The Bentonville Beacon
Bentonville Economic Development | Greater Bentonville Area Chamber of Commerce
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Top 10 The Bentonville Beacon Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best The Bentonville Beacon episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to The Bentonville Beacon for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite The Bentonville Beacon episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
Bonus Episode | NWA Tech Summit Live, Featuring Andres Lazarte, Aaron Ivy, Amir Hoss, Liam La Fargue & Eugene Park
The Bentonville Beacon
12/02/22 • 48 min
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
(0:54) Introduction to Andres Lazarte
(5:43) Introduction to Aaron Ivy
(15:52) Introduction to Amir Hoss
(25:25) Introduction to Liam La Fargue
(38:15) Introduction to Eugene Park
(47:03) Closing Thoughts
Links
Bentonville Economic Development
Northwest Arkansas Technology Summit
Northwest Arkansas Square 2 Square Bike Ride
Plug And Play Tech Center Northwest Arkansas
21c Museum Hotel - Bentonville
Quotes
“You get the best of both worlds. You have all the innovators and you have all the resources from Walmart and all the other companies. That culture made it a no-brainer to build [Basis Health] here...There’s a lot of other places in the world I could probably be, but Bentonville is the only place where I can walk down the street and go fishing in the morning and meet billion dollars of investment money in the afternoon.” - Andres Lazarte, (3:52)
“I’ll lead in with talking about how incredible Northwest Arkansas is. It’s really all become one community with different sub-sectors and cultures within that. Rogers, Bella Vista, Bentonville and Fayetteville are all very different from each other but are very much one big economic powerhouse.” - Aaron Ivy, (11:52)
“What I’ve been seeing is that a lot of executives and enterprises we have relationships with have moved to [Bentonville] over two to five years ago. It’s been amazing. So the conversation I have with them is that you come here and you never expect that what you see here is far beyond what you expected before coming here.” - Amir Hoss, (19:45)
“What I’ve really enjoyed at this tech summit is the presence and support that emerging technology companies are receiving from Fortune 500 companies and the recognition from huge corporate partners. I find that inspiring and extremely relieving.” - Liam La Fargue, (34:11)
“I love all the family things that are going on...I love the fact there are wonderful bike trails and restaurants. Everything here has grown so fast, but it feels like very thoughtful growth and growth that’s been designed for families. That’s what keeps us here.” - Eugene Park, (42:46)
Bonus Episode | NWA Tech Summit Live, Featuring Jennifer Thomas, Amy Hopper Swan, Clark Cogbill, David Sanders & Andy Martin
The Bentonville Beacon
11/25/22 • 50 min
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
Bentonville Economic Development
2022 Northwest Arkansas Technology Summit
Arkansas Economic Development Commission
Innovate Arkansas at Winrock International
Arkansas I-Fund & Delta I-Fund at Winrock International
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)
Accelerating Bentonville's Startup Scene with Matthew Ward of Fuel
The Bentonville Beacon
10/24/22 • 42 min
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
Bentonville Economic Development
Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC)
Northwest Arkansas Council | Life Works Here
Northwest Arkansas Startup Crawl
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)
Bonus Episode | Boosting Your Mountain Biking Skills with Rich Drew and The Ride Series
The Bentonville Beacon
07/29/22 • 73 min
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
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)
A New Era for Walmart: Inside the New Home Office Project with Cindi Marsiglio
The Bentonville Beacon
02/26/24 • 54 min
Summary
In this episode of The Bentonville Beacon, host James Bell sits down with Cindi Marsiglio, Senior Vice President for Corporate Real Estate at Walmart. With over two decades of experience in corporate real estate and government affairs, Cindi is at the forefront of Walmart’s monumental new home office located in Bentonville. She brings a wealth of insight from overseeing the mammoth task of managing Walmart’s office space across the United States, solidifying her as a leader who plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of Bentonville’s thriving community. Throughout the conversation, Cindi shares the significance and intent behind Walmart’s cutting edge, open-concept campus, the sustainability efforts it’s championing and how it's transforming the way we live, work and play in the Greater Bentonville Area.
Thanks for tuning in!
Show Notes
Timestamps in this blog are for the audio-only version of the podcast; video timing differs.
