Utah Business

Utah is consistently ranked one of the most innovative states in the country. But is that reputation earned? And what's standing between the state's best ideas and the market?

This episode was recorded live at the 2026 Utah Business Innovation Awards Summit, presented in partnership with Nucleus Institute. Three panelists talk through what it will take to mature Utah's innovation ecosystem: an investor and go-to-market leader, a scientist and founder working in AI and quantum, and a deep tech entrepreneur.

They get into the difference between a startup state and an innovation state, why so many promising technologies stall between the lab and the market, the funding gap in the middle, why Utah needs a deeper bench of experienced operators, and why AI and the next generation of innovators give them reason to be optimistic.

Featuring:

• Joe Grover, Chief Growth Officer, Amplēo

• Dolly Chitta, Ph.D., CEO, Tek Holding

• Christian Iverson, Entrepreneur in Residence, Utah State University

Dr. Jerry Chidester and Mindee Chidester, founders of The Plastics Clinic + Spa, join Utah Business live at Founder Friday to share the emotional story behind one of Utah's fastest-growing cosmetic surgery businesses.

From leaving a practice with 90 days' notice to launching a practice January 2, 2020, just weeks before COVID shut down elective surgery, the Chidesters break down how they pivoted and survived, building a company that grew 15X in just a few years. They talk about trust, the decision to go out on their own, a virtual grand opening that booked 50 surgeries in 2 days, and the avalanche of demand that crashed their phone server with more than 2,000 calls in 48 hours.

Jerry and Mindee also open up about building culture from scratch, why they chose "be yourself, find joy, and have fun" as their first core values, what it means to create a luxury experience for everyday people, and their vision to build the first global aesthetic plastic surgery brand.

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Join us for this live-taped Founder Friday event with Ryan Anderson, Founder & CEO of Filevine, a Legal Operating Intelligence System used by over 100,000 legal professionals. A former litigator, Ryan has become a leading voice on the responsible adoption of AI in regulated environments. His work focuses on building embedded, matter-aware intelligence systems that advance legal outcomes while reinforcing governance, confidentiality, and operational control. He advises legal leaders, policymakers, and enterprise teams on the infrastructure required for secure, defensible AI in modern practice.

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In this Utah Business Podcast, executive editor Catherine Bennett sits down with Alexandra Pasi, PhD mathematician and the co-founder and CEO of Lucidity Sciences.

At work, Alexandra helps companies rethink how they use AI, beyond the hype cycle.

In this episode, Catherine and Lexi talk about what AI actually is, what businesses are getting wrong about adoption, why most companies risk looking exactly the same, and how leaders can use AI to amplify human creativity… instead of replacing it.

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In this Utah Business Podcast episode, executive editor Catherine Bennett sits down with Chrisi Hammer, the “Founder & Chief Bun Boss” of Sunshine Buns, a rapidly expanding CPG brand offering family-favorite cinnamon buns to customers across the country.

Chrisi Hammer has skillfully managed the challenges of rapid growth, taking the company from local roots to the shelves of major retailers nationwide, from Costco to Kroger.

Balancing her dynamic role with the demands of being a mother of 5, Chrisi shares her insights on navigating logistics, maintaining a personal touch in branding, and the power of saying “no” as a key element of strategic growth.

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In this live-recorded episode of the Utah Business Magazine podcast, executive editor Catherine Bennett sits down with Gavin Christensen, the founder and managing partner of Kickstart—Utah’s premier seed-stage venture capital firm.

Gavin shares his journey from a "military brat" living in a double-wide trailer in New Mexico to becoming the first Utahn ever to chair the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA). Gavin pulls back the curtain on the early days of Kickstart, reflecting on launching an $8 million fund right as the 2008 financial crisis hit, what he learned from a first fund that didn't quite hit the mark, and how those hard-fought lessons paved the way for massive future success.

This event was sponsored by Kiln and Northwestern Mutual.

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At Utah Tech Week, Utah BusinessExecutive Editor Catherine Bennett sat down with three of Utah’s most recognizable podcast hosts to talk about what it really takes to build a podcast that lasts.

