KU Business alumnus builds Wichita restaurant rooted in community

Wichita native Kasi Ross graduated from the University of Kansas with his bachelor's in accounting in 2020 and completed his Master of Accounting (MAcc) in 2021. But as he stepped into the corporate world, he quickly realized his ambitions of creating community didn’t fit neatly into a traditional career path.   

Ross knew since high school he would study business. Introduced to both entrepreneurship and accounting as a young student, he began picturing his future through programs such as Young Entrepreneur and the Accounting Career Awareness Program (ACAP), hosted by the National Association of Black Accountants.

“I’ve always been a person that wanted to have their own freedom and be their own boss,” Ross said. “But as a first-generational college student, I wanted to get a degree that was able to afford me opportunities to fall back on.”

He settled on a degree in accounting, a field that offers job security while building strong business fundamentals and explored entrepreneurship through KU’s Entrepreneurship Club.

Ross immersed himself in campus leadership. He served as the president of the Black Student Union, treasurer of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., the chair of the Big XII Council on Black Student Government and as a KU student ambassador. In each role, he focused on creating organizational structure, financial clarity and a lasting impact across campus.

Between academic years, Ross grew his professional experience by interning with EY, positioning himself to enter a full-time role. As a master’s student, his accomplishments and future career endeavors were recognized.   

“One thing I was most proud of during my time at KU was receiving the Lisa Ottinger Footprint Award,” Ross said. “This is given when a Master of Accounting student introduces the program to a new region, and I was the first person to accept a full-time offer in the Atlanta office.”  

After graduation, he joined EY’s Atlanta office as an enterprise risk consultant. However, Ross’ entrance to the corporate world in 2021 was rocky. He transitioned to a new market, a new city and a new chapter of his life during a time of isolation when the COVID-19 pandemic was at its worst. Public accounting had shifted to a virtual environment, removing the factors of travel and client-facing work that first drew him in.  

“It was a challenging experience because it was completely different than what I expected to happen. And I'm a planner, so when my plan didn't go as I was expecting, I'm immediately thinking of what ways I can pivot,” Ross said. 

He felt frustrated with the high living costs and long work hours despite Atlanta's fast-paced and social environment for a young professional to flourish. He knew something had to change to stop feeling financially burdened and burnt out.  

After two years, Ross made the decision to move back home to Wichita. Surrounded by his friends and family in a better opportunity to save money, he realized his dissatisfaction wasn’t just the location; it was his line of work. However, with a strong financial background, Ross felt confident to take a risk and create a career path of his own.  

Wiz Kid Consulting was the beginning of Ross' entrepreneurship journey. The venture proved to be something more than a way to replace his income. Through his firm, Ross works to build self-sufficient individuals by teaching business advancement and financial literacy. He grew more comfortable in the entrepreneurship landscape and felt he could make a greater impact on the city.  

Ross soon recognized that Wichita lacked the space for young professionals to grow professionally. He quickly turned his realization into action. In September 2024, the vision for Haven came to life: a Southern-style restaurant fostering connections and community ties through cuisine.   

“I wanted a place where I could go and have fun, but also network and build community,” Ross said. “That's where the name Haven comes from, as in ‘safe haven.’ Anyone who comes into Haven, I want them to feel like it's a place outside of their home that still feels like home.”   

Ross was determined to make his presence known in Wichita and decided downtown would be the perfect spot to bring his venture to life. He came across an article about a business owner looking to sell and transition out of his downtown location and jumped at the opportunity. This purchase offered him more than space but assets and equipment, accelerating a plan Ross projected to take three years down to a few months.  

Ross didn’t have restaurant experience to guide him. Starting Haven meant hurdling operational challenges such as the menu creation, forming a brand image, and daily logistics. However, Ross wanted to do things differently and built his team with career growth in mind. Ross hired a general manager who had never held a managerial position and brought on kitchen staff currently in or just exiting culinary school. The fast-paced environment has proved to be difficult, but the experience has strengthened his patience and redefined what business success means while creating new paths for others. 

“I am giving others the opportunity to learn inventory management and how to do cost per plate,” Ross said. “I am teaching them so that if they have the aspirations to own a restaurant or food truck in the future, they actually have the experience to work in a commercial environment and can feel more comfortable.”  

Ross’ intentionality in his work also translates to his menu. Haven serves Southern-inspired cuisine, introducing flavors not commonly found in Wichita. Keeping community at the center of his work, he builds brand partnerships through his menu to spotlight Wichita and the state of Kansas.   

Ross partners with Troy Brooks, owner of Greatness Vodka, to craft cocktails to showcase on his menu. He uses the drinks to help introduce patrons to Brooks’ brand, the only Black-owned spirits brand in Wichita. Ross values these collaborations, keeping alive his goal to support other entrepreneurs and help local businesses thrive. 

His unique attitude and drive for impact have not gone unnoticed. Ross was recently selected to represent the State of Kansas at the Global Entrepreneurship Congress. Held in Indianapolis, the conference brings together entrepreneurs across the world to discuss current business trends and opportunities. His mindset changed to think about entrepreneurship from a global perspective and the possible reach and impact he could have on a larger audience.  

“This opportunity tweaked my lens of an exit strategy to think about the scalability of the business and to be more strategic,” Ross said. “I definitely plan to open more locations of Haven and replicate its concept in other cities.”  

Currently, Ross aims to expand across the Midwest, starting with a larger location in Wichita and seeing the potential of Kansas City and Oklahoma City as future endeavors. Long-term, he hopes to bring his idea nationwide and enter cities such as Dallas and Atlanta.  

From the college network he built at KU to the industry relationships and mentors that helped bring Haven to life, Ross was given the chance to learn from others' successes and mistakes. This foundation of support has provided him with endless advice and streams of connections, changing the trajectory of his business success.  

“Networking is something that literally will make or break your business,” Ross said. “People invest in people. AI's not going to be able to go in and sit inside of your restaurant, so we have to continue to keep those traditional values in line.”