Explore perspectives on the issues impacting business in Kansas City.
Hear from local entrepreneurs, innovators and community leaders as they share insights and commentary on topics impacting business and innovation.
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.
Ryan Weber: KC’s proposed ride-sharing rules should concern local tech firms
Editor’s note: The public comment period on Kansas City’s proposed ride-sharing regulations has now ended, prompting the city’s regulated industries division to submit its recommendations to the Kansas City Council. By directive of the council, city officials have reviewed current laws and culled public input on new, proposed changes, which at this point focus largely…
5 considerations for startups grappling with new overtime rules
Editor’s note: This column was co-written by EBCFO founder Dan Schmidt and Mark Opara, a general business and corporate law attorney at Seigfreid Bingham. The authors’ opinions are theirs alone. Low pay, long hours, and maybe some future benefits — it’s the startup way! In early stage companies, it’s a tradeoff of current pain…
Jeff Blackwood’s 5 tips to capitalize on a viral success
Editor’s note: On June 13, Jeff Blackwood shared an open letter on why his company, Pathfinder Health Innovations, is leaving Kansas due to state policies’ effect on education, healthcare and people with developmental disabilities. Startland News was the first to report on the story, which soon after attracted national media attention. The last month has…
Grant Gooding: Your wimpy brand needs to pick a fight
Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. Think about your three biggest competitors. … Got ‘em? Now, what do you say when a potential customer asks you why they should do business with you instead of them? More often than not your response contains subjective and ineffective language. You say…
Brian Kearns soothes intern trepidation with these 4 tips
Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. Last year I got involved with MECA Challenge, a one-day student innovation competition. As part of the event, I presented high schoolers with a business problem my startup was currently tackling. I went in without expectations and was pleasantly surprised when my group…
Coty Beasley addresses ‘the Singularity’ and our impending doom
Editor’s note: On a daily basis, Coty Beasley translates the jargon-filled world of technology for clients of his tech consultancy. The Words that Frustrate (WTF) series aims to offer readers some clarity in an industry dominated by techies’ confusing argot. The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. Let’s start with a mind experiment:…