September 2015

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2015

DINING

|

LIFESTYLE

|

ENTERTAINMENT

THE

TECH

REVOLUTION

CREATE LITTLE ROCK

LR TECH FEST

MADE BY FEW

Save the Date

· visual art · music · film

· theatre · dance · and more!

Ceiling Lights • Wall Lights • Fans • Exterior Lighting LED • Furniture • Lamps • Home Accents

w w w.t e c e l e c t r i c .c o m

See the complete calendar of events at:

www.artsinconway.org

Pictured above: Third Coast Percussion Concert, Oct. 2, 7:30 pm, Reynolds Performance Hall, UCA

9221 Maumelle Blvd. • North Little Rock, AR • 501.758.5483 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS www.localmag411.com

THE VENTURE CENTER 3

Turning Ideas into Real Ventures

Local. Magazine Local_LittleRock

LOCAL FAVORITES 6-7

6

Discover some of your local, favorite restaurants, cafés, shops, and services in Central Arkansas! Keep your business local.

CREATE LITTLE ROCK 8

Create Little Rock is a young professional organization for Little Rock that seeks to attract, retain, and grow talent in the area.

LR TECH FEST 10

One-day technology conference featuring popular developer topics from industry leaders.

8 12

LEADING INNOVATION IN AR 12

If you have found yourself lacking in direction or purpose, The Iron Yard may be the place for you. Located in downtown Little Rock is a school unlike any other; a school taking strides toward greatness.

BE A LOCALIST: PROSPERITY 14

Everyone wants vibrant local economies & healthy neighborhoods—but we don’t always support the existing local options that will help us realize this vision. Take the 10% SHIFT and be part of the solution that creates a thriving community

FEATURED FAVORITE 17

There is a new option for great food in Conway. Learn more in our featured favorite!

TREADING TOWARDS PROGRESS 19

Few is a web and mobile application design & development shop located in Little Rock, Arkansas. They focus on building highquality applications.

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NOTEIMALS 21

It is a proven fact that playing music enriches the brains of young children. Learn about this revolutionary app teaching early music education.

location: THE IRON YARD model: MARY DUNLAP

Photographer

MIKE RUSSELL

mikerussellphotography@gmail.com

ON THE COVER

PUBLISHERS Richard Niemeyer Kaitlin Schmidt CREATIVE DIRECTOR Kaitlin Schmidt WRITERS Charlette Beasley Briley Emerson Jacqulyn Sexton PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR Mike Russell [cover photo] ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Richard Niemeyer For Advertising Information, please call 501-554-1126 For Subscription services, please call 501-476-4200 Local. Magazine is published bimonthly by 411 Publications, P.O. Box 1835, N. Little Rock, AR 72115 411publications@gmail.com The contents of Local. are copyrighted and material contained herein may not be copied or reproduced in any manner without the written consent of the publisher.

CONTRIBUTER SPOTLIGHT BRILEY EMERSON Briley, a native Arkansan, has lived across the world advocating for social justice.

From working with organizations on the ground in east Africa, to leading grass roots rallies in Washington, D.C. -- people are his passion. When in Arkansas, he enjoys spending time investing in his community and the people that call it home MIKE RUSSELL For over 10 years, Mike has been honored to be chosen as photographer for many weddings and portraits throughout Central Arkansas and around the world.

He has a love for portraits, weddings and the photographic arts. Check out his website or drop by his studio located in the Argenta Arts District. mikerussellphotography.com

3

Driving Economic Growth Through a Strategic Approach to Entrepreneurism

824 W. 7th St. DOWNTOWN LITTLE ROCK

#suite102salon

} } Best stylist (Alli summers) and nominated best hair salon of 2015

A

lmost everyone, at one time or another, has had a big idea. An idea that spawns daydreams of “what if…” Most never follow through on the idea for a variety of reasons. Often it’s a lack of clarity or confidence, but it also may be a lack of connections. Where do I start? So most people do not start at all.

In 2013, Fast Company ranked the states by innovation. Arkansas ranked 37th. Another study ranked Arkansas 45th for entrepreneurship. “As I traveled around the country talking to the leaders in entrepreneurism and surveying the premier startup incubators, I knew we could do better,” says Lee Watson, president and CEO of The Venture Center. And that’s exactly what Watson set out to do.

In spring of 2014, The Venture Center launched, with the support of the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce and the City of Little Rock. “We decided to build a globallyrecognized startup incubator which would leverage the unique industries and advantages that Central Arkansas has to offer,” says Watson. And The Venture Center is well on its way to accomplishing this objective thanks to a systematic, pro-business approach that builds upon best practices in lean methodology from around the world.

In the summer of 2015, The Venture Center joined the Startup Federation, a global organization of the leading startup incubators on the planet. After just over a year in operation, The Venture Center has supported the creation of more than 53 knowledge-based jobs in Little Rock, and its member companies have raised over $1.5 million in the last ten months.

“The mentorship that Venture Center mentors provided was invaluable to the successful growth of Apptegy, especially during the process of our first-round capital raise,” noted Jeston George, Founder and CEO of Apptegy. These initial results provide early validation for Watson’s belief that “we can do better.”

This fall, The Venture Center launches the third installment of its popular Pre-Accelerator course. The Pre-Accelerator is the starting place for budding entrepreneurs with a new idea. The class helps startup founders develop a minimum viable product (MVP), develop a strong and scalable business model and prove viability through customer validation. All of these steps form a strategic process for de-risking the 4

business in order to create a more attractive opportunity for early investors.

Starting a business can be risky. The statistics about the failure rate of new businesses are ubiquitous. In the past, predicting the success of early businesses has been a gamble–and to a certain extent it still is--however a systematic approach enhances the success ratio of early startup ventures. Like healthy relationships, there are certain elements found in healthy startups that can be indicators of success.

In Arkansas, when you take a look at new startups–particularly in the technology field– you find that the time frame for a company to move from idea stage to sustained profitability (with the potential goal of $5-10 million dollars recurring annual revenue) has been three to five years. And many businesses never reach that benchmark.

According to the Kauffman Foundation, companies less than five years old are responsible for 95% of net new jobs created.

