Entrepreneur Network Podcast

On day three of the Women Tech Council in Utah, Governor Spencer Cox spoke about the SheTech Explorer Day event. The event hosted 4,000 junior high and high school girls and provided them with exposure to the tech industry. Governor Cox, who has expertise in business, entrepreneurship, and tech, expressed his excitement and gratitude for the event, which he believes opened many doors for these young girls. He emphasized the importance of mentorship, saying "you can't be what you can't see".  Governor Cox shared his own experience of turning his great grandfather's rural telephone company into a regional internet company and encouraged young women to explore the tech industry, which has been male-dominated for a long time. He praised SheTech for providing an interactive day with hundreds of mentors available to talk to, and an opportunity for young women to decide if the tech industry is something they're interested in pursuing. Cox stated that it's important to learn what you don't want to do as much as what you want to do, and SheTech offers that opportunity for young women to explore the tech industry. Barclay Burns - Assistant Dean at the School of Engineering and Technology Utah Valley University  Barclay Burns is the assistant Dean for Utah Valley University, focusing on AI and serving on the board of directors for the Utah Innovation Fund and the Automation Fund. He is passionate about investing in female tech and life science leaders and creating a women and AI symposium. Utah recently passed an AI bill, which includes guardrails and an AI laboratory for companies to innovate and learn in a safe environment. AI has promise and peril, and Utah is taking steps to ensure proper regulation and policy. The co-founder of Chatbooks, Vanessa Quigley, discussed the company's mission to make it easy for people to preserve their memories in physical form. The company's software automates the process of creating photo books and enables users to print their Instagram photos. Chatbooks is now exploring the use of AI to automatically curate photos and generate captions based on the user's writing style. Research has shown that printing photos can have a positive impact on family relationships. Chatbooks is looking to attract more women to help create products that resonate with their primarily female customer base. Dan Cathy is the CEO and investor of VOZE, a platform that helps industrial companies manage their field sales teams. He attended an event to support his daughter, who was attending high school for the first time. The event captivated Dan with its vast scale and the thousands of young girls in attendance. He believes that these events offer excellent opportunities for young girls to explore diverse career paths and gain exposure to different opportunities. Dan has worked with some amazing women in tech, from engineers to tech entrepreneurs, investors, and more. He acknowledges the value of women in the tech industry and looks forward to seeing more women enter it. He believes that women bring diverse perspectives to an industry that men have long dominated, and this would lead to better outcomes for everyone. In our last segment for this series, we have Kirk Ouimet, CEO and Co-Founder for Phi, spoke about his passion for improving health through technology at the Woman Tech Council's She Tech Explorer Day. Phi, named after the golden ratio (1.618), aims to use AI to debug and understand why our bodies fail. Kirk believes we live in an exciting time for this kind of work and was at the event to mentor and advise others. [00:00:00] Governor of Utah [00:06:49] Spencer Cox [00:13:00] Barclay Burns [00:20:50] Vanessa Quigley - Co-Founder of Chatbooks [00:29:58] Dan Caffee - CEO of VOZE [00:37:38] Kirk Quimet - CEO and Founder of Phi

