Greg Tehven is an entrepreneurial ecosystem builder in Fargo, North Dakota, and Executive Director for Emerging Prairie. Emerging Prairie works as a similar concept to Startup Junkie, connecting and building their entrepreneurial community - and they do it in some big ways, like organizing the world's largest 1 Million Cups chapter, hosting a TEDx event with over 2,000 attendees, and bringing people together for brunch at midnight. In this episode, Michael and Greg discuss the value of hard selling the connectedness of the community and leveraging the assets a region has to build on the bright spots. Greg is married to his city; he takes the long view and works tirelessly to build community and bring the best out of himself and those around him. Through humor, hard work, and humility Greg and many others are turning Fargo, North Dakota into a premiere, startup destination.
Emerging Prairie: http://www.emergingprairie.
A Silicon Valley for Drones: https://www.nytimes.com/2015/
TEDxFARGO: http://tedxfargo.com/
Greg’s Website: http://gregfromfargo.com/
Get your weekly dose of entrepreneurial wisdom by subscribing to us on the Podcasts app!
Follow us on Twitter, Instagram & Facebook!
Hear the stories of other great startup businesses by listening to our previous podcasts here!
Host: Michael Iseman
David Tominsky is the Chief Relationship Officer at The New Bohemian Innovation Collaborative in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He's also an active Facilitator and Organizer at Startup Weekends across the country, and he joins Michael & Jeff on the Startup Junkies Podcast while he was in Northwest Arkansas facilitating the firs Maker Edition of Startup Weekend. David and the team discuss how the catalytic work ethic combined with the resources and network at Startup Weekend lead to endless possibilities.
Connect with David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/
Learn More about Startup Weekend: http://communities.techstars.
Get your weekly dose of entrepreneurial wisdom by subscribing to us on the Podcasts app!
Follow us on Twitter, Instagram & Facebook!
Hear the stories of other great startup businesses by listening to our previous podcasts here!
Hosts: Jeff Amerine & Michael Iseman
jeff@startupjunkieconsulting.
Dr. Mary Lacity and Dr. Zach Steelman, join this episode of The Startup Junkies Podcast to discuss practical business applications of blockchain, and the different paths that led them to work together. Mary shares her story of missing out early on Microsoft, a near miss on the boom of the world wide web - and her internal declaration that she would not let this third major opportunity pass her by once she learned about blockchain technology. Zach's experience has been more of a practitioner with an insatiable appetite since Bitcoin launched a decade ago - and he is now teaching students in the Walton college, working with them to develop practical business applications on the Ethereum platform.
These two have teamed up to lead the Blockchain Center of Excellence they at the University of Arkansas - a program funded by a Governor Asa Hutchinson initiative on a mission to develop research partnerships, educate the community, and accelerate industry adoption of blockchain technology. https://walton.uark.edu/
Connect with Mary on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/
Connect with Zach: https://www.linkedin.com/in/
Mary’s Book Blockchain for Business: https://www.sbpublishing.org/
Get your weekly dose of entrepreneurial wisdom by subscribing to us on the Podcasts app!
Follow us on Twitter, Instagram & Facebook!
Hear the stories of other great startup businesses by listening to our previous podcasts here!
Hosts: Jeff Amerine & Michael Iseman
In this episode Michael sits down with Jeff & Phyl Amerine to discuss the early beginnings of what grew to become Startup Junkie, and the journey that led to today. Jeff takes us back, almost 10 years to the day, to when Tom Dalton and Jeff began Innovate Arkansas in NWA. This is what began the non-traditional business model that Startup Junkie still operates under - High-quality consulting at no cost to the entrepreneurs. Jeff shares stories of different triumphs and plenty of hurdles the team's encountered along the way, and how he's never lost sight of the values that were cultivated from the very beginning. We cap off the conversation inviting everyone from the Startup Junkie team to share some of their favorite memories of Jeff and the Startup Junkie team. Enjoy!
