Woman-led Stories
This KC kombucha brewer brought back North America’s most mysterious tropical fruit; the time to taste it is ripe now
When the forest starts to smell like bananas, it means the pawpaws are ready for harvesting, Amy Goldman shared. “I’d never heard of pawpaws until last year when one of our farmer friends brought us a bunch of them. We tried them in our kombucha, and it sold out so fast. It was incredible. But…
New nonprofit surprises first-ever $20K ‘changemaker’ grant winner; he already knows how he’ll invest it
Pastor Adrian Roberson was initially too stunned to speak Thursday when he was awarded a $20,000 grant for KC United — a youth sports initiative he co-founded in 2009 with his wife Vicky. But the duo already have plans for the money: spreading blessings. “I want to say, ‘Glory to God,’” Adrian Roberson shared moments after…
For the good of the hive: KC pediatrician builds buzz with award-winning urban bee farm effort
No one is more surprised by pediatrician Marion Pierson’s newfound career success as a beekeeper and advocate for urban apiaries, the Prairie Village doctor said. “I didn’t know this would happen,” Pierson said. “In fact, I’m scared of bugs. My husband asked me how I was going to start a bee farm. When I’m in…
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…
Cotton candy calling: Why a South KC sweets shop’s signature treat is still hand-spun with an air of nostalgia
Each ding of the oven generates more buzz for this whimsy-frosted bake shop and creamery in South Kansas City. But it’s the soft, sticky sweet treat that fills small tubs and lines the store’s shelves — (hand) spinning the entrepreneurial dreams of its owner into a sugar-rush of a reality. “I really hit the jackpot,”…
