Silicon Slopes

In his keynote during Silicon Slopes Tech Summit 2018, author and venture capitalist J.D. Vance spoke about his book Hillbilly Elegy, and his work with Rise of the Rest Seed Fund.

Today’s guest is Encircle executive director Stephenie Larsen. Encircle is a non-profit organization based in Provo, Utah with the mission to embrace and sustain every LGBTQ youth, every family, and every community. They seek to deepen and enrich the conversation among communities of faith and LGBTQ+ people. By teaching individuals to love themselves and empowering families, Encircle helps cultivate an environment where LGBTQ+ individuals can thrive.

In episode 32 Meg and Chris talk the latest in tech news including a rugby sponsorship and Neighbor's funding and name change. Then they discuss the latest weird Utah news which includes a man trying to marry his laptop and all the tangential thoughts around that issue, the success of a local high school welding team, sort of, and an ill-advised attempt to let students name a school. 

This episode's guest is Salt Lake County Councilwoman and candidate for the United States Senate Jenny Wilson. A fifth-generation Utahn, Jenny Wilson is serving her second six-year term on the Salt Lake County Council. In 2005, she became the first woman elected to the Council, where she has led numerous policy initiatives, including ethics reform, government efficiency, criminal justice reform and open space preservation. She was a co-founder of the Jordan River Commission.

This episode's guest is Dr. Susan R. Madsen, the Orin R. Woodbury Professor of Leadership and Ethics in the Woodbury School of Business at Utah Valley University. Dr. Madsen has been heavily involved for the last decade in researching the lifetime development of prominent women leaders. She has personally interviewed a host of women university presidents, U.S. governors, and international leaders, as well as studying many aspects of women and leadership more broadly.

In his keynote during Silicon Slopes Tech Summit 2018, Former Beats By Dre CMO Omar Johnson shared his journey as a marketer. He explained his innovative approach to marketing and the success that followed. 

In episode 31 Meg and Chris talk March Madness, the latest in tech news, and Amazon’s not very satisfying explanation for Alexa’s mockery. Then they discuss weird Utah news which includes the Free Range Children bill and a poorly named prison.

On today’s show we sit-down with Health Catalyst CEO Dan Burton in front of a live audience at Silicon Slopes HQ. Dan is one of the most humble, intelligent, and genuinely good leaders we have in Silicon Slopes. He serves on our executive board, but far more impressive is the company he’s built at Health Catalyst. Likely to be one of the next unicorns to come out of Utah, under Dan’s leadership Health Catalyst has experienced an enviable amount of growth and success in recent years.

On today’s show we talk with Because Learning founder and CEO Sunny Washington. Because Learning helps students and educators learn STEM through exciting, hands-on lessons. Their experiments and hardware kits give aspiring scientists real-world experience measuring and analyzing data, helping them learn how science, technology, engineering, and math work in the world around us. Their mission is to inspire students to pursue STEM careers and develop critical 21st century skills.

On today’s show we talk with Peterson Ventures Managing Director Ben Capell. Peterson is one of Utah’s premier venture funds and Ben’s been an active participant in building Utah’s tech community into what it is today. We had a great chat about the different trends he’s been seeing and a lot of other great topics. You’ll enjoy this one.

In episode 30, Meg, Chris, and Garrett talk the latest in tech news including the Degreed funding, upcoming Silicon Slopes events, and the Qualtrics X4 Summit. They talk about the Alexa laughing glitch and the eventual robot takeover. Then they discuss weird Utah news which includes the Utah State Bar's accidental pornographic email, and the return of our favorite hitman hirer. 

Today’s guest is InMoment CMO Kristi Knight. Kristi’s a legend here in Silicon Slopes. She’s been behind the successful rebranding efforts of some of our community’s most prolific companies--most notably Vivint, Ominuture, and now InMoment. We had a blast talking to Kristi on this show.

Today’s guest is Traeger Grills CEO Jeremy Andrus. Jeremy joined Traeger Grills as President & CEO in January, 2014 and acquired the business alongside private equity fund Trilantic Capital Partners in July of that year. Prior to Traeger, he served as President and CEO of Skullcandy as well as on its board of directors. In eight years, Jeremy helped grow Skullcandy's annual sales from less than $1 million to nearly $300 million.

In episode 29, Meg and Chris touch on the latest tech news before diving into the abomination that is "Fresh Prints of Bills Here," the Utah State House of Representatives' attempt at using rap to explain how bills are passed. It's worse than you're imagining. 

In episode 28, Meg, Clint, and Chris talk the latest in tech news including the Jive acquisition and upcoming Silicon Slopes events, then attempt to understand the latest Tech Talk No No. They discuss weird Utah news which a goat robbery with a happy ending, cougar attack tips, and an arrest proposal.