The Startup Junkies Podcast

The Startup Junkies podcast is hosted by Jeff Amerine and his team at Startup Junkie Consulting. We’ll cover topics ranging from getting started, planning, growing your business, proving your concept, leadership, marketing, exit strategies and so much more. We’ll interview business owners, entrepreneurs, experts and people we think will bring value to our audience. Subscribe and together we will move your business to the next level.

The Startup Junkies Podcast is a business podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 505 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Unknown Host hosts The Startup Junkies Podcast, a business show with 505 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #500

  How Northwest Arkansas Funds Its Startups with Chris Ehrhardt

  Aug 18, 202627 min

  Most founders think you need a $250,000 VC check to get funded, but angel investors will write you a check for $5,000, actually get to know you, and stick around as a mentor long after the money lands. In this episode, Chris, the new director of 412 Angels, explains the real difference between angel investors and VCs, why founders should start building investor relationships long before they need the money, the most overrated (and underrated) traits he sees in early-stage founders, and what's next for 412 Angels — including plans to launch a fund and lead their own deals. In this episode: ✅ The real difference between angel investors and venture capital ✅ When founders should start reaching out to investors (hint: earlier than you think) ✅ Where to actually meet investors in Northwest Arkansas ✅ The most overrated trait in early-stage founders ✅ Chris's advice to his younger, first-time-founder self ⏱️ CHAPTERS 00:00 – Why 90% of a founder's job is networking 00:21 – Meet Chris Ehrhardt, back after 10 years 01:24 – From Germany to Arkansas: Chris's origin story 02:23 – Building a startup and moving to Canada on a startup visa 05:22 – What is 412 Angels? 06:28 – Why keeping funding local matters for founders 08:20 – Angel investors vs. venture capitalists 10:24 – When founders should start talking to investors 11:51 – Where to actually meet investors in NWA 14:21 – The most overrated trait in early-stage founders 15:36 – The most underrated trait: coachability 18:09 – How 412 Angels pays it forward 19:50 – What's next for 412 Angels 22:53 – Advice to his younger self 25:26 – Where to find Chris and 412 Angels — Connect with Chris & 412 Angels https://412angels.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/chriserhardt/ — Follow the Startup Junkies Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, like, subscribe, and share it with a friend. The Startup Junkies Podcast is brought to you in part by RISE, helping Arkansas tech and tech-enabled startups grow with no-cost coaching, capital navigation, and expert connections. Learn more at RiseArkansas.org.

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  Episode #499

  He Slept on a Radio Station Floor for 5 Years with Congressman Steve Womack

  Aug 11, 202658 min

  He slept on the floor of a radio station he couldn't afford to staff, got told by the local coffee shop crowd he'd be out of business in six months, and ran that station for 45 years. Before he was a U.S. Congressman, Steve Womack was a Startup Junkie: a broadcaster's son who talked his way into a shoestring AM station in Rogers, Arkansas, and built it into an institution. In this episode, he sits down with Daniel Koontz, Jeff Amerine, and Caleb Talley to trace the throughline from that station to the Rogers mayor's office to Congress, and the entrepreneurial instincts that never really left him along the way. ⏱️CHAPTERS 0:27 – Welcome, Congressman Steve Womack 1:06 – His "Marvel Origin Story" 4:13 – Building a Radio Station From Scratch 8:37 – Proving the Skeptics Wrong 11:07 – Lessons From Football, the Army & "Make Your Bed" 17:18 – Underwriting "Errors of Enthusiasm" as a Leader 23:09 – The Vision Behind Rogers' West Side 25:04 – "You're Not Thinking Big Enough": The Pinnacle Promenade Story 27:16 – Northwest Arkansas' Growth Challenges 32:06 – The Walmart Origin Story (and What Comes After It) 38:21 – The Case for a Skilled Trades Campus 41:27 – Government, Debt & a Coming Social Security Reckoning 47:40 – Advice for Entrepreneurs and His Younger Self 54:17 – A Tribute to Lt. Jason Hunt --- Follow the Startup Junkies Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, like, subscribe, and share it with a friend. Learn more about Congressman Womack: womack.house.gov The Startup Junkies Podcast is brought to you in part by RISE, helping Arkansas tech and tech-enabled startups grow with no-cost coaching, capital navigation, and expert connections. Learn more at RiseArkansas.org .