The problem is that there are few systematic methods for ensuring the success of these fledgling businesses.

Through a highly structured approach, entrepreneurial businesses can move through the startup process in a way that de-risks market, product and team. This process is vital in order to consistently produce and foster healthy startups and speed up the time it takes them to reach viability.

Ideation is not systematic. There is a paradox between the inherent nature of creative ideation and the systematic construction of a viable business. Ideation is spontaneous and scattered, however the best ideation happens within a structured framework.

Top entrepreneurial cities employ a systematic approach in which a plethora of creative events foster rampant ideation. But they don’t stop there. They also have a clear process by which these top ideas move beyond that stage into a time of cultivation in which they transition from a nascent idea to a potential commercial endeavor.

In short, the cities with the most vibrant startup communities have found a way to create a pipeline of great ideas that are funneled into a structured framework by which they can be cultivated and grow without crushing the creative process which gave birth to them.

This tension between ideation and structured growth is essential to startup acceleration. The Venture Center builds upon a proven process to create viable, growing businesses and highpaying, knowledge-based jobs.

In the past year, this approach has yielded promising results and has created real jobs that are making an immediate impact in the City of Little Rock. The exciting thing is that this is just start.

- Steve Rice For more information, please visit: www.venturecenter.co

from farm . . . To

521 Main St. North Little Rock, AR 501.725.4219

Table

LUNCH Tues-Fri 11-2:30 · DINNER Wed-Sat 5-Close Cooking Classes, Wine Classes & Specialty Events on Tuesday Nights

Dtoare

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be

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Uncommon Threads boutique

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Kiehl Ave. & Hwy 107

selection and 501 . 8 34 . 2 1 3 4 Intersection of

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eat

A.w. Lin’s Asian Cuisine offers a variety of dishes from traditional Chinese and Japanese dishes to sushi, and Thai curries. You are sure to find a new favorite dish. Located in the 17711 Chenal Pkwy (in The Promenade at Chenal) in Little Rock. 501-821-5398

Damgoode Pies is the winner of multiple awards for Best Pizza in Little Rock; and our microbrewery offers Craft Beer connoisseurs a wide array of scrumptious House Brews. 500 President Clinton Ave. in Little Rock.

501-664-2239

@ The Corner will focus on “finer diner” foods. Gourmet breakfast, burgers, hotdogs, sandwiches, salads, soups will all get unique flavor twists with restaurant owners sourcing locally as much as possible. Daily specials & Fried Friday!

201 E. Markham in Little Rock. 501-400-8458

Al Seraj Mediterranean Grill offers excellent, authentic food from the Middle East including Lamb kabob, Shish beef & chicken kabob, falafel, Hummus, Creek salad, Gyro, Beef & Chicken Shawaram. 11400 N Rodney Parham Rd. in Little Rock. 501-954-2026

Fresh: An Urban Eatery features homemade, fresh, meals for dine-in or carry out. The goal is to prepare a fresh, quality meal for you in a casual, friendly, and inviting environment. Fresh is located 1706 West 3rd Street in Little Rock.

Or call 501-319-7021 for more information!

The Veg creates fresh, exciting, innovative & 100% vegan cuisine. Catering available as well as custom meal plans based on your preferences & goals. Now offering cooking demos for anyone that wants to learn! The Veg is located in the River Market Hall at 400 President Clinton Ave. in Little Rock.

Table 28 is located in the Burgundy Hotel and serves New American Cuisine featuring Executive Chef Scott Rains. Table 28 continues the tradition of award winning cuisine and service with a unique twist on fine dining. 1501 Merrill Drive in Little Rock 501-224-2828

Root Cafe has a mission to build community through local food. We have a variety of delicious sandwiches, soups, salads, burgers, brats, fries, and homemade baked goods that feature fresh, seasonal ingredients sourced from local farmers 1500 S Main St. in Little Rock. 501-414-0423

The Pantry is the perfect spot for rustic, made from scratch European food, a great craft beer & specialty cocktail selection and an inviting atmosphere. Full Dinner Menu 4-12 Mon-Sat. 11401 N. Rodney Parham Rd. (501-353-1875) and 722 N. Palm St. in Hillcrest (501-725-4945)

Sassy Cake Lady is the newest, sweet addition to Maumelle! They offer a delicious variety of cupcakes, specialty cakes for every occasion, soups, sandwiches, and more! Head over to 13120 Crystal Hill Rd. Ste. I in Maumelle or call 501615-8486

6

shop

Homayd Natural Care Products specializes in healthy, natural soap & body products. Made with only the best ingredients, Homayd (pronounced “homemade”) will keep your skin, hair, & body feeling its best. www.homayd.com / 501-749-8826.

Use coupon code “LOCAL10” for 10% off.

Eco-Social Events delivers vintage decor for sustainable 0-waste parties - sourcing local gardens, farms, bakeries, photographers, musicians, flowers. BIG events, little footprints at homes, parks, museums, offices. Easy on the Planet, Easy on the Budget. www.EcoSocialEvents.com.

501.772.9906

Galaxy Office Furniture is not your ordinary furniture store, it is one of the most eclectic stores in town. Specializing in Office Furniture, Retro, Vintage, and one of a kind art...you never know what you will find at The Galaxy! 304 Main Street in North Little Rock, 501-375-3375

LJ’s Automotive Repair provides top-quality automotive services to Central Arkansas.

Specializing in all auto repair, they offer everything from oil changes to general repair problems. A family owned business that can fix what others can’t! 8403 JFK in Sherwood. 501-392-6497

Southern Fox Boutique is a contemporary boutique located in the heart of the Argenta District. It offers unique and affordable handmade gifts, clothing, fragrances, and decor.

304 Main Street in N. Little Rock (located inside Galaxy Furniture). 501-454-4570

Lindsey’s Office Cleaning has been a family owned, professional business for 10 years. They clean over 200,000 square feet of commercial space every week! Licensed & insured. Call 501-888-3371 today for a FREE estimate to get your office cleaned.