(0:54) Introduction to Cindi Marsiglio
(3:35) Cindi’s Role as Senior Vice President for Corporate Real Estate
(6:46) How Walmart’s New Campus Fits Its Goals
(10:25) Walmart’s New Campus’ Work Atmosphere
(15:57) The Sustainability of Walmart’s New Campus
(20:31) The Opening Timeline of Walmart’s New Campus
(24:53) About the Walton Family Whole Health and Fitness Center
(30:26) The Open Campus Design of Walmart’s New Home Office
(34:45) How Bentonville Helps Cindi and Her Family and Her Family Live Their Best Lives
(39:53) Cindi’s #BecauseBentonville Story
(41:56) Advice for Tackling Challenges to Propel Careers
(50:03) Closing Questions
Links
Bentonville Economic Development @ Greater Bentonville Area Chamber of Commerce
Quotes
“[Walmart’s new campus] is part of our overall aspiration to provide really great jobs with really great benefits. And part of that is to have a home office campus that is fit for the future. We want to retain great talent and attract new great talent...because Bentonville has been our home, staying in Bentonville was a fairly straightforward decision for us. We knew this was a place we wanted to continue to build the future of our global company, and that Bentonville was going to partner with us and go along on that journey with us.” - Cindi Marsiglio, (7:00)
“...it is about a mile from the downtown Bentonville square, and so it very much is in the heart of the Bentonville community. We have businesses and residents living on every edge of the campus and it’s a unique open environment. And so you want to be very much thoughtful about how you positively impact the community as a whole.” - Cindi Marsiglio, (10:52)
“...even more important than that, for me, is Bentonville’s evolution to becoming a much more broad, evolving, thoughtfully inclusive community so that people who visit here or choose to build a life and have a family or have a career here, it’s a journey that we’re on together. And I can play my own unique role, my family can play a unique role. But I think we can all find a place inside the community to be additive to that. I think it’s very unique, and I think Bentonville’s desire to be the best Bentonville we can allows us to chart that path.” - Cindi Marsiglio, (36:11)
Exploring Bella Vista’s Transformation with Mayor John Flynn
The Bentonville Beacon
02/12/24 • 38 min
Summary
In this episode of The Bentonville Beacon, host James Bell is joined by Bella Vista Mayor John Flynn. Bella Vista is known for its scenic beauty, outdoor activities and growing community spirit, and as only the third mayor in the city’s history, Mayor Flynn’s leadership is pivotal in guiding and shaping Bella Vista’s growth. With a diverse background in law, education and public service, Mayor Flynn’s journey from corporate counsel to professor to Mayor of one of Northwest Arkansas’s most picturesque cities, solidifies his commitment and willingness to serve and improve the community he has grown to call home. Throughout the conversation, Mayor Flynn shares Bella Vista’s compelling blend of rich history and his vision for its future. He also discusses how the town’s friendly residents, community spirit and quality of life attract newcomers seeking natural beauty and opportunity, making Bella Vista a true gem in Greater 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.
(0:54) Introduction to Bella Vista Mayor John Flynn
(3:59) Mayor Flynn’s Motivation for Public Service
(5:36) How Mayor Flynn’s Experiences Have Shaped His Mayoral Career
(7:21) Bella Vista’s Fascinating History
(11:40) Mayor Flynn’s Vision for Bella Vista’s Future
(16:10) Bella Vista’s Personality and Its Role in Northwest Arkansas
(19:20) Current Developments in Bella Vista
(23:40) Experiences People Can Have in Bella Vista
(25:49) Mayor Flynn’s #BecauseBellaVista Story
(27:16) Why Bella Vista is Unique
(31:43) Advice to Residents Aspiring to Get Involved in Local Government
(34:02) Closing Question
Links
Bentonville Economic Development
Greater Bentonville Area Chamber of Commerce
Quotes
“[Bella Vista] has continued to grow in a successful way, and for the future, it certainly appears we’re going to continue to have growth, and that’s not going to be a problem. I’m looking to have controlled growth and maybe even keep from growing too fast. We’d like to develop the commercial side a little bit more.” - Mayor Flynn, (12:10)
“The nice thing about this area is there’s people in Bentonville and in Northwest Arkansas who are very interested in connectivity. Walmart’s been encouraging their employees to ride to work, and they have a goal of having ten percent of their employees riding their bikes to work, and there are a few people from Bella Vista doing that now.” - Mayor Flynn, (13:59)
“[Bella Vista’s] morphed into a combination of a [retirement community] and a bedroom suburb because so many people are going into town working at Walmart or JB Hunt. So we have an awful lot of people working at those folks and living in Bella Vista. And the trails have had an effect of making Bella Vista a bit younger, too...We have a vibrant trails community. And to have a lot of different outdoor activities, whether on purpose or just developed that way, we’ve become quite an outdoor recreational area and Bella Vista has certainly got a lot of outdoor recreational opportunities.” - Mayor Flynn, (16:48)
