John James Co-Founds Online Content-Publishing Company

Acumen Brands Inc. CEO John James recently entered the online content-publishing industry.

One of the company’s products is the Phactual website, which features list-themed articles, trivia, and fact-based quizzes on an array of subjects, with a heavy emphasis on pop culture, but also featuring history, science, geography and fine arts, Puryear said. 

The Bentonville-based company employs 32 freelance writers from throughout the country to provide content for the site.

The diverse topics of Phactual posts include “11 Things You Didn’t Know About ‘Annie,’” “9 Things You Didn’t Know About Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Latte” and “21 One Direction Facts You’ll Wish You Never Knew,” but also “10 Important Battles of the American Revolutionary War,” and “The Changing of the Lower 48: 400 Years of Development,” a video of the territorial development of the lower 48 states in less than three minutes.

According to Puryear, the inspiration for Phactual came from James’ passion for Quiz Bowl, for which he wrote questions while in medical school.

James, a serial entrepreneur, paid for medical school with his first e-commerce company, a Quiz Bowl question business he founded in 1995. James intended to be a family physician and had just finished a residency in Fayetteville when he opted to pursue a love of entrepreneurship.

Phactual LLC is also developing Qubowl, a learning-management platform for Quiz Bowl participants and anyone else interested in trivia, Puryear added.