Argenta Bead Company is a full service bead shop. Make your own jewelry to adorn yourself with a one-of-a –kind creation or have us make it for you. We also do repairs, classes & host parties.

We have fun here – you should too! 703 Main St, Argenta, NLR, 501.537.0928 argentabead.com

Freckled Frog features a variety of handcrafted items made by Arkansans. Our inventory is continually updated with new and one of a kind items as well as a constant stock from our favorite local designers and crafters. 419 President Clinton Ave. in Little Rock. 501-351-5245

Cook’s Screen Printing is a family owned and operated screen printing business with over 30 years of experience that provides high quality merchandise and workmanship at an affordable price. No order is too big or too small - they do it all! 1505 S. Pine St. in Cabot. 501-843-5646

Green Corner Store offers a variety of handcrafted, locally-made gifts. Shop our sustainable & organic goods while enjoying ice cream & a beverage from our soda fountain. 1423 Main Street in SoMa in Little Rock. 501-374-1111 or thegreencornerstore.com.

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YOUNG PROFESSIONALS

CREATE LITTLE ROCK

T

he Local Movement in Arkansas continues to gain traction as more and more residents are connecting to the community. Create Little Rock is a young professionals organization for the Little Rock region working to attract, retain, and grow talent in the area. Through events, committee meetings, planning groups, and regular meetups, members stay current and play proactive roles in the happenings of their region.

While Create Little Rock hosts many events throughout the year, PopUp in The Rock is by far the largest. It’s an annual project on which both Create Little Rock and studioMAIN, a nonprofit design collective, collaborate. PopUp opens the minds of community members to the endless possibilities that exist for the city. Part of a national movement known as the Better Block Project, PopUp in The Rock highlights elements important to the city, such as multiple transportation options and an active street edge, in addition to providing activities that allow communities to actively engage in the build-out process and provide feedback in real time. Organizers of this event intend for it to demonstrate exactly what is possible in a community with a little bit of work. The 2015 PopUp will take place on October 24 along West Ninth Street in Little Rock between Broadway at the historic Mosaic Templars Cultural Center and State Street at the Dreamland Ballroom/ Flag & Banner Building.

Once a month, Create Little Rock hosts a happy hour at various venues to provide a gathering place for both current and new members to meet & greet, stay in touch, and learn more about the organization. Create Little Rock’s Facebook page and website lists all of the details regarding the next Create Little Rock Happy Hour.

Usually held quarterly, the Unplugged Speaker Series is a laid-back, round-table style event during which local community members or CEOs tell their stories and give advice to Create 8

By Charlette Beasley

Little Rock members in the process. Members also get the opportunity to participate in question and answer sessions. Beer, wine, and open lunch are all fair game, depending on the venue used.

Each spring, Create Little Rock members form a team to compete in the River Cities Dragon Boat Festival. All proceeds received from this event benefit the Children’s Protection Center, and this provides a great way for locals to give back.

Organized meet-ups, community event participation, and educational opportunities are the tools used by Create Little Rock to build the region’s next generation of leaders.

Land in The Rock is a summer program that consists of a series of events open to all law clerks, interns, and medical residents who are visiting for the summer. These events demonstrate what Little Rock has to offer in hopes of enticing them to return to the area after graduation.

Another noteworthy program is Get On Board. It seeks to match young professionals with non-profit boards of directors in Central Arkansas. Within the past couple of years, Create Little Rock has matched a number of board “interns” with non-profit organizations, such as the American Red Cross of Arkansas, Goodwill Industries of Arkansas, and First Tee of Arkansas. This provides an amazing opportunity for participants to get first-hand experience into the board member experience while networking within the community. Not to mention, it doesn’t look bad on a resume. In the past, several interns have even been asked to retain their board membership past the terms of their internships.

Supporting and investing in the local community is at the heart of Create Little Rock. Focusing on young talent in the area will inevitably breed all kinds of positive rewards for everyone involved. Some continue their careers by joining local companies within the city of Little Rock, and others embark on the journey of entrepreneurship by adding their own businesses

to the playing field. Either way, the dollars they generate remain in the region and continue to serve the local community. By designing events in ways that actively engage Create Little Rock members and those around them, everyone plays a hand in keeping the local area unique. Native Arkansans have always had a voice, but with the Local Movement to which Create Little Rock is attached, everyone can now be heard.

Create Little Rock is one of several groups and programs offered by the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber helps grow the region’s economy, providing invaluable resources for local businesses. By providing shared spaces for business owners to network, learn, and grow; they are able to identify and meet the common needs of their members. The Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce strives to raise the quality of life for all citizens in the region and is inviting to all types of businesses and individuals. With over 80% of their membership coming from small business, the Chamber fuels the current local economic momentum.

The Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce, Create Little Rock, and the many others involved in the Local Movement are banding together for the greater good of everyone in the community. If a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, the work of these invaluable organizations and others like them, insures the Little Rock chain will only grow stronger.

w w w. c r e a t e l i t t l e r o c k . c o m

NIXON | HIPPYTREE | VOLCOM | IRON&RESIN | RVCA ZANEROBE | WESC | AG | DIESEL | SCOTCH&SODA

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Entrees include a variety of specialties that you can not find at an average Mexican restaurant.

PROVISIONS FOR THE CULTURED GENTLEMAN

11220 N. RODNEY PARHAM RD. SUITE 3 LITTLE ROCK 72212 5 0 1 . 2 4 6 . 5 4 6 6

Cilantro’s makes their own fresh tortillas using original flour from Mexico and vegetables they purchase from Green Hills, a Mexican company in Siloam Springs, AR. Whether you’re looking for a nice place to drink with friends, celebrate a special event, eat dinner with family, Cilantro’s is the place to be!

2629 Lakewood Village Dr. N. Little Rock, AR 824 West 7th Street | Downtown Little Rock

(501) 812-0040

9

LITTLE ROCK TECH FEST Little Rock Tech Fest is an annual free, oneday developer conference featuring popular web, mobile and related developer topics from industry leaders. It is an event that attracts both professional and aspiring software developers, tech start-ups and information technology enthusiasts.

