City Entrepreneur

Most Black families don't find out their inheritance is gone until it's already too late. Lost records. Erased history. A legal system that was never designed to work in your favor. The result? Generational wealth that disappears before it ever reaches the next generation. On this episode of City Entrepreneur, we sit down with Anita Lumpkin — CEO of RS Settlements and one of Virginia Beach...

Ryan Turner breaks down the exact moments that shattered his belief in corporate security and forced him to launch his own venture, The Snoball Shop. The turning point came when Ryan witnessed seven of his coworkers get abruptly fired on the same day. It was a stark realization that if an employer has the power to let you go, they eventually will. This episode unpacks his transition from an unsecu...

Luqman Haskett built Dapper Luq from a blog into a custom fashion brand with a global footprint. He's a Virginia Beach veteran who has taken his collections to Algeria, Ghana, Rwanda and Europe and he did it without chasing clout or cutting corners. We spent 45 minutes talking about what that actually looked like. The slow build, the mindset behind it, how he thinks about failure, what social...

The final episode of Season 3 of City Entrepreneur in KC.

Toby Rush grew up on a Kansas farm, built a startup that nearly ran out of cash, and turned it into a $100 million facial recognition exit before Face ID. In this episode, he shares the real story behind EyeVerify’s deal with Alibaba, what he learned from almost losing everything, and how he’s now building Ideem, a new venture shaping global innovation from Saudi Arabia. Visit https://www.kcsource...

Check out kcsourcelink.org for business resources. Connect with Terrell Jolly http://terrelljolly.com/

Becca Castro, Director of KCSourceLink, shares how being overlooked in corporate America shaped the way she leads today. From studying five different majors to exploring teaching and art, she found her voice through creativity and curiosity—not titles. In this episode of City Entrepreneur, Becca reveals how KCSourceLink is reimagining leadership and building a more inclusive, innovative future for...

Victor Hwang, founder of Right to Start, drove through all 50 states to see what entrepreneurship really looks like across America. Growing up with immigrant parents, Victor saw opportunity differently — and on this road trip, he found out that most stereotypes about “red states” and “blue states” miss the truth. Entrepreneurs, he says, are the ones quietly building the bridges that still hold thi...

Shaniqua Jones-Williams built SendBack after her DIY wedding left her drowning in returns. Instead of waiting in lines, boxing items, and dealing with shipping labels, she imagined a service that comes to your door, repackages everything, and sends it back for you. In this episode of City Entrepreneur, Shaniqua shares how she turned everyday frustration into a logistics startup, the challenges of...

When a $30K hotline told him it was the only way to launch his idea, Jon Ruis taught himself to code and built EB Systems from his dorm room. Ten years later, his Bluetooth beacon technology is tackling city-wide challenges — from managing crowds and traffic to helping local businesses thrive during global events

Jonaie Johnson, founder of Interplay, built a smart dog crate startup in Kansas City, pitched it on global stages in Paris, joined Techstars, and is now moving to Chicago. In this episode of City Entrepreneur, she talks about the grind of building hardware, what’s missing in KC’s startup scene, and why some founders feel they have to leave to grow.

Salubata is a Nigerian-born startup turning plastic waste into customizable, recycled shoes. In this episode of City Entrepreneur , co-founder Yewande Akinse shares how the journey began in Nigeria, expanded to Paris through a global accelerator, and landed in Kansas City with Techstars backing. From tackling the plastic waste crisis to building a scalable company with global impact, this is the s...

3PL Playbook: Triage, Inventory & Scaling After a Celebrity Viral MomentJeff, founder of Cybership — a fulfillment & logistics partner for DTC brands — tells the unvarnished story of what happens when a client goes viral. He explains how Cybership absorbed the demand spike after a Taylor Swift mention, the fulfillment and product tweaks that mattered, and the systems they put in place to t...

Gonzalo, founder of Scout, walks through the real steps that turned an ugly MVP into a paying veterinary clinic — and the hard lessons that came with being an early startup. This is tactical: product scope, demo approaches, first sales plays, the small product decisions that drove adoption, and the operational struggles every founder faces when there’s no runway and everything breaks.

