Accelerating Outdoor Industry Startups with the Greenhouse Outdoor Recreation Program - Part 2

Summary

This Bentonville Beacon episode is part two of a bonus series that highlights the third cohort of the Greenhouse Outdoor Recreation Program (GORP). James Bell is joined by Brent Robinson, Founder of Greenway Bike Co., Alex Huesing from Cloud Pad, Marley Blonsky, Co-founder of All Bodies on Bikes and Eliot Jackson with Reggy. GORP is a Bentonville-based business incubator focused on the development of innovative solutions within the outdoor recreation industry. Its third cohort features a mountain climbing startup and five cycling companies that have access to team mentoring, workshop training and dedicated product/service development to help them launch, build and scale globally. Throughout the episode, James, Brent, Alex, Marley and Eliot discuss the intent behind each of their companies, how they’ve benefited from participating in GORP’s third cohort and how the Bentonville community is helping them build and expand their businesses.

Thanks for tuning in!

Show Notes

(0:59) Introduction to Brent

(3:42) Building Greenway Bike Co.

(6:18) The Benefits of GORP

(7:03) What’s Next for Greenway Bike Co.

(8:40) Brent’s #BecauseBentonville Story 

(10:40) Introduction to Alex

(13:38) About Cloud Pad

(17:02) Alex’s Experience with GORP

(19:31) Challenges Building Cloud Pad

(21:00) Advice for Finding Clarity

(22:12) Alex’s #BecauseBentonville Story

(24:32) Introduction to Marley Blonsky

(27:24) Transitioning from Seattle to Bentonville

(29:04) About All Bodies on Bikes

(34:02) How GORP Helps Founders

(38:30) Marley’s #BecauseBentonville Story

(42:13) Introduction to Eliot

(45:57) About Reggy

(47:11) Partaking in the GORP Cohort 

(49:31) How Bentonville Helps Build Businesses

(51:37) Eliot’s #BecauseBentonville Story

(56:47) Closing Thoughts 

‍Links

James Bell

Bentonville Economic Development 

Greenhouse Outdoor Recreation Program

Brent Robinson

Greenway Bike Co.

Marley Blonsky

All Bodies on Bikes

Eliot Jackson

Reggy

Alex Huesing

Quotes

“These are kits that have been around for twenty years, but it’s sometimes hard for you to get in there and do it…So we’ve found a way that we can start to offer those services and present those kits to people in ways they can utilize them.” - Brent Robinson, (4:07)

“We want to build a smarter boulder pad because we know there’s a better way to do it. Our hope is that by making a product that’s both safer and more affordable, we can prevent injuries and get more people to be excited about going outside.” - Alex Huesing, (15:05)

“GORP is a phenomenal program that gives you a good structure for approaching and learning some of the challenges that are inevitable along the way of starting a company, but the most important thing it provides is this social support network of peers.” - Alex Huesing, (17:12)

“GORP has given me the framework, the language, the tools, but most importantly, the resources… it really just got me off on a good foot to go down this path and figure out if it’s a viable market opportunity.” - Marley Blonsky, (34:42) 

“To me, the intersection between entrepreneurship and cycling, and really the outdoors, is Bentonville. I’ve been to so many places and there’s nowhere that those two intersect as much as they do here.” - Eliot Jackson, (47:31)