Woman-led Stories

University launching effort for Native small biz, focused on ‘Indianpreneurship,’ resilience

Startland News’ Startup Road Trip series explores innovative and uncommon ideas finding success in rural America and Midwestern startup hubs outside the Kansas City metro.  LAWRENCE, Kansas — A Kansas university is looking forward to developing indigenous and minority entrepreneurs through a new program funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration. Haskell Indian Nations University…

Shop Local KC leader says she won’t live in fear after parade shooting marks third encounter with gun violence

For the third time in two years, Katie Mabry van Dieren and her small businesses have been impacted by gun violence, she shared, and now the advocate for local makers is calling for gun reform. “It’s unimaginable,” Mabry van Dieren, owner of Shop Local KC and founder of Strawberry Swing, said in the wake of…

Fans packed Chiefs rally, one didn’t come home; citywide trauma from shooting won’t heal quickly, grief expert says

Trauma and grief come in waves, said Mindy Corporon, foreshadowing a long road ahead for those impacted — directly and indirectly — by Wednesday’s shooting near the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl victory rally. Like many across the region, Corporon, co-founder of the Merriam-based nonprofit SevenDays foundation, was watching the Chiefs parade on TV when…

Why one entrepreneur is Swiftly rolling up the warehouse doors for thirsty Chiefs parade-goers

Wednesday’s Chiefs victory parade will be the city’s third in four years, but for East Crossroads-based Wild Way Coffee, the 2024 rolling downtown-to-midtown event hits different, said Christine Clutton. The brand’s iconic mobile coffee camper — stationed in the Wild Way warehouse at 708 E. 19th St. for the winter — will once again open…

Crossroads collaboration brings booch on tap, kegs, mocktails to MO’s (new) biggest kombucha taproom

Brewer’s Alley in the East Crossroads is getting a new kind of taproom, Kortney Lee and Lisa Bledsoe shared. In a freshly bottled collaboration, Tea-Biotics Kombucha opened Missouri’s largest kombucha taproom Friday in the former home of Community Groceries Crossroads Market. “Beer is brewed; Kombucha is brewed, as well,” said Lee, who owns Community Groceries…