Channa Steinmetz
Recent Articles by Channa Steinmetz
Why employers should hire veterans: KC entrepreneurs say combat prepared them for startup life
Effectively communicating the skills and experiences gained from military service can be a major challenge for veterans, said Zachary Oshinbanjo. Too often that disconnect contributes to unemployment or mental health struggles when a service member returns to civilian life. “Many veterans may have gone straight from high school into the military and now are looking…
How did KC land Meta, Panasonic megaprojects? Infrastructure, energy and enthusiasm, companies say
Kansas City is one of America’s most exciting and dynamic cities, said Matt Sexton, making it the ideal choice to build out a nearly 1 million-square-foot data center for Meta, the tech behemoth behind Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.. “There are a lot of sites around the country that might have one or two qualities that…
No ratings, no negative reviews: Restaurant app guides diners through crowd-sourced trust
Popular restaurant review sites — clouded by negative reviews and manipulated ratings — have often led Leo Esposito astray, he shared. To revolutionize the way people discover their next favorite place to eat, Esposito launched the social app Bōzt. “Our vision is to be the most trusted platform for sourcing restaurant recommendations,” said Esposito, who founded…
‘This is our era’: How one local streetwear brand got the ball rolling for an exclusive KC Comets collab
Soccer fans can kick off their weekend with a one-day-only sale of a limited-edition apparel collaboration between Kansas City’s premier indoor soccer team and its top streetwear brand, said Vu Radley. “We found this really cool, creative space with the KC Comets where we could pay homage to their vintage jerseys and mix it with…
Not all shops will be riding high if Missouri legalizes recreational cannabis, but even imperfect expansion ‘far worth the effort,’ advocates say
Legalizing recreational marijuana would have potent outcomes across the state if Missouri voters approve a constitutional amendment Nov. 8, but some cannabis advocates and small business owners say not all strains of success will be equal. On one hand, Missouri’s Amendment 3 would expunge the criminal records of people with past non-violent marijuana charges and…
New edition of a classic story: Made in KC founders lead ownership group buying Rainy Day Books; How they plan to expand its legacy with next chapter
When the owners of Kansas City-bound Rainy Day Books announced they were selling their popular bookstore in May, they looked for two qualities in its new owners: a commitment to uphold the customer experience and determination to grow the business, said Geoffrey Jennings. “It has been a six-month process to find people who could understand…
Marsha Willis joins Facebook accelerator to boost 30K-strong community of Black-owned businesses, supporters
Marsha Willis’ decade-long journey of supporting Kansas City-based, Black-owned businesses is headed to the next level — thanks to a funding infusion from Facebook and Willis’ own focused commitment to providing elevated experiences to the online community she’s built. “Our focus is to create a centralized place where we can share resources and education for…
Black Pantry expands nationally through online shop; founder works to set new standard for buying Black
Kansas City’s premier boutique for Black-owned essentials always had its sights set on building a national identity, said Brian Roberts, but he needed to prove himself and his business on the local level first. “A lot of people were pushing me in the beginning to go the website direction, but I didn’t want to do…
MO-built app enhances AMBER Alert system, rallying users to search for missing children
People care about saving missing and exploited children, said Josh Schisler — but the current alert system is outdated, leaving members of the public without a clear understanding of how they should respond to alerts. “I think there is no shortage of people who would be happy to take a few minutes from their day…
They met in Hollywood, but this startup found its ‘fertile field’ of dreams (and community) in Kansas
Startland News’ Startup Road Trip series explores innovative and uncommon ideas finding success in rural America and Midwestern startup hubs outside the Kansas City metro. This series is possible thanks to the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, which leads a collaborative, nationwide effort to identify and remove large and small barriers to new business creation. WICHITA,…