Learn more about Startup Junkie: https://www.startupjunkie.org/
Say "Hello" to Jeff at jeff@startupjunkieconsulting.
Get your weekly dose of entrepreneurial wisdom by subscribing to us on the Podcasts app!
Follow us on Twitter, Instagram & Facebook!
Host: Michael Iseman michael@startupjunkie.org
Chief Strategy Officer of RevUnit, Seth Waite, joins this episode of the Startup Junkies Podcast where we dive into the details of Fuel, the future of supply chain management, and the values that Seth has formed to guide his career. He is a futurist, philanthropist, and one of the facilitators for Fuel, a program led by RevUnit and Startup Junkie to help supply chain startups become enterprise-ready. Participants will receive mentoring, coaching, and connections with Walmart's Supply Chain Innovation team and leaders from CaseStack, Propack, Tyson, and other large enterprises.
Applications are open for the Fuel Accelerator: fuelaccelerator.com
RevUnit is very cool: revunit.com
Learn more about the man behind the microphone at sethwaite.com
Get your weekly dose of entrepreneurial wisdom by subscribing to us on the Podcasts app!
Follow us on Twitter, Instagram & Facebook!
Hosts: Michael Iseman & Haley Allgood
Daniel Schroeder and Matthew Young of Listing Village, a real-estate marketing solutions company based out of Little Rock, Arkansas, join this episode of The Startup Junkies Podcast. Listing Village is focused on connecting suburban realtors with clients by removing the middleman, and creating a personalized real estate experience for all homebuyers that lead them back to the real estate agent. Recently, Listing Village, was accepted into the Y Combinator Startup School, based out of Mountain View, California. Daniel and Matthew share their success story; the future of the real estate industry, and how Listing Village will create a reduced, perfected process. Finally, Daniel and Matthew remind us, “If you’re not getting ready for tomorrow, you’re doomed to repeat yesterday.”
Listing Village: ListingVillage.com
Get your weekly dose of entrepreneurial wisdom by subscribing to us on the Podcasts app!
Follow us on Twitter, Instagram & Facebook!
Hear the stories of other great startup businesses by listening to our previous podcasts here!
Hosts: Jeff Amerine & Michael Iseman
jeff@startupjunkieconsulting.
Marilyn Miles, owner of Electronic Manufacturing Solutions (EMS, Inc.), along with Clayton Hornsby VP of Manufacturing join this episode of The Startup Junkies Podcast to discuss their entrepreneurial journey. What began as a side hustle while balancing a full-time job, EMS, has now grown to 77 employees located in rural Lincoln, Arkansas. EMS is an electronic contract manufacturer company, specializing in the production of circuit boards, wire processing, and cable-data distribution. Marilyn details some growing pains that EMS has had to face, as well as the geographic challenge of recruiting new employees. This is an incredible company, and we finish the episode with a reminder from Marilyn on the importance of dreaming big, and creating a vision for the future of your company.
Get your weekly dose of entrepreneurial wisdom by subscribing to us on the Podcasts app!
Follow us on Twitter, Instagram & Facebook!
Hear the stories of other great startup businesses by listening to our previous podcasts here!
Hosts: Jeff Amerine & Michael Iseman
Karen Ahuja, a local freelance artist, joins this episode of The Startup Junkies Podcasts to discuss her upbringing as a graphic designer turned painter in the Northwest Arkansas region. Karen shares her story, explaining how she went from a hobbyist to a business woman who now has prints of her paintings sold in stores such as; HomeGoods, TJ Maxx, and many more! As an artist, she describes the cultural pressure she felt towards trying to make a profit. However, her ability to leverage social media lead her to a rewarding, successful career. Karen also details her outline for The Welcome Pineapple Project. Where she is raising awareness for post-adoption challenges through art. Karen also shares how she exercises her mind through creativity and hard work, so she is always ready to take on new challenge.
