What does it take to build a company worth betting on?
Silicon Slopes CEO Clint Betts sits down with Kickstart Founder and General Partner Gavin Christensen for a Start School session about venture capital, entrepreneurship, AI, leadership, and the next generation of Utah’s tech ecosystem.

Gavin shares the story of launching Kickstart when seed-stage investing in Utah was still a non-consensus idea, growing it from an initial $4 million fund into one of the most influential venture firms in the region, and watching Utah transform into a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem.

They discuss how AI is reshaping the startup landscape, why Gavin believes “the economy is up for grabs,” and where he sees opportunities for Utah entrepreneurs in the next wave of technology. 

Gavin also breaks down what Kickstart looks for in founders, why only a small percentage of businesses should pursue venture capital, what it actually takes to generate venture-scale returns, and the question every founder seeking funding should be able to answer: Why can we not say no to you?

The conversation also goes beyond fundraising. Gavin shares what decades of investing in entrepreneurs have taught him about leadership, grit, curiosity, competition, and the importance of building a successful company without sacrificing everything else that matters.

For founders trying to understand venture capital, navigate the AI era, or build something truly exceptional, this Start School session offers lessons from one of Utah’s most experienced investors.

Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction
00:47 - Gavin Christensen's journey into venture capital
02:03 - The early days of Kickstart and the Great Recession
03:09 - The growth of Utah's funding ecosystem
04:06 - Why Utah is a strong tech hub
06:28 - The future of SaaS and AI
10:12 - Current investment trends in Utah
13:35 - Private vs. public valuations
17:05 - The impact of AI on the tech industry
20:20 - The backlash against tech and AI
22:11 - Audience Q&A: The American dream and innovation
24:04 - The gap between having a solid project and getting venture capital
26:43 - How Kickstart finds the best entrepreneurs in Utah
29:05 - The importance of leadership and self-management
37:37 - Balancing entrepreneurship with personal life
44:27 - Closing thoughts and thank you

Learn more about Start School and Silicon Slopes at siliconslopes.com.

What does it take to build a company capable of transforming the way we produce, store, and distribute energy?

Silicon Slopes CEO Clint Betts sits down with Torus CEO Nate Walkingshaw for a Start School session about entrepreneurship, leadership, energy infrastructure, and the future of one of Utah’s most ambitious companies.

Nate shares his unconventional journey from working as an EMT to inventing medical devices, building and selling companies, helping scale Pluralsight, and ultimately founding Torus. He opens up about the mistakes he made as a young founder, the weight entrepreneurs carry, overcoming imposter syndrome, and how his approach to leadership has evolved over more than 25 years of building companies.

They also dive into the massive energy challenge created by AI and GPU development, why the existing electrical grid was not designed for what is coming, and how Torus is building energy storage technology that could help create a more intelligent, flexible, and decentralized power grid.

Nate also explains why some of his biggest breakthroughs came from listening instead of fighting, how Torus went from challenging traditional utilities to partnering with them, and why he believes Utah has an opportunity to build a company unlike anything the state has produced before.

For entrepreneurs, Nate leaves the room with a simple description of what it takes to keep building through uncertainty: a high pain tolerance and a short memory.

Timestamps
00:00:00 - Introduction and Guest Background
00:01:58 - Nate's Early Career and Innovations
00:04:48 - Transition to Strava and Health Journey
00:08:58 - The Weight of Responsibility in Entrepreneurship
00:13:09 - Leadership Evolution and Cultural Shifts
00:16:09 - The Role of Energy in the AI Revolution
00:19:04 - Vulnerabilities in the Power Grid
00:23:00 - The Impact of GPUs on Energy Demand
00:27:57 - Data Centers and Decentralization
00:31:40 - Taurus's Role in Energy Storage and Grid Support
00:37:40 - Working with Utility Companies
00:45:37 - Audience Q&A: Choosing Flywheel Technology

Learn more about Start School and Silicon Slopes at siliconslopes.com.

What does it take to build a marketing strategy that actually drives growth?

In this Start School session, Silicon Slopes CEO Clint Betts sits down with Jacob Baadsgaard, founder and CEO of Disruptive Advertising, to talk about building a business, understanding your customers, and creating marketing that delivers measurable results.

