Summer's here and we're stepping away from the mic for a few weeks, so we're digging back into the archive to share some of our most downloaded conversations from the past year. This is one worth a second listen, or a first one if it's new to you. Lynn Wong and Mike Thompson turned a dream of an ice cream shop into Pedal Pops and Pedal Park, an all-natural fruit pop business that's grown into a real community hub in Farmington. This episode was part of our Future is Local series with the Walton Family Foundation.

• How a kitchen experiment turned into a beloved local brand built on customer feedback and creative flavors
• Why Pedal Park has become more than a food truck stop, hosting trivia nights, live music, and pop-up markets for the whole community

Website: pedalpops.com

Listen to the original episode: https://iamnorthwestarkansas.com/326

Mentioned in this episode:

Signature Bank of Arkansas "Community Banking at its Best!"

2026 Best of IANWA Intro

This one's personal for me. We're taking a short summer break, and while we're out I wanted to bring back some of our most downloaded episodes from the past year, including this one. Fresh off the TEDx Fayetteville stage, I shared the full talk and the stories behind it, including my grandfather Mal Goode's story of becoming ABC News's first Black correspondent at age 54. If you've ever wondered whether it's too late to start something, this episode is for you.

• Why age can be an asset instead of a limitation, and how reinvention shows up throughout history
• A simple three-step process I use to help you reflect, reframe, and reignite whatever you've been putting off

Listen to the original episode: http://iamnorthwestarkansas.com/330

Mentioned in this episode:

2026 Best of IANWA Intro

Signature Bank of Arkansas "Community Banking at its Best!"

We're taking a short summer break from new episodes, and while we're out we're bringing back some of the most downloaded conversations from the past year. This one's a favorite whether you caught it the first time or you're just finding it now. Robin Wallis Atkinson, founder and CEO of Upkept, talks with Randy about the decline of garment repair skills and how her platform is making clothing repair simple and climate-friendly. This episode was part of our Future is Local series with the Walton Family Foundation.

• Why fast fashion has made it harder to repair clothes, and how Upkept is bringing that skill back
• How thinking in terms of cost-per-wear can change the way you value what's already in your closet

Website: upkept.io

Listen to the original episode: https://iamnorthwestarkansas.com/335

Mentioned in this episode:

Signature Bank of Arkansas "Community Banking at its Best!"

2026 Best of IANWA Intro