Startup Junkie

Local Legacy, National Standards

Fayetteville has quietly launched some serious success stories—like AcreTrader, now a national brand in the investment world. But behind every big name is someone who believed in them early. Startup Junkie is that someone for so many local companies, including ours.

In our early days as a small production startup, avad3’s founder, Cameron, got coaching from the original Startup Junkie team. They helped lay the foundation for building not just a local business—but a national one. That’s why this event means so much to us. Startup Crawl is more than just a street party—it’s a celebration of what’s possible when a community supports entrepreneurs.

Full-Scale Production, Scaled Just Right

Startup Crawl isn’t a mega-budget, multi-stage music festival. But that doesn’t mean it has to feel small. This setup—our 32-foot hydraulic mobile stage, flown sound, full lighting, full backline—is a perfect example of the Goldilocks zone: just right. We support events with far less budget. We also support events with triple this budget. But this is the sweet spot. A thoughtfully scaled production that makes a real impact—without blowing up the budget.

You’ll see about two dozen lighting fixtures, a flown line array, and backline instruments. But what you don’t see is what matters even more: how little the client had to worry about any of it.

More Than a Stage. A Trusted Production Partner.

Our client had one person tasked with pulling this entire thing off. That’s common. It’s usually one event lead at a nonprofit like this or a city partner. These are high-capacity people—but they don’t need a stage becoming a second full-time job.

That’s where avad3 steps in—not just as gear providers, but as full-on production managers. The bands needed coordinating. The city had regulations. The artists had riders. We stepped in, worked directly with the bands, handled tech advances, hosted brief meetings, and made it all seamless.

The client thought they were hiring a sound company. What they really got was peace of mind.

Professionalism That Matches the Client

We hear this all the time: “We used an amateur sound guy once… never again.” These clients are professionals. They’re used to clear communication, prompt replies, organized logistics—and they expect that from vendors too.

At avad3, our team shows up with the professionalism clients are used to in their day-to-day world. We speak the language of professional business people—not just musicians. That’s a big deal. Because when a client signs a contract with a band, they’re on the hook to deliver a professional experience. We help them fulfill that promise.

Coverage That Reaches the Crowd, Not Just the Front Row

This square is big. The audience isn’t packed shoulder to shoulder. They’re mingling, networking, walking from booth to booth. We flew our sound system to make sure music wasn’t just loud—it was clear, consistent, and present throughout the square.

Front-row fans got the full-body bass experience. But vendors across the street could still hear announcements while being able to carry on a conversation without shouting. That balance takes planning—and our audio techs know how to nail it.

Lighting That Brings the Music Out

What makes these photos pop? It’s the lighting. Not excessive. Not minimal. Just right.

Two lighting techs. About two dozen fixtures and haze. Real design. The result? A main stage that feels like a main stage—even in a town square. When sponsors are putting dollars behind an event, they want the atmosphere to reflect that. This one did.

One Night. One Square. One Big Moment.

Events like Startup Crawl prove that a small town can do big things. With the right partners, a square in Arkansas can feel like a national stage.

We’re proud to support this event, this city, and this startup ecosystem that helped launch us years ago. Startup Crawl is one of our favorite events of the year—and we’re honored to keep making it shine.