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
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)
“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
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
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
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
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.
The Kansas City you know is dying; Open letter to banks, donor-advised funds, and fellow Kansas Citians
Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. Adam Arredondo is CEO of STARTLAND — formerly the Kansas City Startup Foundation — the parent organization of Startland News and the talent programs MECA Challenge, MECA Methods, and Back2KC. This opinion piece was produced independently of Startland News with light editing. No…
Blockchain Basics: Emerging tech is a silver bullet for some, but not a universal solution
Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. Kenyon Briggs is an attorney at Husch Blackwell in Kansas City. Mindi Giftos and Bob Bowman are partners at Husch Blackwell and contributed to this op-ed, part of a limited series on blockchain sponsored by Husch Blackwell. As blockchain grows in popularity, people continue to…
How to weather the COVID-19 storm: Lessons from a 2008 startup survivor
Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. Steve Roatch is CEO of Leawood-based 27Global, a custom software development company. While the specifics of this coronavirus pandemic are unique, we’ve seen recessions, depressions, national emergencies, wars and even pandemics before. The good news is that in each of these events, when…
Businesses are already claiming COVID-19 damages — Will insurance companies step up?
Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this commentary are the authors’ alone. Travis Holt is CEO and co-founder of Brush Creek Partners, a risk management consulting firm and full service brokerage. The current coronavirus, COVID-19, has already had a significant impact on businesses and there is uncertainty about how long the impact will be felt. …
Sandy Kemper: How to solve the $16 trillion small business liquidity trap
Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this commentary are the authors’ alone. Sandy Kemper is founder and CEO of C2FO. This open letter was originally published on LinkedIn and targeted to governments and central banks of the world. C2FO and the Kemper Family Foundation are financial supporters of Startland News and its parent organization, STARTLAND. Earlier payment…
ESHIP Communities: Gabe Muñoz helping entrepreneurs navigate cultural barriers amid COVID-19
Editor’s note: This story is sponsored and was produced by Forward Cities, a non-financial partner of Startland News and a national nonprofit that is managing the implementation of the ESHIP Communities program as a grantee of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. Any opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author. Gabe Muñoz is…