Glen Dakan

Glen Dakan, Liquify Group, Prestio

US veterans-turned-founders find natural transition, freedom in life as entrepreneurs

Military service offers parallels to entrepreneurships — whether engaged in battle or a boardroom, said Andrew Belt.  “One of the things that has always helped me in operating my business is my ability to analyze the environment and be vigilant,” said Belt, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and serial entrepreneur behind Lenexa-based property services firm…

Kelli and Glen Dakan, Liquify Group

Prestio founder dissolves headaches of business closings, pivots with Liquify Group

Closing a brick-and-mortar space is difficult enough, said Glen Dakan. Why should entrepreneurs be forced to endure the pains of offloading expensive equipment too? Such a predicament prompted Dakan and his partners to create a remedy for the common pain point: Liquify Group, a newly launched service that helps businesses liquidate their assets through a simple,…

Glen Dakan, Prestio, and Ryan Matt, Matt Ford

Prestio drives users to auto dealerships without traditional car buying pain points

Gone are the days of traditional car buying for Ben Anderson, the first customer of Kansas City-based startup Prestio. Anderson, an accounting professional at CBIZ, had grown deeply frustrated by auto dealerships, he said. In fall 2017, he turned to Prestio –– a first-of-its-kind software-as-a-service platform that allows customers to buy, trade, and finance vehicle purchases…

2019 fellowship class

Pipeline opens applications for 2019 fellowship class, reveals three-city 1MC pitch event

An application for Pipeline’s 2019 fellowship class isn’t just about next year, said Joni Cobb — it’s an opportunity for a lifetime of support from the organization’s network of developing and top-tier entrepreneurs. “Pipeline is available for life for each entrepreneur who successfully completes the fellowship year,” said Cobb, president and CEO of Pipeline, in…

2018 Pipeline class

Four leading Kansas City entrepreneurs among 2018 Pipeline class

The lives of four Kansas City entrepreneurs selected for the 2018 Pipeline class are about to change forever, said Brian Handrigan, Pipeline member and co-founder of St. Louis-based Traaqr. New fellows were announced Thursday evening at Pipeline’s The Innovators gala, with 13 startup leaders from across the Midwest taking the stage as the first step…