Summary:
Welcome to the inaugural episode of the Bentonville Beacon podcast!
In today’s episode, host James Bell sits down with Phil Shellhammer, Director of the Greenhouse Outdoor Recreation Program (GORP). Phil recently launched GORP as a part of the University of Arkansas’s education and research program in Bentonville, known as The Collaborative. The pair discusses how GORP serves entrepreneurs in the area and why outdoor brands should consider Bentonville as their new home!
Thanks for tuning in!
Show Notes:
(0:20) Introducing Phil Shellhammer and GORP
(3:39) Helping Entrepreneurs Define and Launch Their Businesses
(8:03) Who Is GORP Serving?
(11:08) Bentonville’s Draw for Outdoor Recreation Brands
(16:45) Unique Opportunities that Bentonville Provides
(19:44) What’s Next for GORP?
(23:11) Choosing Your Super Power
(24:23) Closing Thoughts
Links:
JAMES BELL
PHIL SHELLHAMMER
GREENHOUSE OUTDOOR RECREATION PROGRAM
THE COLLABORATIVE
Quotes:
“Outdoor recreation is a large growth area for [Northwest Arkansas] for sure, and one that is a massive focus.” (1:06) – Phil Shellhammer
“If you have an idea within the outdoor recreation space, [GORP wants] to help and support [you]…What we’re doing right now is we are trying to build a structure that’s supportive of the core activities most [people] will come from.” (8:23) – Phil Shellhammer
“[Northwest Arkansas] has turned into a place for people to live and come to visit and play with a variety of different activities that are hard to find in the middle of the US.” (11:22) – Phil Shellhammer
“Because you have this large group of tourism coming in—this large investment in the space from the city and from other investors to make this a great outdoor rec space, then it’s natural for businesses to want to be here too.” (12:02) – Phil Shellhammer
“I imagine most people don’t realize that having Walmart here isn’t just that Walmart is here, but they’re surrounded by every large CPG company as well. And so we have so much talent, not even just in Walmart, but calling on Walmart. And so all those companies are represented here in Bentonville—in the surrounding areas as well—which is just a much larger talent pool.” (16:21) – Phil Shellhammer
“It’s overwhelming when you first start as a founder in this area. You literally go from group to group, from person to person, from mentor to mentor because they’re all over the place and everyone’s so willing and able to help. I think one of the biggest things we have here is that community specifically for startups.” (17:26) – Phil Shellhammer
Blog:
In the inaugural episode of the Bentonville Beacon podcast, host James Bell sits down with Phil Shellhammer, Director of the Greenhouse Outdoor Recreation Program (GORP). Phil recently launched GORP as a part of the University of Arkansas’s education and research program in Bentonville, known as The Collaborative. He provided tons of great insight into how Bentonville has positioned itself as a primary player in the outdoor recreation space.
“Outdoor recreation is a large growth area for [Northwest Arkansas] for sure, and one that is a massive focus.” (1:06) – Phil Shellhammer
What is GORP?
The University of Arkansas’s Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation launched GORP severalmonths ago as a Bentonville-based incubation program that serves entrepreneurs within the outdoor recreation industry.
“If you have an idea within the outdoor recreation space, [GORP wants] to help and support [you]…What we’re doing right now is we are trying to build a structure that’s supportive of the core activities most [people] will come from.” (8:23) – Phil Shellhammer
Through the incubation program, Phil primarily helps early-stage entrepreneurs build and launch their outdoor recreation brands. The program has two offerings: an a-la-carte service for entrepreneurs looking for assistance, and the biannual cohort—their flagship offering. The cohort is a 12-week intensive incubation program that serves entrepreneurs nearing launch.GORP’s first cohort began nearly a month ago and includes four entrepreneurs launching brands that will impact the rock climbing community, mountain biking community, and the outdoor recreation industry as a whole.
Why Bentonville?
If you’ve been paying attention to the outdoor industry over the past decade, you know that
Bentonville has proven itself to be a significant player in the outdoor recreation space.
Bentonville and its surrounding area are home to world-class mountain biking trails, premier rock climbing sites, plenty of camping and hiking destinations, multiple rivers to float, and much more.
As the region has embraced its outdoor-centric identity, outdoor enthusiasts and professionals alike have flocked to the area. There is no shortage of industry experts and enthusiasts who provide a booming market for new products and are eager to give feedback.
“Because you have this large group of tourism coming in—this large investment in the space
from the city and from other investors to make this a great outdoor rec space, then it’s natural for businesses to want to be here too.” (12:02) – Phil Shellhammer
In addition to the influx in outdoor recreation fanatics, the University of Arkansas, several large
businesses, and a wealth of investors have supplied plenty of capital that led to the area’s
outdoor recreation boom over the past decade. Thanks to these investors, founders and
entrepreneurs in the industry have no shortage of resources and opportunities, and the well is only getting deeper.
“It’s overwhelming when you first start as a founder in this area. You literally go from group to group, from person to person, from mentor to mentor because they’re all over the place and everyone’s so willing and able to help. I think one of the biggest things we have here is that community specifically for startups.” (17:26) – Phil Shellhammer
Get Connected!
Thanks for tuning into the first episode of the Bentonville Beacon podcast! Tune in weekly for
more stories from entrepreneurs who are making a positive impact on Bentonville’s culture,
community, and lifestyle!
Are you interested in learning more about Bentonville and the growth of its outdoor recreation community? Check out the BENTONVILLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WEBSITE.
