A New Angle

David Cohen is the CEO and co-founder of Techstars, one of the most influential startup accelerators in the world. In this live episode recorded at the Scaling Montana Summit in Bozeman, Justin sits down with David to discuss Techstar’s mission to help founders succeed and the cultural value of “give first” that defines vibrant startup ecosystems. David shares lessons from Boulder’s entrepreneurial community, the importance of investing in people over ideas, and ethical considerations in tech.

Learn more about Techstars here.

Transcript available here.

J. David McSwane is an award-winning investigative journalist at ProPublica who recently published a story about Dr. Tom Weiner, a prominent oncologist at Helena’s St. Peter’s Hospital whose practices raised significant ethical, medical, and legal questions. McSwane takes us behind the scenes of his reporting process, sharing how he uncovered allegations of malpractice, including fraudulent billing, overprescription of narcotics, and unsettling end-of-life care decisions. The conversation explores the intersection of health care and greed, the power dynamics within the medical community, and the challenges of exposing complex institutional failures in a community divided between admiration for Dr. Weiner and distrust of the hospital system.

Read McSwane’s story on Dr. Weiner, “Eat What You Kill,” here: https://www.propublica.org/article/thomas-weiner-montana-st-peters-hospital-oncology

Transcript available here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Zxg23YdMoJEkzuv_bvC-ZimCJ-6Tbw0xUkFH0wP3oy0/edit?usp=sharing

In our December edition of Incentives & Instincts, Justin sits down with economist Bryce Ward to unpack the complex and pressing issue of trust in government. With trust levels in government at historic lows, they delve into the historical trends, causes, and consequences of this erosion in confidence. The conversation explores the influence of media, t…

Jennifer Isern, Morgan Slemberger and Karl Unterschuetz are the authors of recent reports on access to capital in Montana. In this episode, the three of them sit down with Justin to discuss the financial challenges faced by entrepreneurs, with a focus on barriers for women and Native business owners. The conversation highlights ongoing efforts to close these gaps, such as increasing awareness of funding resources, enhancing funder capacity, and exploring alternative financing solutions.

Learn more about the reports published by the team here: https://www.acceleratemt.com/accessingcapitalinmontana and here: https://www.umt.edu/real-women/research/reports/access-to-capital/montana/montana-native-access-to-finance-report-final1.pdf

Transcript available here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KaK2lCAZfDJYtUagIHLg-z0LVsuMxyNhUd1rTcme-fs/edit?usp=sharing

Tracy McIntyre is the Executive Director of the Montana Cooperative Development Center. In this episode, she joins Justin to explain the unique world of cooperative businesses, or co-ops, highlighting how these community-driven organizations solve specific needs through collective ownership and democratic decision-making.

Learn more about the Montana Cooperative Development Center at www.mcdc.coop

Transcript available here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/15CEjDJzRp3UBJZ02Iv6IKRC_6GuBkn8TkdEQYmQMnQQ/edit?usp=sharing

Ross Peterson, Doug Shryock, and Steve Rice are the creators behind Little Dumps and Bulk Delivery Pro, two businesses that encapsulate the creativity and hustle this show has always tried to celebrate. In this episode, they recount their journey from running a landscaping operation to identifying the industry’s inefficiencies and developing a solution. The conversation explores the challenges of securing their first customers, the learning curve of selling software to a traditionally tech-resistant industry, and the excitement of solving real-world problems through innovation. They also reflect on their biggest lessons: the importance of peer-to-peer credibility, the need for adaptability, and the gratification of creating something that the community can use to build their landscaping ideas.

Transcript available here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Is8at3eiWsX3FOqw7_EPP3DeVqmuB7tPTSOB8Nxw2U0/edit?usp=sharing

This month’s installment of Incentives & Instincts, our recurring series with Bryce Ward, dives into the concept of bad apples in various social systems and their disproportionate impact on communities and institutions. Justin and Bryce discuss how a small number of bad apples can distort perceptions and influence norms, particularly in online spaces, w…

In part two of our conversation with Penny Ronning, the co-founder of the Yellowstone Human Trafficking Task Force, she speaks with Justin on the realities of child trafficking and online exploitation in the U.S. Ronning describes the signs of trafficking that ordinary people can observe and offers advice on reporting suspected trafficking. She shares the history of her task force and details her path from a CASA advocate to becoming a key player in the fight against human trafficking in Montana, highlighting efforts to address the issue through policy, training, and legislation.

Learn more about the Yellowstone Human Trafficking Task Force here: www.yhttf.org

Transcript available here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wsaUAH-ps4dXociZ1reosFcWV0TAGWRXs6rAh51OvwE/edit?usp=sharing

Penny Ronning, the co-founder of the Yellowstone Human Trafficking Task Force, joins Justin to explore the pervasive but often unseen world of human trafficking in Montana and beyond. She explains how traffickers target vulnerable individuals across industries—from construction to nail salons—and the red flags for spotting exploitation. Ronning also delves into the grooming tactics used on children online and the distinction between consensual sex work and coercive trafficking.

This conversation contains sensitive themes regarding sex trafficking, mental illness and suicide. If you or a loved one is considering suicide, call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.

Stay tuned for part two of our conversation with Penny Ronning next week.

Transcript available here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DjEkoMiBPL0n2eDpKfKV2AnQ5RNnfpzDOqZVABN3Q-Y/edit?usp=sharing

In this month’s installment of Incentives & Instincts, our recurring series with economist Bryce Ward, Justin and Bryce delve into the shifting cultural and social dynamics within the sports industry. They focus on factors like the local connection to sports, the “Moneyball” effect, and the rise of sports gambling, discussing whether these elements are …