The Bentonville Beacon Bentonville Economic Development | Greater Bentonville Area Chamber of Commerce

Summary
Curious for a more intimate look into the lives of Fixer to Fabulous stars, Dave and Jenny Marrs? Eager to find out what sparked their journey into television and what projects they have on the horizon?

This week on The Bentonville Beacon, host James Bell explores the captivating world of Dave and Jenny Marrs, the dynamic duo behind HGTV’s beloved series, Fixer to Fabulous. Known for their skillful renovations, the Marrs beautifully marry contemporary design with the historical essence of homes in the Greater Bentonville Area, bringing those homes to life while ensuring they reflect the unique personalities of those who inhabit them. It is not just about achieving perfection but creating spaces where life's best moments can unfold.
Beyond their television fame, Dave and Jenny are profound community builders, spearheading ventures like Marrs Developing, Marrs Mercantile, and The Welcome Inn—each a testament to their commitment to fostering communal spaces that encourage connection and joy. Their agricultural initiatives at The Berry Farm highlight their dedication to sustainable living, with proceeds aiding agricultural training programs for orphaned children in Zimbabwe.
In this heartfelt episode, they share the milestones of their renovation careers and television journey, discuss their new projects, and reveal the profound impact of the Bentonville community on their work and lives. Additionally, Jenny gives us a glimpse into her recently published design book, House + Love = Home, offering personal anecdotes alongside practical home design tips and DIY projects, while Dave provides a sneak peek at what is coming next.
Tune in to uncover the layers of creativity, community spirit, and genuine passion that make Dave and Jenny Marrs a truly inspirational pair in the world of home design and beyond. Don't miss this blend of personal stories with professional insights—only on The Bentonville Beacon.
Tune in to this enriching episode today, and see for yourself why Dave and Jenny Marrs continue to captivate and inspire audiences both locally and globally.
Show Notes
Timestamps in this blog are for the audio-only version of the podcast; video timing differs.
(0:52) Introduction to Dave and Jenny Marrs
(6:11) About Dave and Jenny’s Other Ventures
(8:18) The Fixer to Fabulous Backstory
(13:49) Dave and Jenny’s Most Challenging Project
(18:08) Balancing Modern Trends with Historical Integrity
(20:28) Dave and Jenny’s Commitment to the Region
(24:42) Business Support from Local Government Organizations
(27:27) Dave and Jenny’s #BecauseBentonville Story
(30:32) How Bentonville Helps Dave and Jenny Live, Work and Play
(35:11) Upcoming Projects and Initiatives
(38:48) How to Make Your Home Fixer to Fabulous Famous
(43:30) Lessons Learned from Home Renovation and Television
(46:53) Closing Question
 
‍Links
Dave Marrs and Jenny Marrs (Instagram)
Jenny Marrs (Instagram)
Dave Marrs (Instagram)
Dave and Jenny Marrs
HGTV’s Fixer to Fabulous
Marrs Developing
The Berry Farm
Blueberry Fest
Marrs Mercantile
The Welcome Inn
Fixer to Fabulous: Welcome Inn (HGTV)
The Story Behind Dave and Jenny Marr’s Italian Villa Renovation (HGTV)
Feed Their Tummies
Fixer to Fabulous Fans Are Shocked After Jenny and Dave Marrs Posted Deleted Scene to Instagram (Country Living)
HGTV's Dave & Jenny Marrs' Hidden Wine Cellar Is A Fan Favorite Reveal For Good Reason (House Digest)
HGTV’s Hometown Takeover
House + Love = Home: Creating Warm, Intentional Spaces for a Beautiful Life by Jenny Marrs
James Bell, MBA 
Bentonville Economic Development
Greater Bentonville Area Chamber of Commerce

Summary
Curious how the Walton Family Foundation is catalyzing inclusive economic growth and cultural enrichment in Northwest Arkansas and the Arkansas-Mississippi Delta? Tune in to this episode of The Bentonville Beacon, where host, James Bell, is joined by Robert Burns, Home Region Program Director at the Walton Family Foundation.

