Austin Barnes and Tommy Felts

Recent Articles by Austin Barnes and Tommy Felts

Clark Hunt, Kansas City Chiefs

Clark Hunt: Super Bowl-bound KC Chiefs didn’t get it right overnight; founders won’t either

If entrepreneurs want to win like the Kansas City Chiefs, they must be unafraid of pivoting, explained Clark Hunt.  “The National Football League is extremely competitive and it’s very difficult to win games consistently — even with a talented roster. But it is impossible to win if everyone is not aligned and working together to…

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Mural by Phil “Sike Style” Shafer and JT Daniels, Plexpod River Market

Murals by Sike Style, JT Daniels paint ‘One KC’ across state line, Plexpod locations

Economic momentum in the Kansas City region has never been stronger — no matter which side of the state line a business operates, Gerald Smith said. A colorful pair of murals now splash that reality across two of the veteran entrepreneur’s Plexpod locations. Reflecting a border war “truce” — called in August between the governors of…

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Jason Mispagel, Year-Round Garden

Hemp startup founders cultivate Year Round partnership in light of growing interest

A casual supply run produced more than equipment for United American Hemp; the team behind the Olathe startup walked away co-owners of another new venture.  “We hit it off and invested both time and money in [the] business. … Since then [its] exploded in revenue,” Michael Wilson, director of research and development at United American…

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Joel Goldberg, JG Broadcasting LLC

Crafting a side hustle? Your motivation better be more than money, advises Royals broadcaster-turned-podcast host

Any idea is possible with a little passion behind it — so long as there’s a why, explained Joel Goldberg.  “When you start everything with, ‘What, where, when, why and how,’ and you answer those questions or ask someone to help you answer those questions … [there’s no limit to] how far you’ll go,” Goldberg, veteran…

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Linda Bernier, Spoke Health

Launch Health check-up: Spoke Health aims to give consumers value-based choices in care

Editor’s note: The following is part of a series of stories on the six cohort companies of the Launch Health Accelerator, powered by Nueterra Capital and sponsored by LaunchKC. Click here to read all the stories published in this series. Medical experiences are taxing — Spoke Health aims to cut the stress and give patients…

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Sarah Hill, StoryUp

Launch Health check-up: Healium by StoryUp leverages new connections to stress its healing power

Editor’s note: The following is part of a series of stories on the six cohort companies of the Launch Health Accelerator, powered by Nueterra Capital and sponsored by LaunchKC. Click here to read all the stories published in this series. More than a million dollars in funding and a relationship with the founder of Tinder…

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Laurel Edelman, Sickweather

Launch Health check-up: Sickweather uses accelerator to diagnose its startup progress

Editor’s note: The following is part of a series of stories on the six cohort companies of the Launch Health Accelerator, powered by Nueterra Capital and sponsored by LaunchKC. Click here to read all the stories published in this series. Just because your company’s been around the block doesn’t mean you’re done learning, said Laurel…

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Sumeet Maniar, WellBrain

Launch Health check-up: WellBrain uses cohort to reduce its own pain points in fight against opioid epidemic

Editor’s note: The following is part of a series of stories on the six cohort companies of the Launch Health Accelerator, powered by Nueterra Capital and sponsored by LaunchKC. Click here to read all the stories published in this series. Launch KC offers hands-on programs, designed with intention, Sumeet Maniar said.  “I’ve done startups before and…

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Kaitlin Doyle, TheraWe Connect

Launch Health check-up: TheraWe Connect bridging gap between parents, pediatric therapy

Editor’s note: The following is part of a series of stories on the six cohort companies of the Launch Health Accelerator, powered by Nueterra Capital and sponsored by LaunchKC. Click here to read all the stories published in this series. Opportunity unlocked, it’s full steam ahead for TheraWe Connect as the startup prepares to check out…

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Mike Sobek, medZERO

Launch Health check-up: medZERO simplifies medical bill pay with zero interest, zero fees

Editor’s note: The following is part of a series of stories on the six cohort companies of the Launch Health Accelerator, powered by Nueterra Capital and sponsored by LaunchKC. Click here to read all the stories published in this series. Paying medical bills should be as simple as making a car payment, said Mike Sobek.  “We…

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