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A Gentleman’s Example
As I sit down to write this letter, I have a strong awareness of how my life is about to change forever. Any day now, I will be giving birth to my SON! That’s right. This clean freak, flower loving girl mom is about to welcome a little boy into the home. My husband Cooper is one of three kids, but I am an only child. Not only do I have no experience with siblings, but I know next to nothing about little boys. And that is ok with me! I am excited to learn and grow as he does.
Maybe the part about having a son that makes me the most excited is watching Cooper set an example of what a strong, servant-hearted man of God looks like. It is always such a pleasure watching men lead the way in integrity, generosity and wisdom. Even if they don’t have children of their own, someone is always watching and gleaning. And even if you did not have that kind of example as a father, I pray someone in your life fits that mold.
Each June, the Mission Hills City Lifestyle team seeks out men in the community who fall into this category. We want to feature men who exhibit strength, humility and an integrity and kindness that overflows from their lives into business. Perhaps, you know some of the men along these pages, and you appreciate what they stand for. Others, maybe you are reading about for the first time. Restauranteur Amante Domingo has learned the value of hard work from the men in his life. Kansas City Mavericks’ head coach Tad O’Had has fearlessly led the men on his team through a very successful season. Roofscaper Nate Miller works from a place of deep integrity for his family and for others. Daniel Smith offers all he has to serve the city he loves with no reward necessary.
These are the kinds of men that make our community proud and us excited to feature! We hope you enjoy the diverse stories and topics in this Gentlemen’s issue.
Until next time...
VICTORIA MOORE, EDITOR
June 2026
PUBLISHER
Sarah Johns | sarah.johns@citylifestyle.com
EDITOR
Victoria Moore | victoria.moore@citylifestyle.com
SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR
Rebecca Spears | rebecca.spears@citylifestyle.com
PUBLICATION DIRECTOR
Katie Bode | katie.bode@citylifestyle.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Linda Ditch, Amante Domingo, Jennifer Cooper Nobo, Bev Weidner
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Taylor Burris, B. Fuller Photos, KC Mavericks, Emmalee Rathsam, Brittany Dawn Short, Becca Spears, Startland News, Amanda Stottlemyre, Bev Weidner
Corporate Team
CEO Steven Schowengerdt
President Matthew Perry
COO David Stetler
CRO Jamie Pentz
CoS Janeane Thompson
AD DESIGNER Rachel Kolich
LAYOUT DESIGNER Adam Finley
QUALITY CONTROL SPECIALIST Anna Minnick
Proverbs 3:5-6
city scene
Photography by Emmalee Rathsam
1 – 3: Scenes from Kansas City Fashion Week’s Friday Evening Runway Show at Union Station.
THE MAVERICKS PLAY UP-TEMPO HOCKEY
THAT ROCKS THE ARENA
Defender Jake McLaughlin
ARTICLE BY LINDA DITCH | PHOTOGRAPHY BY KC MAVERICKS
THEY DO IS
ALL WIN
Kansas City has a long history with ice hockey, dating back to the late 1920s. Since 2009, the Mavericks have wowed a large and devoted fanbase at the Cable Dahmer Arena in Independence, making them the city’s longest-tenured hockey team. They’re the ECHL affiliate for the NHL’s Seattle Kraken and AHL’s Coachella Valley Firebirds.
The Mavericks are crazy good. Mind-blowing good! In 2025-26, they won their third Brabham Cup for the best regular-season record in the ECHL. Their .799 winning percentage is the highest in North American pro hockey, including the NHL. Head coach and general manager Tad O’Had won ECHL Coach of the Year. Defenseman Marcus Crawford won Most Valuable Player and Defenseman of the Year. The organization also was named Hockey Operations Department of the Year. So, it’s no surprise that at the time of writing, the team is advancing through the playoffs, hoping to win the 2026 Kelly Cup.
“I’ve been here now six years, and this is a great sports community,” says Coach O’Had. “They really embrace their sports. You see how they are with the Chiefs and the Royals, and how hockey has
continually grown in Kansas City from when I first took the job here to now. The team’s much more popular. We’ve got really faithful fans. I’ll tell you what, this year especially, we’ve got a loud fan base. It’s nice to see this level of excitement and support for our guys.”