Jacob shares how he grew Disruptive Advertising from a side gig into one of the country’s top digital marketing agencies, why founders need to “nail it before they scale it,” and the biggest mistakes he sees CEOs and marketers make when trying to grow a company.

They also discuss how to determine the right marketing budget, customer acquisition costs, the role of AI in marketing, finding your target customer, when paid advertising makes sense, and why founders should often figure out their sales and marketing process before handing it off to someone else.

Jacob also opens up about some of the failures behind his success, including going through five marketers at his own company before finally figuring out what was missing, and how building a successful business impacted his marriage and family.

Timestamps:
00:00:05 - Introduction and Jake's Running Habit
00:00:16 - Jake's Background and High School Connection
00:01:07 - Starting Disruptive Advertising
00:01:22 - Early Career at Omniture
00:01:54 - Founding Disruptive Advertising and Name Change
00:03:15 - Evolution of Disruptive Advertising
00:05:26 - Current Projects: Book and YouTube Channel
00:06:48 - Marketing Budget and AI's Role
00:09:03 - Marketing Strategies for Startups
00:11:16 - Addressing Specific Marketing Challenges
00:15:26 - Push vs. Pull Marketing Tactics
00:19:46 - Marketing Strategy Questions
00:21:27 - Nonprofit Marketing Challenges
00:26:16 - Practical Marketing Advice for Startups
00:30:39 - Transitioning from Founder-Based Sales
00:31:27 - Choosing Marketing Channels
00:35:56 - Learning from Failures and Successes
00:39:16 - Closing Remarks and YouTube Channel Promotion

Whether you’re building a startup, leading a growing company, or trying to make your marketing more effective, this conversation is packed with practical lessons you can put to work.

Clarke Miyasaki has built a career around turning ordinary products into extraordinary brands.

In this Start School session, Silicon Slopes CEO Clint Betts sits down with Clarke, Chief Growth Officer at Stance, to talk about his journey from venture capital to Skullcandy, Stance, and beyond.

Clarke shares the lessons he learned building some of the biggest partnerships in consumer marketing, including deals with the NBA, Rihanna, Snoop Dogg, Jay-Z, Metallica, and more. He also tells the story of how Stance went from selling socks to becoming the first brand ever to have its logo visible on an NBA uniform.

They also dive into some of Clarke's biggest lessons from decades in business, including why you should look forward instead of behind, how to build relationships that can change your career, why quickly building trust is a superpower, and what it really takes to build an aspirational brand.

00:00:00 - Introduction and Guest Welcome
00:00:37 - Clarke Miyasaki's Start at vSpring
00:01:07 - Learning Experiences at vSpring
00:01:31 - Transition from vSpring to LogoWorks
00:02:10 - Building LogoWorks and Partnership with HP
00:03:34 - Joining Skullcandy
00:03:57 - Early Days at Skullcandy
00:04:44 - Major Partnerships at Skullcandy
00:05:54 - Influencer Marketing and NBA Crew
00:07:09 - Missed Opportunity with Beats by Dre
00:08:56 - Skullcandy's IPO and Marketing Campaigns
00:10:14 - Transition to Kickstart Seed Fund
00:11:08 - Founding Kickstart and Early Challenges
00:12:00 - Joining Stance and Initial Partnerships
00:13:19 - Building Stance's Brand and Partnerships
00:14:55 - Securing NBA Partnership for Stance
00:16:58 - Becoming the Official NBA Sock
00:20:01 - Impact of NBA Partnership
00:22:00 - Stance's MLB Partnership
00:23:02 - Leaving Stance and Joining Vivint
00:24:19 - Vivint's Success Post-Acquisition
00:25:32 - Q&A: VC Backing for Consumer Products
00:26:32 - Q&A: Transitioning to Consumer Products
00:28:44 - Q&A: Creating Aspirational Brands
00:31:39 - Q&A: Self-Leadership and Overcoming Struggles
00:35:20 - Q&A: Engaging with the Spanish-Speaking Community
00:38:17 - Q&A: AI Search and Apparel Companies
00:40:29 - Q&A: Starting Over in Brand Partnerships
00:41:50 - Q&A: Evaluating Potential Partners

Whether you're building a consumer brand, looking for partnerships, or simply trying to become a better entrepreneur, this conversation is packed with lessons you can put into practice.

