Startups Stories
Hometown startups want their due; sister-led QuickHire’s $1.4M round could be just the start
QuickHire’s potential for success is enhanced — not limited — by the young tech startup’s south-central Kansas geography, said Deborah Gladney, one half of a sister-led Wichita venture that recently announced its $1.4 million round boosted by a leading Kansas City fund. “Being from Wichita, we’ve come to know and appreciate everything this city has to…
He wanted a dress shoe as comfortable as bare feet; How Joey Ahearn is reimagining wingtips to boots one step at a time
A newly unboxed, Kansas City-laced premium shoe company offers a single promise: to make often-uncomfortable men’s dress shoes healthy to wear — without stomping out fashion. “I grew up wearing Converse and Vans and socks and lacing really tight every day,” recalled Joey Ahearn, a physical therapy assistant, as well as founder and CEO of Free…
A test of Fit Truk’s core strength: People assume it’s a franchise, mobile gym owner says
One of Hailee Bland Walsh’s biggest affirmations came in the form of a question: Is Fit Truk a franchise? “As someone who has built businesses from the ground up, that is very validating and a huge compliment,” said Bland Walsh, co-founder of the fully-equipped outdoor gym truck, as well as the owner of City Gym…
Why an interactive digital business card could replace LinkedIn for startup, small business leaders
People want to get their foot in the door, Jess Phillips said, laying out her plan for a newly launched social media platform that opens professional connections with an insightful twist: an interactive digital business card offering data on who visits and why. Free of the awkward sales pitches and forced conversations that often come…
KC startup’s sale charges strategy as battery innovator plugs into century-old tech firm
A Massachusetts tech company’s strategy to advance into new clean energy markets is now electrified thanks to the completed acquisition of Grandview-based Spear Power Systems — a leader in next generation battery storage systems for demanding land, sea and air applications. “The acquisition of Spear Power Systems enables us to deliver more comprehensive energy storage…
