Innovate Arkansas Put Passenger Baggage Xpress One Phone Call Away From The Resources It Needed

by Emily Reeves Dean February 24, 2016 Acceleration, Capital, Clients

Passenger Baggage Xpress (PBX) was founded in 2011 based on the Eason brothers’ experience in airlines operations. Brothers Brandon Eason and Michael Eason met with Innovate Arkansas (IA) for the first time, they had a presentation deck and idea sketched on a piece of paper. They have come a long way since then: today PBX has over 2,000 luggage tags in circulation and is looking to expand into their second and third airports. And they say they could not have done it without the help of Innovate Arkansas.

“My brother and I cofounded Passenger Baggage Xpress with zero experience in building businesses. We were two guys from a small town with an idea that could change how passengers travel with luggage in the airline industry and Innovate Arkansas listened. Innovate Arkansas has been the key to bringing our idea to market. They have been the single most important reason PBX is at market today.” - Brandon Eason, Co-Founder/COO of Passenger Baggage Xpress

Innovate Arkansas Helped PBX Plan The Business

A key move for PBX was participating in the ARK Challenge accelerator in 2013, an Innovate Arkansas-funded program. Eason credits Innovate Arkansas with accelerating the PBX business through the accelerator and by providing the tools and education necessary to take the idea from infancy and turn it into a product that could be taken to market. IA helped PBX with financial planning, marketing strategies, and product definition.

Innovate Arkansas Was Instrumental In Raising Capital For PBX

With the business plan sound after the accelerator, PBX was ready for funding, and IA was there to help. “The Innovate Arkansas team members were with us every step of the way, and reached out to find funding solutions that fit our business needs," says Brandon Eason. "They guided us through the funding process and were able to assist with the financial data that was necessary to close the investment.”

Needed Resources Were Within Reach As An Innovate Arkansas Client

As the PBX business continues to grow, Brandon Eason has most appreciated how active IA is in the startup and business community in Arkansas because it makes it easy for IA to connect PBX with someone that can help with whatever need they have that time. Specifically, IA has helped find the talent that PBX needs. “They’ve always been great at closing the gap between PBX and the talent we needed to get our idea off the ground,” says Brandon Eason.

Innovate Arkansas Gets A Strong Vote Of Confidence From PBX

"The most valuable part of working with Innovate Arkansas has been the experience they provide in building a business," says Brandon Eason. "No matter what stage you are in, Innovate Arkansas knows how to help you get to the next level. With the contacts, experience, and the ability to bring the business community together, Innovate Arkansas is a must before venturing into a new business, regardless if you have experience or not."

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