Silicon Slopes | The Entrepreneur Capital of the World

Silicon Slopes
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Aug 4, 2023 • 54min

Finding Opportunities for Local Growth and Development | Ben Hart on Sustainable Solutions

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!
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Aug 1, 2023 • 58min

A Look Inside the World of Utah's Investing Ecosystem | Bubba Page on Leveraging Growth and Influence

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."
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Jul 28, 2023 • 1h 4min

From Ice Cream to Empowering Entrepreneurs Worldwide | Garrett Blood, Founder of Arctic Zero and Kajae

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."
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Jul 25, 2023 • 60min

The Art of Investing in People as a VC | Sid Krommenhoek, Co-Founder of Album VC

Clint meets with Sid Krommenhoek who is a co-founder of Album, a venture capital team in Utah that's investing in early-stage tech startups. They discuss investing cycles and how to avoid getting too involved in a single technology because the landscape is always changing. Sid brings up an interesting idea, that the more we work with machines (like AI or simply working from home instead of the office) and use social media, the worse our mental health becomes and we need to prioritize personal connection as much as possible. Ultimately, investing in people is what will drive the industry forward and we should dedicate everything we can to making our relationships more meaningful and collaborative. It doesn't matter who you are, where you come from, or how you were raised, if you are appropriately ruthless about following your dreams, you can make it in this industry. "I think the cryptonite in our industry is FOMO. All of us, we'll all tell you our stories of the deal that we got FOMOed into and we maybe let passion and emotion and something irrational drive a decision."
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Jul 21, 2023 • 1h 33min

Putting Utah on the Investor's Map | Paul Ahlstrom: Local Legend, Investor, and Serial Entrepreneur

On this episode of the Silicon Slopes Podcast, Clint meets with Utah legend, Paul Ahlstrom, who is an investor and entrepreneur, as well as the co-author of Nail It Then Scale It. Utah owes its dramatic rise in the tech and investment world to Paul because he co-founded the state's leading venture capital fund, which gave Utah the springboard it needed to become a part of every renowned investor's portfolio. They discuss his extensive background in investing and how Paul has made investing history by helping so many companies become the giants they are today. They dive into Paul's entrepreneurial journey and how he's an integral part of Utah's tech ecosystem, even creating the first venture fund in Mexico! Always on the hunt for the next problem to be solved, Paul's on a mission for three things: to cure cancer, end poverty, and disrupt Hollywood, by giving back and working to build things better. "I'm not really an investor. I'm an entrepreneur that's kind of disguised as an investor but if you look at the lens of everything I do, one of the things you can look at is just creating things out of scratch that are hard, that haven't been done before."
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Jul 17, 2023 • 1h 4min

Putting the Power of Crypto in Your Wallet | Eric and Ethan Parker of Giddy

Join Clint for a fun conversation with Eric and Ethan Parker, the founding dream team behind Utah crypto giant, Giddy. In an effort to make crypto accessible to everyone, Eric and Ethan set out on a mission to help people self-manage their own crypto wallet, keeping user privacy at the forefront of their work. They talk about building Giddy and how they keep fraud out of the mix by fully incorporating their users. As block chain is constantly evolving, these local heroes are making this industry easy to understand for the typical newbie. Tune in to hear more about their entrepreneurial journey and how they quickly rose the ranks in the crypto world. "With all the absolute chaos, what we're built on is a foundation of really good technical innovation."
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Jul 17, 2023 • 1h 1min

Solving the People Problem | Congressman John Curtis on Optimism for America

In this episode of the Silicon Slopes Show, Clint Betts sits down with current congressman, John Curtis, and discusses the most relevant issues affecting citizens of the United States today. Throughout his time in Congress, John Curtis has shown a commitment to conservative principles, working across party lines when necessary to achieve meaningful results. He has been a strong advocate for fiscal responsibility, economic growth, and responsible public lands management, all with the goal of improving the lives of his constituents in Utah's 3rd congressional district.During his service, he’s had the opportunity to witness both compelling and repelling changes and choices made inside the United States government. Enjoy this episode as Clint and John dive deeper into the view of congress, dramatic changes of political parties, the impact of personal responsibility, and much more.
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Jul 17, 2023 • 1h 2min

The Cookie Sensation Rocking the Nation | Bennett Maxwell, Founder of Dirty Dough

On this sugary episode of the Silicon Slopes Podcast, Clint meets with Bennett Maxwell who is the Founder of Dirty Dough, a massive cookie chain. He discusses how to be a resilient business owner in the face of controversy and how his franchise is thriving through the Utah cookie wars. From this experience, he's been able to open locations across America and grow his business greatly across the States. He discusses survival and not backing down during difficulty - a fundamental skill of every great entrepreneur and business owner. Tune in to learn more about being a franchise owner, the future of Dirty Dough, and deliciously dirty details of the infamous cookie wars that rocked the nation.

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