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Living What You Believe
In this episode of Heart + Head Work, we sit down with Blake Spalding and Jen Castle, executive chefs and founders of the iconic Hell’s Backbone Grill in Boulder, Utah.
For more than 25 years, Blake and Jen have built far more than a restaurant—they’ve built a community rooted in hospitality, advocacy, and a deep commitment to the land and people around them. Their work has become a powerful example of how business can be used as a platform for values, courage, and collective care.
What began as a shared love of food and partnership grew into a restaurant that feeds both the body and the spirit. Along the way, Blake and Jen have used their voices to advocate for environmental protection, community well-being, and the idea that success isn’t measured by profit alone.
In this conversation, they share stories of building a values-driven business, navigating activism as business owners, and redefining what it means to lead with integrity in a complicated world.
Together, we unpack:
- The story behind Hell’s Backbone Grill and how Blake and Jen built their partnership
- Using business as a platform for advocacy and environmental protection
- The courage it takes to use your voice—even when it’s uncomfortable
- Navigating criticism, community pressure, and standing by your values
- How food and hospitality can become a space for connection and healing
- Redefining success beyond money, status, or traditional metrics
- Why small businesses can be powerful centers of culture and change
This episode is thoughtful, bold, and deeply human—an exploration of what happens when people choose to lead with integrity, speak up for what matters, and build something that nourishes far beyond the plate.
Where to find Hell’s Backbone Grill:
Hell’s Backbone Grill
https://www.hellsbackbonegrill.com
Follow Blake & Jen
Instagram: @hellsbackbonegrill
Disclaimer
This conversation reflects personal experiences and perspectives. Every business, community, and leadership journey is unique. We encourage listeners to reflect on what resonates and explore their own path toward meaningful work and impact.
Connect with us!
Continue the conversation with us inside the Maven Network, our private space on BFF:
https://links.geneva.com/invite/af6ecd07-9070-43b7-9629-7aaa166aa131
Follow us on Instagram
@mavenslc
More at → https://www.mavenslc.com
Connect with us!
💬 Join the conversation in our private network on BFF
https://links.geneva.com/invite/af6ecd07-9070-43b7-9629-7aaa166aa131
📲 Follow us on Instagram
instagram.com/maven.community
✨ And if this episode moved you, sharing it with a friend helps more women find us.
More at → mavenslc.com
View all episodes
By MAVEN Founders (Tessa Arneson & Rocky Donati)In this episode of Heart + Head Work, we sit down with Blake Spalding and Jen Castle, executive chefs and founders of the iconic Hell’s Backbone Grill in Boulder, Utah.
For more than 25 years, Blake and Jen have built far more than a restaurant—they’ve built a community rooted in hospitality, advocacy, and a deep commitment to the land and people around them. Their work has become a powerful example of how business can be used as a platform for values, courage, and collective care.
What began as a shared love of food and partnership grew into a restaurant that feeds both the body and the spirit. Along the way, Blake and Jen have used their voices to advocate for environmental protection, community well-being, and the idea that success isn’t measured by profit alone.
In this conversation, they share stories of building a values-driven business, navigating activism as business owners, and redefining what it means to lead with integrity in a complicated world.
Together, we unpack:
- The story behind Hell’s Backbone Grill and how Blake and Jen built their partnership
- Using business as a platform for advocacy and environmental protection
- The courage it takes to use your voice—even when it’s uncomfortable
- Navigating criticism, community pressure, and standing by your values
- How food and hospitality can become a space for connection and healing
- Redefining success beyond money, status, or traditional metrics
- Why small businesses can be powerful centers of culture and change
This episode is thoughtful, bold, and deeply human—an exploration of what happens when people choose to lead with integrity, speak up for what matters, and build something that nourishes far beyond the plate.
Where to find Hell’s Backbone Grill:
Hell’s Backbone Grill
https://www.hellsbackbonegrill.com
Follow Blake & Jen
Instagram: @hellsbackbonegrill
Disclaimer
This conversation reflects personal experiences and perspectives. Every business, community, and leadership journey is unique. We encourage listeners to reflect on what resonates and explore their own path toward meaningful work and impact.
Connect with us!
Continue the conversation with us inside the Maven Network, our private space on BFF:
https://links.geneva.com/invite/af6ecd07-9070-43b7-9629-7aaa166aa131
Follow us on Instagram
@mavenslc
More at → https://www.mavenslc.com
Connect with us!
💬 Join the conversation in our private network on BFF
https://links.geneva.com/invite/af6ecd07-9070-43b7-9629-7aaa166aa131
📲 Follow us on Instagram
instagram.com/maven.community
✨ And if this episode moved you, sharing it with a friend helps more women find us.
More at → mavenslc.com