Central to NWA: A UCA Podcast

Ep. 14 - Career Trajectory Shifts: From Small Business to NASA COO with Amir Deylami

Operating a massive tech hub in the middle of the world's most aggressive innovation environment leaves zero margin for error. When you are responsible for keeping a 2,000 acre campus running smoothly to support human spaceflight, theory takes a backseat to real world execution. In this episode, host Paul Gatling sits down with Amir Deylami, the Chief Operating Officer of NASA’s Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, to unpack what it takes to manage billions in critical government assets while living thousands of miles away in Northwest Arkansas. We sit down to discuss the realities of coordinating a massive ecosystem across federal agencies, private enterprise, and higher education. Amir Deylami shares his professional trajectory from a childhood running cash registers in Alabama to raising his hand for high stakes assignments that caught the attention of NASA headquarters. We get into the actual logistics of driving rapid organizational change, the distinct regional similarities between Silicon Valley tech giants and corporate mainstays like Walmart and JB Hunt, and his recent experience mentoring the next generation of business students as an executive in residence at the University of Central Arkansas. Amir highlights a core philosophy that has guided his entire tenure: you must architect from the right by identifying your exact desired outcome before mapping out the players needed to get you there. The real differentiating factor for successful leaders is the grueling, slow work of building interpersonal trust. Amir candidly breaks down the mental toll and logistical grind of working around the clock across multiple time zones, balancing family life in a new community, and overcoming the institutional inertia often associated with government entities. Viewers will walk away with a practical framework for early career planning, an understanding of why agility and resilience matter more than static skills in the age of artificial intelligence, and a firsthand account of the preparation behind the historic Artemis missions. If you care about organizational leadership, technological innovation ecosystems, and practical career development, you’ll get a lot from this conversation. Please make sure to subscribe to the channel and share this episode with someone looking to scale their management capabilities. What is the most critical process or outcome in your own organization that you need to start architecting from the right today?

Ep. 13 - Delusional Ambition: Scaling a Financial Empire with Kristin Daniel

Financial volatility is often just a symptom of excessive noise, and for many high-stakes founders, "doing it all" is the fastest way to lose everything. In an era where everyone with an Instagram account claims to be a market expert, the real challenge isn't finding information; it's finding clarity. We sit down with Kristin Daniel, founder of Parity Financial Group, to discuss how she built a premier wealth management firm by embracing what she calls "delusional ambition" and a relentless focus on the unglamorous work of execution. We get into the tactical realities of scaling a financial practice through organic growth and aggressive mergers and acquisitions. Kristin shares her journey from a town of 278 people to managing ultra-high net worth portfolios in the heart of Bentonville. We explore the specific mechanics of the "fractional family office" model, the importance of asking deep-seated psychological questions about money, and how the UCA Commitment is paving the way for the next generation of Arkansas leaders. Kristin also highlights her unique philosophy on "concierge" service, acting as the strategic quarterback for entrepreneurs who have their business in order but their personal financials in a mess. The truth about elite performance is that it usually involves a decade of working 50-hour retail weeks and operating out of a closet during a global pandemic. Success isn't about a single "aha" moment; it's about the grit required to manage three distinct non-profit leadership roles while simultaneously navigating the technical hurdles of business integration. You will walk away with a fundamental shift in how you view capacity, a reminder that humility is a leader's greatest asset, and a warning to keep your blinders on when the market starts to scream. If you care about wealth preservation, community impact, and the future of the Arkansas economy, you’ll get a lot from this conversation. Subscribe and share this episode with a fellow founder who is ready to scale. What is the biggest "delusional" goal you’ve set for your business this year that you’re determined to hit? Let us know in the comments.

