Nikki Overfelt Chifalu

Recent Articles by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu

FitBark wags its way into nationwide retailer

May 29, 2015

  Animal tech company FitBark is now selling its dog activity-tracking device in Target stores nationwide. The deal will place its product in front of millions of consumers each year at Target’s nearly 1,800 U.S. locations. FitBark’s animal tracking device will be featured among Target’s new “Connected-Life” section, which features other Internet-enabled products such as wireless…

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Kansas City startup ‘walks the talk,’ bungee jumps

May 29, 2015

Sara Davidson doesn’t lightly espouse a message of fearlessness in business. And that’s why Davidson, the founder of Hello Fearless, is live broadcasting her jump off a cable car in Switzerland. Davidson is hoping to inspire other women around the world to conquer their fears not only with a live-streamed bungee jump — out of a…

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Think accounting: 3 ways to drive your accountant insane

May 28, 2015

In this Think column, Emerging Business CFO founder Dan Schmidt shares three ways to drive him, and other accountants, crazy. The Think column helps entrepreneurs to stop and think about the various aspects of starting and running a business. Accountant and finance professionals are generally known to be level-headed clear thinkers, able to ride the crests of emotion…

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Kansas City seeks leaders for Smart City board

May 28, 2015

The City of Kansas City, Mo., is now seeking nominations to lead the city’s smart city efforts. City leaders hope to attract citizens with experience in smart city technologies to help advise the City of Fountain’s coming Cisco Smart City project, in addition to its other smart city efforts. The newly authorized “Smart City Advisory…

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RECAP: 1 Million Cups focuses on time with Mixtape, Flowh

May 27, 2015

There was a theme at today’s 1 Million Cups KC, and it was time. Two startups presented their businesses, both at different stages, and both in different industries, but both dealing with time — how we remember it and how we manage it. Mixtape founder Joel Johnson was first to present his firm, which created…

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Lean Lab eyes $25K in national pitch contest

May 27, 2015

The Lean Lab, a Kansas City-based education innovation incubator, is hoping to strike gold in a national pitch competition in California. The organization on Wednesday will be pitching its model in the Teach For America Social Innovation Awards, an annual competition in which the Lean Lab hopes to snag a $25,000 prize. Lean Lab is the…

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6 ways to be a startup community hero (for non-entrepreneurs)

May 27, 2015

Melissa Roberts, marketing director of the Enterprise Center of Johnson County, shares how those interested in helping the startup community can effectively engage entrepreneurs.  In my work at an entrepreneurial service non-profit in Kansas City, I get to meet many passionate, community-minded people each day. Often, those people have no connection to our startup community, other than…

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Major network provider taps SquareOffs for ‘Rant Offs’

May 26, 2015

SquareOffs recently landed a client that may place its web-based debate technology in front of millions of more people. The company partnered with digital media network Rant Inc. to offer its online debate and polling tech to engage Rant’s readers and increase their advertising revenue. “It’s one of the bigger contracts that we’re apart of,”…

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Week of events creates startups, builds entrepreneurial community

May 26, 2015

The Kansas City entrepreneurial community is prepping for a week-long celebration of startups and entrepreneurship. 1WeekKC, which kicks off on May 29 and continues throughout the entire first week of June, will include a series of events created to empower entrepreneurs to come together, share ideas, get inspired, celebrate and connect. A group of community…

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Techweek, Launch KC winners have shot at more money

May 26, 2015

The winning company at a demo day competition during Kansas City’s coming Techweek conference will earn a chance at nabbing significantly more dough. In addition to a $50,000 LaunchKC grant, the winning firm would have a shot at an added $50,000 from a national competition. LaunchKC — an initiative to attract 10 tech firms to relocate to Kansas…

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