Tanner's Influence Podcast

Introducing Melanie Paris Jones: A Catalyst for Community Connection and Positivity in Utah's Business Scene In a remarkably short time, Melanie Paris Jones has emerged as a transformative figure in the Utah business community. As the Editor of Utah Business, Melanie's journey to this pivotal role has been anything but linear. Her diverse experiences have uniquely positioned her as a powerful connector within the community. Driven by a passion for storytelling and a commitment to highlighting positive developments in Utah's vibrant business landscape, Melanie is dedicated to sharing the good news that fosters growth and unity, creating business opportunities and development in the state.

McKenzie Bauer is one half of the married duo founder team at Utah icon Thread Wallets. With classic startup beginnings – picture them sewing in the parent's basement, McKenzie is anything but your typical founder. Join us for one of the most authentic and refreshing Influence podcasts yet. McKenzie gets real about everything from mental health to thoughts on the future. For Thread, this is a time of great excitement as they've just close on their first large commercial building and have embarked on the monumental task of renovating it. McKenzie and her husband, co-founder Colby Bauer are deeply committed to their Provo roots and infusing Thread with purpose and meaning – think indoor skate park and their foundation “Carry On!” Join us to hear McKenzie's inspirational journey and perspective.

Allison Roberts embodies the drive and intensity so often associated with successful entrepreneurs. Leveraging out of the industry learnings (when you shiver you burn calories) and applying it cross industry, she's created an easy path for anyone to engage in regular exercise. Fastercise is a disruptive approach in the crowded genre of app-based exercise focusing on quick bursts of movement. Unlike HIIT style training, Fastercise is accessible to all ages and ability levels. Join us to hear about Allison's passion and gritty founder journey to bring this unique and powerful product to market.

Misty Frost has emerged as a voice for authentic leadership. She's an a-typical Utah native with an East Coast vibe and dry wit that kept us laughing. Her experience runs deep and wide as a marketing and leader for several successful companies. As the SVP of Global Marketing on the Instructure rocket ship she helped navigate a successful IPO. She currently serves as CEO for Penn Foster post the Carrus acquisition. Misty also serves as an advisor and board member to several tech companies here in Silicon Slopes. She was named to Utah Business Magazine's 2021 list of Women to Watch. We will be watching and, in this case, listening to Misty's unique perspective and treasure trove of expertise!

By Karey Barker's estimation, she's only had one job in her entire career. When you found and lead a successful venture firm, you need not apply elsewhere! Garrett sat down with the Cross Creek founder and Managing Director in her Research Park office for a fun and fascinating look at her 25-year journey. Tune in to hear how she got her start, how she navigates the intense world of venture investing and who's influenced her success. She also shares her wisdom and philosophies on all things venture, her risk appetite and investing philosophies. We are thrilled to showcase Karey's unique perspective.

Dean Brigitte Madrian is the first female Dean of BYU's Marriott School of Business and is herself an alumna earning her degree in Economics. She went on to get her Ph.D. in Economics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Through her illustrious career, Dr. Madrian served on the faculties of several Ivy League schools including, University of Pennsylvania, University of Chicago, and Harvard University. She's taken active advisory and board roles with several organizations throughout her career. On top of all that she's a huge Harry Potter fan and when we sat down with her in her office, her passion for it was on full display. After spending several years on the East Coast in her various pursuits, she got the pull to come back home to Utah and take on her next adventure with BYU. We are thrilled to have her on the podcast, and it was nothing short of a miracle to find an hour in her insane schedule. Listen in for a fun and engaging look into Dean Madrian's fascinating journey!

RICK LARSEN, GARAGE BAND GUITARIST & CEO OF SUTHERLAND INSTITUTE Rick Larsen, is a self-described conservative and a “one-time garage band guitar player.” Rick is also the CEO of Sutherland Institute, the “conservative, non-partisan think tank” that is named after George Sutherland, the first Utahn to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court. Before joining Sutherland Institute, Rick raised millions of dollars for United Way of Salt Lake and was President & CMO of Operation Kids Foundation. Pragmatic and compassionate, Rick is a leader in our community with a big heart who believes “the world needs educated and open minds.” We are fortunate to have this lover of Abraham Lincoln and classic rock as a leader in our community. It all started just over three years ago when Rick was raising money for the United Way. He visited the Reagan Ranch with Sutherland Institute and felt inspired and moved to help bring people together. Less than a year later, he was named president! This podcast with Rick provides a glimpse of an inspiring leader who is “committed to building bridges through civil dialogue” in a very polarized world!

A HUMBLE VISIONARY: OUR TALK WITH DAVID WRIGHT, CEO OF PATTERN In this Influence Podcast, we have the pleasure of talking with David Wright, the Co-founder & CEO of Pattern. Pattern was a small startup in 2013 but is now recognized as the leader in “growth intelligence” that is helping leading e-commerce brands dramatically increase their online sales. David Wright and Melanie Alder started Pattern in Melanie’s living room.  And as we listened to David describe those humble early years as well as the growth and success that Pattern now enjoys, we had the sense that they never really cared about following the crowd. Pattern is the world's leading company for e-commerce clients that want intelligent strategies that create explosive growth. It’s also a company attracts smart people who are, like David and Melanie, confident in a humble kind of way. The culture and vibe at Pattern is noticeably understated and refreshingly different. This is the story of two ingenious founders who had the discipline to rely on data and analytics to build an e-commerce platform that brands like Nestle, Panasonic, Sylvania, TUMI, Skullcandy, and Clorox now rely on. We hope you enjoy the unique insights that make David Wright a humble visionary in the sophisticated ecosystem known simply as “e-commerce!”

“FOR EVERYONE’S PITS & STINKY BITS” – A PODCAST WITH LUME In this Influence Podcast, we get to peer into the creative world of Dr. Shannon Klingman, a highly regarded obstetrician and gynecologist, and Jennifer Gibson, her CAO, sister, and earliest supporter. Shannon Klingman is the visionary entrepreneur who created a whole new category in the multi-billion-dollar personal hygiene sector.  It all started when Shannon was doing her residency and read a study that supported her early suspicions that gynecologists misdiagnosed basic odors and itches as bacterial infections. The study findings concluded that 60% to 70% of the time the OB/GYN community was wrong. In Shannon’s words, “It felt wrong.” Crazy smart and obsessively determined, Shannon began experimenting with natural ingredients, free of aluminum and baking soda. A self-described “kitchen scientist,” she developed what she would call Lume (pronounced loo-mee). Version 1.0 of the most innovative natural deodorant ever created was created in Shannon Klingman’s kitchen! Sweat by itself isn’t stinky. But when you add sweat to the bacteria that live on our skin, it stinks. Far from just hiding the smell, Lume stops that chemical reaction from happening. Twelve years ago, Shannon filed her first patent for her one-of-a-kind formula. It was rejected numerous times, but she kept going until it was accepted!  This episode is the fun and inspiring story of Dr. Shannon Klingman, a visionary who “became obsessed with changing the narrative on human hygiene.”