Speakers will be coming from all across the country to present. This year, LR Tech Fest even has speakers from companies such as Twitter, Microsoft, Eventbrite, and more! The conference will hit on a number of selected topics. A few this year will include: • Developing Mobile Apps Using Fabric (Twitter) • Signs of the Times: What Road Signs Taught Me About Web Design (Simply Dano)

•

Azure: The Building Blocks of a Modern Cloud Application (Microsoft) • 10 Reasons to Stop Using Javascript!

(Syncano) • Sugar & Spice and Everything Nice About ES6 (Eventbrite) • Cryptography Pitfalls (Braintree) • Refactoring Toward Web Components (The Iron Yard) • Domain-Driven Design, Distilled (Thoughtworks) Students and professionals across Arkansas and surrounding regions come to learn and network with peers. Daniel Pollock, Conference Organizer, says: “The focus of the Little Rock Tech Fest is to educate and excite software developers of all skill levels. We aim to strengthen the Central Arkansas developer community by attracting respected speakers from all over the region and providing opportunities for

developers to engage with their peers. The other big success I see is hearing stories from people who were able to connect with other developers and professionals in Arkansas that they weren’t aware of.”

Little Rock Tech Fest will take place on October 16, 2015 at the Statehouse Convention Center. This will be the third year for the event and 400 attendees are expected. This is up from 225 attendees in 2013 and 350 in 2014. Along with he 24 different topics being presented, there will be 10 combined local and national vendors with information on products relevant to developers as well as companies recruiting new talent. Lunch, cool swag and some awesome tech prizes will be provided, too!

For more information and the complete list of speakers, check out www.lrtechfest.com or email info@lrtechfest.com. Don’t forget to stick around after the conference for an after party at the Venture Center!

one

In the beginning, there was only fine dining establishment in the Promenade.

As more have opened, YaYa’s has stayed the original and a local favorite.

“They” say

imitation

is the greatest form of

flattery.

We say

“they” are right!

the original and Lunch • BRUNCH • Dinner • Catering • Private Dining

10

ST ILL the best.

17711 Chenal Parkway • Little Rock (501) 821-1144 • yayasar.com

all juice made in house & high-quality

free builds knowledgeable staff with years of vaping experience

Perfect place for beginners and experts

Trade-ins accepted

every customer gets one-on-one help with every item we sell

Low pr ic es

www.drippersvapeshop.com

www.jacobscpas.com www.jacobslawpllc.com Our firm is one of the leading firms in the area. By combining our expertise, experience and the energy of our staff, each client receives close personal and professional attention.

NEW LOCATION 501-286-6003

121 Financial Rd. Cabot, AR 72023

hip place to drip and hang out!

Visit us at: 164 South Broadview Greenbrier, AR

(870) 805-9669

TAX PLANNING PAYROLL BOOKKEEPING CONSULTING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ENTITY FORMATION ESTATE PLANNING ELDER LAW BUSINESS LAW & More!

Other locations:

870-255-4175

67 Highway 70 East Hazen, AR 72064

Come see our NEW Inventory!

Dwayne Smith

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501-605-6094

5700 Landers Rd. N. Little Rock, AR

501-891-3538

901 N. First St., Ste. C Jacksonville, AR 72078

479-213-6448

208 S. 5th Street Scranton, AR 72863 11

LEADING INNOVATION IN ARKANSAS

By Briley Emerson

I

f ever you have found yourself lacking in direction or purpose, The Iron Yard is a place that would be worth your time to take a look at. Located in the heart of downtown Little Rock is a school unlike any other; a school taking strides toward greatness.

The Iron Yard is a coding school that was started in Greenville, SC in 2013. The Little Rock, Arkansas campus opened in May of 2015. The Iron Yard offers multiple programs of study. Their crash courses teach students how software works through free, one night lessons. The Iron Yard also offers what they call “Immersive Courses”, which strive to help students launch a new career through 12 weeks of full time study as well as a comprehensive career support program. The sole purpose and ethos of The Iron Yard is to “create exceptional growth and mentorship for people and their ideas through tech-focused education”, and is exactly what they are doing here at their newest campus in Central Arkansas.

Earlier this week I was able to sit down with new TIY Campus Director Mary Dunlap, who joined the team mid April of 2015. When asking Mary what The Iron Yard looks for in students prior to accepting them into their programs she was able to expand on the process that TIY goes through. “Most of our students come to The Iron Yard without any basic computer or coding skills, which is a wonderful place to start.

Our most successful students are ones who have the desire to solve problems and make the world better through technology, and because our courses teach us the way to solve those problems, that is the main desire we look for in our in-coming students’, Mary said, ‘And while

we do take a very different approach to education here at The Iron Yard, a traditional education is still highly valued. For our campuses we exist to create exceptional growth and mentorship through technical vocation. That is who we are.

Part of our application process includes having students go through some pre-work to ensure they enjoy the basics of coding before they jump into a full-time course.”

The success of The Iron Yard can, with out a doubt, be traced back to their strategy and implementation. “One of the reasons that The Iron Yard has been so successful is the fact that we don’t come into a community and make these cookie cutter campuses. We strive to see the needs of the community and where we can meet those needs”, Mary informed me. An exciting aspect of The Iron Yard’s strategy to impact the community, as stated earlier, is that they offer free crash courses for anyone looking to become plugged in. “The web has become an essential tool in almost every job imaginable, but for many people what goes on underneath the buttons, images and apps is a mystery”, their website states.

Photograph by Mike Russell

12

When The Iron Yard decides to expand into a new city the first thing that they look for is a buzzing tech community and companies that are willing to work together in solidarity. “When deciding to expand into Little Rock it was such an exciting time because there is already this bustling and growing community here”, Mary said. “One of the coolest parts about Little Rock is that there is a strong community and we get to become plugged into it by being here.”

The Iron Yard works with companies both small and large. From the guys at Few, who run a creative digital agency here in Little Rock to larger companies like Acxiom. Mary told me both are doing incredible things already in Little Rock. It is also a habit of The Iron Yard to ask the same types of companies in the same market as their campuses to sit on the advisory board for the school. “They are there to help guide us through with their input which is really great because they are the same companies that will be hiring our graduates once they complete our program.”

