Start School Sessions

Silicon Slopes

Start School Sessions is the podcast from Start School, the free entrepreneurship program Silicon Slopes runs with Mountain America Credit Union. Each episode is one from a live session.

  1. 1d ago

    Start School Session: Neighbor Founder & CEO Joseph Woodbury

    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 Introduction01:10 The story behind Neighbor and the marketplace opportunity05:20 Going all in after college and raising the seed round10:15 Why every fundraising round is different15:05 AI, network effects, and why distribution is the new moat22:00 Using AI to build more with a smaller team26:00 Building trust in a peer to peer marketplace33:45 Scaling from homeowners to enterprise real estate partners39:20 The Andreessen Horowitz fundraising story and lessons on perseverance45:00 Speed of execution, founder mode, and leading in the AI era48:10 Regulatory challenges and validating marketplace ideas50:05 Final advice for founders: Build something that changes people's lives50:43 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. Subscribe for more conversations with the founders, CEOs, and innovators shaping the future of business.

    Start School Session: Neighbor Founder & CEO Joseph Woodbury

  2. 2d ago

    Start School Session: MX Founder & CEO Ryan Caldwell

    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 Introduction02:10 Why Ryan started MX and the mission to strengthen consumers financially09:30 Finding a purpose worth enduring pain for15:40 Building a company without losing your family, health, or relationships21:15 How AI is transforming banking and financial services28:40 Protecting consumer privacy in the age of AI35:00 Why great SaaS companies will survive the AI revolution41:45 Raising capital, gaining experience, and knowing when to start a company48:20 Broken by default or built by design50:15 Ryan's daughter's story and finding purpose through hardship53:20 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. Subscribe for more conversations with the founders, CEOs, and innovators shaping the future of business.

    Start School Session: MX Founder & CEO Ryan Caldwell

  3. 2d ago

    Start School Session: Nursa Founder & CEO Curtis Anderson

    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 Introduction02:05 Why Curtis Anderson bought a nurse staffing agency06:40 Building a marketplace instead of an agency11:15 Launching Nursa during COVID-1916:45 How AI is transforming marketplace businesses22:00 Navigating regulation as a startup27:10 Solving cash flow and scaling a healthcare marketplace32:20 Using AI to expand into nursing education36:30 The cold start problem and building network effects39:20 Expanding beyond nurses and the future of Nursa40:45 Leadership, execution, and serving your team42:10 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. Subscribe for more conversations with the founders, CEOs, and innovators shaping the future of business.

    Start School Session: Nursa Founder & CEO Curtis Anderson

  4. Jul 7

    Start School Session: Bucked Up Founder Ryan Gardner

    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 Introduction02:10 From farm boys to entrepreneurs06:30 Building the first online supplement business11:15 How Bucked Up was born16:20 Branding, marketing, and why transparency won21:10 Scaling manufacturing and bringing on strategic partners26:30 Influencer marketing and building a powerful ambassador program31:00 AI, hiring great people, and scaling the organization35:30 Product innovation and staying ahead of competitors38:30 Advice for founders and leading through optimism41:15 Closing remarks Subscribe for more conversations with the founders, CEOs, and innovators shaping the future of business.