Dave Cawley, host of the “Cold” podcast, Jimmy Rex, host of “The Jimmy Rex Show” and “Real Men, Real Conversations,” and Ali Vallarta, host of “City Cast Salt Lake,” share insights on storytelling, consistency, audience engagement and the realities of monetization. The conversation explores why some podcasts fade after a few episodes while others grow loyal communities, and how authenticity, preparation and passion translate to listeners.

The panel also discusses the loneliness epidemic, competing for attention in a crowded media landscape and how AI may reshape the future of audio.

Whether you’re launching a podcast or trying to take yours to the next level, this live Utah Tech Week discussion offers practical advice from hosts who have built sustained audiences.

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Silicon Slopes CEO Clint Betts reflects on 10 years of building Utah’s tech ecosystem — and what comes next.

In a wide-ranging conversation with Utah Business Executive Editor Catherine Bennett, Betts discusses the evolution of Silicon Slopes, the future of Summit, the launch of Startup School and why he believes entrepreneurship should be accessible to the “99%,” not just venture-backed founders.

He also shares candid thoughts on mental health, founder identity, AI’s rapid transformation of the workplace and the tension between growth and community in Utah’s business landscape.

From policy and venture capital to family and leadership, Betts offers a grounded perspective on what matters most, and why success should never define self-worth.

Founder Friday is a free monthly Utah Business event where founders share the real stories behind building companies — the risks, setbacks and lessons that shaped their success.

To attend a future Founder Friday or see upcoming speakers, visit https://www.utahbusiness.com/events/

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In this January 2026 interview from a Utah Business Founder Friday event, executive editor Catherine Bennett and Strider Technologies co-founder and CEO Greg Levesque discussed the company's rapid growth and impact on global intelligence. As businesses experience increasing global threats, Strider brings strategic intelligence tech solutions that allow organizations to safeguard their most critical assets: intellectual property, talent and supply chains.

In this conversation, CEO Greg Levesque offers insight into Strider’s proactive protection as it redefines global intelligence with its cutting-edge, AI-driven platform. Levesque shares lessons he has learned from launching a startup with his twin brother Eric Levesque, to the challenges of raising capital and identifying threats, and highlights his personal goal of “mission over margin."

This event was sponsored by Kiln.

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This episode was produced by KellieAnn Halvorsen.

In this December 2025 interview from a Utah Business Founder Friday event, Executive Editor Catherine Bennett and Kurt Workman, co-founder of Owlet Baby Care, discuss succeeding in the competitive health and wellness market. Workman has dedicated the last decade to revolutionizing infant health, leading Owlet’s growth from its inception and overseeing research and development of the company’s pipeline, including the creation of the Owlet Smart Sock and its connected nursery ecosystem of products. In this live-event recording, he highlights the success he has found by staying close to customers, the challenges of navigating FDA approval, and his transition from CEO to board member.

This event was sponsored by Kiln and Northwestern Mutual.

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This episode was produced by KellieAnn Halvorsen.

On November 17, 2025, Utah Business held its third-annual Utah Business Forward conference in downtown Salt Lake City. At this one-day event, dozens of the best business minds in Utah gathered to share their knowledge in various industries, from product development and manufacturing to finance and entrepreneurship. Through panel discussions, breakaway sessions, and keynote speeches, these top business achievers shared strategies that help fuel Utah’s economy.

In this special Utah Business podcast, recorded live at the event, Utah Governor Spencer Cox moderates a conversation between two influential leaders, Brigham Young University President C. Shane Reese and University of Utah President Taylor Randall.

These accomplished presidents dive into the art of being productive rivals, embracing their competitive relationship while discovering innovative ways to collaborate. With insights on how businesses can learn from their approach to rivalries by valuing collaboration over division and finding ways to bridge gaps for shared success.

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This episode was produced by KellieAnn Halvorsen.

