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2025 STARTUP

SHOWCASE

LIVE FINALE

Wednesday, April 30

11AM-Noon

The Culture House @Oak Park Mall

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Featured Student Owned Businesses

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Joy Partin 
Founder/CEO

Joy's Jewelry

Shawnee Mission West

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Ada Knechtel 

Founder/CEO

AK Creates

Shawnee Mission West

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Halley Vincent

Founder/CEO

Seven Stories

Shawnee Mission North

Fina

Fina Kessler

Founder/CEO

Hoops 4 Her

Shawnee Mission East

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Angela Tapia

Founder/CEO

Angie's Berries

Shawnee Mission West

Judges

Esteemed Judges

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Leaders today face a critical challenge - a lack of clarity to drive meaningful growth, spark innovation, and create sustainable value. To succeed, leaders need actionable insights to make decisions that accelerate performance while cultivating a culture of innovation and collaboration. The Culture Think Tank bridges the gap between leadership objectives and priorities with a transparent and analytic approach - empowering leaders to align actions with goals and achieve impactful, measurable results.

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Kevin Tubbesing is a commercial broker and developer basing his companies in Mission, Kansas. Upon graduating from St. Louis University Kevin was commissioned in the US Army serving in the 1990s. In his profession, Kevin concentrates on the specialized field of the brokerage of land for development and is a developer himself. Unique in most brokerage-focused firms, Kevin leads a team of development experts specializing in understanding the complicated world or private development which requires governmental approvals. Kevin has led the development of over 3,000 multi-family units in the Kansas City metro and personally has developed more than $125mil in commercial and residential properties. Kevin has served on the City of Shawnee’s City Council and Planning Commission, is the Past-Chairman for the Kansas NFIB (National Federation of Independent Business), was selected by Ingram’s Magazine as one of Kansas City’s 40 Under 40 in 2004, was a member of the 2008 Class of Leadership Kansas and in 2017 was the City of Shawnee’s Citizen of the Year. Kevin operates the largest land brokerage company in the Kansas City metro area and is The Land Source’s owner and broker. He is one of a handful of land specialists to earn his SIOR (Society of Industrial and Office Realtors) designation and in 2010 Kevin achieved his CCIM designation held by only 10% of all commercial investment professionals. As an Accredited Land Consultant (ALC) Kevin is one of only three brokers to hold all three designations in Kansas.

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Matt Hurd is the President of Insco Industries, Inc., a specialty contractor company based in the greater Kansas City area. Insco Industries, founded in 1984, offers a range of commercial and industrial construction services, including insulation, coatings, environmental remediation, and interior and resinous flooring solutions. Under Matt Hurd's leadership since 2000, the company has grown to over $50 million dollars in annual revenue and continued to maintain the company’s original core values to safety, quality, and customer satisfaction. Before joining Insco Industries, Matt Hurd worked as a Project Superintendent at Turner Construction for two years. His extensive experience in the construction industry has contributed to his entrepreneurial success and the growth of Insco Industries.

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Jim holds a Bachelors degree in Finance from the University of Missouri and an MBA from Mississippi State University. He is a recently retired healthcare executive who spent 28 years with Healthcare Corporation of America. He currently serves on the board of three non-profits and spends his time traveling and volunteering.

SMSD Student Chamber of Commerce Coaches

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Courtney Cavlovic

Overland Park Chamber of Commerce
Workforce Project Coordinator

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Karla Engel

Oak Park Mall

Senior General Manager

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Andrew Weisberg

Overland Park Chamber of Commerce
Director of Talent

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Contact SMSD staff for more information.

Do you have questions? Contact our team members at the Shawnee Mission School District and Shawnee Mission Education Foundation to learn more. 

