Tag: Danny O’Neill

Isaac Hodges, Messenger Coffee Company, and Dan Trott, FairWave Holdings

Stronger brew: Messenger blends coffee collective into its behind-the-scenes menu

By Tommy Felts / October 13, 2020

As the smells of Ibis Bakery and roasting beans waft together at Messenger Coffee in the Crossroads, rising between floors of the spacious and vibrant corner cafe, the flavors haven’t changed since COVID-19 began — nor since the popular Kansas City roasterie joined a freshly launched coffee collective, said Isaac Hodges. It’s still steeped in…

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Zach Pettet Henry Bloch

Zach Pettet: Henry Bloch gave KC a legacy to believe in; now it’s our turn to make him proud

By Tommy Felts / April 30, 2019

Editor’s note: Zach Anderson Pettet is vice president of FinTech strategy at nbkc bank and managing director of Fountain City FinTech. Opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. Henry Bloch made an immeasurable impact on Kansas City. The H&R Block co-founder’s April 23 death shook many of us; though we knew it was…

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Danny O'Neill, The Roasterie

25th anniversary: Roasterie founder Danny O’Neill recalls humble start with just ‘nickels and pickles’

By Tommy Felts / September 7, 2018

Brewed in a recession, Danny O’Neill wasn’t sure The Roasterie would sell a single cup of coffee, let alone percolate into an iconic Kansas City brand, the founder said as he reflected on the regional coffee titan’s 25th anniversary. “The only idea I had was coffee,” O’Neill said of his decision to jump ship from…

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Roasterie founder Danny O’Neill takes historical look on Midwest coffee culture

By Tommy Felts / March 9, 2017

Editor’s note: In partnership with the KC Greats podcast, hosted by Scott Parman, Startland News hopes to offer its audience more avenues to learn about entrepreneurs in Kansas City. Opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. In this episode, Roasterie founder and CEO Danny O’Neill answers the question: Why coffee? In the early…

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Royals, entrepreneurial stars fielding pitches from Kansas City educators

By Tommy Felts / October 12, 2016

Children today require more than just a pencil and paper to complete their lesson plan. Thanks to a booming education technology market, teachers’ out-of-pocket spending goes far beyond the occasional pen, pencil or box of tissues nowadays. In 2013, teachers spent $1.6 billion annually to support their classroom. To alleviate the climbing prices of basic…

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