Meet the Bracket: 16 of Kansas City's Microenterprises
Some entrepreneurs lead epic enterprises, ready conquer the world with a billion dollar idea. Others are more, well, modest, just a few employees, often self-financed with just a few thousand dollars. And then there’s everything in between.
Which is a good thing, because the Kansas City economy is based on many different kinds of businesses—microenterprises and second stage firms, Main Street businesses and innovation-led enterprises—and each play a different role in creating our city’s character and defining our economy.
(Read more about the four types of entrepreneurship from Maria Meyers, our leader and director of the UMKC Innovation Center.)
What Is a Microenterprise?
By actual and approved industry definition, microenterprises are businesses that require less than $35,000 in capitalization to start. These lifestyle businesses are typically sole proprietorships and companies with fewer than five employees.
The “Coaches” of Kansas City Microenterprises
With 240+ Resource Partners in the KCSourceLink network, navigating the wide expanse of business-building resources can be daunting, to be sure. (Unless, of course, you have a map, or shall we say, a Resource Rail?) Over the past 10 years, we’ve mapped (again, literally) and categorized entrepreneur support organizations across the 18-county Kansas City region. And this is what we’ve found: support organizations cluster, just like the businesses they serve.
Microenterprises often find the help they need to launch and grow through:
- Small Business Development Centers (SBA)
- Online library and trainings
- Workforce Development Offices
- Some Social Services Agencies
- Micro-lenders
- SCORE
- Women’s Business Centers
Our Resource Navigator helps you find, filter and map the right matches for your microenterprise based on your need, your business stage and/or your location.
Meet the Microenterprises in the Battle of the Brands
Here are the contenders—and quick links to learn more about them on their own websites and connect with them on Facebook and Twitter:
TheFunnelCakeTruck
http://www.TheFunnelCakeTruck.com
Facebook: @thefunnelcaketruck
Twitter: @funnelcaketruck
Instagram: @thefunnelcaketruck
Beer Paws
http://www.beerpaws.com
Facebook: @beerpaws
Twitter: @beerpaws
Instagram: @beerpaws
Spicy Guys Pretzels
http://www.SpicyGuysPretzels.com
Facebook: @spicyguypretzels
Twitter: @spicyguyspretz
Instagram: @spicy_guys_pretzels
K.C. Beard Balms
http://www.KCbeardbalms.com
Facebook: @kcbeardbalms
Twitter: @kcbeardbalms
Instagram: @kcbeardbalms
Faces You Love Photography
http://www.facesyoulove.com
Facebook: @facesyoulove
Twitter: @facesyoulove
Instagram: @facesyoulove
Mean Vegan Products
http://www.meanveganproducts.com
Facebook: @meanveganproducts
Twitter: @meanvegankc
Instagram: @mean_vegan_products
Abundant Moments Photography
http://www.abundantmoments.com/
Facebook: @abundantmoments
Twitter: @abundantmoments
Instagram: @abundantmoments
Aunt Christy's Country Kitchen
http://www.auntchristyscountrykitchen.com
Facebook: @auntchristyscountrykitchen
Twitter: @aunt_christys
Instagram: @auntchristyscountrykitchen
KC Classic Gourmet Foods
http://Www.kcclassicgourmetfoods.com
Facebook: @kcclassicgourmetfoods
KidZone Kansas City
http://www.KidZoneKansasCity.com
Facebook: @kidzonekansascity
Twitter: @kidzonekansas
Instagram: @kidzonekansascity
Remnants by RJ
http://www.remnantsbyrj.com
Facebook: @remnantsrj
Twitter: @remnantsbyrj
Instagram: @remnantsbyrj
Bottlegreen Design
http://www.bottlegreendesign.com
Twitter: @bottlegreendsgn
Instagram: @bottlegreen
The Giving Theorem
http://www.thegivingtheorem.com
Facebook: @thegivingtheorem
Twitter: @givingtheorem
Instagram: @thegivingtheorem
The Record Machine
http://www.therecordmachine.co/
Facebook: @therecordmachine
Twitter: @lerecordmachine
Instagram: @therecordmachine
On the Set Styling
http://www.onthesetstyling.com
Facebook: @onthesetstyling
Twitter: @onthesetstyling
Instagram: @onthesetstyling
Monarch Glass Studio
http://www.monarchglassstudio.com
Instagram: @coach_kimball