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What if one of the biggest business opportunities in the world was hiding inside a problem most people never think about?

In this episode, Are Traasdahl, founder of Crisp and Arkade, shares the story behind building a company aimed at solving one of the most overlooked global challenges: food waste. With one-third of all food produced globally lost before it ever reaches consumers, Are saw not just a broken system, but a massive opportunity to rebuild it using data, technology, and AI.

Summary

Are walks through his journey from growing up in a small town in Norway to building and exiting multiple technology companies in the U.S., including early innovations in mobile content and programmatic advertising. But Crisp represents something different. Inspired by a trip around the world where he witnessed both massive food waste and deep food insecurity, he set out to build a data platform that connects the entire retail supply chain—what he calls a “supply web”—to reduce inefficiencies at scale.

At the core of Crisp is a simple but powerful idea: if you can unify data across retailers, suppliers, and distributors, you can dramatically improve decision-making—from what gets stocked on shelves to how products are priced and distributed. What started with zero customers and tens of millions invested in technology quickly accelerated during the pandemic, growing to thousands of brands as the industry realized the need for better data visibility and collaboration.

Beyond the business itself, Are shares a broader philosophy on building: focus on solving meaningful problems, be willing to invest ahead of the market, and commit to creating something that delivers value not just for customers—but for the world. His “triple bottom line” approach—good for the world, good for customers, and good for the business—offers a compelling framework for founders thinking about long-term impact.

Highlights

00:00 Why is Are building in NWA?

4:00 Are's other companies (Thumbplay, Tapad)

19:00 Crisp is solving food waste in the supply chain
31:00 What makes Crisp different
46:00 Are's vision for Arkade

Key Takeaways

1. Solve problems at scale—or rethink the problem entirely - Are didn’t choose a “cool” industry—he chose a massive one. The food supply chain isn’t flashy, but it’s a $10+ trillion ecosystem filled with inefficiencies. For young founders, this is a reminder: the biggest opportunities often live in overlooked industries. For seasoned founders, your story becomes more powerful when it’s tied to a problem that actually matters.

2. You need to be 10x better—not just slightly better - Incremental improvements don’t drive change—especially in complex, B2B environments. Crisp’s success comes from building a fundamentally different system, not just optimizing an existing one. If you’re building something, ask yourself: is this truly different, or just marginally better?

3. Build ahead of the market—and be willing to wait - Crisp invested tens of millions into technology before generating revenue. That’s uncomfortable—but it created a long-term advantage when the market caught up. Whether you’re early or experienced, there’s a tension here: can you see where things are going—and are you willing to build for that future before it’s obvious?

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For guest suggestions or inquiries nwafounders@gmail.com

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What if the real edge in your business is leaning into A.I.?

In this episode, Eric Howerton, co-founder & CGO of AdFury.ai, pulls back the curtain on how AI is reshaping the future of retail, advertising, and entrepreneurship in Northwest Arkansas. This isn’t a hype conversation about AI; it’s a grounded, hard-earned perspective from someone who’s spent over a decade solving real problems for real customers.

Summary

Eric reframes what it means to be an entrepreneur in today’s world. It’s not about titles like “founder” or chasing funding—it’s about seeing a problem so clearly that you can’t ignore it. That mindset led him to build WhyteSpyder from $850 in the bank to a successful exit, and now drives his work at AdFury, where he’s tackling what he calls the “content supply chain” - the bottleneck that prevents brands from delivering personalized, relevant experiences at scale.

At the core of AdFury’s innovation is a simple but powerful shift: using AI not just to automate tasks, but to unlock entirely new capabilities. Instead of manually creating dozens of ad variations, brands can now generate highly personalized, dynamic content for individual shoppers in seconds: something that was previously impossible due to time and cost constraints.

Zooming out, Eric challenges the broader Northwest Arkansas ecosystem to think differently. Rather than trying to imitate Silicon Valley, he argues the region’s true strength lies in its deep retail expertise and problem-solving culture. The opportunity isn’t to chase trends, it’s to double down on solving meaningful problems faster than anyone else, especially as AI reshapes the industry at an accelerating pace.

Highlights

00:00 What is the difference between a founder, entrepreneur, & business owner?

9:00 Evolution of tech scene in NWA

23:00 What is AdFury.ai ?
41:00 A.I. advice for small business owners
47:00 How AdFury is gonna change retail
58:00 Eric's hope for AdFury

Key Takeaways

1. Real entrepreneurs are obsessed with problem solving - Eric didn’t start businesses thinking about exits or valuations. He started because he saw gaps that needed to be solved. If you’re early in your journey, focus less on “what could this become?” and more on “what needs to be fixed right now?”

2. AI isn’t just a tool—it’s a new playing field - Most people approach AI as a way to do existing tasks faster. Eric’s perspective flips that: AI enables things that were never possible before. The founders who win won’t just optimize, they’ll rethink what’s even possible in their industry.

3. Your environment matters more than you think - Northwest Arkansas isn’t Silicon Valley, and that’s the advantage. The density of real problems, real operators, and real businesses creates a unique opportunity: solve meaningful problems where you are, instead of chasing abstract ideas somewhere else.

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For guest suggestions or inquiries nwafounders@gmail.com

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What would happen if more of the capital shaping your area actually came from the people who live there?

In this episode, Brad Henry of Natural Capital shares a behind-the-scenes look at building a private investment firm designed to do exactly that: keep opportunity local, empower founders, and give families in Arkansas a seat at the table. It’s a conversation about money, but more than that: it’s about trust, relationships, and building something you’re genuinely proud of.

Summary

Brad breaks down how Natural Capital operates as a relationship-driven investment firm, pooling capital from local families and deploying it into both real estate and businesses across Arkansas and the broader Heartland. With a focus on diversification, the firm balances cash-flowing real estate with growth-oriented company investments, creating stability while still capturing upside. What stands out is their intentional strategy: not chasing “home runs,” but consistently hitting “doubles” through disciplined, lower-risk investing.

The story behind Natural Capital is just as compelling as the strategy. Born out of a gap in the Arkansas market (where most private investing was done by a few large families) the firm was built to democratize access to private markets. Brad shares how early fundraising leaned heavily on trust, asking friends and family to believe in a vision before it was proven. That reputational risk became a defining feature of the company’s culture: relationships first, always.

At its core, this episode is about impact. From investing in affordable housing across Northwest Arkansas to partnering with founders as minority investors, Natural Capital is focused on long-term value, both financially and within the community. Brad makes it clear: success isn’t just measured in returns, but in whether investors and partners feel proud to be part of what they’re building together.

Highlights

00:00 What is Natural Capital?

14:00 NatCap's investment strategy

28:00 Company case study: Harvest Group
37:00 Raising the 1st Fund
47:00 What growth looks like in NWA

Key Takeaways

1. Build through relationships, not transactions - The best opportunities (and the best outcomes) come from trust. Whether you’re raising capital or telling your story, long-term relationships will outperform short-term wins every time.

2. You don’t need to swing for home runs to win - Natural Capital’s strategy is simple: avoid unnecessary risk and focus on consistent, repeatable outcomes. For founders, this is a reminder that sustainable growth often beats flashy, high-risk bets.

3. Your story is part of your strategy - For seasoned founders especially, how you communicate your journey matters. Brad and his partners raised their first fund by inviting others into a story they believed in. If people understand your vision, they’re far more likely to invest—financially and relationally.

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For guest suggestions or inquiries nwafounders@gmail.com