Owner/Chef Kate Smith of Butterfield’s Bakery & Market at the Lenexa Public Market was named “Young Entrepreneur of the Year” by the Kansas Department of Commerce, Office of Minority and Women Business Development.
Smith was recognized during a ceremony on Nov. 16 during the annual Minority and Women Enterprise Development Awards. The event recognizes the economic contributions of woman- and minority-owned businesses and communities in Kansas and honors award recipients for their outstanding achievements.
“I'm so incredibly thankful for this honor,” said Smith. “If I saw myself five years ago, I could never have imagined I would own two (soon to be three) businesses at the age of 27. I couldn't have done it without my amazing team supporting me and giving me their best every day. I can only imagine what is to come if these past four years is just the start.”
Smith was also named as a 2022 winner of NextGen Under 30, another program of the Kansas Department of Commerce, which honors individuals who demonstrate talent, drive and service to their communities. She and others receiving the award will be recognized for this achievement in early December in Topeka.
"We are excited to continue to celebrate Kate and her many successes," said Lenexa Public Market Manager Tessa Adcock. "The Public Market's purpose is to provide opportunities for new entrepreneurs to grow their businesses and Kate is doing just that. Her accomplishments signify the strong support of the Lenexa community for our local, small business owners.”
Smith grew up watching her grandmother, Jo Ann (Butterfield) Fath, cooking and baking. She graduated from Oklahoma State University in 2017 with a degree in Hospitality Management and decided to pursue her passions for food, events and design after moving to Kansas City in 2018. Her specialty French macarons proved popular at shopping expos and weddings. She started selling macarons as a day cart vendor at the Lenexa Public Market in March 2019 and expanded to a specialty confections stall, Kate Smith Soirée, in June 2019. She opened Butterfield’s Bakery & Market at the Public Market in 2020.
“Kate participated in Leadership Lenexa 2022, and I was amazed at how many interesting opportunities and experiences she’s had at such a young age,” said Lenexa Convention & Visitors Bureau Director Julie Steiner. “She’s an impressive businesswoman who is bringing people into Lenexa and the Lenexa Public Market.”
Published Nov. 17, 2022