Being recognized as one of the KC Chamber’s 2023 award nominees hasn’t fully sunk in for Dr. Karen Patrice Boyd, she said Tuesday amid dozens of her fellow small businesses highlighted in Union Station’s Grand Hall.

“This has been our first time participating, and it’s been phenomenal. The traffic has not stopped,” said Boyd, founder of Patrice’s Culinary Collective, as she presented her culinary goods at the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business Candidates Showcase. “This nomination validates us, allows us to do a lot more networking and get some more visibility.”

Check out a photo gallery from the event at the bottom of this story.

Nearly 1,000 business leaders, nonprofits and community members gathered at Union Station on Tuesday for the annual showcase. Within the crowd, 67 small businesses were able to show off their goods and services, noted Vicky Kulikov, who serves as the small business director for the KC Chamber and lead coordinator of the Small Business Superstars program.

“Making connections and creating relationships are critical for these small business owners as they grow their business and seek access to capital,” Kulikov said. “Through the Candidates’ Showcase, we are bringing the small businesses together in the same space with small business support organizations, lenders and the overall community — this is where the magic happens!” 

Along with everyday community members, judges for the Chamber’s Small Business of the Year “Mr. K Award” socialized with and observed small business owners to help determine the Top 10 finalists for the coveted honor. Finalists are set to be announced in May with the winner revealed at the Small Business Celebration in June. 

A handful of familiar faces returned to Union Station Tuesday. Amber Reed, the owner of Resolve Counseling (which was a Top 10 Finalist in 2022), brought pop-up therapy sessions to the celebration as she and her team continue their mission to reimagine mental health.  

“As we’ve become more integrated in this community, we’ve seen how much Kansas City values mental health,” Reed shared. “Particularly, Kansas City businesses are excited about integrating mental health into what they do. We’ve been given the opportunity to partner with some of these agencies and provide mental health service to their staff members and leaders. We also do education through webinars and luncheons.” 

The celebration also featured those who are brand new to the Chamber, said Kulikov, noting that about half of the candidates are new.

Robert Goulden, the founder and CEO of Jungle Juice Smoothie Bar, said the event served as an opportunity to get in front of potential customers and share his products with the community. 

“We truly believe that food is medicine, so what you put in your body can heal you. That’s something I live by,” Goulden said. “We have juices that help with anti-inflammation. We have some with fat burners that help burn fat. Our purpose is to help humans through food.”

The Chamber sets out to champion diversity, Kulikov added. With the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation’s recent three-year Access to Capital grant, the Chamber has been able to expand its resources for minority-owned businesses.

“The Small Business Celebration supports the entire small business community; yet the grant gives us the ability to enhance our longstanding program with refreshed objectives in doing our part with the diverse business community,” Kulikov explained. “It enables us to connect the Small Business Celebration with the KC Chamber’s work in the access-to-capital space for Black and Brown-owned small businesses.” 

As part of the overall candidates for the Small Business Celebration, 35 percent of small business award applicants are minority-owned; 57 percent of small business award applicants are women-owned; and 28 percent of small business award applicants are BIPOC- and woman-owned.  

All candidates present at the showcase are eligible to take home the annual Honeywell (Kansas City National Security Campus) Fan Favorite Award. The Honeywell Fan Favorite award is set to be announced at 4 p.m.Thursday, April 6  in a Facebook Live on the Chamber’s Facebook page. Voting for the honor is open until noon Thursday. 

Click here to vote on which company you would like to win Honeywell Fan Favorite.