Teachers are saying yes to jobs and then backing out for one simple reason: they can’t find a place they can afford near the schools they’re hired to serve. That’s the pressure point McAuley Place tackles head-on, and the deeper story is why this Bentonville development was already drawing national attention before the doors even opened. We sit down with Ryan Faust of BUF Studio to unpack how McAuley Place became what it is today: a rare partnership between a foundation, Mercy, Bentonville S...

He started an architecture firm in January 2020, then watched the world change a few weeks later. Ryan Faust, founder of BUF Studio, joins us for a candid conversation about what it takes to build a design practice in Northwest Arkansas while the region grows at full speed and the economy keeps shifting under your feet. We dig into what BUF Studio actually does across architecture, interior design and the broader built environment, plus the story behind the name: buffalo don’t run from...

September doesn’t ease in, it hits like a full calendar alert. With school back, routines returning, and the heat still hanging on, we’re also stepping into the busiest stretch of the year for Northwest Arkansas nonprofit events. I’m flying solo on The 3W Podcast to talk through what’s coming, what we’re seeing across the community, and how we can all make fall fundraising season smoother for donors, sponsors and the organizations doing the work. We zoom out on what 3W Magazine is built to d...

Rent is due, daycare is expensive, the car needs gas, and somewhere in the middle of all that a single parent is supposed to finish a degree. We sit down with Frankie Rankin from the Single Parent Scholarship Fund of Northwest Arkansas to talk about what actually helps parents stay in school and why the real obstacles are rarely academic. We unpack how their single parent scholarship program works from application to interviews, including the community volunteer panels that turn a stressful ...

We talk about the winding path from a psychology degree at the University of Arkansas to weekend childcare at a children’s shelter, and how that “temporary” choice turns into a real calling in nonprofit work, social services and community impact. Frankie also shares what it feels like to step into the CEO seat at the Single Parent Scholarship Fund of Northwest Arkansas after years of learning fundraising, development and endowment campaign work from the ground up. She’s honest about walking ...

You can’t fake a venue that feels effortless. Ashley Starnes, owner of Osage House, joins us to share how one of the most sought-after wedding venues and event venues in Northwest Arkansas came to life, starting with 54 acres, a blank page, and a lot of listening. She walks us through the early research meetings with planners, photographers, caterers and DJs that shaped the core requirements: real capacity, true versatility and natural light that makes every photo look like a magazine spread....

Northwest Arkansas feels like it grows overnight, and sometimes the weirdest part is realizing you still haven’t explored the place you call home. We’re joined by Ashley Starnes of Osage House for a wide-ranging, very real conversation that starts with summer break logistics (two-boy households know) and turns into what it’s like to watch Fayetteville, Springdale, Rogers, Bentonville and Bella Vista transform from open stretches of green into a packed, opportunity-filled region. We als...

Bentonville isn’t supposed to feel like a film capital, and that’s exactly why the Bentonville Film Festival works. We’re joined by Twilla Brooks to unpack how BFF has evolved over 12 years into one of the most welcoming, intimate and mission-driven film festivals in the country, rooted right here in Northwest Arkansas. We get into the real “why” behind BFF: Geena Davis’ passion project built to amplify underrepresented stories by women and people of color, in front of the camera and behind ...

Maycember is real, and if you’ve ever stared at your calendar wondering how 12 events landed in one week, we’re right there with you. We’re talking straight from the messy middle of the end-of-school-year sprint: field trips for every grade, sports banquets, award ceremonies, teacher appreciation, spirit days, graduation parties and the nonstop “friendly reminder” emails that somehow turn into “last call” overnight. We also get honest about the emotional side. May isn’t just chaotic, it’s te...

Mother’s Day doesn’t just “get busy” at a flower shop. It becomes a full-scale logistics puzzle with real stakes: freshness, timing and the emotion tied to the moment. We’re back with Tricia Upshaw of Shirley’s Flower Studio in Rogers, and she walks us through what it actually takes to serve a whole community when Mother’s Day flower orders surge past expectations. We dig into how a local florist plans months ahead, why wholesale deadlines and price increases matter, and how Mother’s Day des...