The Walton Family Foundation represents several generations of family rooted in the places they work and in a family legacy of giving back. It brings together diverse perspectives to the same table, including caregivers and conservationists, educators and entrepreneurs, farmers and futurists, and doers and dreamers, to listen and learn, to reach a shared understanding, and to create innovative solutions that achieve true impact. The foundation works in three areas: strengthening the connections between K-12 education and lifelong opportunity; protecting rivers, oceans, and the communities they support; and advancing the Home Region of Northwest Arkansas and the Arkansas-Mississippi Delta.

In the Home Region, the Walton Family Foundation supports communities in Northwest Arkansas and the Arkansas-Mississippi Delta, working to realize a vision where everyone has access to opportunity so that every person and community thrives. They strive to catalyze a more vibrant, inclusive economy in Northwest Arkansas, and to grow equity through education and financial security in the Delta.

With its roots in Northwest Arkansas, the foundation is committed to making opportunity available to everyone who lives in the area by supporting entrepreneurs and innovators who strengthen the local economy; engaging teachers, parents and students to improve schools; and working to ensure residents in every neighborhood can access affordable housing, diverse transportation options and vibrant cultural spaces.

Likewise, the foundation is committed to investing and engaging in the Arkansas-Mississippi Delta, where they are looking to the next generation of community leaders with innovative ideas to strengthen schools, support small businesses and create economic opportunities that help Delta residents build a brighter future for their region through bold, homegrown solutions to the unique challenges facing their people and communities.

Throughout the episode, Robert shares how partnerships and collaborations facilitate meaningful transformation, the critical importance of storytelling in relating a powerful and clear understanding of people and the impact of their work, and how the Walton Family Foundation discovers and selects the game-changing initiatives it supports. Thanks for tuning in!

Show Notes
Timestamps in this blog are for the audio-only version of the podcast; video timing differs.
(0:54) Introduction to Robert Burns
(3:57) About the Walton Family Foundation (WFF) and Its Mission
(6:42) The WFF’s Objectives in Northwest Arkansas and the Arkansas-Mississippi Delta
(12:30) Highlight the WWF’s Home Region Initiatives
(17:54) NWA’s Contribution to Innovation across the Country
(22:34) The WWF’s Support for and Collaboration with EforAll
(25:53) Local Organizations the WFF Supports
(29:55) Robert’s #BecauseBentonville Story
(32:40) Future Initiatives of the WFF’s Home Region Program
(36:50) Starting a Sustainable Relationship with the WFF
(40:01) How Storytelling Plays a Role in the WFF’s Community Engagement
(45:16) Closing Question
 
‍Links
Robert Burns
Walton Family Foundation
Walton Family Foundation Home Region
James Bell, MBA 
Bentonville Economic Development
Greater Bentonville Area Chamber of Commerce

Summary
Want to hear some big Bentonville and Northwest Arkansas announcements from Youthful Savings? Check out this episode of The Bentonville Beacon, where host James Bell shares the studio with Somya Munjal, Founder and CEO of Youthful Savings, a tech-powered, learning ecosystem dedicated to socioeconomic empowerment through youth and beyond. Youthful Savings’ ecosystem consists of The Learning Marketplace (TLM), the Youthful Savings Marketplace (YSM) and the Youthful Savings Foundation (YSF). Through Youthful Savings’ educational products, youth are inspired to become heart-intelligent world citizens supporting mental well-being, economic empowerment and community development.

The Learning Marketplace is an innovative learning platform featuring revolutionary, downloadable learning exercises that include various topics such as entrepreneurship, personal finance, technology, Bitcoin and NFTs, art, vertical farming and artificial intelligence. Additionally, the Youthful Savings Marketplace aims to disrupt the growing wealth gap through the power of entrepreneurship and education. Lastly, the Youthful Savings Foundation provides engaged learners monthly capital through its Community Investment Fund (CIF), effectively reducing the bias in capital raising and providing equal opportunities for all.