SALES FREAK, CEO, ADDICT & AUTHOR: A TALK WITH MICHAEL DASH Michael Dash is a sales freak. While attending University of Maryland, Michael sold home improvement services door-to-door on the mean streets of Baltimore and Washington D.C. He is a successful entrepreneur/CEO who moved to Utah where he knew only one person and started Parallel HR Solutions, a company that “pairs individuals and companies that together produce prosperous relationships” that he sold in 2018. Michael sold his thriving company because he believed in F.A.T.E. (“From Addict to Entrepreneur”) more. Now his life mission is to inspire others to see new opportunities and make the world a better place! (see thriveglobal.com) We hope you enjoy this Influence podcast!

“The truth is, we almost didn’t make it.” – Podcast insights from Aaron Suzuki, Founder & CEO of Prowess Consulting and SmartDeploy At the age of 26, Aaron Suzuki found himself growing a regional Internet application development firm in Utah in the ashes of the dotcom bubble. By 2003, Aaron had moved to Seattle and co-founded Prowess Consulting, a dynamic moshpit of software engineers, web developers, writers and graphic designers that help major tech companies sell more. But Aaron wanted more. He started a second company “from scratch”, SmartDeploy, in 2009 because he wanted to build the only product that could easily deploy thousands of Windows-compatible devices from the cloud. Now Prowess is growing rapidly. And SmartDeploy has thousands of customers and millions of endpoints around the world. Both companies were started without the help of venture capitalists or private equity firms. But things didn’t always go so well. They got cocky. Things got hard. They weren’t making enough money to keep going. And they had small teams trying to do big things. But they held on, listened to their customers, and learned so much. We hope you enjoy this podcast and Aaron’s passion to “deliver exactly what our clients want!”

Blake Modersitski has an exceptional track record as a software-focused investor that backs great entrepreneurs then helps them achieve extraordinary results. He is also a great human being! Over his 17 years at Pelion Venture Partners, Blake has had a string of top-20 venture hits with remarkable companies: Redhat, Riverbed, Fusion.io, Integral Ad Science, DOMO, enCommerce, Soasta, Metacloud, and others. Q: How can that many great companies that are being chased by so many VC’s, chose to work with Blake? A: It’s rare to find someone so successful yet humble, so analytical yet thoughtfully tuned-in! Great software entrepreneurs want to have Blake’s one-of-a-kind perspective as a VC, software guru, sales & marketing expert, and trusted friend and mentor! I have had my own brief moments of awe and appreciation with Blake Modersitski. I hope you enjoy this podcast!

JD Machine’s Pleasant View office looks like an upscale engineering or architectural firm. It also looks and feels like a one of the most progressive and automated machine shops in the United States. It’s very clean, very cutting edge and enjoys rave reviews from employees on Glassdoor (4.7 out of 5). In 1979 a master machinist named Don Wardle moved to back to Utah from California and settled in Ogden with his growing family. He was 50 years old and couldn’t find a job, so he started his own company, JD Machine. In 1992 the company employed a dozen employees when Don’s son, Matt Wardle, became the President and CEO. This Influence podcast with Matt Wardle is both subtle and powerful. It’s subtle because Matt Wardle is an understated man who is quick to recognize his employees for the successes enjoyed at JD Machine. It’s powerful because Matt is responsible for JD Machine’s explosive growth, now 200 employees, and exceptional clients that are household names: Boeing, Parker Hannifin Corporation, and Northrop Grumman. For nearly 25 years, Matt has transformed a very traditional company into a nationally recognized market leader. He finds real meaning from providing hundreds of paid internships, “removing gender barriers”, and providing six-figure incomes without sacrificing JD Machine’s unique “family vibe.” We hope you enjoy our podcast with Matt Wardle, a truly exceptional leader!

Our most recent Influence interview with Rob Jeppsen and Gary Rhoads, the co-founders of Xvoyant, made me think of the lyrics of David Byrne… Rob Jeppsen is a sales and marketing genius who starts and grows companies like Allegiance Technologies and Xvoyant. And he’s a card-carrying expert at helping big companies like Valvoline, Waste Management, and Adobe win more clients. In short, Rob collects national sales awards—15 Stevie Awards, SAMY Awards, etc.—like Boy Scouts collect merit badges. Gary Rhoads is the revered and highly decorated Steven Mack Covey Professor of Marketing & Entrepreneurship at Brigham Young University. Far from being a typical marketing professor, Gary is one of only two or three marketing PhD’s in the U.S. who wrote his dissertation (Texas Tech University) on sales, not marketing. In his spare time, Gary likes to start and grow cool companies like Allegiance and Xvoyant, then sell them to huge corporations like Computer Science Corporation and Maritz Holdings. This is an amazing conversation with Rob Jeppsen and Gary Rhoads. “This ain’t no party, this ain’t no disco, this ain’t no fooling around." We hope you enjoy it!

Kory Stevens, the founder and CEO of Taft Clothing, always leads with his heart! It’s the first thing we noticed when we interviewed him and one of many things everyone he meets quickly appreciates. So, when Kory had a dream of starting his own company with his wife, Mallory, it became an obsession. They named their company “Taft” after their son and their shoes after Taft’s friends. Taft began in the living room of their small apartment with a successful Kickstarter Campaign for “no-show socks.” It wasn’t long before Kory was designing and selling high-end men’s shoes, exclusively handcrafted in Spain and Portugal. Small investments from friends and family soon followed. Taft started to grow fast! Kory takes the time to have heartfelt two-way interactions that make Taft’s followers feel special. He works 70-hour weeks as one of the best designers of shoes in the world. Kory and his team are obsessed with design and quality and running Taft with a personal touch. He finds true meaning in his family, his personal connections to Taft’s customers, and designing shoes and boots millions of men want to wear. Taft now has thousands of Facebook Likes and multitudes of Twitter followers. And venture capital firms continue to line up. But other than Kickstart Seed Fund, a relationship Kory describes as “a group of friends,” they still haven’t taken any outside funding. Now Taft is a multi-million dollar company with a culture and reputation that is priceless. It’s an inspiring company with a soul, led by Taft's CEO, Korey Stevens, who leads with his heart!

