Today we’d like to introduce you to Danielle DuPree.
Hi Danielle, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Hello! I’m Danielle DuPree and I’m the Executive Director of the Ennovation Center, a nonprofit business incubator in Independence, Missouri. My passion for helping entrepreneurs grow their businesses comes from my deep roots in the Independence community, where I was born and raised. I am a proud graduate of William Chrisman High School, Penn Valley College, where she was also a scholar athlete, and the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC).
With over ten years of experience as a technology business consultant, I have experience in digital transformation, business start-ups, and business retention and expansion. My expertise includes business planning, startup business consulting, developing IT strategies, implementing virtual reality and XR solutions, leveraging artificial intelligence, enhancing workflows, improving security, and utilizing ECM solutions. Additionally, she has experience in political campaign consulting, commercial printing and packaging, social media and marketing, and developing business partnerships.
I come from a long line of educators and I am deeply committed to education and the next generation of business leaders. I serve on the Advisory Board of the Independence School District’s (ISD) Business, Entrepreneurship, and Culinary career capstone programs. The Ennovation Center hosts interns from Fort Osage Schools and summer interns from Pro X. I partner with the Kauffman Real Learning Program. In 2025, the Ennovation Center received the ISD ‘Engagement Award’ and we were nominated for the Kauffman Real Learning Partner of the Year. The Ennovation Center also works with the Blue Springs School District and Lee’s Summit Schools, through entrepreneurial education.
Outside of work, I enjoys spending time outdoors and spending time with her husband, Jason, and their blended family of three children. I love hiking, volunteering, coaching, and cheering on Kansas City sports teams. My son Jackson currently attends Truman High School, continuing my family’s strong ties to the ISD, which go back to her grandfather accepting a principal position in the district in 1955.
I feel that advocacy is very important, so I head to the Missouri State Capitol twice a month while in session to promote policy changes that benefit small businesses and our local community. I also serve on several regional steering committees, including Global Entrepreneurship Week KC, Food Biz Con, Juneteenth Independence, Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast, and Re:Art Fest. I am a Rotarian, GFWC Clubwoman, a sister in Beta Sigma Phi and serve on the board for Missouri Girls Town and a few other organizations.
My goal in this leadership position is for the Ennovation Center to continue to empower entrepreneurs to build successful businesses, create new jobs, and inspire economic growth across the region. One of my biggest strengths is being a connector. Who can I help connect you to?
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
While playing college basketball, I suffered a traumatic head injury when a 6’8″ player from Romania collided with me mid-air as I went up for a layup. I don’t remember anything after the impact, but I continued playing the game and even drove myself home. A year or so later, I had a severe seizure while driving, rolled my SUV, and had to be cut out of the wreckage and life-flighted to the hospital. I woke up briefly in the helicopter, unable to move, and prayed to God for strength and healing. Miraculously, I woke up in the hospital with full mobility.
Under the care of a neurologist, I learned that I had been experiencing seizures since the concussion. Finding the right treatment was traumatic in itself—my first medication caused stuttering and severe memory issues, which led me to believe I had permanent brain damage. Thankfully, it was just a side effect. After many trials, I found a medication that helped, though it lowered my white blood cell count and weakened my immune system. When I became pregnant with my son, I was weaned off the medication, but the experience left lasting effects on my health—and a deep appreciation for life, healing, and faith.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
The Ennovation Center is a dynamic business development incubator spanning over 28,000 square feet, featuring a range of specialized facilities and services to support the growth and success of its clients.
The facility offers several distinct business specialties, including a shared commercial kitchen space, bio-safety level 1 labs, and a business and tech area offering dedicated workspaces, temporary workspaces, offices, conference rooms, office suites, and production labs.
Our friendly staff is committed to providing on-site assistance and connecting client companies to a comprehensive network of resources. We help with Business Planning, beginning Marketing Plans and beginning distribution plans. We also have a financial business coach and partner with other area Entrepreneurial Resource Organizations in the metro.
For food manufacturers, caterers, and specialty seasonal food products, our commercial kitchen boasts six kitchens and commercial-grade equipment, providing a state-of-the-art facility for culinary professionals to develop and produce their creations.
Need a business address or mailing services? We can help with that!
In addition, the Ennovation Center’s business technologies incubator provides a supportive community for technology-based, science-based, service-based companies, and not-for-profits to grow and develop their businesses.
ABOUT
The Ennovation Center, a nonprofit business incubator located in Independence, Missouri, has a compelling community story. Previously known as the Independence Regional Ennovation Center, the building was formerly the site of the Independence Regional Hospital, serving the region for over a century. Situated in the heart of Independence, merely six blocks from the historic downtown square, the facility played a significant role in the community.
When the hospital’s closure was announced in 2007, the Independence Economic Development Council, the Independence School District, the City of Independence, and community leaders came together to envision a new purpose for the building. After extensive renovation, the Ennovation Center opened its doors in October 2010, becoming a hub for startup and small businesses.
Since its inception, the Ennovation Center has incubated close to 600 businesses, which our current clients generate over 200 jobs. Since 2010, our clients have generated over $38 million in tax revenue for the state of Missouri and about $20 million for the City of Independence. The Ennovation Center serves the KC Region, and its graduates have gone on to create their own spaces, contributing to not only Independence’s economy, but the regional economy.
Starting and growing a business is challenging, and often involves a significant amount of risk and hard work. At the Ennovation Center, their aim is to provide a conducive environment for entrepreneurs and their ideas to thrive. They are committed to offering every possible opportunity for businesses to succeed, enabling entrepreneurs to develop their businesses to the best of their abilities.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
Likes
I like finding the quickest and most efficient way to get things done—I believe in simplicity and keeping tasks manageable. I’m a fan of To Do Lists and thrive on clarity and structure. I enjoy quiet moments in nature without distractions, and I love reading both the physical newspaper and the Independence Examiner Online. I deeply appreciate kind people, especially those who say “yes,” offer help, or build others up. I enjoy working with teenagers because they’re capable of hard things, and with elementary students because they are naturally enthusiastic and easily inspired. I value people who can push back on ideas, speak bluntly, and bring diverse perspectives—because I believe there is strength in diversity.
Dislikes
I dislike unnecessary complications, negative attitudes, and mean or judgmental behavior. I’m frustrated by poor Wi-Fi connections and excessive regulations that make life harder for small businesses, especially in the food industry. I also strongly dislike dream killers and people with bad manners—kindness and encouragement go a long way.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.EnnovationCenter.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ennovationcenter?igsh=YWE0eXFoMzB1eGo=
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61568367326542
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ennovation-center/
- Twitter: @EnnovationCentr
