The B Team Podcast

A hundred episodes later, the energy feels different, in the best way. We unpack a year that stretched us and grounded us: restaurant openings that set a new bar for Bentonville, a brewery moving in next door to the new campus, and community events that turned goodwill into real impact. Along the way we laugh through the chaos, Bobby’s empty chair, a fire alarm mid-haircut, and a not-so-secret “VI...

A sparkling square, a family caravan, and a risky idea that turned into a community magnet. We sit down with Chad, a former hospital executive who moved from California to Northwest Arkansas and opened a locally owned Melting Pot in Rogers. What started as a sarcastic date-night comment became a full-on leap into hospitality: with a design built for connection and a menu that makes you put the pho...

Downtown Bentonville just got a new reason to rally. We sit down with the force behind Fry, a hidden-in-plain-sight bar at 100 SW 2nd Street, built on a simple promise: keep prices fair, keep service quick, and make it easy for people to gather. Think a $7 old fashioned, a lunch-and-a-pint target around $12, and a menu anchored by focaccia-based “fry pies” designed for speed without sacrificing fl...

A bourbon night that starts with Pappy Van Winkle and ends with purpose doesn’t happen by accident. We pulled back the curtain on how a fourth-year charity tasting in Bentonville raised around $100,000 while keeping the room small, the music live, and the vibe unmistakably warm. From a honey-finished Buffalo Trace that opened up with a few drops of water to VIP bottles at every seat, every detail...

A granola shot that goes down like bourbon and lands like a health upgrade. We bring Gita, the founder of Gut BFF, into the studio with Gabby to taste three flavors, Honey Glow, Apple Cinnamon Raisin, and Chocolate Peanut Butter, and dig into the big idea behind the crunch: 20 different plant ingredients per bag, designed to help you get closer to the 30-plants-per-week guideline from the American...

Bourbon on the table, big ideas in the air. We sit down with an award-winning filmmaker who left Southern California for Northwest Arkansas and break down, step by step, how a small, collaborative community can grow into a real film hub. Between a honey-finished Buffalo Trace taste test and a few jabs at our missing co-hosts, we dig into the practical levers that matter to creators and investors a...

What if clean eating didn’t mean bland food, complicated meal prep, or $15 drive‑thru compromises? We sit down with Stu of Stu's Clean Cooking, a veteran who shed 100 pounds and turned his personal transformation into a fast‑growing meal company that serves up real food at real‑world prices. He breaks down the simple framework that actually sticks: whole ingredients, smart portions, and optio...

A caramel-apple bourbon toast opens the door to a story that hits harder than cinnamon: growing up in a restrictive church, feeling unseen, and transforming that past into a mission to build belonging at scale. Our guest—known to thousands as “Queenie B”—breaks down how a simple idea became a million-view movement that helps singles connect and small businesses grow without buying ads. We unpack t...

The smell of fresh bread can change a life. Our guests from Great Harvest NWA share how a spur-of-the-moment lunch on a road trip, followed by a snowy trek to Montana, led them to trade corporate titles for early mornings, warm ovens, and a bakery that already feels like a Bentonville staple. Their why comes through fast: fresh-milled Montana wheat, no preservatives, house-made dressings, and the...

Imagine tasting a single barrel so good that you try to convince the distillery to bottle it under a different label. That happened to us with a Rock Hill Farms barrel sample, and it became the spark for a wide-open conversation about how great whiskey actually gets made, picked, and shared. We bring you into the room for private selections at Buffalo Trace, Four Roses, and Nashville Barrel Co., c...

If you’ve ever stared at a $6,000 unicorn behind glass and wondered how anyone actually tastes it, you’ll feel right at home here. We pull back the curtain on a thriving Bentonville bourbon scene where access comes from community, not luck, complete with a speakeasy barn, disciplined barrel selections, and a 100-member club designed to share costs, spread knowledge, and raise glasses together. Mik...

Borrowed coffee cups, a sherry-finished pour, and a market plot twist: we crack open Horse Neck’s Kentucky Bourbon and unpack why the bourbon world suddenly feels upside down. We’re joined by our resident spirits pro to translate tasting notes into plain English, orange marmalade, licorice, toasted oak, and that cherry-friendly finish, and to explain why this bottle works neat, with a splash, or i...