Jonathan Johnson very modestly describes himself as “a recovering lawyer.” A lawyer by training, Jonathan was Overstock.com’s general counsel before becoming president. Jonathan and Patrick Byrne, Overstock.com’s founder and CEO, took Overstock from a private startup to a publicly traded company with over $2 billion in sales and 2,000 employees. They have been good at seeing new opportunities. Overstock.com has never been afraid of making moves. In 2014 they were the first major online retailer to accept bitcoin as a payment, and in the first 22 hours, they received over 800 orders worth $126,000 in bitcoin. Jonathan Johnson (and Patrick Byrne) jumped into the blockchain mosh pit four years ago because they saw big potential in applying the blockchain to financial systems. Jonathan became the president of a new Overstock subsidiary that was created to manage and oversee company investments in innovative companies building blockchain solutions. They called the new company Medici Ventures, named after Medici Bank of Florence, the most successful European bank in the 15th century. Medici Bank was an early disruptor in 15th-century Europe that invented, among other things, the double entry system of tracking debits and credits, deposits and withdrawals. The name seemed appropriate and Medici Ventures was born! Under Jonathan’s leadership. Medici Ventures has made big  investments in companies with innovative blockchain solutions. Jonathan, along with his friend and mentor, Patrick Byrne, believes that “blockchain is going to change the world more than the internet has.”  We think you’ll enjoy our interview with Jonathan Johnson, a bright, articulate “recovering lawyer” who is making bold moves in an uncertain world!

Shawn Moon is fully present and fully engaged. He’s not a multitasker. And when you meet him, you quickly sense that you are talking to a very disciplined, very different kind of leader. Part psychologist, part strategist, part Zen Ninja, Shawn is the author of several respected books on leadership, among them The Ultimate Competitive Advantage and Talent Unleashed. He spent most of his career helping Fortune 500 executives get better results. And, before that, Shawn was a Principal with Mellon Financial Corporation, one of the world’s largest money management firms. He now leads a once-obscure carpet cleaning company called Zerorez, perhaps the most innovative, high-growth carpet cleaning company in the world. Zerorez is not a glamorous company. But then Shawn Moon is a different kind of CEO. His franchise partners are fiercely loyal and are willing to follow a new formula for success as they disrupt the home restoration and carpet cleaning industry. They want to be successful, and many of them are becoming millionaires as they reinvent Zerorez and themselves. We hope you enjoy this Influence podcast!

Todd Davis, the Chief People Officer of Franklin Covey, believes “feedback is the breakfast of champions!” More than just a good quote, you can tell he really believes in feedback, feels it in his bones and eats it for breakfast every day. He sets a high personal bar and asks questions out loud that most people seldom dare to think about. “How extraordinary am I in my key roles?” “What are my most important roles?” “Family member, friend, colleague?” One can’t listen to Todd without sensing a genuine humility. His book, GET BETTER - 15 PROVEN PRACTICES TO BUILD EFFECTIVE RELATIONSHIPS AT WORK is a national best seller, yet he is refreshingly modest and compelling. It’s obvious that Todd is not a poser or a pushover. He lives what he teaches and gently encourages us to change the way we see the world so we can live better lives. We hope you enjoy this podcast, where Todd encourages us to “start with humility and intent” and to “carefully calibrate our weeks” so we can live happier lives and find new success is helping others. “Greatness lies within each of us!”

Bjorn Espenes and Eric Maas met in Park City in 1999. After working together for 10 years to build a successful SaaS eCommerce company, they were frustrated that no one had the ability to provide consistent paid search solutions for their customers. And they began to believe they could somehow build a platform that could predict the profit of any “click” before a customer bought it. They decided they didn’t want any investors and boldly named their little company “Finch” in honor of the small birds that, as Charles Darwin discovered, proved to be the most adaptive species in the world. In little more than a decade, Finch has become one of the fastest growing private companies in the United States. Their customers include the Fortune 500 and high-growth middle market companies that found Finch while searching for the most profitable paid search advertising solutions they could find. Finch is now a global company but has only one KPI, a company that attracts the best people, has virtually no employee turnover, and “doesn’t care about haircuts”. We hope you enjoy this fascinating interview with Bjorn Espenes!

We recently had the pleasure of interviewing Ragula Bhaskar (“Bhaskar”) the visionary co-founder and CEO of FatPipe Networks. Over twenty-five years ago when networks as we know them were just beginning, Bhaskar and his wife, Sanch Datta (co-founder, President and CTO of FatPipe) had the determined vision to start a company that is now widely regarded by Gartner and other industry experts as the market leader for software-defined wide area networking (SD-WAN). Simply put, Bhaskar and Sanch built FatPipe from the ground up to become the most reliable and secure software platform for many of the largest networks in the world. We live in a time when tech CEO’s are treated like rock stars and have huge egos and expensive penthouse offices. Bhaskar and Sanch represent so much more. They saw an opportunity no one else saw in the late 90’s, then worked for many years to build a mission critical enterprise platform that is now acknowledged as the very best. We need more determined visionaries like Bhaskar and Sanch!

You may not expect a pest control company to have a full-sized NCAA basketball court and a golf simulator inside their headquarters—but then, you may not expect a lot of things about Aptive Environmental’s unique culture and amazing vibe. Modeled after the slick beauty of leading tech companies, Aptive has been a disruptor in the pest control industry by offering the best technology and solutions to a stable and professional sales team and introducing an element of fun. At the helm of this juggernaut company’s beginning is David Royce, Founder and Chairman, and Vess Pearson, CEO. David describes himself as a “serial entrepreneur,” and is always looking to make the world a better place with each business he starts or influences. He has been featured in several articles by Forbes magazine and other national publications and continues to dazzle the world with his intense curiosity and tenacious creativity. Vess brings his passion, drive, and energy for building successful sales teams and creating a fun culture. Vess continues to propel Aptive forward as the CEO, as David has transitioned to a less hands-on role. With a clear aptitude for connecting with people, Vess’ energy in moving a group towards a goal compels those around him to join in and become invested. David and Vess are committed to the healthy culture and sustained growth of their company, and the sincerity of their intentions towards employees and clients is absolutely apparent in all that they do. New sales reps hired at Aptive see a 60% average increase in their sales. When we asked about this, David attributed that success to “a lot of simple stuff done extraordinarily well.” This notion permeates every idea they talked about with us, every plan and structure they have put in play: the small things add up. Aptive’s successes continue to add up and achieve new heights with every passing year, with Vess and David continually contemplating new approaches. We are grateful for the time they spent with us in our office, and are excited to see what milestones they reach in the coming years!