Forward Lucas Sowder agrees, explaining, “I think we have the best fan base in the ECHL. Every single game, it’s as loud as you could possibly imagine, with everyone ringing the cowbells and every seat filled. It gets ramped up to 100. When you have a fan base like that, it just makes it so easy to come into the rink and give it your all.”
The team’s success can be directly tied to Coach O’Had’s philosophy of expecting complete buy-in from all players to execute an up-tempo,
fast, puck-possession, and exciting brand of hockey. He also looks for players with character who are pillars of the community.
He describes his approach: “I’m very much a player’s coach. I want my players to have ownership in the experience. My biggest focus is empowering my players and my staff; this is a joint venture. We’re doing this together. I very much feel that the best teams are the closest teams that battle and compete for one another.”
Defender Jake McLaughlin has been with the team for four years. He notes, “We’re very fortunate to have the group that we have and the culture that we have in the locker room. We’ve had success on the ice because of the players and the character we have and the culture that guys who have been here for years have built.”
For those who haven’t discovered the Mavericks yet, both the coach and players offer the same advice--go to a game!
“If you’ve never been to a game before, live hockey is the most exciting and fun sport to watch,” says Coach O’Had. “Cable Dahmer Arena is fan-friendly and has a rocking atmosphere. There’s not a bad seat in the house. You’re going to see a fast-paced hockey team. Guys working incredibly hard to reach their aspirations playing professional hockey. Tickets are affordable for a family, and so is the food. And there’s no parking fee. The Mavericks are great sports entertainment for a great value. Matter of fact, it’s probably the best deal in town.”
For more info about the Kansas City Mavericks and to purchase tickets to games, visit kcmavericks.com.
Head coach Tad O’Had
the june body edit.
YES, CHEF. MENSWEAR.
Fashion as an extension of the work
ARTICLE BY AMANTE DOMINGO PHOTOGRAPHY BY BECCA SPEARS
A jacket. A watch. A label stitched neatly at the collar. For me, none of it begins there. It begins the same place everything else does--with intention, and the slow, deliberate act of building something that feels like it cou ld only exist one way.
Before a guest ever tastes a dish, they’ve already experienced a room. The weight of the air, the tone of the light, the way a chair meets the floor. At The Russell, Le Champion, and Noka, each space is composed like a plate--layered, edited, stripped of anything that doesn’t belong. The goal is never excess. It’s clarity.
My wardrobe follows the same philosophy. Pieces are chosen the way a room is designed, until only what belongs remains. Nothing extra. Nothing competing. It’s not separate from the work. It’s another expression of it.
I’m not interested in fashion as status. Labels don’t hold meaning for me. Provenance does. Patina does. A worn leather jacket that has lived a life before mine carries more truth than anything fresh off a rack. And when something is new, it’s chosen the same way--by origin and by maker. Their art becomes a collaboration with mine.
CONTINUED >
Every piece is chosen the way I choose an ingredient: by feel, instinct, and whether it earns its place. Editing is everything. You learn what to leave out so what remains can speak with clarity. Nothing is added for the sake of it. What stays has a reason to be there.
The same hand that selects a cast iron pan selects a belt. The same eye that adjusts the height of a candle adjusts the drape of a coat. It’s all composition. It’s all atmosphere. It’s all about creating a feeling that lingers longer than the moment itself.
Because in the end, what we’re building isn’t just a place to eat, and not just a way to dress.
It’s an environment, a point of view, a life that’s been considered, edited, and refined until nothing unnecessary remains.
The line between what’s worn, what’s built, and what’s cooked disappears. It all speaks the same language.
So no, it’s not about fashion. It’s all part of my art.
T h e r a py th a t
S u p p o r t s
th e W h o l e
Fa m i l y
Occupational, Physical, and Speech Therapy for children birth through adolescence.
