Rx Savings secures $18.4M funding round, nears 2 million members

An $18.4 million funding round is the prescription Rx Savings Solutions needs to expand its fight against a crippling, yet common ailment, said Michael Rea. “Everyone in the nation has the same problem — high drug costs — and most people don’t know there are options to save money,” said Rea, founder and chief executive…

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Before prime time: Did Amazon’s 1999 arrival in Kansas deliver on hype?

Former Amazon distribution center, Coffeyville, Kansas

In 1999, Amazon — still in its infancy — meant only two things to most consumers: low-priced books and CDs. But for one small town in Kansas, residents believed the online retailer had the potential to be a game-changer for their economically depressed, rural community. “People in Coffeyville were practically doing cartwheels in the streets,” said…

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April Boyd-Noronha: GEW showcases STEM topics facing women of color

Lyn Cook, Tammy Buckner, April Boyd-Noronha and Janelle James; photo courtesy of Ayleen Bashir, KCSourceLink

Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. This year’s Global Entrepreneurship Week in Kansas City featured many enterprising events and networking activities for aspiring entrepreneurs of all ages. It also served as a speaking platform for local entrepreneurs to share their expertise on topics that might usually get no play…

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Bitten by Disney sharks, Roy Scott beats the odds with Healthy Hip Hop

Roy Scott, Healthy Hip Hop, H3

When a potentially life-altering business deal suddenly vanished, Roy Scott didn’t get mad — he got funded. “Disney thought they were going to snuff us out, but all they did was put gasoline on this fire,” said Scott, founder of Kansas City-based H3 Enterprises (Healthy Hip Hop). Rewind. Starting his company with a live performance-based…

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