Startups Stories

Kathryn Golden, Pitch Perfect, Enterprise Center in Johnson County

Pitching your startup to investors is about more than selling an idea, says Pitch Perfect leader

Perfecting a startup pitch depends on a founder’s ability to move beyond mere product knowledge and talk the investors’ language, said Kathryn Golden. “The reality is investors aren’t buying your product; they’re not customers,” explained Golden, programs director at the Enterprise Center in Johnson County. “Investors are looking at the company and asking, ‘Is this…

Whitney Manney, Kansas City maker; Make48 panel, March 6, 2020

Maker reality show filmed at Union Station set for debut with top KC textile talent in focus

The fourth season of Make48 is set to debut next week on Kansas City PBS — marking the maker-focused reality series’ return to Kansas City and chronicling some of the final days of life in a pre-pandemic world.  Front and center amid the creative chaos  — which descended March 6-7 on Union Station for 48-hours of filming…

Isaac Hodges, president at Messenger Coffee Company

‘Role models’ for KC: Chamber reveals 10 finalists for Small Business of the Year award

Ten Kansas City companies — including a handful of up-and-coming startups and popular food and beverage hotspots — are vying for the Chamber’s top honor: the coveted Mr. K award. “Today’s the day!” said Joe Reardon, president and CEO of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, announcing the top 10 small business of the…

Strang Hall Edison District

‘Perfect weather’ helping Strang Hall stay open today, but success requires a longer view, says Tim Barton

Mild summer temperatures have fed Strang Hall’s bottom line, said Tim Barton, even as a persistent pandemic keeps the downtown Overland Park food hall hungry for its full potential. “Having the outdoor space and the roll-up garage door bar area has been very good for us,” said Tim Barton, the serial entrepreneur and mind behind…

Spark Kansas City, murals by JT Daniels

JT Daniels’ murals infuse sparks of Kansas City into new downtown collaborative workspace

A sprawling mural inside Spark Kansas City offers the new collaborative workspace and its members more than just a few pops of color, said JT Daniels. “The subjects are all important figures specific to KC’s history, both past and present,” said Daniels, a Kansas City-based illustrator and muralist tasked with helping bring Spark KC’s common…