Throughout the episode, Somya elaborates on Youthful Savings’ philosophy that if all youth receive the proper education and initial investment, they can create businesses that economically empower themselves and their communities. She also shares Youthful Savings’ positive impact on communities and some exciting announcements regarding Bentonville and Northwest Arkansas.

Thanks for tuning in!

Show Notes
Timestamps in this blog are for the audio-only version of the podcast; video timing differs.
(0:55) Introduction to Somya Munjal
(1:57) About Youthful Savings and Its Mission
(5:25) A Youthful Savings Success Story
(7:29) Somya’s Experience with Fuel’s Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning Accelerator
(9:05) What’s Upcoming for Youthful Savings in Bentonville
(11:48) About Youthful Savings’ Ledger Office
(13:31) Youthful Savings’ First Enterprise Client
(14:37) Youthful Savings’ Partnership with Northwest Arkansas Community College
(15:53) How Partnerships Further Youthful Savings’ Mission
(16:51) Somya’s #BecauseBentonville Story
(19:50) Advice to Business Leaders for Reflecting Their Values
(22:35) Closing Question
 
‍Links
Somya Munjal
Youthful Savings
James Bell, MBA 
Bentonville Economic Development
Greater Bentonville Area Chamber of Commerce

Summary
Discover how health tech companies are reshaping the future of medicine from Bentonville. In this special three-part series of The Bentonville Beacon, host James Bell meets with cohort members of this year’s Fuel for Your Health Accelerator. James kicks off the episode with Grace Gill, Fuel’s Operations Manager, who shares how this accelerator matches scalable health tech startups with key enterprise partners to expedite the adoption of their transformative medical technologies. Different from other programs, during each Fuel accelerator, high-growth startups from around the world benefit from programming and support focused on developing operational value and selling to large customers, rather than just venture capital coaching.

This episode highlights several of Fuel’s current cohort members and innovators, including TapRoot Interventions & Solutions Founder and CEO, Scarlett Spring, and Chief Clinical Officer, Dr. Linda Buscemi; Dart Health’s Founder and CEO, Brian Sage; and SOAP Health’s Founder and CEO, Dr. Steven Charlap.

Phoenix, Arizona-based TapRoot Interventions & Solutions is a woman-owned technology company at the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI), dementia care and behavioral healthcare. With its revolutionary AI-powered digital platform, Ella, TapRoot is helping organizations and caregivers to improve care for those living with dementia through a person-centered approach.

Denver, Colorado-based Dart Heath is reducing the cost of serving group healthcare by fixing the fundamentally broken exchange of data between group benefit providers and self-insured employers. Dart Health compiles disparate data sources from employers, providers, benefits administrators and claims, to portray a real individual with medical needs, effectively creating a single, secure, HIPAA-compliant, 350-degree view of a healthcare customer.

Boca Raton, Florida-based SOAP Health offers the ideal medical AI assistant. SOAP Health enhances and integrates patient intake and note creation to significantly reduce time of documentation and symptom assessment, appreciably increase average revenue and reduce malpractice exposure.

Thanks for tuning in!

Show Notes
Timestamps in this blog are for the audio-only version of the podcast; video timing differs.
(0:54) Introduction to Grace Gill
(2:55) What’s Next for Fuel
(5:19) How Fuel Partners with the Community
(6:45) Fuel’s Funders
(7:13) Grace’s #BecauseBentonville Story
(9:24) Introduction to Scarlett Spring and Dr. Linda Buscemi
(10:33) About TapRoot Interventions & Solutions
(10:48) How Fuel and Bentonville Are Helping Scarlett and Dr. Buscemi
(15:59) Scarlett’s #BecauseBentonville Story
(16:49) Dr. Buscemi’s First Impression of Bentonville
(17:42) Introduction to Brian Sage
(19:46) About Dart Health
(22:48) How Fuel and Bentonville Are Helping Brian
(29:11) Brian’s #BecauseBentonville Story
(32:30) Introduction to Dr. Steven Charlap
(35:10) About SOAP Health
(38:38) How Fuel and Bentonville Are Helping Dr. Charlap
(40:23) Closing Thoughts
 