In this Start School Session, Clint Betts sits down with Nate Quigley, co-founder and CEO of Chatbooks, to talk about entrepreneurship, product-market fit, leadership, family, and what it really takes to build a company that lasts.

Nate shares the story behind Chatbooks, from spending years in the wilderness trying to build a family memory system to the moment his wife Vanessa told him to “just print my Instagram.” He explains how that simple insight helped Chatbooks find product-market fit and grow into a company that now prints millions of photo books every year.

The conversation also explores why simplicity matters, how Chatbooks has stayed focused on its core mission, why being a physical product company has become an advantage in the age of AI, and how Nate thinks about fundraising, profitability, marketing, company culture, and sustainable growth.

Nate also shares lessons on self-leadership, working with your spouse, building a family business, and why entrepreneurship is more like a mountain climb than a sprint.

00:00:00 - Nate Quigley's Entrepreneurial Journey
00:00:16 - Moving from Connecticut to Florida
00:00:27 - Opportunity with JetBlue Subsidiary
00:01:09 - Founding Chatbooks
00:01:20 - The Birth of Folk Story
00:01:50 - Early Struggles and Failures
00:02:54 - Vanessa's Critical Intervention
00:04:07 - Moving to Utah for Better Opportunities
00:05:14 - Finding Community in Utah
00:06:11 - Technical Challenges with Instagram API
00:08:51 - Transition from Instagram to Photo Albums
00:10:54 - Simplifying the Product
00:12:34 - Staying Focused on Core Products
00:15:20 - Fundraising and Profitability
00:16:14 - Building a Moat with Physical Products
00:17:37 - Market Expansion and TAM
00:18:47 - Working with Your Spouse
00:20:22 - Work-Life Integration
00:22:30 - Consumer Education vs. Product Ease
00:24:52 - Marketing Strategies and Growth
00:27:58 - Self-Leadership and Wellness
00:30:36 - Data-Driven Decision Making
00:33:11 - Future of Chatbooks and Potential Exit
00:34:47 - Rule of 40 Explained
00:36:59 - Handling Non-Digitized Photos
00:38:41 - Managing Family Business Dynamics
00:39:51 - Typical Day and Company Culture
00:42:07 - Evolution of Silicon Slopes Community
00:44:06 - Leadership Style and Lessons

Whether you are an aspiring entrepreneur, startup founder, or established business leader, this conversation is packed with practical lessons on building a company, finding product-market fit, and staying in the game for the long haul.

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Carine Clark never planned to follow a conventional career.
She started as a librarian, joined Novell during the early days of Utah's tech industry, helped build iconic technology companies, served on the boards of some of Utah's most influential organizations, and eventually became CEO of First Colony Mortgage, where she helped grow the company from roughly $1 billion to more than $7 billion in annual loan volume in just two years.

But the defining moment of her life had nothing to do with business.
A rare cancer diagnosis forced her to rethink everything about leadership, purpose, resilience, and how she wanted to spend the time she had left.

In this Start School conversation, First Colony Mortgage CEO Carine Clark joins Silicon Slopes CEO Clint Betts to share the leadership lessons she's learned from decades in Utah tech, overcoming cancer, leading through change, and building organizations that outlast the people who create them.

They discuss:
• How Carine helped shape Utah's technology ecosystem from the Novell era to today
• The leadership lessons she learned from Ray Noorda, Eric Schmidt, and other legendary executives
• Why operating is about finding straight lines and removing friction
• The rare cancer diagnosis that permanently changed her perspective on life and leadership
• How First Colony Mortgage grew from roughly $1 billion to more than $7 billion in annual production
• Why great leaders choose courage over comfort
• The importance of letting employees solve hard problems instead of solving everything for them
• Building resilient teams that adapt, improvise, and overcome
• How Utah can improve housing affordability and expand homeownership
• Why your time is your most valuable asset and how to spend it wisely

