Minority-Led Stories

2000 Vine Street project

KC’s first Black-owned brewery reveals future home: Historic redevelopment project on Vine Street

A piece of Kansas City history — now an in-the-works east side business development near one of the city’s famed entertainment districts — is expected to be the home of KC’s first Black-owned brewery, Kemet Coleman confirmed Monday. “The cat’s out of the bag,” said Coleman, revealing plans for the soon-to-debut Vine Street Brewing company to…

Michael Thurman, Cutter Fleet

Making home haircuts fresh again: KC barber reimagines barbershops with mobile service, app

Michael Thurman had a 1-year-old child at home and another baby on the way when COVID-19’s outset left him without work for eight weeks, he shared. Contemplating how he could have more freedom and stability as a barber, the wheels began turning beneath Thurman’s scalp. His idea: create a traveling barber platform — now known as…

President Joe Biden; Photo courtesy of the White House

White House vs ‘startup slump’: New executive order puts feds on notice in bid to reverse innovation decline

Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. Victor Hwang is the founder and CEO of the Right to Start movement. Click here to learn more about Right to Start, a campaign to drive economic recovery and advance economic justice. This commentary originally appeared on Inc.com and is republished with permission…

Shakia Webb, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation

New voice on capital access: If people aren’t already at the table, move the table to them

Editor’s note: The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is a financial supporter of Startland News. This story was produced independently by Startland News’s nonprofit newsroom. From teller to business banker, Shakia Webb worked nearly every bank job, she recalled.  “Each role literally prepared me for the next,” Webb told Startland News, detailing her well-rounded resume and…

Howard Schultz, Carla Harris, and Sandy Kemper

Former Starbucks CEO, C2FO’s Sandy Kemper join Morgan Stanley exec for ‘Nothing to Fear’ DEI conversation

Top business leaders are now embracing diversity and inclusion, Carla Harris said, but even their most sincere initiatives must survive the fear that comes with changing trends and an inevitable economic downturn. “Fear has no place in your success equation,” said Harris, a 33-year Wall Street veteran and Morgan Stanley executive who headlines Thursday’s Innovation…