Silicon Slopes | Leaders Interviewing Leaders

On this episode of the Silicon Slopes Podcast, Clint meets with the Founder and CEO of Crumbl Cookies, Jason McGowan. Popular for its signature chocolate chip and birthday cake cookies, the bakery has expanded rapidly across North America, but originated here in Utah. Jason explains how the two keys to maintaining consistent cookie quality are technology and exceptional bakers, and it certainly doesn't hurt to have iconic branding, such as Crumbl's, as part of your arsenal. He dives into creating Crumbl's branding and focusing on the experience their cookies present; just like receiving a bouquet of flowers, but better. Having an unforgettable brand experience is a major draw for many of Crumbl's consumers and Jason hints at some fun things people can expect in the future. "I think people are capable of so much. Even individuals don't realize how much ability they have inside them."

On this episode of the Silicon Slopes Podcast, Clint is joined by Owen Fuller who is the CEO at Marq. They discuss all things Utah tech, including the creation of Marq and how it evolved from Lucidpress. With Utah's techscape constantly expanding, it attracts a lot of entrepreneurs and Owen shares some of the fantastic leadership collaborations he's experienced in this ecosystem. Utah presents unique opportunities to its entrepreneurs and Owen hopes to see the state thrive even more in the future as a community of great minds. They also touch on the subject of foreign affairs and how those ripples are felt around the world. Tune in to learn more! "I hope that we are trying really, really hard, I see a lot of people doing this, to make capital accessible to people from every background and walk of life...I hope more for everyone to feel like they can find their place here."

Jared Stewart joins Clint for this episode of the Silicon Slopes Podcast to talk about founding TribeHouse and navigating relationship intelligence. They talk about leading with authenticity and how being authentic naturally grows your network because it attracts genuine people. Jared's an excellent community leader and is known for his strides in building communities for the sake of revolutionizing relationships and how we interact with others in professional environments and at home. Jared talks about achieving scale and how so many companies struggle to achieve this, and he shares his vision for the future of TribeHouse. Having connection between your peers is essential for workplace flow and Jared helps leaders understand that meaningful collaboration is key to success in business. "Just because they're together doesn't mean they're connecting. We need to make sure they're connecting in ways that are away from the current and that are actually going to force them to open up and actually be vulnerable."

On this episode of the Silicon Slopes Podcast, Clint meets with Ryan Starks who is the Executive Director for the Utah Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity (GOEO). Having spent most of his life in Utah, Ryan's passionate about helping the state become a hub of business and tech opportunity by advocating to keep manufacturing as close to home as possible. Something Utah's known for is the healthcare innovations and life sciences coming from its universities, which have robust programs in these fields. They discuss Utah's recent recognition by U.S. News & World Report as having the best economy in the United States and what that means for those who live here. This amazing state is continuously expanding and has an undeniable impact on those who visit, and Ryan is highly optimistic about its bright future. "As industries grow, we attract talent from other states and so that just continues to add to the richness and vibrancy of our economy."

CEO of Motherly, Jill Koziol, joins Clint for this episode of the Silicon Slopes Podcast for a conversation about establishing her business here in Utah. She dives into making the move to Park City and compares Silicon Valley to Silicon Slopes, and what makes both so distinguishable as innovation hubs. In her industry credibility is extremely important, especially when it comes to parenting, and she finds that empathy is often missing in tech. Involving stories in your work is a great way to build empathy within your brand because they not only display your voice, but also help to build a community based on sharing, acknowledgement, and unity. Jill explains how data is a key player in understanding her audience and she uses it to create a safe space for mothers to connect and be empowered. "We use storytelling also as a way to expand people's perspectives and see a different point of view. And when you humanize it through storytelling, I think people are more open to it."

Blake Modersitzki joins Clint on this episode of the Silicon Slopes Podcast for a conversation about VC, tech, and all things Utah business. Blake shares his story of launching Utah Ventures and what the VC environment was like in Utah during the early 2000s. He talks about writing his first venture checks and what a journey it is to help tech startups flourish. They discuss the slippery slope that is deciding who can and can't make decisions at a company and why it's important to stay diligent in this industry. Utah's VC scene is booming and in the future, Blake hopes that collaboration will be everyone's focus as we celebrate entrepreneurship together. "I think that we are primed to be a leader in AI. We're seeing some amazing, early-stage AI companies right now."

Robbie Tripp joins Clint for this thrilling episode of the Silicon Slopes Podcast to talk about all things rap, self-expression, and building the life that you want for yourself. Having grown up in Utah, Robbie always understood that he was meant for more, like playing basketball professionally or focusing on his musical craft. He talks about using social media to launch his brand and how one post in particular exploded online, garnering him a lot of attention and traction for his career. Robbie's faced a lot of negativity online for following his dreams and he shares how he stays focused on his vision without letting critics get in the way. In a world where we're so focused on what other people might think of us, it's important to stand out simply by being our true selves, Robbie's story of hope will inspire many to be authentically creative as often as possible. "I realized I can create up there with the best of 'em. And I've always known it, so let's get it. I'm starting my journey."

Scott Anderson joins Clint on this episode of the Silicon Slopes Podcast for a conversation about all things leadership, Utah, community, and banking. They chat about what a rollercoaster the industry is and how things can change drastically overnight. As an integral part of Utah's history, Zions Bank focuses greatly on cultivating community and has done so since its founding in 1873. Scott is an inspiring leader who strives to help people become the best, most inspired versions of themselves, which can be achieved through community. It's no secret that Utah is growing rapidly and Scott shares some fun insights as to why Utah's business economy is so creative and future forward. "From the very beginning, the idea was that we were here to create value. Value, honestly for our clients, but value for our communities and that means giving back where we can."

Join us for a fun conversation with Steve Daly who is the CEO of Instructure. With a history in tech and engineering, Steve talks about working with private equity firms and going through that process over the course of 15 years in the software space. He shares his strategy in vetting companies for acquisition and speaks on his experience having acquired 26 companies in his career. They talk about mixing local politics with business and figuring out an effective pace for collaboration between the communities, which is essential for the future of Utah's booming business sphere. Steve's on a mission to elevate student learning everywhere with the help of generative AI. "You've got to be really disciplined in how you manage your pipeline, the visibility you have, because sales is part science, but it's a lot of art. There's a lot of things you can't control in the selling process. So I look for a leader that kind of gets that and then is able to kind of see around corners using some of the analytics, in addition to, is an inspirational leader."

Cydni Tetro joins Clint on this episode of the Silicon Slopes Podcast for a conversation about leadership, meeting consumer needs, and being a pioneer in the tech space. They discuss her fun background working at Disney Research Imagineering and being responsible for product innovation, which was the opportunity of a lifetime. An important aspect of being a leader is staying future-focused and putting your energy into delivering value, ensuring your customers feel taken care of. Cydni talks about starting the Women Tech Council, looking at the economic impact of women in tech and finding opportunities to bring men and women together to change the industry. The impact of Cydni's work on the community is undeniable and as Utah grows, she is a beacon of innovation. "The problems we're solving every day that feel so heavy, we forget sometimes to step back and say, 'Well if we were here in 5 years, what would that have done for our business?'"