Forty Under 40: Michelle Stockman

If starting entrepreneurial centers and promoting broadband connectivity throughout rural Arkansas sounds like a daunting task, just know Michelle Stockman, 36, took up skydiving on a dare.

Stockman, who grew up in Chicago, has more substantive qualifications, too. She was one of the first 100 people in the United States to earn a master’s degree in entrepreneurship, from Western Carolina University, and eventually started her own business.

After her mother passed away, however, Stockman’s focus shifted.

“I didn’t quite have the strength to continue to be an entrepreneur,” she said, “so I got in
the entrepreneur education business.”

Stockman was familiar with Northwest Arkansas because her parents had retired in Bella Vista, and when a job presented itself, she made the move.

“The friendly, neighborly attitude of the people here was part of the attraction,” Stockman said.

So was the abundance of outdoor activities. Stockman traded skydiving for hiking, kayaking and rock-climbing while living in North Carolina, and someday hopes to complete the 165-mile Ozark Highlands Trail.

Her more immediate concern is connecting rural Arkansas with the rest of the state.
“I want to make it more cohesive, get everybody on the same page,” Stockman said.