There are more than 400,000 job openings a year in the information technology sector. TriCom Technical Services has used that demand to boost its own growth.

Laura Symon Browne now has spent a year as a top leader for Buffalo Funds. "I knew we had the quality of people and products, and that we could be even more successful by just being able to implement a few additional efforts," she said.

"We uncovered these barrels that were really delicious at 100 proof and we're pretty excited about it," Union Horse's co-founder said.

Sunflower Bank lost its Eastern Kansas president, which oversaw an area including Kansas City. The bank is in the process of finding a replacement.

Growing pains include a recent recall, supply issues and challenging new guidelines from the state. But aside from those growing pains, three local players still view the state as the gold standard in the industry for recreational use.

C2FO is keeping a close eye on its expenses as its continues pushing toward an initial public offering, so when revenue didn't meet expectations this year, it resulted in 80 people getting laid off. That reflects a 3% reduction in costs.