Julie Cortes

Superstars pack KC Chamber celebration with gratitude; thankful for a space to belong when many feel lost

Julie Cortes beamed as she took in the energy of Kansas City’s small business community Tuesday evening — surrounded by hundreds of her fellow Small Business Superstars and a crowd eager to build an emerging spirit of entrepreneurship. “It feels so amazing to be here,” Cortes, founder of Freelance Rockstar, said from inside the packed…

Pivoting to freelance: Being a solopreneur doesn’t mean you have to work alone

Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. Chris Brown is the founder of Venture Legal where he represents startups, freelancers, and small businesses. This column — originally published by Venture Legal and part of a limited series on freelance entrepreneurism — is intended to be general in detail and does…

Photo courtesy of Venture Legal

Pivoting to freelance: Create a brand that speaks for you when you’re not in the room

Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. Chris Brown is the founder of Venture Legal where he represents startups, freelancers, and small businesses. This column — originally published by Venture Legal and part of a limited series on freelance entrepreneurism — is intended to be general in detail and does…

Mayor Sly James, State of the City

Digital Workforce launch emphasizes freelance opportunities for diverse ‘solopreneurs’

“This room should mirror our city,” said Sly James, repeating a common refrain used throughout his time as Kansas City mayor. But as he addressed a crowd of freelance workers taking part Monday morning in the city’s launch of the Digital Workforce Development Initiative (DWDI), the remark came with a less-frequent follow-up. “And it does,”…