NWA Founders

#40 - Joe Ehrhardt (Teslar Software)

→ Learn more about Greenwood Gearhart [https://greenwoodgearhart.com/] → Learn more about Cushman & Wakefield Sage Partners [https://www.sagepartners.com/] What does it look like to build a software company in a highly regulated industry while remaining innovative? In this episode, Joe Ehrhardt [https://www.linkedin.com/in/joeehrhardt/], founder and CEO of Teslar Software [https://teslarsoftware.com/], shares the story behind building one of the fastest-growing fintech companies serving community banks across the country. From early lessons in leadership and entrepreneurship to navigating the realities of scaling a software business, Joe offers a grounded look at what it takes to build a company that lasts. Summary Joe walks through the early days of Teslar Software, including how the company identified a major operational problem inside community banking and created technology that helps banks automate workflows, improve efficiency, and better serve customers. Rather than chasing trends, Teslar focused on solving practical problems for real people—something that ultimately became a competitive advantage as the company scaled. The conversation also highlights the importance of listening closely to customers and building products alongside them instead of for them. Beyond software and banking, this episode dives into leadership, company culture, and the challenge of growing a business without losing the mission that made it successful in the first place. Joe shares insights on hiring the right people, creating alignment inside a growing team, and why humility and consistency matter more than flashy leadership styles. For founders in Northwest Arkansas and beyond, there’s a refreshing honesty to the way he talks about growth—not as a straight line, but as a long process of learning, adapting, and staying committed. One of the most compelling parts of the conversation is Joe’s perspective on storytelling as a founder. As companies mature, founders often realize their role shifts from simply building products to communicating vision, culture, and purpose. Joe explains why telling the story behind the business matters—not just for customers, but for employees, future hires, partners, and the broader community. Highlights 00:00 Working with Mark Cuban during PPP Forgiveness 7:30 How to prepare for luck as a business owner 18:00 College project turned company 30:00 Why is innovation important for Teslar? 44:00 Raising capital for expansion 60:00 A deeper look at PPP Forgiveness 1:21:30 A.I. Integration Key Takeaways 1. The best businesses often solve “unsexy” problems exceptionally well - Teslar Software didn’t grow by chasing hype. It grew by improving operational pain points inside community banks. For younger founders, this is a reminder that huge opportunities often exist in overlooked industries. For seasoned founders, it reinforces the value of staying focused on customer problems instead of constantly pivoting toward trends. 2. Company culture becomes more important as you scale - In the early days, culture happens naturally. As teams grow, culture has to become intentional. Joe’s approach highlights the importance of hiring people who align with the mission, communicate clearly, and care deeply about serving others well. 3. Founders eventually become storytellers - At some point, building the company isn’t enough—you also have to explain why it matters. Whether you’re raising capital, recruiting talent, or building customer trust, your ability to tell the story behind the business becomes a leadership skill of its own. Follow us on LinkedIn NWA Founders [https://www.linkedin.com/company/nwa-founders/about/] Follow us on Instagram @NWAFounders [https://chatgpt.com/g/g-p-679ff2436b74819198fb09c8fbaf8ed3-nwa-founders/c/679ff260-cf34-800b-b01a-9f46018f759e#] Follow us on YouTube NWA Founders [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9_jiHttOOT7O-f7s6WTLXw] For guest suggestions or inquiries nwafounders@gmail.com [nwafounders@gmail.com] NWA Founders is a voice for Founders, Owners, and Builders driving growth in Northwest Arkansas, and is hosted by Cameron Clark [https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameron-clark-780012a8/] and Nick Beyer [https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-beyer-76a103ba/].

#39 - Are Traasdahl (Crisp, Arkade)

