Minority-Led Stories

Health-forward Safi Fresh opens in Waldo; 18th & Vine spot (and loaded fries) on the way

“I’m excited more than anything,” said founder LaRonda Lanear. “I don’t feel nervous because I work really well under pressure. It’s going to be a great look.”

Archia boosts safe AI adoption for companies struggling to link the tech to solutions they really need

“Think of it as an agent operating system,” Gharib Gharibi explained. “We built it from the ground up to make sure that security and privacy is baked in and not added after the fact to the system.”

‘We are the culture’: KC Chamber finalists link business identity to leadership at the top

“This is our American Dream, it’s our version of it,” said Vu Radley, describing the early days and journey of MADE MOBB, the streetwear brand he built alongside fellow first-generation immigrant co-founders Jesse Phouangphet and Mark Launiu.

Supplier stops along Prospect: Bus tour connects corporate buyers to east side businesses

The Prospect Business Association is leaning into a more hands-on approach to economic development, said Simone Curls, describing a support concept that brings decision-makers directly into the spaces where small businesses operate — opening the door to future contracts, collaborations, and long-term economic sustainability for entrepreneurs.

‘This is a different type of founder’: LaunchKC reveals latest social venture cohort

Kansas City’s startup community has helped Trina Nudson feel seen and understood as an emerging entrepreneur, the Be Aligned founder shared. A spot in this year’s Social Venture Studio cohort could help her dig even deeper into the business realities of the unknown, she said. “I’m an attorney, and if you turn to a fellow…