00:00 Introduction
01:10 From librarian to Utah tech pioneer
08:20 Lessons from Ray Noorda, Steve Jobs, and Eric Schmidt
18:00 Why Carine became CEO of First Colony Mortgage
23:20 The cancer diagnosis that changed everything
35:30 Building a life around purpose instead of fear
40:00 Helping Ryan Caldwell's family and the power of the Silicon Slopes community
44:15 Choosing courage over comfort and solving impossible problems
49:00 Operating a $7 billion company by removing friction
52:00 Housing affordability, leadership, and serving others
54:21 Closing remarks and outro

Whether you're leading a company, building your career, or facing challenges that seem impossible to overcome, Carine shares timeless lessons on leadership, resilience, service, and living with purpose.

Joseph Woodbury didn't set out to build another software company.

He set out to solve a problem his co-founder experienced firsthand after struggling to find affordable storage. That simple idea grew into Neighbor, the largest self storage marketplace in the United States, connecting people with unused space in their homes, businesses, and storage facilities.

In this Start School conversation, Neighbor Founder and CEO Joseph Woodbury joins Silicon Slopes CEO Clint Betts to share what it really takes to build a marketplace business, raise venture capital, navigate changing markets, and create a company with lasting network effects in the age of AI.

They discuss:
• How the idea for Neighbor came from a personal frustration
• Why marketplaces only succeed in massive industries
• Lessons from raising capital through different market cycles
• Building network effects that AI cannot easily replace
• Why distribution has become the new competitive moat
• How Neighbor uses AI to move faster without forcing it into every product
• Creating trust between strangers in a peer to peer marketplace
• The fundraising story that led to Andreessen Horowitz leading Neighbor's Series A
• Why founders should build technology only after validating customer demand
• The importance of solving problems that genuinely change people's lives

00:00 Introduction
01:10 The story behind Neighbor and the marketplace opportunity
05:20 Going all in after college and raising the seed round
10:15 Why every fundraising round is different
15:05 AI, network effects, and why distribution is the new moat
22:00 Using AI to build more with a smaller team
26:00 Building trust in a peer to peer marketplace
33:45 Scaling from homeowners to enterprise real estate partners
39:20 The Andreessen Horowitz fundraising story and lessons on perseverance
45:00 Speed of execution, founder mode, and leading in the AI era
48:10 Regulatory challenges and validating marketplace ideas
50:05 Final advice for founders: Build something that changes people's lives
50:43 End 

Whether you're building a marketplace, launching your first startup, or trying to understand how AI is changing software businesses, Joseph shares practical lessons on product market fit, fundraising, execution, and building a durable company.

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Ryan Caldwell knows what it's like to build a company through uncertainty.

As the Founder and CEO of MX, Ryan set out to solve a deeply personal problem after watching his single mother struggle financially while he received financial advice he didn't actually need. That experience inspired him to build a platform that helps financial institutions empower consumers to become financially stronger.

Today, MX powers many of the world's leading financial institutions, helping millions of people better understand, manage, and improve their financial lives.

In this Start School conversation, MX Founder and CEO Ryan Caldwell joins Silicon Slopes CEO Clint Betts to discuss entrepreneurship, AI, leadership, resilience, and why the companies that survive the next decade will be the ones that embrace change instead of fearing it.

They discuss:
• The personal experience that inspired Ryan to start MX
• Why every founder needs a mission worth enduring pain for
• How AI is transforming financial services and software companies
• Why solving meaningful problems matters more than chasing technology
• The future of banking and helping consumers become financially stronger
• Building products that protect privacy while leveraging AI
• How founders should think about fundraising and gaining experience
• Why great companies evolve instead of being replaced
• Lessons on leadership, resilience, and finding purpose through adversity
• The life-changing experience that reshaped Ryan's perspective on business and life

00:00 Introduction
02:10 Why Ryan started MX and the mission to strengthen consumers financially
09:30 Finding a purpose worth enduring pain for
15:40 Building a company without losing your family, health, or relationships
21:15 How AI is transforming banking and financial services
28:40 Protecting consumer privacy in the age of AI
35:00 Why great SaaS companies will survive the AI revolution
41:45 Raising capital, gaining experience, and knowing when to start a company
48:20 Broken by default or built by design
50:15 Ryan's daughter's story and finding purpose through hardship
53:20 Closing remarks 

Whether you're building your first startup, leading a growing company, or trying to understand how AI is changing entrepreneurship, Ryan shares practical lessons on purpose, execution, resilience, and building something that truly matters.

