Latest Stories
$250K in matching funds brings Prospect Urban Eatery free culinary training closer to boil
Editor’s note: The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is a financial supporter of Startland News, though this story was produced independently by Startland News’ nonprofit newsroom. A quarter-million-dollar grant from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is expected to push The Prospect KC into operational scale in the months ahead, said Chef Shanita McAfee-Bryant. News of the…
MindSport gains traction from Olympic-level athletes as founder turns his memoir into documentary
The world of athletics has become more in tune with the importance of mental fitness, mindfulness and the impact both have on athletic performance, said Ryan Stock. “With the pandemic, obviously that shut down athletics across the board. It added a ton of stress, anxiety [and] frustration for athletes of all levels. Athletics serves as…
How a KC mom and her 12-year-old co-founder are rewriting the book on entrepreneurship
Guiding young people through the ins and outs of entrepreneurship is a family affair for Tovah Tanner, a metro woman on a mission to create a Kansas City that thinks critically, holds values, and possesses life skills that build lasting wealth. “My son, Madden Tanner, is our co-founder. He’s 12 years old,” Tanner said, recalling…
Crafted within hip hop culture, Black-owned KC cannabis brand hopes to reshape a flowering industry
It isn’t enough to be first, Ronald Rice said, announcing Franklin’s Stash House’s entry into Greenlight stores — a move that sees the Kansas City cannabis company become the first Black-owned brand sold at a dispensary in the state. “While this deal represents a big milestone in the evolution of Missouri’s cannabis industry, the legacy of…
‘Feelings matter’: Why KC culture experts’ new anxiety rating could prevent stress from ruining careers
Editor’s note: The following story — a spotlight on a member of the Plexpod community — is sponsored by Plexpod, a progressive coworking platform offering next generation workspace for entrepreneurs, startups, and growth-stage companies of all sizes. Measuring the unmeasurable is Culture Think Tank’s specialty when it comes to company culture, said William Lindstrom. “With the…
She earned 21K followers with a plastic circle; now Angela Presnell hoops to transfer social media popularity to a paid platform
An Instagram page launched in 2016 to document then-college freshman Angela Presnell’s progression in hooping today reaches more than 21,000 followers — and sends the active entrepreneur across the globe to teach her artform in person. “I needed some sort of creative outlet that could be totally mine,” said Presnell, the 24-year-old Kansas Citian behind…
One of KC’s top small businesses markets explosive growth into new key investor: former Mobank CEO
On the heels of Crux KC doubling its square footage in January and growing its headcount 118 percent since June 2020, the marketing firm — one of the KC Chamber’s Top 10 Small Businesses — announced a significant investment this week by Grant Burcham, former Mobank CEO. “I’ve long valued Grant’s business acumen and insight as…
How restaurant fatigue, staffing shortages pushed one KC chef to reinvent ‘to-go’ as high-end eats at home
An ongoing health crisis forced many people to rethink aspects of their lives in 2020, said Bryan Sparks, but for members of the hospitality industry specifically, the sustained pressure of a lingering pandemic and its leftovers prompt even greater self-reflection. For the experienced Kansas City chef, that meant leaving his restaurant home this spring for…
KC grassroots effort taps $225K funding pipeline to expand DEI education for KC students, corporate training
A year after Black Lives Matter demonstrations opened minds across the nation, Jamie Grayson sees progress in Kansas City, the home of his own movement, designed to disrupt division by celebrating commonalities. Newly announced this week: three sizable grants for Grayson’s People of All Colors Succeed (POAC), a nonprofit organization committed to breaking systemic cycles of bullying and…
Explain it like I’m 5: Bellwethr hits best month of growth to date after simplifying lingo
Editor’s note: The following story is sponsored by Academy Bank, a Kansas City based community bank, and is part of a series of features spotlighting some of the bank’s startup and small business partners. The golden key to success is communication, said Matt Moody, but it can also be the biggest challenge. “Bellwethr’s software has been…
