Summary
On this special episode of Startup Junkies, hosts Jeff Amerine, Caleb Talley, and Victoria Dickerson head to Startup Crawl, where they interview several entrepreneurs participating in this year’s event. The night celebrated entrepreneurship in the Heartland with food trucks, local craft beer, live music, and entrepreneurial connection. Jeff, Caleb, and Victoria sat down with Joshua Carnes of Sights & Sounds NWA, Brody Maxwell of TrueRep, Orson Weems of the Music Education Initiative, Bryan Fittin of Go Rogue X, and Bridgett Skeirik of Montay Coffee to discuss their entrepreneurial endeavors and Startup Crawl’s impact on the community.
Show Notes
(0:32) Joshua Carnes and Sights & Sounds NWA
(3:33) Brody Maxwell and TrueRep
(7:02) Orson Weems and the Music Education Initiative
(13:34) Bryan Fittin and Go Rogue X
(22:03) Bridgett Skeirik and Montay Coffee
Links
The Music Education Initiative
Quotes
“The reactions we’ve been seeing tonight [at Startup Crawl] have been really cool. People have been…enjoying learning about the ecosystem of small businesses and startups here in Northwest Arkansas. It’s just been cool how engaged people want to be.” – Joshua Carnes, (2:39)
“With the way we’ve structured our pricing and also the affordability of using a product and a hardware device that most people carry around every day, and then just our magnet we sell at cost, you’re able to utilize velocity-based training whether you’re a strength coach at the university level and you want to outfit your athletes with the latest programming that professional athletes are using, or if you’re just an everyday gym-goer that wants to utilize programming that D1 athletes are utilizing, we’re able to provide that.” – Brody Maxwell, (5:39)
“What we’re doing is exposing careers and opportunities in music, entertainment, and live events. Because, as you said, that ecosystem, that’s a sector of industry that people don’t think about, that nighttime economy where most people go out.” – Orson Weems, (9:03)
“[Startup Crawl] is like a big family reunion for entrepreneurs because you get to see people that you only see online or haven’t seen in a couple of years or whatever else…And so it’s so encouraging to see so many people doing well [and] thriving here.” – Bryan Fittin, (19:25)
“[Startup Crawl] was incredible. There were so many people here. The vibe was really cool, just with all the music and everything, and getting to interact with so many people who are interested in our story and entrepreneurs and wanting to support. It was just great connections for us.” – Bridgett Skeirik, (25:21)
Startup Crawl 2023
On this special episode of Startup Junkies, hosts Jeff Amerine, Caleb Talley, and Victoria Dickerson head to Startup Crawl, where they interview several entrepreneurs participating in this year’s event. The night celebrated entrepreneurship in the Heartland with food trucks, local craft beer, live music, and entrepreneurial connection. Jeff, Caleb, and Victoria sat down with Joshua Carnes of Sights & Sounds NWA, Brody Maxwell of TrueRep, Orson Weems of the Music Education Initiative, Bryan Fittin of Go Rogue X, and Bridgett Skeirik of Montay Coffee to discuss their entrepreneurial endeavors and Startup Crawl’s impact on the community.
“[Startup Crawl] is like a big family reunion for entrepreneurs because you get to see people that you only see online or haven’t seen in a couple of years or whatever else…And so it’s so encouraging to see so many people doing well [and] thriving here.” – Bryan Fittin, (19:25)
Sights & Sounds NWA
Although Joshua hasn’t yet finalized a location for Sights & Sounds, he has a clear picture of what the space will look and feel like. Picture a coffee shop, but remove the coffee—instead of a coffee bar, there are are work benches so that you can watch the luthiers build and repair instruments. In the evenings, the space will transform into an artists and musicians lounge. Josh envisions the shop as a safe space for musicians and artists to grow their network and develop the creative community in Northwest Arkansas.
“The reactions we’ve been seeing tonight [at Startup Crawl] have been really cool. People have been…enjoying learning about the ecosystem of small businesses and startups here in Northwest Arkansas. It’s just been cool how engaged people want to be.” – Joshua Carnes, (2:39)
TrueRep
TrueRep is a software-based company with a product line that includes velocity-based training solutions and tools to help you optimize every rep in the weight room. While many VBT solutions cost between $500 and $3,000, TrueRep offers a much more affordable solution by pairing a $3 magnet with software you can download on your phone.
“With the way we’ve structured our pricing and also the affordability of using a product and a hardware device that most people carry around every day, and then just our magnet we sell at cost, you’re able to utilize velocity-based training whether you’re a strength coach at the university level and you want to outfit your athletes with the latest programming that professional athletes are using, or if you’re just an everyday gym-goer that wants to utilize programming that D1 athletes are utilizing, we’re able to provide that.” – Brody Maxwell, (5:39)
The Music Education Initiative
Orson Weems and the Music Education Initiative are truly a bright spot of the Startup Crawl and Northwest Arkansas as a whole. The Music Education Initiative exposes individuals to career opportunities in the music industry, offering alternative economic opportunities to individuals interested in music, entertainment, and nightlife.
“What we’re doing is exposing careers and opportunities in music, entertainment, and live events. Because, as you said, that ecosystem, that’s a sector of industry that people don’t think about, that nighttime economy where most people go out.” – Orson Weems, (9:03)
Go Rogue X
You might not realize it, but if you listen to Startup Junkies, you’re already familiar with Go Rogue X’s work. They are the production team behind our podcast, and they help several businesses, both local and nationwide, with their video marketing needs by creating consistent content for small teams. When marketing directors need help with podcasts, video series, thought leadership content, and more, they call Go Rogue X for their insights.
Montay Coffee
Montay Coffee, this year’s winner of the Cox Media Prize Pack, sources coffee from underdeveloped regions in Haiti and the Dominican Republic in order to create sustainable jobs and ensure that farmers are being paid fair wages. While they are still looking for their first brick and mortar location, their coffee is available in several local retailers, including Ozark Natural Foods, City Supply, and the Shops at BrickCity.
“[Startup Crawl] was incredible. There were so many people here. The vibe was really cool, just with all the music and everything, and getting to interact with so many people who are interested in our story and entrepreneurs and wanting to support. It was just great connections for us.” – Bridgett Skeirik, (25:21)
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