Anyone who has had the pleasure of meeting Theresa Foxley, quickly recognizes her as someone people want to listen to and immediately like. She humbly describes herself as “the unabashed cheerleader for the State of Utah”, but Theresa is also very strategic, intelligent, and people smart! After her many successes as Deputy Director of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED), in January Theresa became the president and CEO of the Economic Development Corporation of Utah (EDCUtah). It seemed so appropriate for us to interview Theresa in EDCU’s conference room with breathtaking views of Salt Lake City, the University of Utah, our Wasatch Mountains, and the “Silicon Slopes” that flow southward into Utah County. Trained as an attorney, Theresa is a passionate leader with a bold, sweeping vision for Utah’s future. Her goals go beyond Salt Lake and Utah Counties and into rural Utah, and her unique accomplishments include convincing numerous companies like Procter & Gamble, eBay, and Adobe to relocate or expand their presence all along the Wasatch Front! Theresa has vision and gets things done. We hope you enjoy this podcast with this gifted strategist, corporate influencer, and powerful leader!

“Successful entrepreneurs do not wait until the Muse kisses them and gives them a bright idea; they go to work!”  – Peter Drucker Our recent interview with Brad Ouderkirk reminded us that the founders of high-growth companies don’t take no for an answer. In the words of the late Peter Drucker, “they go to work!” Five years ago, Brad was a successful general contractor who hated the leaky gas cans he often had on his job sites. So he began building lots of wooden prototypes of spill-proof gas cans that would be safer and easier to use. After five years of innovation, Brad launched “SureCan.” He has never looked back! Over the past two years Brad’s spill-proof SureCan has won numerous awards, including the “Most Innovative New Product Award” at the National Hardware and the Retailers Choice Award. He has national distribution in thousands of stores like Lowes, Ace Hardware, TruValue, and 300 stores in Utah. His advice to other entrepreneurs is to “keep swimming and ask your self is this impossible or just hard?” We hope you enjoy this interview with Brad Ouderkirk, a successful entrepreneur that had a bright idea and went to work!

We were inspired by the creative mojo we felt during our recent visit with Troy D’Ambrosio and Garrett Holm of the Lassonde Studios. Troy is the inspired Executive Director who worked with one of the University of Utah’s biggest benefactors, Pierre Lassonde, to create a special place where students, researchers, engineers and professors could come together to create new companies. Garrett is the young, determined undergrad that serves as Lassonde’s Company Launch Director. Pierre Lassonde graduated with an MBA from the University of Utah in the early 70’s and became one of the most successful entrepreneurial leaders in the history of mining. He wanted to create an ecosystem for creative thinkers, a place where calculated risks would be celebrated and students pushed themselves to go beyond the obligation of earning great grades and degrees. Troy D’Ambrosio and the students at the U answered the call! This interview with Troy and Garrett is inspiring on multiple levels. It’s obvious that Troy D’Ambrosio loves what he does and has built a place and a culture to do it well! As we listened to Troy, a successful entrepreneur, and Garrett, a spirited up and comer, it was obvious that everyone is respected and equal. There is no hierarchy at Lassonde, and everyone feels they can achieve anything if they want it bad enough!

Ten years ago, Rhonda Nicoloff became the president of A&K Railroad Materials, the leading supplier of new and used track materials in the United States. But Rhonda’s path to the top of A&K Railroad began in 1991 when she began her career at A&K as an entry level sales professional. She has never looked back! A graduate of Indiana University, Rhonda has always had her feet firmly planted on the ground. She is quick to credit her success to her parents and the recruited mentors in her life. Yes, Rhonda is the president of a big company in a male dominated field. Yes, before that she was, perhaps, the most successful Vice President of Sales in the railroad supply industry. Yes, she even made time to raise a family and earn her MBA at Harvard. Rhonda draws from a deep well, and her personal standards are very high. She is very intuitive and very determined. She is a humble, persuasive business leader who knows how to move others to take action. We hope you enjoy Rhonda’s unique story of success in an unlikely industry.

Sometimes you find innovation and inspiration in the most unexpected places. In this week’s Influence Podcast we experienced both as we had the pleasure of meeting with Jeff Miller the Co-owner and General Manager of both Mark Miller Subaru Dealerships and JCO Financial. Jeff and Mark are counterintuitive disruptors in the automotive industry. Their flagship stores, one located in a dealership that Larry Miller closed in 2009, look and feel and smell like a hot technology company. That’s the vibe! Sixteen years ago, Jeff Miller graduated from USC and with his father, Mark, and his wife, Tatiana, began refining their unique culture and reinventing the entire experience of buying a car. They have created a loyal, nurturing, honest environment that brings out the best in every member of their team. “What makes us successful is that we take care of our people, and because we take care of them, they take care of our valued customers.” They have won every national award in their industry–the Subaru Stellar Award for excellence in customer-focused performance, as well as the only Edmunds.com Five Star Dealer rating in Utah for any brand, etc.–but find the most meaning in their “do good, feel good” culture. They love giving their time, along with very generous donations to the Ronald McDonald House, the Boys and Girls Club, or plant trees for TreeUtah, serve the homeless, or sponsor a community mural. Please enjoy this inspiring podcast that celebrates the road less traveled!

We recently had the pleasure of interviewing Ryan Westwood, the founder and CEO of Simplus, a young, determined SaaS company that is the recognized leader for “quote to cash” solutions. Ryan is the founder of several successful companies, the author of a recent national bestseller, and an angel who helps young companies succeed. He is frequently featured in the Wall Street Journal and Huffington Post but is also a humble, positive giver who goes all out to help others. The Simplus lobby features two life-sized “underdogs” that are symbolic of Ryan’s commitment to push hard for the things he believes in. Ryan has had to work hard and fight for everything, and tenaciously protects the culture that makes Simplus a winning company. Even the most impressive candidates are not hired unless they have an underdog’s history of overcoming significant obstacles. You basically have to be an intelligent and caring “junkyard dog” to join this team of 120 determined people in six offices! Enjoy this inspiring interview with Ryan Westwood, a savvy entrepreneur who works hard to stay ahead of the game!

“When a kindness is done, it has to be paid back 10 times.” – Margo Provost After a successful career in marketing, in 1985 Maxine Turner wanted to raise a family and continue to contribute to make a difference in Utah. So she started a catering company, Cuisine Unlimited, opened a small deli, and very worked hard. Her new company took off, and Maxine’s husband, Marvin, left his corporate career to help her run her rapidly growing company. Cuisine Unlimited was on its way to becoming one of the most decorated and celebrated catering companies in the United States! But Maxine’s success in building her own high-growth company is not the focus of this engaging interview. It’s more about bringing happiness to people and following her passion to create celebrations around food. More than anything Maxine Turner is a giver who, like her friend Margo Provost, the founder of Log Haven, believes that “when a kindness is done, it has to be paid back 10 times.” Maxine serves as the chairwoman for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Council on Small Business, the U.S. Chamber’s principal policy committee representing small businesses. She serves as a board member for the Economic Development Corporation of Utah and was a member of the first national Key for Women Advisory Board for Key Bank. We hope you enjoy the wisdom and insights of Maxine Turner, leader who has done so much on a national and community level as force for good!