Karen’s Instagram: @KarenAhuja
Karen’s Website: http://www.KarenAhuja.com
The Welcome Pineapple Project: http://www.karenahuja.com/welcome-pineapple.html
Get your weekly dose of entrepreneurial wisdom by subscribing to us on the Podcasts app!
Follow us on Twitter, Instagram & Facebook!
Hear the stories of other great startup businesses by listening to our previous podcasts here!
Hosts: Jeff Amerine & Michael Iseman
Tom Chapman, Founder of Chapman and Company, joins this episode of The Startup Junkies Podcast recorded in Denver in the middle of the Startup Champions Network Fall Summit. Startup Champions Network is a group of Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Builders similar to the Startup Junkies that meets twice a year to share best practices and stories. Tom, one of the original members of the network, gives us his take on the entrepreneurial ecosystem; and the importance of like-minded communities to come together and share great ideas. We discuss Angel Investment Networks, Omaha, the Nebraska Navy, and Tom even gives us an account of working for Enron early in his career during the days of exponential growth followed by massive layoffs. Lastly, Tom shares his mantra that, “when you get to a data-driven approach… you will recognize that entrepreneurship is the way for us to solve most the world’s problems, and to live a life that you can be happy and proud of.”
Tom’s Company: https://www.chapmanandcompany.
Tom’s Email: tchapman@chapmanandcompany.co
Tom’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/tchap623
Startup Champions: http://www.championsnetwork.
Get your weekly dose of entrepreneurial wisdom by subscribing to us on the Podcasts app!
Follow us on Twitter, Instagram & Facebook!
Hear the stories of other great startup businesses by listening to our previous podcasts here!
Host: Michael Iseman
Andrew Gibbs-Dabney, Founder and CEO of LIVSN Designs, joins the The Startup Junkies Podcast to discuss his entrepreneurial journey. Andrew got his start in apparel working for Fayettechill as a warehouse employee, but the success of the company would lead him to play the role of CEO in 2 short years. His passion for outdoor recreational activities and apparel led him to create his own clothing line– LIVSN. The idea of offering high-quality, durable outdoor clothing for people who value experiences more than stuff has vaulted the launch of a successful kickstarter campaign. In this episode, Andrew and the team explore a wide range of topics from work-life balance to overcoming all the obstacles that most startups face. We also focus on the future of LIVSN, and what Andrew plans to accomplish in the foreseeable future.
LIVSN: https://www.livsndesigns.com/
LIVSN kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/livsndesigns/hi-wool-fleece-and-flex-canvas-pants-built-for-lif
LIVSN Instagram: https://instagram.com/livsndesigns
Fayettechill: https://www.fayettechill.com/
Arkansas Interscholastic Cycling League: http://www.arkansasmtb.org/
BLK ELK Media: https://www.blkelkmedia.com/
Get your weekly dose of entrepreneurial wisdom by subscribing to us on the Podcasts app!
Follow us on Twitter, Instagram & Facebook!
Hear the stories of other great startup businesses by listening to our previous podcasts here!
Hosts: Jeff Amerine & Michael Iseman
Get your weekly dose of entrepreneurial wisdom by subscribing to us on the Podcasts app!
Follow us on Twitter, Instagram & Facebook!
Hear the stories of other great startup businesses by listening to our previous podcasts here!
Hosts: Jeff Amerine & Michael Iseman
Blake Puryear, Head of Product at Engine, is an e-commerce expert who has his eyes set on the future of the marketplace. Engine is a Fayetteville based e-commerce platform built for the digitally native, vertically integrated brands that are building and selling their own products directly to the consumer. In this episode, Blake and the team discuss their perspective on the Northwest Arkansas startup scene and what it means to be a part of passionate, thriving community. We dive into Blake’s passion projects, lessons learned from working with more than a dozen startup companies, and a personalized evolution of e-commerce.
