The Bentonville Beacon

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)