Elyssa Bezner
Reporter
Recent Articles by Elyssa Bezner
Vintage WiFi mashup: Designer converts old items into bluetooth speakers at Troost T-shirt shop
Rick Kloog’s T-shirt shop on Troost resonates with the sound of side hustles — combining the former music producer’s previously untapped talents for a Vintage WiFi effect. The “funky little vintage store” blends original Kansas City-designed shirts, and miscellaneous items — most of which Kloog converts into bluetooth speakers — as well as other original…
Firebrand Fein: KC needs more audacious startups, ‘crazy ideas’ to attract investors
Kansas City companies need to buck the Midwestern, risk-averse mindset and sell audacious plans to investors, said John Fein. “I would just love to see more crazy ideas, more big game type ideas,” said Fein, founder and managing partner at Firebrand Ventures. “We invest when [the startup] starts to generate revenue, so they have to…
StartupGrowKC bootcamp: Building smart and intentional teams alongside ECJC
Founders can expect to emerge from the Enterprise Center in Johnson County’s StartupGrowKC bootcamp series with greater knowledge of the skills needed to grow their business, said Kathryn Golden. “[Founders will see] the fuller life cycle of what they will need to consider [to be successful],” said Golden, programs manager at ECJC, a nonprofit organization…
SafetyCulture executing fireproof growth strategy from new Crossroads US HQ
A recent move placed SafetyCulture into the largest fireproof building in KC — a choice reflecting the startup’s customer-centered approach, said Ross Reed, noting the building’s more-than-a-century-old history was an added plus. “iAuditor helps organizations prioritize safety and quality,” said Reed, president of SafetyCulture’s KC-based North American branch. “If construction companies can show they they…
2019 Startups to Watch: SquareOffs curing ‘comment chaos’ with two-way conversations
Editor’s note: Startland selected 12 Kansas City firms to spotlight for its annual Startups to Watch list. The following is one of 2019’s companies. Click here to view the full, ranked list of Startups to Watch. SquareOffs’ elevator pitch: SquareOffs is a microdebate platform used by online publishers and brands to promote meaningful conversation, increase engagement,…
2019 Startups to Watch: Metactive patience set to payoff for medical device patients
Editor’s note: Startland selected 12 Kansas City firms to spotlight for its annual Startups to Watch list. The following is one of 2019’s companies. Click here to view the full, ranked list of Startups to Watch. Metactive’s elevator pitch: Medical tech company that makes catheter-based devices used to treat cardiovascular disease, stroke, cancer, and life-threatening…
2019 Startups to Watch: RiskGenius partnership carries KC software firm to next level
Editor’s note: Startland selected 12 Kansas City firms to spotlight for its annual Startups to Watch list. The following is one of 2019’s companies. Click here to view the full, ranked list of Startups to Watch. RiskGenius’ elevator pitch: Software firm that helps people understand their insurance policy language and policy data faster. RiskGenius’s…
2019 Startups to Watch: Bellwethr frees complex machine learning power from experts
Editor’s note: Startland selected 12 Kansas City firms to spotlight for its annual Startups to Watch list. The following is one of 2019’s companies. Click here to view the full, ranked list of Startups to Watch. Bellwethr’s elevator pitch: Software firm using artificial intelligence and machine learning to eliminate the need for technical expertise in…
KCultivator Q&A: Morgan Perry reads KC on egos, excuses — no Northland passport required
Editor’s note: KCultivators is a lighthearted profile series to highlight people who are meaningfully enriching Kansas City’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Library shelves offer more than the theatrics of the written word, said Morgan Perry. Though she sees power in learning through entertainment, the resources available to vulnerable and other hungry audiences in need are anything but…
LA transplant encourages online shoppers to Continue Good after the sale
Online apparel store Continue Good inspires each customer to complete a small act of kindness, said Mollie Beck, noting the organization’s donations to KC-based anti-trafficking nonprofit Exodus Cry turn the small deeds into a more tangible impact. “I love inspiring people to continue to do good to others, but I wanted to just do more…