The Bentonville Beacon : Recent Episodes
Bentonville Economic Development | Greater Bentonville Area Chamber of Commerce
https://www.bentonvilleeconomicdevelopment.com/
On the Bentonville Beacon podcast, host James Bell brings you stories from the entrepreneurs, business executives and community leaders who are sparking the rise of the Greater Bentonville area. You'll hear how one of the fastest-growing and most dynamic cities and economies in the United States helps businesses grow and helps people live their best lives. Tune in, subscribe, and get excited to embrace Greater Bentonville with us!
Summary
On this episode of The Bentonville Beacon, host James Bell spends time with Pea Ridge Mayor Nathan See. Nestled beside Bentonville in Northwest Arkansas, Pea Ridge balances its rapid development with its rich history. In addition to being the gateway to Pea Ridge National Military Park, the city is located in close proximity to world-class businesses such as Walmart, J.B. Hunt and Tyson Foods. It is just 40 minutes from the University of Arkansas and is surrounded by outdoor recreation and cultural amenities just a few minutes away, including the picturesque Beaver Lake and the globally acclaimed Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. Join James and Mayor See as they explore the trajectory of Pea Ridge’s expansion, both current and future, under the mayor’s visionary leadership.
Thanks for tuning in!
Show Notes
Timestamps in this blog are for the audio-only version of the podcast; video timing differs.
(0:59) Introduction to Mayor Nathan See
(6:49) The Story of Pea Ridge’s Growth
(10:06) Who Is Moving to Pea Ridge, Arkansas
(15:24) How Living in Pea Ridge Helps People Live Their Best Lives
(19:58) #LiveWorksHere Story
(23:29) About the Community Development Institute
(30:02) Collaborations between Pea Ridge and Bentonville
(34:09) Closing Questions
Links
James Bell
Bentonville Economic Development
Mayor Nathan See
City of Pea Ridge
Quotes
“Pea Ridge is a thriving community that has great opportunities for growth, family values and community involvement. That’s what we piece together as our scope of what we’re trying to go after as far as vision. That’s who we are, and that’s who we strive to be.” - Mayor Nathan See, (1:31)
“We want everybody to come in and be a part and be accepted into our city no matter their culture or their background or anything else. We want them to have a place to play at our parks and we want them to have a place to enjoy their families and friends and come together as a community at our community events.” - Mayor Nathan See, (11:03)
“Bentonville has great things going on from the murals to the mountain bike trails to sculptures, and that’s stuff we’re trying to bring to Pea Ridge.” - Mayor Nathan See, (30:35)
Summary
On this episode of The Bentonville Beacon, host James Bell chats with Sandi Macklom, the Founder and Owner of Sandi Sue’s Gluten Free Bakery. This shop caters to the Northwest Arkansas community with gluten-free breads, pies, cakes and custom orders. After adopting a gluten-free lifestyle, Sandi found it challenging to discover tasty gluten-free alternatives. Being an avid baker, she decided to rectify this gap by opening Sandi Sue’s Gluten Free Bakery. Throughout the episode, James and Sandi delve into the bakery’s mission, Sandi’s experiences at Brightwater (Center for the Study of Food) and the advantages of founding her bakery in Bentonville.
Thanks for tuning in!
Show Notes
(0:59) Introduction to Sandi Macklom
(3:23) Founding Sandi Sue’s Gluten Free Bakery
(6:47) About Brightwater: A Center for the Study of Food
(8:43) Why Sandi Sue’s Gluten Free Bakery Started at the 8th Street Market
(10:45) Sandi Sue’s New 14th Street Location
(12:11) How Bentonville’s Culture Has Helped Sandi Sue’s
(15:30) Bentonville’s Exciting Future
(18:09) #BecauseBentonville Story
(22:51) Advice for People Thinking About Starting a Business
(32:01) Closing Question
Links
James Bell
Bentonville Economic Development
Sandi Macklom
Sandi Sue’s Gluten Free Bakery
Quotes
“8th Street provided us a great opportunity for proof of concept. It essentially limited financial risk on our part because we self funded…albeit it was only a hundred feet, we could get our product to a newer and larger segment of the community and make sure that what we thought was good is what everybody else thought was good.” - Sandi Macklom, (8:43)
“The thing that Northwest Arkansas, Bentonville and Rogers specifically, have is the breadth of things to do. It feels like a larger town with everything going on and all the social events, but you still have the regulars. I still recognize my people when they come in…you don’t really get that in larger cities, and that’s what brought me back [to Bentonville].” - Sandi Maklom, (12:32)
There were two things I was cognizant of when I was starting my business: One, the financial side because you can’t build a sustainable business if your finances aren’t in order…and the other harder thing, finding a marketing team that you trust…because you can have the best thing in the world, but if people don’t know you’re out there and how to find you, it doesn’t matter.” - Sandi Macklom, (23:31)
“Right now, a gluten-free diet is the only treatment for celiac disease. That’s why it’s such a passion of mine that people can come to my bakery and eat everything on the menu…being able to provide good food for people who unfortunately don’t usually get it, we’re very privileged and humbled and lucky to be able to do that for our community.” - Sandi Macklom, (32:15)
Summary
On this episode of The Bentonville Beacon, host James Bell sits down with Jessica Keahey, Owner of Sweet Freedom Cheese, Arkansas’s first cut-to-order cheese shop, offering a curated selection of artisanal cheeses, cured meats, wine and complementary gourmet food. Since its opening in 2018, Sweet Freedom Cheese has been featured in many notable publications, including Culture Magazine, Taste of Home and The Wall Street Journal. Most recently, Sweet Freedom Cheese was named by Wine Enthusiast as one of “The Top Ten Most Iconic Cheese Shops in America”. Throughout the episode, James and Jessica discuss the intricacies behind being a cheese monger, why Jessica opened her cheese shop in Bentonville and the fascinating world of cheese.
Thanks for tuning in!
Show Notes
Timestamps in this blog are for the audio-only version of the podcast; video timing differs.
(0:53) Introduction to Jessica Keahey
(5:52) About Sweet Freedom Cheese
(13:12) Jessica’s Favorite Cheese
(21:41) Sweet Freedom Cheese’s Events and Classes
(23:11) Why Jessica Opened Sweet Freedom Cheese in Bentonville
(26:50) How COVID Affected Sweet Freedom Cheese
(31:35) Operating a Business in Bentonville
(35:39) #BecauseBentonville Story
(41:17) What’s Next for Sweet Freedom Cheese
(51:49) Jessica’s Favorite Moment That Involved Cheese
(55:20) How Engineering Has Helped Jessica Own a Cheese Shop
(58:22) Closing Question
Links
James Bell
Bentonville Economic Development
Jessica Keahey
Sweet Freedom Cheese
Quotes
“I think especially artisan cheeses that people are not familiar with, there is a real opportunity for education to really tell the story of the cheesemaker because that is part of the tale, and we start to create a relationship with our customers…it’s a lot of fun and it’s a very different kind of labor intensive business model to do.” - Jessica Keahey, (6:06)
“I’ve been in Northwest Arkansas for twenty-three years and I do consider it home. So I think that we deserved a cheese shop and I felt like it was something that we were ready for. It’s a great culinary hub.” - Jessica Keahey, (23:19)
“[Bentonville’s] such a great culinary place. You get to see these things that are evolving here. It’s such an interesting place as well, and it’s a great business-friendly community. There’s a lot of local support for things like culinary.” - Jessica Keahey, (31:36)
Summary
On this episode of The Bentonville Beacon, host James Bell sits down with Dr. Debbie Jones, Superintendent of Bentonville Schools. Previously, Dr. Jones served as Assistant Commissioner for Learning Services at the Arkansas Department of Education where she led its largest unit, which worked to enact educational legislation. Additionally, James is joined by Teresa Hudson, Immediate Past Director of Bentonville Schools’ Ignite Professional Studies, a program that provides relevant learning experiences in collaboration with regional businesses, nonprofits and industry professionals. Throughout the episode, James, Debbie and Teresa discuss why Bentonville Schools ranks amongst the top 2 percent in the nation, the school system’s leadership in workforce development and the incredible opportunities offered to students through the Ignite Professional Studies program.
Thanks for tuning in!
Show Notes
Timestamps in this blog are for the audio-only version of the podcast; video timing differs.
(0:47) Introduction to Dr. Debbie Jones and Teresa Hudson
(5:54) Bentonville Schools’ National Rankings and Statistics
(12:40) About Ignite Professional Studies
(20:24) An Ignite Success Story
(24:51) How Ignite Will Continue to Evolve
(27:52) More Bentonville School Programs
(30:26) Local Ignite Partners
(38:28) How Bentonville Helps Debbie and Teresa Live Their Best Lives
(51:36) #BecauseBentonville Story
Links
James Bell
Bentonville Economic Development
Dr. Debbie Jones
Bentonville Schools
Teresa Hudson
Ignite Professional Studies
Not mentioned in episode: Ignite’s new Director, Jessica Imel
Quotes
“Our employees, they don’t just do it for the money. They do it because they truly love students, and they do whatever it takes to get kids proficient as they should, to master the content, to be the very best musicians, or the best athletes, whatever that may be.” - Dr. Debbie Jones, (6:59)
“In [Ignite Professional Studies], we hope to provide college credit for all our students to do certifications and to have internships. We feel like that’s the perfect blend of college career training that we want all our students to graduate with. What we hope to achieve is that they make better selections of what they want to do after high school.” - Teresa Hudson, (13:17)
“That social piece, having friends, having a supportive network, is linked with longevity. And we have that here…all the city leaders are present and they reach out and will help each other because we all want to be very inclusive. We welcome people here, and we want everybody to be successful.” - Dr. Debbie Jones, (38:29)
“Everyone cares about everything and they want all of it to be good. So I feel like that’s just the essence of Bentonville is that we’re all in it together and we all are looking for excellence in everything we do. And we’re proud, really proud to live here.” - Teresa Hudson, (52:55)
Summary
On this episode of The Bentonville Beacon, host James Bell is joined by Randy Wilburn, Founder and Host of I am Northwest Arkansas, a blog and podcast that covers business, culture, entrepreneurship and everyday life in the Ozarks. Randy is also a consultant who teaches business leaders how to podcast at a high level, as well as Chief Encourager at Encourage Build Grow, a leadership development consulting service that helps people discover how to “Get 1% better every day.” Throughout this episode, Randy discusses his various ventures and why Bentonville and the other cities that make up Northwest Arkansas are amazing places to build businesses and experience life, resulting in one of the fastest growing-cities and fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the United States. Also during this episode, Randy announces his newest venture!
Thanks for tuning in!
Show Notes
(0:52) Introduction to Randy Wilburn
(4:45) How Northwest Arkansas Has Changed
(11:22) How NWA Has Helped Randy Live His Best Life
(15:49) About Encourage Build Grow
(25:07) About the I am Northwest Arkansas Podcast
(33:03) What Business Leaders Should Consider about Bentonville
(38:13) #BecauseBentonville Story
(43:00) Events That Have Shaped Randy’s Life
(51:31) Closing Question
Links
James Bell
Bentonville Economic Development
Randy Wilburn
I am Northwest Arkansas
Encourage Build Grow
OnBoard NWA
Quotes
“What I’ve experienced in Northwest Arkansas gives me hope for the greater nation, and I know a lot of what’s driven here right now, a lot of it is economically driven, but I also see the social aspects that are playing into that, and I think that’s important and that shouldn’t be lost on anyone.” - Randy Wilburn, (14:21)
“We understand and know local businesses and organizations, we interview them all the time. This is a natural connection between the community we’re building with I am Northwest Arkansas and the online job board.” - Randy Wilburn, (23:21)
“When you think about Bentonville, think about a city that is pro business, right? I think every city in Northwest Arkansas is pro business…but when I look at the city that is really open to helping steward this next round of entrepreneurship in this area, Bentonville is firmly a great place to do that.” - Randy Wilburn, (33:04)
“I’m putting Northwest Arkansas, as well as all four of the major cities, including Bentonville, up against any of these other major cities in terms of what’s available and what we have access to, and here’s the thing, it’s only going to get better.” - Randy Wilburn, (36:39)
Summary
On this episode of The Bentonville Beacon, host James Bell is joined by Tim Hall, Co-Founder of Simporter, a company providing software that automates new product research, including white space exploration, pre-launch forecasting, marketing simulations and product monitoring. After decades of working in consumer packaged goods (CPG), Tim recognized the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) and made it his mission to make it easier for non-technical people to cut costs, improve consumer loyalty, reduce waste and grow revenue organically simply by embracing AI. Throughout the episode, James and Tim discuss the various problems that Simporter’s solutions solve; Simporter’s relocation from Atlanta to Bentonville; and the current and future utilization of AI.
Thanks for tuning in!
