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What happens when a small-town Chamber of Commerce CEO cold-calls Olive Garden corporate? In Russellville, Arkansas, it sparked a $4.5 million development that's now attracting Academy Sports, national restaurant chains, and turning heads across the state.
- How Megan Selman used retail "leakage data" to pitch national brands on Russellville
- Why Arkansas jumped from #18 to #12 in best states for business
- The "gut instinct" approach Eric Bowen uses to evaluate markets (and why it works)
- How manufacturing job growth drives retail development (the domino effect)
- Why Arkansas's 5.2% GDP growth leads the nation
- The power of getting city leadership, developers, and utilities in the same room
Key Insight: "Success happens when you get outside your comfort zone. You can't scale if you're not willing to take risks." - Eric Bowen
s:
- Megan Selman is CEO of the Russellville Chamber of Commerce, driving economic development in Arkansas's River Valley region
- Eric Bowen is founder of Bowen Kemp, Darden Restaurants' largest preferred developer in the country, building Olive Gardens, Longhorns, and more across multiple states
- Russellville Chamber of Commerce
- Bowen Kemp Construction
Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction - Meet Megan Selman & Eric Bowen
00:55 - Eric's Background: Real Estate to Construction
02:30 - Starting in the 2008 Recession: "Best Time to Learn"
03:00 - The Main Street Story: Why Not Near the Interstate?
04:00 - Megan Cold-Calls Olive Garden Corporate
05:00 - Eric's "Wing It" Approach to Site Selection
08:15 - Learning Different Working Styles
09:00 - Understanding Retail Leakage Data
10:00 - The Academy Sports Decision
11:15 - How the Olive Garden + Academy Deal Came Together
12:15 - Darden Restaurants: 15 Brands Under One Roof
13:00 - "I'm Their Cowboy" - Eric's Role with Darden
16:10 - Arkansas's Business-Friendly Environment
16:45 - Arkansas: #1 Most Moved-To State
17:00 - From #18 to #12 in Best States for Business
22:30 - Manufacturing Drives Retail: The Domino Effect
24:00 - Russellville as the Manufacturing Hub
35:00 - John Maxwell Quote: "Do You Want to Do What I Did?"
36:00 - Getting Out of Your Comfort Zone
36:05 - From Broker to Largest Preferred Developer
43:55 - The Power of Getting Everyone in the Same Room
45:00 - Megan's Ability to Pull People Together
53:45 - Don's 17 Years of Economic Development Experience
54:50 - Closing Remarks & Takeaways
The Principled Entrepreneur is where real entrepreneurs share the principles, values, and grit that carried them through the toughest seasons to their greatest successes. Hosted by husband-and-wife team Caleb and Jodi Moore, we uncover authentic, relatable stories that prove you’re not stuck and you’re not alone. Whether you’re in a body shop, behind a desk, or chasing a dream, each episode will fuel your hope, strengthen your grit, and remind you to keep going — no matter what.