Austin Barnes
Executive Editor, Startland News
Austin is a growth-focused business strategist with deep roots in media and storytelling. As executive editor, he leads Startland’s revenue generation, partnership strategy, and market expansion— aligning mission-driven journalism with scalable business models.
With over a decade of experience spanning media, brand development, and strategic communications, Austin has helped grow Startland’s reach beyond Kansas City, launching new monetization efforts and driving engagement with more than 700,000 readers each year. His work bridges entrepreneurship, innovation, and sustainable growth —positioning Startland as a national model for community-centered media.
Recent Stories by Austin Barnes
VIDEO: Local Legends makes brick-and-mortar play with new Westport gaming center
A popular E-Sports startup plans to level up sooner than its founder ever envisioned — putting Local Legends Gaming on Main Street. But this time, it’s wheels up, said AbdulRasheed Yahaya. “We really want to introduce Kansas City to the big, E-Sports brand and how social [gaming] really is,” Yahaya said of his new brick-and-mortar…
Make KC Gift Again 2018: 12 Kansas City-stuffed stocking stuffers
Startland News presents its annual gift guide of Kansas City-made products to celebrate dozens of KC makers and give readers curated shopping hints. Check out selections for last-minute (or not) stocking stuffers below. (Have more ideas? Leave them for readers in the comments below. We know this is just a glimpse of what Kansas City…
Make KC Gift Again 2018: Five wearable Kansas City pride shopping ideas
Startland News presents its annual gift guide of Kansas City-made products to celebrate dozens of KC makers and give readers curated shopping hints. Check out selections for showing Kansas City pride below. (Have more ideas? Leave them for readers in the comments below. We know this is just a glimpse of what Kansas City has…
Make KC Gift Again 2018: 10 homegrown shopping ideas for him, her or them
Startland News presents its annual gift guide of Kansas City-made products to celebrate dozens of KC makers and give readers curated shopping hints. Check out selections below for him, her or them — heck, these are suggestions anyone would love. (Have more ideas? Leave them for readers in the comments below. We know this is…
Make KC Gift Again 2018: Five Kansas City-born shopping ideas for kids
Startland News presents its annual gift guide of Kansas City-made products to celebrate dozens of KC makers and give readers curated shopping hints. Check out selections from the kids category below. (Have more ideas? Leave them for readers in the comments below. We know this is just a glimpse of what Kansas City has to…
‘Don’t shut yourself off’: Seniorpreneurs reveal power in age, experience, savings
Figure out what you love to do and monetize it, Ann O’Meara told a room of entrepreneurs looking for advice on starting their second act after retirement. Seniorpreneurs — entrepreneurs over the age of 50 — are working to turn their lifelong hobbies into cash flow, O’Meara, CEO of Fantastic 55, revealed during a Global…
KCultivator Q&A: Mother inspires Davin Gordon to remove ‘can’t’ from the conversation
Editor’s note: KCultivators is a lighthearted profile series to highlight people who are meaningfully enriching Kansas City’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. The KCultivator Series is sponsored by WeWork Corrigan Station, a modern twist on Kansas City office space. Kansas City’s future depends on whether the business community invests in homegrown talent, Davin Gordon said. “It doesn’t have…
Innovation district will look to black community for insight, McGinnis tells GEW crowd
Developing an innovation district takes a village, Kevin McGinnis told a packed room of Global Entrepreneurship Week attendees — a cross-section of Kansas Citians eager to learn more about how his proposed Keystone innovation district could re-shape diversity and inclusion efforts in the startup space. “I’m not going to suggest that I’m bringing a bunch…
VIDEO: Education startups earn $60K in LEANLAB grants at revamped Launch[ED] Day
The work doesn’t end with LEANLAB Education’s Launch[ED] Day celebration, said Katie Boody. Four of the accelerator’s fellows will continue their startups’ research thanks to $60,000 in grant investments. The entrepreneur-led education ventures took the stage Thursday to pitch their companies to the Launch[ED] crowd at Plexpod Westport Commons, as well as to describe the…
VIDEO: Kritiq designs more emotional KC runway show with Goodwill crossover
When the Kritiq fashion show returns to the runway later this month, it will be an event styled with creativity and an intimate feel, said Mark Launiu, noting a new partnership with Goodwill stores across Kansas and Missouri. “For me, I grew up shopping at Goodwill, my family still shops at Goodwill, so it kind…