Be EPIC Podcast

In this week's episode Matt sits down with Don Frieson, Executive Vice President Supply Chain for Lowe's Companies, Inc. Don's background includes a variety of executive roles across operations and supply chain including Schneider National, Walmart, Sam's Club and Massmart. In the episode he discusses the importance of integrations no matter your industry and how to integrate culture, supply chain and operations through his experience as the Chief Integration Officer for Massmart in South Africa.

Nancy Duarte, author, speaker and principal and chief executive officer of Duarte Inc., sits down with Matt to discuss data, storytelling and how to effectively communicate data with a human-centered approach. Duarte Inc. is the largest design firm in Silicon Valley and the fifth largest employer in the Silicon Valley area. Find out more about her company: https://www.duarte.com/nancy-duarte/ and listen to her TED Talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/nancy_duarte_the_secret_structure_of_great_talks?language=en.

This week wraps up our special mini series where Matt sits down with the four Arkansas Business Hall of Fame inductees, continuing with Thomas E. Faust Jr. Thomas is the former chairman and chief executive officer of Eaton Vance Corp and current chairman of Morgan Stanley Investment Management. He chats with Matt about the lessons learned as he pivoted from managing investments to managing an investment company. He also highlights the importance of innovation, and mentoring throughout your career. Learn more about the Arkansas Business Hall of Fame or nominate someone for the next class of inductees!

This week continues our special mini series where Matt sits down with the four Arkansas Business Hall of Fame inductees, continuing with Ginger Graham. Ginger is the founder and owner of Ginger and Baker and former president and chief executive officer of Amylin Pharmaceuticals. She shares her career path from sales rep to strategic planning to executive leadership including leadership lessons for current and future CEOs. She now serves as a consultant for business executives and operates a bakery/cafe/steakhouse in Colorado. Learn more about the Arkansas Business Hall of Fame or nominate someone for the next class of inductees!

This week continues our special mini series where Matt sits down with the four Arkansas Business Hall of Fame inductees, continuing with George Gleason II. George is chairman and chief executive officer of Bank OZK and an Arkansas Business Hall of Fame Inductee for 2022. He shares how childhood chores on the farm and in the family business shaped his career and his bank. He learned bookkeeping at age 12, planned his parents’ estate at 16, and then purchased the controlling interest of Bank of the Ozarks (now BANK OZK) at age 25! He also highlights how listening, collaborating and continually improving created alignment in the mission, a better customer experience and more opportunities for employees.

This week begins our special mini series where Matt sits down with the four Arkansas Business Hall of Fame inductees, starting with Peggy Clark. Peggy is the owner and managing partner of Clark Timberlands and an Arkansas Business Hall of Fame Inductee for 2022.Listen in as Peggy discusses the current state and future of the timber industry in Arkansas, the Forestry Commission and their work in the Natural State, and how to adapt to last minute changes especially when working with natural resources. If you are interested in nominating someone for the next class of inductees, find more information on the Arkansas Business Hall of Fame website.

In this episode of Be Epic, Matt talks to Paul Guess about leaving the corporate environment to start his own businesses and how to adapt to the constantly evolving challenges of owning your own business, from global pandemics to supply chain challenges. Guess is the CEO of Lux Fragrances and Founder and CEO of Deck the Halls Y’all (DTHY) and Guess and Company based in Des Arc, Arkansas.

In this episode of Be Epic, Matt sits down with Steve Nelson, co-founder of 3-D printing technology company Carbon, Inc and empowerment initiative Re Inc. Steve is an investor, entrepreneur and board member who shares his journey from IBM to Wakefield Group to launching several successful start-ups along with his recent move to Northwest Arkansas.

In this episode of Be EPIC, Matt is joined by Byron Alley, division manager of CR-Edge. The son of a second-generation entrepreneur, Byron is passionate about business ownership and founded the full-service transportation company The Hog Ride while attending the University of Arkansas. Listen as Byron shares what he learned from past business ventures, the virtual tools that CR-Edge uses to bring job sites to their clients, and his insights on the future of technology in the construction business.

In this episode of Be EPIC, Matt is joined by Meagan Bowman, founder and CEO of STOPWATCH, a cloud-based ERP software for retailers. A member of the dean’s DREAM board, Meagan also lends her expertise as an advisor to the McMillon Innovation Studio, a member of the Fast Company Executive Board, and a contributor to the Forbes Technology Council.Listen as Meagan Bowman discusses the inspiring story behind STOPWATCH, why her retail skillset led her to success in the software world, and how organizing the endless complexity of CPG data assists retailers.