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.

Launching a business? Balance your passion with relentless planning, wealth advisor urges 

By Tommy Felts / February 20, 2024

Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. Patrick Cohen is senior vice president, financial advisor with The Ferguson Smith Cohen Group at Morgan Stanley in Kansas City. The day is here. You have decided to start a company and it is time to put in the work to initiate lift-off….

Relationship banking in the digital age: Why businesses should demand a trusted human (backed by tech)

By Tommy Felts / February 5, 2024

Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. Brian Hoffart, a business banking manager and vice president at nbkc bank, is an experienced Kansas City banker who’s fostered B2B relationships nation-wide for the past 20-years. The term “relationship banking” has been a core concept of our business for decades. Fundamentally, it…

Burnout or just neurotic? Your personality type might be why you’re feeling swamped at work (Holistic Hustle)

By Tommy Felts / October 10, 2023

Kharissa Parker is a news producer, writer, certified health coach, and “Holistic Hustle” columnist for Startland News. The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. For more of her self-care tips on how to keep your cup full, visit kparker.co. When it comes to emotional regulation and mental health at work, Americans seem…

Your anxiety at work might not have a specific ‘trigger’: Why ignoring it will just bring more stress

By Tommy Felts / September 4, 2023

Kharissa Parker is a news producer, writer, certified health coach, and “Holistic Hustle” columnist for Startland News. The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. For more of her self-care tips on how to keep your cup full, visit kparker.co. Seventy-two percent of people experience stress to the extent that it interferes with…

Stress at work is inevitable; just don’t let it trigger something worse (Holistic Hustle)

By Tommy Felts / August 1, 2023

Kharissa Parker is a news producer, writer, certified health coach, and “Holistic Hustle” columnist for Startland News. The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. For more of her self-care tips on how to keep your cup full, visit kparker.co. Let’s dive into the ins and outs of depression, stress, anxiety, and burnout….

Crema treads a new path: Why this award-winning tech company is pivoting to design consultancy

By Tommy Felts / July 25, 2023

Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. George Brooks is co-founder of Crossroads-headquartered Crema, a finalist for the 2023 Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business of the Year and one of Inc. Magazine’s Best Workplaces in 2023. For nearly 14 years, Crema has been a well-known leader in…