    Start School Session: Bucked Up Founder Ryan Gardner

  5. Jul 6

    Start School Session: Kiln Co-Founder & CEO Arian Lewis

    Arian Lewis was told in ninth grade that he probably shouldn't plan on going to college. He had ADHD, dyslexia, and struggled academically. Instead of letting that define him, he learned something that would shape the rest of his career. If he couldn't outsmart everyone, he could outwork them.That mindset took him from a scholarship at BYU to an MBA at Oxford, building one of the world's largest fintech accelerators for Barclays, and eventually co-founding Kiln, one of the fastest-growing premium flex office brands in the country. In this Start School conversation, Kiln Co-founder Arian Lewis joins Silicon Slopes CEO Clint Betts to discuss entrepreneurship, scaling a hospitality business, building community, and why AI is reshaping the future of work. They discuss:• Why Utah has become one of the best places in America to build a startup• The lessons Arian learned building global fintech accelerators at Barclays• How Kiln differentiated itself from WeWork• Why unit economics matter more than company valuation• What companies are really looking for in the post-COVID workplace• How AI will change hiring, careers, and entrepreneurship• Why adaptability and resilience are becoming the most valuable workplace skills• The biggest challenges of scaling a company across multiple cities• How founders can build cultures that encourage ownership and feedback• What Utah needs to become a world-class technology ecosystem Whether you're building your first startup, scaling an existing business, or trying to understand where work is headed in the AI era, Arian shares practical insights on leadership, community, and building companies that last. 00:00 Introduction02:00 Arian's journey from struggling student to entrepreneur06:00 Building a global fintech accelerator at Barclays11:15 Why Utah is built for entrepreneurship15:00 Leaving Barclays to start Kiln20:00 How Kiln differentiated itself from WeWork25:00 The future of office space after COVID30:00 AI, resilience, and the future of work34:15 Scaling company culture and leading teams37:00 What Utah needs to become a world-class tech ecosystem39:00 Closing remarks Subscribe for more conversations with the founders, CEOs, and innovators shaping the future of business.

    Start School Session: Kiln Co-Founder & CEO Arian Lewis

  6. Jul 6

    Start School Session: Quiklearn Chairman of the Board David Bradford

    David Bradford has helped build some of Utah's most iconic technology companies. He joined Novell when it had just a few hundred employees and helped scale it into one of the most important software companies in the world. Along the way, he worked alongside industry legends like Ray Noorda and Eric Schmidt, recruited Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak to Fusion-io, and spent decades leading companies through every major technology wave from networking and the internet to cloud computing and AI. Today, David serves as Chairman of the Board of QuikLearn, where he is using AI to make history's greatest teachers accessible to anyone with a smartphone. In this Start School conversation, Chairman of the Board of QuikLearn David Bradford joins Silicon Slopes CEO Clint Betts to share lessons from nearly five decades of building technology companies, leading great teams, and navigating constant innovation. They discuss:• How Novell became one of the world's most important software companies• Leadership lessons from Ray Noorda and Eric Schmidt• Why great companies are built by great people, not just great technology• How David recruited Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak• Why relationships create life's biggest opportunities• Finding customer pain points before building products• How AI is transforming education and entrepreneurship• Why every entrepreneur should become a prompt engineer• Building trust, raising capital, and creating lasting competitive advantages• Why Utah continues to be one of the world's greatest places to build technology companies Whether you're launching your first startup, leading a growing company, or trying to understand where AI is taking the next generation of innovation, David shares timeless lessons from one of Utah's most accomplished technology leaders. 00:00 Introduction02:10 David Bradford's journey from law to technology07:15 Building Novell into a global software leader13:00 Leadership lessons from Ray Noorda and Eric Schmidt18:40 Leaving Novell and joining Fusion-io24:10 Recruiting Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak29:00 Why relationships create life's biggest opportunities33:20 AI, QuikLearn, and the future of education38:10 Finding customer pain points and building great companies42:30 Utah's entrepreneurial advantage and the future of innovation45:20 Self-leadership and advice for the next generation of founders47:00 Closing remarks Subscribe for more conversations with the founders, CEOs, and innovators shaping the future of business.

