Silicon Slopes | The Entrepreneur Capital of the World

Join Clint Betts and Garrett Clark as they sit down with Rasesh Patel, President of Vivint Smart Home at NRG. In this episode, they discuss the future of electric vehicles, smart home technology, current events, and Rasesh’s incredible career journey.Rasesh joined NRG from Vivint, where he was Chief Operating Officer, overseeing the company’s operations as well as its technology and product platform.Prior to Vivint, Rasesh spent seven years at AT&T where he served in various executive leadership roles before being named chief product and platform officer for AT&T business. In that capacity, Rasesh was responsible for a P&L with $35 billion of annual revenue, as well as its integrated platforms, products, and solutions including fiber, 5G, Edge, IoT, cybersecurity, collaboration, and cloud connectivity.Prior to its acquisition by AT&T, Rasesh served as senior vice president of customer experience for DIRECTV. Through his focus on developing a seamless omnichannel customer experience, DIRECTV’s NPS improved from third to first in the industry while simultaneously driving significant operating efficiencies.Rasesh received an MBA from UCLA’s Anderson School of Management and a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of California, Irvine.Tune in to learn from a great business leader.

Join Clint Betts and Garrett Clark as they sit down with Mike Taylor, Founder of Guru Technologies, a local contract software engineering company that builds mobile and web apps. In this episode, they discuss national events such as the recent NFL games with the Detroit Lions and San Fransisco 49ers, recap Utah Tech Week and describe the various events that took place, and the impact AI can bring in the near future.Mike Taylor started Guru Technologies in 2005 and currently has 50 Utah-based employees. He and his team have built all kinds of software for startups and companies. Outside of Guru, Mike has also built three SaaS startups, two of which were sold. Mike was the tech co-founder of Tukios in 2010 and Municipal Code Online in 2016. The third startup, CrewTracks, is still being run by Mike.Tune in to learn more.

On this episode of the Silicon Slopes Podcast, Clint meets with Utah State Representative, Jefferson Moss. They dive into various issues affecting Utah and share ideas surrounding DEI in the workplace and in education. As Utah continues to grow, lawmakers are actively seeking solutions to potential problems the state may experience with such large-scale growth, including management and transportation. They also discuss the upcoming presidential election as well as the Utah Innovation Fund which supports Utah's startups and entrepreneurs. The future of Utah is in great hands; tune in to learn more about the exciting things happening in this great state! "I think our new board of higher education, you know many of them, I think it's going to do a fantastic job of helping to bring the schools more together. They all bring incredible strengths individually but to see the collaboration amongst them, I think is going to create a lot of new exciting things that we can do as a state."

On this episode of the Silicon Slopes Podcast, Clint meets with Chad Ingram, the Founder and CEO of Distro. They delve into Chad's entrepreneurial journey including his experiences in establishing and successfully selling a startup, leading to his current role at Distro. Chad has an exhilarating background in racing cars and he talks about the intricate process of getting into this lifestyle, as well as constructing the perfect pit crew team to support him in races. Chad shares his story of founding Distro and how he was inspired to fill a gap in the outsourcing market. They also talk about startups in Utah and highlight what some local leaders are doing to put the state on the map of innovation. "You become dangerous and productive when you don't give a sh**. And that doesn't mean that you become careless. It just means that you become fearless."

On this episode of the Silicon Slopes Podcast, Clint meets with Aaron Starks to talk about building 47G and investing in Utah's ecosystem of aerospace entrepreneurs. 47G, previously known as Utah Aerospace and Defense, funds some of the greatest minds in cyber and defense innovation. They discuss the state of the world, the different powers leading in innovation, as well as what we lack in capable leadership. In the midst of a local political funk, they talk about why some people refuse to run for office and why we're seeing a decline in specific arenas. When small businesses succeed, the entire state succeeds and Aaron strives to help as many as possible thrive today. "Utah has 330,000 small businesses. We're a small to mid-market state. The life blood of our economy is the small businessmen."

Jaquelynne Elliott from J.P. Morgan joins Clint on this episode of the Silicon Slopes Podcast for a conversation about the unprecedented growth of Utah's market and business talent, particularly in the entrepreneurial space. With a background in finance, Jaquelynne recently joined J.P. Morgan and she currently helps founders plan ahead while managing risk. They touch on transferring wealth and being financially prepared for the future. They also discuss the complications of the current economic environment and Jaquelynne shares her perspective on the state of things. Utah's entrepreneurs stand out for their unique commitment to reinvesting in their own state, rather than going elsewhere once they achieve success, further investing in local innovation. "If you want information on anything financial, you can get it, and you can get it from the top minds."

On this episode of the Silicon Slopes Podcast, Clint is joined by Trent Mano who is a founder of Convoi Ventures, to have a chat about investing and entrepreneurship in Utah. They talk about shifting the culture around investing in local companies and why bootstrapping is important for gaining traction. Trent shares the story of starting Convoi and how it evolved into a household name for founders across the state. The startup game has evolved greatly over the last few years and new founders are having to adapt in the changing market to raise funds. Through this evolution, new talents have emerged, bringing about some of Utah's best to the startup scene. Tune in to hear more about the inner workings of Convoi and how they're putting Utah's founders on the map! "Being a founder is lonely and having a community, we feel, is a super important part of the journey."

On this episode of the Silicon Slopes Podcast, Clint meets with Brandon Fugal who is the Chairman at Colliers International, and is widely known as the current owner of Skinwalker Ranch. Brandon shares exciting insights into the start of his career and tells how his fascination with real estate and business drives him today, particularly in entrepreneurship. He speaks on acquiring Skinwalker Ranch and how he was a skeptic at first, but certain events have since changed his mind. They dive into documenting the phenomenon happening at the ranch and going global with otherworldly, mind-bending evidence. Tune in to explore the intersection of science and the paranormal with a dash of entrepreneurship! "I have the most fun representing companies, growing companies, and helping them chart the course for the future. And to be able to not only procure the right concessions and economic package associated with their facilities planning, but to really look at all of the qualitative factors."

On this special episode of the Silicon Slopes Podcast, Clint is joined by Joe Tuia'ana and Aron from the I Love You Bro Project. They're on a mission to save lives by speaking authentically and openly about suicide rates among men and providing resources for suicide prevention. Their story starts on an overpass where Aron was standing on the ledge when Joe pulled over and kept repeating "I love you, bro," until he was able to embrace Aron and pull him to safety. To this day, the two consider each other family and are sharing their story to help men understand their emotions, to feel heard, and to facilitate life-saving connections. Tune in to hear their amazing story as they continue to save lives and change the stigma surrounding men's mental health. "It's just crazy how he was a stranger and he saved my life, and now I'm still here."

CEO of Utah Tech Leads, Liz Converse, joins Clint for this episode of the Silicon Slopes Podcast for a conversation about Utah politics and business. Liz answers some common questions about DEI and why this is important for community building in education and business. With a huge shift in national politics sweeping the nation, Utah isn't exempt from the chaos and they discuss one of Utah's more controversial figures. Liz shares what it takes to win your local majority vote and why candidates who connect with their community are more likely to win simply based on their personability. Beyond government and politics, Liz speaks to the impact of industry and growth in Utah, including the leaders who are making great things happen. "How do we continue to make Utah a sustainable place to live? How do we keep our kids here?...It's educating the community and educating policymakers on what those priorities are."