Show Notes
(0:53) Introduction to Tim Hall
(3:32) Update on Simporter’s Ukrainian Team
(7:40) The Problem Simporter Is Solving
(12:26) About Simporter’s Other Co-Founder
(13:49) Simporter’s Future Growth
(14:47) Tim’s Experience with the Fuel Accelerator
(16:53) How Bentonville Helps Simporter
(21:17) Tim’s #BecauseBentonville Story
(23:51) The Utilization of Artificial Intelligence
(30:08) Advice to People Wanting to Use AI
(37:43) Closing Question
Links
James Bell
Bentonville Economic Development
Tim Hall
Simporter
Quotes
“The biggest problem we’re solving is product failure. You spend a lot of time and money launching a new product and then 95 percent of them will fail within two years of getting on the shelf. So we wanted to solve that with better data, making better decisions and validating those in a better way.” - Tim Hall, (7:40)
“We’re building a company to last. We’re building something that will endure and grow by solving people’s problems…And along the way we’re going to make a lot of money, and that’s nice, but our focus is to build something that is going to be around for a long time.” - Tim Hall, (13:49)
“What was unique [about Bentonville] was different groups would engage and then bring you to another group…and in each case we were getting some capital, but it’s really the people and the connections that we’re making…you’re six degrees from anybody you want to meet. And so that’s been really helpful.” - Tim Hall, (17:03)
“I would say [AI] is something different because it’s transformational. So, no, it’s not going to replace humans, it’s going to redefine how we engage with our roles today.” - Tim Hall, (23:51)
Summary
On this episode of The Bentonville Beacon, host James Bell is joined by Michael Paladino, Co-Founder and Chairman at RevUnit, a technology studio that helps companies supercharge their supply chain operations with technologies built specifically for them. RevUnit has been named to the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies four times and the Entrepreneur 360 list of America’s most innovative businesses. Additionally, with a people-centric mindset, it has been recognized by Entrepreneur Magazine on its Top Company Cultures list and as Best Place to Work by Arkansas Business. Throughout the episode, James and Michael discuss the past, present and future of RevUnit, the evolution of Bentonville and Northwest Arkansas’s startup ecosystem, and how the recent surge in artificial intelligence advancements is revolutionizing business and everyday life.
Thanks for tuning in!
Show Notes
(0:51) Introduction to Michael Paladino
(4:49) RevUnit’s History
(8:24) What RevUnit Offers
(11:23) The Evolution of RevUnit
(16:12) Cultivating the Bentonville and Northwest Arkansas Startup Community
(20:31) The Future of the Bentonville and Northwest Arkansas Startup Community
(22:56) Why Tech Leaders Should Have a Presence in Bentonville
(30:20) #BecauseBentonville Story
(37:34) Advice on Managing the Emergence of AI
(40:17) Closing Question
Links
James Bell
Bentonville Economic Development
Michael Paladino
RevUnit
Quotes
“What we’re doing is building emerging technology for the supply chain, so we’re a professional services company. We come in and do custom work, but largely we’re looking at creating a great customer experience for that company whether it’s interaction with one of their clients or creating a new front end for a new system in the supply chain.” - Michael Paladino, (8:29)
“My hope is to see others come along and create their own RevUnits… I hope to see the various generations of entrepreneurs finding ways to give back and support the next generation of entrepreneurs.” - Michael Paladino, (20:52)
“There’s so many organizations here that are trying to do good and trying to create opportunities. I think the word I come back to often is access. You’re never more than one or two steps away from just about anybody in this community. And from what I understand, that’s relatively unique.” - Michael Paladino, (24:36)
“I think one of the most interesting skills over the next couple of years is going to be distinguishing between truth and lack thereof for generative content…there’s plenty of opportunities to talk about automation and creating marketing content, but for the average person, it’s going to be understanding what is real and what isn’t.” - Michael Paladino, (37:35)
Summary
On this episode of The Bentonville Beacon, host James Bell is joined by Jeremy McGhee, Founder of The UNPavement, a movement that’s helping everyone get off the pavement and into the wild to heal our hurting culture of Nature Deficit Disorder. Jeremy is also Founder of JPM PRO, the US distributor of Sport-ON, off-road handcycles, providing adaptive mountain bikes and accessories to disabled riders, including options for paraplegics and quadriplegics. Additionally, Jeremy is a pro athlete, YouTuber, blogger, podcaster and consultant that partners with public, private and nonprofit land managers to design safe and fun universal trail systems. Throughout the episode, James and Jeremy discuss his business venture distributing off-road handcycles, his mission of ensuring disabled athletes have full access to the outdoors and how he is pioneering trails for everybody.
Thanks for tuning in!
Show Notes
(0:52) Introduction to Jeremy McGhee
(5:11) About The UNPavement
(9:02) Jeremy’s Work as a Trail Consultant
(10:57) About JPM PRO
(18:17) Jeremy’s Discovery of Bentonville
(25:13) Jeremy’s Move to Bentonville
(29:08) #BecauseBentonville Story
(35:31) Advice for Overcoming Insurmountable Odds
(41:48) Closing Question
Links
James Bell
Bentonville Economic Development
Jeremy McGhee
jeremymcghee.com
JPM PRO
The UNPavement
Quotes
“The UNPavement is a movement of all of us off the pavement and into the wild because we’ve got these cool devices that we’re on all the time, and they allow us to accomplish so much in life, but we’re on them so much that it renders us that much more in need of a relationship with nature.” - Jeremy McGhee, (5:13)
“The major emotional thing I miss in life when I’m back in San Diego, is I watch my friends grab their board, run across the tracks and go catch a couple waves at sunset. That’s not in the cards for me anymore…But being [in Bentonville] and being able to just jump on my bike right out of my garage, literally across the street to Coler [Mountain Bike Preserve]. I get to fulfill that desire in a different way. I get to jump on my bike and jump on a trail.” - Jeremy McGhee, (26:46)
“The adaptive element to whatever I want to do is my mind. That is my greatest disability, and I have a feeling that a lot of people out there can relate to that. So whatever obstacles are in front of you, that’s going to be the hardest thing to overcome. So my advice is to do the things that help that. Taking care of ourselves is really important” - Jeremy McGhee, (35:44)
Summary
On this episode of The Bentonville Beacon, host James Bell sits down with Andrea Allen, US Barista Champion and Runner-Up World Barista Champion. Andrea is Co-Founder of Onyx Coffee Lab, a world-renowned café and roastery dedicated to the art and science of coffee, with a mission focused on the pilgrimage seeking quality, truth, and accountability in coffee. Since its founding in 2012 with the mantra “Never Settle for Good Enough,” Onyx has cultivated an award-winning team of roasters that ship freshly roasted coffee worldwide and has baristas serving unique coffee in four locations across Northwest Arkansas, including two in Bentonville–on the the Bentonville Square and at The Momentary. Throughout the episode, James and Andrea discuss the origin of Onyx Coffee Lab, the science behind sourcing specialty coffee beans and the thrill of competing to be the world’s best barista.
Thanks for tuning in!
Show Notes
Timestamps in this blog are for the audio-only version of the podcast; video timing differs.
(1:03) Introduction to Andrea
(1:29) Andrea’s Backstory
(7:06) The Intricacies of Specialty Coffee
(12:23) Andrea’s Experience at the World Barista Championship
(16:36) About Onyx Coffee Lab
(21:05) Onyx Coffee Lab’s Vision
(22:41) What’s Next for Onyx
(24:05) About The Road to Milan Docuseries
(29:45) Growing Up in Northwest Arkansas
(31:39) The Evolution of Northwest Arkansas
(33:41) Onyx’s Two Bentonville Locations
(37:44) #BecauseBentonville Story
(42:56) Advice to Business Founders
(44:54) Closing Question
Links
James Bell
Bentonville Economic Development
Andrea Allen
Onyx Coffee Lab
Quotes
“It’s not just about standards. It’s about cultivating a really excellent product and then showcasing it for what it is.” - Andrea Allen, (17:45)
“For us, we just want to show what we’re doing to our customers who are folks drinking coffee at home or in our coffee shop or wholesale clients buying from us. And we decided to start putting all that information out there so people could learn more about specialty coffee.” - Andrea Allen, (20:28)
“You feel that warmth when you walk in there. You feel welcome or you feel like you can ask questions or be silent because you’re not super talkative that day. All of that is made possible by our team and their work and hospitality in the space. And I think that sort of thing is special to Bentonville because it’s such a great place to do business.” - Andrea Allen, (38:34)
Summary
In this special two-part series of The Bentonville Beacon, host James Bell is joined by several founders in the inaugural Fuel for Your Health Accelerator cohort, plus Grace Gill, Fuel’s Operational Manager. Fuel operates a family of accelerators in Bentonville that are operationally focused. The program provides growth-stage companies with knowledge and opportunities to interact with enterprise-size entities to further accelerate their success. Fuel for Your Health features innovative growth-stage healthtech startups from around the world with a diverse range of solutions that are transforming the healthcare industry. In this episode, James speaks with a few members of the 2023 Fuel for Your Health cohort, including MatchRite Care’s CEO, Chris Jones, and COO, Steven Sattem; Zemplee’s Founder and CEO, Aparna Pujar; and Momentum Health’s Co-Founder and CEO, Philippe Miller. Throughout the episode, James and his guests discuss what inspired them to start their companies, what solutions they provide and their experiences with Fuel, Bentonville and Northwest Arkansas.
Thanks for tuning in!
Show Notes
(0:37) Introduction to Chris Jones and Steven Sattem
(3:10) About MatchRite Care
(6:34) How Fuel and Bentonville Have Helped MatchRite Care
(9:07) Chris and Steven’s #BecauseBentonville Story
(9:46) Introduction to Aparna Pujar
(11:20) About Zemplee
(18:00) How Fuel and Bentonville Have Helped Zemplee
(19:50) Aparna’s #BecauseBentonville Story
(21:13) Introduction to Philippe Miller
(22:01) About Momentum Health
(23:39) How Fuel and Bentonville Have Helped Momentum Health
(26:34) Introduction to Grace Gill
(27:42) About Fuel
(28:44) Grace’s #BecauseBentonville Story
(30:37) Closing Question
Links
James Bell
Bentonville Economic Development
Grace Gill
Fuel
Chris Jones
Steven Sattem
MatchRite Care
Aparna Pujar
Zemplee
Philippe Miller
Momentum Health
Quotes
“I think it’s authentic buy-in from the community, but I think in Bentonville, it's truly something that’s noticeably different where there’s buy-in from any type of organization…There’s people here that will give you really high-quality advice at the time you need it most.” - Steven Sattem, (6:34)
“What’s unique about Fuel is that it gets you embedded into the enterprise community, right? It doesn’t just give you ideas on how to build your financial models, but it’s really focused on how you put your business inside the enterprise setting.” - Chris Jones, (7:43)
“I definitely love the community. I’ve loved being at the Ledger, and love the mentor teams I’ve met so far. And I do know that they say this region is becoming the next healthcare hotspot, and I’m very interested in being strategically aligned to this.” - Aparna Pujar, (18:38)
“It’s been remarkable...in my time here, it’s amazing how in every interaction with every person I’ve had, whether it’s at a networking event or at a coffee shop, the first thing people say within thirty seconds is, how can I help? What can I do? Who can I introduce you to?” - Philippe Miller, (23:39)
“Nobody works harder than Fuel to make an individual experience for each of these companies. And we prioritize getting connected, getting them the resources they specifically need. So Fuel is anything but cookie cutter. And I think that’s something that’s really unique to the program and a huge draw for companies that are coming from all over the nation and even internationally.” - Grace Gill, (27:47)
Summary
In this special two-part series of The Bentonville Beacon, host James Bell is joined by several founders in the inaugural Fuel for Your Health Accelerator cohort, plus Tom Douglass, Fuel’s Entrepreneur In Residence. Fuel operates a family of accelerators in Bentonville that are operationally focused. The program provides growth-stage companies with knowledge and opportunities to interact with enterprise-size entities to further accelerate their success. Fuel for Your Health features innovative growth-stage healthtech startups from around the world with a diverse range of solutions that are transforming the healthcare industry. In this episode, James speaks with a few members of the 2023 Fuel for Your Health cohort, including Sarah Buechner, Product Manager with Lineus Medical; Francisco Nogueira, Co-Founder and CEO at Glooma; and Vinicio Vargas, Co-Founder and CEO of Ainnova Tech. Throughout the episode, James and his guests discuss what inspired them to start their companies, what solutions they provide and their experiences with Fuel, Bentonville and Northwest Arkansas.
Thanks for tuning in!
Show Notes
Timestamps in this blog are for the audio-only version of the podcast; video timing differs.
(0:37) Introduction to Tom Douglass
(1:46) About Fuel
(4:55) Tom’s #BecauseBentonville Story
(6:49) Introduction to Sarah Buechner
(8:20) About Lineus Medical
(9:57) How Fuel Has Helped Lineus Medical
(11:21) Sarah’s #BecauseBentonville Story
(12:25) Introduction to Francisco Nogueira
(15:53) About Glooma
(18:56) How Fuel Has Helped Glooma
(26:00) Introduction to Venicio Vargas
(26:52) About Ainnova Tech
(28:55) How Fuel Has Helped Ainnova Tech
(33:19) Venicio’s #BecauseBentonville Story
(37:41) Closing Thoughts
Links
James Bell
Bentonville Economic Development
Tom Douglass
Fuel
Catapult Consulting LLC
Sarah Buechner
Lineus Medical
Francisco Nogueira
Glooma
Vinicio Vargas
Ainnova Tech
Quotes
“The way this town operates and this region operates is really about handshakes over an experience…those types of things are where relationships are built and people become successful because it’s a handshake, it’s a support. And that’s what made my business successful, and that’s what made others’ successful. That’s really what the essence of Bentonville is, meeting somebody and having them bring you along on the journey.” - Tom Douglass, (5:57)
“Fuel for Your Health has been awesome for our company. We are a Northwest Arkansas company and we want to be in Northwest Arkansas hospitals. We want this to be a place where we can say we’re in hospitals in our hometown. So this has been a great opportunity to be introduced to all the large hospitals, to talk to nurses, to have those connections.” - Sarah Buechner, (9:57)
“It has been really amazing with all the mentors. We came here with three well-defined goals, but we understand that our opportunity is in the US. So we came here to Fuel to start our journey in the United States.” - Francisco Nogueira, (18:56)
“The feeling that I have is that Bentonville will be a healthtech hub in the country. That’s the most interesting part for us, and the biggest benefit we have at this moment is the connections.” - Vinicio Vargas, (29:40)
Summary
On this episode of The Bentonville Beacon, host James Bell shares the studio with Harry Hill, Founder of Minority Mountain Bikers (MMB), an organization dedicated to increasing and highlighting diversity in mountain biking. This episode spotlights the third annual Minority Mountain Bikers Bentonville Bike Week, comprising several days of rides, skills clinics, cultural events and community activities. Throughout the episode, James and Harry discuss the genesis and evolution of Minority Mountain Bikers, riders’ experiences during MMB Bentonville Bike Week and the wide range of support received from Bentonville and numerous people and organizations across Northwest Arkansas.
