75Strong River Valley Cohort Helping Lead Local Businesses Through 75Strong Business Building Program

Van Buren, AR — April 29, 2026 — As small businesses continue to serve as the backbone of Arkansas’s economy, the 75Strong River Valley Cohort Team is helping ensure companies in the River Valley area have access to the tools, strategy, and support needed to grow stronger. The 75Strong River Valley Cohort includes Tracy Burba, Commissioner on the Van Buren Municipal Utilities Board; Sasha Grist, Executive Director of Western Arkansas Planning and Development; Shannon Newerth-Henson, Van Buren City Council Member; and Julie Murray, President and CEO of the Van Buren Chamber.

As part of the 75Strong program, led by Startup Junkie, the Cohort Team is helping connect multiple businesses from the local community to the 75Strong Business Building Program, a 24-week growth initiative designed to help Arkansas companies strengthen leadership, revenue systems, operations, and long-term strategy.

The Business Building Program includes a comprehensive company diagnostic, biweekly virtual growth sessions, and alternating expert office hours focused on helping businesses work through real barriers to growth. The curriculum is centered around seven critical growth domains, including financial disciplines, revenue velocity, organizational effectiveness, leadership effectiveness, operational systems, digital readiness, and innovation.
For the River Valley area, the impact of this next phase extends beyond individual businesses. By helping multiple local companies strengthen the systems behind scale, the community is building stronger job pathways, increased local purchasing power, and long-term economic resilience.

Shannon Newerth-Henson said, “I’m very proud of the businesses that were accepted into the 75Strong Business Building Program. Their willingness to learn, overcome challenges, and strengthen their businesses is a true reflection of the entrepreneurial spirit in our community!” 

Accepted Companies from the River Valley area include:

• 1312 Cleaning and Restoration
• Finance Navigators
• Hope Therapy Center
• JC Construction and Renovations
• Kury Electric
• Legacy Heights and Memory Lan
• Lisa’s Louvers
• Rustic Farm & Pet Services
• Sealtite
• Sharp Equipment
• Stirling Soap Company
• Your Purpose Wealth & Wellness

 
At the same time, the River Valley Cohort Team continues progressing through the broader 75Strong cohort experience, strengthening economic development strategies that help create more intentional support systems for entrepreneurs and small businesses across the region.

Drew Smith, 75Strong Program Director, said "One of the things I'm most proud of in this cohort is watching community & economic developers put their learning into action by making sure local businesses aren't left on the sidelines. There are real resources available to Arkansas companies right now, and our cohort members are doing the work of making sure those resources actually reach the people who need them."

By combining leadership development with direct business growth support, this phase of 75Strong is helping communities across Arkansas build stronger economies from the inside out.
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About Startup Junkie Consulting

Startup Junkie Consulting is a mission-driven organization with the mission to empower current and aspiring entrepreneurs, innovators, and small business leaders, providing world-class consulting, mentorship, training, and ecosystem development across Arkansas and beyond. Its programs include the Conductor, which drives innovation and economic growth in Central Arkansas through high-impact programming and founder support; ARise, the statewide technology commercialization initiative helping scalable tech and tech-enabled startups grow; 75Strong, a three-year entrepreneurial development effort equipping local leaders to strengthen ecosystems across all 75 counties of Arkansas; the Lithium Regional Innovation Cluster (LRIC), which accelerates innovation within the U.S. lithium value chain through commercialization training and strategic partnerships; and Startup Junkie Korea, an international effort connecting Korean tech startups with Northwest Arkansas corporations and venture capital partners. Together, these initiatives advance Startup Junkie’s mission to empower entrepreneurs and strengthen communities.
Contact:
Grace Rains
Executive Director of Conductor
grace@arconductor.org
 
Drew Smith
Program Manager of 75Strong
drew@arconductor.org