→ Learn more about Greenwood Gearhart [https://greenwoodgearhart.com/] → Learn more about Cushman & Wakefield Sage Partners [https://www.sagepartners.com/] What if one of the biggest business opportunities in the world was hiding inside a problem most people never think about? In this episode, Are Traasdahl [https://www.linkedin.com/in/aretraasdahl/], founder of Crisp [https://www.gocrisp.com/about] and Arkade [https://www.arkaderetail.com/], shares the story behind building a company aimed at solving one of the most overlooked global challenges: food waste. With one-third of all food produced globally lost before it ever reaches consumers, Are saw not just a broken system, but a massive opportunity to rebuild it using data, technology, and AI. Summary Are walks through his journey from growing up in a small town in Norway to building and exiting multiple technology companies in the U.S., including early innovations in mobile content and programmatic advertising. But Crisp represents something different. Inspired by a trip around the world where he witnessed both massive food waste and deep food insecurity, he set out to build a data platform that connects the entire retail supply chain—what he calls a “supply web”—to reduce inefficiencies at scale.  At the core of Crisp is a simple but powerful idea: if you can unify data across retailers, suppliers, and distributors, you can dramatically improve decision-making—from what gets stocked on shelves to how products are priced and distributed. What started with zero customers and tens of millions invested in technology quickly accelerated during the pandemic, growing to thousands of brands as the industry realized the need for better data visibility and collaboration.  Beyond the business itself, Are shares a broader philosophy on building: focus on solving meaningful problems, be willing to invest ahead of the market, and commit to creating something that delivers value not just for customers—but for the world. His “triple bottom line” approach—good for the world, good for customers, and good for the business—offers a compelling framework for founders thinking about long-term impact.  Highlights 00:00 Why is Are building in NWA? 4:00 Are's other companies (Thumbplay, Tapad) 19:00 Crisp is solving food waste in the supply chain 31:00 What makes Crisp different 46:00 Are's vision for Arkade Key Takeaways 1. Solve problems at scale—or rethink the problem entirely - Are didn’t choose a “cool” industry—he chose a massive one. The food supply chain isn’t flashy, but it’s a $10+ trillion ecosystem filled with inefficiencies. For young founders, this is a reminder: the biggest opportunities often live in overlooked industries. For seasoned founders, your story becomes more powerful when it’s tied to a problem that actually matters. 2. You need to be 10x better—not just slightly better - Incremental improvements don’t drive change—especially in complex, B2B environments. Crisp’s success comes from building a fundamentally different system, not just optimizing an existing one. If you’re building something, ask yourself: is this truly different, or just marginally better? 3. Build ahead of the market—and be willing to wait - Crisp invested tens of millions into technology before generating revenue. That’s uncomfortable—but it created a long-term advantage when the market caught up. Whether you’re early or experienced, there’s a tension here: can you see where things are going—and are you willing to build for that future before it’s obvious? Follow us on LinkedIn NWA Founders [https://www.linkedin.com/company/nwa-founders/about/] Follow us on Instagram @NWAFounders [https://chatgpt.com/g/g-p-679ff2436b74819198fb09c8fbaf8ed3-nwa-founders/c/679ff260-cf34-800b-b01a-9f46018f759e#] Follow us on YouTube NWA Founders [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9_jiHttOOT7O-f7s6WTLXw] For guest suggestions or inquiries nwafounders@gmail.com [nwafounders@gmail.com] NWA Founders is a voice for Founders, Owners, and Builders driving growth in Northwest Arkansas, and is hosted by Cameron Clark [https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameron-clark-780012a8/] and Nick Beyer [https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-beyer-76a103ba/].

#38 - Eric Howerton (AdFury.ai)

