The Startup Junkies Podcast

Most founders obsess over their product. The real skill is knowing which problem to fall in love with instead. In this entrepreneur interview, Nyamitse-Calvin Mihanda — founder of Vital Audio and a Techstars and Fuel Accelerator alum — shares how his company extracts heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure from ordinary conversation, why he walked away from a "perfect" product mindset, an...

What happens when a mentor gets more out of an accelerator than the founders do? Zak Morris joined the Fuel accelerator as a subject matter expert in AI — but quickly realized he was learning just as much as the companies he was advising. In this episode, Zak breaks down how working with startups across cybersecurity, AML, and healthcare sharpened his own thinking, why Bentonville's density of wor...

What does affirmative consent law reform, university sex education, and AI-powered law enforcement tools have in common? They're all part of Stefanie Hammett's ambitious startup, HMS. HMS (Have More Safety · Have More Sex · Have More Space) is a consent education company with a bold 2036 goal: insert affirmative consent into all 50 state criminal codes. But getting there means building a real busi...

Summary Innovation isn’t a lightning bolt, it's a process. That’s the message threaded throughout the latest episode of the Startup Junkies podcast, where Eva Fast, director of the University of Arkansas MSPI program, joined hosts Daniel Koonce and Caleb Talley for a deep dive into product innovation, entrepreneurial mindsets, and the realities behind those famed “aha” moments. Drawing from her up...

Summary What happens when passion for storytelling meets the entrepreneurial spirit? In this episode of the Startup Junkies podcast, Danielle Keller, media entrepreneur, award-winning podcaster, and editor-in-chief of Northwest Arkansas’s beloved Peekaboo magazine, joins Daniel Koonce, Caleb Talley, and Ty Steele for a conversation packed with inspiration, nostalgia, and the realities of building...

Summary What does it take to build a thriving running community from scratch—and keep it going year after year? In this episode of the Startup Junkies podcast, Daniel Koonce, Ty Steele, and their guests dig into the passion, patience, and persistence behind the Arkansas Track Club’s rise and evolution. Founder, Shawn Wierick, never imagined trading in med school dreams for youth coaching and ultra...

Summary Ever thought about what’s missing from your community—and what could happen if you decided to fill that gap yourself? That question is at the heart of Ozark Float Park, the innovative family-friendly business featured in the latest episode of the Startup Junkies podcast. In a region known for its outdoor spirit, Michael Barron saw an opportunity: despite Northwest Arkansas’s wealth of natu...

Summary Have you ever wondered how a simple idea born from a desire to spread joy can transform into a thriving business that redefines representation during the holidays? The latest episode of the Startup Junkies podcast offers a powerful glimpse into the origin and phenomenal growth of Black Paper Party, the vibrant Black-owned brand shaking up the seasonal décor industry. Hosts Daniel Koonce an...

Summary In this episode of the Startup Junkies podcast sponsored by Bank of America, CeCe Marie, dancer, choreographer, and founder of The Vibe, joins Daniel Koonce and Ty Steele to share her inspiring journey of resilience, culture, and community through dance.  Raised in a culturally diverse family, CeCe was immersed in Afro-Caribbean dance from a young age, fueling her love for culture and move...

Summary In this special episode of the Startup Junkies podcast sponsored by Bank of America, hosts Daniel Koonce and Caleb Talley are joined by James Norman, Relationship Manager at Bank of America, to explore the evolving needs and challenges of today’s entrepreneurs. The conversation opens with James sharing his personal journey—moving from a small community bank to a pivotal role at Bank of Ame...

Summary In this powerful episode of the Startup Junkies podcast, Benjamin Greene shares his candid and deeply personal journey – from his early battles with adversity to his success as a co-founder of Green Performance & Wellness Coaching. Interviewed by Daniel Koonce, Cindy Lin, and Grace Olson, Benjamin dives deep into the heart of entrepreneurship, mindset, and resilience. A recurring theme...

Summary On this insightful episode of Startup Junkies , the team sits down with Randy Wilburn, director of communications and marketing at the Fayetteville Public Library and founder/host of the I Am Northwest Arkansas podcast. Randy shares his journey moving from Boston to Northwest Arkansas in 2014, and how the region’s rich entrepreneurial spirit inspired him to start a podcast that now boasts...

Summary In this episode of the Startup Junkies podcast, hosts Caleb Talley and Grant Boston sit down with Thomas Healy, founder of Hyliion, to dive deep into his entrepreneurial journey and the innovative path his company is charting in the power generation space. Thomas shares how Hyliion moved from an initial focus on electrifying commercial vehicles to developing the groundbreaking KARNO power...

