Silicon Slopes | Leaders Interviewing Leaders

On this episode of the Silicon Slopes Podcast, Richie Norton joins us all the way from Hawaii for a conversation about entrepreneurship and living life to the fullest as much as possible. Richie is an award-winning author and the Co-Founder and CEO of Prouduct. With a distinct background in international business, he's a serial entrepreneur, helping people to change the way they work and how they live. They discuss how his book was inspired by entrepreneurs who start a business hoping to get time and financial freedom, yet get hooked into giving all their time and money to the startup. Richie talks about something all entrepreneurs should hear - using your time to focus on what you love and not putting important things aside for the sake of success. "When you sacrifice what you love for success, you get neither. How you spend your time is how you show your love. When you bake a cake without sugar, you can't expect it to be sweet. Value your time, don't time your values."

On this episode of the Silicon Slopes Show, Clint chats with Alex Lawrence about working at Weber State University and being an entrepreneur in the world of electric vehicles. With a PhD in business and an extensive background in starting, investing, and running companies, Alex is constantly seeking new opportunities for growth and leadership. They talk about tech bootcamps and different routes of schooling people can take who want to get started in the field. Alex discusses the interesting effects politics can have on the cars we drive and how Elon Musk has impacted the industry with his businesses. The future looks bright for EV Auto and Alex shares updates on their expansion in Utah. Tune in to learn more! "It was really fun, really entrepreneurial. Very rewarding. You feel like you're working on something that was hopefully going to have an impact beyond just making money."

Matt Riley is the founder of Stanza, a platform offering a creatively modern approach for connecting office owners with those in need of a flexible workspace. Think of it like the ultimate dating app for matching the ideal commercial real estate location with the right company. Matt's witnessing first-hand how AI is affecting this industry and he discusses the interesting dynamic between the work-from-home-crowd and AI. Matt talks about the massive growth Stanza's experienced within the investing ecosystem of Utah and how this is a great place for scaling startups. There's something magical about working together as a team, especially when it can be done in person and at the right location. "I think that we're probably weeks away from officially starting to engage more seriously with investors because the momentum is only going one direction. And it's only getting more intense and more exciting and so it's a fun story to tell at this point."

On this episode of the Silicon Slopes Podcast, Clint meets with Gonzalo Peña Jr. who is an amazing storyteller and the host of the InnoLatino Podcast. With a community-first mindset, Gonzalo is an advocate for equal opportunities and his passion for diversity and innovation is contagious. In 2016, he realized that technology is a key element to bring people out of poverty. Using this knowledge in tandem with the rising businesses of Silicon Slopes, he's helping Latino people find opportunities in the tech sector. They discuss navigating social integration and how cultural differences can be an advantage to teams, rather than divisiveness. "After I started interacting with the business community among the Latino people in Utah, I felt a sort of commitment because I saw talent and I saw brilliant people and people with good moral values that just wanted to fulfill the American dream, to be honest. Just like I had that commitment to pay it forward, I wanted to do that with my own people."

On this episode of the Silicon Slopes Podcast, Clint has the opportunity to meet with Brandon Craig, the founder of Ontocore and the author of the Create Powerful Course. He's on a mission to help people understand exactly what makes them human and how they can become the most effective, empathetic, powerful leaders possible using their unique traits. The best leaders are authentic people; they're authentic to themselves, their employees, and authentic to their purpose. Brandon dives into the nature of integrity and how understanding the true meaning of this word can help a leader become remarkable, enforcing a positive culture of accountability and higher performance. A major part of a leader's job is to be forward-focused, always looking to create and build toward the future they want. "Being a powerful leader changes the way those you're leading get out of bed every morning."

On this episode of the Silicon Slopes Podcast, Clint meets with Jay Davis who is the Founder of Cold Case Ice Cream and Creatably, and is an investor in Utah business. He walks Clint through his entrepreneurial journey, starting with ice cream and uniquely-shaped pillows. They discuss Jay's approach to growing companies, especially in raising money, and how this approach has helped him to follow his passion. Jay mentions the infamous "pillow politics" and how companies would be wise to stay out of politics, especially when you are trying to sell a product and keep the masses in love with your company. The best business happens when leaders prioritize their employees and stay looking toward the future with a growth mindset. "Here in Utah, I think we should leverage and lean on what we're the best at, rather than trying to become Silicon Valley."

Sara Jones joins Clint on this episode of the Silicon Slopes Podcast for an eye-opening conversation about diversity in the workplace and how her company, InclusionPro, is working to change the stigma surrounding these ideas. She speaks on approaching this subject with a learning mindset and she challenges leaders to look at the company culture they've created, and discover how they can further integrate diverse ideas into their routines, creating opportunities for creativity and inclusion. DEI has recently become a hot topic in politics and Sara shares that DEI was never meant to be a political talking point because it was initially created to help companies discover new pathways to success. Sara teaches leaders that equity isn't about giving good opportunities to employees who don't deserve them, but it's really about giving employees the opportunities to advance and succeed in the job they were hired to do, like training for a promotion or role. DEI is deeply personal and it affects everyone differently and Sara is on a mission to help leaders understand the value in diverse thinking and creative learning. "It's complex, it's nuanced, and I think it's really testing us as a society on whether or not we can really work towards the interest of everyone."

On this episode of the Silicon Slopes Show, Clint has the opportunity to speak with Ben Hart who is the Executive Director of Utah Inland Port Authority. Ben is no stranger to dealing with and overcoming opposition, especially in his line of work in supply chain solutions and economic initiatives driving Utah's inland port. They talk about how the unique landscape of Utah presents unique challenges, which requires creative solutions for transportation and rail, while keeping conservation at the forefront. We're currently seeing a widespread recalibration in global industry and Ben discusses how we're adapting to these changes in modern business. Maintaining the beautiful traits of Utah is Ben's mission and as this great state grows in population, he's finding sustainable ways to keep Utah amazing. Tune in to learn more!

Clint meets with Bubba Page on this episode of the Silicon Slopes Podcast to talk about the entrepreneurial journey and what it takes to make it in today's business-scape. Bubba's investing portfolio is extensive and it includes everything from tech, to real estate, to modern advertising. He talks about discovering his life's purpose and how he arrived at that conclusion and how his family has been his greatest support along the way. They discuss mental health and how therapy helps him balance his marriage and family with work, and how important it is to seek help when you need it. If you've ever wondered about Utah investing culture, or what it's like to be a VC, tune in to this episode to learn more! "I'm biased, I love Utah. I've been here a long time and I just think the startup ecosystem is phenomenal. I think also culturally...I think most entrepreneurs feel the way that I do, that we've received help so therefore we help and that is really healthy."

Join Clint Betts for a thrilling conversation about ice cream, branding, entrepreneurship, and leadership with Garrett Blood. From founding Arctic Zero, the third most popular ice cream company behind Häagen-Daz and Ben & Jerry's, to becoming the 57th most popular food product ever sold on Amazon, Garrett's background is deliciously diverse. With a focus on talent and ambition, his ideas are changing lives around the world. Garrett most recently had a shift in his career where he's now helping genius people move out of poverty and into a space where they can achieve their wildest dreams and launch their businesses. His story is a good reminder that no matter your background, if you have passion, you can achieve amazing things. "The moment you're an entrepreneur and you go out on your own, it's like you've opened the jar and you can't close the jar back again because it's like you love running the show. You love being able to be a pioneer of the industry, a disruptor."