What sets The Iron Yard’s newest campus apart from all the others is Governor Hutchison’s computer science initiative. To show support the Governor came and spoke at TIY Little Rock’s open house recently, which further showed that Arkansas is serious about moving forward in the future and making a global impact. As Arkansas meets its stride, The Iron Yard will be there pushing it forward.

“We are simply another piece of the education puzzle in Little Rock. There are a lot of great outlets for people to be able to explore coding, whether that be as an adult starting from scratch or high school student wanting to work within

computer science”, which under the Governor’s initiative makes having these courses available to high school students a requirement.

Mary went on to say, “As we make really large technological leaps there are things that we offer like the crash courses as well as kids classes.

There is also traditional education here in Arkansas with many great public and private universities. With all these different things going on, we are excited to be here and be a part of it.”

In teaching these courses, and preparing people for a competitive industry it is vitally important that the instructors are world changers themselves; knowing their trade. “In Little Rock and all of our campuses world wide all of the instructors, campus directors and everyone that works here for The Iron Yard is full time. As for as our instructors, we look for people that are very much plugged into the community, and have been professionals as engineers.” The Iron Yard’s Little Rock location has two full-time instructors in addition to its campus director. The Iron Yard’s Little Rock campus offers Immersive Courses in both Front-End Engineering and Back-End Engineering. Front-End Engineering focuses on creating experiences in web browsers that users see and interact with. The discipline covers a broad area, from web design principles to complex JavaScript applications that manage data. Back-End Engineering focuses on the logic and database needs required to run and scale web applications. Back End products combine databases, APIs, and user interface frameworks.

The back end engineering instructor at the Little Rock campus is named Daniel Pollack. Daniel, an Arkansas native, has always been passionate about technology. He serves as president of the .NET user group and also chairs the Little Rock

Tech Fest, when he is not busy teaching students at the Iron Yard. The front end instructor, Ryan Tablada, is a former senior developer for a creative agency in Nashville, TN. Ryan is also the creator of a company called EmberGrep, a premium screencast site for learning the skills to

create immersive single page applications as well as java script. With these two rigorously vetted professionals at the helm, The Iron Yard Little Rock is certainly in the hands of passionate, knowledgeable tech veterans who are ready to share their know-how with the students they teach.

Looking forward The Iron Yard plans on continuing it’s mission to bring people the skills necessary to be competitive in a technological world. To date, The Iron Yard has twenty campuses, with nine-teen in the U.S. and one in the U.K. “In the next five years we do plan on opening more campuses both in the United States and across the world. What’s more exciting than that even is that there will be one million more computer science jobs than students by the year 2020, and we are looking forward to being able to help fill that demand.” When asking Mary what would truly differentiate The Iron Yard from other programs like it in the future she went on to say, “What really sets The Iron Yard apart is our commitment to quality. That’s why we continually hire the best instructors, their full time employees, industry veterans, and have all completed a very rigorous vetting process; to be able to provide the highest quality of education consistently we hire the best instructors and staff which is vitally important.” What I truly found incredible is that The Iron Yard is so profoundly intentional when entering a new community.

“Prior to coming into a new city we meet with potential employers and advisory board members through out the process to hear from the top tech companies in Arkansas to be absolutely sure we are providing the exact skills that students need for the jobs that are available.” So much goes into making these campuses operate on a consistent level of quality, and TIY is intentional from beginning to finish. “The thing I love the most’, Mary said, ‘is that our students get jobs with personalized career support after graduation.

We have a huge network of partners, advisory

board members, and ON THE previous graduates which includes thousands of C OV E R people across the world that are a part of The Iron Yard. Through that network we are able to give [students] this personalized support and gainful employment after graduation.”

One of the wonderful things about having a coding school like The Iron Yard in Arkansas is that it is attainable to anyone who wants to change their life, or simply strive to seek more.

Through it’s educational programs Arkansas can expect to see an excel in competitive jobs within our state, an excelling local economy, and most exciting – a tangible path to upward mobility for our people. The Iron Yard Little Rock campus is currently in their first cycle of both front end engineering and back end engineering classes.

Students are in their eighth week of class and are set to graduate on the 18th of September.

After speaking with Mary and learning so much about this incredible school, it is safe to say we are all in for a pleasant surprise in looking at Arkansas’ future.

Photograph by Mike Russell

500 President Clinton Ave. Suite 401 Little Rock, AR 72201

501.260.7998 littlerock@theironyard.com

www.theironyard.com 13

BE A LOCALIST. Prosperity “What is real prosperity? What does it look like? How does it feel? What does it mean to truly prosper? Is it about having the most? Is it a competition? Or about making it on my own?

Does it mean me VS you? Or does it mean something else? What if real prosperity meant that it was alright to care for each other? That you have a place and so does everyone else.

Imagine if a grassroots movement of local people decided that we could make, grow and invest in the goods and the services that our communities need. That jobs and wealth are better in the hands of the many rather than the few. That as manufacturers, family farmers, independent retailers, as energy providers, or as community bankers, that we could all just decide that it was alright to care for each other.

That real prosperity meant that business was kindness… Business was community…business was justice… and as life. Now imagine if such a movement was already here. We know that real property is local by its very nature because it is in our place where we recognize that how we treat other matters. That we are connected.

The new economy is here and growing. It’s just a choice; one we all can make. It is alright to care.

Join us in saying yes. We are in this together and we wouldn’t want it any other way. Join us in creating real prosperity… together.” (-Michelle Long. BALLE) How many people truly realize that our local small businesses are the key to prosperity in our community? Did you know that half (if not more) of the Little Rock economy, the state economy and even the United States’ economy is made up of locally owned businesses?

Americans are systematically investing into Fortune 500 companies and continuing to under invest (or totally neglect) in our local small businesses.

The crazy part is that it has become easier to invest in a company halfway around the world than it is to invest in one in our own backyard.

Americans have close to 30 trillion dollars in investments. Imagine if half of that, 15 trillion dollars, was invested into local economies rather than multinational conglomerates that are outsourcing jobs and not investing domestically. We would be living in a far different world.

