Category: Business

Entrepreneurs at KCKCC Innovation Summit hear from successful startup CEO

Toby Rush, CEO of EyeVerify, gave the keynote address at the third annual Innovation Summit. The summit is held by Kansas City Kansas Community College. (KCKCC photo)

by Kelly Rogge

The 3rd Annual Kansas City Kansas Community College Innovation Summit took place April 4 on the KCKCC campus.

The keynote speaker, Toby Rush, CEO of EyeVerify, captivated the audience by telling his story about the growth of his startup businesses.

Approximately 325 people attended throughout the event and interacted with entrepreneurs in both high school and general categories.

Twelve high school representatives from Blue Valley, Basehor, Shawnee Mission and Wyandotte as well as a home school student offered creative innovations in sporting and medical equipment, drone technology, IT, pet grooming and more. Twelve adult representatives offered innovations in medical devices, recreational equipment, culinary arts, IT, safety and other areas.

Participants voted, using fake money, on exhibits which had the highest potential. While the “votes” were counted, a panel of successful entrepreneurs including Joyce Williams (beauty products), Joey Soto (coffee sales) and Edgar Galicia (printing and graphic design) provided highlights of their entrepreneurial journey. A luncheon address was delivered by Kansas City, Kan., Mayor Mark Holland.

Six finalists in each category competed with their three-minute pitch in front of the judges. The judges included expert bankers, entrepreneurs, manufacturers, educators, and investors. In the general category, the first place prize of $2,500 went to Kristen and Katelin Karlin with Ship and Dip. Second place went to Charlie Chick with Flame Shield. Third place went to Greg Hardin with Awesome Mascot Media. The winner of the People’s Choice Awards was Nick and Nadine Civitello with the Intoxicator.

In the high school category, first place award of $2,500 went to Natlie Cabell with Dove Glove. Second place went to Kaitlyn Kotterman and Catie Dunn with Serve it LLC, and third place went to Caleb Moser with Mint Mug. The People’s Choice recipient was Kotterman and Dunn with Serve It LLC.

The Innovation Summit, originated by Kansas City Kansas Community College Workforce Development, is successful, due to a large amount of community support through sponsors and partners. State Street Bank served as the Platinum Sponsor with $10,000 of prize money. The University of Missouri-Kansas City sponsored the breakfast. Other financial sponsors included Youth Entrepreneurs, Unified Government of Wyandotte County, the Wyandotte Economic Development Council, Kansas Small Business Development Center, KCSourceLink, KCK Chamber, KCK Women’s Chamber, Sam’s Club and Emporia State University-KC.

Summit partners who helped with planning and execution included the Women’s Business Center, Unified Government, SCORE, the KCK Black Chamber, Leavenworth County Development Council, EyeVerify, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and the Central Avenue Betterment Association.

The KCKCC Workforce Development Team is considering expanding the 2015 Summit to include additional pitch competitions by summit winners at regional and national contests.

For more information, call 913-288-7284 or email Marisa Gray, business development liaison for Workforce Development at KCKCC, at [email protected].

Family Dollar to close 370 stores nationwide

Family Dollar, which has nine stores in Kansas City, Kan., announced today it would close about 370 underperforming stores in the second half of fiscal 2014.

The store has about 8,000 stores in 46 states, according to company information.

Making the announcement today, as the second quarter financial report was released, Family Dollar officials stated that net sales for its stores were down slightly in the second quarter of the year, $2.7 billion as compared to $2.9 billion in 2013.

Company officials cited severe winter weather as part of the reason for slow sales. Also, the 2013 holiday season was described as a “more promotional competitive environment and a more financially constrained consumer.”

Besides closing stores, the company announced it was lowering prices on 1,000 basic items; reducing costs by reducing its workforce; and slowing planned growth of new stores.

Instead of opening 525 new stores as planned in 2015, the store now plans to open 350 to 400 new stores, according to the report. The company’s fiscal report is online at http://corporate.familydollar.com/pages/family-dollar-2q-fy14-earnings.aspx.

 

KCKCC Enactus team competes in Cincinnati

by Kelly Rogge

Six Enactus students from Kansas City Kansas Community College attended the Enactus United States National Exposition April 1 to 3 at the Duke Energy Convention Center in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Enactus is an international nonprofit organization that brings together student, academic and business leaders who are committed to using the power of entrepreneurial action to improve the quality of life and standard of living for people in need.

At the event, Estefania Torres, Eva Bett, Jose Romero, Gustavo Perez-Martinez and Joe McSorley showcased the effects of their educational and community outreach efforts.

These students were evaluated by business leaders, serving as judges, who rank them on how successfully they used business concepts to improve the quality of life and standard of living for those in need.

The judging panel gave them a standing ovation after the presentation.

The KCKCC team placed as a finalist in the opening round and received an opening round trophy.

Allen Lenoir, faculty member and Sam Walton Fellow, also received recognition.

The seven major projects, on which the KCKCC Enactus students presented, included:

•         My Shelf to Yours – Assisted international and non-international students who show financial need by establishing a lending library for students and providing more than $5,500 in tuition scholarships.

•         KCKCC MADE – Promoted individual innovation and entrepreneurship on campus.

•         Hillcrest Transitional Housing – Helps homeless individuals become self-reliant.

•         Junior Achievement – Taught fourth and fifth graders about business.

•         Reality U – Educated students on financial literacy.

•         Habitat for Humanity – Improved housing in the urban core in the Kansas City area.

•         V.I.T.A. – Assisted low-income people with income tax preparation.

Enactus is open to all KCKCC students. Students interested in transforming lives, implementing community empowerment or educational outreach projects and developing leadership skills are welcome to join the Enactus team by calling Allen Lenoir at 913-288-7659 or sending an email to [email protected].

Kelly Rogge is the public information supervisor at Kansas City Kansas Community College.