Summary
This Bentonville Beacon episode is part one of a bonus series that highlights the third cohort of the Greenhouse Outdoor Recreation Program (GORP). First, host James Bell is joined by Phil Shellhammer, who was recently appointed by Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders to the Natural State Advisory Council. Phil is Director of Business Incubation for the Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Arkansas, and he is responsible for GORP. GORP is a Bentonville-based business incubator focused on the development of innovative solutions within the outdoor recreation industry. After speaking with Phil, James sits down with co-founders of two companies in GORP’s third cohort, including Michael Burton and Clayton Woodruff, CEO and COO of UNCL Co, and Tracy Byrd from Best Ride of Your Life, b-royl. Throughout the episode, James, Phil, Michael, Clayton and Tracy discuss these companies, how the GORP experience is advantageous to founders and why the diversity of GORP’s mentors is important.

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‍Show Notes
(0:58) Introduction to Phil
(2:22) How GORP Has Evolved
(3:45) What’s New with GORP
(5:02) About GORP’s Past Cohorts
(6:56) About the Natural State Advisory Council
(8:19) Phil’s #BecauseBentonville Story
(10:04) Introduction to Michael and Clayton
(10:24) About UNCL Co
(11:21) The University of Arkansas’s New Venture Development Program
(12:20) Michael and Clayton’s Pitch Competition Success
(14:57) The Benefits of GORP
(17:38) Michael and Clayton’s #BecauseBentonville Stories
(20:41) Introduction to Tracy
(21:56) The Solution b-royl Offers
(24:45) Tracy’s Experience with GORP
(29:18) Tracy’s #BecauseBentonville Story
(31:39) Closing Thoughts
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‍Links
JAMES BELL‍‍
‍BENTONVILLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT‍‍‍
PHIL SHELLHAMMER
GREENHOUSE OUTDOOR RECREATION PROGRAM (GORP)
MICHAEL BURTON
CLAYTON WOODRUFF
UNCL CO
TRACY BYRD
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Quotes
“One of the biggest evolutions is we’ve had more companies come in. We’ve been able to fund and get more companies into the program itself, which has allowed us to expand the cohort model.” – Phil Shellhammer, (2:25)

“Where we found a lot of the value are the other founders that are in the program. It gives you the opportunity for people to vet your ideas that are in different industries, but also those that are closely related.” – Michael Burton, (15:33)

“We have some really great mentors we’re working with and they’ve helped us along. They’re from various backgrounds, which helps make sure we’re headed down the right path, and honestly just thinking about things we wouldn’t normally think about.” – Clayton Woodruff, (16:00)

“The program has been exceptional. It’s not only a place where you’re getting to learn new things that you simply don’t know…it’s been very helpful in being able to connect us to the right people. We have three mentors and mine are exceptional. They have different backgrounds, which adds to the puzzle.” – Tracy Byrd, (25:29)

Accelerating Outdoor Industry Startups with the Greenhouse Outdoor Recreation Program – Part 1
This Bentonville Beacon episode is part one of a bonus series that highlights the third cohort of the Greenhouse Outdoor Recreation Program (GORP). First, host James Bell is joined by Phil Shellhammer, who was recently appointed by Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders to the Natural State Advisory Council. Phil is Director of Business Incubation for the Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Arkansas, and he is responsible for GORP. GORP is a Bentonville-based business incubator focused on the development of innovative solutions within the outdoor recreation industry. After speaking with Phil, James sits down with co-founders of two companies in GORP’s third cohort, including Michael Burton and Clayton Woodruff, CEO and COO of UNCL Co, and Tracy Byrd from Best Ride of Your Life, b-royl. Throughout the episode, James, Phil, Michael, Clayton and Tracy discuss these companies, how the GORP experience is advantageous to founders and why the diversity of GORP’s mentors is important.‍‍‍
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GORP’s Current Cohort
The Greenhouse Outdoor Recreation Program offers two levels of support for entrepreneurs during the idea-to-launch phase of their business, an entrepreneur program and a cohort program. The entrepreneur program provides an a la carte menu of support where entrepreneurs can choose from workshops, networking events, one-on-one consulting and co-working spaces. Moreover, the cohort program is a structured twelve-week program including workshops, a dedicated mentor, development support and non-dilutive funding.

“One of the biggest evolutions is we’ve had more companies come in. We’ve been able to fund and get more companies into the program itself, which has allowed us to expand the cohort model.” – Phil Shellhammer, (2:25)
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GORP’s third cohort began January 19th of this year and features six companies with one centered around mountain climbing and five geared toward cycling. Included in the five cycling-focused startups are UNCL Co and b-royl. UNCL Co, which stands for Universal Network Controlled Lock Company, produces an intelligent bike lock designed to be installed on any bike rack. And b-royl is improving the padding in biking shorts to allow cyclists to ride more comfortably and perform better and longer.
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The Benefits of GORP’s Cohort Program
Both UNCL Co and b-royl have benefited greatly from partaking in the GORP cohort program by interacting with the other participating founders. These collaborations provide them with the chance to receive feedback and tap into other founders’ networks. Furthermore, the camaraderie between the founders serves to accelerate their startups because fostering relationships early on within their respective industries is vital to their success.
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“Where we found a lot of the value are the other founders that are in the program. It gives you the opportunity for people to vet your ideas that are in different industries, but also those that are closely related.” – Michael Burton, (15:33)

Lastly, the diversity of mentors the cohorts have access to is advantageous because it exposes them to a variety of perspectives and expertise. In the future, GORP will continue to pursue capital support and new partnerships, as well as establish how it can keep helping its cohorts after they launch to ensure they have the necessary resources to keep progressing.

“The program has been exceptional. It’s not only a place where you’re getting to learn new things that you simply don’t know…it’s been very helpful in being able to connect us to the right people. We have three mentors and mine are exceptional. They have different backgrounds, which adds to the puzzle.” – Tracy Byrd, (25:29)
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Get Connected!
‍‍Thank you for tuning in to this episode of The Bentonville Beacon! Join us weekly for more stories from entrepreneurs and business leaders who are sparking the rise of Bentonville. If you are interested in discussing whether your business should have a presence in Bentonville or would like to discuss this podcast, please contact James Bell. You may reach James at JBELL@GREATERBENTONVILLE.COM or (479) 273-2841.