A small locally owned business’ ability to survive in today’s economy is constantly 14

threatened by big businesses. When we, as consumers, decide to spend our dollars at a non-­locally owned business we our shipping the majority of our money out of the community in which we live, which has serious repercussions for our local economy. Research has consistently shown that when citizens spend their money at a small, locally owned business, the percentage of every dollar spent is much higher than when spent at a non-­locally owned. This means we receive a greater bang for our buck in terms of stimulating the local economy when we shop at small locally owned businesses.

What we were told growing up about how the economy was suppose to work… is not. And all the things we were told that could never work, well they are. As it turns out, we CAN feed the world on small farms, solar can be more efficient than coal, and raising minimum wage does not kill jobs. Net job growth in the past 25 years have come from micro businesses (under 25 employees). Employee owned businesses are more profitable. Minority owned business are more profitable. The #1 contributor to wage inequality is how much Wall street activity is in that economy. If you want to funnel wealth into the fewest hands possible, you should go to very large transnational corporations. If your goal is the most jobs and the most wealth for the most people, there is a direct correlation to the density and the diversity of the local ownership per place.

in business school.

So back to this 15 Trillion dollar shift. Maybe it is a little idealistic to think we will get to 50% any time soon. But what about 10%? The 10% Shift Campaign is a movement to strengthen local economies, especially in the wake of a national financial crisis. The goal is to convince individuals, businesses and organizations to shift 10% of their spending from non-local businesses to Local Independents – private, locally owned businesses. Based on the findings from the Grand Rapids study by Civic Economics, it is clear that even just this 10% shift from non-local to local spending will have a profound impact on every local economy because of the multiplier effect – a larger share of your dollars will stay in the region and work to strengthen Central Arkansas and the surrounding communities.

What exactly are all the benefits of the 10% Shift?

• Expanded Job Creation: Creating new jobs and decreasing unemployment.

• Economic Growth: Generating billions of dollars of increased local economic activity.

• Entrepreneurial Ventures: Inspiring the formation of new independent ventures.

• Protected Environment: Decreasing thousands of tons of greenhouse emissions caused by trans-regional and transnational transportation of goods.

• Enhanced Communities: Revitalizing communities that have suffered from nonlocal spending.

“We say we want vibrant local economies, healthy neighborhoods and downtown areas— but we don’t always support the existing local options that will help us realize this vision. Take the 10% SHIFT and be part of the solution that creates a thriving community and celebrates our vibrant local identity, a strong sense of place, pride in our community’s history, cultural traditions, and unique natural environment.

Whether you’re shopping for food, looking for a special gift, searching for a local service provider, or making a significant purchase, a simple shift on your part can help support and improve the quality of life for everyone in our community.

Our fundamental human nature is collaborative Driving demand for Local starts with you.” and not competitive. There have been studies on happiness and wellness over the past decades Information from Michelle Long of Business depicting that our natural instinct is to help one Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE). another. All these things are not the dominate www.bealocalist.org -andmessages we hear. They are not how we direct 10% Shift Campaign - Syracuse First our investments. These are not the things taught http://shift.syracusefirst.org/

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Attention members & guests

Latin dancing in Central Arkansas and beyond

Salsa EVERY week at

Kelly Clarkson

September 3, 2015 614 President Clinton Little Rock, AR 72201

Live Music, Billiards, Food, & Fun on Tap. Open Daily 11am-2am

WWE Smackdown September 15, 2015

SEPTEMBER

FRI 4th

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Wes Burnett Band

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Every Mother’s FRI 18th Nightmare

No Experience Required!

Fall to June w/ The Revolutioners & Brother Grey

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FRIDAYS Starts at 9 PM with a basic Salsa lesson until 10 PM No Partner Required!

Shows start at 9 PM Home of the 1/2 lb Midtown Burger!

November 14, 2015

7:30-8:30PM. Dancing until 11PM

(unless there is a concert. Please check Juanita’s calendar at www.juanitas.com)

$7 lessons

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TUESDAYS

For the OCTOBER schedule, check out:

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Dancing until 2 AM to Salsa, Bachata, Merengue, Cumbia, & top 40 Latin hits. $5 from 9-10 $8 after 10 $10 for under 21 like us on Facebook at Facebook/littlerocksalsa

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Featured

Taylors’ Made Cafe

Coffee, Espresso, Smoothies, Ice Cream Shakes, Sandwiches, Salads, Wraps & More!

GRINDS | 1904 S. Pine St. | Cabot, AR (Across from Methodist Church)

501.286.6022

A Path Well Traveled

By Jacqulyn Sexton

Although I am a transplant from NYC, one thing I know for sure is some of Arkansas’ best kept secrets are off the beaten path. That path to follow as of May 5th is none other than Taylors’ Made Café. Trail blazers Shane and Todd Taylor lead us to the outskirts of the metropolitan area at 283 Highway 365 in Conway, to a Southern Oasis of down home, hospitality and food for the soul.

Shane Taylor discovered his passion for food at the age of 14 at the former Sirloin’s Inn in North Little Rock and offers his impeccable knowledge of a good steak on Ribeye Thursdays with a 21 day aged ribeye.

Besides an extraordinary steak, Taylors’ Made offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day.

Todd Taylor, owner and creator of Cousin’s Sports Bar and Grill and owner of East End outside of Sheridan, compliments his brother’s food knowledge with the grassroots following they have established and grown. I asked Stacey Russo, fiancée of Shane Taylor and general manager, what inspired them to open Taylors’ Made Café. Stacey shared with me that they were discussing opening a restaurant after Shane’s career change and were driving down Highway 365 and happened to see the vacant location of now said Taylors’ Made Café. “It was meant to be”, said Stacey. Standing outside of their new venture Shane and Todd expressed their need for a former staple and bartender from Cousin’s Sports Bar and Grill, Kim Lutz. Stacey said it was that moment a car cruising by and honking was none other than Kim Lutz herself. “Divine Intervention was clearly at hand”, said Stacey.