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Curtis Anderson never planned to build a healthcare marketplace.

He started by buying a traditional nurse staffing agency and quickly realized the business itself was the problem. Too many middlemen. Too much friction. Too many shifts going unfilled. Instead of optimizing the old system, Curtis decided to replace it.

That decision became Nursa, a technology platform that directly connects healthcare facilities with qualified nurses and caregivers. 

Today, Nursa serves more than 5,500 healthcare facilities nationwide through a network of more than 400,000 clinicians, helping solve one of healthcare's biggest workforce challenges.

In this Start School conversation, Nursa Founder and CEO Curtis Anderson joins Silicon Slopes CEO Clint Betts to discuss building marketplace businesses, leading through uncertainty, and why AI is creating one of the biggest entrepreneurial opportunities in history.

They discuss:
• Why Curtis bought a staffing agency before building Nursa
• How marketplace businesses solve problems traditional software cannot
• What founders can learn from Airbnb's early strategy
• How Nursa scaled during the COVID-19 pandemic
• The three competitive advantages every AI company needs
• Why product always beats marketing
• How founders should think about regulation in highly regulated industries
• The challenges of building and scaling two-sided marketplaces
• Why execution has never mattered more in the age of AI
• Leadership lessons from George Washington and Jesus Christ

00:00 Introduction
02:05 Why Curtis Anderson bought a nurse staffing agency
06:40 Building a marketplace instead of an agency
11:15 Launching Nursa during COVID-19
16:45 How AI is transforming marketplace businesses
22:00 Navigating regulation as a startup
27:10 Solving cash flow and scaling a healthcare marketplace
32:20 Using AI to expand into nursing education
36:30 The cold start problem and building network effects
39:20 Expanding beyond nurses and the future of Nursa
40:45 Leadership, execution, and serving your team
42:10 Closing remarks

Whether you're building a marketplace, launching your first startup, or trying to understand how AI is reshaping entrepreneurship, Curtis shares practical lessons on execution, leadership, product design, and building companies that solve meaningful problems.

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Ryan Gardner never planned to build one of the fastest-growing supplement brands in America.

He and his twin brother started by helping other companies generate online traffic. Then they decided to stop building everyone else's business and build one of their own. What began with selling L-Arginine online eventually evolved into Bucked Up, a brand that transformed the supplement industry through transparent formulas, disruptive marketing, and relentless execution.

Today, Bucked Up products are sold in more than 150,000 retail locations across multiple countries, and the company continues expanding into new categories while reaching millions of customers worldwide.

In this Start School conversation, Bucked Up Founder Ryan Gardner joins Silicon Slopes CEO Clint Betts to share the lessons behind building a household brand, scaling a consumer products company, and leading through rapid growth.

They discuss:
• How Bucked Up grew from a small online business into a global brand
• Why transparent products became Bucked Up's biggest competitive advantage
• The branding decisions that helped the company stand out
• How ambassador marketing fueled explosive growth
• The role influencers play in building modern consumer brands
• Why hiring experienced leaders accelerated the business
• How Bucked Up is using AI to become dramatically more efficient
• The biggest mistakes founders make when trying to scale
• Why optimism became one of the company's greatest strengths
• What Ryan would tell every entrepreneur just getting started

Whether you're building an ecommerce brand, launching a consumer product, or growing your first company, Ryan shares practical lessons on marketing, leadership, innovation, and creating a brand that customers genuinely love.

00:00 Introduction
02:10 From farm boys to entrepreneurs
06:30 Building the first online supplement business
11:15 How Bucked Up was born
16:20 Branding, marketing, and why transparency won
21:10 Scaling manufacturing and bringing on strategic partners
26:30 Influencer marketing and building a powerful ambassador program
31:00 AI, hiring great people, and scaling the organization
35:30 Product innovation and staying ahead of competitors
38:30 Advice for founders and leading through optimism
41:15 Closing remarks

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