1 Million Cups Highlights Three Local Startups

Three early stage Arkansas companies with varied plans to expand and grow gave presentations at Tuesday’s edition of the weekly 1 Million Cups series at downtown Little Rock’s Arkansas Venture Center.

An overflow crowd eagerly listened to presenters for ARFoodjobs.com, fledging social media marketing firm The Burton Agency and HARK, an online venture that broadcast informal video chats of Central Arkansas’ growing startup scene.

During her presentation, Christie Ison of ARFoodjobs.com told the coffee-amped crowd that her online startup serves as a matchmaker for the hospitality industry, including connecting Arkansas’ growing culinary industry with the most talented food job candidates.

“Most people don’t know that the hospitality industry employs nearly 9% of the workers in Arkansas,” she said.

Currently, Ison said, the local startup is working with the Arkansas Hospitality Association and Pulaski Tech’s CAHMI, as well as the other culinary and hospitality programs across the state, to connect people in the food industry and create “opportunities of scale” across Arkansas.

Later this year, Ison explained, ARFoodjobs.com plans to expand the job board portion of its business to Charleston, S.C., and New Orleans, with a five-year goal of being in every major food and hospitality market in the southeast.

Ison also said that ARFoodjobs.com currently does not have any major rivals in the marketplace.

“We really don’t have any (competitors) in our market, and the only thing like this is in the New York City area,” she said. To follow ARFoodJobs.com on Twitter, click here.

THE BURTON AGENCY
Following Ison, eStem high schooler Jase Burton gave an overview of his teen-run digital marketing firm based in Little Rock.

“We believe that marketing is what builds your brand and plays a large role in the reputation of your brand,” said Burton, who is co-founder and director of operations of the local startup that specializes in social media branding.

Burton told the crowd that the idea for being a marketing entrepreneur came after watching an episode of The Shark Tank, the popular ABC reality competition television series where aspiring startup founders make business presentations to a panel of “shark” investors that include Dallas Maverick owner and tech businessman Mark Cuban.

Burton recently relaunched his startup firm, which was created out of the Noble Impact program at eStem High School in downtown Little Rock. Originally, he started the firm in 2013, but regrouped after adding three teen colleagues to assist him with marketing strategy and graphic design.

After taking a break to focus on school, Burton reignited his baby startup with a new logo, new strategy and new goals.

“We are very excited and ready to work with local companies who want learn how to use social media effectively and to create a unique brand that identifies you in the marketplace,” Burton said. To learn more about The Burton Agency, follow the teen marketing firm on Twitter here.

HARK

The last presenter at Wednesday’s event was Tim Freeman of HARK, a new web-based online video series that aims to showcase Arkansas’ startup and creative community.

During his presentation, Freeman announced a new online stream venture called the HARK Network, which he said would offer podcasts and live broadcast of local startup events.

“We are real excited about this and anticipate growth,” Freeman said. “This is not about us, it’s about putting the spotlight on you and what’s happening in Arkansas. It’s all about creating the CNN of the entrepreneurial community.”

To learn more about HARK, click here.