Tag: kansas city

Brick by brick, new memories are moving in: How this developer sees his generation living amid KC’s past

admin — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 17:29:05 +0000

Whether it’s the $38 million overhaul of an iconic downtown Kansas City hotel, or reheating the future of an East Crossroads industrial space — think 8,000-square-foot rooftop bar atop a no-nonsense social club — Zach Molzer is building buzz, and tearing down walls.

Hack in traction: Startups learn hustle shortcode for winning customers, narrow focus

admin — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 22:07:38 +0000

Drilling into the customer profile for his startup — an AI-powered, curated swag marketplace aimed at early stage tech companies — Ivan Hadzhiev used tailored resources from Wichita-based NXTUS to validate a complaint keeping prospective partners from buying in.

Kitchen grit caramelizes into smooth storefront opportunity for soon-to-open candy shop

admin — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 21:00:47 +0000

The secret ingredient in Brandi Robertson’s signature sweet — a handcrafted take on her Grandmother Betty’s caramel dessert topping — isn’t found in the pantry or recipe box. Perseverance itself is the perfection within her confection, she said.

“If you are going to waste calories, it better be good,” said Robertson, who spent nearly a decade bringing her vision from a simmer to a boil — first as a retail operation in an Overland Park collective and soon a storefront in the former Bonsai Bowl restaurant at 8932 W. 95th St.

A blank slate for whimsy (and work): Elevator opens doors to KC co-warehousing concept

admin — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 20:32:07 +0000

A new co-warehousing space in North Kansas City is providing entrepreneurs like LaToya Ebony Sirls a manufacturing-ready environment that supports production — features the surging small business owner can’t get in a typical co-working setup, she said.

Kansas’ bracket-style pitch competition just revealed 32 startups vying for its $25K prize

admin — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 19:45:06 +0000

An innovation-led startup tournament taking Kansas by storm is just built different, said Conor Adler, announcing the nearly three-dozen contenders featured in this spring’s competition.

Determined optimism: How small and mid-sized businesses are growing in 2026

admin — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 17:23:39 +0000

Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. Kimberly Burris is a business banking senior relationship manager for Bank of America Kansas City.

Her family helped bring Argentine comfort food to KC’s masses; World Cup base camp kicks open new doors

admin — Sat, 21 Feb 2026 13:14:15 +0000

As Kansas City prepares to become the FIFA World Cup base camp for four national teams — amid an expected influx of hundreds of thousands of fans from across the globe — Dulcinea Herrera is still reeling from news that Argentina’s roster will be among those calling the region home this summer.

“We’re so excited. When we found out, my mom cried,” said Herrera. “We were like, ‘Wow, this is a great time.’”

Basketball helped him survive poverty; now Adeola Ajay is rooting for other children to rise in his home country

admin — Sat, 21 Feb 2026 04:59:12 +0000

When school let out each day, young Adeola Ajayi didn’t get to go home or outside to play. Instead, he clocked in for a job he created for himself, selling seasonal produce with his brother by an African roadside so their family wouldn’t go hungry.

“Survival was the daily priority,” Ajayi said of his upbringing in Sango Ota, Nigeria. “My family of seven lived in a 9-by-9 room. … Hunger wasn’t an occasional experience — it was a constant companion.”

Nonprofit launching retail incubator for Asian-owned businesses; next up: a cultural district in Columbus Park

admin — Fri, 20 Feb 2026 20:25:36 +0000

A new retail incubator in a former Columbus Park tattoo shop is expected to push forward the nonprofit mission of Hella Good Deeds — amplifying the Asian community in Kansas City — while boosting sales for Asian-owned, product-based businesses, said Béty Lê Shackelford.

Austin FC Keeping Expectations in Check as New Season Begins

admin — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 06:01:00 +0000

Austin FC Keeping Expectations in Check as New Season Begins

admin — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 06:01:00 +0000

Tech leader’s side story: Revisiting abandoned childhood dreams could help break cycles of abuse, incarceration

admin — Tue, 17 Feb 2026 20:48:22 +0000

His storytelling startup uses artificial intelligence to craft visions of the future where children feel seen, but a new partnership with a courtroom support organization is extending Herson Fails’ mission — and magic — to adults, he said.

Fails’ Six-Seven Experience aims to reconnect participants with their childhood dreams, align them with their current strengths, and bridge aspirations to practical opportunities.

Ownership influences prosperity: 12-week biz academy targets entrepreneurs past survival mode

admin — Tue, 17 Feb 2026 19:50:06 +0000

The Greenline Foundation is taking a layered approach to economic growth on Kansas City’s east side, Ajia Morris said, connecting entrepreneurship, real estate, and access to capital in ways designed to last.

This startup veteran’s new roadway safety tool turns any smartphone into a work-zone inspector

admin — Tue, 17 Feb 2026 18:52:46 +0000

Worker safety within high-traffic roadway construction zones is stalled in the 1970s, said founder Zikomo Fields, driving the vision for a 21st century approach that uses tech to hit the brakes on fatalities.

Shoot your shot: Sports stars fell in love with his signature style; here’s how game recognizes game

admin — Sat, 14 Feb 2026 11:43:03 +0000

Patrick Mahomes smiles for the camera. A sharp “wink” sound is heard on the video, and when the clip lands on Instagram, Kansas City instantly recognizes it as the work of Joseph Termini.