Woman-led Stories

Launch Health Accelerator 2019 cohort

Women-led Kansas City companies fuel Launch Health accelerator’s first cohort

Healthcare needs an overhaul and four Kansas City-area companies are among those poised to disrupt the industry as part of the first Launch Health Accelerator cohort, explained Jeremy Tasset.  “Through the health accelerator, we were seeking companies with fresh ideas that give rise to improving care and lowering costs that can be readily integrated into…

Green Bee Tea Towels

From maker to CEO: Green Bee founder turned KC resources into a brand buzzing online, in stores

When the inventory of vintage goods Rena Krouse sold online started to dwindle, her entrepreneurial roots helped her recreate history.  “I grew a huge Instagram following and they would get irritated when I would run out of certain things,” Krouse, CEO of Green Bee Tea Towels, said in explanation of how her maker’s journey began. …

Graham Dodge, Sickweather patent

Startup leader exits Sickweather CEO role to lead East Coast tech incubator

Serial entrepreneur Graham Dodge is headed back to the East Coast to lead a tech incubator after exiting his position as CEO of Sickweather, one of the KC-based Sprint Accelerator’s early success stories. “I will be moving back to Maryland for MAGIC [the Mid-Atlantic Gigabit Innovation Collaboratory], but my goal is to stay connected with…

Kathryn Golden, Enterprise Center in Johnson County

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…

Jene’ Hong, E-Scholars mentor

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…