Day in the life: Johnson County woman wins World Cup tickets, small business competition

KSHB 41 reporter Elyse Schoenig covers Johnson County. She also focuses on issues surrounding the cost of healthcare, saving for retirement and personal debt. Share your story idea with Elyse.

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A Johnson County woman capped off an unforgettable weekend in New York City by attending the World Cup finals — tickets she won before taking home $20,000 in a small business competition.

Liz Benditt, president and CEO of The Balm Box, won the Verizon Small Business Competition at the start of the weekend, earning her company $20,000 and a seat at Sunday's championship match.

"We've been able to see friends, be a little tourist, see a Broadway show, win a contest, win $20,000 for my company," Benditt said.

Benditt and her husband arrived in New York rooting for Argentina, which had chosen Kansas City as its base camp during the tournament.

"We're rooting for Argentina. They chose Kansas City as a base camp, so we're Argentina all the way," Benditt said.

Spain ultimately won the match, but the weekend held deeper meaning for Benditt beyond the final score.

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The Balm Box creates functional care packages for cancer patients — a mission that is deeply personal for its founder.

"My claim to fame is I am a six-time cancer survivor. I know I'm really good at it," Benditt said.

The $20,000 prize will go directly toward growing that mission.

"Everything that I can put into The Balm Box to help it grow ultimately helps other cancer patients, and that to me is the best gift of all," Benditt said.

Elyse Schoenig / KSHB

For Benditt, the weekend was also a reminder of what makes her hometown special.

"This World Cup experience as a native Kansas Citian has just been a joy, and I love how all of these visitors from all over the world have fallen in love with Kansas City the same way that we love it," Benditt said.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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