Startups Stories

Christian entrepreneur hopes to convert believers to veganism

Kris Taylor’s inspiration for a vegan, Christian lifestyle traces back to the first book of the Bible, she said. Modern people eat meat because of original sin and the fall of man, as described in Genesis, Taylor said. “But if you go back to the creation story in Genesis, every seed-bearing plant was given to…

Caffeine tours give ‘pub crawl’ experience for lovers of coffee, tea and chocolate

Escaping corporate life in New York, Jason Burton moved to Kansas City in 2004 and began pouring his work into a new passion. As a marketer for Kansas City’s Roasterie, Burton soon recognized coffee and tea lacked the social component of events and festivals that are more associated with specialty beverages like beer and wine….

Pathfinder CEO Tina Youngblood, Jeff Blackwood

Pathfinder CEO switch pushes co-founder’s focus back to autism research

A leadership change at Pathfinder Health Innovations will allow its co-founder to focus on research that could change the lives of children and adults with autism, said Jeff Blackwood. Pathfinder announced Tuesday its board had appointed Tina Youngblood as chief executive officer, succeeding co-founder Blackwood to lead day-to-day operations and the strategic direction for the…

Jomper

KC native builds jumpsuits for all occasions — butt flap included

Party and potty in one easy piece. Literally. That’s the benefit of wearing a jumpsuit with a butt flap included: Users avoid the hassle of removing half the outfit to use the restroom, said Brittany Weltner. The Kansas City native just launched a crowdfunding campaign for her new business, Jomper, to build more functional jumpsuits…

Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation startup growth

Is government helping startups enough? Founders feel isolated, Kauffman survey finds

Early stage entrepreneurs struggle with the technical steps to getting started, a new Kauffman survey found, and founders don’t believe the government is helping them. The prevailing sentiment that entrepreneurs view themselves as isolated from assistance is understandable, said Melissa Roberts, vice president of strategy and economic development at the Enterprise Center in Johnson County….