In this episode of City Entrepreneur, we sit down with Bob Regnier, a visionary leader and founder of Bank of Blue Valley, to discuss his journey in transforming Kansas City’s banking landscape. We speak to the Kansas City start up Ecosystem and Growing the page! Bob shares insights on entrepreneurship, community investment, and leadership lessons learned over decades of impact.🔔 Subscribe for mo...

What does it take to go from hustling to scaling a thriving business? In this episode of City Entrepreneur , we travel to Virginia Beach to sit down with Steven Anthony, CEO of Anthony Global Holdings, and explore the transformative impact of the UPLIFT Program. The UPLIFT Program is a Virginia Beach entrepreneurship accelerator that provides its cohort members with essential tools for growth: fin...

In this episode of City Entrepreneur, we dive into the inspiring journey of Brain Freeze, a mobile frozen daiquiri business that once made $5,000 in a single day. Learn how James Thomas built this thriving venture from the ground up, and discover actionable tips on how you can replicate this success in your own mobile business. Whether you’re dreaming of starting a food truck or a mobile drink ser...

In this inspiring episode of City Entrepreneur, we meet Grace Ahn, founder of NvisionKC, who shares her remarkable journey from arriving in the United States with only $200 and limited English skills to building a million-dollar business. Grace’s story is one of resilience, self-teaching, and strategic risk-taking, showing how determination and creativity can overcome the toughest challenges. In t...

In this episode of City Entrepreneur, Isaac Collins, founder of Yogurtini and Streamline Profits Academy, shares his journey from starting a small business to building a franchise, while navigating the unique challenges of being a Black entrepreneur. Isaac opens up about the mental toll of entrepreneurship, the importance of resilience, and why supporting employees and community is key to success....

In this episode of City Entrepreneur , Melesa Johnson, Kansas City’s Director of Public Safety and current candidate for Jackson County Prosecutor, addresses Missouri’s rising crime rates and her mission to tackle insecurity. Is youth violence fueled by weak gun laws, social media, or parenting? Melesa shares her insights and discusses how she plans to use justice reform and community initiatives...

In this episode of City Entrepreneur, Dr. Brandy Archie, founder of AskSamie, shares expert advice on how to pitch your startup and build a scalable, sellable business. Learn the key principles to delivering a successful pitch, overcoming imposter syndrome, and how to create a company with the end in mind. Dr. Archie also discusses balancing entrepreneurship while being a mom. Don’t miss these ess...

In this episode of City Entrepreneur (S2E15), host Zik Nwanganga sits down with Chris Simpson, an attorney from Polsinelli, to provide essential legal advice for founders and entrepreneurs. The episode dives into crucial topics like choosing the right legal structure (LLC, S-Corp, or C-Corp), protecting intellectual property, and drafting co-founder and contractor agreements to prevent conflicts....

In this episode of City Entrepreneur, we sit down with the inspiring founder of Eye of an Immigrant, a nonprofit that helps immigrants navigate the challenges of building a new life in the U.S. We discuss the hardships immigrants face in finding success and the incredible resilience that drives them forward. From legal hurdles to cultural adaptation, we explore how Eye of an Immigrant is making a...

In this episode of City Entrepreneur, we sit down with Dan Smith, co-founder of The Porter House KC, to uncover the hard truths about what it really takes to succeed as an entrepreneur. Dan dives deep into the mindset shifts and sacrifices that set the most successful entrepreneurs apart from those who don’t make it. 💡 What you’ll learn: • Why sacrifice is non-negotiable in your journey to succes...

In this episode of City Entrepreneur (S2E12), we sit down with serial entrepreneur Eze Redwood to explore the critical decision every business owner faces: Should you scale your business or sell it? Eze shares three expert tips to help entrepreneurs make the right choice, based on his own successful ventures. Whether you’re growing your business or considering an exit, this episode offers valuable...