Alan attended the She Tech Explorer Day event hosted by the Women Tech Council. Dr. Susan R. Madsen, founding director of the Utah Women and Leadership Project, joined him to discuss this event. The event had 4,000 high school girls and was different from other trade shows because of the sound of the girls. The event allowed girls to see themselves in technology and other fields, and it also showed them that they can be mothers and entrepreneurs simultaneously. Utah is working towards bridging the gender pay gap and making positive changes.   This program aims to shift things in Utah in just seven years, which would take 3-4 decades without it. The program is focused on five categories: safety and security, education, health and well-being, workforce, and poverty and homelessness. The program aims to coordinate efforts to identify gaps and find resources to shift things in a fast and effective way. Women in tech and women in STEM are critical areas for change.  Amelia Wilcox - Founder and CEO of Nivati Amelia Wilcox, the CEO and founder of Nivati, was invited to speak at a women's council of tech explorers and entrepreneurs. Her talk focused on the endless opportunities in science and tech for high school students. As a female leader herself, Amelia knows firsthand the challenges that come with the role. She emphasized that having the courage, grit, confidence, and faith in oneself is essential for leadership. Amelia encourages young people to find a supportive network and be true to themselves to reach their full potential. Her inspiring message is a call to action for all aspiring leaders, regardless of gender. Jessica Gelman is a successful businesswoman who holds multiple roles, including the CEO of Craft Analytics Group (KAGR), part-owner of the Utah Royals, and a board member of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). KAGR helps professional sports teams and leagues understand their fans better through analytics. The company has worked with major leagues such as the NFL, 76ers, Sacramento Kings, and Eagles. KAGR was formed based on the knowledge gained from Jessica's experience running the Patriots' business operations. Jessica is also part of the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics conference, which focuses on using analytics to drive change in women's sports. She is actively involved with the Utah Royals, bringing an analytics focus to women's sports.Analytics, a crucial differentiator, empowers women and girls who are often underrepresented in the sports industry. It provides them with a powerful voice, enabling them to stand out in a male-dominated business setting. This is the transformative impact that Jessica and KAGR are striving to bring to the industry. The Larry H Miller Group is a family investment firm with diverse business interests, including owning one of the largest automotive dealer groups in the country, the Utah Jazz, and investments in real estate, healthcare, sports, and entertainment. CEO Steve Starks participated in the She Tech Explorer Day event to inspire high school-aged girls to pursue careers in technology and business. He emphasizes the need for equal opportunities and upward mobility for women in the workplace. The company has three female executives on the highest level of the company's hierarchy. Join us on our next episode as Alan continues with part III of the Women Tech Council, She Tech Explorer Day. [00:00:00] Susan R. Madsen [00:07:18] STEM [00:13:00] Amelia Wilcox - Founder and CEO of Nivati [00:20:50] Jessica Gelman - CEO and Investor of (KAGR) [00:30:34] Jessica Gelman [00:37:38] Steve Starks

Alessandro Farruggio and his family, owners of Il Canale in Washington D.C., are experts in the pizza business. Since Alessandro’s father immigrated from Italy in the 1970s, the family has been serving authentic Italian recipes in the D.C. area. Their delicious food, consistent customer engagement, and knack for adaptability has earned them recognition on three Yelp Top 100 lists since 2022. Reviewer Sydney G. shares how the restaurant became one of her go-to dinner spots. Theme Music by and

Carly Zakin and Danielle Wesberg, entrepreneurs behind The Skimm, discuss creating a successful Media company. Danielle and Carly fresh out of college identified a significant gap in the media landscape, there was a lack of media outlets specifically tailored to Women. Despite Women making upwards of 90% of household financial decisions, there was a lack of content that catered to their perspectives and priorities. Join us as Carly and Danielle take us through the creation of their revolutionary company, The Skimm. This episode is presented by Slack. Learn more at

, CEO of , is an advocate for the enduring power of email marketing. Through his insights and initiatives, Ochstein is reshaping the way restaurants connect with their customers’ data and leverage technology to drive brand awareness, customer acquisition, and loyalty. Listen now to learn about the introduction of Delightable, using email, and how a hotel chain helped shape his idea of data personalization. Sponsored by - Toast All-In-1 Restaurant POS:

In a world often divided by political ideologies and partisan agendas, Tulsi Gabbard stands out as a beacon of unity and service. From her early days as an environmental activist to her distinguished military career and subsequent political journey, Gabbard's life has been marked by a commitment to public service and a deep understanding of the transformative power of personal growth. Gabbard's journey began with her passion for environmental activism, igniting her desire to make a positive impact on the world. However, it was her military deployment that truly shaped her perspective and instilled in her the values of adaptability and critical thinking. Serving in the military taught her the importance of being open to different ideas and perspectives, a lesson she carries with her in her political career. Tune in to hear the rest of her story and plans for the potential future of America!

