Summary
On this episode of The Bentonville Beacon, host James Bell is joined by Josh Stanley, CEO and Managing Partner of Cartwheel, a startup studio that creates B2B SaaS companies. Cartwheel ideates, validates, co-founds and funds B2B SaaS and Web3 businesses that accelerate capabilities. In addition to Cartwheel, Josh is also the Co-Founder of PushKin and Hashku. PushKin is a B2B SaaS communication platform for franchise operators who need a better way to communicate with their deskless employees, and Hashku is a newly established company that provides brands and agencies with software to plan, launch and maintain their new digital assets. Throughout the episode, James and Josh discuss the difference between venture and startup studios, the success of Cartwheel and Bentonville’s entrepreneurship community.

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‍Show Notes
(0:52) Introduction to Josh
(12:46) About Cartwheel
(19:19) Cartwheel’s Methodology
(26:17) Cartwheel’s Successes So Far
(34:01) Bentonville’s Startup Community
(39:59) Entrepreneurship in the Next Five Years
(43:00) Living Your Best Life in Bentonville
(46:36) #BecauseBentonville Story
(51:51) Closing Question
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‍Links
JAMES BELL‍‍
‍BENTONVILLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT‍‍‍
JOSH STANLEY
CARTWHEEL
PUSHKIN
HASHKU
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Quotes
“I quickly picked up that there’s a great entrepreneurial ecosystem here. There’s a lot of support in that system. It’s a very flat community in the sense that you can access anybody here. There isn’t this hierarchy or barrier to entry into having a meaningful impact in the community.” – Josh Stanley, (14:19)

“We’re all working towards making something special here, making things happen, helping each other out…but it feels like we have a good mix of the right kind of leadership and talent.” – Josh Stanley, (36:24)

“We really do try and make time to offer feedback and offer help where we can…that’s our favorite way to give back. I don’t see this as just us building our own companies, but also about can we raise the other boards with the tide alongside us?” – Josh Stanley, (50:17)

Expanding Bentonville’s Startup Community with Cartwheel
On this episode of The Bentonville Beacon, host James Bell is joined by Josh Stanley, CEO and Managing Partner of Cartwheel, a startup studio that creates B2B SaaS companies. Cartwheel ideates, validates, co-founds and funds B2B SaaS and Web3 businesses that accelerate capabilities. In addition to Cartwheel, Josh is also the Co-Founder of PushKin and Hashku. PushKin is a B2B SaaS communication platform for franchise operators who need a better way to communicate with their deskless employees, and Hashku is a newly established company that provides brands and agencies with software to plan, launch and maintain their new digital assets. Throughout the episode, James and Josh discuss the difference between venture and startup studios, the success of Cartwheel and Bentonville’s entrepreneurship community.‍‍‍
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Cartwheel’s Startup Studio Model
Cartwheel is a company that was created by founders, for founders with a mission to surround entrepreneurs with a team that allows them to focus critically on the early stages of product-market fit. Its focus is on essential workers, distributed teams, and Web3 opportunities. To date, Cartwheel has scaled digital studios, SaaS businesses, multi-product ecosystems and managed offerings for startups.
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“We really do try and make time to offer feedback and offer help where we can…that’s our favorite way to give back. I don’t see this as just us building our own companies, but also about can we raise the other boards with the tide alongside us?” – Josh Stanley, (50:17)

Cartwheel helps vet ideas and build founding teams to tackle real-world B2B problems. It also partners with Fortune 500 leaders, professional service agencies and organizations that are inspired by driving change. Currently, Cartwheel is backed by the Walton Family Foundation and Winrock International because of its ability to create value for the NWA region with its startup studio model.
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The Growth of Entrepreneurship in Bentonville
Northwest Arkansas has been chosen as Cartwheel’s headquarters due to the region’s impact with Walmart, Sam’s Club, J.B. Hunt, Tyson Foods and other frontline workforce leaders that call the heartland home. And although the area is developing exponentially, there isn’t the feeling that you’re a small fish in a big pond. Opportunities are numerous in NWA, and it’s easy to feel and see the impact individuals and companies make every day.
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“I quickly picked up that there’s a great entrepreneurial ecosystem here. There’s a lot of support in that system. It’s a very flat community in the sense that you can access anybody here. There isn’t this hierarchy or barrier to entry into having a meaningful impact in the community.” – Josh Stanley, (14:19)
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Bentonville is expected to continue experiencing incredible growth, flooding the area with increased capital and funding opportunities. Moreover, the startup community itself is always actively working to create more opportunities for others, whether they’re locals or not. Infighting and selfishness are not characteristics of Bentonville’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, and its inclusive mindset is setting the area up to be successful for years to come.

“We’re all working towards making something special here, making things happen, helping each other out…but it feels like we have a good mix of the right kind of leadership and talent.” – Josh Stanley, (36:24)
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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! You may reach James at JBELL@GREATERBENTONVILLE.COM or (479) 273-2841.