KANSAS CITY ROOFSCAPES
TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS BY TAKING CARE OF PEOPLE
ARTICLE BY VICTORIA MOORE
PHOTOGRAPHY BY KANSAS CITY ROOFSCAPES
A beautifully designed landscape is a work of art. The wisdom and instinct to create such a layout is a special gift–one that Nate Miller has cultivated for the top of a house. Owner of Kansas City Roofscapes, Miller and his team have worked hard to become one of the only local roofing companies that can confidently install and repair beautiful tile and specialty roofs, including the unique types found in Mission Hills and surrounding areas.While their handiwork is exceptional, it is their heart behind the good work that sets a standard of excellence recognized by the community.
“Our top priority is doing the best job we can and treating people correctly with no tricks in our words.”
“This is what we do for a living...it’s not moneyfocused, but we do the absolute best job we can and treat people decently”
“That’s how we have structured our business,” Miller informed. “Our top priority is doing the best job we can and treating people correctly with no tricks in our words, and it has been the most profitable thing for us by far.”
Miller believes taking care of people first does not have to be difficult–it can be a true business model. Kansas City Roofscapes has crafted their customer service intentionally. They take ownership of every repair, backing their projects with a 10-year warranty.
“Customers want to sleep just fine at night knowing there’s not going to be an issue. If it leaks inside and ruins your baby grand piano, we’re going to pay for it because we were put in charge of making sure that you didn’t have those problems,” Miller said.
“This is what separates us from our competitors. Most companies do zero warranty or a one-year warranty. To this day, we haven’t had a single leak from any of those repairs.”
This confidence is rooted in curiosity. In early years of business, Miller found very
few companies in Kansas City that would attempt specialty projects and complicated roof designs. Discovering this problem, Miller set out to become a solution. He earned countless certifications, even a Florida High Wind Certification.
“Water runs downhill, but a lot of these premium roofing systems are completely different. That’s when I thought, ‘Let’s educate ourselves’,” he said.
As Kansas City Roofscapes continues to expand, Miller is adamant that no amount of growth will overshadow his company’s “why.” Being a human first and meeting true needs in the community will always come before making a profit.
Recently, Miller shared a story about a young woman who reached out for an estimate. Her veteran husband was paralyzed, and the repairs were more than they could afford. Miller worked with her to achieve the best deal possible, which overwhelmed her to the point of tears.
“This is what we do for a living...it’s not money-focused, but we do the absolute best job we can and treat people decently,” Miller said. “By far it has been our secret sauce.”
Ask the Expert
Do you need to worry about burnout if you are still able to get everything done? It is hard to imagine the term applying to you when you are still able to be productive, dependable, and the person everyone can rely on. Despite outward appearances, if you are struggling with burnout internally it can have a long term impact on both your physical and mental health.
Burnout happens due to prolonged exposure to chronic stress. Common signs of burnout are emotional exhaustion, growing detachment, a reduced sense of effectiveness and health struggles like headaches, disrupted sleep and digestive issues. These experiences do not always show up all at once, and they do not always look the way people expect. For high masking individuals, burnout can exist alongside strong performance, making it easier to miss.
The ability to push through can look like and feel like strength. In many environments it is reinforced with praise for being “so resilient.” At times pushing through is necessary, but when it becomes your default it can start to impact health in more significant ways. Mentally, you may start to notice increased anxiety, feeling disconnected from your relationships, and apathy about things that you once felt passionate about. Physically, chronic stress can lead to continued sleep disturbances, lowered immune functioning, increased inflammation, and a body that constantly holds tension. Burnout is not just about doing too much. It is doing too much without enough support, recovery, or alignment with your needs over an extended period of time. Addressing it does not require you to become less driven. It often involves learning how to recognize your limits earlier, creating space for recovery before you are depleted, and allowing success to account for your capacity and values.
At Reimagine Mental Health Collective, we often work with individuals whose lives look full and successful on the outside but feel increasingly unsustainable on the inside. The goal is not to take away what you have built, but to create a way of living that allows you to sustain it and actually experience it.
Reimagine Mental Health Collective tackles the topic of burnout
THE PORTER HOUSE KC
STRENGTHENING KANSAS CITY
BY
SUPPORTING ITS ENTREPRENEURS
The best solutions often begin by identifying the greatest problems.
In the world of small business, many obstacles can stand in the way of someone pursuing their dream–finances, resources and even self-doubt.