‍Links
Grace Gill (grace@startupjukie.org)
Fuel for Your Health Accelerator
Scarlett Spring, EMBA (scarlett@taprootela.com)
Linda Buscemi, PhD (linda@taprootella.com)
TapRoot Interventions & Solutions
Brian Sage, MBA
Dart Health
Steven Charlap, MD, MBA (scharlap@soap.health, 617-319-6434)
SOAP Health
James Bell, MBA 
Bentonville Economic Development
Greater Bentonville Area Chamber of Commerce

Summary
In this special three-part series of The Bentonville Beacon, host James Bell meets with cohort members of this year’s Fuel for Your Health Accelerator, a program that matches scalable health tech startups with enterprise partners to expedite the adoption of transformative medical technologies. James kicks off the episode with Tom Douglass, Fuel’s Entrepreneur in Residence, and is then joined by Rand Ragusa, Co-Founder of QuickTake Health; Erin Keyes, Co-Founder and CEO at Telegenixx; Dr. Bechara Saab, CEO and Chief Scientist with Mobio Interactive; and Natalie Shew, Founder and CEO from EmployWell.

New Orleans, Louisiana-based QuickTake Health provides innovative vital sign workflow automation and patient engagement kiosk solutions, revolutionizing the way healthcare facilities manage patient intake documentation and interactions. Dedicated to improving healthcare outcomes and enhancing patient experiences through innovative solutions, QuickTake’s intuitive interface allows patients to easily download their content to their phone and engage with personalized health resources, empowering them to take an active role in their own well-being.

New York-based Telegenixx is a digital health marketplace that unifies regenerative health physicians, laboratories, pharmacies and patients into one central platform focused on accessibility, affordability and easy-to-follow care plans. Through a tiered, all-inclusive subscription model, Telegenixx offers patients affordable access to elite physicians specifically trained in cutting edge peptide- and hormone-based protocols. 

Singapore-based Mobio Interactive addresses the increased demand for mental healthcare globally with its commercialized AI digital diagnostic and psychotherapy platform. The platform serves as a stopgap for patients on waitlists for healthcare services, and contains convenient, scalable and remote monitoring tools that facilitate clinical decisions and the personalization of therapy according to real-time measures. 

Lastly, Fayetteville, Arkansas-based EmployWell helps nurses work smarter not harder with its clinic workflow, Provider Ally, which is an AI-powered assistant that maps clinic workflows and automates nurse admin tasks for better work satisfaction and productivity. By automating administrative tasks and streamlining care team efficiency, nurses are able to voice and solve their top challenges and free up their time to focus on more direct patient care.

Thanks for tuning in!

Show Notes
Timestamps in this blog are for the audio-only version of the podcast; video timing differs.
(0:54) Introduction to Tom Douglass
(2:12) A Fuel Success Story
(6:53) Fuel’s Local Partnerships
(7:38) Tom’s #BecauseBentonville Story
(9:22) Introduction to Rand Ragusa
(10:35) About QuickTake Health
(13:01) How Fuel and Bentonville Are Helping Helped Rand
(14:20) Rand’s #BecauseBentonville Story
(15:36) Introduction to Erin Keyes
(16:56) About Telegenixx
(18:18) How Fuel and Bentonville Are Helping Erin
(21:00) Erin’s #BecauseBentonville Story
(23:05) Introduction to Dr. Bechara Saab
(24:19) About Mobio Interactive
(27:48) How Fuel and Bentonville Are Helping Dr. Saab
(29:15) Dr. Saab’s #BecauseBentonville Story
(30:55) Introduction to Natalie Shew
(31:43) About EmployWell
(33:39) How Fuel and Bentonville Are Helping Helped Natalie
(37:19) Natalie’s #BecauseBentonville Story
(39:29) Closing Thoughts
 
