KC By Sari

In this episode, Sari talks to Alyssa from Little Fixations. Alyssa started her photography journey in 2015, snapping product photos for a dear friend. Since then, she's met incredible people who have trusted her to take their wedding photos, food images for their restaurants, and style shoots for local businesses. Alyssa shares what it's like working a full time job and running her photography bu...

In this episode, Sari talks to Food & Drink Editor at The Pitch, Sarah Sipple. Sarah writes about the new and exciting happenings around the city as well as a column called “KC Sipps.” She shares the key elements she’s looking for while reviewing a local business, and what some of her favorite spots are in KC. Sarah’s passion for the city is contagious through her writing.  To read Sarah’s art...

Your favorite podcast is back with a new name, logo and schedule! KC by Sari is still bringing you stories from businesses and entrepreneurs about life in Kansas City.  In this episode, Sari chats with Madison from Luxury Brow Co located in the Crossroads. Luxury Brow Co makes women feel empowered through brow shaping, esthetic care and permanent makeup. Madison's passion is serving women in our c...

Katie Anne Mach, local blogger and influencer, started her blog as a creative outlet while working at a digital agency. Now, her social media is used to spread positivity and lifestyle inspiration. She talks to Sari about the balance of being authentic to her followers but protecting her family’s privacy.  You can stay in touch with Katie through her blog https://www.katieannemach.com or follower...

Pennway Point is the newest development in the Crossroads. This project is utilizing and repurposing unused buildings to turn this six-acre plot into a multi-faceted entertainment district. Erik from Dream Design Develop, one of the development companies involved in Pennway Point, talks about some of the local businesses planning to move into the space.  3D Development focuses on the rehabilitatio...

Before visiting a new restaurant, do you read reviews? After visiting a restaurant or business, do you leave your own review? These reviews have a big impact on businesses in our community. Sarah, Community Manager for Yelp KC, has seen firsthand the influence reviews can have on a business. Sarah talks to Sari about her passion for Kansas City and why she loves the Yelp community.  Visit https://...

Kate Cosentino’s appearance on national TV was a career highlight. She was on NBC’s The Voice Season 23, part of Team Niall. She talks to Sari about the process of auditioning for the show and the opportunities that followed.  Kate partnered with Charlie Hustle to create a limited-edition KC Heart t-shirt, benefiting Art As Mentorship. As a KC native, Kate says this was the collaboration of a life...

The beauty of fashion is that it brings people together from eclectic backgrounds and different artistic mediums to inspire others. Kansas City Fashion Week has been bringing together local, national and international designers for two runway shows a year in the Summer and Fall seasons. Teisha Barber was recently named the new owner and President of Kansas City Fashion Week. She talks to Sari abou...

The BBQ Renaissance in KC is giving pit masters an opportunity to share their style of BBQ with food lovers across the metro. Ted Liberda has been in the restaurant industry for over 30 years and started Buck Tui to bring together his Thai culture and love for barbecuing. Named after his childhood nickname, Buck Tui is a term of endearment, meaning chubby boy. Ted found that in both Thai cuisine a...

At French Custard in Brookside, owners Jess and Alex want their customers to flavor the moment. With their passion for creating unique and delicious ice cream flavors, French Custard has quickly become a neighborhood favorite. During opening week, the shop completely sold out of inventory within a few days. Alex and Jess have seen an incredible amount of community support in a short time and attri...

The KC Current is the newest sports team in town, but they have made some big waves during their first few seasons. Dani Welniak, VP of Communications, talks to Sari about the process of building team loyalty and maintaining it. The team is also building its own stadium, which broke ground last year. This is the first purpose-built women’s soccer stadium in the world. Leadership is hoping it will...

When Danielle Lehman started the Open Belly podcast, it was her goal to share stories of immigrant restaurant owners and diverse foods within Kansas City. Danielle uses the same passion at her marketing firm, Super Crunch Studio, previously Boxer and Mutt. Danielle uses a “no nonsense” approach with her clients - full transparency and understanding of how her team can help you. Super Crunch Studio...

Kansas City has dozens if not hundreds of cookie makers. Each baker has to find the thing that makes them unique. Ali Madden from The Heartland Cookie Co has found her groove in offering cookies of eccentric shapes. Deeming herself as the cookie “Peen Queen,” Ali says there is no theme she cannot peen.  In this episode, Ali talks to Sari about making penis shaped cookies and how she doesn’t take h...

