Nikki Overfelt Chifalu
Reporter, Startland News
Nikki brings to Startland News both community journalism and entrepreneurship experience and she loves being able to tell the inspiring stories of fellow creatives and risk-takers.
Before joining Startland News, she worked for over 10 years writing and editing for daily newspapers in Lawrence, Topeka, Duluth, Minnesota, and Park Hills, Missouri. She took a short hiatus from journalism to pursue her dream of becoming a pastry chef and starting her own baking business.
Recent Stories by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu
KC’s readiness is a team sport: Why cashing in requires World Cup collaboration
It starts with opening the door, said Dulcinea Herrera, encouraging business owners who are preparing for an influx of World Cup visitors to “think in the mindset of the world."
She’s flipping the priorities on homebuilding; this founder wants buyer stress out of the blueprints
“It’s one of the biggest emotional, financial investments you're going to make in your life,” the founder of Olathe-based buildNest explained, tapping into her own homebuilding experience.
Nature gets a human boost as experts restore KC’s forgotten heart-shaped forest ahead of World Cup
A hidden gem near Kansas City International Airport is being rediscovered and restored — just in time to welcome World Cup visitors flying overhead to the heartland.
Soccer icon Matt Besler: Other World Cup hosts are asking ‘How can we follow KC’s lead?’
Kansas City might be the smallest city hosting FIFA World Cup games this summer, but it’s already showing the other 15 cities how to lead the way, the former Sporting Kansas City superstar shared.
Moving humanity forward isn’t always pleasant, Block founder says, urging innovators to keep crossing the line
What’s so cool about getting up every day to do something that you don’t know is going to work? Jim McKelvey asked a crowd gathered for the Rockhurst University Leadership Series about the realities of forging ahead as an entrepreneur.
KC Chamber reveals Top 10 small businesses; one will be named Mr. K Award winner
“You got here by persevering, showing innovation and passion," Vicky Kulikov told the latest batch of Mr. K Award finalists.
Birdies moving to expanded Crossroads shop with support from KCMO’s Open Doors!
“It's been just epically everything that we have been manifesting for five years,” Birdies co-owner Peregrine Honig said of the opportunity at 101 W. 18th St., the former Bizz and Wheezy’s Confections. “The light, the location, the size.”
‘Fitting in is boring’: How this young founder gained the glow of entrepreneurship with her family’s meat pies
Naeches Nourishment is serving up savory meat pies with a side of its student founder’s Nigerian roots, Chinecherem Ihenacho shared, noting she started the business to make her culture more approachable to people who otherwise might not see the richness of its flavor.
KC-backed (and built) AI startup rebrands amid shift to tackling America’s supply chain pain points
With its pivot from video transcriptions to bulk inventory tracking, one of Kansas City’s most-promising, emerging tech startups is rebranding to match the new direction, co-founders Warren Wang and Cole Robertson said. “‘Rebulk‘ feels like the right name for the future we want to build,” said Wang, reflecting on the company’s efforts to use AI-powered…
Sports, tech leaders: This is our moment to turn Kansas City’s new fans into investors
With Kansas City’s knack for scoring big sports headlines, opportunity is on the court for the region to boost its brand as a hub for innovation, said Pam Kramer, emphasizing that the eyes of the world will be watching when the World Cup arrives this summer in the Midwest. But the shot clock is already…