Stoppage Time Special: When Growth Changes the Game

Pitch to Pro

This Stoppage Time edition of the Pitch to Pro podcast features a focused look at the role of vision in entrepreneurship, regional development, and professional sports ownership, all through the lens of Northwest Arkansas’ rapid transformation. In this short segment from Episode 45, we revisit a conversation with Ross Cully that highlights how NWA’s explosive growth has forced local leaders to recalibrate their benchmarks, no longer comparing the region to peer markets it has now surpassed.

You’ll hear reflections on what it means to think beyond the present, both for cities and businesses. As NWA evolves, local leaders are wrestling with the need to plan infrastructure and policy around who the region wants to become in 20 years, not just who it is today. That forward-thinking mindset also parallels the entrepreneurial journey, where taking leaps before others see the potential is often what sets long-term success in motion.

Ross shares the early days of building The Harvest Group, a story filled with grit, risk, and the necessity of persuading others to believe in a vision that didn’t yet exist. These same principles carry over into the creation of Ozark United FC, where club founders are again being asked to forecast trends and commit to an idea ahead of the market.

This clip captures the tension and excitement of growth, the burden and privilege of leadership, and the deep need for clarity of vision, whether you're shaping a company, a sports club, or an entire region’s future. It’s a snapshot of the ideas driving NWA’s momentum and the people courageous enough to lead it.

Chapters

1. Welcome to Stoppage Time (00:00:00)

2. NWA's Growth and Development (00:00:19)

3. Vision in Entrepreneurship (00:00:57)

4. The Harvest Group Journey (00:02:30)

5. Episode Closing and Next Show (00:04:52)