years in the making.  “I feel more a part of this community than I ever have before,” said Jessica Washburn, co-owner of Bliss Chocolatier, an artisan chocolate boutique dedicated to crafting a number of treats…

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Jasper Sanders, Deposit The Work

KCK trainer launches lifestyle, fitness app that pays users cashback for burning calories 

By Tommy Felts / February 18, 2021

Investing in your health just got a lot more literal with Deposit The Work — an app that pays users when they burn calories — explained Jasper Sanders. “I was trying to come up with a way for people to stay with fitness,” said Sanders, the app’s Kansas City, Kansas-based founder. “A lot of people…

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Emily Reinhardt, The Object Enthusiast, Duet

Perfectly imperfect: Ceramicist pushes into the work, spinning one-of-kind KC storefront

By Tommy Felts / February 17, 2021

Only two weeks into a college elective course in ceramics, Emily Reinhardt knew her path was designed for pottery — sharing that she quickly fell in love with the extended amount of time and patience it requires. “From start to finish, I’m enamored with the process of ceramics — drying, firing, cooling — and bringing…

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Ryan Karlin, Becca Schmidt, and Kevin Flaker, Generation STEM

Forget Gen Z vs Millennials: The real action is in Generation STEM, say Black & Veatch podcast hosts

By Tommy Felts / February 17, 2021

A podcast designed by three young professionals at a leading Kansas City engineering firm is challenging stereotypes about STEM careers — and outdated narratives about people within their industry, said Becca Schmidt. “The basis of the Generation STEM podcast: how can we attract young, vibrant, fun talent through the three of us being on a…

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