Ep. 12 - Life in Education: Dr. Bobby New’s Legacy

A Fayetteville superintendent who also spent 26 years flying helicopters and airplanes as an Army and National Guard aviator has a different way of talking about leadership: calm, practical, and shaped by responsibility that never really shuts off. We’re joined by Dr. Bobby New, UCA class of 1971, to walk through the moments that formed his view of Arkansas public education and the people who make schools work. We start with Conway, football, and arriving at what was then State College of Arkansas, where coaches and instructors provided the kind of hands-on guidance that sticks for decades. From there, Bobby’s path takes a sharp turn into ROTC, active duty, and flight school, before circling back to UCA as a graduate assistant. That decision launches a career that spans teaching, administration, statewide work at the Arkansas Department of Education, and ultimately district leadership including 13 years as superintendent of Fayetteville Public Schools. Along the way we get into what the public often misses about the superintendent job, why evenings and weekends belong to students as much as administrators, and how extracurriculars like band and athletics can become a powerful engine for student engagement. Bobby also shares advice for new teachers, what has changed in classrooms, and what never changes about reaching kids with empathy and clear expectations. If you care about school leadership, teacher development, Arkansas education, or the real behind-the-scenes work of running a district, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share this with an educator you respect, and leave a review so more listeners can find the show.

Ep. 11 - Banking on Relationships: Ron Branscum's Playbook

Your banker can’t approve what they can’t understand and most business owners don’t realize how often the deal breaks down long before the loan committee meets. We’re joined by Ron Branscum, a University of Central Arkansas alum who has lived the full arc of finance in Northwest Arkansas: state bank examiner, commercial lender, market builder, business owner, and now a consultant helping companies tell a clearer financial story. Ron shares what he learned on championship-level UCA basketball teams about attitude, roles, and leadership, then connects that mindset to community banking and relationship-based lending. We talk about why “community banker” is more than a title, how trust is built before the ask, and why you should never waste time chasing a loan that doesn’t fit your bank’s credit box. He also reflects on the region’s transformation, including the early days of Pinnacle Hills and the vision that turned dirt roads into an economic engine. The conversation gets practical for entrepreneurs and operators. Ron explains what he looks for first in a set of financial statements, why the debt-to-equity ratio matters, and how cash flow pressure feels different when payroll is on you. He also breaks down the common mistakes that make small business loans harder than they should be and how a lender-ready financial packet changes the outcome. Finally, Ron connects business growth to education through his service as a Northwest Arkansas Community College trustee, including workforce development, construction trades, healthcare programs, and the funding challenge behind campus expansion. If you care about small business finance, community banking, business consulting, and building a stronger Northwest Arkansas, hit play and take notes. Subscribe, share this with a business owner who needs it, and leave us a review with your biggest takeaway.

Ep. 10 - Leading With Impact: Philanthropy and the Amazeum with Jennifer Belt

A career can look like a zigzag until you hear the why. Jennifer Martinez Belt went from an Arkansas newsroom dream to Capitol Hill and the White House, then back home to build stronger communities through nonprofit fundraising and philanthropy. Now, as Chief Philanthropy Officer at the Scott Family Amazeum in Bentonville, she’s helping shape what childhood learning and family access can look like in a fast-growing Northwest Arkansas. We talk about what surprised her most in Washington, DC, why 9/11 changed her calculus, and how those years taught her urgency, pacing, and the behind-the-scenes reality of how decisions get made. From there, we get practical about giving: philanthropy is not just big checks. Jennifer breaks it down to time, talent, and treasure, and explains why “on fire fundraising” can’t replace disciplined development, strong boards, and long-term donor relationships. Then we go inside the Amazeum’s mission and momentum: playful learning, a safe place for families, and a commitment to affordability and access. Jennifer shares what it takes to lead a $25 million capital campaign, why the Early Learning Advancement Center is a priority for Arkansas families, how teen programming fits into the vision, and what it means to expand beyond the museum walls with a new children’s space at XNA airport. She also reflects on raising teens in Bentonville, advocating as a parent, and what Northwest Arkansas nonprofits will need over the next decade: collaboration, focus, and the courage to think ahead. If you care about Northwest Arkansas philanthropy, nonprofit leadership, early childhood education, or the role of museums in community growth, hit play. Subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review so more listeners can find the show.