News Stories
BacklotCars completes historic $425M exit, joining ‘power and fierce entrepreneurial spirit’ of KAR Global
The $425 million acquisition of Kansas City-based BacklotCars is complete, nearly two months to the day it was announced. “There is so much energy and excitement around this combination with our employees and with our customers,” Justin Davis, president and co-founder of BacklotCars, said in a release announcing the milestone acquisition’s completion Thursday by KAR…
From Aussie garage to unicorn: How SafetyCulture continues its climb in an ever-changing environment
Starting from humble beginnings, SafetyCulture earned its membership in the Australian unicorn club this year with a $1.3 billion valuation, said Nick Topping. “Our CEO and founder Luke Anear actually founded the company [in 2004] out of his garage in Townsville, Australia,” said Topping, who leads the marketing and business development teams in the Americas…
COVID is hurting small biz — but how to help? AltCap, KCBizCare launch listening tour to find best strategy
To help Kansas City’s small business community, leaders first must know what entrepreneurs actually need, said Ruben Alonso, announcing the launch of a KCMO-backed, city-wide listening tour. “As we look to recover from the economic disruption caused by COVID-19, it is critical we hear from small businesses, the lifeblood of our communities so that we…
Ice Cream Bae serves up first storefront; menu of food concepts already sprinkled across KC
A colorful mix of childhood cereals, Eastern Asian-inspired flavors and Instagrammable cones set Ice Cream Bae apart from other ice cream shops in Kansas City, said Adison Sichampanakhone and Jackie Faltermeier. “We put extra attention into detail with every cone because customers are coming here for an experience, so it has to look perfect,” said…
Designer Whitney Manney using JOANN grant to reshape the fabric of KC’s fashion scene
Kansas City is legit — and it’s full of talented creatives who national eyes should be watching, said Whitney Manney. “I think COVID has shown us you can show up and show out from anywhere in this world,” added Manney, a local fashion designer, maker, and founder of the WHITNEYMANNEY (WM) fashion label, in announcement…