→ Learn more about Greenwood Gearhart [https://greenwoodgearhart.com/] → Learn more about Cushman & Wakefield Sage Partners [https://www.sagepartners.com/] What if the real edge in your business is leaning into A.I.? In this episode, Eric Howerton [https://www.linkedin.com/in/erichowerton], co-founder & CGO of AdFury.ai [https://www.adfury.ai/], pulls back the curtain on how AI is reshaping the future of retail, advertising, and entrepreneurship in Northwest Arkansas. This isn’t a hype conversation about AI; it’s a grounded, hard-earned perspective from someone who’s spent over a decade solving real problems for real customers. Summary Eric reframes what it means to be an entrepreneur in today’s world. It’s not about titles like “founder” or chasing funding—it’s about seeing a problem so clearly that you can’t ignore it. That mindset led him to build WhyteSpyder from $850 in the bank to a successful exit, and now drives his work at AdFury, where he’s tackling what he calls the “content supply chain” - the bottleneck that prevents brands from delivering personalized, relevant experiences at scale.  At the core of AdFury’s innovation is a simple but powerful shift: using AI not just to automate tasks, but to unlock entirely new capabilities. Instead of manually creating dozens of ad variations, brands can now generate highly personalized, dynamic content for individual shoppers in seconds: something that was previously impossible due to time and cost constraints.  Zooming out, Eric challenges the broader Northwest Arkansas ecosystem to think differently. Rather than trying to imitate Silicon Valley, he argues the region’s true strength lies in its deep retail expertise and problem-solving culture. The opportunity isn’t to chase trends, it’s to double down on solving meaningful problems faster than anyone else, especially as AI reshapes the industry at an accelerating pace. Highlights 00:00 What is the difference between a founder, entrepreneur, & business owner? 9:00 Evolution of tech scene in NWA 23:00 What is AdFury.ai ? 41:00 A.I. advice for small business owners 47:00 How AdFury is gonna change retail 58:00 Eric's hope for AdFury Key Takeaways 1. Real entrepreneurs are obsessed with problem solving - Eric didn’t start businesses thinking about exits or valuations. He started because he saw gaps that needed to be solved. If you’re early in your journey, focus less on “what could this become?” and more on “what needs to be fixed right now?” 2. AI isn’t just a tool—it’s a new playing field - Most people approach AI as a way to do existing tasks faster. Eric’s perspective flips that: AI enables things that were never possible before. The founders who win won’t just optimize, they’ll rethink what’s even possible in their industry. 3. Your environment matters more than you think - Northwest Arkansas isn’t Silicon Valley, and that’s the advantage. The density of real problems, real operators, and real businesses creates a unique opportunity: solve meaningful problems where you are, instead of chasing abstract ideas somewhere else. Follow us on LinkedIn NWA Founders [https://www.linkedin.com/company/nwa-founders/about/] Follow us on Instagram @NWAFounders [https://chatgpt.com/g/g-p-679ff2436b74819198fb09c8fbaf8ed3-nwa-founders/c/679ff260-cf34-800b-b01a-9f46018f759e#] Follow us on YouTube NWA Founders [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9_jiHttOOT7O-f7s6WTLXw] For guest suggestions or inquiries nwafounders@gmail.com [nwafounders@gmail.com] NWA Founders is a voice for Founders, Owners, and Builders driving growth in Northwest Arkansas, and is hosted by Cameron Clark [https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameron-clark-780012a8/] and Nick Beyer [https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-beyer-76a103ba/].

#37 - Brad Henry (Natural Capital)

→ Learn more about Greenwood Gearhart [https://greenwoodgearhart.com/] → Learn more about Cushman & Wakefield Sage Partners [https://www.sagepartners.com/] What would happen if more of the capital shaping your area actually came from the people who live there? In this episode, Brad Henry [https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-henry-b1a65128/] of Natural Capital [https://www.naturalcapitalfirm.com/team] shares a behind-the-scenes look at building a private investment firm designed to do exactly that: keep opportunity local, empower founders, and give families in Arkansas a seat at the table. It’s a conversation about money, but more than that: it’s about trust, relationships, and building something you’re genuinely proud of.  Summary Brad breaks down how Natural Capital operates as a relationship-driven investment firm, pooling capital from local families and deploying it into both real estate and businesses across Arkansas and the broader Heartland. With a focus on diversification, the firm balances cash-flowing real estate with growth-oriented company investments, creating stability while still capturing upside. What stands out is their intentional strategy: not chasing “home runs,” but consistently hitting “doubles” through disciplined, lower-risk investing. The story behind Natural Capital is just as compelling as the strategy. Born out of a gap in the Arkansas market (where most private investing was done by a few large families) the firm was built to democratize access to private markets. Brad shares how early fundraising leaned heavily on trust, asking friends and family to believe in a vision before it was proven. That reputational risk became a defining feature of the company’s culture: relationships first, always. At its core, this episode is about impact. From investing in affordable housing across Northwest Arkansas to partnering with founders as minority investors, Natural Capital is focused on long-term value, both financially and within the community. Brad makes it clear: success isn’t just measured in returns, but in whether investors and partners feel proud to be part of what they’re building together. Highlights 00:00 What is Natural Capital? 14:00 NatCap's investment strategy 28:00 Company case study: Harvest Group 37:00 Raising the 1st Fund 47:00 What growth looks like in NWA Key Takeaways 1. Build through relationships, not transactions - The best opportunities (and the best outcomes) come from trust. Whether you’re raising capital or telling your story, long-term relationships will outperform short-term wins every time. 2. You don’t need to swing for home runs to win - Natural Capital’s strategy is simple: avoid unnecessary risk and focus on consistent, repeatable outcomes. For founders, this is a reminder that sustainable growth often beats flashy, high-risk bets. 3. Your story is part of your strategy - For seasoned founders especially, how you communicate your journey matters. Brad and his partners raised their first fund by inviting others into a story they believed in. If people understand your vision, they’re far more likely to invest—financially and relationally. Follow us on LinkedIn NWA Founders [https://www.linkedin.com/company/nwa-founders/about/] Follow us on Instagram @NWAFounders [https://chatgpt.com/g/g-p-679ff2436b74819198fb09c8fbaf8ed3-nwa-founders/c/679ff260-cf34-800b-b01a-9f46018f759e#] Follow us on YouTube NWA Founders [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9_jiHttOOT7O-f7s6WTLXw] For guest suggestions or inquiries nwafounders@gmail.com [nwafounders@gmail.com] NWA Founders is a voice for Founders, Owners, and Builders driving growth in Northwest Arkansas, and is hosted by Cameron Clark [https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameron-clark-780012a8/] and Nick Beyer [https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-beyer-76a103ba/].

