Latest Stories
‘You can’t fake that’: Bold flavors, artisan style keep Savory Addictions smoking through times of economic uncertainty
When raises dried up at work a decade ago, Craig Jones needed a new way to make up lost income. “It kind of happened by accident. It was never on purpose,” Jones said of the hobby he turned into a side hustle in 2011 and ways it’s since grown into a booming business — Savory Addictions…
Startup Road Trip: Transplants to Kansas see future of prosthetics in eco-friendly textile hemp
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. This series is possible thanks to the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, which leads a collaborative, nationwide effort to identify and remove large and small barriers to new business creation. WICHITA…
Jack pot: Native Hemp Co. opens storefront in Lee’s Summit, surviving potent hits
An empty space with an open-minded building owner in downtown Lee’s Summit became the perfect spot to fulfill Native Hemp Co.’s potential, said Rich Dunfield. “God always has a plan,” he said. “This [location] is better for my life. I live out here; my family’s out here. I like how we’re brand new, and I…
Body of artwork: Birdies’ Peregrine Honig sketches business artistry from Crossroads lingerie shop
A global pandemic has far from caged artist-turned-entrepreneur Peregrine Honig. Her creativity helped perch the Crossroads lingerie shop she founded within a market the ongoing economic downturn couldn’t cover. “Liquor and lingerie do great when people are freaked out,” said Honig, who co-owns Birdies with Alexis Burggrabe. “People at home still want to entertain even…
Hot cocoa, mocha, donuts and aloha: KC’s new tiki hideaway pours the unexpected — 1,600+ miles from the beach
Snowy skies and frosted windshields outside, beach vibes within. A new tiki-inspired cafe — tucked away in the East Crossroads — offers a warm, inviting atmosphere and tropical transformations of classic treats and sips. The concept: Blend the flavors of surf and sunsets with perennial staples like coffee, donuts and ice cream. “It’s an all-inclusive…
Worker wearables startup Kenzen earns $1M capital injection from Fenaroli-led Overland Park investor
Kansas City-worn Kenzen is rolling into 2021 with new funding and partnerships pushing the wearables startup into overdrive. The company announced a $1 million injection of funding from Overland Park-based Examinetics — a portfolio company of New York-based Freedom 3 Capital — Wednesday. “The Kenzen solution is gaining momentum. This alliance with Examinetics will broaden the team…
A maker reality TV series is transforming Travis Kelce’s gift to KC into a ‘fan experience’ on Troost
While the Kansas City Chiefs run it back on the field — the impact of superstar tight end Travis Kelce continues to be felt through a new partnership with Make48. Kelce’s ongoing work with Operation Breakthrough will see the non-profit realize it’s Ignition Lab later this year, but it won’t open its doors without some…
Tasty, healthy treats in a microwaveable cup: Omega Power Creamer founders launch Upside Down Bakery
Guilty pleasure treats — like brownies, muffins and pancakes — no longer require “guilt” as an ingredient, Greg Blome said. “Upside Down Bakery is flipping baking on its head,” said Blome, who co-founded Upside Down Bakery with Nick Wehrle. “As in, we are making traditional high-sugar, high-carb products that taste good, and taking away the…
Effort to grow startup capital for Black-owned businesses: Our work in KC has just begun
A nonprofit that’s raised more than a quarter million dollars in eight months to provide grants to Black small business owners says a diverse range of Kansas City entrepreneurs already has asked for help — and their needs go beyond the obvious. “Normally when people think of Black-owned businesses here in Kansas City, most immediately think…
Actress-entrepreneur finds sweet inspiration, resiliency in life’s unexpected ingredients
From the stage to the studio to a sweets shop on Main Street, the creative talents of Shawna Peña-Downing have never let her down, she said, crediting her resiliency to a STEAM-focused education. “I finally got a job after being laid off in June,” Peña-Downing, multiplatform artist, teacher, and entrepreneur, said of her reality amid…