“All life is problem solving.” – Karl Popper There is something immediately appealing about Natalie Gochnour, the Associate Dean of the David Eccles School of Business and Director of the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute at the University of Utah. As if that’s not enough, Natalie also serves as the Chief Economist for the Salt Lake Chamber. Intellectually gifted and emotionally engaging, Natalie, has spent her career “translating” complex data and bringing together decision makers in the business, policymaking, and academic communities. In short, Natalie is a problem solver with an energy that radiates outward, a humble thinker with a heart! Utah is fortunate to have Natalie’s uncanny ability to identify challenges and opportunities that others don’t fully see, then unpack intelligent solutions and ideas that build consensus. Please take time to listen to this podcast. You may find yourself nodding in agreement or, if you have a different point of view, seeing new points for agreement. Natalie Gochnour has a way of doing that!

In 2009, Amelia Wilcox had nowhere to go but up. The Great Recession hit hard and her massage therapy practice was leveling off as clients cut costs and prepared for the worst. Her husband’s e-commerce business was also dropping fast. Things were tough. So she sold their inventory (and other things that were even important to her) at a great loss, and with $1,500 started Incorporate Massage. Unlike so many business leaders who are often in the spotlight, Amelia Wilcox is a very humble and determined person. She quickly began to grow her company brand through social media, and a new website. She “traded massages” for a new logo and identity and things started to grow. It wasn’t long before Amelia had so many clients, her strong hands could no longer keep up. She began to screen, interview, and hire the best massage therapists in Utah who shared her vision and passion to be the best. Amelia began winning what she calls “the war for talent”, Incorporate Massage is now in 42 U.S markets, and her husband now calls her his “sugar mama.” So much of Amelia’s success was and is fueled by hard work, drive, and the will to be successful. Even though she started Incorporate Massage to survive, she finds real meaning in mentoring and helping her team. “Part massage therapist, part entrepreneur,” Amelia Wilcox is helping her team, and the corporate clients that they serve, thrive and improve! We hope you enjoy Amelia’s valuable insights!

After 20 years of practicing internal medicine, in 2007 Dr. Donna Milavetz wanted to dramatically improve care for her patients. She was also, like some of her patients, feeling “healthcare fatigue.”  At the height of her career, this accomplished MD who trained at one of Harvard’s hospitals, worked at the Mayo Clinic, and holds a master’s degree in public health from the prestigious University of Minnesota, decided to walk away from a broken system. Dr. Milavetz made several bold strategic moves.  She left the traditional fee-for-service model behind, raised capital, and made a “cold call” to Susan Johnson, the President of Futura Industries. Six short weeks later, she opened her first clinic at Futura Industries. Futura’s employees loved their personal care, their overall health improved dramatically, and the company enjoyed major cost savings from their new and innovative healthcare.  OnSite Care was born! Ten years later, OnSite Care is a much bigger success story, and Futura Industries, OnSite Care’s first corporate clinic and client, continues to thrive. Their employees are healthier, and they have not had a single increase in the company’s healthcare costs over the past ten years. It’s nearly impossible to listen to Dr. Donna Milavetz without sensing her intelligence and passion and love for people. She is a compassionate doctor and a bold leader who enhances the lives of everyone she meets and personifies the power of one!

“PEOPLE SPEND TOO MUCH TIME READING THEIR BUSINESS CARDS” An Influence Podcast with Susan Johnson, President, engineer, and humanist It was our recent pleasure to sit down and talk with Susan Johnson, the outgoing President and CEO of the most profitable metal extruder in North America, Futura Industries. Over the past 22 years, Susan has led Futura Industries to national prominence by investing in the future and exceeding the expectations of Futura’s employees and the loyal customers they serve. A graduate of  Cal Poly where amazingly smart people “learn by doing,” Susan is a brilliant business leader, one of the very best. She also has amazing instincts when it comes to inspiring and leading people. Susan has spent her life building companies by providing new opportunities for her family of employees to grow and taking care of clients. She knows everyone’s name, and “has never forgotten what it’s like being at the bottom looking up.” Under Susan’s steady leadership, Futura Industries has enjoyed incredible growth and has literally filled several rooms full of awards as Utah’s best employer for the past 13 years! Always an innovator and builder of people, Susan opened an on-site medical clinic that takes care of the primary medical need for all of Futura’s employees and their families. There is so much to learn and appreciate about this special leader and place. This podcast provides a refreshing glimpse into the mind and heart of a very rare leader who believes that “people spend too much time looking at titles on business cards.” Susan Johnson produces amazing results through innovation and efficiency, but she ultimately judges the success of any company by "the countenance of the worker!"

“BIG LESSONS: STAY CALM & GET THINGS DONE FAST!” This week, we interview a former BYU student entrepreneur who in 1996 began building websites at the dawn of the Internet, John Pestana. His earliest company was JP Interactive, a company that he sold all his (and his wife’s) wedding gifts to buy a computer for, a company that eventually became Omniture. John and Josh James, his partner, put everything on the line to survive the dot-com crash, raise money, meet payroll, and land Fortune 500 clients. Through sheer determination and grit, they built Omniture into a successful public company that was acquired by Adobe Systems in 2009 for $1.8 billion dollars. Early investors in Omniture enjoyed 100x+ returns and hundreds of others, became multi-millionaires! Most founders would have immediately retired. John, like Josh, did not! John Pestana went on to co-found ObservePoint, a SaaS company based in Provo that improves the technology and data quality of clients engaged in online marketing. Even though he is very busy managing a portfolio of real estate properties that include apartment complexes and commercial office buildings, he still feels most comfortable running another high-tech, high-growth company with Rob Seolas his co-founder and CEO of ObservePoint. We have had the pleasure of interviewing many of the best entrepreneurs and business leaders in Utah, but no one quite like John. He is versatile and well-rounded, focused but very eclectic, a real Renaissance man! He owns a model train company, writes and records music with his band, SilentMonk, has the best “man cave” in the country–complete with very cool car collection, an amazing aquarium, arcade, recording studio, spa, and two slides, etc. John is also very generous in spirit and deed. We hope you enjoy this illuminating podcast with John Pestana!

