Entrepreneur

Shayla Copas Lifestyle has grown from a single idea into a thriving collection of national lifestyle brands. Built by its namesake, the venture has blossomed into five branded startups leading Copas, a well-known Little Rock entrepreneur, author and style agent,…

As we have rounded the corner past the anniversary of the start of the pandemic – I still remember thinking, “Oh, we’ll all get a nice two weeks off to relax, and then it’s back to the grind” – it’s…

Entrepreneurship for All (EforAll) is launching a free business accelerator aimed at Northwest Arkansas companies. The accelerator will also be offered through a Spanish-language program. This year-long accelerator is receiving financial backing from the Walton Family Foundation. This is EforAll’s…

Walmart is calling entrepreneurs for the opportunity to pitch their products to Walmart buyers. The world’s largest retailer is launching its eighth annual Open Call, which will enable entrepreneurs to pitch to Walmart buyers on June 30 in virtual meetings.…

With a new $1.3 million grant, Venture Noire will be launching a new program designed to advance Black-owned businesses in key industries. The new program, In The Black, will provide eight-week courses to minority entrepreneurs with an aim of addressing…

Running a small business can be a high-wire act, navigating the challenges of everyday operations alongside the bigger-picture issues of the day. Small business owners and entrepreneurs walk the razor-edge between success and failure on any given day, and that…

Regionality has been top of mind for me lately. Regionality, defined as an arrangement or ordering in regions, often becomes a roadblock for change, advancement and innovation. The part that bothers me most is the ‘ordering’ portion – the thought…

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has awarded a $125,000 grant to the Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center (ASBTDC) at the University of Little Rock. The grant will be utilized to help Arkansas companies applying for Small Business…

Entrepreneurs are always pitching their companies. From the moment their idea pops into their brain, they start the process of pitching their business to their partners, suppliers, investors and others – whether they know it or not. Pitching has become…

Small businesses and entrepreneurs have suffered heavily during the COVID-19 public health emergency. While the pandemic has sent shockwaves across all industries, the small business community has been especially hard hit. In a paper entitled “The Impact of COVID-19 on…