Summary
On this episode of The Bentonville Beacon, host James Bell is joined by Rodrigo Salas, Executive Director at Entrepreneurship for All Northwest Arkansas. EforAll is a non-profit organization that works to accelerate economic and social impact in NWA through inclusive entrepreneurship. With over twenty years of experience, Rodrigo is also the founder of Kualli Foods, a business that sells Hispanic cooking sauces and marinades, and a passionate community advocate who serves on multiple local boards and committees. Throughout the episode, James and Rodrigo discuss EforAll’s mission and who can benefit from it, how the community can contribute to EforAll and why it’s advantageous for EforAll to have a Northwest Arkansas location.

Thanks for tuning in!

‍Show Notes
(0:55) Introduction to Rodrigo
(5:36) About EforAll
(8:14) Why Rodrigo Joined EforAll
(10:16) Businesses EforAll Has Served
(19:32) How EforAll Works
(31:22) How the Community Can Get Involved
(36:24) Why Rodrigo Moved to Bentonville
(41:43) Advice for Business Leaders
(48:49) Businesses That Can Benefit from EforAll
(50:40) The Development of Bentonville
(52:22) Bentonville Favorites
(58:25) #Bentonville Story
(1:00:13) Closing Questions
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‍Links
JAMES BELL‍‍
‍BENTONVILLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT‍‍
RODRIGO SALAS
ENTREPRENEURSHIP FOR ALL (EFORALL) NORTHWEST ARKANSAS
MOLLI SAUCES
ANA ORTIZ
WALTON FAMILY FOUNDATION
UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS
NORTHWEST ARKANSAS COMMUNITY COLLEGE
GREATER BENTONVILLE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
SWEET FREEDOM CHEESE
YEYO’S EL ALMA DE MEXICO
CREPES PAULETTE
OVEN & TAP
TUSK & TROTTER
SCOTCH & SODA
THE PREACHER’S SON
BENTONVILLE DIVE
TOWER BAR | THE MOMENTARY
COLER MOUNTAIN BIKE PRESERVE
AIRSHIP COFFEE AT COLER
THE RISE @ COLER MOUNTAIN BIKE PRESERVE
BEAVER LAKE
CRYSTAL BRIDGES MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART
DOWNTOWN BENTONVILLE SQUARE
MUSEUM OF NATIVE AMERICAN HISTORY

Quotes
“I think one of the major things the Walton Family Foundation, and all the major players in Northwest Arkansas, wants is to create an environment where everybody has an opportunity and a place to be because they belong in the community.” – Rodrigo Salas, (6:56)

“…all of them have been an inspiration to me. It’s incredible the amount of energy, dedication and passion they have for their business and what they want to build. No one has disappointed us in any way. On the contrary, I think they’ve exceeded our expectations by far.” – Rodrigo Salas, (11:04)

“One of the key elements of our program that’s not a cookie cutter kind of thing is that it’s customized to each one’s experience. That’s what we make sure each of our entrepreneurs and mentors understand.” – Rodrigo Salas, (21:40)

“The new generations are thinking more about quality of life rather than building a career in a big corporation. They want to have a little bit of both. And [Northwest Arkansas] is the perfect place for that because you have all these outdoor activities and things you can do.” – Rodrigo Salas, (45:30)

Making Business More Accessible with Entrepreneurship for All
On this episode of The Bentonville Beacon, host James Bell is joined by Rodrigo Salas, Executive Director at Entrepreneurship for All Northwest Arkansas. EforAll is a non-profit organization that works to accelerate economic and social impact in NWA through inclusive entrepreneurship. With over twenty years of experience, Rodrigo is also the founder of Kualli Foods, a business that sells Hispanic cooking sauces and marinades, and a passionate community advocate who serves on multiple local boards and committees. Throughout the episode, James and Rodrigo discuss EforAll’s mission and who can benefit from it, how the community can contribute to EforAll and why it’s advantageous for EforAll to have a Northwest Arkansas location.‍‍‍
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Encouraging Entrepreneurship Equality in NWA
Entrepreneurship for All, also known as EforAll, was founded in Massachusetts in 2010 with the idea to help close the opportunity equality gap and create employment in cities that are economically challenged. Would-be entrepreneurs exist in every community, and EforAll works to support them on their journey. Since 2010, EforAll has expanded to twelve other office locations, including Northwest Arkansas, after it was informed by the Walton Family Foundation that its business knowledge and tools were needed to make NWA’s startup community a more equitable space.
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“I think one of the major things the Walton Family Foundation, and all the major players in Northwest Arkansas, wants is to create an environment where everybody has an opportunity and a place to be because they belong in the community.” – Rodrigo Salas, (6:56)

With Northwest Arkansas’s Hispanic population now at 17 percent, the region’s community and business leaders want to ensure all residents have the same opportunity to start and grow a business. EforAll’s values are:
– Always put the entrepreneur first
– Proactively seek inclusivity and diversity
– Connect deeply with the communities it serves
– Foster a collaborative and supportive culture
– Embrace change
– Take the time to celebrate

EforAll’s programs are run simultaneously in English and Spanish in order to serve a wide variety of people. It’s also completed two accelerator programs since the NWA office opened in July of last year and thirty-two entrepreneurs have gone through the program.

“…all of them have been an inspiration to me. It’s incredible the amount of energy, dedication and passion they have for their business and what they want to build. No one has disappointed us in any way. On the contrary, I think they’ve exceeded our expectations by far.” – Rodrigo Salas, (11:04)
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Entrepreneurship for All’s Program Process
Fortunately, with funding from the Walton Family Foundation, EforAll is able to offer its year-long programs for free. Throughout the first three months of the program, participants are expected to attend classes twice a week for two and a half hours each class. During these classes, they will learn the basic knowledge needed to start a business successfully. In addition, they are required to meet with their mentor teams for an hour and a half each week to discuss what they learned and how they can apply it to their business.
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Simply put, the first three months of the program are when entrepreneurs develop their business plans so they can spend the rest of the year executing said plans. Not everyone will be at the same stage in their business venture, not everyone will have the same experience and not everyone will move at the same pace. That’s why the last nine months of the program are spent on bringing their business planning to life, expanding their network and setting goals.
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“One of the key elements of our program that’s not a cookie cutter kind of thing is that it’s customized to each one’s experience. That’s what we make sure each of our entrepreneurs and mentors understand.” – Rodrigo Salas, (21:40)
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Get Connected!
‍Thanks for tuning in to this episode of The Bentonville Beacon! Join us weekly for more stories from entrepreneurs and business leaders who are making a positive impact on Bentonville’s culture, community, and lifestyle. Don’t forget, Bentonville is a place where you can have more of what you want and less of what you don’t!