The TAM Scam: Why the next economy won’t need your pitch deck’s market-size slide

For most of modern business history, directly observing economic activity was slow, expensive, or impossible. We developed proxies to compress uncertainty into numbers that executives, lenders, and investors could use. But as technology makes economic activity more observable, the proxies we built for an earlier era become harder to defend.

I was wrong about sports: Why KC’s ‘escape velocity’ keeps pointing back to 18th and Vine

By Tommy Felts / September 29, 2026

Sports, music, and barbecue are not three separate Kansas City brands, writes urbanist and entrepreneur Kemet Coleman. “They are one story, and it starts at 18th and Vine,” the Vine Street Brewing co-founder explained.

300 pitches later, GIFT founder offers a cheat sheet for selling your vision (hint: it starts with the pitch deck)

By Tommy Felts / September 14, 2026

“What does your business do? Tell me directly, clearly, and avoid unnecessary fluff,” writes Brandon Calloway in an open letter to entrepreneurs. “As someone making a snap judgment about your business, I need to quickly understand what it offers.”

Smart glasses at work: How employers using (or banning) the tech could face legal challenges

By Tommy Felts / August 25, 2026

AI-enabled smart glasses take a step further than the traditional “body camera” surveillance footage, given the technology’s ability to retain and assess information, such as biometric information. That creates new concerns for employers who might want to implement the devices — or even keep them out of the workplace altogether, writes a team of attorneys from Polsinelli.

Missouri founders need rules for crypto, digital assets that protect infrastructure and consumers, advocate says

By Tommy Felts / July 9, 2026

Congress should act quickly, writes Ryan Wright. If the United States waits too long, other countries will continue setting the standards for digital assets, AI provenance, and the next generation of financial infrastructure. Missouri should not be left reacting to that future. We should help build it. 

Royals chose Crown Center; KC now must decide how 18th & Vine stays in the game

By Tommy Felts / April 27, 2026

The Royals ballpark announcement was still eye-opening, because moments like this reveal what a city is actually willing to organize itself around, writes Kemet Coleman.

How can 90 days fix 18 months of revenue? Make trust and consistency your currency

By Tommy Felts / April 19, 2026

Many leaders start buying marketing the same way they buy any other solution .. one need at a time. It’s not uncommon for one company to have a web vendor, a PR partner, a graphic designer, an email vendor, and so on. The hire is based on need, not strategy; and the real cost shows up in places most leadership teams don’t calculate.

To love your coworkers, love yourself first; and, yes, the Golden Rule applies at work too (Holistic Hustle)

By Tommy Felts / February 6, 2023

Kharissa Parker is a news producer, writer, certified health coach, and columnist for Startland News. For more of her self-care tips on how to keep your cup full, visit kparker.co. Editor’s note: This commentary on relationships — and how getting along with co-workers begins closer to home than you might think — wraps up Parker’s…

KC is the nation’s leading exporter of authenticity; How a city with no oceans or mountains gets it right

By Tommy Felts / January 25, 2023

Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. Matthew Mellor is interim CEO for Startland, the parent organization of Startland News. What is it about Kansas City? Even people from Kansas City struggle with the “but why.” “Everyone who’s been to Kansas City says it’s someplace special. But why?” As Kansas…

Gain cybersecurity traction with these four steps (Hint: continuous improvement is critical)

By Tommy Felts / January 23, 2023

Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. Angela Redmond is director of attest services at BARR Advisory, which has offices in Kansas City. BARR Advisory, a cloud-based security and compliance solutions provider, specializing in cybersecurity, is a financial partner of Startland News. Click here to check out more of this…

Transforming a toxic startup can’t happen overnight, but don’t let intimidation kill your culture

By Tommy Felts / January 17, 2023

Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. Jennifer Libby is a district manager with human resources provider Insperity’s Kansas City office. Click here to read more from this contributor. Nobody likes a toxic workplace. But if everyone from workers to C-suite executives agrees, why does the toxicity continue to persist…

Organized mess or inbox in distress? What your email says about the vibe at work (Holistic Hustle)

By Tommy Felts / January 9, 2023

Kharissa Parker is a news producer, writer, certified health coach, and columnist for Startland News. For more of her self-care tips on how to keep your cup full, visit kparker.co. Editor’s note: This commentary on awareness of space — and how it reflects the vibe necessary to succeed at work — continues Parker’s series on…

Don’t fixate on the ‘quiet quitting’ trend; focus on poor performers who aren’t even doing the minimum

By Tommy Felts / December 20, 2022

Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. Jennifer Libby is a district manager with human resources provider Insperity’s Kansas City office. Click here to read more from this contributor. Employee performance is top of mind for many business owners. Team management has become more challenging as of late with the…