Engine Website: https://www.enginecommerce.com/
(1:35) Stance Socks: https://www.stance.com/men/
(1:35) Peet’s Coffee: https://www.peets.com/
(12:15) Klayvio: https://www.klaviyo.com/
(22:40) VentureBeat: https://venturebeat.com/2018/05/22/shopify-rival-engine-hopes-to-blaze-a-trail-for-arkansas-ecommerce-startups/
(37:10) Engine Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf61PogryCa4L8qJdIRtGKw
Get your weekly dose of entrepreneurial wisdom by subscribing to us on the Podcasts app!
Follow us on Twitter, Instagram & Facebook!
Hear the stories of other great startup businesses by listening to our previous podcasts here!
Hosts: Jeff Amerine & Michael Iseman
How does a startup, small firm, or entrepreneur with an innovative technology idea get the required facetime with a tech giant/mega retail corporation to pitch their next big idea and impact the world? Bryce Paden, co-founder of i2i Labs, has the solution in the unique form of a tech broker of sorts. Hardly a full year into business, he has proved, with an uncommon business model no less, that there is certainly a market for the service i2i Labs provides. The company curates and accredits small tech teams before helping them present their innovations to large corporations that have the resources to buy the technology, but not the time or man-power needed to create it. Bryce also gives us a sneak peek into his next business. Think recreational axe throwing. Get excited!
To contact a professional at i2i Labs, visit https://www.i2ilabs.co/
Get your weekly dose of entrepreneurial wisdom by subscribing to us on the Podcasts app!
Follow us on Twitter, Instagram & Facebook!
Hear the stories of other great startup businesses by listening to our previous podcasts here!
Hosts: Jeff Amerine & Michael Iseman
jeff@startupjunkieconsulting.com
Michael@startupjunkie.org
“The key is not to prioritize your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.”
Stephen Covey
JB Hunt executives Shelley Simpson, EVP & Chief Commercial Officer and Todd Jenkins, JB Hunt’s Senior Diversity Lead & Chair of NWA YP Summit, join the Startup Junkie podcast for episode #136. They discuss both the importance of finding mentors as well as share insight on the differences between mentors, sponsors and coaches and why you should try to find all three! Shelley Simpson also shares her journey of working up the ranks of JB Hunt and advice from her dad that helped her reach her current position. Lastly, she explains how she chooses priorities and where she allocates time to outside of work. You don’t want to miss this episode!
To learn more about JB Hunt, visit their site here and to learn more about Work Matters, check out their site.
Register for the NWA Young Professional Summit here.
Get your weekly dose of entrepreneurial wisdom by subscribing to us on the Podcasts app!
Follow us on Twitter, Instagram & Facebook!
Hear the stories of other great startup businesses by listening to our previous podcasts here!
Hosts: Jeff Amerine & Michael Iseman
jeff@startupjunkieconsulting.com
Michael@startupjunkie.org
Neil Greenhaw, founder of Haxton Road Studios, combines cutting edge technology and his passion for all things vintage to create a world class recording studio in Bentonville, AR. In this podcast episode, Neil shares his story of growing up in rural Arkansas where he fell in love with music, traveling internationally with a band up to 240 days a year, and then returning to Arkansas and opening a recording studio. Neil has chosen to invest in the community and believes that collaboration is key to successfully promoting local artists. Haxton Road Studios recently partnered with Bike Rack Brewing Co. to produce an album showcasing the musical talent here in Arkansas. Neil comments,“Sky’s the limit,” regarding the opportunities hovering on the horizon for the Northwest Arkansas music industry. After personally experiencing his state of the art recording equipment and seeing his commitment to quality, we couldn’t agree more.
To learn more about Haxton Road Studios, visit their site here.
Get your weekly dose of entrepreneurial wisdom by subscribing to us on the Podcasts app!
Follow us on Twitter, Instagram & Facebook!
Hear the stories of other great startup businesses by listening to our previous podcasts here!
Hosts: Jeff Amerine & Michael Iseman
jeff@startupjunkieconsulting.com
Michael@startupjunkie.org