The Bentonville Beacon

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