A great neighborhood spot doesn’t become an institution by accident. Chef-owner Miles James joins us for a spirited session, pizza in hand, bourbon on the bar, to share how MJ Pizzeria grew from a tight, open-kitchen concept into a regional favorite poised to double in size without closing a single day. We swap stories from his James at the Mill era, dig into why transparent kitchens build trust,...

The bottle was hot and the takes were hotter, but beneath the jokes is a story about how courts are bringing people together across Arkansas. We sit down with Andrew Todd, teaching pro turned owner of Generation Sports Construction, to unpack the real work behind the pickleball boom and the quiet renaissance of public parks, private clubs, and even backyards. Andrew walks us through the full build...

Northwest Arkansas has a rich history of innovation, and now that pioneering spirit has reached collegiate athletics through Pinnacle Sports Ventures. Founded by Chad Campbell, a lifelong area resident with an extraordinary background spanning banking, professional drag racing management, and automotive sales, PSV represents a revolutionary approach to NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) management fo...

What does it take to create Northwest Arkansas's hottest restaurant? This week, we discover the remarkable journey behind Mezzaluna Pasteria as owners Amy and Chef Soerke join us to share their unlikely path from California to downtown Bentonville. Their story begins with a single phone call from a friend working with the Walton family. Despite barely knowing where Arkansas was on a map, they...

How do you transform unimaginable grief into a legacy of hope? Tim Siegel's journey from professional tennis courts to hospital rooms to nationwide advocacy offers a profound answer. After competing against tennis legends like John McEnroe and Ivan Lendl and coaching college tennis for 25 years, Tim made a pivotal decision in July 2015 to step down from his position at Texas Tech to spend mor...

Dillon King steps out from behind the scenes to reveal himself as far more than just "Amy Duggar's husband" on this fascinating episode of the B-Team Podcast. Sipping Blanton's bourbon with us, Dillon unveils his impressive portfolio of businesses that few people know about. As founder of Kingston Investment Group, Dillon has quietly amassed a collection of commercial propertie...

Ever wonder what it takes to build a restaurant that becomes a beloved community staple? Kevin from Pedaler's Pub joins the B-Team Podcast to share the remarkable journey of transforming from school teacher to successful restaurateur. Kevin's story is refreshingly genuine – starting with a homemade wood-fired pizza oven on a trailer where he perfected recipes before taking the entreprene...

Ever wondered what happens when bourbon enthusiasts, charitable hearts, and a tight-knit community come together? Gentsgiving is the answer—a unique charity event that has evolved from humble beginnings into one of Northwest Arkansas's most anticipated annual gatherings. On this episode of the B-Team Podcast, Emily Saffran joins us to pull back the curtain on this exceptional fundraiser that&...

Every teenager deserves support during one of life's most challenging developmental stages. For nearly two decades, the Teen Action Support Center (TASC) has been providing exactly that to Northwest Arkansas youth, creating a space where teens can access vital services designed specifically for their unique needs. Founded by Dawn and Greg Spragg in 2005, TASC recognized that teenagers occupy...

Ever wondered what happens when you mix high fashion, premium bourbon, and fighting cancer? The Suits and Sneakers charity event delivers a uniquely exhilarating experience that's changing the fundraising landscape in Northwest Arkansas. This fifth annual celebration, scheduled for Friday, October 17th at the Fayetteville Town Center, brings together bourbon enthusiasts, sneakerheads, and phi...

A treasure hunt doesn't always require a map; sometimes, the greatest discoveries are hiding in plain sight on your local liquor store shelves. Alcoholic beverage expert Russ Kempton returns to the B-Team Podcast to guide Josh, Matt, and guest host Jim Corbett through a Bottled-in-Bond tasting that challenges perceptions and proves quality doesn't always correlate with price or scarcity....

When artistic talent meets entrepreneurial vision, magic happens. That's exactly the story behind Southern Trend, the beloved Arkansas apparel company founded by former baseball player turned full-time artist, Clint Brannon. In this candid conversation, Clint takes us back to his unexpected journey from the baseball diamond to the art studio. With the crucial backing of former MLB All-Star ca...

Discovering a hidden gem in Bentonville's flourishing culinary scene, we sit down with Rebecca Davitt, founder and head brewer of Stoic Brews, the only dedicated gluten-free brewery in Arkansas and one of just 27 nationwide. From the moment we take our first sip, preconceptions about gluten-free beer are shattered as we sample exceptional craft brews made from millet, buckwheat, and other alt...