Woman-led

Cherry enters the endorsement game, scoring NIL deals that also boost female college athletes

By Tommy Felts / January 3, 2023

Partnering with college athletes is a natural elevation of sports apparel company Cherry Co., said Thalia Cherry. The KC-based brand signed agreements with 18 athletes for NIL (name, image, likeness) endorsement deals, shared Cherry, founder and CEO. “It’s a perfect alignment,” she continued. “We were already working with professional athletes in some capacity. So when…

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Savvy duo builds their brand on embracing natural hair; Here’s how the salon chain is creating healthy space for stylists, clients alike

By Tommy Felts / January 3, 2023

Savvy Salon KC — one of Kansas City’s only Black-owned salon chains — is all about creating a better experience for both the customer and the stylists, said founders Rickey and Lenora Leathers. The salon — which specializes in curly- and coily-textured hair and creating sustainable career opportunities for women of color — opened its…

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Returning the flavor: Fast food startup flexes plan to bring Korean-American tastes to rural Missouri

By Tommy Felts / December 29, 2022

As an occupational therapy practitioner, Joohae “Chewy” Yoon’s home visits to care for patients isolated in rural Missouri inspired her to develop the Korean-American fast food concept GOCHEW Burger & Sandwich.  Her full-time job involves traveling to meet patients in Kansas City and Independence, as well as such cities as Odessa, Higginsville, and Warrensburg. Curious…

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Pawsitive impacts: Social venture aims to break generational poverty through pet grooming

By Tommy Felts / December 29, 2022

Editor’s note: This story was originally published by The Kansas City Beacon, a member of the KC Media Collective, which also includes Startland News, KCUR 89.3, American Public Square, Kansas City PBS/Flatland, and Missouri Business Alert. Click here to read the original story. In 2018, Ashley Stillings was living in Hope House, a homeless shelter in Lee’s…

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These iconic hearts are blank now, but a parade of artists is set to bring the KC landmarks back in 2023

By Tommy Felts / December 27, 2022

Molly Burd acknowledges she applied for the KC Parade of Hearts on a whim. A week before the deadline, the Kansas City artist and Hewn sewing shop production manager saw applications were being accepted for artists to design the big hearts art pieces for 2023. “Once I got an email saying that there were over…

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