“[Bella Vista] is very welcoming and I feel like it’s a special place. And one of the things I always think about is you could play golf, or you could go on the trails, or you could go to Cooper Chapel, but most people move from out of town and the thing they comment on is how friendly and welcoming the people are.” - Mayor Flynn, (27:32)
The Future of Healthcare at Home with Andres Lazarte of Basis Health
The Bentonville Beacon
01/22/24 • 29 min
Summary
In this insightful episode of The Bentonville Beacon, host James Bell shares the studio with Andres Lazarte, Co-Founder & President of Basis Health, a pioneering healthcare provider that relocated from Boise, Idaho, to Bentonville, Arkansas, in 2021. Basis Health is revolutionizing healthcare for aging people by delivering expert medical care right in the comfort of their homes. Basis makes healthcare accessible to elderly patients regardless of living setting and is reducing unnecessary hospital visits and healthcare costs, improving their quality of life.
Dedicated to innovation, Basis Health is at the forefront of shifting healthcare to a preventative, patient-centered model. As they continue to innovate, what will further set them apart is their use of cutting-edge artificial intelligence and predictive modeling technologies designed to continuously analyze conditions of their patients, identify the earliest onset of clinical decline and rapidly provide medical interventions and follow-up care.
Tune in now to discover the future of medicine!
Show Notes
Timestamps in this blog are for the audio-only version of the podcast; video timing differs.
(0:55) Introduction to Andres Lazarte
(3:46) About Basis Health and Its Unique Approach
(6:07) The Future of Healthcare
(8:54) Basis Health’s Relocation to Bentonville
(13:33) Basis Health’s Involvement in the Greater Bentonville Community
(15:45) How Bentonville Helps Andres and His Family Balance Work and Life
(19:36) Andres’ #BecauseBentonville Story
(23:43) Advice to Aspiring Healthcare Entrepreneurs
(26:12) Closing Question
Links
Bentonville Economic Development
Quotes
“Our unique approach is that we send providers, nurses, and urgent care workers to the patient’s home and we see them on a consistent basis. We’re able to see how their living looks, whether it’s assisted living, independent living, memory care. Wherever the patient is, we can meet them and bring healthcare to their door.” - Andres Lazarte, (4:17)
“Bentonville is the perfect spot because there’s support everywhere. We can really take all this healthcare and move it home because all the pieces are here, the support is here, the community is all about it...if you’re an entrepreneur, you should be flocking to Northwest Arkansas.” - Andres Lazarte, (13:05)
“[Bentonville] is such a unique location because it gives us the opportunity to get out in nature. We get to go to all these incredible activities. Almost every single weekend there is something to be done, something we can do as a family or individually that doesn’t involve me being in my office or going out and visiting some of my clients, so it really does a great job. We work hard and we play hard here in Bentonville.” - Andres Lazarte, (16:38)
“There was a day I woke up early in the morning, I went fishing, went on a hike though Kohler, and then within that same morning had a meeting with some Fortune 500 business owners and people who work for some of the biggest companies in the country. That doesn’t happen anywhere else...and because of Bentonville, I’m able to fulfill my love of being with my family, go out and fish and enjoy nature and hike, and then also make meetings with people that other people in other parts of the world have to fly hundreds of miles to get to.” - Andres Lazarte, (20:00)
Igniting Futures: Bentonville's Next-Gen Leaders at the NWA Tech Summit
The Bentonville Beacon
01/08/24 • 38 min
Summary
Join host James Bell in this special episode of The Bentonville Beacon podcast featuring interviews with students from Bentonville Schools’s Ignite Professional Studies Program. These conversations were live-recorded at the 2023 Northwest Arkansas Technology Summit, where the students were exposed to innovators, creators and leaders reshaping the world. At the start of the show, James also sits down with the program’s Director, Jessica Imel, to learn how Ignite helps juniors and seniors gain valuable work-based experience, industry-valued credentials and high-quality classroom instruction across nine different career fields. Ignite Professional Studies upholds its commitment to excellence by creating a real, relevant learning environment that helps students make informed decisions about their futures and prepares them for challenges and opportunities ahead. This nationally recognized program represents the collaboration of education, business and community to provide students with unique and immersive involvement that results in highly skilled, adaptable global innovators and leaders. Tune in now to discover how one of Bentonville’s unique educational programs is shaping tomorrow’s leaders today!