Influencer marketing veteran Brendan Gahan has cofounded the first-ever agency specifically for LinkedIn, called Creator Authority. In this episode, he explains the state of marketing on LinkedIn, how professionals can become LinkedIn influencers, what kind of money we're talking about, and how both influencers and brands can better use the platform.

Tea and Milk owner Mathew Wong has gone to great lengths to create the best bubble tea possible, traveling as far as Japan to research and source his tea. He uses only the highest quality ingredients in all of his products, but found that they weren’t always popular with customers, who had grown used to inferior ingredients. In order to expand, Wong first had to educate himself, his team, and his customers on the intricacies of tea making. Theme Music by and

isn't your ordinary culinary master. He's also a filmmaker and producer who seamlessly blends his passions to create a one-of-a-kind experience in his food series, .  Listen now to learn about creating your own cooking show, deep connections made through food, and believing in yourself. Sponsored by - Toast All-In-1 Restaurant POS:  

Alan is speaking with Cydni Tetro, President and Co-Founder of from the Women Tech Council, at a She Tech event in Salt Lake City. The Women Tech Council is a nonprofit organization that aims to increase the number of women in tech by providing mentoring, visibility, opportunities, and networking. She Tech program provides role models and mentors to high school girls, exposing them to technology and entrepreneurship. The event includes a tech challenge, hands-on experiences with technology, and meeting mentors and role models. The goal is to change girls' lives by exposing them to people and industries they might not otherwise be able to access. Becky Wright is the founder and CEO of Proximity, a platform designed to help political candidates connect with voters more effectively. Proximity aims to address the inefficiencies of traditional campaigns by consolidating all of the resources needed for a campaign into one platform. It is a nonpartisan platform that helps good leaders become great candidates and levels the playing field. Becky is a natural-born leader who believes in civic engagement and encourages people to become more involved in politics to make a meaningful difference in their communities. Proximity is specifically built for down-ballot elections so that it can be more representative of those who are in your area. If you plan to run for office or know someone who is, Proximity provides the tools to help you be successful. Up next is Rob Gehring, CEO of Swire Coca-Cola USA. Swire Coca-Cola is a powerhouse bottling company that operates in 13 western US states and several Asian countries. They have partnered with Coca-Cola Company to manufacture, produce, and distribute their products. They are confident that technology is the key enabler in delivering their products to consumers efficiently and safely. They have set a bold goal of having 50% female leaders by 2030 and are committed to creating a diverse, high-performing team. Their latest innovation, Coca-Cola Spice, a new flavor with a hint of raspberry and spicy flavor, demonstrates their unwavering commitment to staying ahead of the curve. They are convinced that AI is the future of data processing and decision-making and are determined to harness its power to achieve their business goals. They know that AI is a valuable tool that can be used positively, and they will continue leveraging it to drive their business forward confidently. Joining us now is Jeff Moss, Associate Commissioner of the Innovation Utah Innovation Fund and something to do with the System of Higher Education. Jeff explains that Utah's goal is to make higher education more impactful from an economic development and innovation perspective. The aim is not just to benefit students but also to impact society and the economy. Jeff has been supporting the Women Tech Council event for quite some time and thinks that more needs to be done to promote the participation of females in technology. He has been in the tech sector for over 20 years and helped to secure funding for the event through the legislature last session. Jeff is impressed with the size of the event, as there are thousands of young girls attending. He believes that the Women Tech Council event will help to promote interest in the STEM space and will ultimately lead to more diverse and better employees, something that is important for the economy. Closing this episode with Alan is Vance Checketts, the CEO of Autocon US, a technology talent partner with a twist. Autocon US has an incredible 81% of their team comprising individuals with autism, particularly in technology roles like data analytics, quality assurance, and development, which leverage new technologies like artificial intelligence. When asked about building diverse teams, Vance shares that the whole company was built on embracing diversity and different ideas. He is also on the board of the Women Tech Council, which aims to encourage more women to pursue careers in...