Thanks for tuning in!
Show Notes
(0:52) Introduction to Harry
(2:32) Harry’s Passion for Mountain Biking
(5:25) About Minority Mountain Bikers
(6:49) Why MMB Chose Bentonville
(8:13) About MMB Week
(11:26) Experiencing MMB Bentonville Bike Week
(16:43) How Bentonville Has Helped Diversity Initiatives
(21:28) #BecauseBentonville Story
(33:24) How Bentonville Has People Live Their Best Lives
(37:58) Closing Question
Links
James Bell
Bentonville Economic Development
Harry Hill
Minority Mountain Bikers
Quotes
“...most people are welcoming, but at the same time you tend to not feel like you can be yourself all the time when you’re the only one because it feels like you’re representing all Black people. So riding with more folks that have experienced life the same way you’ve experienced it is kind of where it started.” - Harry Hill, (5:54)
“We want it to be more than just bike riding. We want it to be like an overall experience. We want people to come in, have a good time and meet each other.” - Harry Hill, (15:57)
“One of my favorite things is something that’s after the event where I see somebody from one part of the country go to another part of the country and they meet up with somebody else that they met here. That's a result of what we do, and I feel like that’s fantastic.” - Harry Hill, (19:10)
“I haven’t been anywhere that’s like this [in Bentonville], where everything is so right here. Even if you don’t want to ride at Coler or Slaughter Pen, it’s all so close. There’s no reason not to be outside.” - Harry Hill, (34:31)
Summary
On this episode of The Bentonville Beacon, host Allie Johnston welcomes back to the show Kris Adams, Director of the Northwest Arkansas Technology Summit. The NWA Tech Summit is the Heartland’s premier technology conference, and it serves to further enhance, diversify and catalyze the economy of Bentonville and the Northwest Arkansas region. Throughout the episode, Kris breaks down what it takes to plan the NWA Tech Summit–and he shares what attendees may expect from this year’s gathering, the positive impact this important annual event has on the NWA community and why tech startups and scaleups are relocating, launching and growing in Bentonville.
Thanks for tuning in!
Show Notes
(1:00) Introduction to Kris Adams
(3:54) Kris’ Role as Director of the Northwest Arkansas Technology Summit
(5:44) Planning the NWA Tech Summit
(6:50) Importance of the NWA Tech Summit
(10:05) This Year’s NWA Tech Summit Theme
(15:51) The NWA Tech Summit’s First AI Series
(19:31) The Rise, Evolution and Implementation of GPT
(24:05) Kris’ XPONENTIAL Speaking Opportunity
(26:02) Why Bentonville Is the Ideal Home for Tech Companies
(29:44) #BecauseBentonville Story
(33:37) Closing Question
Links
Allie Johnston
Bentonville Economic Development
Kris Adams
Northwest Arkansas Technology Summit
Quotes
“I think the way I contribute to making Bentonville better is that the Tech Summit, while it is the Heartland’s premier technology conference, it’s not really a conference. What we’re building is more than that. We’re building a tech community here, and that’s what I love being a part of.” - Kris Adams, (4:58)
“It’s important for us to highlight [Bentonville and Northwest Arkansas], but it’s really for the tech community because you might think you need to relocate to Silicon Valley or New York City…but in Northwest Arkansas you can enjoy the trails and the art and the local culture that you can’t find anywhere else. So it’s important to tell that story as part of the Tech Summit.” - Kris Adams, (7:21)
“There’s a great quality of life here. There are places you can go and have office space available. There’s trails and bike paths to clear your head and get a fresh perspective. There’s just a lot of great reasons to be here in Northwest Arkansas, and anyone launching their company or looking to relocate should check us out here.” - Kris Adams, (26:52)
Summary
On this episode of The Bentonville Beacon, host James Bell is joined by Cat Hutchings, a jewelry e-commerce rockstar with two shops ranked in the top one percent of all Etsy stores, Through SpotLight Jewelry and Moonlight Supplies, Cat has made more than one hundred thousand sales and more than one million dollars in revenue. And she announces a new Etsy store, WonderLight Jewelry, during the show! Throughout the episode, James and Cat discuss her business ventures, the different strategies she has used to exponentially grow them and how having access to Bentonville’s extensive entrepreneurial resources has accelerated her success.
Thanks for tuning in!
Show Notes
Timestamps in this blog are for the audio-only version of the podcast; video timing differs.
(0:51) Introduction to Cat
(1:49) About Cat
(5:44) The Journey of Establishing SpotLight Jewelry
(9:56) The Process of Creating New Jewelry
(13:41) Challenges during Business Growth
(18:26) About Moonlight Supplies
(21:34) Cat’s Consulting Business
(27:03) A Day in the Life of a Business Owner
(30:24) About Kiva
(33:35) Advantages of Being an Entrepreneur in Bentonville
(47:24) Cat’s Bentonville and Northwest Arkansas Favorites
(56:34) #BecauseBentonville Story
(1:00:13) Advice to Women Entrepreneurs
Links
James Bell
Bentonville Economic Development
Cat Hutchings
SpotLight Jewelry
Moonlight Supplies
WonderLight Jewelry
cathutchings.com
Quotes
“...that’s how [SpotLight Jewelry] started. Then the journey after that and the learning and growth that the business went through, that I went through, has just been absolutely fantastic. And Bentonville has been a huge part of that.” - Cat Hutchings, (8:21)
“I started my Etsy consulting specifically because that’s what I knew so well…I loved thinking of how I can help these people make more money to support their families, to quit their full-time jobs and do what they really love.” - Cat Hutchings, (22:29)
“Being around the entrepreneurs here in [Bentonville], I don’t think my business could have done what it did without a lot of that support.” - Cat Hutchings, (35:06)
“...it doesn’t matter who you are or where you’re from, how long you’ve been here, there’s always someone that’s willing to reach out and help you.That’s just crazy to me, and I’ve heard you talk about this on the podcast and how unique that is for this area.” - Cat Hutchings, (44:16)
Summary
On this episode of The Bentonville Beacon, host James Bell is joined by Mark Marsiglio, Co-founder of TrailPilot, and his business advisor, Charles Greathouse. TrailPilot is an iOS and Android audio guide app designed to help mountain bikers navigate off-road adventures. The app gives riders expert advice on trail features and provides turn-by-turn directions based on their GPS location. Throughout the episode, James, Mark and Charles discuss the ins and outs of TrailPilot, their experience with being a Greenhouse Outdoor Recreation Program cohort and how Bentonville is working to be ‘unrecreateable.’
Thanks for tuning in!
Show Notes:
(0:56) Introduction to Mark and Charles
(2:52) About TrailPilot
(5:35) Accessibility for Beginners and Visitors
(8:40) The Cost of TrailPilot
(9:47) Next Year's Forecast
(11:03) Being a GORP Cohort
(16:41) Advice for Those That Want to Join GORP
(20:47) The Past and Future of Bentonville
(28:26) Bentonville Favorites
(36:01) #Bentonville Story
(38:53) Closing Questions
Links
James Bell
Bentonville Economic Development
Mark Marsiglio
Charles Greathouse
TrailPilot
Latinas en Bici
Dean Matt Waller
Toby Teeter
Phil Shellhammer
Greenhouse Outdoor Recreation Program
University of Arkansas
Pedro Somarriba
Lacaida Ropes
Morgan Baumgardner
Tyler Baumbgardner
Encore Bike Rentals
Nick Olano
American Hunt
Slaughter Pen Trails
Lady Slipper
Fuel Accelerator
Downtown Bentonville Inc.
Fitzgerald Mountain
Castle Hub
Bar Cleeta
Roll and Fold
Beaver Lake
Ozark Adventure Trail, Day 3
Ozark Adventure Trail, Day 4
Yeyo’s El Alma de Mexico
Table Mesa Bistro
The Preacher’s Son
Onyx Coffee Lab
Airship
The Meteor
Thaden Field
OZ1 Flying Club
Coler Mountain Bike Preserve
Bentonville Bike Fest
Quotes
“They don’t have to wonder where they are, and most importantly, they don’t have to wonder what things the trail has in store for them that they might not expect. We want a rider to enjoy the trail more on their first run and be able to have a safer experience that is not going to surprise them.” - Mark Marsiglio, (3:12)
“It turned out to be a great opportunity, and I learned a lot and got a lot of resources and education focused on personal commitment from my side to have the accountability of the program behind me. It resulted in great progress for the building of the business.” - Mark Marsiglio, (11:50)
“I would say that if you’re the next Austin or the next Silicon Valley, there’s two things you must do that you don’t want to do to be the next version of somebody else. Number one, you must take their problems and number two, you must accept you can only be second.” - James Bell, (26:47)
Summary
The NWA Tech Summit is the Heartland’s premier technology conference and serves to enhance, prepare, and diversify the local Northwest Arkansas economy. In its ninth year, the NWA Tech Summit came back with 1,700 registered attendees when it returned in-person to downtown Bentonville. The NWA Tech Summit is an event hosted by the Greater Bentonville Area Chamber of Commerce, and it is supported by the Walton Family Foundation, Northwest Arkansas Council, Walmart, J. B. Hunt, Tyson Foods, Salesforce, and the University of Arkansas Blockchain Center of Excellence.
Show Notes
(0:55) Introduction to Jennifer Thomas
(13:11) Introduction to Amy Hopper Swan
(22:25) Introduction to Clark Cogbbill
(32:10) Introduction to David Sanders
(41:58) Introduction to Andy Martin
(49:28) Closing Thoughts
Links
James Bell
Bentonville Economic Development
2022 Northwest Arkansas Technology Summit
Jennifer Thomas
Plug and Play Tech Center
Amy Hopper Swan
Arkansas Research Alliance
Horizon Health Solutions
Clark Cogbill
Arkansas Economic Development Commission
David Sanders
Innovate Arkansas at Winrock International
Andy Martin
Wishfluence
Arkansas I-Fund & Delta I-Fund at Winrock International
University of Arkansas
Bob Kurcheravy
Kris Adams
Greater Bentonville Area Chamber of Commerce
The Preacher’s Son
Quotes
“Now we have this robust market of startups that are providing new opportunities for chronic health, are meeting consumers where they are and are changing how you approach healthcare…consumers have started driving their own healthcare in ways they hadn’t previously.” - Jennifer Thomas, (3:44)
“Arkansas Research Alliance has been around for fifteen years, and we exist to keep scientific talent in our state and recruit scientific talent here. We see this as a means to economic development. It’s a long-term outlook, but our scientists are pushing research forward, partnering with industry and creating their own companies and jobs for Arkansas.” - Amy Hopper Swan, (17:28)
“The whole mission and goal of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission is to increase jobs in the state and increase the average salary. To do that we help businesses that are already here grow, and we recruit businesses to the state.” - Clark Cogbill, (23:15)
“...it’s a wonderful program that really is a lead commercialization agent for the state. Our team of business and industry advisors help knowledge-based ventures grow in Arkansas. We focus on accelerating the business model and how we develop the talent and get founders and CEOs investible.” - David Sanders, (33:20)
“The ideal customer is selling the higher-end jewelry for us, and that’s because they’re probably a bigger store and just a little more sophisticated…A one to two store company, ten to twenty staff selling high-end jewelry items. That’s the exact type of company we’ve helped a few times already.” - Andy Martin, (44:05)
Show Notes:
(0:53) Introduction to Kourtney
(1:58) Kourtney’s Role at Walmart
(6:07) A Mobility-Centered Walmart Campus
(8:43) Getting People on Bikes
(10:38) Shared Mobility Options
(12:37) Making People Comfortable on Bikes
(14:44) A Company that Cares
(17:32) The Future of Bentonville
(20:43) Ten Quick Favorites
(24:04) Mountain Bike Capital of the World
(26:58) Closing Questions
Links
James Bell
Bentonville Economic Development
Kourtney Barrett
Walmart (corporate)
Walmart (new home office)
Women of OZ NWA
JUNK Brands
Greater Bentonville Area Chamber of Commerce
Bar Cleeta
Ozark Mountain Bagel Co.
