Nikki Overfelt Chifalu
Reporter, Startland News
Nikki brings to Startland News both community journalism and entrepreneurship experience and she loves being able to tell the inspiring stories of fellow creatives and risk-takers.
Before joining Startland News, she worked for over 10 years writing and editing for daily newspapers in Lawrence, Topeka, Duluth, Minnesota, and Park Hills, Missouri. She took a short hiatus from journalism to pursue her dream of becoming a pastry chef and starting her own baking business.
Recent Articles by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu
Starting a business in KCMO is too expensive, study says; here’s how the city can cut those costs
Entrepreneurs in Kansas City, Missouri, face a higher cost of entry to the world of small business than their peers in St. Louis — or even just across the state line in Kansas City, Kansas, said Jennifer McDonald. “We look at things like how expensive it is to start a business, how complicated it is,…
Scoring Google’s $1B data center feels like Super Bowl overtime as KC keeps notching wins, officials say
Kansas City is hitting it out of the ballpark, said Mike Parson, returning from the governor’s office to the region Wednesday for yet another major economic development announcement — this time, a billion-dollar Google data center coming in 2025. “Maybe I should say, ‘You’re hitting it out of the ballpark and scoring touchdowns,” Parson, R-Missouri, told…
He’s touched every ꓘ at The K for 25 years; meet the man who gives mud baths to 200+ balls before each game
Every baseball that crosses home plate at Kauffman Stadium likely received a mud bath from Tom Walsh, he shared. Before every home game — including opening day March 28 — the Kansas City Royals clubhouse and umpire services manager is in charge of preparing 204 balls in line with the strict regulations of Major League…
‘Punching above our weight’: KC requests $75M in federal funds as region’s Tech Hubs effort builds even more momentum
Leaders of Kansas City’s Tech Hubs initiative won’t find out until this summer if the regional effort will receive a new round of federal funding, but there’s already plenty to cheer, shared Dennis Ridenour. “We fully expect to be here — or someplace like this — four or five months from now celebrating our region’s…
Quick studies: These Kansans just left their college careers for $500K (and a crash course in startups)
When a friend encouraged Aditya Joshi and Varun Verma to apply for the Y Combinator accelerator program, the Wichita natives didn’t expect to land an interview, they shared — much less get accepted. “Truly, all we had was this idea and a couple of months under our belt of just talking to different folks,” Joshi…
No ribbon cutting when a business closes, Plowboys founder says: Know how to start (and stop) on your own terms
A year and a half after Todd Johns closed his restaurants to focus instead on Plowboys-branded retail products, Johns would rather leave a legacy that’s felt within the Kansas City barbecue community than be known as a legend, he shared. “I’d rather know that I helped someone here,” the president of Plowboys Foods told attendees…
Deep fake election ahead: Prepare for AI-generated misinformation arms race, warn KC experts
With the deployment of AI-generated content rapidly advancing just as the U.S. hurtles toward one of the most divisive election seasons in its history, developer Michelle Frost offered two words of advice: buckle in. “It’s gonna be a shit show of a year as an election cycle,” the Johns Hopkins artificial intelligence grad student told…
Now serving foodpreneurs: KC conference dishes out 30+ sessions for new, growing food businesses
Launching a food business comes with unique challenges, Xander Winkel shared, and the Mid-Continent Public Library has partnered with several local organizations to help those specialized entrepreneurs find their recipe to success. The Food Business Conference — free workshops, panel discussions, and networking opportunities for “foodpreneurs” that are offered in partnership with the library, Kansas…
New home on Ward Parkway: $4M minority chamber project brings Black, Brown entrepreneurs under one banner
A history-making project on Ward Parkway — said to be the first minority-owned property on the storied Kansas City thoroughfare — already is demonstrating the power of unity amid divisive times, said Kim Randolph. Unveiled to the public Saturday, the new Minority Chamber of Commerce Development Center at 9100 Ward Parkway is now home to both…
KC Chamber’s Superstars celebration empowers everyday small business heroes
Editor’s note: The Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce is a non-financial partner of Startland News, which serves as the media partner for the Small Business Superstars program. The Blueprint KC has come a long way, said Sheraz Pompey, emphasizing the meaningful impact of being showcased as one of the KC Chamber’s Small Business Superstars….