The Bentonville Beacon

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” Drew Medlock, (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)