    Start School Session: Quiklearn Chairman of the Board David Bradford

  7. Jul 6

    Start School Session: Health Catalyst Strategic Advisor Dan Burton

    Dan Burton never planned to become a CEO. He thought he was going to medical school until one economics class changed everything. After spending a decade building businesses inside large technology companies, Dan joined a five-person healthcare startup called Health Catalyst. Fifteen years later, the company had grown into a publicly traded healthcare technology leader serving more than 1,100 healthcare organizations. Today, Dan serves as Strategic Advisor at Health Catalyst, helping the company navigate one of the biggest technological shifts the software industry has ever experienced. In this Start School conversation, Strategic Advisor at Health Catalyst Dan Burton joins Silicon Slopes CEO Clint Betts to discuss scaling a company from five employees to an IPO, leading through constant technological disruption, and what every founder needs to know about building in the age of AI. They discuss:• How Health Catalyst grew from five employees to a public company• What Sequoia Capital looks for in early-stage startups• Why every SaaS company must rethink its business in the AI era• How to build a competitive advantage when technology changes overnight• Why founders should always be a little paranoid• The biggest opportunities AI creates for entrepreneurs• How AI is changing healthcare, software development, and startups• Why relationships became one of Health Catalyst's greatest competitive advantages• The future of SaaS and what comes after traditional software companies• Why character and self-leadership still matter more than ever Whether you're building a startup, leading a technology company, or trying to understand how AI is reshaping business, Dan shares practical lessons from scaling a company through multiple waves of innovation while staying grounded in timeless leadership principles. 00:00 Introduction02:20 Dan Burton's journey to Health Catalyst08:15 How Sequoia Capital invested in Health Catalyst14:30 Scaling from five employees to a public company20:10 Reinventing a SaaS company in the age of AI27:00 Every SaaS company is under siege33:40 AI, healthcare, and the future of software39:20 Building competitive moats in a changing market44:15 Advice for founders building with AI today48:10 The importance of self-leadership and timeless principles51:00 Closing remarks Subscribe for more conversations with the founders, CEOs, and innovators shaping the future of business.

    Start School Session: Health Catalyst Strategic Advisor Dan Burton

  8. Jul 6

    Start School Session: Culinary Crafts Founder Mary Crafts

    Mary Crafts started her business with just $150. She was a former social worker, a mother of two young children, and living on welfare when she realized she needed a way to support her family. So she did what entrepreneurs do. She looked for a need and decided to solve it. Armed with a little red wagon full of homemade bread and cookies, she went door to door looking for customers. That small beginning eventually became Culinary Crafts, one of the most celebrated catering companies in the country. Over the next four decades, Mary would serve presidents, world leaders, Oprah Winfrey, Sir Elton John, Fortune 500 CEOs, and thousands of events before selling the company to her sons. In this Start School conversation, Culinary Crafts Founder Mary Crafts joins Silicon Slopes CEO Clint Betts to share the principles that guided her through forty years of entrepreneurship, leadership, personal transformation, and building a lasting legacy. They discuss:• How Mary built Culinary Crafts starting with just $150• Why the best entrepreneurs simply find a need and solve it• The power of showing up before anyone knows your name• How integrity became her greatest competitive advantage• Why leaders must lead with both their brain and their heart• The three goals every entrepreneur should have• How to overcome fear and imposter syndrome• Building systems without losing a culture of excellence• Selling a family business while preserving trust• Why learning, serving, and giving always come before growth Whether you're starting your first business, growing a company, or simply trying to become a better leader, Mary's timeless wisdom offers practical lessons on resilience, service, leadership, and living a life of purpose. 00:00 Introduction03:10 From social worker to entrepreneur09:20 Starting Culinary Crafts with $150 and a little red wagon15:15 Landing the first big catering contracts21:00 Building a company through service and showing up27:45 Why great companies are built from the top down34:20 Running a family business and selling it to her sons41:00 The three goals every entrepreneur needs49:30 Leading with your brain and your heart54:45 Overcoming fear and imposter syndrome1:00:10 Advice for young entrepreneurs and audience Q&A1:04:00 Closing remarks Subscribe for more conversations with the founders, CEOs, and innovators shaping the future of business.

    Start School Session: Culinary Crafts Founder Mary Crafts
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About

Start School Sessions is the podcast from Start School, the free entrepreneurship program Silicon Slopes runs with Mountain America Credit Union. Each episode is one from a live session.

Information

  • Creator
    Silicon Slopes
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    21
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Silicon Slopes
  • Show Website
    Start School Sessions