The Kickstart Podcast

It's easy to get caught up in defining your startup with industry buzz words. We're speaking with a founder who is fighting against being placed in a box. Join us in today's conversation with Riley Hughes, Founder & CEO of Trinsic, and investor Dalton Wright of Kickstart (a VC firm for startups in Utah, Colorado, and the Mountain West) as we bring you both sides of a Perfect Pitch. In this episode, we'll talk about:

Kickstart's announcement on opening an office in Denver this summer

What digital identity means and how it impacts you and your privacy

How Riley transitioned from a scooter handlebar startup to sovereign identity

Why entrepreneurs shouldn't worry about being the "pioneer problem-solver" in a market

Why many founders shy away from being labeled as a Web3 company

Among the difficult things founders have to face, layoffs may be the worst. We sat down with a CEO who draws back the curtain on a difficult but often necessary part of startup life. Join us in today's conversation with PJ O'Neil, Co-Founder and CEO of Elements, and investor Gavin Christensen of Kickstart (a VC firm for startups in Utah, Colorado, and the Mountain West) as we bring you both sides of a Perfect Pitch. In this episode, we'll talk about:

• What makes Denver and the Mountain West ripe ground for founders

• Why PJ's cold email pitch stood out to Gavin

• PJ's experience in making difficult layoffs at Nomad

• Layoffs: what you should and shouldn't do

Founder journeys are never the same. Today we're talking with someone who started their career as a musician, had a layover as a financial advisor, and is now a founder of a startup that is currently raising in one of the toughest fundraising environments we've seen. Join us in today's conversation with Reese Harper, CEO of Elements, and investor Gavin Christensen of Kickstart (a VC firm for startups in Utah, Colorado, and the Mountain West) as we bring you both sides of a Perfect Pitch. In this episode, we'll talk about:

How Reese's content creation helps him understand his customer's better

Gavin's investor perspective on whether an entrepreneur should invest in thought leadership

Reese's tactical approach to attracting top-of-the-line talent to his exec team

Advice for fundraising entrepreneurs when an investor says "no"

Advice for creative talent practices on the internet abounds. How can you know if these practices are a fad or if they'll generate success? To answer that, we're talking with someone who has adopted several unique initiatives for his team, including the famous four-day workweek. Join us in today's conversation with Jamie Baxter, Founder and CEO of Qwick, and investor Curt Roberts of Kickstart (a VC firm for startups in Utah, Colorado, and the Mountain West) as we bring you both sides of a Perfect Pitch. In this episode, we'll talk about:

Why Jamie believes his company culture shouldn't be right for everyone

What happened when Qwick implemented a four-day workweek

Curt's advice for founders considering a shortened workweek

Jamie's hack for difficult conversations in his work and personal life

Confused about the future of work? So are we. Until we talked with a founder who has advice on how entrepreneurs can bring their startups up to speed. Join us in today's conversation with Dan Bladen, Co-Founder & CEO of Kadence, and investor Kat Kennedy of Kickstart (a VC firm for startups in Utah, Colorado, and the Mountain West) as we bring you both sides of a Perfect Pitch. In this episode, we'll talk about:

• Dan's pandemic pivot from Chargifi to Kadence
• Kat's advice on how a founder can know whether they should "hang the towel" or pivot
• Details on Kadence's fundraising announcement
• What Kat and Dan anticipate for the future of work

One of our favorite parts of this podcast is learning more about our guest's founder origin stories and how that inspires their business. Today we're talking with an entrepreneur who's building a solution inspired by a problem he faced as a student. Join us in today's conversation with Wil Eyi, Founder & CEO of Toolbox, and investor Curt Roberts of Kickstart (a VC firm for startups in Utah, Colorado, and the Mountain West) as we bring you both sides of a Perfect Pitch. In this episode, we'll talk about:

• How Wil's immigration and college story impacted his startup
• The importance of spending time in the problem your company is solving
• An investor's perspective on a startup's pivot
• Why an obsession with your customer is a necessary component for a successful startup

Traditional offices are facing a renaissance of new technologies and co-working spaces. With the future of work changing so rapidly, we sat down with an industry expert. Someone who broke through a crowded market and found success by tweaking the recipe to an otherwise stale solution. Join us in today's conversation with Arian Lewis, Founder and CEO of Kiln, and investor Curt Roberts of Kickstart (a VC firm for startups in Utah, Colorado, and the Mountain West) as we bring you both sides of a Perfect Pitch. In this episode, we'll talk about:

How remote work impacted Kiln's beginnings, and why Kickstart invested

Why Arian felt confident Kiln would break through the crowded industry

Curt's advice to young entrepreneurs and how age can impact their success

What Arian anticipates for the future of work and shared office space

When a venture capitalist invests in a startup, they're investing in more than just the company. A strong founder-market fit is vital. And few understand that better than today's guest. As a serial entrepreneur, he's focused his attention on leadership and has broken the mold for what makes a successful CEO. Join us in today's conversation with Jeron Paul, Founder and CEO of Spiff, and investor Gavin Christensen of Kickstart (a VC firm for startups in Utah, Colorado, and the Mountain West) as we bring you both sides of a Perfect Pitch. In this episode, we'll talk about:

What founder-market-fit is and why entrepreneurs and investors should care

Pitfalls and benefits of a repeat founder

Why a founder's success hinges on self-awareness

Jeron's belief that you shouldn't hire "culture fits"

We have exciting news! Kickstart is welcoming a new general partner. Someone who grew a small and scrappy startup to a successful company valued at over $1.4B. And now, she's taking the plunge into VC to magnify her impact from one amazing company to hundreds of amazing companies. You'll hear a lot from her as the show's newest investor expert. But today, it's all about her! Join us in our conversation with investor Kat Kennedy of Kickstart (a VC firm for startups in Utah, Colorado, and the Mountain West) for a special episode of Perfect Pitch. In this episode, we'll talk about:

Becoming comfortable with being uncomfortable

How asking questions makes you appear more confident and competent

Kat's conversations with Mark Cuban & how he drove her excitement for venture capital

Why Kat decided to shift to venture capital, and why she chose Kickstart

As a founder, you're facing constant pressure to perform. Whether it's to your employees or your investors, you have a lot to prove. Now, imagine you're hired as a CEO for a startup that's had not one, not two, but five separate CEOs. This week, we're talking with someone who has filled those very shoes and has taken a struggling startup to one that's been acquired by a major enterprise. Join us in today's conversation with John Munro, CEO of Chargeback, and investor Gavin Christensen of Kickstart (a VC firm for startups in Utah, Colorado, and the Mountain West) as we bring you both sides of a Perfect Pitch. In this episode, we'll talk about:

John's transition from COO to CEO at Chargeback

The mental impacts of a high pressure role

An investors' perspective of a startup that went from low-performance to acquisition

Identifying whether your board is one you want to accept or change