Conifer
Coler Mountain Bike Preserve
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art | Nature & Trails
Quotes
“From an entrepreneurial standpoint, the best way I know to build something is to first hear from your customer and my customers are the associates. So we have had a number of information gathering events and bike demos.” - Kourtney Barrett, (6:31)
“When there’s less automobiles, people seem to breathe a little easier and there’s a little less stress. So working together with the city, with trailblazers, and with different organizations, has provided quick access to researching best practices.” - Kourtney Barrett, (9:22)
“We have the city focusing on helping us have safe routes on the street infrastructure…That’s very important when it comes to associates and residents that haven’t been on a bike in a while. It needs to be a fun and good experience and safety is paramount. You have to feel safe to want to do it.” - Kourtney Barrett, (12:47)
“This campus is a game changer and it’s an example to the rest of the world on how to have an environment that is a winning working environment for the associates and what happens when you provide outdoor spaces for them to work and connect with others and promote movement throughout the day.” - Kourtney Barrett, (16:00)
Show Notes
(0:51) Introduction to Connor Pocta
(11:29) Introduction to Mike Steely
(26:37) Introduction to Phil Shellhammer
(34:53) Closing Thoughts
Links
James Bell
Bentonville Economic Development
2022 Northwest Arkansas Technology Summit
Connor Pocta
Tyson Foods
Mike Steely
Veriphix
Fuel Artificial Intelligence Accelerator
Phil Shellhammer
Greenhouse Outdoor Recreation Program
University of Arkansas
Toby Teeter
Bentonville Collaborative
The Rise of the Rest by Steve Case
Osage Park
Thaden Field
Bentonville Brewing
Table Mesa
The Hub Bike Lounge
Buffalo National River
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art
Museum of Native American History
Quotes
“For me, [an automation and robotics engineer] is somebody who’s taking things like robots and making that work for our company. So we’re taking the robots and we’re seeing how we can make it do a job that works for our company and with COVID and the labor shortage, these robots are a necessity…It’s really making a big difference right now.” - Connor Pocta, (3:32)
“We’re reshaping the way you understand how to interact with a customer. We can identify through a small survey the beliefs of a group and then how to actually nudge or influence those beliefs over time on behalf of a brand or organization.” - Mike Steely, (12:27)
“GORP is an incubator for startups and for early stage entrepreneurs. They’re trying to build some solutions with outdoor recreation specifically. It could be products, services, digital solutions, anything that has to do with trying to solve a problem with outdoor recreation.” - Phil Shellhammer, (27:37)
Show Notes:
(1:10) Introduction to Tammy
(2:34) The Frequency and Struggles of Infertility
(4:27) About Carrot Fertility
(5:37) The History and Growth of Carrot Fertility
(7:38) The Scale of Carrot Fertility
(8:31) Tammy’s Journey to Bentonville
(10:18) Lack of Fertility Benefits
(14:28) Funding for Female Founders
(17:05) Navigating Rejection
(19:40) Advice to Other Female Founders
(21:58) Bentonville’s Influence
(26:50) Closing Questions
Links
James Bell
Bentonville Economic Development
Tammy Sun
Carrot Fertility
Natalie Shew
Elizabeth Prenger
April Roy
FemHealth Founders
Quotes
“We make it easy for companies to give employees financial and emotional coverage and physical support for every aspect of lifelong fertility healthcare. Starting from before you’re ready to achieve pregnancy through egg freezing and pregnancy itself.” - Tammy Sun, (4:36)
“When you think about compensation and benefits, what’s included as part of your healthcare is really important because if it’s not covered, what happens is you ultimately have to pay for it yourself.” - Tammy Sun, (10:36)
“Women already make eighty cents on the dollar. When you think about having to then forgo making an investment in a retirement account or real estate, it actually widens the pay gap because they're going into their personal accounts to pay for it.” - Tammy Sun, (11:28)
“I think for any female founder who is thinking about starting a business, I would encourage them to stick very close to their customer.” - Tammy Sun, (14:53)
“If you’re a female founder, building resilience early on and understanding your problem, your solution, and your customer, all you need is one investor to support you.” - Tammy Sun, (17:57)
Summary
The NWA Tech Summit is the Heartland’s premier technology conference and serves to enhance, prepare, and diversify the local Northwest Arkansas economy. In its ninth year, the NWA Tech Summit came back with 1,700 registered attendees when it returned in-person to downtown Bentonville. The NWA Tech Summit is an event hosted by the Greater Bentonville Area Chamber of Commerce, and it is supported by the Walton Family Foundation, Northwest Arkansas Council, Walmart, J. B. Hunt, Tyson Foods, Salesforce, and the University of Arkansas Blockchain Center of Excellence.
Show Notes
(0:55) John Wilcox
(14:44) Jo Lynn Clemens
(27:21) Introduction to Tom Douglas
(35:36) Introduction to Megan Werner
(42:17) Closing Thoughts
Links
James Bell
Bentonville Economic Development
2022 Northwest Arkansas Technology Summit
John Wilcox
Diatech Diabetes
Jo Lynn Clemens
RiskKarma.io
Tom Douglass
Catapult Consulting
Megan Werner
Attraversiamo Technologies
Fuel Accelerator
Quotes
“The Northwest Arkansas Tech Summit is an interesting opportunity for startups in the southwest and mid-south to check out…between the pitch competition, connecting with the region for investment opportunities, and hearing about other technology, it makes it all worth it to come to Bentonville.” - John Wilcox, (13:27)
“...people are approachable, so it maintains what’s valuable and important for families and companies that wish to grow. You have that diversity of thought here from all over the country because these companies attract talent from everywhere. It really is a mecca.” - Jo Lynn Clemens, (24:01)
“I can go into any office or restaurant and have a conversation with somebody that ultimately could help my business from a small business growth perspective…in terms of friendliness, acceptance, and everything else, it’s unique across the country.” - Tom Douglass, (30:19)
“I’ve already had an abundance of ideas pop up in my head of, ‘I can talk to this person and they can help us with this or we could help them with that.’ It’s a great hub for connecting and resourcing and growing our economy.” - Megan Werner, (40:37)
Summary
In this episode of The Bentonville Beacon, host James Bell sits down with Sterling Smith, Managing Director of Atento Capital’s Northwest Arkansas hub. Sterling spent time as a computer program analyst and software engineer before starting his journey as a serial entrepreneur and VC. His experience in operations has shaped his entrepreneurial and VC development, but ultimately, his drive to add diversity to the investment world sets him apart. Throughout the episode, he and James discuss his career, Atento Capital’s investment in the Heartland, the reasons for Bentonville’s success, and much more.
Show Notes
(0:53) Introducing Sterling Smith
(4:37) Sterling’s Passion for Entrepreneurship
(8:39) Introducing Atento Capital
(12:09) Atento’s Presence in NWA
(19:25) 412 Angels
(23:12) How Bentonville Has Changed in the Last Fifteen Years
(29:09) Comparing Bentonville to Other Prominent Markets
(30:25) What Sets Bentonville Apart for Founders and Startups
(34:21) How Operational Experience Benefits a VC
(37:48) Sterling’s Strengths and Weaknesses as a Founder
(41:28) Closing Thoughts
Links
James Bell
Bentonville Economic Development
Sterling Smith
Atento Capital
Black Freelancer
Graham Cohen
412 Angels
Northwest Arkansas Technology Summit
Fuel Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Accelerator
Startup Junkie
Cartwheel Studios
University of Arkansas
Blockchain Center of Excellence
Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Venture Intern Program
Whole Health Institute
XNA - Northwest Arkansas National Airport
Quotes
“It took none other than for me to revisit Bentonville after being gone for so long for me to touch down and feel the energy that exists here.” - Sterling Smith, (13:16)
“I feel the same energy today in Bentonville that I felt eight years ago when I first came to Austin, which is a much larger city, but the same fundamentals that existed there are in this region as well.” - Sterling Smith, (13:46)
“Investing in startups is on the riskier side of investing in assets, generally speaking, and I’ll say that the approach that we take—we do everything we can to derisk and provide investors that participate in 412 Angels with an unfair advantage when making those decisions.” - Sterling Smith, (21:37)
“For people that want to be around other passionate individuals and passionate organizations that care about producing world-changing and practical solutions, I think that if you are in any of these spaces—B2B SaaS, direct to consumer, CGP, logistics…this is a great place to be for that.” - Sterling Smith, (31:54)
Summary
On this episode of The Bentonville Beacon, host James Bell sits down with Joshua Saffran, Director of Plug and Play Northwest Arkansas. Plug and Play is an open innovation platform that connects its corporate partners with startups to fill needs and drive innovation forward. Originally based in Silicon Valley, Plug and Play added a hub in Northwest Arkansas to serve its corporate partners in the region, as well as mine for new, innovative startups in the area. Throughout the episode, James and Joshua discuss Plug and Play, Bentonville’s value to businesses, and how startups can stand out from the crowd.
Show Notes
(0:50) Introducing Joshua Saffran
(2:45) The Gents Place
(4:00) Plug and Play
(7:05) Why, How, and When Plug and Play Came to Northwest Arkansas
(8:05) How Plug and Play Connects Corporations with Startups
(9:37) Stories from Plug and Play’s Live Events
(13:38) Sourcing Startups
(14:40) Why Business Leaders and Startups Need to Be In Bentonville
(16:43) Joshua’s #BecauseBentonville Story
(19:40) How to Connect with Joshua and Plug and Play
(20:06) Joshua’s Family
(23:06) How Founders Can Make Their Startups Standout
(24:03) Closing Thoughts
Links
James Bell
Bentonville Economic Development
Joshua Saffran
Plug And Play Tech Center Northwest Arkansas
The Gents Place
Saeed Amidi
Plug and Play Tech Center
Quotes
“Most folks are working specifically with the startups, but we’re working with the startups and bringing them to the corporate partners…So it’s a win for Walmart in this example because we’re bringing them technology. It’s a win for the startup because they don’t have that relationship [previously]. So there’s a lot of pluses for both sides in this.” - Joshua Saffran, (5:40)
“Having a global company based out of Silicon Valley with a local hub here in Northwest Arkansas, to me, is a tremendous value to everybody within our ecosystem.” - Joshua Saffran, (6:43)
“[Bentonville’s] community is fascinating—it’s like nowhere else I’ve ever lived, and I’ve lived in Minneapolis, Boston, Chicago, New York…What’s on the horizon to come here is so incredible, and the growth we’ve seen in the last couple years is nothing compared to what’s going to happen in the next few years. The cost of living is great. The technology is coming here…You have three major corporations in Walmart, JB Hunt, and Tyson all here. Anybody that sells to Walmart has an office here. There’s so many reasons to be here.” - Joshua Saffran, (14:54)
“I’ve never seen anything like this—what’s going on [in Bentonville]. The way people interact, connect, help, and pay it forward. It’s such a cool spot.” - Joshua Saffran, (17:22)
Summary
On this episode of The Bentonville Beacon, host James Bell is joined by Phil Libin, a software engineer turned serial entrepreneur. Phil’s currently the Founder and CEO of All Turtles, an early-stage product studio, as well as the startup mmhmm, a video software business that aims to create more sustainable and joyful ways to work and collaborate. With a long history of success, Phil has extensive experience with transforming ideas into companies. Throughout the episode, James and Phil discuss Bentonville's economic ecosystem and the complexities behind founding a startup.
Thanks for tuning in!
Show Notes:
(0:54) Introduction to Phil
(2:33) About All Turtles
(3:30) About mmhmm
(8:27) Phil’s Journey to Bentonville
(12:12) Surprising Aspects of NWA
(18:59) Entrepreneurial Opportunities in NWA
(20:30) About Bentonville’s Economic Ecosystem
(27:01) The Intricacies of Being a Founder
(31:42) Raising Venture Capital
(38:10) Learning from Failure
(42:59) Closing Questions
Links
James Bell
Bentonville Economic Development
Phil Libin
All Turtles
Mmhmm
Dean Matt Waller
Sam M. Walton College of Business
University of Arkansas
Quotes
“I think it’s a more humane way to live. People spend a lot of time talking about work-life balance, and when you frame it like that, those two things are pulling against each other…It’s only fairly recent that those two were seperate things.” - Phil Libin, (7:02)
“The companies I’ve seen here tend to focus on more real problems, and the companies I’ve seen in the Bay Area and San Francisco tend to chase opportunities more than focus on problems.” - Phil Libin, (21:01)
“That’ll be the next version of economic development, which is different from what it used to be before because before you had to start thinking about the company first, now you can start thinking about the people.” - Phil Libin, (23:30)
“At All Turtles, when we hear a pitch, we internally talk about what is the most likely way for it to fail so we know what to work on first, because we always want to run at the hardest problems first, because that’s what’s going to kill us.” - Phil Libin, (41:06)
Summary
On this episode of The Bentonville Beacon, host James Bell is joined by Matthew Ward, the Director of Fuel Accelerator, an enterprise-ready accelerator that matches growth-stage startups with key enterprise partners. Along with his role as Director at Fuel, Matthew is also a Senior Associate at Cadron Capital Partners and a Consultant for Startup Junkie. Throughout the episode, James and Matthew discuss how Fuel’s accelerator model differs from others and why Bentonville is such a great area for people to plant their startups.
Thanks for tuning in!
