Chelsey M. Helps Black Businesses Thrive in Kansas City

One night in 2019, Chelsey M. and her husband wanted to grab a bite to eat. They wanted to try a new place and to support a local Black business. But they had no luck.   

Hours later, Chelsey was still hungry. Her husband turned to her and said, “Well, what are we going to do?” That triggered a brainstorm: Why not start a platform to help shoppers find local Black-owned businesses easily? 

Kansas City Black Owned (KCBO) was born. The for-profit organization provides an online platform to help Black-owned businesses build visibility.   

KCBO also assists Black and other minority-owned businesses with marketing and advertising services to help boost their digital footprint and expand.  

“Consumers are looking online before they step foot in a restaurant or retail establishment,” said Chelsey. “They are using all their resources – Google, Yelp, social media -- to find places. This was an opportunity to showcase what is out there.” 

LISC Greater Kansas City is spotlighting Chelsey M. and KCBO as part of National Black Business Month in August. Because economic development is one of our key pillars, we want to highlight efforts to help diverse businesses to thrive, open up economic opportunity and build generational wealth.  

How KCBO Works 

Companies that list on KCBO’s website can amplify their online presence, improve local visibility, and boost brand awareness. A geo-location map feature makes it easier to find the businesses. The platform has attracted a wide variety of shoppers.  

“We like to say that we serve people ages 0-99 who are looking to diversify their shopping experience,” Chelsey said. “We have a lot of interracial families, many of whom have moved here for jobs at some of the corporate headquarters in Kansas City. We’ve had customers who are foodies, or who are just looking for something new, or who want a ‘taste of home.’”  

KCBO also offered a keychain promotion, similar to entertainment coupon books. Shoppers who contributed via Kickstarter received keychains, which qualified them for discounts at participating retailers. 

“Interest in Black-owned businesses tends to peak around February (Black History Month), Juneteeth and in August (National Black Business Month,) but we want to help people to ‘shop Black’ all year long,” Chelsey said.  

It’s not always easy, she added. 

“Brick-and-mortar entrepreneurs are struggling now, with the cost of rent and the difficulty of finding employees,” she said. “We had two businesses shut down in the past month.”  

One success story is a business called Smoky by Nature, owned by Adrian Franks, an electrical engineer by day and BBQ pitmaster on the side. 

With Chelsey’s help, Franks was able to get his Smoky Dopelicious sauce into more than 10 local grocery stores, including HyVee stores and Sunfresh locations. 

“That took his business to the next level,” she said. “When we’re recycling dollars back into the community, that makes the community so much stronger. It makes us feel more connected.” 

Find KCBO at https://www.kcblackowned.org and follow on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/kcblackowned/