Today we’d like to introduce you to Pierre Yancy.
Hi Pierre, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My journey has been shaped by a genuine love for Kansas City, an entrepreneurial spirit, and a lifelong commitment to serving others. I’ve always believed that success isn’t simply measured by what you accomplish personally, but by the opportunities you create and the lives you positively impact along the way.
I began my entrepreneurial journey in 2013 when I founded ThinkTank Consulting, LLC, with a vision of helping businesses, nonprofit organizations, and community leaders strengthen their brands, communicate effectively, and achieve meaningful results. What started as a passion for marketing and strategic communications evolved into a career spanning government relations, public affairs, business development, political strategy, and community advocacy.
Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of working directly with elected officials, including Kansas City Councilwoman Melissa Robinson and former Missouri State Representative Ashley Bland Manlove, supporting political campaigns, developing communications strategies, and helping connect government leadership with the communities they represent. Those experiences gave me a deeper understanding of how public policy, economic opportunity, and strong community partnerships can directly influence people’s everyday lives.
Today, I also serve as Managing Partner of Lumova Aerial & Media, an innovative drone technology and geospatial services company. Through advanced aerial imaging, LiDAR mapping, infrastructure inspections, and 3D modeling, we’re working to introduce solutions that help municipalities, developers, and businesses make smarter, more informed decisions. For me, technology and entrepreneurship are powerful tools for creating opportunities and improving our communities.
Equally important to my professional journey has been my dedication to public service and nonprofit leadership. I’m honored to serve on the Board of Directors of the American Jazz Museum, where I’ve held the distinction of being its youngest board member. Preserving Kansas City’s rich jazz heritage and supporting one of our city’s most important cultural institutions is especially meaningful to me.
I previously served as Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of Prospect KC/Nourish KC, helping support its mission to combat food insecurity and serve vulnerable families throughout our community. I’ve also served on the boards of Empower Missouri and YES Liberia, experiences that further strengthened my commitment to advocacy, economic empowerment, and creating opportunities for underserved populations.
What ties all these experiences together is my belief that leadership carries a responsibility to serve.
I genuinely love Kansas City. I love our people, our neighborhoods, our culture, our history, and the tremendous potential that exists throughout this community. But I also recognize that a city’s success shouldn’t be measured solely by new developments, economic investment, or national recognition. It should be measured by whether everyday residents can afford housing, access quality jobs, support their families, and enjoy a better quality of life.
As I continue growing my businesses and expanding my civic involvement, my ultimate passion remains the same: to help build a Kansas City where opportunity isn’t determined by someone’s ZIP code, background, or economic circumstances.
I want to continue bringing people together, opening doors, strengthening organizations, and advocating for practical solutions that make life better for the average Kansas Citian.
At the end of the day, I don’t want my legacy to simply be about the businesses I’ve built or the titles I’ve held. I want it to be about the people I’ve helped, the communities I’ve strengthened, and the positive impact I’ve made on the city I proudly call home.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I would love to say it’s been a smooth road, but the reality is that some of my greatest lessons have come from navigating challenges, setbacks, and moments of uncertainty.
Entrepreneurship is often celebrated for its successes, but people rarely see the sacrifices, financial pressures, long hours, and difficult decisions that happen behind the scenes. Building a business from the ground up while establishing credibility, developing relationships, and competing for opportunities requires tremendous patience, discipline, and resilience.
One of my biggest challenges has been learning how to balance ambition with purpose. When you’re passionate about business, public service, and community development, it’s easy to stretch yourself thin trying to make a difference in multiple areas. I’ve had to learn that effective leadership isn’t about being involved in everything. It’s about being intentional with your time, surrounding yourself with the right people, and focusing on where you can make the greatest impact.
Working in government relations and community advocacy has also taught me that meaningful change rarely happens overnight. I’ve witnessed firsthand how bureaucracy, limited funding, competing interests, and systemic barriers can slow progress, even when the need for solutions is urgent. Whether it’s addressing food insecurity, expanding affordable housing, or helping small businesses access opportunities, the challenges are often complex and require persistence, collaboration, and creative thinking.