ARTICLE BY VICTORIA MOORE
PHOTOGRAPHY BY
TAYLOR BURRIS,
B. FULLER PHOTOS AND STARTLAND NEWS
For entrepreneurial-minded Dan Smith, making a difference in his hometown of Kansas City is standing in those gaps and paving the way for others to become successful entrepreneurs.
Schultz, Thompson, Smith - Photo by: Taylor Burris
He and his team, Miranda Schultz and Charon Thompson, operate the entrepreneurship support organization (ESO), The Porter House KC. Their journey began almost ten years ago and has grown into something greater than Smith could have ever imagined.
‘When Google Fiber started coming to the city, there was this huge conversation about making Kansas City the most entrepreneurial city. A lot of those conversations didn’t translate over into the urban core,” Smith said. “We decided to attack the lowest hanging fruit–small business education.”
Their first strategy was hosting monthly speaker events, featuring other subject-matter experts. With some guidance and financial support from the Kauffman Foundation, The Porter House KC quickly became a reliable resource hub for small businesses in the city.
“We had no idea about any of this stuff,” Smith recalled. “We didn’t know there were dollars supportive of ESOs. We did a deep dive into this whole ecosystem and learned about what was going on in Miami, California and Ohio.”
Based on their findings, Smith and his team used their ESO grant dollars to create a 15-week small business development program.The goal is to help participants build a business plan that they present during a “pitch night.” They invite the community, their friends and family to come out and learn about their business ideas.
“Because of JP Morgan Chase, we’ve been able to give out some small-dollar awards to three of those winners; totaling $10,000 to a first, second, and fan favorite from each Cohort.” Schultz added.
The Porter House KC’s most recent venture is the 811 Retail space, a retail incubator on 31st Street in Kansas City that gives small businesses a safety net
for growth and discovery. If selected through the application process, businesses are able to set up shop within the space for 18 months, which helps them consider if small business is right for them.
“We put people in a different mind frame and help them understand that failure is not avoidable,” Smith said. “You actually want to get those failures quickly so you can bounce back and figure out what actually will work. That’s a big part of the purpose behind the retail space.”
In ten years, The Porter House KC has supported over 400 entrepreneurs, given over a million dollars in small dollar grants and seen small businesses make it to big box retail. Through its success, Smith has never lost amazement of how his own dream has made such a difference.
“Thinking about where we’ve come from, I wouldn’t be able to give you the blueprint,” he said. “We say that the reward for hard work is being able to do more work. We celebrate by waking up the next day and continuing to do the things that we love.” Get
Photo by: B. Fuller Photos
Photo by: Startland News
Photo by: Startland News
AN EXCERPT FROM EPISODE 6 OF SHARE THE LIFESTYLE, A CITY LIFESTYLE PODCAST
Photographer: Brittany Dawn Short
Creative Director: Jen Birn
Stylist: Stephanie Coultress O’Neill
Location: Hotel Saint Cecilia, Austin, TX
MIKE JOHNSON HAS BUILT HIS LIFE AROUND ONE QUIETLY RADICAL IDEA: THE STANDARD YOU SET PRIVATELY IS THE ONLY ONE THAT MATTERS.
After eight years in the Air Force, a celebrated run on national television, and a health crisis abroad that sent him deep into supply chains and ingredient certifications most founders never touch, the result is Oshun — a luxury ritual brand built on provenance you can trace and integrity you can verify. In an exclusive conversation for the Share the Lifestyle podcast, Mike shares what it actually takes to build something worth putting your name on. Read the highlights below, then scan the QR code for the full episode.
Q: YOU BECAME A FAN FAVORITE ON THE BACHELORETTE AND THEN LEFT THE SPOTLIGHT. YOU MOVED TO MEXICO, LEARNED SPANISH, THEN COSTA RICA, AND BUILT A COMPANY. WHAT DID THAT EXPERIENCE TEACH YOU ABOUT HUMAN BEHAVIOR?
A: “If you’re a good person going in, that shows. If you’re not, that shows too. I also learned that people form this parasocial relationship with you — they assume things about you. When in all actuality, different circumstances bring out different parts of who you are. I was on TV trying to find love. The kindness people were showing after felt a bit fake, because they wanted to be a part of something that isn’t who I am individually, but a part of what they saw on TV. And so I had to get away from everybody and everything and the noise.”
