Cherokee Village, AR — April 30, 2026 — As small businesses continue to serve as the backbone of Arkansas’s economy, NEA Intermodal, Spring River Innovation Hub, and Cave City Chamber of Commerce are helping ensure companies in Sharp County have access to the tools, strategy, and support needed to grow stronger.
As part of the 75Strong program, led by Startup Junkie, NEA Intermodal, Spring River Innovation Hub, and Cave City Chamber of Commerce are helping connect multiple businesses from the local community to the 75Strong Business Building Program, a 24-week growth initiative designed to help Arkansas companies strengthen leadership, revenue systems, operations, and long-term strategy.
The Business Building Program includes a comprehensive company diagnostic, biweekly virtual growth sessions, and alternating expert office hours focused on helping businesses work through real barriers to growth. The curriculum is centered around seven critical growth domains, including financial disciplines, revenue velocity, organizational effectiveness, leadership effectiveness, operational systems, digital readiness, and innovation.
For Sharp County, the impact of this next phase extends beyond individual businesses. By helping multiple local companies strengthen the systems behind scale, the community is building stronger job pathways, increased local purchasing power, and long-term economic resilience.
“We talk a lot about recruitment, but supporting the businesses we already have is just as important,” commented NEA Intermodal Executive Director Graycen Bigger. “75Strong gives our local companies access to real tools and expertise that help them grow in a sustainable way. When we invest in our entrepreneurs and small businesses, we’re investing in the future of our region.”
Accepted Companies from Sharp County include:
At the same time, Graycen Bigger, Executive Director of NEA Intermodal, Amanda Smith, Executive Director of the Spring River Innovation Hub, and Brandi Schulz, Executive Director of the Cave City Chamber of Commerce, continue progressing through the broader 75Strong cohort experience, strengthening economic development strategies that help create more intentional support systems for entrepreneurs and small businesses across the region.
Drew Smith, 75Strong Program Director, said “One of the things I’m most proud of in this cohort is watching community & economic developers put their learning into action by making sure local businesses aren’t left on the sidelines. There are real resources available to Arkansas companies right now, and our cohort members are doing the work of making sure those resources actually reach the people who need them.”
By combining leadership development with direct business growth support, this phase of 75Strong is helping communities across Arkansas build stronger economies from the inside out.