In this October 2025 event from a Utah Business Founder Friday, executive editor Catherine Bennett interviews three sisters who created Baltic Bornclothing. Angela Liljenquist, Allison Hunt, and Marianne Liljenquist started the brand in 2016 with a simple but powerful belief: that every woman deserves to feel confident, beautiful and strong no matter what stage of life she’s in. They came together, sacrificing their time and energy to create dresses and occasion wear with styles and fits that adjust to different times in a woman’s life. While it took years for the company to become profitable, the effort to craft quality, stylish dresses, listen to their customers and put hard work at the forefront has given their once-small business impressive, sustainable growth while prioritizing the things in life that matter most.

This event was sponsored by Kiln and Northwestern Mutual.

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This episode was produced by KellieAnn Halvorsen.

In this September 2025 interview from a Utah Business Founder Friday event, executive editor Catherine Bennett is joined by Ayla & Co. co-founders Nikki and Brody Day. They discuss creating the perfect diaper bags for busy parents, intentional design and branding, and focusing on your business venture goals amid unexpected challenges.

This event was sponsored by Kiln and Northwestern Mutual.

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This episode was produced by KellieAnn Halvorsen.

In this August 2025 interview from a Utah Business Founder Friday event, executive editor Catherine Bennett and LiveView Technologies (LVT) Founder and Chief Executive Officer, President Ryan Porter discuss problem-solving through innovation and imagination.

This event was sponsored by Kiln and Northwestern Mutual.

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This episode was produced by KellieAnn Halvorsen.

In this July 2025 interview from a Utah Business Founder Friday event, assistant editor Kenzie Koehle and Patternco-founder Dave Wright discuss talent-forward strategies behind the ecommerce acceleration platform’s $2B success.

(1) Build a talent-first organization.

(2) Lead top performers with a light touch.

(3) Persist in building client relationships.

(4) Ask for help and share your knowledge.

This event was sponsored by Kiln and Northwestern Mutual.

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This episode was produced by KellieAnn Halvorsen.

In this June 2025 interview from a Utah Business Founder Friday event, executive editor Catherine Bennett and Crystal Maggelet, CEO and Chairwoman of Maverik/Crystal Inn and FJ Management Inc., discuss three business lessons for leading legacy enterprises.

(1) Be confident. Stay committed.

(2) Ignore the naysayers.

(3) Step into your opportunities.

This event was sponsored by Kiln and Northwestern Mutual.

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This episode was produced by KellieAnn Halvorsen.

In this May 2025 interview from a Utah Business Founder Friday event, editor-in-chief Melanie Jones and Beehive Meals founder and CEO Allyse Jackson discuss three business lessons to validate your workwhen you find yourself frozen.

(1) Validate your business.

(2) Validate yourself.

(3) Grow from hard-learned lessons.

The event was sponsored by Kiln and Northwestern Mutual.

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This episode was produced by KellieAnn Halvorsen.

In this April 2025 interview from a Utah Business Founder Friday event, editor-in-chief Melanie Jones and JobNimbus Co-Founder & CEO Ben Hodson discuss his journey as a serial entrepreneur. He shares 4 business lessons to make heroes out of employees and clients.

(1) Broad interests mean better problem-solving

(2) Success comes when you stop fearing risk

(3) Don’t chase money, chase impact

(4) Employees should come before the customer

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This episode was produced by KellieAnn Halvorsen.

In this March 2025 interview from a Utah Business Founder Friday event, assistant editor Beth Taylor and Minky Couture founder Sandi Hendry discuss 5 lessons for a thriving business:

(1) Identify market gaps

(2) Be patient with success

(3) Create a nurturing environment for employees

(4) Give back

(5) It’s never too late to pursue entrepreneurship

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This episode was produced by KellieAnn Halvorsen.

In this February 2025 interview from a Utah Business Founder Friday event, editor-in-chief Melanie Jones and Jacki Zehner, SheMoney founder, discuss 4 tips for democratizing financial literacy:

(1) Address your emotional relationship with money first

(2) Normalize financial ambition

(3) Make intentional money moves

(4) Have conversations and utilize resources

Visit http://utahbusiness.com to subscribe to our email newsletters and the magazine.

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This episode was produced by KellieAnn Halvorsen.