Show Notes:
(1:00) Introduction to Matthew
(5:03) Why Fuel Was Started
(9:22) What Fuel Is Doing Differently
(12:02) Others Involved in Fuel
(17:50) Why Bentonville Is an Ideal Place for Startups
(20:26) Fuel Success Stories
(24:28) The Criteria for Working with Fuel
(31:38) What’s Next for Fuel
(32:21) Closing Questions
Links
James Bell
Bentonville Economic Development
Matthew Ward
Fuel Accelerator
Cadron Capital Partners
Startup Junkie
Charu Thomas
Gary Vernon
Jigesh Vora
Josh Kyles
Mary Best
Michael Iseman
Michael Paladino
Tom Douglass
Vance Reavie
AcreTrader
Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC)
Atento Capital
Blu Fish House
FR8relay
Junction AI
Ledger
Northwest Arkansas Council | Life Works Here
Northwest Arkansas Startup Crawl
Ox
RevUnit
Simporter
SupplyPike
Sushi House
SwiftGo
Tavola Trattoria
Walton Family Foundation
Quotes
“At the end of the day, what we are trying to do is have companies from around the world come to Bentonville and experience it and say, ‘I want to put down some roots here. I want to create jobs and bring in talent because that’s good for the ecosystem.’” - Matthew Ward, (11:04)
“As a whole with Bentonville, people want to help you out. And also you have a lot of diversity here with people coming to work for Walmart. So you have collaboration, hospitality, and a different view. To me that’s a really good combination.” - Matthew Ward, (19:11)
“One, their solution has to be able to have a chance of selling into the enterprises here…and the second piece is someone who’s willing to make that commitment and sacrifice to be here and make connections.” - Matthew Ward, (24:29)
“...they don’t want to be average, they want to be the best. You can experience a lot of exceptional things (in Bentonville), and alongside doing business with world-class companies, you have the chance to enjoy yourself in the off time with cycling or food.” - Matthew Ward, (27:32)
Summary
On this episode of The Bentonville Beacon, host James Bell is joined by Jeff Amerine, founder and managing director of Startup Junkie, a consulting service that supports, inspires, and educates entrepreneurs at no cost. With thirty years of experience, Jeff has an extensive background in business leadership and early-stage investments. Throughout the episode, James and Jeff discuss the startup community in Northwest Arkansas and how Startup Junkie assists entrepreneurs.
Thanks for tuning in!
Show Notes:
(0:57) Introduction to Jeff
(1:35) Jeff’s Background
(3:08) About Startup Junkie
(5:49) Surprising Success Story
(8:33) Favorite Startups
(12:07) How Startup Junkie Helps Entrepreneurs
(16:13) About the Startup Junkie Podcast
(22:15) The Best Version of Tomorrow
(24:55) Why Businesses Should Be Founded in Bentonville
(29:33) How the Startup Community Has Evolved
(33:21) What’s Next for Startup Junkie
(37:11) Closing Questions
Links
Bentonville Economic Development | James Bell
Startup Junkie | Jeff Amerine Caleb Talley Martha Londagin
Fuel Accelerator | Kiva Northwest Arkansas | Startup Junkies Podcast
RevUnit | Michael Paladino Joe Saumweber
Ox | Charu Thomas
NWA Workplaces | Jon Cadieux
EforAll Northwest Arkansas
Rise of the Rest | Steve Case Jamie Rodota
Phil Libin
University of Arkansas Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation | Sarah Goforth
Atento Capital 412 Angels Cadron Capital Partners NewRoad Capital Partners
Blue Marlin Partners | Becca Shaddox
Permjot Valia
Quotes
“We’re at the point where I often hear Bentonville is the next Austin and that’s one of those things I both love and hate. My response is always, ‘We don’t want to be the next Austin, we want to be the next best version of ourselves.’” - James Bell, (21:26)
“These people are accessible. It’s not like you have to get a decree to see them. You’re going to run across them on a bike trail or in a coffee shop. So, proximity to great people would be a benefit.” - Jeff Amerine, (25:25)
“People here are by nature entrepreneurial and helpful. They had to band together. So when people come here from elsewhere, they’ve captured that, they’ve built on that, and it’s gotten even better.” - Jeff Amerine, (26:41)
“You can walk out any door in any one of these cities on any given day of the week and there’s something small business or startup going on. So that regular cadence of activity and engagement is really something.” - Jeff Amerine, (32:13)
Summary
On this episode of The Bentonville Beacon, host James Bell is joined by Jessica Head, marketing director at Endeavor NWA, a global organization helping entrepreneurs scale their businesses to transform economies. With over ten years of experience, Jessica is a passionate and creative strategist specializing in experiential marketing, branding, and digital campaigns. Throughout the episode, James and Jessica discuss Endeavor’s ideal student, the tools Endeavor has to offer, and what Endeavor hopes to achieve in NWA.
Thanks for tuning in!
Show Notes:
(0:57) Introduction to Jessica
(4:40) The Story of Endeavor
(9:15) Endeavor’s Goal for NWA
(12:06) Endeavor’s Ideal Entrepreneur
(17:42) Endeavor’s Selection Process
(19:09) About Endeavor Catalyst
(22:49) Endeavor in NWA
(26:55) Biggest Mistakes Entrepreneurs Make
(29:39) Closing Questions
Links
James Bell
Bentonville Economic Development
Jessica Head
Endeavor NWA
Linda Rottenberg
Charu Thomas
Ox
Carter Malloy
AcreTrader
Spencer Jones
Lineus Medical
Aayush Thakur
Deme Yuan
FR8relay
Stan Zylowski
April Seggebruch
Movista
Megan Kinmonth Bowman (James called her April in the episode–sorry, Megan!)
STOPWATCH
Quotes
“We have some unique voices that are a part of this community that have helped to champion some really interesting mentorships that can be available to entrepreneurs worldwide.” - Jessica Head, (9:52)
“So expanding our visibility of Endeavor and the support we provide to neighboring cities of Northwest Arkansas is to ensure we have connectivity and that the talent and education crosses vertically in these different codes.” - Jessica Head, (10:57)
“They’re able to engage in international selection panels that are hosted all over the world. It’s an opportunity for founders to mingle with other entrepreneurs that are also at that stage of growth and looking to become an Endeavor entrepreneur.” - Jessica Head, (14:06)
“It becomes a selfless process that ensures that these founders get the trusted resources they need and the correct advice to have economies to scale.” - Jessica Head, (15:48)
Summary
On this episode of The Bentonville Beacon, host James Bell is joined by Josh Kyles, the mastermind and developer behind Ledger, and Mary Best, the director of operations at Ledger. As the first bikeable building, Ledger is cultivating working environments that everyone can thrive in while elevating an individual’s desire for movement and well-being. Throughout the episode, James, Josh, and Mary discuss the artistic details incorporated within Ledger, who Ledger caters to, and how it seamlessly blends into the Bentonville culture.
Thanks for tuning in!
Show Notes:
(0:55) Introduction to Josh and Mary
(4:37) Josh’s Inspiration behind Ledger and Its Bentonville Location
(8:18) About Ledger
(9:49) Inspiration Behind the Bug Gem Artwork
(14:08) Meaning behind Bikeability
(16:52) Highlighting Artists with Conference Rooms
(19:26) Intertwining Ledger into the Fabric of Bentonville
(22:39) Businesses Opening at Ledger
(24:48) What Ledger Means to Bentonville
(29:25) Overcoming Challenges While Building Ledger
(32:21) Closing Questions
Links
James Bell
Josh Kyles
Mary Best
Ledger
Quotes
“I tell my people one of my favorite times was when I saw some guys that worked on the job by the fence showing it to their kids. That’s what you want to create. Where that sense of ownership and pride travels through to every person that touches the job.” - Josh Kyles, (7:17)
“...it’s this ethos and this story around how now is the best time to be alive. It’s that these bugs are doing the work to create something that’s bigger and better for everyone.” - Mary Best, (11:53)
“We had investors and developers who said this building should be a mirror and the community should see themselves here.” - Mary Best, (18:17)
“We hope that not just on the architectural side that it starts to set the bar for not just Bentonville, but the region. People look at it and say, ‘This is what can be done. Here’s the interaction that can be had. Here’s how it’s done right.’” - Josh Kyles, (26:01)
Summary
On this episode of The Bentonville Beacon, host James Bell is joined by Jenn Dice, president and CEO of PeopleForBikes, and John Paul Shaffer, the Northwest Arkansas business innovative director for PeopleForBikes. PeopleForBikes is a non-profit organization focused on uniting individuals and businesses to make bike riding better for everyone. They accomplish this by helping communities quickly build better places to ride. Throughout the episode, James, Jenn, and John Paul discuss PeopleForBikes’ current lobbying efforts, what they’re working on in the NWA region, and the upcoming Shift ‘22 conference.
Thanks for tuning in!
Show Notes:
(1:17) Introduction to Jenn and John Paul
(3:49) PeopleForBikes’ Mission
(4:38) Current Lobbying Efforts
(7:09) Making the Cycling Industry More Inclusive
(9:29) Why PeopleForBikes Chose NWA
(11:20) The Biking Scene in Bentonville
(14:37) PeopleForBikes Work in the Region
(20:15) About the Shift ‘22 Conference
(27:33) Closing Questions
Links
James Bell
Jenn Dice
John Paul Shaffer
PeopleForBikes
Shift ‘22 Conference
Quotes
“We really believe the bike makes life great and believe in the profound effect the bicycle can have on lives in communities. So we’ve been centering on this mission of making America a place where bike passes and trails are ubiquitous.” - Jenn Dice, (4:02)
“We do a lot of work in the equity mobility space, making sure all people have a chance to move around their communities freely. There’s not a one-size-fits-all aspect, so we’re lobbying for different purchase incentives or tax credits.” - Jenn Dice, (6:29)
“It’s the same mindset of if we want people to make a behavior change, we need to equip them with the knowledge and the gear. But also on the other side, let’s program things that make them want to get out and ride a bike.” - John Paul Shaffer, (14:53)
“Our three tracks are diversity, equity and inclusion; climate change or sustainability; and fostering assembly manufacturing in the United States and growing jobs.” - Jenn Dice, (21:19)
Summary:
Welcome to a special episode of The Bentonville Beacon Podcast. This week, we’re taking a break from our regular episodes to highlight why Bentonville is so amazing. We’ve chosen a few clips from some of our favorite moments of The Bentonville Beacon Podcast so far. Sit back and enjoy these clips, and check out Bentonville, where you get more of what you want, and less of what you don’t!
Show Notes:
(0:32) Cyrus Sigari of Up Partners, Future Mobility Council of Arkansas, and Fly Oz
(2:26) Morgan and Tyler Baumgardner of Encore Bike Rentals
(5:42) Rich Drew of The Ride Series
(8:30) Bonnie Adams of Swim OZ
(12:45) Kris Adams of NWA Tech Summit
Summary
On this episode of The Bentonville Beacon, host James Bell is joined by Josh Richards, COO at Game Composites LLC, an aviation and aerospace components manufacturer. Josh’s background is rooted in technical excellence, with experience in highly-regulated industries such as aerospace and nuclear power. Throughout the episode, James and Josh discuss Game Composites, the GB1 GameBird, and why Bentonville is the perfect place for advanced manufacturing.
Thanks for tuning in!
Show Notes:
(1:27) Introduction to Josh Richards
(1:44) Josh’s Passion for Aviation
(4:17) About Game Composites
(7:21) About the GB1 GameBird
(10:34) The GameBird Building Process
(13:21) Blazing a Trail for Advanced Manufacturing
(18:50) Exposing Customers to the GameBird
(21:06) Growth Plan for Game Composites
(23:07) Game Composites Employee Opportunities
(26:48) Why Bentonville Is Ideal for Game Composites
(31:54) The Bentonville Experience
(34:45) Final Questions and Thoughts
Links
James Bell
Josh Richards
Game Composites LLC
Quotes
“So part of the history that’s important is that the company was never really just founded to build GameBirds. It was always about creating, you know, being a significant player in aviation manufacturing. Maybe not a Boeing right out of the gate, but somebody who makes a difference and really makes a splash in the environment.” - Josh Richards, (5:51)
“We see a lot of customers now that want a really custom experience. So, one of the challenges of running a manufacturing business with an operations mindset is how do you give a custom experience, but in a repeatable fashion.” - Josh Richards, (11:33)
“The expansion does a couple things for us. It helps us vertically integrate some of our products that go into the aircraft. We want to build as much stuff as we can in Arkansas. On the other side of it, we’ve got big plans for the company on what’s next. We’re working on what we call GB2, so the second iteration or second version of aircraft for Game Composites.” - Josh Richards, (21:27)
Summary
On this episode of The Bentonville Beacon, host James Bell is joined by Gary Vernon, a seasoned Sr. Program Officer at the Walton Personal Philanthropy Group. Gary, a key person behind OZ Trails, is the main reason for the explosion of the mountain bike trails in NWA. Throughout the episode, James and Gary discuss the large expansion of trails and what that has meant for the culture and economy in NWA, specifically Bentonville.
Thanks for tuning in!
