Opinion Stories

Jessie Jacob, CoreBuild, The Culture Lab

Jessie Jacob: Investing in founders’ mental strength for scale

Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this commentary about mental health and workplace culture are the author’s alone. We hear plenty of talk about the importance of mental health, as well as investing in culture for founders, but not a whole lot about people doing something about it. Perhaps they don’t know how or aren’t…

Chris Brown Venture Legal

Chris Brown: 37 lessons from five years of being my own boss

Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. Chris Brown is the founder of Venture Legal where he represents startups, freelancers, and small businesses. This column (originally published by Venture Legal) is intended to be general in detail and does not constitute legal advice. Five years ago I took a huge…

Zach Pettet: It’s time to make some noise about KC’s secret bad ass investors

Editor’s note: Zach Pettet is the managing director of Fountain City Fintech and a fintech strategist at nbkc bank, with which Startland News has partnered on a Dec. 6 Innovation Exchange event. Opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. Quiet wealth in Kansas City is a double-edged sword. The upside? You have to…

Jason Tatge, Farmobile

Farmobile’s Jason Tatge: Why venture capitalists can’t afford to fly over Midwest startups

Savvy investors are turning their attention to the Midwest. Leading VC firms and investors are fleeing from the high prices, the groupthink and the cutthroat competition of the coasts and turning to the heart of the United States for their next moonshots. And yet, the Midwest attracts just 7 percent of VC capital, a tiny…

Rick Usher

Rick Usher: How can KCMO balance policy and micromobility technology?

Update: On Thursday, KCMO City Manager Troy Schulte authorized Bird to deploy up to 500 scooters, as authorized in the city’s interim operating agreement. Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. This piece by Rick Usher was originally published by the National League of Cities, and comes days after Kansas City…