WELCOME TO KC
Jennifer Lapka
Megan Crook
The KC Circle of Support By KELSEY HAYNES
In Kansas City, there’s a comradery that exists where people are not only proud to claim the heartland as their home, they are genuinely invested in seeing the community thrive. Jennifer Lapka, founder and president of Rightfully Sewn, a fashion-focused nonprofit that provides seamstress training for at-risk women; Megan Crook, advancement and external relations officer at AltCap, a community development financial institution that invests in underserved communities; and the founders of Flexy, a mobile wellness brand that inspires sustainable health and lifestyle changes, Aja James and Mallory Jansen, share their perspective on the unique relationship between KC and local startups. How do KC community members go above and beyond to support local businesses? James + Jansen: Local small businesses are always raising awareness or donating a portion of proceeds from a product. People love to boast about things that come from Kansas City, so even if your brand expands beyond KC, people want to support you so they can say “I knew them when.”
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