Show Notes:
(1:57) Introduction to Gary Vernon
(3:04) Walton Family Foundation vs. Walton Personal Philanthropy
(4:31) The Rise to Mountain Bike Capital of the World
(7:22) About OZ Trails
(9:41) Specialty of the NWA Trails
(15:23) NWA’s E-bike Mentality
(18:09) Why Cycling Companies Are Moving to NWA
(24:45) About the Bicycle Industry Employers Association
(27:05) Economic Impact of NWA’s Trial System
(34:48) Changes in the NWA Region
(43:05) Where Bentonville Is Headed
(45:11) Final Questions
Links
James Bell
Gary Vernon
Walton Personal Philanthropy Group
Quotes
“I can do a nine-mile ride from work on a single track within a block of my house, which is amazing…I think the benefit that we really can’t measure is the mental benefit of being able to get active, and you don’t have to ride a mountain bike to be on [the trails].” - Gary Vernon, (29:35)
“I couldn’t tell you how many people I’ve met in the last year that have moved here, and they can work remote wherever they want and just wanted to be near the trail. The sense of pride in the region is definitely noticeable.” - Gary Vernon, (35:11)
“Sustainability is a big word in the trail building industry because weather and use and all that can wear on a trail and raise the cost of maintaining it. That’s the one thing that we’re always trying to solve is the maintenance conundrum.” - Gary Vernon, (43:10)
Summary
On this episode of The Bentonville Beacon, host James Bell is joined by Dr. Richard Ham, a seasoned transportation executive with four decades of experience in security safety operations and administration compliance and enforcement. Dr. Ham’s list of expertise and accomplishments is long and includes but is not limited to the associate director of the Department of Industrial Engineering at the University of Arkansas, where he co-leads the largest graduate program at the University of Arkansas. Throughout the episode, James and Dr. Ham talked about the progression of drones within the next couple of years and the mobility space in Bentonville.
Thanks for tuning in!
Show Notes:
(1:13) Introduction to Dr. Ham
(3:00) About Dr. Ham
(5:37) Dr. Ham’s Passion for Aviation
(8:36) The Progression of Drones
(25:29) The UP.Summit
(34:17) University of Arkansas Planning Grant
(37:12) Fully Autonomous Trucks
(40:09) Presence of Mobility Companies in Bentonville
(45:39) How to Get Involved in the Mobility Space
(57:13) Closing Questions
Links
James Bell
Dr. Richard Ham
Quotes
“...if you want to deliver something to Jonesborough, there’s just no good way to get there because it’s pretty rural…the ability to have an automated cargo route that would make the flight in an hour and a half and then turn and work it the other way. It starts to connect communities in a way that nobody really thought about.” - Dr. Richard Ham, (16:14)
“If you think of these small towns, it affects how commerce happens. If you can get something in three hours then do you have to have as many brick and mortars? There’s gonna be a discussion about that and some really smart people that think that way in retail and wholesale are gonna think about how we do distribution if this is our model now.” - Dr. Richard Ham, (22:16)
“We’re gonna talk about where we are with our ability to accept manufacturing and workforce readiness…If you don’t have that foundation, you end up with a lot of voices, but there’s never a consolidated voice that people will look to when they are looking to come here.” - Dr. Richard Ham, (32:58)
“Developing that framework and then knowing where to step up from there is really important because if you don’t, then when you start making some decisions later on, you’re going to wish you’d have done that differently because it would have been better.” - Dr. Richard Ham, (38:08)
On this episode of The Bentonville Beacon, host James Bell was joined by Rob Mahler, founder and lead tech for Naz-T’s FloaT Shop, a local onewheel rental and repair shop that specializes in repairing and customizing PEV vehicles. James and Rob talked about the vision, challenges, and future of building Naz-T’s FloaT Shop, the development of NWA, and the growth of onewheels.
Thanks for turning in!
Show Notes:
(1:11) Introducing Rob Mahler
(1:27) A Passion for Onewheels
(4:11) About Naz-T’s FloaT Shop
(7:18) The Growth of Onewheels
(9:22) About FloatLife Fest
(13:23) Challenges with Building Naz-T’s FloaT Shop
(15:55) Development in NWA over the Years
(22:08) Mountain Biking Capital of the World
(24:54) Future of Naz-T’s FloaT Shop
(34:59) Most Important Lesson Learned
(37:59) Closing Thoughts
Links
James Bell
Naz-T's FloaT Shop
FloatLife Fest
Quotes
“They say this is my stomping ground. I wanna show you around so you can connect with us at any time. If you come to town to rent one, they’ll link up with you and they’ll go ride with you. They just want to ride, so they’ll show you around town and the whole piece.” - Rob Mahler, (8:41)
“It started out of a need to do certain things, but then we needed to do certain things for others. So we get paid for a service then go buy some inventory that we might need. So the greatest challenge is keeping inventory on hand so that we can get it out to the customers fast.” - Rob Mahler, (13:28)
“...we’ve taken the time to really build toward quality of life and quality of place for the last 15 years, which really helped us out during the pandemic because we were positioned to take in all those people that wanted to leave places like San Francisco and said ‘I’m done and I’m not going back.’” - James Bell, (24:00)
Show Notes
(1:33) Introducing Morgan and Tyler
(2:41) All about Encore Bike Rentals
(9:22) How the Baumgardners Came to Bentonville
(19:44) The Baumgardners’ GORP Experience
(26:53) Morgan’s and Tyler’s Favorite Trails
(31:42) How Companies Should Be Capitalizing on Bentonville
(40:45) What’s Next for Encore Bike Rentals
(45:00) Because Bentonville
(49:26) Morgan’s and Tyler’s Favorite Lesson Learned This Year
Links
James Bell
Morgan Baumgardner
Tyler Baumgardner
Encore Bike Rentals
Quotes
“What we’re trying to do with Encore is capture our experience the first time riding here, simple as that. I want people to rent from us and be able to go out on a bike that’s set up for them, that feels good for them, and will take them where they need to go on these trails and have that spark that we felt when we first rode here.” Tyler Baumgardner, (13:43)
“We just kept coming back to ‘experience.’ We want the experience to be wonderful for cycling and biking and mountain biking, all of it in Northwest Arkansas.” Morgan Baumgardner, (25:33)
“Part of the reason I think these trails are here is talent attraction in some aspects. Because people that have options with their career, they look at where they’re living and their quality of life and they’re like, ‘Hey, I really like mountain biking. I don’t really want to have a job in a place that doesn’t have it [or other outdoor activities].’ You can kind of name one besides snow sports and we’re good to go—we have pretty much everything.” Tyler, Baumgardner (32:57)
Show Notes
(1:45) Introducing Rich Drew
(4:45) How Rich Ended Up in Bentonville
(6:59) Rich’s Ride Series
(18:55) Mountain Biking and the Brain
(34:00) Nutrition and Riding
(41:04) Rich’s Favorite Trails
(47:55) How Cycling Companies Should Be Taking Advantage of Bentonville
(57:13) What’s Next for Rich and The Ride Series
(1:04:55) Rich’s Favorite Lesson Learned This Year
(1:09:00) Because Bentonville
Links
James Bell
Rich Drew
The Ride Series
Rich Drew Youtube
Quotes
“The success of our YouTube channel for me doesn’t come from views or subscribers, it comes from the feedback, the comments, some of the relationships we have built through that. It’s exciting because I’ve been able to try to stay true to what we wanted in the beginning, and that was making things that were positive, things that were educational, things that were entertaining, and something that I would always be ok with my son watching.” Rich Drew, (14:40)
“The idea is we want to remove all the impediments. We want you to just be able to focus on the technique. If you can focus on the technique, you can have time under task. You can be doing it right. And then you can go to the trail and potentially do it right. So…should you just go ride? You should, but you should just go ride doing things properly.” Rich Drew (20:19)
“When you come here you realize the vast majority of mountain bike riders, they don’t want to ride mountains. They want to ride trails that are accessible, that aren’t dangerous, but that are exciting for them and their level. They want to do it in the vicinity of amenities that are world-class and abundant. And nowhere in the world does it like this place.” Rich Drew (50:01)
“When I’ve had the opportunity to have conversations with those business leaders, all I’ve said to them is ‘do something that makes an impact.’ If you come in and your efforts are to make a positive impact on the community, I think everything else will take care of itself because people here can see through that.” Rich Drew, (51:32)
“All I did was highlight what so many amazing people have poured into. The amount of people that have put effort into making this place what it is, to be able to showcase that, and have people [and their] kids see it and come here, that’s just a true honor, and it’s a responsibility that I relish.” Rich Drew, (1:10:43)
Show Notes
(2:47) Introducing John Walker and Tom Vernon
(4:39) Learning about DroneUp and What They Do
(6:04) What Challenges DroneUp Has Faced to Get Where They Are Today
(9:17) The Benefits and Practicality of Drones
(15:01) All about the Safety Measures and Best Practices of Drones
(31:09) What Made NWA Ideal to Build DroneUp
(35:53) What’s to Come for DroneUp
(48:58) Because Bentonville
(55:06) Tom’s and John’s’ Favorite Lessons Learned This Year and Closing Thoughts
Links
James Bell
Tom Walker
John Vernon
DroneUp
Quotes
“[NWA] gave us a huge opportunity to expand, very much a crawl-walk-run approach to how we were going to move this. And to learn all of the lessons, not just about the drone, those are the things we kind of knew…You can build all of these amazing technologies and apps, but like any other agile and innovative company, all of the lessons you learn actually happen when you start doing it.” John Vernon, (31:27)
“Our culture really aligns well with Walmart’s. Ours is about doing it safely and then growing it appropriately…By being associated with Walmart, I don’t think we were looked at as sort of this rogue drone company that’s going to start flying all over, but we were partnered with Walmart and therefore we were expected to behave like Walmart, and just by virtue of our culture and how we operated, we did.” Tom Walker, (32:48)
“Make no mistake about it…Northwest Arkansas is very very innovative. It’s interesting because in some ways it still has the laid back feel of the parts of Arkansas that I used to really like; it wasn’t a super fast-pace; it didn’t feel that way. But if you look at the innovation that’s going on around here…It’s almost like this subtle underground community of hyper-innovation that’s super impressive for the area.” Tom Walker, (34:33)
“I think that sense of accomplishment overcomes the fear, uncertainty, or doubt of what’s going to be next. Focusing whatever you can do to be the best that you can be in the moment that you’re in has really been an enriching experience for everybody involved, and I think in emerging industries, it’s another drawing factor that brings people in and helps people feel like they’re a part of something that’s more than just a day-to-day job.” John Vernon, (52:15)
“Keep humble. I wouldn’t say ‘Be humble,’ it’s ‘Keep humble.’ We’ve come a long way but we’ve got a long way to go…I think more than anything, especially with the growth that we’ve experienced over the last year, it’s very easy to get caught up in the big number that you see around growth and people count, but its also very humbling.” John Vernon, (55:06)
Show Notes
(2:07) Introducing Cyrus Sigari
(3:35) Deep Dive into Up Partners and Everything They Do
(18:21) All about Flying Cars
(24:40) Future Mobility Council of Arkansas
(32:59) Arkansas as a Major Player in the Future of Mobility
(42:37) Because Bentonville
(46:05) Cyrus’ Favorite Lesson Learned this Year and Closing Thoughts
Links
James Bell
Cyrus Sigari
Up Partners
Future Mobility Council of Arkansas
Game Composites
Fly Oz
Quotes
“We believe that we’re at this really unique point of the existence of humanity where mobility is changing very rapidly and in such a way that it can really increase the quality of life for humanity.” Cyrus Sigari (3:59)
“[We ask the question] ‘Is it needed? Is this something that’s going to make the world a better place?’ I’m not interested in investing in another social media company or something else that’s just trying to steal peoples’ eyeballs to try and sell them something. Deeply in our hearts, we want to be supporting entrepreneurs and companies that are creating technologies that are increasing the quality of life for humanity.” Cyrus Sigari, (11:22)
“Mobility, and in particular aeromobility, makes the world a lot smaller. It brings people together and it makes borders disappear.” Cyrus Sigari, (21:47)
“[We need to move in the] right direction when it comes to educating our children around things that really matter, [like not] telling them to go sell stuff instead of go build stuff and create a future that’s worth getting up and excited about. That’s pretty darn important, and I’m really excited to see the outcome of that set of initiatives.” Cyrus Sigari, (30:20)
“Silicon Valley is no longer a place, it’s a headset around innovation and disrupting what was in the past for a greater future. It’s no longer a thing that is completely monopolized by the coasts anymore. The heartland is really getting the opportunity to be a home for innovation and technology and support humanity in a very different way.” Cyrus Sigari (33:59)
Show Notes
(1:24) Introducing Kris Adams
(2:07) Kris’ Passion for Technology and His Role in It
(3:01) All about the NWA Technology Summit
(13:32) Pitch Competition Information
(20:48) Kris’ Journey to the Summit
(25:16) Because Bentonville
(32:02) How to Sign Up for the NWA Technology Summit
(33:30) Superpowers and Closing Thoughts
Links
James Bell
Kris Adams
NWA Tech Summit
Quotes
“[The NWA Tech Summit] is the premier technology conference here in the heartlands. And we believe that because of our size, pulling in about 1,400 in-person participants in 2019, and then over the last couple of years virtually, about 1,200, that size alone makes us unparalleled in the region for technology conferences.” Kris Adams (3:04)
“If you have a cool toy to bring with you, bring it and show it off. Because now that we’re back in person, we’re not stuck in the confines of being behind a screen for a virtual event. If you have something flashy and exciting and fun that you can show us, that we can touch and see, that’s what we want to have at the Tech Summit this year.” Kris Adams, (19:35)
“This is the way I [can] have my cake and eat it too. I could get to play with all of this fun tech, and then use it as a way to continue to help make Bentonville and the surrounding area better.” Kris Adams, (22:00)
“You know, when you move somewhere, you move with some hopes and expectations for what the local area will be like. We knew what we had seen on paper and what we’d seen on a screen, and then to really come and experience it in person, it just blew away even our wildest expectations.” Kris Adams, (24:05)
This year, the Northwest Arkansas Tech Summit will be returning for an exciting in-person event all across Downtown Bentonville October 16-18, 2022. The event will focus on technological advancements in five different tracks: Mobility & Supply Chain, Health & Wellness, Entrepreneurship, Cybersecurity, and Web3. Click here to register today! We hope to see you there!
