Summary
On this episode of The Bentonville Beacon, regular host James Bell takes a seat in the guest chair to be interviewed by his intern Allie Johnston, who was matched with Bentonville Economic Development through the University of Arkansas’ Venture Intern Program. The Venture Intern Program connects undergraduate students from the university with startups, entrepreneurs, support organizations and investor networks for semester-long internships. Throughout the episode, Allie and James discuss James’ current role as Vice President for Economic Development at the Greater Bentonville Area Chamber of Commerce, how Bentonville is a place that punches above its body weight and the exciting things in store for Bentonville’s future.

Thanks for tuning in!

‍Show Notes
Timestamps in this blog are for the audio-only version of the podcast; video timing differs.
(1:12) Introduction to James
(1:47) James’ Experience with the Venture Intern Program
(4:21) About James
(13:17) James’ Current Role
(18:23) Lessons Learned from Mentoring
(20:50) What Makes Bentonville Special
(24:17) Opportunities in Bentonville
(27:48) James’ Hope for Bentonville
(29:02) #BecauseBentonville Story
(34:12) Future Podcast Content
(37:27) Closing Question
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‍Links
JAMES BELL‍‍
‍BENTONVILLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT‍‍‍‍
‍ALLIE JOHNSTON
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Quotes
“The cool part about this job is we were looking for somewhere that we could call home and never leave. And so now in this role, I get to do my tiny part helping build a community where my son may leave one day, but will come back or decide not to leave because there’s an abundance of opportunities…The whole world has changed and I’m glad to be here and be a part of it.” – James Bell, (12:30)

“This year there’s really a handful of goals that everything rolls up to. Number one is finding even more ways to share the stories of the businesses and leaders that are sparking the rise of Bentonville.” – James Bell, (14:56)
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“If you look in the middle of the country, you’ll notice there’s a spot. That’s the Ozark Mountains. That’s where we are. And so short of snow and ocean sports, we’ve got it all here…And so in the area of outdoor recreation, this is a place in the middle of the country where people come to play.” – James Bell, (22:36)

“If you look in the middle of the country, you’ll notice there’s a spot. That’s the Ozark Mountains. That’s where we are. And so short of snow and ocean sports, we’ve got it all here…And so in the area of outdoor recreation, this is a place in the middle of the country where people come to play.” – James Bell, (22:36)

‍Highlighting the Spectacular Rise of Bentonville with James Bell
On this episode of The Bentonville Beacon, regular host James Bell takes a seat in the guest chair to be interviewed by his intern Allie Johnston, who was matched with Bentonville Economic Development through the University of Arkansas’ Venture Intern Program. The Venture Intern Program connects undergraduate students from the university with startups, entrepreneurs, support organizations and investor networks for semester-long internships. Throughout the episode, Allie and James discuss James’ current role as Vice President for Economic Development at the Greater Bentonville Area Chamber of Commerce, how Bentonville is a place that punches above its body weight and the exciting things in store for Bentonville’s future.

Benefits of Living and Working In Bentonville
Aside from its natural landscape and emphasis on the arts, Bentonville is an incredible place to live and work partly due to its median income being thirty thousand dollars above the national median, and its cost of living being two percent lower than the national average. In addition, Bentonville’s region, Northwest Arkansas, is home to corporate offices for more than fourteen hundred Walmart vendors and headquarters to three Fortune 500 companies. Also, about 400 of the Fortune 500 have a presence in Bentonville.

All of these factors allow for an abundance of high-quality jobs in a place with a small-town feel that also has global connections. As a result, Bentonville’s goal is to continue bettering itself while also continuing to ensure there are ample opportunities for all its residents to live the life they deserve.

“…my hope for who we are. And that’s two things, number one, that we continue to be and are even more a place where everybody belongs, where everybody wants to be here…The second one is, I want Bentonville to be the best version of itself.” – James Bell, (28:05)

Bentonville’s Innovative Ecosystem
Bentonville has a robust startup ecosystem centered around four different industries. First, there is outdoor recreation with Bentonville having some of the best mountain biking and gravel biking opportunities in the world–which explains a key reason the city is Home of the US National Mountain Bike Team. Secondly, retail, supply chain and logistics are thriving industries, with many of the largest household brands having a significant presence in the region and many of the top technologies in these spaces coming about or being tested here.

“If you look in the middle of the country, you’ll notice there’s a spot. That’s the Ozark Mountains. That’s where we are. And so short of snow and ocean sports, we’ve got it all here…And so in the area of outdoor recreation, this is a place in the middle of the country where people come to play.” – James Bell, (22:36)

The third sector is wellness and healthcare, with the newest development being the Alice Walton School of Medicine (AWSOM) that is currently being constructed. AWSOM is perhaps the first medical degree-conferring school in the world focused on whole health. Lastly, advanced mobility is an important category with annual events like UP.Summit, as well as other distinctions, including Thaden Field being named the ‘Coolest Airport in the Country’ according to Flying Magazine.
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Get Connected!
‍Thank you for tuning into this episode of The Bentonville Beacon! Join us weekly for more stories and advice from the entrepreneurs, business executives and community 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.