Summary In the latest episode of the Startup Junkies podcast, hosts Daniel Koonce and Grant Boston sit down with real estate mogul Ari Rastegar, founder and CEO of Rastegar Capital, to discuss entrepreneurship, investing, and the value of failure. Calling in from Austin, Texas, Ari Rastegar shares his journey from law school student to head of a multi-billion dollar real estate firm, including the...

Summary On this episode of the Startup Junkies podcast, Alex Kruchten, co-founder of Hemut, joins Caleb Talley and Harrison Kitson to share his journey from adventurous student to tech entrepreneur and how Hemut is revolutionizing the trucking industry. Alex unpacks the founding story of Hemut, a venture born from the resourcefulness of his co-founder, who overcame extraordinary odds and built a m...

Summary The latest episode of the Startup Junkies podcast shines a spotlight on the enduring legacy and forward-thinking strategies of ACC Capital (formerly Arkansas Capital Corporation). Host Caleb Talley, joined by Jeff Amerine, welcomes Sam Walls, who shares the rich history and impact of ACC in Arkansas’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. From its inception in the 1950s, ACC played a pivotal role in...

Summary On this episode of Startup Junkies , hosts Caleb Talley and Daniel Konnce sit down with Louis Diesel, director of Startup Junkie Asia. Based in Seoul, South Korea, Louis shares the journey of connecting Korean startups to the US market, emphasizing Korea’s powerhouse status in public and private investment for entrepreneurial growth. What began in 2019 as an idea to build on the Fuel Accel...

Summary On this episode of Startup Junkies , hosts Caleb Talley and Jeff Amerine sit down with Katherine Andrews, director of the Arkansas Office of Outdoor Recreation, to explore the dynamic growth of outdoor recreation in Arkansas. Established in 2021, the Office of Outdoor Recreation was created to amplify the state's natural assets while fostering entrepreneurial opportunities and economic dev...

Summary On this episode of Startup Junkies , hosts Daniel Koonce and Caleb Talley sit down with Phil Pesek, founder of the Law Office of Philip A. Pesek, to unravel the mysteries of business law and compliance for entrepreneurs and startups. With over thirty years of legal experience spanning big-name companies like Dillard’s, Walmart, and Home Depot, Phil’s journey is packed with stories, insight...

Summary On this episode of Startup Junkies , Robin Atkinson, founder and CEO of Upkept Inc., shares her fascinating entrepreneurial journey, which began in the nonprofit arts sector before evolving into building a tech-driven apparel repair company. Hosted by Daniel Koonce and Caleb Talley, this lively conversation dives into Robin’s unique approach to solving consumer challenges in the world of c...

Summary In this week’s episode of Startup Junkies , Maddison Tailor and Audrey Hickox join hosts Caleb Talley and Daniel Koonce to share the genesis and growth of Acres.com , a platform revolutionizing land acquisition and management. Acres began as an internal solution to disjointed and complicated land deal processes. Recognizing shared pain points with clients, the team built a comprehensive pl...

Summary In this week’s episode of Startup Junkies , hosts Daniel Koonce and Caleb Talley sat down with Joseph Batta-Mpouma, founder and CEO of CelluDot, to discuss his entrepreneurial journey and how CelluDot is tackling critical issues in agriculture through innovation. Joseph, whose background is in material science and engineering, shared how his academic path shifted when exposed to entreprene...

Summary In this episode of the Fuel Podcast , host Caleb Talley sits down with Sanjay Ahuja, founder of Believ.ai, to discuss his inspiring entrepreneurial journey. Sanjay shares how, after twenty-seven years of thriving in global corporate roles across India, Dubai, and the U.S., he embraced his entrepreneurial spirit to address a crucial gap in AI: clean data. Believ.ai emerged from Sanjay’s fir...

Summary In this week’s episode of Startup Junkies , host Caleb Talley sits down with Heather Applegate, founder of Pivot X Coaching, for a conversation packed with wisdom on entrepreneurship, coaching, and personal growth. Heather shares her unique journey from studying psychology to launching Pivot X, an executive coaching and strategic advisory firm. Her passion for human behavior and propelling...

Summary In this episode of the Fuel Podcast , Grace Gill welcomes Naukr.ai CEO, Ravinder Sharma, for an insightful dive into the transformative journey of data science and AI. With over fifteen years in the field, Ravinder shares his expansive career journey, spanning both U.S. coasts, India, and ultimately leading back to Northwest Arkansas, a region he calls the “epicenter of retail.” The conver...