Show Notes
(1:12) Introducing Pedro Somarriba
(2:21) Pedro’s Passion for Climbing
(7:42) The Climbing Scene in Arkansas
(12:14) Introducing Lacaida Ropes
(17:02) Lacaida Ropes Product Launch Announcement
(18:10) All about Tarps and Their Upcoming Interform Collaboration
(22:02) Plug for GORP: Greenhouse Outdoor Recreation Program
(23:31) Pedro’s #BecauseBentonville Moment
(29:16) Superpowers and Closing Thoughts
Links
James Bell
Pedro Somarriba
Lacaida Ropes
Arkansas Climbing Coalition
GORP
Quotes
“You have organizations like the Arkansas Climbers Coalition, so the development, adding new routes, making routes safer by rebolting and putting up new cleaner, more safe hardware attracts more people to the state, people come to the state and see what it has to offer in terms of climbing, and ideally they spend dollars here.” Pedro Somarriba, (10:27)
“[We’re] making a life-saving device here. This is something that people will trust their lives with. [we] need to lean into that. How do you make a lifesaving device safer and not just more aesthetically pleasing by putting cool designs on it? So that’s why we leaned into the metered ropes.” Pedro Somarriba, (13:12)
“These outdoor rock climbing routes are within a 15 minutes drive of downtown Bentonville. The accessibility is a game-changer.” Pedro Somarriba, (23:47)
“We realized that the same trail we hiked in on is a mountain biking trail. So [we] have mountain bikers zooming past the rocks that we’re climbing on. Where else are you going to find that, like back-to-back rock climbers and mountain bikers using the same natural resources and just enjoying the outdoors?” Pedro Somarriba (24:38)
Show Notes
(0:47) Introducing Scott Holley
(2:31) All about Entrepreneurship through Acquisition
(7:23) Deeper Look at Eddyline Kayaks
(9:20) Exploring the Technological Aspect of Making Kayaks
(17:15) Scott and Eddyline Kayaks’ Connection to Bentonville
(26:20) Scott’s Vision for Kayaking’s Impact on Northwest Arkansas
(28:34) Scott’s NWA Kayaking Bucket List
(39:23) How Bentonville Can Help
(42:10) Superpowers and Closing Thoughts
Links
James Bell
Scott Holley
Eddyline Kayaks
Ozark Kayak
Quotes
“We are out there helping people to safely access healthy and clean waterways. So for us, the safety portion is really important. We use all of our products, and we make sure that we design all of our products for a comfortable, high performance experience on the water, but also with safety in mind.” Scott Holley, (7:23)
“One of the things that we’ve seen, especially during Covid, is that consumers are looking to have a more direct relationship to the brand. So whereas before, a retailer would really push product out to consumers, consumers are now coming in armed with a lot of information, a lot of foreknowledge…We know that we need to maintain that relationship with the end user. ” Scott Holley, (23:58)
“What I would love to see if we fast-forward 5-10 years from now is that the development looks a lot like what we’ve seen [with] mountain bikes and biking in general, and I can’t think of a place anywhere that has really created that model better than Arkansas.” Scott Holley, (26:20)
“If you have people who kayak, they’re going to be intimately aware of shoreline health…so it’s a little bit of a virtuous cycle, right? More people will kayak if you have healthy waterways, and then the more kayakers you have on healthy waterways, the more that they’re going to be invested in protecting and preserving those, and then creating new opportunities for access.” Scott Holley, (30:42)
Shownotes
(0:42) Episode 1 | Helping Entrepreneurs Define and Launch Their Businesses | Phil Shellhammer of GORP
(2:31) Episode 2 | Why Outdoor Rec Businesses Should Consider Bentonville | Andrew Gibbs-Dabney of LIVSN
(7:40) Episode 3 | Why Should Business Leaders Care about Bentonville? | Nicole Dougan of Strider Bikes
(13:25) Episode 10 | How Technology is Improving Bentonville's Mountain Biking Experience | Bryce Paden & Ryan Shelton of Flowfeed
(15:54) Episode 4 | Falling in Love with Northwest Arkansas | Danny Collins of 37 North Expeditions
(22:32) Episode 11 | Bringing Extreme Sports to Bentonville with Seth Johnson of Amped Electric Games
Show Notes
(0:53) Introducing Bonnie Adams
(7:25) Introduction to Swim OZ and Joys of Swimming
(12:35) Plugging the Upcoming Walmart OZ Mile Swim Race
(13:56) How to Prepare for an Open Water Swim
(20:25) The Importance of All-Over Fitness in Training
(27:15) Why Bentonville?
(30:47) How Everyone Can Capitalize on Bentonville Outdoors
(36:06) Bonnie’s #BecauseBentonville Story
(46:21) Superpowers and Closing Thoughts
Links
James Bell
Bonnie Adams
Swim OZ
Walmart OZ Mile Swim
Quotes
“It’s a wonderful thing to be able to learn to swim. It’s a life skill. I firmly believe that everyone should know how to swim.” Bonnie Adams, (8:02)
“It’s 100% on all of it. It’s one thing to condition your body for swimming, or for running, [or] we’ve got a ton of cyclists in the area, so cycling...We want you to ride your bike. We want you to swim. We want you to run. But we want you to do other disciplines as well…It’s going to allow you to have a cross-benefit that you’re only going to get when you’re doing something else as well.” Bonnie Adams, (20:25)
“I went from being the big fish in a little pond [in other places in the US] to being the small fish in the ocean [in NWA]. And there’s so much of that, that translates into what Northwest Arkansas is, from not just a swimming standpoint, but from a recreational standpoint, from a business standpoint…The caliber of person that lives here, is moving here, is astounding.” Bonnie Adams, (25:24)
“It’s moments where different parts [of Bentonville outdoor recreation] can intersect and expose you to seeing something for the first time in a different way that you kind of forget about unless you’re in this area.” Bonnie Adams, (39:30)
Show Notes
(0:50) Introducing Katherine Andrews
(3:12) A History of the Office of Outdoor Recreation
(11:43) How Companies Today Are Choosing Locations for Their Businesses
(14:11) How Katherine’s Office Is Helping Businesses Say Yes to Arkansas
(18:05) Northwest Arkansas’s Competitive Advantages
(20:37) Why Bentonville?
(21:22) How Outdoor Companies Can Capitalize on Bentonville
(24:22) Katherine’s 5-Year Goals for the Office of Outdoor Recreation
(27:00) Superpowers and Closing Thoughts
Links
James Bell
Katherine Andrews
Quotes
“Arkansas’s outdoor recreation scene is unmatched. We are a state that prides ourselves on the abundant opportunities in our great outdoors. In the Natural State, we have over 100,000 miles of navigable streams and rivers, 600,000 acres of lakes, 5 world class Epic Rides mountain bike trails, thousands of miles of hiking trails, over 3.2 million acres of public land, America’s first National River, the Buffalo National River…America’s first Reserve National Park, which is Hot Springs National Park…the highest waterfall between the Rockies and the Appalations, big game hunting…and on and on.” Katherine Andrews, (5:43)
“One of the hardest challenges for recruiting companies [is] actually getting someone from the company to come here. But once we actually got them here, then they [say] ‘ok now I understand. It makes sense to me.’ There’s an incredible opportunity as a state right now to capitalize on attracting new companies and workers to the state by leveraging our natural assets.” Katherine Andrews, (11:09)
“Today, one of the biggest driving forces for companies when they’re making location decisions is workforce. Some of the others are business friendliness, cost of doing business, cost of living, proximity to suppliers and consumers. Fortunately for us, we have all of those things. We are one of the most business-friendly states in the US, we are located smack-dab in the middle of the country…and we have a very diverse industry in Arkansas.” Katherine Andrews, (11:43)
“There’s something special happening here. Bentonville is a community that cares deeply about its people and about creating a sense of place. It draws companies in. So if you look at the investments being made by the philanthropic groups, large corporate organizations, and others, that only just becomes more clear. Northwest Arkansas is one of the fastest growing metros the US, so…that choice to me would be a no-brainer to move here.” Katherine Andrews, (20:37)
“My overall goal is for this office to become the one-stop-shop for all things outdoor recreation, a gathering place for knowledge, information, and resources.” Katherine Andrews, (24:10)
Show Notes
(0:36) Introducing Drew Medlock
(2:09) A Taste of What Allied Cycle Works Is All About
(5:23) Making Bikes in the USA vs. Asia
(8:24) What Brought Allied Cycle Works to Bentonville
(14:40) Why Bentonville?
(16:47) How Businesses Can Capitalize on Bentonville
(17:55) What’s Next for Allied Cycle Works?
(18:45) Why USA-Made?
(19:57) Superpowers and Closing Thoughts
Links
James Bell
Drew Medlock
Allied Cycle Works
Allied Cycle Works Factory Videos
Quotes
“We had the vision to bring high-tech frame manufacturing processes back into the United States…Brands didn’t really have the in-house knowledge [to build carbon fiber frames] in the United States…So our goal was to bring that back.” Drew Medlock, (2:28)
“Northwest Arkansas has been really great because there’s a good manufacturing base here from the poultry industry and people who are good at working with their hands and are easy to train here locally.” Drew Medlock, (6:33)
“I just see so much opportunity still left here. I think there’s so much good momentum and positive momentum about really growing the outdoor industry as a whole and growing our community…It’s cool to be somewhere where there’s a blue sky in terms of what’s possible” DrewMedlock, (14:40)
“[Northwest Arkansas] is a place that is growing. There’s lots of development, we can see more diversity coming into the area, and it feels like a place where you can have this access to the outdoors and be a part of it but also build a sustainable business climate for your employees.” Drew Medlock, (17:34)
Show Notes
(0:39) Introducing Seth Johnson
(1:50) All about Amped Electric Games and Why It Started
(6:12) What to Expect at Amped Electric Games
(17:02) How People Can Capitalize on Bentonville
(17:48) Organizations Supporting New and Innovative Things in Bentonville
(28:25) Seth’s Advice for Outdoor Enthusiasts Visiting Bentonville
(30:01) Details for the Upcoming Amped Electric Games
(32:44) Superpowers and Closing Thoughts
Links
James Bell
Seth Johnson
eRideLife on Youtube
Amped Electric Games
Use Seth’s discount code ERIDELIFE at revrides.com
Quotes
“One of the major reasons [we chose Bentonville] is the people here are just so dang nice…everywhere I go in Bentonville, everyone I tell this idea to, they just get really excited. I see the lights go on in their eyes and they say ‘This is what Bentonville needs!’” Seth Johnson, (3:18)
“Trail etiquette is something that is very important to us and something that we try to instill from the very beginning when somebody begins riding these devices.” Seth Johnson, (8:25)
“Mountain bikers have enjoyed these trails for many years, and we’d like to come and enjoy them too. I know that I personally have gone and put in time digging rides locally, so we want to be involved, we want to help, [and] we want to contribute. We’re not just here to take away or to detract from the trails. I think we can all live pretty peacefully together.” Seth Johnson, (9:48)
“Everything is connected here… Everybody knows everybody, and so I’m trying to introduce myself and become part of that community.” Seth Johnson, (25:47)
“I think success is going to look like everybody having fun. That’s the most important thing to me.” Seth Johnson (26:45)
Show Notes:
(0:45) Introductions
(6:08) Getting into Mountain Biking
(8:45) Flowfeed App
(9:36) Collaboration over Competition
(18:54) Why Is Bentonville Best for Flowfeed?
(21:41) Response to Flowfeed
(23:53) Newest Features
(29:57) The Hardest Learning
(36:13) Tapping into Local Resources
(40:45) How Bentonville Is Changing
(44:44) How Else Should People Know Northwest Arkansas?
(53:14) Where to Find Flowfeed and a Final Shameless Plug
Links:
James Bell
Bryce Paden
Ryan Shelton
Flowfeed
Quotes:
“So we live in a digitized data-rich world, and we believe that data can add a lot of value to the mountain biking community.” Ryan Shelton, (8:57)
”That's not to say, you know, the answer is go ride everything. The answer is: let's make sure we efficiently communicate all of the excellent trails we have down here that can be ridden in almost any weather condition, and all of the value that's here, even when it's wet outside.” Ryan Shelton, (16:57)
”The raw drive and desire to grow that I found here meant huge potential, and being an entrepreneur, I'm always betting on the upside. And I think the upside on entrepreneurship in Northwest Arkansas over the next five years is tremendous.“ Ryan Shelton, (20:35)
”We felt like if you try to build something for everybody, you potentially build something for nobody, so we wanted to be really focused on mountain biking and make sure that we could really understand that user well.” Bryce Paden, (29:04)
”We're no longer just where Walmart is. There's this whole other narrative that's being built that is resonating with people.” Bryce Paden, (41:18)
Show Notes
(0:23) Introducing Kyla Templeton
(6:23) Why Kyla Started Bike School Bentonville
(14:48) What Makes Bentonville Trails Special
(22:52) Bike School Bentonville’s Upcoming Programming
(24:47) What’s Next for Bike School Bentonville
(28:59) Kyla’s Favorite Ride
(30:20) Superpowers and Closing Thoughts
Links
James Bell
Kyla Templeton
Bike School Bentonville
Arkansas NIKA
Girls Bike Bentonville FB Group
Quotes
“I love to ride my bike. I find a great deal of freedom when I ride my bike, and fun. And it helps me to feel like a kid and also to feel really connected to the world and myself and the people that I’m with…So I love to ride my bike and I love to share that with other people and for people to discover for themselves what it means for them.” Kyla Templeton, (1:55)
“You know it is wonderful, like that’s one of the things that’s so special about Bentonville, is that you don’t have to load your bike up in the car to have an amazing bike experience…Here, you can just hop out your door and there’s, in so many places, a trail within ten minutes.” Kyla Templeton, (9:40)
“The trails are really good and they’re well-built. And the trailblazers and the team of people doing the trail development, they’re really trying to push the industry forward in all kinds of different ways…So the trails are really well-made and are well-maintained and they’re built so that the trails almost teach a rider how to ride.” Kyla Templeton, (16:01)
“It doesn’t take much to find that peace and solitude [on the trails] if that’s what you’re looking for, but it’s also really cool to have this communal experience on the trails with a bunch of other people.” Kyla Templeton, (20:24)
Show Notes
(0:41) Introducing True NWA Native Jeanelle Harris
(2:01) Outdoor Cap Co.