Taylors’ Made Café entertained guests to the rebirth of the “Parachute Deck” after their approval for private club liquor license. This

will be the spot to be to watch some of your favorite local bands while enjoying some great food. Along with the outdoor deck, the Cafe also features a twenty by thirty foot drive in movie theatre screen. Be sure to arrive early if you want to call the Hogs while viewing games on the deck during this football season! In the meantime make your way to Taylors’ Made Café for their signature hand cut double battered onion rings served with a side of homemade Ranch dressing.

Regulars from Sherwood make the drive especially for these onion rings. “Not only is the food handmade but the flooring and studs were as well,” said Stacey.

Hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Monday through Thursday & on Sundays for brunch and Football, 11 a.m. to Midnight Friday and 7 a.m to midnight on Saturday, Taylors’ Made Café offers great lunch and dinner choices that include burgers, sandwiches, salads and plate dinners along with the daily specials, Saturday breakfast and a full bar. Event Calendar of performances and the daily food specials are available at: facebook.com/Taylors-Made-Cafe.

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18

TREADING TOWARDS PROGRESS

By Briley Emerson

P

assionate, well meaning people are few and far between. They vehemently burn like a prairie fire, consuming everything in their path and igniting others along the way. And that is exactly what you will see if ever you find yourself inside of an old Little Rock building, on the corner of 6th and Louisiana. The company is called Few.

Few is a start-up incubator located in the heart of Arkansas’ buzzing tech community. The coworking space was founded by Chief Creative Officer Arlton Lowry and Chief Executive Officer David Hudson in April of 2014. Few’s main focus and number one objective is to create and build their own start-up companies.

Currently they have two start-ups off the ground, with a third to be making it’s debut shortly. They fund these start-ups by doing consultant work for a variety of clientele. So far Few has taken on projects for companies like Wells Fargo, 7/11, Heifer International, to more local companies like Angel Eye. David Hudson, a founding member and the current CEO of Few, sat down earlier in the week to tell me more about the concept and drive behind this ground-breaking idea.

Photo by Rett Peek

When a person or group of people come together to do something that has never been done before, more times than not, there has to be an initial spark to ignite that passion. David said, for him, it was as simple as seeing the way the world was and wanting to do something about it. David expanded by saying, “The reality

is that we’ve all been fortunate enough to work for some great companies prior to starting Few and what we consistently saw was this inevitable problem that seems to happen with so many companies – they put profit above all things. At few we take a different path.” The very first step was to define what that path would look like.

“The very first thing we did, once moving into the space, was to put on the white board, ‘Why the hell are we here?’” Their initial response being that people are greater than profit; every single time. “The idea behind that thought is that if we treat people with respect and treat people as our primary priority – the money will follow.” David and Arlton both see this as a business model that is beneficial to their clients, themselves, and their team members.

A prime example of Few’s innovation, a startup called Tagless, a company that has created both jobs and opportunities here in Arkansas.

Few came together with GoodWill of Arkansas to make Tagless, a trunk club based here in the state. Tagless hand selects the best of the best from GoodWill and sells those items through the trunk club. Because of the creation of Tagless, GoodWill of Arkansas created 4,700 additional positions last year. “The idea is’, David went on to say, ‘if you work with GoodWill and help them profit, they then take those profits and re-invest into incredible things.” One of the characteristics of Tagless that is so fascinating, and more directly a characteristic of the team at Few, is that they come at problems with such a holistic approach.

It’s a simple idea, yet one we that don’t see often.

Tagless provides quality products and through teaming up with GoodWill, they have invested back into Arkansas’ community. “Tagless, and initiatives like it, change the system in a positive way. It feels good to have a hand in that.”

Companies like Few are scarce in the natural state. However that’s exactly why Arlton and David felt it was pivotal to put roots down in Little Rock. “Our city is on the verge of something big,’ David says,’with Main Street exploding and the River Market expanding everyday, you can just walk down the street and there’s this electricity.

That feeling translates to the people as well, you can feel this shift where people are starting to take on this mentality of innovation. Add to all of those things Governor Hutchison recently going so far as to make computer science a

primary concern in the state; that’s huge. No one else is doing that. Simply put, that’s what draws us here.” As the paradigm continues to shift in Arkansas, and talent continues to pop up within the state Few is looking forward to partnering with local people and making a further impact in the community. “We look for people that are passionate. It’s what we do, it’s on our business cards, it’s on our wall, we’re all about passionate people. We look for those that, when the clock strikes five, don’t want to leave. People that get up everyday and absolutely get it – regardless of anything else, simply because they love what they do.” David, if anything, is a man on fire.

One of the larger investments that Few has consistently deposited in Arkansas is their conference called “Made by Few”. A conference unlike any other, held every year right here in Little Rock. Few does not profit off of the event, even falling shy of breaking even the last two years. “We continue to do it, because for us there’s a bigger vision at hand.” The main purpose of Made by Few is to bring like minded people together and cultivate community while changing how Arkansas is seen on a global scale.

In coming years David expressed that he hopes the conference becomes, “part of the over all movement that changes people’s perception, in this country, of where Arkansas is on the map.”

It’s events like Made by Few and the people that attend those events that are going to continue to give Arkansas the opportunity to have a working environment like that of larger, more well known cities as well as the draw for new, inspired talent.

The team at Few is working hard to solidify that dream, and has done so considerably well in it’s short history with attendance rising each year, and attracting speakers ranging from Marc Hemeon, a senior designer for Google to Randy Hunt, the vice president of design for Etsy.

The people are what continually drives this community. Each year, through letting our talent and transformation be seen, the event grows larger and attracts more eyes to our humble state.

October 1-3 @ Ron Robinson Theater www.madebyfew.com

19

Chiropractic

MYTHS 1. It isn’t safe!

False. While every form of healthcare comes with a risk, there is very little danger associated with Chiropractic care when received by a licensed physician. Studies show patient risk is substantially lower with a Chiropractor compared to the over abundance of prescription drugs and surgeries. “It is all natural and manual therapy.”

2. Insurance won’t cover a Chiropractor.

False. Majority of Americans have Chiropractic services covered in their healthcare plan (including all federal employees). Chiropractors are a large part of mainstream healthcare, and you usually don’t even need a referral!

