Joyce Smith

Recent Articles by Joyce Smith

‘Mama Mystery’ podcast builds true crime following from serial entrepreneur’s St. Joe home studio

January 31, 2025

ST. JOSEPH, Missouri — Kelly Evans is no stranger to a good mystery. But the real puzzle, the mother of four said, is how she mastered multitasking her true crime podcast, multiple businesses, and a radio show — all while hooking her audience with gripping storytelling and a dash of humor to balance out the…

Read More

Grateful for this moment (again): Fantrepreneurs back in play as Super Bowl boosts small biz

January 29, 2025

A blitz of Super Bowl-bound Chiefs-inspired playoff sales feels like a winning two-point conversion after a holiday season touchdown for Kansas City makers; many of whom in recent years have seen their longtime fandom intertwined with their businesses’ bottom lines. “We are fans and also small business owners all wrapped into one,” said Morgan Georgie,…

Read More

KC team leaves its mark on Superdome; How your gameday Super Bowl view could be thanks to this Lenexa firm

January 29, 2025

A five-year, $560-million renovation at the Ceasars Superdome in New Orleans culminates Feb. 9 in a Super Bowl rematch featuring the hometown team of an engineering firm responsible for much of the work at the massive historic arena. Henderson Engineers, a Lenexa-based building systems design firm, recently completed a wide range of renovation projects within…

Read More

K-State accelerator opens applications to startups; university dives deeper into regional K-State 105 initiative

January 29, 2025

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.  [divide] MANHATTAN, Kansas — Sunflower State startups are invited to apply for Kansas State University’s entrepreneurship accelerator, which now boasts a more-than-10-year track record, as well as a refined focus…

Read More

Prefix Coffee opens another shop in downtown KC, pulling closer to drive-thru service

January 29, 2025

Owners of the family-run Prefix Coffee hope its newest location in downtown Kansas City will make the shop — known for its in-house roasted specialty coffee and fresh pastries — the go-to spot for the nearby Power & Light District and government buildings surrounding City Hall. The Prefix Coffee space at 1125 Grand Blvd opened…

Read More

Aussie livestock tech company tags Johnson County for its new North American HQ

January 29, 2025

An Australian leader in direct-to-satellite animal monitoring technology announced its plans Wednesday to establish North American headquarters at the Aspiria Campus in Overland Park — bringing a half-dozen jobs and paving the way for more tech innovators from Australia to land in the local market. “The Kansas City region was the clear choice,” said David Smith,…

Read More

Competition opening its call for startups to pitch at UMKC (founders who’ve finished growing need not apply)

January 28, 2025

UMKC’s support for entrepreneurship doesn’t stop at the edge of campus, said Adam Larson, detailing plans for another startup competition between established Kansas City companies during this spring’s Regnier Venture Creation Challenge. Non-student-led companies with headquarters in Kansas City are eligible to compete in the James and Rae Block Kansas City Startup Awards. Applications open…

Read More

Superstars’ palette of impact dips into diverse industries: Here’s how a KC muralist creates his own economic progress

January 28, 2025

Each individual brush stroke plays a role in painting the broader picture of economic development in Kansas City, said Daniel Montoute, reflecting on how a single entrepreneur can impact the region within the collective blend of communities. “As a small business rooted in the heart of Kansas City, we are proud to contribute to the…

Read More

Down for donuts: How this team is sweetening Chiefs’ Super Bowl sugar rush with Mr. D’s(fense)

January 28, 2025

Another return trip to the Super Bowl has Kansas City small businesses joining the Chiefs as behind-the-scenes special teams fueling the Kingdom. For entrepreneur Johnny Chen, the mere taste of victory just a few years ago has multiplied into a box-full of opportunities. “The Chiefs’ success has impacted our sales tremendously,” said Chen, co-owner of…

Read More

Spokes Café banks on new downtown coffee spot, cycling operations under same roof as neighboring customers 

January 27, 2025

A new home inside the Commerce Bank Building in downtown Kansas City moves Dan Walsh’s popular coffee shop across the street — and saves him the struggle of finding a different location amid Spokes Café’s pending displacement as a longtime fixture at 10th and Walnut streets. Walsh recently announced the relocation — the artisanal breakfast and…

Read More