Tag: Enactus

Enactus USA turns 50 in KC as local leaders urge: Give your network to an entrepreneur

By Tommy Felts / May 21, 2025

A three-day expo featuring student-led innovation and entrepreneurship from across the nation found its home (and groove) “in the heart of the USA” this week, said Mikena Manspeaker, noting the campus of UMKC was the perfect fit for marking the 50th anniversary of Enactus United States. “Kansas City is just booming with entrepreneurial spirit and…

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Megan Williams, Smiles and Kuts Foundation

Social entrepreneur cuts into kids’ shaken self-esteem: I can’t save them all, but I can put smiles on a few faces

By Tommy Felts / May 11, 2021

When Megan Williams’ daughter was diagnosed with hearing loss, the challenge put her confidence to the test.  “Sometimes kids are cruel,” Williams, a local hair stylist and salon owner, said of concerns her family faced as they sent the 5-year-old to school with hearing aids neatly tucked around her ears. Knowing full well the taunting…

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Alec Rodgers Betty Rae's Ice Cream

Why Betty Rae’s new owner traded a finance career for waffle cones; ice cream shop reopens Monday

By Tommy Felts / March 11, 2021

Reopening Betty Rae’s Ice Cream could prove as risky for Alec Rodgers’ waistline as his wallet, the 23-year-old employee-turned-owner jokingly suggested — smiling as he looked across the River Market shop with a mix of nostalgia and youthful exuberance. His eyes lit up as he recalled the rich memory of discovering his own favorite flavor:…

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Techstars KC returns: Meet 10 startups bringing diverse solutions to the rebooted accelerator 

By Tommy Felts / June 1, 2020

The hotly anticipated Techstars Kansas City 2020 accelerator class features startups enabling greater transparency and access in healthcare, the food supply, and justice for all, said Lesa Mitchell. Two of the ventures are based in St. Louis. “We’re also welcoming companies with new platforms and new business models that will attract and facilitate broader talent…

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Dart pedals more than a prototype: E-bikes as a route to equitable employment access

By Tommy Felts / May 28, 2020

Free bus rides aren’t the only solution to a lack of equity in Kansas City’s transportation options, explained Thomas Murphy.  “Only 18 percent of jobs here in the metro are available via 90-minute commute via public transit,” Murphy, co-founder and CEO of Dart, explained of the startup’s commitment to outfitting under-resourced pockets of the metro…

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