INNOVATION AND BRANDING GURU – JEREMY ANDRUS Everyone who knows Jeremy Andrus–one of the most innovative and charismatic CEO’s on the planet–is glad he decided to move to Utah in 2005! Jeremy graduated with a B.A. from Brigham Young University and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School before joining Skullcandy, an edgy headphone company.  Under his energetic leadership, Skullcandy went from a startup with a few million in sales to $300 million before their successful IPO in 2011. He was and is the right leader at the right time! It’s difficult to label Jeremy. He was an “entrepreneur in residence” when he was just a kid, a title he later had with Solamere Capital after eight amazing years at Skullcandy. He is an impact player that has left his mark at Marriott, Monitor Company, BYU, Harvard, Lehman Brothers in London, and Skullcandy where he blew the brand through the roof with the Vans Warped Tour and funky music events with rapper Jay-Z. For the past three years, Jeremy has led Traeger Wood Fired Grills out of obscurity and darkness to become the preeminent brand for grilling and chilling in the backyard. He is an amazing leader who can connect in Cambridge, recruit Kevin Durant of the NBA to sell Skullcandy headphones or add amazing new innovation and sizzle in a category (wood fired grilling) that is as old as the stone age. He has boldly transformed Traeger Wood Pellet Grills from being a small regional company into an iconic and innovative brand with a cult-like following. Please enjoy this Influence podcast. Jeremy has a humanity and passion and energy that makes everything he touches new and special!

“STRATEGY ON A SPREADSHEET” Lately, it seems like the Wasatch Front is home to more startups per capita than any other mid-size market in the United States. Just a few weeks ago in downtown Salt Lake City, the Silicon Slopes Summit drew over 5,000 techies together to connect and learn and celebrate what we are building. It is against this backdrop that we had the pleasure of interviewing Kent Thomas, the founder of Advanced CFO Solutions. Kent launched Advanced CFO Solutions 20 years ago and is highly respected by many the leading founders of Utah’s most impressive high-growth companies. Always quick to recognize his awesome clients and his friendship with CEOs like Paul Allen (Ancestry.com) and Jeremy Andrus (Skullcandy & Traeger), Kent Thomas is a recognized thought leader who has had a huge impact as a trusted advisor to many of the best executives in our growing ecosystem. More than anything, Kent has been successful in “putting strategy on a spreadsheet” and helping the founders of Utah’s most dynamic companies make the right strategic moves. Kent is humble, but he’s got game! Kent seems far too young to “retire”, but he recently did just that, selling Advanced CFO Solutions to his able partners so he can now focus on his family and various “projects” that will undoubtedly become more great companies on Utah’s Silicon Slopes. Please enjoy the insights of this great man!

The Other Side Academy: An innovative, self-help academy and residence where some of the most disadvantaged (and incredible) people in our community are learning new ways to succeed. We weren’t with Tim Stay, CEO of The Other Side Academy, very long before he suggested that we talk with one his students. Within five minutes we had the pleasure of meeting Shawn, who looked street-smart and was very people-savvy.  Tim talked about things like being in “the safest place I have ever been” and a culture of “pulling each other up.”  It was inspiring to meet Shawn.  The inspiration continued with Tim as he talked about keeping it pure and building a sustainable model so even more lives can be changed. It wasn’t long before Parley, “the rescue dog”, joined our conversation by walking into the meeting room with his tail wagging. Even Parley has a mission: to make people happy and feel loved. It’s a positive irony that Joseph Grenny, the world renowned change agent for the Fortune 500, recruited Tim Stay so they could start The Other Side Academy.  Isn’t it cool that the former cast-offs of society are using “Fortune 500 principles” to transform their very lives, perhaps the greatest transformation of all? Please enjoy this glimpse into The Other Side Academy, a learning laboratory where people acquire new life skills and courage is contagious! Two key facts Life before the Other Side Academy “The toughest of the tough!” Average number of arrests: 23 After the Other Side Academy (one of many positive Yelp reviews) “These guys were fantastic.  We used them to move within Park City and they were really quick, courteous, and hard working.  I would definitely recommend them in the future.” Average service rating: 5 Stars

TECH SAVVY & STREET SMART – INSIGHTS FROM SILVERVUE’S ERIC SMITH We live in a fast-paced, complex, and sometimes careless world. And it’s rewarding when we can learn from someone who is tech savvy, street smart, and amazingly successful. It’s also impressive if that same person has the ability to connect with people and, in spite of their success, hasn’t gotten caught up in what Tom Wolfe calls “The Bonfire of the Vanities.” This week’s podcast features just such a rare person, Eric Smith, an entrepreneur and technical visionary who is the co-founder of SilverVue, one of Utah’s most promising high-growth companies. Over the past 20 years, Eric and his business partner, Will West, have successfully launched several leading companies. SilverVue is a company that reflects the vision and experience of Eric and Will, a software care platform that solves complex problems, like providing a simple dashboard that monitors and coordinates patient care in and out of the hospital! Eric has a real gift for developing sophisticated, yet elegant solutions to complex problems. Prior to founding SilverVue, Eric developed the intellectual property that has made all of his ventures with Will West successful: Control4 (sophisticated home automation), STSN (now iBAHN Broadband), and PHAST Corporation (home automation). Eric knows how to “pivot on the fly” to be successful. He is also grateful for everything he has experienced and for his partnership with Will West. Please enjoy Eric’s passion for building great companies and for living life to the fullest!

Our recent conversation with Ryan Larsen and Dr. Darin Vercillo, two co-founders of Central Logic, and Todd Dalberg, their CMO and brand marketing guru, was both enlightening and inspiring! Central Logic is the innovative leader in providing real-time data intelligence that helps hospitals and healthcare systems improve patient care and solve big problems. The payback for their clients is just three months, and with a 95% retention rate, Central Logic moving fast. We have lift-off! Central Logic solves complex problems, and the past 10 years have been both demanding and rewarding for their exceptional team. This is a company that is full of sneaky smart people, card-carrying geniuses like Ryan, Darin, Todd, and Jennifer Holmes, their CEO. But as we listened to these three leaders, we were taken back by their creativity and humility and perspective. They are as proud of Central Logic’s “like a family” culture as they are of their mind-blowing ability to solve big problems in healthcare. Central Logic is a great company with an impressive trajectory. It is also a collection of smart people who haven’t lost their perspective and passion about what they are building together!

“WHASSUP HOMIE?” –  A TALK WITH HOMIE CEO, JOHNNY HANNA Homie, a rapidly growing startup focused on automating the home selling / home buying process, is getting a lot of attention these days. In just six short months, Homie’s peer to peer marketplace is saving home buyers and seller’s valuable time and thousands of dollars in commissions. Homie is taking off! We recently had the pleasure to talk with Johnny Hanna, Homie’s CEO and charismatic homeboy, who is leading this scrappy startup that is already having a big impact in the real estate industry. As one of the founders of Entrata, formerly Property Solutions International, a red hot SaaS company that created the best property management platform in the world, Johnny Hanna knows where he is going and how to get there. Enjoy Johnny’s insights. He is humble but very determined, a true homie that is always down for the cause, always looking for a new way to disrupt and improve the world!

