News Stories

Local Legends unplugs Westport eSports gaming center; founder vows his vision won’t be reduced by May shooting

The doors at 3933 Main St. are locked tight, but the startup journey once housed inside them is far from over, teased AbdulRasheed Yahaya. “Local Legends isn’t going anywhere … unless we’re talking about the video game truck. That’s going everywhere,” said Yahaya, owner of Local Legends Gaming — an eSports and gaming business that…

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson border war kc

Missouri governor signs bill to end KC ‘border war,’ awaits Kansas response

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson signed a bill Tuesday placing restrictions on tax incentives offered to businesses moving from certain counties in Kansas to Missouri. The bill represents a step toward ending the economic development “border war” between the two states. “This is really about being competitive with real competitors,” said Parson, who was in Kansas…

Jeff Jones, H&R Block

Wave’s $405M acquisition a move toward ‘bigger, bolder, faster’ H&R Block, CEO says

The $405 million acquisition of Wave Financial wasn’t about H&R Block’s image — it was a move to join like-minded companies in the trenches of innovation, no matter the weight either surging business holds, said Jeff Jones. “We knew strategically that industry makes Wave a fit with H&R Block, and then it was a matter…

Heather and Kyle Steppe, KC Hemp Co.

Into the weeds: Your corner CBD store might’ve just lost its bank thanks to a slow-to-innovate industry

Banking as a mom-and-pop CBD shop can be treacherous, said Kyle Steppe. “Our first week in business, our bank shut us down and liquidated all of our assets,” said Steppe, who operates KC Hemp Co. with his wife, Heather. Their downtown Overland Park storefront is one of many independent, regional CBD sites suffering from the…

Graham Dodge, Garnish Health, Sickweather

Crowdfunding sites won’t pay your medical bills, Sickweather CEO says, launching reciprocating donation platform

Crowdfunding can help, but such tactics are unlikely to cover the medical bills of a person struggling with mounting healthcare costs, Graham Dodge said. “The unrealistic amount of self promotion needed to reach people outside your own personal network — which can happen if the media picks up on your story — is the main…