Small, intimate and damn delicious, is how customers would describe Drastic Measures. This cocktail bar in Shawnee has done more than pour drinks - they pour back into the community that supports them. Their unique recipes and amazing service has earned them a nomination for a James Beard Award for Most Outstanding Bar. Drastic Measures first made headlines for hosting the first Hanukkah pop-up ba...

Having an organized space is proven to help with mental organization. Emily Aull, owner of Aull Organized, is helping individuals get organized one space at a time. As a child, Emily preferred to organize her Barbie house rather than play with the dolls. She later utilized her skill during her career as a teacher. It wasn’t until the pandemic when Emily’s friends encouraged her to turn her skill i...

Like most businesses, the original idea came from a light bulb moment. For Stephanie and Tim, that moment came while putting a puzzle together with their three year old daughter and she mentioned wanting a Kansas City puzzle. After doing some research, they were surprised by the lack of inventory, so they decided to do it themselves and create Kansas City Puzzle Company. With no previous experienc...

The tenth element on the periodic table is neon. When Dylan and Olivia were coming up with ideas for business names, it was easy to land on Element Ten. Prior to his retirement, Dylan and Olivia’s father worked and bent neon for decades, showing them the ropes. Now, this sibling duo has taken their knowledge and love of the art to create signs for individuals and businesses.  Some places around Ka...

In 2022, Kansas Citians’ hearts were won over by the Parade of Hearts. These 5ft tall heart statues are strategically placed all over the metro, and the initiative has come back again in 2023 in a limited release. Each heart is designed by a local artist and paired with a sponsor. There were over 500 entries this year, and only 40 total designs chosen by the blind jury panel. Similar to 2022, the...

Warm pastrami paired with spicy brown mustard, pickles, Swiss cheese and horseradish makes for a classically delicious sandwich. Now put that combination between two pieces of Dutch crunch bread and you’ve got a real *chefs kiss* sandwich. Bay Boy KC serves all of their sandwiches on Dutch crunch bread making them stand out from other sandwich spots in town. In fact, it’s that extra pizzazz that h...

While fro-yo is known for its smooth consistency, there was nothing smooth about running a fro-yo business during the pandemic. Isaac Lee Collins, owner of the Kansas City division of Yogurtini, talks about the adjustments his team had to make as the pandemic unfolded. Isaac became a business owner at age 23. He says he’s driven to make a difference through his entrepreneurial experience. In his f...

AlphaLit KC is a Kansas City-based rental company specializing in the highest quality aluminum marquee letters and specialty event rentals. Their letters have made a mark on Kansas City, partnering with Union Station, T Mobile Center and dozens of other organizations.  AlphaLit gained steam after their letters were part of the decor for Brittany Mahomes baby shower for Sterling. Since then, their...

It is no secret that Kansas City has numerous exciting additions coming to the city and it can be hard to keep up. That is where local influencers and bloggers come in handy; to help showcase various restaurant openings and activities around the city. Mindy Hargesheimer runs the local Instagram account, @kansascitybucketlist, that has over 65,000 followers. Through her love of exploring and enjoyi...

For many, the memory of eating caramels involves teeth feeling like they have been glued together or digging sticky caramel out of the back of your mouth. That's one issue you won't have when eating Kansas City Caramels candy. These caramels are soft and chewy that melt away in your mouth almost like chocolate.  Teri, owner of Kansas City Caramels, quickly found her motto and key to success- simpl...

Imagine needing to capture a memory, but wanting something more meaningful than a photo. That's exactly what 3D Headquarters offers. This 3D printing company specializes in capturing key life moments and freezing that moment in time so they can be turned into a 3D Avatar or a lifelike 3D printed replica of you, your loved ones and your pets.  3DHQ has also partnered with Parade of Hearts to bring...

They say scent is connected to memories. The Corner Candle Shop, located in the heart from Brookside, has created over 175 different scents to help customers find their perfect match. Celebrating 20 years of business, owner Lori Block and her team have mastered candles that smell like freshly cut grass, dirt, tomato vines, baby lotion, leather, whiskey, fresh baked bread, popcorn and many, many, m...