This week’s Influence podcast features Clint Betts, the authentic, committed protagonist of tech in Utah. Clint is the Founder, CEO, and Editor-in-Chief of Beehive Startups. He is also a very powerful voice for Utah’s burgeoning technology ecosystem. Many of the most influential tech CEO’s in Utah support and respect Clint and the major impact he has had over the past three years in spreading the gospel of tech. Even from the beginning, Beehive Startups has always been bigger and bolder and more committed to the core because of Clint! But Clint is also humble enough to use his connections and influence to raise $12,000 for a 15-year-old beekeeper named Bryce who had his hives stolen. “We had to. We are Beehive Startups, how could we not?” He cares about tech in Utah, but he also cares about the thousands of children from low-income families in our state that don’t have books to read. So in addition to being the catalyst for over a dozen huge tech gatherings and numerous podcasts, in-depth articles, and Silicon Slopes, Clint is responsible for rallying the tech community for literally thousands of books. He created “Startup Santa” and the books started pouring in! Even though he is only 30, he is determined to have a big positive impact. Enjoy this podcast with Clint Betts, Utah’s young and creative protagonist of tech in Utah!

We recently had the pleasure of meeting Isaac Barlow, the inspirational entrepreneur and president of a thriving workforce analytics company in St. George called BusyBusy. After 15 years of successful business management experience in the construction company, Isaac launched BusyBusy with the goal of helping construction and service companies automate time cards and daily progress on BusyBusy’s innovative mobile SaaS platform. He has never looked back! Isaac refers to the construction industry he knows so well as “organized chaos.” He saw a real opportunity to help contractors and service companies have greater success by giving them better information to make better decisions in real time. Isaac’s hero is Thomas Edison and it shows in his persistence and commitment! He is always “prototyping new ideas to make sure that they work”, and BusyBusy is rapidly growing with customers in 45 states. We hope you enjoy this inspiring interview with Isaac Barlow who is leading BusyBusy’s team of innovators on their quest to make the construction industry a lot less chaotic and a lot more successful!

Whether it’s cutting the ribbon for a new 16 bed residential home in Salt Lake City or making sure everyone feels valued, Gary Larcenaire, the CEO of Valley Behavioral Health, is always making big moves that make a difference in the lives of those he serves! Just five years ago Gary inherited an embattled agency that was struggling and had lost its long-term contract with Salt Lake County to oversee $50 million for mental services. Things looked bleak, and they were laying off employees. But Gary, an optimistic innovator with a track record of success as the CEO of El Paso Mental Health and Mental Retardation agency, was enthusiastic. “Valley is in an exciting stage of its evolution, and I’m enthusiastic to be a part of the team!” Over the past five years, Gary and his team have had a significant impact in our community. In this podcast, we explore the secrets and philosophy of this visionary leader who has transformed Valley Behavioral Health into a national leader. Gary and his team “firmly share Valley’s vision and commitment to helping the severely and persistently mentally ill find relief, recovery and rediscovery.”

This week’s Influence podcast features Linda Leckman, the CEO of Intermountain Medical Group in Salt Lake City and a brilliant trailblazer for women in medicine. In a very real way Linda’s impressive career as a surgeon and CEO in healthcare all started when she was a teenager working as a candy striper when her desire to be a doctor first began. She went on to earn an undergraduate degree in history at Texas Christian University and a medical degree from the University of New Mexico before coming to the University of Utah to do a residency in general surgery. Linda was the first woman in the residency program at the University of Utah at a time when it was commonly thought that women didn’t have the temperament to be good surgeons, but she persisted and succeeded! During her second year, she was so happy that the university let three more women into its residency program. After graduating in 1982, Linda established her own successful private practice as a general surgeon in Salt Lake City. After 14 years running her own surgical practice, Linda made the bold move to join the executive team of Intermountain Healthcare and three years later she was leading their newly formed physician group. Even though her experience in business and finance was limited, Linda was determined to succeed and worked her way to the top as she grew Intermountain Medical Group from fewer than 100 doctors to more than 1,000 as she greatly expanded her group’s impact to 180 clinics across the state. We hope you enjoy the insights of Dr. Linda Leckman, a brilliant thinker who broke down barriers so other women could move forward in leadership roles that have improved healthcare in Utah.

As the President and CEO of the Utah Technology Council for the past 16 years, Richard Nelson has played an important role in the growth of Utah’s technology ecosystem. Under his leadership, the UTC has been a force for good in creating the $300M Utah Fund of Funds and securing funding for the Utah Science Technology and Research Initiative. Rich is a passionate advocate in helping Utah’s Title 1 schools and was a major force in raising the rigor in Utah’s high school requirements. As the leader of Utah’s professional association for over 5,000 high tech, clean tech and life science companies, Rich is a connector of people who is always quick to mention others who helped lay the foundation for our current success. Named one of the “100 Most Influential People” and one of the “25 People Who Most Influenced Business in Utah”, Rich shares his valuable perspective on the rapid growth of technology companies in Utah. Rich was named “CEO of the Year” from Utah’s technology industry and received the “Distinguished Service Award” from the College of Engineering at the University of Utah. He has an MBA from Northwestern University and a BS degree in finance from Brigham Young University.

This week’s Influence podcast provides a rare glimpse into the life and success of Aaron and Monica Skonnard. Aaron Skonnard is the co-founder, president, and CEO of Pluralsight, the leading on-demand technology learning platform for developer training, and Monica is Aaron’s wife and invaluable sounding board and adviser. In spite of their personal success and the amazing growth of Pluralsight, they have managed to stay centered and are grateful to be in “a powerful position to make the world a better place.” Aaron’s strong technical background began when he was a young boy learning his craft on an Apple Macintosh that his father brought home. After graduating from BYU with a degree in computer science, Aaron co-founded Pluralsight in 2004, a company with a core team of top programmers that initially developed course materials and taught classes and seminars to developers all over the world. It was at this time that Aaron, relied on Monica’s faith and strong support to make the bold pivot of immediately focusing his team on building the on-demand learning platform that would “change the way developers learn.” Pluralsight has never looked back! A skilled programmer that has authored several technical articles, Aaron will always be a developer at his core, and much of the company’s success within the programming community is because Pluralsight is a company of programmers. According to Aaron, Pluralsight’s foundation is built “on this ability to learn from each other, the ability to surround yourself with the right people and keep surrounding yourself with the right people over time.” Whether they are at work or at home, Aaron and Monica Skonnard share a common passion to make the world a better place! Please enjoy this inspiring podcast.

