Introducing our very own, Ellen Brune! Holding a Ph.D. in chemical engineering, Ellen is our Senior Entrepreneur in Residence. Ellen serves as a liaison between Startup Junkie and the University of Arkansas. Her focus is helping scientists at the University commercialize their research. Ellen’s experience with her own company, Boston Mountain Biotech, is invaluable and tailored to science-based startups. Much of the value of science-based startups is tied up in intellectual property, making it challenging to gain fundraising. With Ellen’s extensive experience, and her wealth of skills (including mountain biking and home brewing kombucha), she’s a strong advocate for the science-based entrepreneur in NWA.
Reach out to Ellen at ellen@startupjunkie.org & follow her on Instagram @ebrune3.
Want to learn more about Boston Mountain Biotech? Check it out here!
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Hosts: Jeff Amerine & Michael Iseman
Ashton McCombs and Jeff are both Naval Academy graduates who took a successful plunge into entrepreneurship. In this episode, Ashton shares stories about the path that led he and two colleagues to leave corporate careers and start Phigenics, a smart water management company in 2004. It has been over a decade, and Ashton shares stories, lessons learned and advice to future entrepreneurs.
In addition to presiding over Phigenics, Ashton is also Chairman of the Board of Directors of Spectrum Living Solutions (SLS). SLS was created in response to the needs of several individuals with family members who have developmental disabilities. Since its inception in Arkansas in 2015, the SLS team has grown to encompass a wide variety of individuals, including proven business and community leaders.
Learn more about Phigenics here!
Follow them on Facebook and Twitter @Phigenics.
Learn more about SLS on their website & follow them on Facebook.
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
Rogelio Garcia Contreras is the Director of Social Innovation at the Sam Walton College of Business, and he’s planting the seeds of social entrepreneurship in NWA. Through bringing the Social Innovation Challenge to the University of Arkansas, Rogelio has created a collaborative environment for anyone who’s interested in solving pressing community problems with, you guessed it, innovation. By encouraging entrepreneurial social innovation, Rogelio provides a compelling argument for companies to establish viable and sustainable operational processes with the fate of the community and future generations in mind.
Check out the Social Innovation Initiative of the Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation here!
To learn more about the Social Innovation Challenge, shoot Rogelio an email at rogeliog@uark.edu.
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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
Being an entrepreneur comes with its fair share of hang-ups and frustrations, but it’s not often that you’re ejected from the driver’s seat of your own business venture. Omar Kasim, previous founder and owner of Con Quesos, experienced just that. From an operational upswing, to having a partner leverage financials to remove him from the company, Omar is on the come up with his latest venture, Juice Palm. The first USDA certified organic restaurant in the state, Juice Palm is booming, and its cold pressed juices are pressing the competition.
Check out Juice Palm on the corner of Steele & Joyce Blvd. in Fayetteville. Be on the lookout for their Bentonville location, which will include a production kitchen & café, coming up later this year in the 8th Street Market!
Learn more about Juice Palm’s menu and values at JuicePalm.com.
Follow them on Facebook @Juicepalm, and Instagram @juicepalm_.
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