Lawn Care Olympics in Fayetteville, Arkansas with Quinn Childress of Willow Street Lawns

Lawn Care Olympics in Fayetteville, Arkansas with Quinn Childress of Willow Street Lawns

Author: Startup Junkie September 8, 2026 Duration: 31:03

Quinn Childress, owner of Willow Street Lawns and founder of the digital lawn care marketplace Lawnly, joins the Startup Junkies Podcast to talk about the first-ever Lawn Care Olympics coming to Fayetteville, Arkansas on September 20th. Quinn shares how he went from experiencing homelessness as a teenager to building a lawn care business, and now a platform designed to funnel local dollars toward nonprofits and people experiencing homelessness in Northwest Arkansas.


In This Episode

  • Why Quinn started Willow Street Lawns after experiencing homelessness at 15
  • What the Lawn Care Olympics is and why it's coming to Fayetteville
  • How Lawnly connects homeowners, lawn care pros, and nonprofits
  • Why local dollars, not charity, are the key to breaking poverty cycles
  • How Startup Junkie's ecosystem helped Quinn scale two ventures
  • What advice Quinn would give his younger self today


⏱️ Chapters


1:01 – Welcome to the Startup Junkies Podcast
1:42 – Meet Quinn Childress: Willow Street Lawns & Lawnly
2:09 – Announcing the First-Ever Lawn Care Olympics
2:29 – The Vision: Turning Lawn Care into a Community Sport
3:23 – Partnering with Nonprofits to Fight Homelessness
4:45 – Quinn's Story: From Homelessness to Business Owner
6:30 – Lawn Care Olympics Event Details (Sept 20 at New Beginnings)
7:26 – Judges, Challenges, and Who Can Compete
11:41 – Inside Lawnly: A Two-Sided Marketplace for Lawn Care
14:06 – RISE Arkansas Sponsor Message
14:34 – Quinn's Roots in the NWA Ecosystem & Building Lawnly
19:18 – The Real Motivation: Helping the Local Economy Thrive
22:22 – Time Machine Question: Advice to His Younger Self
29:20 – How to Connect with Quinn & Support the Olympics

—

Connect with Quinn


🔗 https://www.willowstlawns.com/

🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/quinn-childress-9a2065155/

—


🎧 Follow the Startup Junkies Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. 👍 If you enjoyed this episode, like, subscribe, and share it with a friend.


The Startup Junkies Podcast is brought to you in part by RISE, helping Arkansas tech and tech-enabled startups grow with no-cost coaching, capital navigation, and expert connections.


Hosted by Jeff Amerine and the practical minds at Startup Junkie Consulting, The Startup Junkies Podcast digs into the real work of building a company. This isn't about abstract theory; it's a direct conversation on the stages every founder faces. You'll hear discussions on moving from a raw idea to a proven concept, the intricacies of strategic planning, and the daily grind of scaling operations. Episodes tackle leadership under pressure, effective marketing without a massive budget, and even the long-game considerations of exit strategies. The core of the podcast is built on conversations with those who have been in the trenches-seasoned business owners, resilient entrepreneurs, and specialists who offer actionable advice. The focus is consistently on tangible value, providing insights that can be applied directly to your own challenges. Tune in for a grounded perspective that aims to help you navigate each critical decision, pushing your venture forward one practical step at a time. It’s a resource for anyone who prefers honest talk about business growth over empty inspiration.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

The Startup Junkies Podcast
Podcast Episodes
446: Why NWA Is the Best Place for Entrepreneurs with Randy Wilburn [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:22
SummaryOn this insightful episode of Startup Junkies, the team sits down with Randy Wilburn, director of communications and marketing at the Fayetteville Public Library and founder/host of the I Am Northwest Arkansas pod…
445: The Untold Challenges of Rapid Growth with Thomas Healy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:41
SummaryIn this episode of the Startup Junkies podcast, hosts Caleb Talley and Grant Boston sit down with Thomas Healy, founder of Hyliion, to dive deep into his entrepreneurial journey and the innovative path his company…
444: How a Failed Entertainment Venture Shaped a Real Estate Empire [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:17
SummaryIn the latest episode of the Startup Junkies podcast, hosts Daniel Koonce and Grant Boston sit down with real estate mogul Ari Rastegar, founder and CEO of Rastegar Capital, to discuss entrepreneurship, investing,…
442: The Power of Persistent Capital: Lessons for Rural Economies [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:55
SummaryThe latest episode of the Startup Junkies podcast shines a spotlight on the enduring legacy and forward-thinking strategies of ACC Capital (formerly Arkansas Capital Corporation). Host Caleb Talley, joined by Jeff…
441: Connecting Korean Ventures to US Markets with Louis Diesel [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:36
SummaryOn this episode of Startup Junkies, hosts Caleb Talley and Daniel Konnce sit down with Louis Diesel, director of Startup Junkie Asia. Based in Seoul, South Korea, Louis shares the journey of connecting Korean star…
439: Demystifying Startup Law and Compliance with Phil Pesek [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:50
SummaryOn this episode of Startup Junkies, hosts Daniel Koonce and Caleb Talley sit down with Phil Pesek, founder of the Law Office of Philip A. Pesek, to unravel the mysteries of business law and compliance for entrepre…