‍Links
Tom Douglass
Fuel for Your Health Accelerator
Catapult Consulting
Rand Ragusa, AHIP (rand@quicktakehealth.com)
QuickTake Health
Erin Keyes
Telegenixx
Bechara Saab, PhD
Mobio Interactive
Natalie Shew, MS
EmployWell
James Bell, MBA 
Bentonville Economic Development
Greater Bentonville Area Chamber of Commerce

Summary
In this special three-part series of The Bentonville Beacon, host James Bell meets with cohort members of this year’s Fuel for Your Health Accelerator. James kicks off the episode with Fuel’s Director, Darian Harris, who shares how this accelerator matches scalable health tech startups with key enterprise partners to expedite the adoption of their transformative medical technologies. Different from other programs, during each Fuel accelerator, high-growth startups from around the world benefit from programming and support focused on developing operational value and selling to large customers, rather than just venture capital coaching.

This episode highlights several of Fuel’s current cohort members and innovators, including Tyler Zanon, CEO of EndoShunt Medical; Beth Gall, Vice President of Sales with Rainfall Health; and Andy Olson, Co-Founder and CEO at Inherent Biosciences.

Chicago, Illinois-based EndoShunt Medical offers an innovative medical device used for targeted hemorrhage control in emergency situations. With a vision of ending preventable abdominal hemorrhage death and improving patient outcomes, EndoShunt’s goal is to give trauma surgeons the gift of time so they can give trauma patients the gift of life. The device is a novel endovascular delivery system that allows surgeons to place a temporary length adjustable shunt within the major abdominal vessels, effectively controlling hemorrhaging from an injury while maintaining blood flow to the rest of the body.

Berkley, California-based Rainfall Health was established to help bridge the gap in providing access to quality healthcare in medical deserts by breaking down barriers to healthcare and ensuring patients receive the comprehensive care they deserve. Rainfall Health is a partner to health systems, healthcare plans and government organizations, where its platform enables streamlined clinical care, in-depth health analysis, patient care coordination and rural care with the help of artificial intelligence (AI). For patients, it provides quick scheduling, easy discovery of in-network providers plus immediate access to provider ratings.

Salt Lake City, Utah-based Inherent Biosciences is a team of molecular biologists, data scientists, healthcare providers and entrepreneurs at the intersection of epigenetics and AI. They are working together to create new clinical solutions to address complex healthcare concerns. Through the use of its platform, Inherent Biosciences detects dysregulation across multiple genes and related pathways to pioneer a new category of diagnostics and therapeutics, radically transforming how healthcare providers diagnose and treat complex diseases like infertility. 

Thanks for tuning in!

Show Notes
Timestamps in this blog are for the audio-only version of the podcast; video timing differs.
(0:54) Introduction to Darian Harris
(2:19) About the Fuel Accelerator
(4:31) How Fuel Partners with Other Organizations
(5:25) Darian’s #BecauseBentonville Story
(8:29) Introduction to Tyler Zanon
(9:17) About EndoShunt Medical
(11:12) How Fuel and Bentonville Has Helped Tyler
(13:08) Tyler’s past Experiences in Bentonville
(16:17) Tyler’s #BecauseBentonville Story
(17:29) Introduction to Beth Gall
(18:46) About Rainfall Health
(20:18) How Fuel and Bentonville Has Helped Beth
(21:49) Beth’s #BecauseBentonville Story
(23:10) Introduction to Andy Olson
(24:17) About Inherent Biosciences
(29:13) How Fuel and Bentonville Has Helped Andy
(33:44) Andy’s #BecauseBentonville Story
(37:14) Closing Thoughts
 
‍Links
Darian Harris, MBA (darian@startupjunkie.org)
Fuel for Your Health Accelerator
Tyler Zanon, MPH (tyler@endoshunt.com)
EndoShunt Medical
Beth Gall
Rainfall Health
Andy Olson, MBA
Inherent Biosciences
Path Fertility
James Bell, MBA 
Bentonville Economic Development
Greater Bentonville Area Chamber of Commerce