3. That “popping” sound is bad for you!

False. Don’t worry, your bones are not cracking or breaking when you get an adjustment. The sound is actually a release of the gas between joints.

Typically there is no pain or discomfort involved.

4. Chiropractors aren’t real doctors!

Chiropractors are well educated and considered to be a primary contact health practitioner. Typical Chiropractors have acquired over a decade of education and clinical training. Medical studies have shown that chiropractic can be effective at treating back pain, sciatica, neck pain, dizziness, and even high blood pressure.

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Dr. Julian McMurray is a native of Woodson, Arkansas and is now bringing the best chiropractic care to Central Arkansas. After spending years achieving a degree in Biology from University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, his post graduate studies in Des Moines, and his Doctorate from Chesterfield, Missouri, Dr. McMurray has returned to Arkansas and has opened his own company: One Spine At A Time Extraordinary Chiropractic.

Located within Carter Chiropractic in W. Little Rock, Dr. McMurray describes his practice as, “It is efficient and centered on preventative health.

Not only are we affecting and correcting the nervous system through the spine and making sure joints are working properly, we are also focused on nutrition.” The practice will be debuting a new nutritional screening program soon that will allow clients to learn about their nutritional habits and learn about what nutritional deficiencies they posses. With this, Dr. McMurray will “prescribe” the appropriate foods and supplements the patient needs to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Call now for more information!

It is a proven scientific fact that playing music enriches the brains of young children, yet the music and art budgets are the first to be cut in today’s Elementary schools. Giving every child the opportunity to learn how to play music has been expensive as it requires the availability of instruments, but now with tablets in almost every classroom and a brand new App called Noteimals, this problem has been easily solved.

Glenna Cook is a local Arkansan with a passion for teaching music. After teaching for over 45 years, Glenna has had her share of difficulties helping students learn how to note read, “and if they could not read notes, learning correct timing was just as difficult,” she said. To help with this, she would tell stories about the notes: that middle C looks like a cat with whiskers or the D became a dog who likes to dig out from under the treble clef, etc. She learned that creating music lessons where notes became caricatures of animals made learning easier and more fun for younger children. With this, animal notes were born.

Glenna’s most important goal as a music

educator was to build a strong foundation of accurate note reading and timing. The Animal Note Method for beginning piano and guitar music has been carefully designed to allow parents and teachers to do just that within a fun atmosphere. This method, based on associative learning, also introduces some basic elements of theory and provides a solid method for moving from the Animal Notes to standard music notation.

So how does it work? The oval of each note is modified to resemble a familiar and friendly animal that is easily recognized. A suggested short story about the location of each animal’s position on the grand staff is part of the educational experience. From the beginning books of Note Reading and Timing, the series moves to books containing songs most children are familiar with. The set of Animal Note/ Standard Note Flash Cards is then used to strengthen the student’s knowledge of the word clues associated with each Animal Note and it’s standard note. This helps the student remember the location of each note on the grand staff. This beginning Flash Card set is the perfect tool for Elementary School teachers working with early music education and would be a great asset to have in every school!

Glenna lastly developed the Moving On Book that provide a smooth way to transfer the knowledge from the animals to the standard notes. All of the material is organized in a step by step building method so new knowledge is

continuously added to the structure of what has already been learned.

Noteimals is dedicated to bringing you the best possible method of beginning music education.

It is a system that is being used by all levels of teachers and has proven to be a great tool in the classroom. It has been used by 3 year old children up to adults that want an easy way to learn.

One testimonial states, “Noteimals has forever changed my teaching career. I am now teaching 3 year olds to read music! Glenna’s method is truly revolutionary. Even non musician parents could start to help their child learn to read music with Noteimals!”

Download the App now and receive the keyboard and four songs for free. In App purchases include 30 children songs for $1.99, children hymns for $0.99, and 9 note Flash Card set for $1.99. Be sure to watch for addition material because Noteimals is working on having all notes of the Grand Staff as the next major addition!

Learn more at www.noteimals.com

Gayle Odom

GRI, ABR, CRS Executive Broker

501-831-9600 Office: 501-851-2000 gayle.odom@crye-leike.com gayleodom.crye-leike.com

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BENEFITS OF SUPPORTING

LO CA L

Local Magazine was founded to nurture & curate the emergence of a new economy – one that will inspire health, prosperity, and happiness for all people and regenerate the vital ecosystems upon which our community depends. With a focus on real change within a generation, Local works to identify and connect pioneering leaders, spread solutions, and attract interest toward our local economy.

In recent years, a movement has begun. It’s a movement that takes consumers away from large, impersonal big-box retailers and introduces them to the people doing business in their very own cities. These are local farmers, craftsmen, antiques dealers, and other product providers, with items made locally and sold on a small scale.

When a consumer supports his local business owners, he enjoys benefits he can’t possibly get from shopping at national chains. Here are some top reasons to support your local entrepreneurs.

IMPROVE YOUR FAMILY’S HEALTH. Buying local foods has numerous health benefits to your family. When you buy from local farmers, you have access to fruits and vegetables that you know are chemical free, as well as grass-fed meats, fresh eggs, and dairy from cows that feast on local green grass each day.

IMPROVE THE LOCAL ECONOMY When a consumer buys local, significantly more of that money stays in the community. In fact, one Chicago study found that for every $100 spent at a local business, $68 remained in the city while only $43 of each $100 spent at a chain retailer.

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KNOW THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE PRODUCT When you personally know the people behind the business where you’re buying local products and services, you enjoy a connection you would not otherwise have. Along with the rest of the community, you celebrate when a favorite local business succeeds and you mourn when it’s forced to shut its doors.

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LaVada’s

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KEEP YOUR COMMUNITY UNIQUE Local businesses give a community its flavor.

Towns across America have similar chain restaurants, grocery and department stores but that diner down the street where you have breakfast every Saturday morning is one-of-a-kind. The combined presence of your town’s many local businesses makes it different from every other city in the world. By supporting those businesses instead of chains, you ensure that uniqueness is preserved as a part of your community.

Thank you for all of your support!

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