Career Conversations with Chris

In this episode of Career Conversations with Chris, we dive into an extraordinary journey from adrenaline-fueled physical survival to a life dedicated to service, courage, and purpose with John Graham.

Key themes in this conversation include:

• Escaping death to find purpose: How dodging a violent death over a dozen times across wars, shipwrecks, and mountaineering expeditions led John to realize that pure adrenaline is a shallow pursuit and why "living a life without purpose is like being a fancy Swiss watch with no hands on it."
• The legendary Wickersham Wall ascent: Surviving the 1963 first ascent of Denali’s deadliest face, navigating massive avalanches, walking away from rockfalls, and returning alive after the world presumed the team dead.
• The shift to spiritual adventures: Why John believes modern professionals must pivot from self-absorbed ambition to meaningful action: "I found something even better to put meaning into my life, and that was the adventures of the spirit as opposed to the adventures of the body."
• The Prinsendam shipwreck wake-up call: Surviving 30-foot seas in a failing lifeboat during a North Pacific typhoon and the profound realization that cemented John's lifelong commitment to public service.
• Sticking your neck out: How the Giraffe Heroes Project uses real-world storytelling to inspire everyday citizens to solve tough public problems.
• Navigating modern frontiers: John’s candid take on today's greatest challenges, from combating inequality to establishing critical guardrails around artificial intelligence.

Join Chris Wachuta and guest co-host Will Ryan as they sit down with John Graham to explore what it really takes to live a courageous, purpose-driven life.

In this episode of Career Conversations with Chris, we explore the winding path from mechanical engineering to running one of the most exciting tech commercialization programs in the country with Josh Bennett, Assistant Director of Licensing at CU Boulder's Venture Partners.

Key themes in this conversation include:

• The power of stepping back: Why Josh quit a high-paying director position at 28 to start over, and why it was the best career move he ever made
• CU Boulder's startup explosion: What transformed the university into a top startup-producing school and why other institutions are missing the mark
• Patents vs. trade secrets: When to protect your IP and when to keep it locked away (hint: Coca-Cola got it right)
• Lab Venture Challenge behind the scenes: How Josh runs a nearly $1M grant competition on zero budget
• The researcher's blind spot: Why brilliant PhDs have no idea how to commercialize their work, and how basic education changes everything
• Music as the ultimate outlet: How playing gigs and running a home studio keeps Josh grounded outside the startup grind

Join Chris and co-host Alejandro Montgomery as they talk with Josh Bennett about building a career rooted in curiosity, community, and the courage to take unconventional risks.

In this episode of Career Conversations with Chris, I’m joined by Josh Wolkon, the force behind some of Denver’s most iconic spots: Vesta, Steuben’s, and Ace Eat Serve.

Key themes from the conversation:

• From frat parties to full dining rooms: how early instincts sparked a career in hospitality
• Corporate structure vs. soul: what big F&B taught him (and why he left)
• Butts in seats: the mix of word-of-mouth, social media, and a little Food Network magic
• When the wheels fall off: service crashes, guest recovery, and lessons learned
• Denver’s food story: from a handful of kitchens to a true culinary city
• Creativity at scale: ping-pong tables, modern Asian menus, and 500 covers a night
• Staying power: building culture, delegating, and finding balance outside the kitchen
• What’s next: wing sauces, coffee bars, and exploring new outlets for creativity

Join Chris and Josh for a fast-moving conversation on restaurants, resilience, and why hospitality still feels like throwing the best party in town.

In this episode of Career Conversations with Chris, Peter Adams shares his journey from philosophy student to dorm-room PC founder to leader of the oldest angel group in the United States. We explore how he reinvented Rockies Venture Club with a focus on education, rigor, and founder-friendly structures, creating a collaborative model that flips the traditional “Shark Tank” script. Peter breaks down how to value pre-revenue startups, why team matters more than the idea, and how founders should design for acquisition from day one. This episode is a masterclass in building smarter investors, stronger startups, and a future-ready venture ecosystem.

We cover:

• From philosophy student to founder and investor
• Revitalizing RVC with education, diligence, and process-driven investing
• “Venture-omics” vs. economics: teaching founders and investors the same tools
• Thinking like a futurist: defensible gaps beyond today’s AI race
• Valuing pre-revenue startups with clarity and rigor
• Why team > idea, and how to think like a futurist about new technologies

A wide-ranging chat about ditching the “Shark Tank” drama, teaching investors and founders to speak the same language, and how to spot the startups that will actually shape the future.

In this episode of Career Conversations with Chris, we dive into the world of family wealth and unconventional career paths with Ned Rollhaus, Partner at Matter Family Office.

