Startups Stories
KCultivator Q&A: Kathryn Golden risks it all to laugh at life (but roommates are no joke)
Editor’s note: KCultivators is a lighthearted profile series to highlight people who are meaningfully enriching Kansas City’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. The KCultivator Series is sponsored by Plexpod, a progressive coworking platform offering next generation workspace for entrepreneurs, startups, and growth-stage companies of all sizes. A spoonful of sugar couldn’t help Kathryn Golden stomach the oddities she…
DC-based digital SWAT team descends on KC as Social Driver for mission-based clients
From being included in selfies to getting tagged on social media posts, carving a digital footprint is the best way for social movements to gain traction, said Thomas Sanchez, CEO and co-founder of Social Driver. “We are the digital heavy hitters. I always kind of talk about us as almost being like the SWAT team…
Ego gets you in trouble — open ears get you business, UMKC E-Scholars mentor says
Editor’s note: This article is sponsored by the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s Regnier Institute, but was independently produced by Startland News. If ego runs the show, a founder won’t succeed, Jene’ Hong said as she cracked jokes laced with straightforward advice. “If we have a big ego, we can’t listen to other people and that’s…
Payit, C2FO making biggest waves, but funding for smaller companies still jumped 81 percent
Editor’s note: The following is the first in a series of analyses of Startland’s list of Kansas City’s Top Venture Capital-Backed Companies. Proof points matter, said John Thomson. “We’re evidence — based on the $100 million-plus growth equity investment we closed this spring — that you can build a world-class tech company in Kansas City,”…
Mid Coast Modern founder joins Westport bar scene with sudsy, eco-friendly concept
Matt Bramlette bathes in the wordplay of it all. His new venture in Kansas City’s quirky Westport entertainment district — known for its shops, restaurants and bars — floats a clean business prop: bars of soap with a low carbon footprint. Hence, “Soap Bar.” Just a few feet away from his popular retail storefront Mid…
