John Beachboard
Co-owner, ZAZA Fine Salad + Wood-Oven Pizza Co.

Within just two years of opening ZAZA Fine Salad + Wood-Oven Pizza Co., John Beachboard and his business partner, Scott McGehee, were approached by the CEO of Kentucky Fried Chicken about franchising their business.

Why do you think central Arkansas is conducive for small businesses? Relative to other cities, the business market isn’t saturated and the start-up costs are lower. You’ve got the ability to open the type of business you want and execute it to its fullest potential.

Describe the business climate in central Arkansas. It’s small enough that you have the ability to know your neighbor, which means you actually have a community that will support you and your business. As a business owner, you can ensure that your business concept fits with your customers’ lifestyles.

How would you describe local consumers? For a city of its size, Little Rock has a dense population of intelligent, cultured people who have surprisingly sophisticated palates.