Key themes in this conversation include:

• From investment banking to the restaurant business: Why career pivots can open unexpected doors
• Managing the San Francisco Opera’s endowment: Lessons in diversification and resilience during 2008
• Family wealth beyond the balance sheet: Why the real assets are the people, not just the money
• Avoiding the pitfalls of wealth: How families can align across generations and preserve legacy
• Navigating career transitions: Advice for engineers and nontraditional backgrounds entering finance
  
  

Join Chris as he talks with Ned Rollhaus about building a career that doesn’t follow a straight line and why embracing variety, people, and purpose can lead to lasting impact.

In this episode of Career Conversations with Chris, I sit down with Anuschka Pashel, a model and founder of Bloom in Denver. From winning Ford’s Supermodel of the World at 18, to a career-altering crash, to building a life around flowers, travel, and handmade design, Anuschka’s story is one of reinvention and resilience.

We cover:

• Refugee roots, to Paris runways, to U.S. culture shock
• The accident that reset her path
• Building Bloom: flowers, jewelry, and one-of-a-kind treasures
• Why handmade still matters in an AI world
• Travel, painting, and finding freedom in creativity
• Flowers as fleeting miracles and why they still move us

A candid, colorful conversation about risk, beauty, and making a life by making things.

In this episode of Career Conversations with Chris, we step into the high-velocity world of venture capital and leadership with Sue Heilbronner, co-founder of the renowned accelerator MergeLane.

Key themes in this high-energy conversation include:

• Prosecutor to Pitch Coach: How the skills Sue honed as a federal prosecutor, specifically, pattern recognition and relentless preparation, translate directly into being a top-tier startup advisor.
• The Power of Narrative: Why a founder's ability to clearly tell their story is the most critical factor for securing investment, more important than any deck or spreadsheet.
• The Art of the Ask: The fundamental difference between the fear-based ask and the confident, trust-based ask in fundraising, and how founders can master the latter.
• Integrity as a Non-Negotiable: Why a founder's personal and emotional integrity is the absolute non-negotiable trait she looks for before ever writing a check.
• Scaling Influence: Sue’s pivot from running MergeLane to her new focus on writing and advisory work, and what it means to transition from scaling companies to scaling influence.

Join Chris as he chats with Sue Heilbronner about leveraging your authentic self, adapting to high-stakes environments, and what it really takes to fund, found, lead and scale with integrity.

In this episode of Career Conversations with Chris, we step into the world of independent education with Dr. Mike Davis, Head of School at Colorado Academy.

Key themes in this educational odyssey include:

• Running a school like a startup: Why being Head of School is equal parts educator, CEO, and crisis manager
• Teaching in the age of AI: Reflections on technology’s impact on learning, writing, and the future of thinking
• Education and equity: How CA is building a culture of belonging in an increasingly divided world
• Crisis with compassion: Navigating tough moments with students and parents while protecting trust and morale
• Leading leaders: How Dr. Davis supports and learns from his team, and the importance of stepping back so others can step up

Join Chris as he chats with Dr. Mike Davis about what it really means to build a school, and a life, centered on curiosity, compassion, and the courage to adapt.

In this Primetime episode of Career Conversations with Chris, we dive into the fast-paced, content-saturated world of college football media with John Snelson, Director of Creative Services for CU Boulder Football.

Key moments from our creative journey include:

• The rise of "The Rise": How John pitched and produced a six-part docuseries for the Pac-12 Network, a project that became a defining moment in his career
• John’s self-invented role as a football creative
• Behind-the-scene insights from working with Coach Prime
• Leading the Travis Hunter Heisman campaign with strategic, story driven content
• How authenticity trumps polish in storytelling 

Join Chris as he sits down with John to explore the intersection of sports, storytelling, and self-belief, and what it takes to turn a cold call into a creative legacy.

Follow John on Instagram @john_snelson

Check out The Rise on YouTube

In this episode of Career Conversations, we dive deep into the world of finance with Zach Pashel, a versatile professional whose career has taken him from the pages of English literature to the heart of Wall Street and beyond. 

Key milestones in our conversation with Zach include:

• Firsthand experience in the heart of the 2008 Market Crisis at Luminent Mortgage
• The psychology of investing, how psychology and mindset shape financial decision
• Self-directed success: The importance of curiosity and self-teaching in staying ahead in a rapidly evolving financial landscape
• How to develop a "financial sixth sense" and a "good bullshit detector" 
• Practical advice for young professionals starting in finance

Join hosts Chris and Francis as they unpack Zach's fascinating career trajectory, extracting wisdom applicable across various industries and career stages. Tune in for an episode that promises to enrich your understanding of finance and might just inspire you to view your own career path through a new lens!