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Tiffany Dixon, EdD

​Shawnee Mission School District

Business Teacher (SM South | SM West)

K-12 Entrepreneur Sponsor

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Laura Harsch

Shawnee Mission Education Foundation

Business to Education Program Officer

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Finale Field Trip Agenda

9:15 AM Students Board Bus After 1st Hour

9:45 AM Kahoot Competition Begins @Culture House

10:00 AM Welcome

10:15 AM Oak Park Mall Window Display Opportunity

11:00 AM 2025 Startup Showcase Finale

Noon Lunch

12:30 PM Window Display Activity

1:30 PM Board Buses

1:45 PM Arrive Back at School

FAQ

Who can participate in the Startup Showcase?

 

All PK–12 students currently enrolled in the Shawnee Mission School District are eligible.

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⚡ Important: Your business or nonprofit must be a real venture that you plan to launch or build.

What type of business ideas are allowed?

 

We welcome real ventures of all kinds:

  • For-profit businesses

  • Nonprofit organizations

 

Whether you are launching now or after high school, your plan must reflect a real-world business or nonprofit you intend to develop.

How does the competition work?

 

Round 1: Students submit:

  • A video presentation

  • A short written business overview

Entries are shared publicly for voting and reviewed by professional judges. Top 5 finalists are selected based on public vote and judge ratings.

Round 2: Finalists present live at The Culture House at Oak Park Mall on April 30, 2025 before judges and an audience. Winners receive startup funding and ongoing support to move their real venture forward.

What support is available to student business owners?

 

All student business owners are connected to professional coaching from:

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What will winners receive?

 

ALL student entrepreneurs will receive supportive connections with Kansas City’s entrepreneurial community. 

 

Showcase finale winners will receive startup funding to support launching or growing their real business or nonprofit. 

First Place: $1,100

Second Place: $600

Third Place: $300

How secure is the public voting process during Round One?

 

We take the security and fairness of the public voting process very seriously.

  • Each verified voter is allowed only 3 votes total across all entries.

  • Spam emails are blocked through email validity restrictions and traffic monitoring systems.

  • While some users may have multiple personal emails, our security protocols and monitoring prevent any significant abuse of the voting system.

  • Voting data is regularly audited to maintain the integrity and fairness of the competition.

 

🛡️ Our goal is to ensure that the public voting process reflects genuine community support, not technical manipulation.

Student entrepreneurs are encouraged to share their business idea widely while knowing that the competition has strong protections in place to keep voting fair and meaningful.

Can younger students participate?

 

Yes! Elementary and middle school students are welcome to participate.

Younger students should have a teacher, parent, or mentor help them ensure the business or nonprofit is realistically planned and ready for next steps.

How do I submit my presentation?

 

Submissions open in April. Students will upload:

  • Their video presentation

  • Their written business overview

 

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What if I need help getting started?

 

You can:

  • Ask a teacher or mentor to guide you

  • Reach out directly to the SMSD K-12 Entrepreneur Sponsor at tiffanydixon@smsd.org for assistance

What’s coming next year?

 

In Spring 2026, the competition will expand to include a regional track open to all students across the Kansas City Metro area, offering even more opportunities for young entrepreneurs to launch real businesses and nonprofits.

Get Featured

Get Featured at Oak Park Mall

Ready to promote your business? Submit a request to the Student Chamber of Commerce for consideration.

Request a Promotional Shirt

Ready to sport your brand? Submit a request to the Student Chamber of Commerce for a promotional shirt and other print.

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Become a SMSD Student Chamber of Commerce Insider

Subscribe to receive the latest business announcements, event alerts, and weekly motivation delivered straight to your inbox.

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The mission of the Shawnee Mission School District, the bridge to unlimited possibilities yet to be discovered, is to ensure students construct their own foundation for success in life’s endeavors through relevant, personalized learning experiences orchestrated by talented, compassionate educators and distinguished by:

  •  an inclusive culture,

  • an engaged communityand

  • robust opportunities that challenge learners to achieve their full potential.

Learn more.

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© 2025 By SMSD Student Chamber of Commerce, All Rights Reserved.

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