Darcy Howe has a passion for innovation and has been a regional leader in the entrepreneurial ecosystem, developing connectivity between funders, entrepreneurs and advisors. She is also a 20-year veteran angel investor so coming out of retirement to build the KC Rise Venture Fund was a perfect fit. In this episode Darcy shares details on the KC Rise Fund and the KC Rising initiative as well as wealth of insights you can apply to business and life.
Pre-Med, systems engineer, direct sales, sales and entrepreneur are all words to describe Laura Schmidt’s career journey. The idea for her latest venture was literally sparked with her feet on the dashboard while on a trip with her family. She put positive thinking into action with Notes to Self Socks.
Laura will tell you the path to success wasn’t a straight line but the lessons learned and lives touched make it all worth it. Notes to Self socks are available online and in over 1900 stores across the country, including Hallmark stores, hospital gift shops, and boutiques. In this interview, Laura shares insights to help to grow your business and you’ll be inspired too!
Niall luxury watch is a true Kansas City entrepreneur story. Michael Wilson, the founder, will tell you starting his company is 2012 was not easy at all. In the beginning, Niall was rejected by the industry in a very abrupt and overt way. His goal was to produce the best timepieces possible that are true legacies to passed on to future generations. In 2017, Niall's sales increased 129 percent compared with the previous year. This is a testament to quality and the relationships they build with their customers and fans. In this episode, Michael shares his philosophy and tactics to build a business that exceeds expectations.