Silicon Slopes | Leaders Interviewing Leaders

Join us for a conversation with Thomas Wright, one of Utah's esteemed politicians, on this exciting episode of the Silicon Slopes Podcast. They talk about the war in Ukraine and the importance of implementing policies that protect human life and dignity, and Thomas shares insights to Utah's political scene. He's heavily involved in the local real estate market and is focused on redefining the residential industry by showing that you can experience luxury at any price point. Additionally, the immense growth Utah has experienced over the past few years presents new challenges for the state and Thomas talks about adapting and staying solution-oriented in government. Looking to the future, he hopes to see more Utah leaders who focus on finding common ground and solving those issues with a community-focused mindset. Tune in to learn more! "When you have huge problems like we have and challenges, there's so much common ground if you can articulate it and find it."

On this episode of the Silicon Slopes Show, Clint meets with John Pestana who is currently the Co-Founder and CEO of ObservePoint and prior to that, he co-founded Omniture. They discuss John's background as an entrepreneur and how he built everything from scratch in the early days of his business ventures, whereas entrepreneurs today have access to a multitude of pre-built tools at their disposal. John talks about being one of the first big internet-age business acquisitions and how that transition impacted his life and business. They go through ObservePoint's origin story and John talks about his involvement in Utah politics and education. If you're an entrepreneur or simply want to learn more about Utah's tech and political arena, this episode is for you! "Just start. Just go. Stop talking about it, just do it. And then, have integrity and grit. Follow up on your commitments."

On this episode of the Silicon Slopes Podcast, Clint meets with Mike Peregrina who is the Co-Founder and CEO of Homie, the platform making home buying easier than ever. Mike's vision is to focus on what really matters in the market, that being consumer needs and customer voices. They discuss the challenges of expansion across states, being in the business of trust, and helping their clients buy and sell a home as simply as possible. It takes discipline to "focus on less" in the real estate as a service industry, especially with expansion opportunities around every corner. Tune in to learn more about Utah's ever-expanding community of business leaders and the entrepreneurial spirit found in this great state. "At Homie, we are super mission driven. I mean, to a core, maybe even to a fault, we'll always choose to do the right thing by our mission and our vision."

Sterling Snow joins us on this episode of the Silicon Slopes Podcast. He's a Venture Partner at Pelion, helping entrepreneurs and innovators bring their vision to life. He shares his journey as an entrepreneur in Utah, including thriving in an environment where he was allowed to make mistakes, and how he avoided the cardinal sin of Utah's tech scene: thinking too small. Sterling talks about selling businesses and making strategic moves to win in the market against his competitors. With Utah being a unique leader in the startup world, Sterling hopes to see a future that relies on collaboration over competition and values working together over all. "It doesn't mean that you have to agree on everything or that you're not going to compete, but know that we can all win together."

On this episode of the Silicon Slopes Podcast, Clint meets with Mark Sunday, who is an industry leader, long-time CIO at Oracle, and serial board advisor. Mark talks about his big move from California to Utah and what drove him to live in Park City and pursue a life here. Mark's life changed when he moved to Utah and he talks about the opportunities he received when they made the move, including being able to be involved in his sons' education at the University. They discuss his time at Oracle and the major changes such big companies can make in cities due to their sheer size, no matter where they relocate to. Mark speaks on nurturing a team and creating an environment where success can thrive, and how that's a reflection of your own leadership. "We've really felt welcomed and that's been fabulous. By the way, perhaps one of the biggest things I've done is just express the joy that my family and I have living here to other people, such as us, that come from other places like Austin and the Bay Area and so forth, and how welcomed we are and how much opportunity there is."

On this episode of the Silicon Slopes Podcast, Clint meets with Paul Shin who is the CEO of Tacos Together in Lehi, Utah. Paul has a long history of bringing people together and is passionate about throwing parties where people can connect authentically without the pressure of networking. With an emphasis on community, Paul's mission is to help people understand that they are so much more than their titles and that everyone has great potential beyond their circumstances. They talk about scaling Tacos Together, what that was like, how it positively impacted the community, and how it continues to do so today. In a time where it's getting more difficult to build connections, Paul is helping people make the connections they need for success in life and business because everyone deserves to feel like an integral part of their own community. "The solution to any problem is just a couple handshakes away. Human connection is the answer."

On this episode of the Silicon Slopes Podcast, Adam Edmunds joins Clint for an insightful conversation about his journey through mental health and leadership. Adam digs into the concept of shame and how overcoming this feeling can be an all-consuming, but freeing process once inner balance is found. He shares insights to the stressors of running a massive company and how he approaches leadership with balance and awareness. They discuss staying private vs going public and what that was like for Entrata. Utah is an ever-expanding state with no shortage of genius businesses popping up all over the map and if you're looking for insights into one of Utah's great minds, this episode is for you! "I've really enjoyed the ride. You have to be really structured and measured. You have to communicate far more clearly. You have to be more balanced and diverse in thought and team building and company building."

On this episode of the Silicon Slopes Podcast, Clint speaks with Jeff Burningham about his experience in Utah politics and what it's like to join the race for Governor. They talk about the emergence of modern AI and common fears people currently have with this newer technology, particularly the disruption it could cause in work and in public opinion. With an extensive background in angel investing in Utah, Jeff is a key player in the state's startup culture, helping entrepreneurs actualize their dreams. He speaks on helping founders get access to capital and starting that fund in Utah County, which wasn't heard of until he dabbled in the industry. Utah business is booming and Jeff is at the pinnacle of its success. "I knew that the missing ingredient here in Utah…was just access to capital. There was an oversupply of good entrepreneurs in the state, no doubt about it, and then an undersupply of good capital."

You know her from The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, Lisa Barlow joins Clint for this episode of the Silicon Slopes Podcast. They talk about her rise in entrepreneurship and how she landed a spot on the hit television series that helped to make her a prominent figure in this space. She shares her experience of being on the show and how it requires a lot of inner reflection and accountability to stay true to her core mission. Lisa discusses the responsibility she feels as a Utahn in the spotlight and how she chooses to use her platform for positive impact, showcasing how far Utah has come as an industry giant. In a market that's extremely hard to get into, Lisa hit it big and she shares some fun behind the scenes info as to how her tequila business rose to prominence. "What you're able to create is more important than how pretty you could ever look so I think when you're raised that way, I see things and I know that my actions have impact for good or bad. So I think it really holds you, in yourself, super accountable. Like how do I want to be as a person? What kind of mom do I want to be on TV? What kind of business owner do I want to be? I really make good decisions based on my core."

On this episode of the Silicon Slopes Podcast, Clint is joined by Nate Walkingshaw who is the CEO and Founder of Torus. They have an eye-opening conversation about his innovative ideas for modern energy storage and how Nate found great success in this industry working with, not against, Mother Nature. They discuss building a company sustainably using decades of experience to start a legacy of future-forward solutions. Nate talks about the harsh intersection of politics and climate debates, and how science is a key player in this discussion. In an environment that can be so divisive and difficult to navigate, Nate's work is a breath of fresh air, delivering hope and resilience for future generations. "Collectively as a community, we can be as strong as this community over here, with more control, with more integration, with more prediction. That's where we win."