Arkansas small business podcast

Even in the best of times, entrepreneurs face challenges of operating small businesses in Arkansas, especially those in rural areas of the state.

The Create Bridges team at the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture found a way to give voice to the joys and struggles of running such a business with a new podcast that spotlights small business owners in rural areas of the state.

The podcast “Arkansas small business: Big rural impact” spotlights retail, entertainment, accommodations and tourism businesses in two areas of the state: north central Arkansas (Izard, Sharp and Fulton counties) and southwestern Arkansas (Little River, Howard and Sevier counties).

Brandon Matthews, Hazelle Whited and Murriel Wiley, regional program coordinators for Create Bridges, co-host the podcast. Each episode runs about 20 minutes and features a new guest and a fresh topic of discussion.

Four episodes are now available. The most recent episode is an interview with Cave City Mayor Jonas Anderson. All episodes are available through the Spring River Innovation Hub’s Apple Podcasts and Spotify pages. They can also be downloaded at uaex.edu/createbridgesresources.

The podcast is just one of several outreach efforts by Create Bridges, a multistate pilot program to help communities strengthen the retail, tourism, hospitality and entertainment sectors. These sectors provide jobs and business opportunities that frequently boost rural economies.

Create Bridges is a grant-funded project implemented by Walmart and housed by the Cooperative Extension Service, part of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

For more information about “Arkansas Small Business: Big Rural Impact” or to suggest a potential business owner for an interview, email [email protected].

To learn more about Create Bridges, visit https://uaex.edu/createbridges or contact Julianne Dunn at 501-671-2158 or [email protected]. Follow the Cooperative Extension Service on Twitter at @UAEX_edu.