Latest Stories

Listen: When the grind gets gloomy, experts discuss mental health challenges and entrepreneurship

About 72 percent of entrepreneurs have self-reported mental health concerns, according to a study done by the University of California San Francisco. More specifically, about 30 percent of entrepreneurs experience depression and about 30 percent experience ADHD, the same study found. In recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, Startland News and Think Big’s May Innovation…

6 tips and tricks to stay sane while scaling fast

Frequently taking on more demands and shirking personal care, entrepreneurs’ work-life balance often skews toward work. Deadlines, finding clients, making payroll and dozens of other stressors can put entrepreneurs at risk of mental illness or compound existing challenges. Furthermore, entrepreneurs are disproportionately affected by such issues as ADHD, bipolar disorder and depression, according to studies…

Video: How to use the lean model canvas for fun and profit

Editor’s note: Continuing our mission to help area entrepreneurs and startups grow, we’re happy to share with you a video from our friends at Kansas City-based tech agency Crema. Learn more about the agency here. Starting a business, or launching a product is really hard. Most people will tell you to first come up with…

Visualize Kansas City’s digital divide with this new Smart City tool

A canyon between those with consistent access to computers and the Internet and those who don’t, the digital divide is often discussed in the abstract. However difficult to conceptualize in a broad scale, the digital divide in Kansas City has real economic, cultural and social implications in our community. That’s why the City of Kansas…

Legal review: Supreme Court’s unanimous patent troll ruling, effects on KC

A recent ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court is being hailed as a significant blow to so-called patent trolls. Supreme Court justices unanimously ruled on Monday that patent infringement lawsuits may only be brought against defendants in the state in which the company is incorporated. The ruling dings “patent troll” plaintiffs that shop the country…

Focusing on fun, 1Week KC returns with Startup Crawl, yard games

A week long celebration of Kansas City entrepreneurship plans to build community among area innovators and residents with a festive atmosphere focused on fun. Featuring a startup pub crawl, a yard games tournament, educational events and more, 1Week KC is set for June 16 to 23 with events throughout the metro area. Previously presented by…

KCMO offers FAQ on its prospective Airbnb, Homeaway regulations

On Monday, the City of Kansas City, Mo. released newly-proposed rules on how it may regulate home-sharing services like Airbnb and Homeaway. City officials are planning to introduce the proposed ordinance at the Kansas City Planning Commission on June 6. After that, the proposal will head to the Kansas City Council, where it will likely…

Airbnb tells KCMO ‘go back to the drawing board’ on new proposed regulations

Airbnb and Homeaway hosts in Kansas City, Mo. are likely to see a set of new regulations for their properties soon. After more than a year of culling public input, the City of Kansas City, Mo. has drafted a proposed ordinance on how to regulate local home-sharing services like Airbnb and Homeaway. The proposal would…

KCultivator Q&A: Big-hearted prankster Robert Manigold on opera singing, empathy and Weird Al

Editor’s note: KCultivators is a new, lighthearted profile series we’re kicking off to highlight people who are meaningfully enriching Kansas City’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Check out our feature on Prep-KC CEO Susan Wally and community builder Donald Carter. If you live or work in downtown Kansas City, you’ve likely seen Robert Manigold. The “Ambassador of Awesome”…

Events Preview: Innovation Exchange, Verge KC

There are a plethora of entrepreneurial events hosted in Kansas City on a weekly basis. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, investor, supporter, or curious community member — we recommend these upcoming events for you. Are you hosting a relevant community event? Feel free to add it to the FWD/KC calendar for increased exposure. Once your event…