Another important lesson has been understanding that relationships alone don’t create results. Trust must be earned through consistency, integrity, accountability, and the willingness to follow through on your commitments.
There have certainly been moments when things didn’t unfold as I envisioned, when opportunities fell through, or when I had to reassess my approach. But I’ve learned not to confuse a setback with failure. Sometimes the most valuable growth happens when you’re forced to adapt, rethink your strategy, and find another way forward.
Perhaps the greatest lesson I’ve learned is that you can be ambitious without losing your humility, and you can pursue professional success without losing your commitment to others.
I remain motivated by the people and communities I serve. Kansas City has extraordinary potential, but there are still too many hardworking individuals and families facing barriers to economic stability and opportunity. That reality keeps me grounded and reminds me that the work is bigger than any individual accomplishment.
Ultimately, the challenges I’ve encountered have strengthened my character, sharpened my perspective, and reinforced my belief that leadership is measured not by how easily you succeed, but by how you respond when things become difficult.
I’m still learning, still growing, and still building. And through it all, my commitment remains the same: to create opportunities, strengthen my community, and leave Kansas City better than I found it.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
ThinkTank Consulting, LLC is a Kansas City-based strategic communications, government relations, and business development consulting firm I founded in 2013. At its core, ThinkTank was built on a simple philosophy: great ideas deserve great execution, and meaningful progress happens when the right people, resources, and opportunities come together.
Over the past decade, we’ve evolved beyond traditional marketing and public relations into a strategic consulting firm that helps businesses, nonprofit organizations, civic institutions, and community leaders navigate complex challenges, strengthen their visibility, and position themselves for long-term success.
Our areas of expertise include strategic communications, public affairs, government relations, political consulting, branding, digital marketing, website development, stakeholder engagement, business development, and funding strategy.
One of the things I’m particularly proud of is our work helping nonprofit organizations and community-focused institutions pursue government funding, develop strategic partnerships, and communicate their impact more effectively. Many organizations are doing extraordinary work but don’t always have the internal resources, relationships, or technical expertise to navigate government processes or expand their reach. That’s where ThinkTank can make a meaningful difference.
We’ve also had opportunities to work alongside elected officials, political campaigns, entrepreneurs, and community leaders, helping translate their visions into actionable strategies that connect with the people they serve.
What truly sets ThinkTank apart is our ability to bridge the gap between business, government, technology, and community engagement. We don’t simply approach a client’s challenge from a marketing perspective. We look at the bigger picture: Who needs to be at the table? What relationships need to be developed? Where are the opportunities for growth or funding? And how can we turn a vision into measurable results?
I believe our greatest competitive advantage is understanding both the boardroom and the community. Effective strategies must make sense on paper, but they also need to resonate with the people whose lives they affect.
I’m equally passionate about innovation. As Managing Partner of Lumova Aerial & Media, I’ve been able to expand my entrepreneurial work into advanced drone technology, geospatial mapping, LiDAR, and infrastructure solutions. That experience reinforces my belief that technology, when applied thoughtfully, can improve government efficiency, support economic development, and help communities make smarter investments.
Brand-wise, what I’m most proud of is that ThinkTank has grown through relationships, trust, and a reputation for being resourceful, adaptable, and committed to results. I never wanted to build a firm that simply delivers a service and moves on. I wanted to build a company that becomes a trusted strategic partner, someone clients can call when they’re facing a challenge, exploring an opportunity, or trying to accomplish something meaningful.
And while I’m proud of the businesses I’ve built, I measure their success by more than revenue or recognition. I take tremendous pride in knowing that our work can help a nonprofit expand its services, a small business compete for new opportunities, or a community organization gain the visibility and support it deserves.
Ultimately, ThinkTank Consulting reflects my personal philosophy: business success and community impact should never be mutually exclusive.
I want readers to know that we’re not simply in the business of communications or consulting. We’re in the business of connecting people, creating opportunities, solving problems, and helping good ideas become lasting results.
Kansas City is our home, and I want ThinkTank to continue being part of the work that moves our city forward. As we grow, my commitment remains to help strengthen local organizations, expand economic opportunity, and contribute to a Kansas City where more residents and families can thrive.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://flylumova.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pierreyancy
