Be EPIC Podcast

Kirsten James and Torey Morris are two recent graduates of the Walton College who used the resources and opportunities Walton College provides to their advantage professionally. In this episode of the Be EPIC podcast, Kirsten James and Torey Morris sat down with Matt Waller to discuss how the resources Walton provided helped them land internships, gain relevant experience, and take on leadership roles that would transform their college experience and resume.

In this episode of Be EPIC, Matt is joined by four University of Arkansas students, Peyton Smith; Canon Reeves; Rex Hearn; and Kaushik Ramini, co-founders of MORE Technologies. The startup company specializes in the sale of 3-D printable robots and recently sold its technology assets and patent to Sphero. They discuss the process of beginning a startup and how the acquisition will shape their future.

In this episode of Be EPIC, Matt is joined by Dominique Lebigot, chief purchasing officer at LVMH Wines & Spirits, and Remko Van Hoek, full professor of practice of Supply Chain Management at the Walton College. They discuss the future of procurement and ways to generate revenue through purchasing relationships.

Anne O’Leary-Kelly, senior associate dean of the Walton College, shares her insight on psychological contracts and the effects the pandemic has had on return to work. In this episode of Be EPIC, we discuss how employee expectations have adjusted in a remote environment and making conscious strides towards fair treatment in the workplace.

Bobby Franklin is the president and CEO of National Venture Capital Association, which advocates for public policy that supports the American entrepreneurial ecosystem. During his talk with host Matt Waller, he explains what venture capital is and the difference between terms like seed funding, angel funding, and VC funding. He also discusses the history of the venture capital industry in the U.S., the misconceptions some have about the industry, and how important it is to the U.S. economy. Learn more about National Venture Capital Association: https://nvca.org/

Collin Jones is the president of Resi, a streaming technology company, and a 2015 Walton College graduate. Collin has found great success in the digital world at a young age. In this episode of Be EPIC, Collin provides insight on experiences that can be valuable to pursue in college and skills that will position you to find success in the tech and digital industry. Learn more about Resi here: https://resi.io/

Karen Boston, senior assistant dean and chief student officer at the Sam M. Walton College of Business, shares her insights on the student success activities and initiatives within the University of Arkansas and specifically Walton College. Karen explains the Turn 2 Into 4 program, the ways the college is helping solve student obstacles and how data analytics plays a role in this, and how the career readiness initiative has partnered with companies to truly prepare students for future careers.

Ammen Jordan is the Active Transportation Coordinator at the University of Arkansas, assisting with the infrastructure and programming needs of people commuting by bicycle, foot, e-scooter, skateboard, wheelchair, and other human-powered transportation. Prior to returning to the University of Arkansas, Ammen worked in a variety of business roles advancing triple bottom line principles: profit, people, and planet. In this episode of Be EPIC, Ammen and I discuss his passion for the outdoors and sustainability, how he navigated his different professional roles, and the physical and emotional benefits of active transportation.

Robert Hatcher is the founder and CEO of Aurign. Aurign is a music publishing tech startup that uses blockchain technology and data analytics. Robert created the company over two years while completing his MBA. Robert and his team were the winners of the first annual 2020 Heartland Challenge Startup Competition. The $50K in prize money from this competition and the winnings from other competitions has helped take his startup to the next level. In this episode of Be EPIC, Robert and I discuss how he balanced school and the startup, treating a business idea as a hypothesis, and the opportunities business planning competitions can provide. Learn more about Aurign: https://www.aurign.com/ Learn more about Heartland Challenge Startup Competition: https://entrepreneurship.uark.edu/programs/heartland-challenge.php

Born and raised in Arkansas and a proud Walton alumnus, Gary Norcross is now the chairman, president, and CEO of FIS, a financial technology company. They employ over 50,000 people and serve around 20,000 clients at over 100 locations. In this episode of Be EPIC, Gary details how he assumed these roles, the different avenues of business growth, and the importance of self-awareness within leaders.