In this Influence podcast we interview the passionate, technical, and articulate Owen Fuller who grew up in Alaska where he learned how to work hard, before coming to BYU to study history and earn a bachelor’s degree in communication and advertising. Owen is a true entrepreneur and innovator with a successful history of building and growing some impressive technology and marketing companies here in his adopted state of Utah. We hope you enjoy his unique insights in this podcast! Owen is the Chief Evangelist at Boombox. Boombox with its sister products, Qzzr and Pollcaster, make it easy to create, embed and share interactive content with the world. He was asked to join the executive team at Boombox when Josh Little and Bucky Flowers heard of the success of Fit Marketing and asked Owen and his team to develop their own product called Qzzr. They have never looked back! Even though Owen and the team at Boombox have had a long string of successes with leading clients like Yahoo, NBC, Red Bull, LinkedIn, ESPN, and Ogilvy, he is amazingly humble and compelling at the same time! Prior to Boombox and Qzzr, Owen founded and doggedly grew Fit Marketing into a top inbound digital marketing agency that doubled in size every year for five years. Fit Marketing became one of Utah’s fastest growing companies, and was recognized two years ago as the 10th fastest growing company in Utah under five years old, before being acquired by Stryde.

In this Influence Podcast interview, we know you will sense the extraordinary determination and talent of Cydni Tetro and Sara Jones, two successful entrepreneurs who, in their “spare time” co-founded the Women Tech Council nine years ago, a scrappy not-for-profit that now has more than 10,000 members! With a degree in computer science and an MBA, both from BYU, Cydni is a successful technologist and marketing guru who has built a career with some of the world’s largest brands like Disney, Microsoft, Marvel, Star Wars, Facebook, MLB, MLS, Warner Brothers, Dreamworks, Target, Walmart, and Toys R Us. She is the founder and CEO of 3DplusMe, a 3D printing software platform, that was recently acquired by WhiteClouds and is an Operating Partner at Mercato Partners, a leading growth equity firm. Recognized as a respected patent attorney and shareholder at Workman Nydegger for almost ten years, Sara went on to become the Vice President of Strategic Development at Patent Law Works, before becoming the CEO of ApplicantPro, an HR SaaS company providing recruiting tools to over 3,000 clients, where she led the company to profitability and a high valuation. Sara graduated cum laude from Brigham Young University law school and holds a B.S. in chemical engineering, with honors, from the University of Utah. Cydni Tetro and Sara Jones have already had a long-lasting influence on so many women (and men) in our growing ecosystem. Perhaps more than anything else, they continue to show others how to have fun while doing hard things that make a big difference.

We live in a careless world, and it’s not very often that you find a company that is innovative but has a heart, financially successful but is focused on giving. In this Influence podcast we highlight just such a company, Cotopaxi! Please enjoy this interview with Cotopaxi’s founders, Davis Smith and Stephan Jacob who co-founded this company that is attracting so much attention from outdoor industry leaders like Patagonia and numerous investors because of the success of their business and their focus on doing good! Davis Smith and Stephan Jacob both earned degrees from impressive schools, BYU and Stanford (Davis), Universitat Mannheim and University of South Australia (Stephan) before they met each other at University of Pennsylvania –The Wharton School. They are true entrepreneurs who, following stints at Alta Ventures, PoolTables.com, and Baby.com (Davis) and McKinsey, Bain, and Kembral (Stephan), decided to “create innovative outdoor products that fund sustainable poverty alleviation and move people to do good”.  We were inspired by our interview with Davis and Stephan, two leaders that inspire others and are making a difference in the world.

There is a healthy dose of perseverance and inspiration in this podcast that features Tom Stockham, the CEO of eXperticity, a high-growth SaaS and analytics company that “collects category influencers and connects them with the world’s top brands.” Tom received a B.A. from Dartmouth College and an MBA from Stanford University, before further developing his foundational business and problem solving skills as a consultant within Boston Consulting Group’s retail practice. Following BCG, Tom was the General Manager of Citysearch where he was successful in his efforts to significantly increase revenues for one of the Internet’s earliest businesses focused on “local information.” Later as President of Ticketmaster, Tom led the company’s transition to electronic ticketing and greater growth. Tom helped create one of the Internet’s leading subscription businesses as the CEO of MyFamily.com (Ancestry.com). Please enjoy this podcast that provides a glimpse into Tom’s innate talent and passion. More than a successful CEO, entrepreneur, advisor, and private investor, Tom is an innovative technology leader that is committed to solving problems and building companies and people!

This podcast features Carine Clark, the president and CEO of MaritzCX, a market-leading company that gives businesses the power to see and act on the experiences of every individual customer in real time. Carine is one of the most powerful and inspirational executives in our market, and we are grateful for the time and insights that she shared with us. This podcast will inspire you! Carine Clark has a history of building successful software companies and powerful teams for MaritzCX, Symantec, Altiris, and Novell. She had the vision to acquire Allegiance and merge it with Maritz Research to create a more powerful company called MaritzCX. Prior to MaritzCX, Carine took Symantec’s marketing, branding, and communications to a new level as their SVP and Chief Marketing officer. Carine’s unique talent in driving sales growth was an important factor in establishing Altiris as one of the fastest growing technology companies in the world, growing revenues from $62 million to $230 million in just four years. Carine’s numerous awards include being named as the 2016 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year for the Utah Region and the 2015 CEO of the Year by Utah Business magazine. Just recently, the Utah Technology Council announced that Carine will be inducted into the UTC Hall of Fame during their September 30th gala at the Grand America Hotel. Carine graduated with a Bachelors of Arts degree in organizational communications and with an MBA, both from Brigham Young University.

For the initial launch of Tanner’s Podcast Series, we know we wanted to “go big”, so we asked Dr. Greg Warnock, a visionary leader in the growth of Utah’s VC, private equity, and technology community, if he would be our first interview. He graciously accepted!  Garrett Koerner, a tax partner at Tanner, and Dan Griffiths, Tanner’s director of strategy, appreciated Greg’s perspective as a true visionary in Utah’s growing technology community. Greg Warnock is the co-founder and managing director of Mercato Partners and successful innovator and builder of high-growth companies. He is a brilliant thinker (PhD), technologist, innovator, and turnaround artist. Greg is also an amazing person who has helped so many companies and the entrepreneurs who lead them (Skullcandy, Domo, Cymphonix, and Stance) become better. Prior to Mercato, Greg was the co-founder of vSpring, a scrappy early stage venture capital fund. He has been the principal in more than 20 M&A transactions and has spent his entire career helping other entrepreneurs succeed. Greg has been the recipient of numerous awards and received a B.S. in computer science, an M.B.A.,  and a PhD in Entrepreneurship and Venture Finance from University of Utah’s David Eccles School of Business