Show Notes
(1:46) Introducing Jessica Imel
(3:39) About Ignite Professional Studies Program
(6:23) Jessica’s #BecauseBentonville Story
(8:06) What’s Next for Ignite
(11:12) Advice for Learning New Skills
(12:20) Introducing Kaushal Dhumal
(12:43) Kaushal’s Project with the Greater Bentonville Area Chamber of Commerce
(14:43) Kaushal’s Northwest Arkansas Technology Summit Experience
(15:43) Kaushal’s #BecauseBentonville Story
(17:21) Introducing Sarthak Chaturvedi
(17:55) Sarthak’s Experience with Ignite Health Sciences
(19:32) Sarthak’s Northwest Arkansas Technology Summit Experience
(20:47) Sarthak’s #BecauseBentonville Story
(23:11) Introducing Aditya Sohaney
(26:54) Aditya’s Northwest Arkansas Technology Summit Experience
(28:13) Aditya’s #BecauseBentonville Story
(29:57) Introducing Praneel Vakkalagadda
(32:37) Praneel’s Experience with Ignite Health Sciences
(35:25) Pranee’s #BecauseBentonville Story
(36:57) Closing Thoughts
Links
Bentonville Economic Development
Northwest Arkansas Technology Summit
Quotes
“One year ago, the chamber offered us some complimentary tickets to the NWA Tech Summit, and it was over fall break so we weren't hosting class, but we offered this opportunity to students. We had a couple of students who took us up on it, even though it was fall break, and listened to a session and wanted to meet the speaker afterwards. And what ended up happening is they ended up getting on a call. He invited them to join his research project. They did. They spent nearly all summer working on it...Fast forward to this year's Tech Summit, they were invited to do a thirty minute session to share their findings. We have stories like that in all of the career strands that we offer, but it's just one of those things that you're like, only in Bentonville would something like that happen.” - Jessica Imel, (6:47)
“One story that I have is Walmart. The Store 100 was opening a section of the store that would be directed to only fulfilling online orders. And it would be different because it would be very automated. Store associates wouldn't have to go inside the store and take up aisle space, taking up a lot of time. It'd be much more efficient. And we got to meet the CEO personally. I got to talk to John Furner, the CEO of Walmart U.S., and that's something that can only happen in Bentonville. Meeting the CEO of a Fortune 1 company in a store, that would only happen in Bentonville.” - Kaushal Dhumal, (15:43)
“We were in DC for a hosted trip, and we got to go to the Capitol building and speak to our state senator. Many of the states had trouble getting access and speaking to their sta...
Using Tech to Revolutionize Jewelry Stores with Andy Martin of Wishfluence
The Bentonville Beacon
01/09/23 • 66 min
Summary
On this episode of The Bentonville Beacon, host James Bell is joined by Andy Martin, Owner and CEO of Moonlight Games, a video game company dedicated to developing mobile apps. Moonlight Games’ extensive list of applications includes Wishfluence, the first branded wishlist app to provide luxury jewelry stores with the means to connect every customer with their dream product. Andy founded Wishfluence with his wife to streamline how jewelry stores manage their customer’s favorite pieces. Throughout the episode, James and Andy discuss Andy’s entrepreneurial journey, the pros of being located in Bentonville and what it’s like to build a company with your spouse.
Thanks for tuning in!
