Woman-led

Dr. Marion Pierson, MO Hives KC

For the good of the hive: KC pediatrician builds buzz with award-winning urban bee farm effort

By Tommy Felts / December 7, 2021

No one is more surprised by pediatrician Marion Pierson’s newfound career success as a beekeeper and advocate for urban apiaries, the Prairie Village doctor said. “I didn’t know this would happen,” Pierson said. “In fact, I’m scared of bugs. My husband asked me how I was going to start a bee farm. When I’m in…

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Hometown startups want their due; sister-led QuickHire’s $1.4M round could be just the start

By Tommy Felts / December 6, 2021

QuickHire’s potential for success is enhanced — not limited — by the young tech startup’s south-central Kansas geography, said Deborah Gladney, one half of a sister-led Wichita venture that recently announced its $1.4 million round boosted by a leading Kansas City fund. “Being from Wichita, we’ve come to know and appreciate everything this city has to…

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Kiffany Bosserman, Cottontale, Cookies and Creamery

Cotton candy calling: Why a South KC sweets shop’s signature treat is still hand-spun with an air of nostalgia

By Tommy Felts / December 4, 2021

Each ding of the oven generates more buzz for this whimsy-frosted bake shop and creamery in South Kansas City. But it’s the soft, sticky sweet treat that fills small tubs and lines the store’s shelves — (hand) spinning the entrepreneurial dreams of its owner into a sugar-rush of a reality.  “I really hit the jackpot,”…

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The Fat Plant Society installation at The Laya Center in Kansas City's Crossroads Arts District

Moss-backed design studio nurtures nature indoors with sustainable pieces ‘neither living nor dead’

By Tommy Felts / December 2, 2021

Green statement pieces across Kansas City’s Midtown and Crossroads neighborhoods — from Westside Flats to the spas at The Laya Center and the herb dispensary at Fresh Karma — boast just a snapshot of the story behind the mossy growth of The Fat Plant Society. The eye-catching biophilic designs — which have the appearance of a…

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Josh Guffey and Hailee Bland Walsh, Fit Truk KC

A test of Fit Truk’s core strength: People assume it’s a franchise, mobile gym owner says

By Tommy Felts / December 2, 2021

One of Hailee Bland Walsh’s biggest affirmations came in the form of a question: Is Fit Truk a franchise?  “As someone who has built businesses from the ground up, that is very validating and a huge compliment,” said Bland Walsh, co-founder of the fully-equipped outdoor gym truck, as well as the owner of City Gym…

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