#36 - Chris Chandler (Chandler Capital Group)

→ Learn more about Greenwood Gearhart [https://greenwoodgearhart.com/] → Learn more about Cushman & Wakefield Sage Partners [https://www.sagepartners.com/] What does it look like to take a small, family-run manufacturing shop and turn it into a diversified, innovation-driven company competing on a national level? In this episode, Chris Chandler [https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrischandler82] of Chandler Capital Group [https://www.chandlercapitalgroup.com/our-team] shares the real story behind building, losing, rebuilding, and ultimately redefining what success looks like in business. From taking on massive debt to buy the family company to navigating industry crashes and launching entirely new product lines, Chris offers a grounded, honest look at what it takes to build something that lasts. Summary Chris walks through the evolution from Chandler Equipment to Chandler Capital Group, explaining how the business expanded from manufacturing parts for 18-wheelers into multiple automotive brands, including direct-to-consumer products. After experiencing the volatility of the oil and gas industry—and laying off dozens of employees—he made a pivotal decision: diversify or risk repeating the same mistake. That decision led to the creation of Chandler Truck Accessories and a long-term strategy centered on solving real customer problems.  A major theme throughout the conversation is innovation through necessity. Whether it’s introducing robotics to increase efficiency, redesigning toolboxes based on real-world failures, or shifting from B2B to DTC, Chris emphasizes learning through trial and error. Growth didn’t happen overnight—it took years of rejection, iteration, and persistence before things began to click.  Beyond business strategy, Chris shares a deeper perspective on leadership and life. In recent years, he’s redefined success—not as revenue or scale, but as becoming a better husband, father, and leader. That shift has influenced how he runs his company today: focused on developing people, staying hands-on, and building businesses that serve both employees and the local community in Northwest Arkansas.  Highlights 00:00 What is Chandler Capital? 7:00 Buying the family business 19:00 Scaling 30:00 Getting into truck accessories 50:00 Acquiring Backwoods Adventure 70:00 The future of Chandler Capital Key Takeaways 1. Solve real problems—not theoretical ones: The breakthrough for Chandler Truck Accessories came from observing what was actually failing in the market (like broken toolbox doors) and building something better. Look for friction in the real world—that’s where opportunity lives. 2. You have to earn your way into leadership: Chris didn’t skip the hard part. Years of operating, failing, and problem-solving built the foundation that now allows him to lead and develop others. There’s no shortcut around the “doing” phase. 3. Diversification isn’t optional—it’s survival: Relying too heavily on one industry nearly cost them everything. Building multiple revenue streams within a focused niche gave them stability and long-term growth. Follow us on LinkedIn NWA Founders [https://www.linkedin.com/company/nwa-founders/about/] Follow us on Instagram @NWAFounders [https://chatgpt.com/g/g-p-679ff2436b74819198fb09c8fbaf8ed3-nwa-founders/c/679ff260-cf34-800b-b01a-9f46018f759e#] Follow us on YouTube NWA Founders [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9_jiHttOOT7O-f7s6WTLXw] For guest suggestions or inquiries nwafounders@gmail.com [nwafounders@gmail.com] NWA Founders is a voice for Founders, Owners, and Builders driving growth in Northwest Arkansas, and is hosted by Cameron Clark [https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameron-clark-780012a8/] and Nick Beyer [https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-beyer-76a103ba/].