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
Back to the people: Social venture firm connects WyCo entrepreneurs with a human-centered toolkit
Editor’s note: The following story is presented through a paid partnership with Network Kansas. An initiative built on collaboration with business boosters already embedded in urban communities is deepening Network Kansas’ impact, said Erik Pedersen, sharing how the strategy helps more readily connect entrepreneurs to available resources like loans and technical assistance. In Wyandotte County,…
‘Night Without Borders’ opens coffee house doors to honor heritage through harmony
Culture transcends borders, said Danny Soriano, surrounded Friday night in a popular Crossroads coffee shop by music, dance, art, food, and drinks that all shared a common link: Latino flavor. “Whether it’s Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Argentina, we all come together as Latinos, as Hispanics, and celebrate our heritage,” said Soriano, who organized a…
ATHENA honorees: Lifting up the next generation elevates us all; give them a reason to dream
When women lead, communities rise, Dana Foote said, lifting up two ATHENA award winners whose work in Kansas City has created outcomes more meaningful than mere professional success: “the ripple effect of leadership.” “And I see that in the room tonight,” continued Foote, national managing partner of audit operations for KPMG, sponsor of the Greater…
Photos: Folklore transformed this rooftop for one-night; its $100K impact on small biz lasts even longer
A packed rooftop event that started five years ago as a small gathering among friends has grown into a sold-out celebration that not only highlights music, food, and tradition, but also invests back into local nonprofits and entrepreneurs, said Luis Padilla, founder of Folklore and its popular small business grant program. “That balance of culture…
Lula bets on responsible growth to hit profitability; why the startup’s most valuable property is room to scale
Lula opened 2025 by announcing a hefty funding round; the momentum has only continued to build, founder Bo Lais shared. On top of its $28 million Series A round in early February, the Kansas City-based proptech startup expanded to more than 50 markets nationwide and had eight straight months of record gross merchandise value and…
World Cup hosts launch KC Game Plan for entrepreneurs; heat map, cultural insights on global visitors warming up next
Kansas City boasts no better roster of ambassadors than the region’s small business owners, said Tracy Whelpley, announcing a new KC2026 “Game Plan” for entrepreneurs who are eager to put cleats to streets ahead of the incoming FIFA World Cup. “There’s so many entrepreneurial people out there and they really represent what our community is…
Controlled Burn: BoysGrow sets the table for fire-infused meal sparked by farm’s teen entrepreneurs, KC chefs
A live fire culinary event at the BoysGrow farm in south Kansas City is a dream come true for John Gordon, he shared, detailing plans for a fundraiser that harvests an immersive and unforgettable dining experience from the teen-focused ag entrepreneurship program. The one-night-only “Controlled Burn” heats up Oct. 5 at the 10-acre farm where…
Crypto investment startup checks in with $300K deposit from Hilton Family Office
A strategic partnership with the Hilton Family Office is expected to help Kansas City-based Technology Labs on its mission to protect and educate new investors in the crypto jungle, shared co-founder Travis Wright. The startup announced Tuesday that Hilton Finance — the lending and investment division of the boutique family office with deep ties to…
Roz audits its path to $2.15M in early funding; how KC helped this AI startup scale its potential
A series of funding wins is boosting a Kansas City startup’s efforts to automate the most complex — and tedious — parts of compliance work, drawing from the co-founder’s own pain points and resources from a server-full of local entrepreneur support initiatives. With $2.15 million in funding under its belt so far, Olathe-based Roz — which…
World Cup will produce KC small biz millionaires in just weeks, leaders say, but it’s only the start
Kansas City can’t look at the World Cup in 2026 as one big event where businesses are going to make good money for a while, and then everything goes back to normal, said Wes Rogers. “This has to be the beginning of the next chapter of our city,” the 2nd District Councilman for Kansas City,…