(11:23) How Outdoor Companies Can Thrive in Bentonville
(14:03) What’s Next for Outdoor Cap Co.?
(23:27) Importance of Community and Corporate Citizenship
(26:09) Superpowers and Closing Thoughts
Links
James Bell
Jeanelle Harris
Outdoor Cap Co.
Quotes
“I think some of what our secret sauce is, is our expertise focused on headwear, but also the people. We have a lot of people who are long-tenured, who are committed to our business and helping us be the experts and serving our customer loyalty, both to the business and to each other. So, definitely the people are our secret sauce.” Jeanelle Harris, (3:29)
“Within the last five years, and even recently, there’s been conversations where when I say ‘Bentonville,’ [people] say ‘Oh, I want to go there! I want to travel there. I want to take my family there.’ You know, there’s a vibrance that has really come about that Bentonville is a place on the map.” Jeanelle Harris, (11:49)
“We started to see these corporations and families like the Walton Family Foundation really start to pour into the community and look at some of the things we could use as growth potential and realize that we needed to raise up a new generation that my kids are a part of to make sure that they understand diversity, equity, and inclusion.” Jeanelle Harris, (17:48)
“The one thing that I would want people to know about Outdoor Cap and in turn, myself [and] my family because it all ties together, is our pull towards community and corporate citizenship and the fact that we don’t just want to exist in Bentonville as a company without giving back as well.” Jeanelle Harris, (23:26)
Show Notes
(1:12) Introducing Vance Reavie and Jigesh Vora
(5:41) Participating in the Fuel Accelerator and Other Resources in NWA
(13:33) Initial Thoughts on Bentonville
(18:45) Bentonville Stats
(22:10) What’s Next for SwiftGo and Junction AI
(25:23) Superpowers and Closing Thoughts
Links
James Bell
Vance Reavie
Jigesh Vora
Junction AI
SwiftGo
Fuel Accelerator
Quotes
“For me, [the Fuel Accelerator] was a pivotal moment for our company in understanding where we fit in, what value we can add, and how I can take advantage of [Bentonville’s] business community to propel forward.” Vance Reavie, (6:34)
“What impressed me about Fuel was the fact that the engagement from the community is amazing. I mean, everybody from mentors, advisors, corporate partners—everybody was very engaged in truly helping the startups get to where they wanted to go or where they need to be.” Jigesh Vora, (7:18)
“[Fuel] isn’t a program that teaches you how to pitch or how to go chase the VC model or any of those sorts of things. It’s about being enterprise-ready.” Vance Reavie, (11:49)
“I think the majority of the companies around here are small businesses, which is perfect from an ecosystem perspective for a startup. Even if it’s a growth-stage startup, it’s the perfect place to be because you have the top Fortune companies here, but you have this ecosystem of small businesses that you can partner up with and improve the overall value of your solution.” Jigesh Vora, (15:19)
“The work-life balance here is—everyone talks about it, but [Bentonville] actually delivers it in a real way that you can appreciate every day.” Vance Reavie, (16:56)
Show Notes
(0:27) Introducing Kalene Griffith
(2:52) Why Kalene Chose Bentonville
(4:39) How Bentonville Has Changed
(6:39) Introducing Visit Bentonville
(11:58) Upcoming Events in Bentonville
(14:05) How People Should Think of Bentonville
(18:04) Why YOU Need to Experience Bentonville
(29:34) Is NWA the Next Austin?
(32:26) Stories that Encapsulate Bentonville
(38:01) Punching above Our Weightclass
(40:20) Bentonville Schools
(43:05) Superpowers and Closing Thoughts
Links
James Bell
Kalene Griffith
Visit Bentonville
Quotes
“What I love about [Bentonville} is the people, hands down. I’m fortunate that within about three to five months I felt like this was home…I felt like the people that were here made me feel welcome and part of their families.” (2:59) - Kalene Griffith
“[Early on], we were the home of Walmart, and that was pretty much our story. Now, we’re the home of Walmart, we’re the mountain bike capital of the world, we are an arts destination. So we’re a lot of different things now. And so we get to tell a lot of different stories in 2022 versus 2005.” (8:55) - Kalene Griffith
“If you’re here for the cycling, you get an experience where everybody in our community has adopted that cycling culture or that cycling initiative that we have pushed through for our community.” (18:30) - Kalene Griffith
Shownotes
(0:28) Introducing Nicholas Olano and His Journey to NWA
(6:04) American Hunt
(13:48) Participating in GORP
(20:15) Why YOU Should Care about NWA
(21:45) What’s Next for American Hunt?
(23:02) Superpowers and Closing Thoughts
Links
James Bell
Nicholas Olano
American Hunt
Quotes
“What keeps us [in Northwest Arkansas] is everything. This is hands down, the best place I’ve ever lived. We have four moderate seasons, so by the time you’re sick of one season, you have a new season rolling around.” (3:57) - Nicholas Olano
“We’re not just a hunting platform. There’s ATV off-roading, fishing, hunting, horseback riding, and we have an ‘other’ category. So if you think your land is suitable for any outdoor activity, you’re more than welcome to put in on American Hunt.” (12:19) - Nicholas Olano
“It seems like every other incubator wants a piece of the pie, and [GORP] did not, which was really cool. And that also kind of goes to show Bentonville culture. This is an area where a lot of people just want to help people.” (15:50) - Nicholas Olano
“There’s a lot of other places that might have an REI or something like that. But then where do you go? You have to drive two hours to get somewhere to use that stuff. In Northwest Arkansas, you drive 15 minutes east or west, and next thing you know, you’re in pristine wilderness. We have one of the cleanest rivers in the country. We have the first national river. We have float trips. We have mountain biking…we literally have everything here.” (20:34) - Nicholas Olano
Shownotes
(0:27) Introducing Danny Collins and 37 North Expeditions
(4:36) Falling in Love with Northwest Arkansas
(6:57) Helping Everyone Fall in Love with the Outdoors
(14:36) Prioritizing Diversity and Equity in the Outdoors
(18:56) What Business Owners Need to Know about the Ozarks
(25:33) Advice for Outdoor Recreation Entrepreneurs
(30:12) What’s Next for 37 North?
(33:34) The 37 North Team
(35:57) Choosing a Superpower and Closing Thoughts
Links
James Bell
Danny Collins
37 North Expeditions
Quotes
“Our very simple goal and aspiration is to get as many people outside as humanly possible and to make it really simple and convenient to do so. And really, a byproduct of that is helping people fall in love with our beautiful natural landscapes and therefore want to protect it.” (2:01) - Danny Collins
“Northwest Arkansas is growing at such an incredibly rapid rate, and there’s so many exciting aspects to that…It’s a really vibrant combination of these people that are moving in from really everywhere with a community that is putting everything into the outdoor connection.” (15:11) - Danny Collins
“For so long, [outdoor programming for youth] was just about teaching your kid how to fish, teaching your kid how to kayak, and the list goes on…For us, we are like, ‘Teach your kid how to love the outdoors. Teach your kid how to feel comfortable in the outdoors and how to slow down.’ So we lead with the connection to self, connection to others, and connection to nature.” (32:05) - Danny Collins
Shownotes
(0:21) Introducing Nicole Dougan and Strider Bikes
(3:57) Who’s shopping at Strider?
(7:20) Revitalizing Downtown Bentonville
(9:11) The Strider Cup and Adventure-cross
(12:20) Nicole’s NWA Origin Story
(15:08) Why Should Business Leaders Care about Bentonville?
(21:05) What’s Next for Strider in Bentonville?
(22:14) Closing Thoughts and Choosing Your Superpower
Links
James Bell
Nicole Dougan
Strider Bikes
Quotes
“Even though we [biked and kayaked] a lot back in Missouri, it was always a day—it was a feat to load up and go get enough miles in or to go float. Whereas now, we live in Bella Vista and can be on the river in 10 minutes, and you know, the Back 40 [mountain bike trail] is in our backyard, and I can ride my bike to work now.” (14:30) - Nicole Dougan
“I think Bentonville is so unique in that—first of all—the infrastructure’s there, so that’s the obvious [thing].” (15:16) - Nicole Dougan
“To come here and be able to work, make a decent living, have great jobs, have access, and still be able to have that family balance is really unique to anywhere I’ve seen. And so not only can you offer your business a great location and support from the community, but you can also offer your employees so much by being here.” (15:56) - Nicole Dougan
“We talk about being here and having access to things, but being here, people have access to you because it really is very centrally located and easy to get to.” (17:05) - Nicole Dougan
Summary
Welcome to the inaugural episode of the Bentonville Beacon podcast!
In today’s episode, host James Bell sits down with Phil Shellhammer, Director of the Greenhouse Outdoor Recreation Program (GORP). Phil recently launched GORP as a part of the University of Arkansas’s education and research program in Bentonville, known as The Collaborative. The pair discusses how GORP serves entrepreneurs in the area and why outdoor brands should consider Bentonville as their new home!
Thanks for tuning in!
Shownotes
(0:20) Introducing Phil Shellhammer and GORP
(3:39) Helping Entrepreneurs Define and Launch Their Businesses
(8:03) Who Is GORP Serving?
(11:08) Bentonville’s Draw for Outdoor Recreation Brands
(16:45) Unique Opportunities that Bentonville Provides
(19:44) What’s Next for GORP?
(23:11) Choosing Your Super Power
(24:23) Closing Thoughts
Links
James Bell
Phil Shellhammer
Greenhouse Outdoor Recreation Program
The Collaborative
Quotes
“Outdoor recreation is a large growth area for [Northwest Arkansas] for sure, and one that is a massive focus.” (1:06) - Phil Shellhammer
“If you have an idea within the outdoor recreation space, [GORP wants] to help and support [you]...What we’re doing right now is we are trying to build a structure that’s supportive of the core activities most [people] will come from.” (8:23) - Phil Shellhammer
“[Northwest Arkansas] has turned into a place for people to live and come to visit and play with a variety of different activities that are hard to find in the middle of the US.” (11:22) - Phil Shellhammer
“Because you have this large group of tourism coming in—this large investment in the space from the city and from other investors to make this a great outdoor rec space, then it’s natural for businesses to want to be here too.” (12:02) - Phil Shellhammer
“I imagine most people don't realize that having Walmart here isn’t just that Walmart is here, but they’re surrounded by every large CPG company as well. And so we have so much talent, not even just in Walmart, but calling on Walmart. And so all those companies are represented here in Bentonville—in the surrounding areas as well—which is just a much larger talent pool.” (16:21) - Phil Shellhammer
“It’s overwhelming when you first start as a founder in this area. You literally go from group to group, from person to person, from mentor to mentor because they’re all over the place and everyone’s so willing and able to help. I think one of the biggest things we have here is that community specifically for startups.” (17:26) - Phil Shellhammer
Shownotes
(0:16) Introducing Andrew Gibbs-Dabney and LIVSN Designs
(6:56) Utilizing Kickstarter
(16:16) The Advantage of Being in NWA
(23:47) Why Outdoor Rec Businesses Should Consider Bentonville
(28:25) Advice for Aspiring Outdoor “Rec-preneurs”
(30:52) What’s Next for LIVSN?
(32:49) The Deep Talent Pool in NWA
(36:40) Choosing Your Super Power and Closing Thoughts
Links
James Bell
Andrew Gibbs-Dabney
LIVSN Designs
Quotes
“What Arkansas has I think is something special—maybe less flashy, but it’s not anything less inspiring [than the other outdoor hubs in the country].” (17:01) - Andrew Gibbs-Dabney
“If there’s mountain biking or cycling in the company’s interest, there’s definitely a reason to be here.” (25:15) - Andrew Gibbs-Dabney
“From my house, I can access almost 300 or 400 miles of trails and not get in my car. From my office, I can do the same thing. Anywhere in Bentonville, you don’t actually have to drive anywhere. You don’t have to even have a bike rack if you don’t want to.” (25:40) - Andrew Gibbs-Dabney
“The outdoor industry is thriving in the southeast, and a lot of these brands do most of their sales here.” (27:21) - Andrew Gibbs-Dabney
“We’ve had 80–150 applicants for every job we’ve posted. We’ve ended up hiring someone locally each time because the best person for that job happened to be here.” (33:22) - Andrew Gibbs-Dabney