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  Episode #496

  The Fundraising Mistakes That Kill Startups Before They Start with Jeff Amerine

  Jul 20, 202630 min

  Less than 1% of U.S. businesses that ever raise outside money end up raising venture capital, and most founders chasing it don't actually need it. In this entrepreneur interview, Jeff Amerine — a venture capital investor and longtime advisor in the startup ecosystem — breaks down the real landscape of startup funding: when to bootstrap, when to raise, and why most companies burn time chasing the wrong kind of capital. He and co-hosts Daniel Koonce and Grace Gill also dig into what VCs actually look for, the most common fundraising mistakes founders make, and the difference between convertible notes and SAFEs. Whether you're bootstrapping your first idea or getting ready to pitch investors, this conversation will change how you think about who to raise from and when. What you'll learn: The three main ways founders fund a business and how to know which one fits Why raising venture capital has only gotten harder, and what VCs are really evaluating The most common fundraising mistakes founders make (and how to avoid them) Convertible notes vs. SAFEs, explained in plain English What a strategic investor actually offers and when it's worth taking their money ⏱️Chapters 1:26 Welcome to the Startup Junkies Podcast 2:03 The Three Ways to Fund a Small Business 3:43 What Is Bootstrapping? 5:33 Does Venture Capital Only Fund Tech Companies? 6:46 The Truth: Less Than 1% of Businesses Raise VC 7:33 When Is a Founder Ready to Raise Money? 9:59 Why Raising Venture Capital Has Gotten Harder 11:15 Inside a VC Firm: From 1,000 Deals to 3 or 4 12:43 How to Actually Find Investors 14:19 Common Fundraising Mistakes Founders Make 16:43 Convertible Notes vs. SAFEs, Explained 21:27 Why Startups Actually Need Money 23:35 What Are Strategic Investors — And Are They Worth It? 27:16 The Deal Jeff Wishes He'd Invested In ️ New founder stories every week — subscribe so you don't miss one. startupjunkie.org

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  Episode #495

  I Trust My Gut 70% of the Time — Here's Why with Dr. Joshua Upshaw

  Jul 13, 202630 min

  Insurance paperwork is delaying treatment for patients who don't have time to wait. One founder built a company to fix it. In this entrepreneur interview, Dr. Joshua Upshaw — founder and CEO of Hidalgo Tech and a PhD in cognitive neuroscience — shares how a family health crisis pushed him from academic research into healthcare entrepreneurship, why he trusts his gut more than any spreadsheet, and how he built his team around mission alignment instead of resumes. Whether you're still validating your first idea or figuring out who belongs on your founding team, this conversation will change how you think about intuition, feedback, and timing. Chapters: 0:00 Cold Open: Trust Your Gut 0:22 Welcome to the Startup Junkies Podcast 1:02 What Is Hidalgo Tech? Fixing Insurance Prior Authorization 1:54 From Neuroscience to Health Tech: Josh's Origin Story 2:59 The Family Story That Sparked Hidalgo Tech 5:35 Why Josh Calls Himself a Problem Solver, Not a Scientist 8:57 Validating the Problem Through Customer Discovery 11:36 Building the Team: Finding the Right Technical Lead 14:55 Why Mission Alignment Matters More Than Skill 16:10 Handling Feedback, Ego, and Doubt as a Founder 19:00 Following Your Gut: Sifting Signal From Noise 21:09 Who Hidalgo Tech's Ideal Customer Is 21:56 Funding the Company: NSF Grants & Raising Capital 25:32 The Next Five Years for Hidalgo Tech 26:23 Advice to His Younger Self About Joshua Upshaw: Founder and CEO of Hidalgo Tech, reducing administrative overhead in insurance prior authorization so patients get treatment sooner. PhD in cognitive neuroscience and an alum of the University of Arkansas's New Venture Development program and Health Tech Arkansas. Connect with Joshua: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-upshaw-ph-d/ Website: https://hidalgatech.com/ 🎙️ New founder stories every week — subscribe so you don't miss one. 🔗 https://startupjunkie.org/

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  Episode #493

  Why Bentonville's Startup Ecosystem Is More Powerful Than You Think | Zak Morris

  Jun 29, 202611 min

  What happens when a mentor gets more out of an accelerator than the founders do? Zak Morris joined the Fuel accelerator as a subject matter expert in AI — but quickly realized he was learning just as much as the companies he was advising. In this episode, Zak breaks down how working with startups across cybersecurity, AML, and healthcare sharpened his own thinking, why Bentonville's density of world-class talent is an underrated advantage, and how one early conversation with a founder led to a permanent board seat. Whether you're a founder, a seasoned professional sitting on the sidelines, or someone who's never thought of themselves as a mentor — this one's for you. 🎙️ Startup Junkies is a podcast celebrating the entrepreneurial ecosystem of Northwest Arkansas and beyond. Subscribe for more! --- 🔗 Connect with Zak Morris: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zakmorris/ 🔗 Connect with Startup Junkie https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-koonce-3a446a21b/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/caleb-talley-25189211b/ https://startupjunkie.org/ --- ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 Introduction – AI in Healthcare Documentation 00:18 What Brought Zak to the Fuel Accelerator 01:10 Learning the Language of Startups 01:55 The Two-Way Value of Mentorship 02:33 Standout Moment: The Cybersecurity Cohort 03:18 From Mentor to Board Member 04:28 Why Bentonville Is a Rare Ecosystem 05:20 Connecting Talent, Interns & Local Networks 06:31 The Flywheel Effect: Keeping Talent in Arkansas 07:40 A Call to Action for Potential Mentors 08:45 What Mentors Get Out of It 09:10 How to Get Involved with Fuel

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