THE QUIET STANDARD:
MIKE JOHNSON
“Too many people have prayed for me. So I’ve got to get up and do the walking.”
— Mike Johnson
Q: YOU JOINED THE AIR FORCE RIGHT OUT OF COMMUNITY COLLEGE. WHAT WERE YOU ACTUALLY RUNNING TOWARD?
A: “There was something in me that was saying: I’m not living up to my full potential. I was being a follower. My uncle said, ‘What’s going to make you become an adult the fastest?’ I said, obviously, the military. The Air Force broadened my thought process more than anything. We’re so caught up in our own perception — when you learn to understand different people’s perspectives, it adds to you in so many ways.”
Q: WITH OSHUN, YOU OWN YOUR MANUFACTURING, YOU EMPLOY A CHEMIST, EVERY PRODUCT HAS A BATCH NUMBER TRACEABLE TO ITS ORIGIN DATE. WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO GO THAT DEEP WITH THE BRAND?
A: “The EU bans 1,100 ingredients in personal care products. The U.S. bans nine. That’s my starting point. Oftentimes, it might be the same ingredient, but it comes from a place where it doesn’t have the highest purity. And 60% of what we put on our skin is absorbed. Every product Oshun makes carries a batch number that goes back to the exact day it was created — I can show you every single supplier, the date, the origin. I own more than one part of the supply chain because that’s the only way I can stand behind what’s in the bottle.”
This conversation is just the beginning. Mike goes deeper into why he’s buying land up north, the family in the Philippines who prayed over his factory floor, and what he’d tell every person ready to stop performing and start building. Scan the QR code for the full, exclusive City Lifestyle interview on the Share the Lifestyle podcast.
MIKE JOHNSON
realty report
Plan an easy and incredibly delicious weeknight summer meal
ARTICLE AND PHOTOGRAPHY
BY BEV WEIDNER
We’re gonna whip up some extremely simple Philly Cheesesteak Subs because who does not love a savory, meaty, cheesy carb canoe? No one.
This is not an Aldi ad, but this thinly sliced beef came from Aldi: Black Angus Thinly Sliced Beef for Carna Asada. I had to do nothing except add some dried ranch seasoning, garlic and onion powders and a pinch of salt. Toss it all with your fingers.
If you can’t find this, buy some sirloin or flank and thinly slice it!
Slice some red onions and dice a couple of green bell peppers, too.
The steak goes in first for a heavy sear. Then she gets moved out so the onions and peppers can sauté and create the most heavenly fragrance in your kitchen and home and life.
Layer Swiss cheese slices over the top, off the heat and watch it all melt.
We’ll scoop the cheesy beefy mix into toasted hoagie buns and sing its praises.
PHILLY CHEESESTEAK SUB SANDWICHES
Ingredients:
• 1.5 pound thinly sliced beef (black Angus is what I used)
• 1 Tbs. Ranch dressing mix
• 1 Tbs. Garlic powder
• 1 Tbs. Onion powder
• Pinch of salt
• 2-3 small red onions, peeled and sliced
• 2 green bell peppers, cored, seeded and diced
• 4-5 slices of Swiss cheese
• 4 hoagie buns, sliced and lightly toasted
Directions:
1. Season the thinly sliced beef with the ranch mix, garlic and onion powders, and a pinch of salt. Toss with your fingers to coat all over.
2. To a wide skillet, add a couple of Tbs. olive oil. Add the steak and sear on one side for two minutes. Toss the beef around to the other side and sear another two. You want it nice and browned all over and starting to crisp in places.
3. Take the beef out of the pan and add another Tbs. of oil back in. Add a splash of water if needed to loosen the browned bits, then add the peppers and onions to the pan. Season with a pinch of salt and let this sauté for about five minutes on a medium heat, until the veggies take on a bit of color and get tender. Add the steak back in and use a hard spatula to mix it all together.
4. Off the heat, layer the cheese slices over the top and cover with a lid. Let this sit about five minutes, until the cheese has melted all over the steak and veggies.
5. Scoop the cheesy steak into toasted hoagie buns and serve with whatever you want!
