Guest Authors Stories
Entrepreneur who left KC: Lack of funding, competitive pay drove me away
Editor’s note: Jacob McDaniel is an entrepreneur and former resident of Kansas City. This letter was penned by McDaniel in response to Zach Pettet’s op-ed on Kansas City being an underground tech hub. Opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. While I don’t personally know a ton about FinTech, I do know a…
Frank Keck: How intentional is your workplace culture?
Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this commentary about workplace culture are the author’s alone. How do you build an organization that performs at a high level and attracts your industry’s top talent? Is there a proven way to help strengthen your business, increase productivity and prepare for growth? Does teamwork have something to do…
Kyle J Smith: Creating hope in a dark place; a reflection on the passing of Kate Spade
Editor’s note: Kyle J Smith, an entrepreneurial ecosystem builder in Kansas City, reflects on fashion designer Kate Spade, 55, who died Tuesday of suicide. Born Katherine Brosnahan in Kansas City, Missouri, she went on to build a widely successful business and brand that carried her name. My heart broke when I heard about Kate Spade’s…
April Boyd-Noronha: VR Rocks in KC youth competition at Bloch Venture Hub
Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. High school-aged virtual reality enthusiasts from across Kansas City recently gathered for a VRoKCs hackathon at Bloch Venture Hub. I was invited to judge the teams, which each delved into VR — an emerging trend in STEM that essentially allows a user to…
Fashionpreneur to KC: Stand with Starbucks — close for bias training, avoid businesses that don’t
Editor’s note: Jordan Williams, founder of Kansas City-based fashion company Keefe Cravat, wrote the following in response to a recent national news story with local implications for members of the startup community. The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. The arrest earlier this month of two black men in a Philadelphia Starbucks…
