Woman-led Stories

She’s getting the empanadas ready for World Cup hunger: Here’s why Chef Silvia Miguel isn’t biting off more than she can chew

Silvia Miguel plans to greet this summer’s visitors with a taste of home, the Argentine-born business owner said. As the FIFA World Cup arrives in the metro in the coming months, Miguel and her team at Pan Caliente are crafting new products and partnerships with an international crowd in mind. The moment carries special weight…

French-Inspired Paris Baguette bakery sets timer for downtown KC opening; B&B shutters historic theater down the block

As one high-profile set of doors closes, another is expected to open by year’s end, the Power & Light District announced Monday, teasing the late-2026 arrival of a viral scratch bakery that already has kneaded its way into Johnson County with immediate word-of-mouth success. Paris Baguette, a global franchise-based bakery with more than 4,000 locations…

Hack in traction: Startups learn hustle shortcode for winning customers, narrow focus

Drilling into the customer profile for his startup — an AI-powered, curated swag marketplace aimed at early stage tech companies — Ivan Hadzhiev used tailored resources from Wichita-based NXTUS to validate a complaint keeping prospective partners from buying in. In short, a lot of options — even for custom, branded merchandise — isn’t necessarily a…

Kitchen grit caramelizes into smooth storefront opportunity for soon-to-open candy shop

The secret ingredient in Brandi Robertson’s signature sweet — a handcrafted take on her Grandmother Betty’s caramel dessert topping — isn’t found in the pantry or recipe box. Perseverance itself is the perfection within her confection, she said. “If you are going to waste calories, it better be good,” said Robertson, who spent nearly a…

A blank slate for whimsy (and work): Elevator opens doors to KC co-warehousing concept

A new co-warehousing space in North Kansas City is providing entrepreneurs like LaToya Ebony Sirls a manufacturing-ready environment that supports production — features the surging small business owner can’t get in a typical co-working setup, she said. Elevator — launched in 2022 in Omaha, Nebraska — expanded into the Kansas City market late last year….