Minority-Led Stories

Hot biskuits on the rise: Classically-trained chef brings long lines, culture, collaboration to North KC 

Guroux Khalifa had $150 to his name when he set out to serve the best biscuits Kansas City ever tasted, he shared.  “A lot of painstaking work, time, love and passion has been put into creating this amazing product. The people who really understand the value and quality of that product have stuck around and…

Dolphin Tank makes a splash with women in tech: Meet the next three founders pitching

The Dolphin Tank pitch showcase returns to Kansas City this month with a trio of women-led tech startups riding a wave of heightened exposure for their ventures. Now in its second year in Kansas City, Springboard Enterprises’ Dolphin Tank is set for 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 28, at Polsinelli, 900 W. 48th…

KC’s first Black-owned brewery could open within weeks; Here’s how its debut lager could land in your hand even sooner

Vine Street Brewing’s long-anticipated opening is nearly here, said Kemet Coleman, teasing a late March first pour for the taproom and brewhouse space, which sits adjacent to the city’s historic jazz district. “It’s crazy to see something that for so long has been just an idea in our minds starting to become real,” said Coleman,…

Fashion meets cannabis: This KS-engineered, on-the-go rolling station blocks odors, makes smoking prep safer

Missouri voters legalized it; now cannabis accessories can cleanup in a newly de-stigmatized market A Kansas City cannabis lifestyle brand hopes this month’s legalization of recreational marijuana sales in Missouri will spark new interest in its products designed for on-the-go cannabis users, said Mohamed Dia. Gopack Station markets itself as “fashion meets cannabis,” said Dia,…

Children’s book tells KC entrepreneurs’ stories; challenging traditional pathways to success

Christle Reed wants Kansas City’s next wave of potential business builders to know they needn’t be bound to a mainstream plot line for wealth and happiness, the entrepreneur-turned-author shared. Her new children’s book about more than a dozen local entrepreneurs could help rewrite that narrative. “College isn’t the only way to success for kids,” she…