WICHITA, KS (December 23, 2021) – Knowledge as a Service, Inc. (KaaS), a tech company that relocated to Wichita earlier this year, is celebrating its first year in Wichita with the advocates, community and crowd driving it toward success. The recently announced partnership with Bonavia Properties has accelerated its capital campaign, said KaaS Chief Operating Officer BW Barkley. The company is now activating multiple efforts to continue that growth.
Those efforts include advertising and marketing tactics implemented by Arora Project, an equity crowdfunding advertising agency, and Digital Niche Agency, a growth marketing agency specializing in startups. KaaS has also contracted Howerton + White, an integrated advertising and marketing agency, to launch the design and build of a new Ringorang.com and more.
“Crowdfunding is the future of investing in Wichita,” said Barkley. “It allows anyone to invest in a business or startup they want to see grow in their hometown.”
In addition to its Wefunder campaign, KaaS raised $105,000 through the Angel Investor Tax Credit program offered by the Kansas Department of Revenue, providing $52,500 in tax credits to those who participated.
See all the details about KaaS’ crowdfunding campaign at wefunder.com/kaas.
An Expanding Local Footprint
KaaS’ expansion is underway, moving its growing team to a 5,500-square-foot office space in Garvey Center Plaza, which is part of the five-year lease agreement with strategic partner Bonavia Properties announced earlier this month.
The company added eight new team members in 2021, including Marketing Director Shae Blevins, Director of Customer Success Niti Singh and six of eight contracted employees from Wichita’s State University’s Shocker Career Accelerator. In addition, John Dempsey, Engineer Specialist, Sr., at Textron Aviation, offers consulting support as Chief Technology Officer at KaaS.
KaaS also moved its accounting and business financial planning services to Wichita this month, contracting several local firms: Adams Brown Strategic Allies and CPAs for accounting as well as both RSM US LLP and SJHL Accounting Firm for its financial and tax-related services.
Introducing Niti Singh
Niti Singh comes to KaaS with more than 15 years’ experience in leadership and talent development at Foley Equipment, Gallup and University of Notre Dame, as well as other companies and organizations. With a Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior, Singh has created processes, programs and content to arm people with tools they need to learn and flourish in their careers and daily lives. She applies her coaching and consulting expertise to serving customers as Director of Customer Success.
“Adding Niti as our Director of Customer Success has been a game-changer for our customer interaction,” Feeney said. “She is leading the charge and the team responsible for onboarding customers and providing day-to-day customer service.”
Singh leads Customer Success Coaches Daniel Parham, Tegan Erwin and Truc Nguyen, who joined KaaS through Wichita State University’s Shocker Career Accelerator Program.
Growing a Local Customer Base
Two Wichita companies are using KaaS’ software-as-a-service solution, Ringorang®: flagship Wichita customer Mahaney Group and Syndeo HRO.
Mahaney Group launched their first Ringorang program in June to focus on employee safety in the field. They began their second phase implementation in November. Vice President of Human Resources Morgan Cabral spoke at KaaS’ Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting ceremony in August to describe her experience with implementation.
KaaS also recently onboarded Syndeo HRO as both a customer, using Ringorang to reinforce its cybersecurity training, as well as its human resources provider. Syndeo completed their first program in December.
Chief Revenue Officer Kathy Hughes highlighted KaaS' pipeline: “We have 22 opportunities with the potential for 12 being onboarded in the next three months."
Inside Sales Representatives Kyle Stenzel, Laikyn Garland and Lillian Cota – also from WSU’s Shocker Career Accelerator – report to Hughes, filling the sales funnel in Wichita and across the country.
Expanding Industries and Markets
Outside of Wichita, KaaS also recently closed a contract with Arizona Public Service (APS) in which Ringorang will be applied throughout the organization to more than 5,000 employees. Onboarding will begin January 2022.
“This is an enterprise-wide, two-year contract with more than 5,000 users,” Hughes said. “With Ringorang, APS can deliver on their organizational goals as well as employee development and retention.”
“Ringorang’s ability to reach our employees in the field via the mobile app or in the office at their desks allows us to execute on performance drivers for our most critical programs,” said Arizona Public Service Manager, Enterprise Change Management, Denise Hutchinson.
