Be EPIC Podcast

In this episode of Be EPIC, Matt is joined by Toby Teeter, director of The Collaborative, the University of Arkansas innovation catalyst in Bentonville.Listen as Toby Teeter shares how a coding project he started in law school became a publicly traded company, information on The Collaborative’s robust entrepreneurial ecosystem, and how the future of flight, outdoor tech, and biodesign is happening right here in NWA.

In this episode of Be EPIC, Matt is joined by Jonathan Navallo, Walton College alumnus and head of real estate at Ocean State Job Lot. Jonathan’s work in real estate for Walmart and Runway Group helped build the Northwest Arkansas we know today.Listen as Jonathan Navallo shares how his experiences at Walmart and the University of Arkansas accelerated his career, his passion for mentoring fellow Filipino-Americans, and how he turned a decade of layoffs into opportunities.

In this episode of Be EPIC, Matt is joined by Jason Evans, vice president of international realty and supply chain at Walmart. A Walton College alumnus, Evans has held a number of impressive positions at Walmart, including senior director of Latin America business processes and senior director of international supply chain engineering. He continues to contribute to the Walton community as an MBA student mentor.Listen as Jason Evans shares how he balanced work and continuing his education, why he finds working in Walmart’s international sector rewarding, and his thoughts on global supply chain volatility— and resilience—during the pandemic.

In this landmark 150th episode of Be EPIC, host Matt Waller takes us on a trip through the comprehensive history of the Sam M. Walton College of Business. Listen as Matt shares the unique story behind notable departments and programs, recent successful endeavors in entrepreneurship and research, and some of his personal favorite Be EPIC interviews.

In this episode of Be EPIC, Matt is joined by Jeff Simmons, president and CEO of Elanco, a leader in farm animal and pet health solutions, treating and preventing disease in more than 90 countries. Jeff describes the evolution of Elanco and how social changes affected the company, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Listen as Jeff Simmons explains Elanco’s vision and how it can be implemented in multiple facets of a company— and even life.

In this episode of Be EPIC, Matt is joined by Janis Kearney, co-founder and president of Read.Write.Share and published author. Hailing from the Southeast Delta Region of Arkansas, Janis's journey to the White House under the Clinton Administration seemed an unlikely one. However, her passion for storytelling and her experiences at the University of Arkansas would take her all the way to the president's personal diarist.Listen as Janis details her path to the White House and how she found success as a storyteller. 

In this episode of Be EPIC, Matt is joined by Denise Thomas, the Chief Executive Officer and 14-year veteran of the World Trade Center Arkansas. Listen as Denise shares the details of her work at the World Trade Center Arkansas, including her passion for growing and developing local businesses.

In this episode of Be EPIC, Matt is joined by Zak Heald, owner of NorthWest Arkansas ALIVE!, partner in Farm Studios, owner of Intercut Productions, and partner in Fyrecycle. Zak is an incredible entrepreneur with a resume to impress. Zak, while still in high school, began his venture into entrepreneurship and has excelled ever since, developing his skills across many businesses. Listen as Zak details how he found success in entrepreneurship and innovation in Arkansas.

In this episode of Be EPIC, Matt is joined by Carol Goforth, university professor at the University of Arkansas School of Law. Carol specializes in business associations and securities regulations, and regulation of crypto assets and transactions. She is a published author and member of the Walton College Academic Faculty Network in the Blockchain Center of Excellence. Listen as Carol and Matt discuss the infrastructure bill and how cryptocurrency plays a role in it.

In this episode of Be EPIC, Matt is joined by Professor Molly Rapert of The University of Arkansas, Professor Anastasia Thyroff of Clemson University, and Sarah Grace, senior manager of customer insights and strategy at Walmart, to discuss their published article, “The Generous Consumer: Interpersonal Generosity and Pro-Social Dispositions as Antecedents to Cause-Related Purchase Intentions.” Their article focuses on purchase intentions and how factors such as social responsibility, empathetic concern, moral reasoning, and past helpfulness affect purchase intentions while taking into account the mediation effect of interpersonal generosity. Listen as the “dream team” explains how the idea for this article came about and how they were able to bring it to fruition.