Show Notes:
(0:52) Introduction to Andy
(26:07) Gauging Competition
(30:33) Andy’s Experience with Innovate Arkansas
(39:04) Benefits of Establishing in Bentonville
(49:21) How Families Thrive in Bentonville
(58:00) Advice to Couples Starting a Business
(1:01:12) Future Plans for Wishfluence
Links
Bentonville Economic Development
Northwest Arkansas Technology Summit
Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC)
Sarah Goforth
University of Arkansas Office of Entrepreneurship & Innovation
University of Arkansas Tesseract Center for Immersive Environments and Game Design
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art
USC Cycling: Bentonville Becomes Home for U.S. National Mountain Bike Team
Slaughter Pen - Oz Trails Northwest Arkansas
28th Street Park - Cricket Pitch
Helen R. Walton Children’s Enrichment Center
Book: Sam Walton, Made In America
Quotes
“I said, ‘I’m going to do this wishlist thing, and I’m going to do it right.’ Because I’m passionate about startups and I really like how this is solving a problem.” - Andy Martin, (21:30)
“I realized I was in the same position I’d been in building the technology based on what I think the people need without a real avenue to get it to them. And the thought that it will just be good enough and they’ll sign up is not how it works.” - Andy Martin, (30:42)
“..another thing about LA is how cutthroat it is. Why would someone tell me about an opportunity that could hel...
Enabling eCommerce for Makers, Bakers and Shakers with Edwin Ortiz of Rejoicy
The Bentonville Beacon
01/17/23 • 50 min
Summary
On this episode of The Bentonville Beacon, host James Bell is joined by Edwin Ortiz, Co-Founder and CEO of Rejoicy, a platform designed to help local shoppers support small businesses through digital storefronts. Rejoicy makes local goods available everywhere and to everyone by facilitating sellers and shoppers through an easy-to-use online marketplace. With over fourteen years of experience, Edwin is also the founder of Luncher, a company dedicated to delivering food from your favorite restaurants to your workplace. Throughout the episode, James and Edwin discuss Bentonville's entrepreneurial resources for founders and how Rejoicy helps businesses go from brick and mortar to click and order.
Thanks for tuning in!
Show Notes:
(0:53) Introduction to Edwin
(1:33) About Edwin
(4:00) About Luncher
(10:38) Pivots in the Startup World
(12:19) About Rejoicy
(16:39) Rejoicy’s Recent Work
(20:00) Edwin’s Experience with Techstars
(23:01) Advantages of Being Located in Bentonville
(26:53) Local Resources for Entrepreneurs
(31:44) Why Founders Should Have a Presence in Bentonville
(37:06) Bentonville Favorites
(42:07) Bentonville’s Contributions
(44:53) Closing Questions
Links
Bentonville Economic Development
Quotes
“When you look at what we’re doing with Rejoicy, it’s ‘What would people do if we make it easy to pursue their passion?’ The reality is that’s its core. The goal is to help people do what they love.” - Edwin Ortiz, (8:53)
“We make it super easy for them to get started. They can start their store in one minute, and they can be selling in less than ten minutes. That is the core of what we want to do.” - Edwin Ortiz, (13:34)
“There’s this feeling, this energy happening in Northwest Arkansas. It almost feels like the Renaissance. You have big companies, but you also have this growing number of startups.” - Edwin Ortiz, (23:51)
“I think for people who are interested in ecommerce, retail, products, the future of work, medtech (and more). Northwest Arkansas is the right place. Northwest Arkansas is the place that will attract all those things because it has the right ingredients to help those businesses succeed.” - Edwin Ortiz, (32:01)
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FAQ
How many episodes does The Bentonville Beacon have?
The Bentonville Beacon currently has 127 episodes available.
What topics does The Bentonville Beacon cover?
The podcast is about Entrepreneurship, Business Management, Startup, Podcasts and Business.
What is the most popular episode on The Bentonville Beacon?
The episode title 'Cultivating Access to Opportunities with Robert Burns of the Walton Family Foundation' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on The Bentonville Beacon?
The average episode length on The Bentonville Beacon is 44 minutes.
How often are episodes of The Bentonville Beacon released?
Episodes of The Bentonville Beacon are typically released every 7 days.
When was the first episode of The Bentonville Beacon?
The first episode of The Bentonville Beacon was released on Feb 25, 2022.
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