What does it take to build Utah's tech community — and what comes next?

Clint Betts, CEO of Silicon Slopes, sits down with Utah Business Executive Editor Catherine Bennett to reflect on 10 years of Summit, the launch of Startup School (free mentorship for the 99% of entrepreneurs venture capital wasn't built for), and why the organization is now eyeing something bigger than a tech conference — think Utah's version of South by Southwest.

Clint also gets candid about the personal cost of building in public: a hospitalization during COVID, falling in and out of love with his own organization, and why he coaches his kids' basketball games no matter what's on his calendar.

If you're an entrepreneur, a builder, or just someone paying attention to where Utah is headed, this one's worth your time.

Meet Will West.

Will West has built five companies with his business partner Eric Smith.

Not one. Five.

He co-founded Control4 and grew it into the dominant worldwide leader in home automation before taking it public in 2013. He co-founded iBAHN, which became the global leader in broadband services for business travelers, serving millions of customers in thousands of hotels. He co-founded PHAST Corporation. And now he's building SAVI iQ.

Will is sitting down with Start School to talk about what he's learned building company after company over the course of decades.

How he thinks about finding the right co-founder. What he's learned about raising capital at every stage. How he sees AI changing the landscape for entrepreneurs right now. What leading yourself looks like when you've been doing this for 30 years. And what keeps him building when he doesn't have to.

He'll take your questions. He'll give you real answers. No fluff.

If you're building something, thinking about building something, or trying to figure out what comes next, this is the room you want to be in.

Be sure to catch the latest live discussions, workshops, podcasts and more!

John Pestana, co-founder of Omniture and co-founder and CEO of ObservePoint, joins Start School for a candid, wide-ranging conversation about building billion-dollar companies, surviving the AI shift, structuring founders correctly, and why most people fail simply because they never start.

From buying 40 million dollars of servers per year in the early days of SaaS to today’s AI-powered one-person startups, John breaks down what has changed and what has not.

This is not a biography. It is a tactical masterclass in entrepreneurship, integrity, grit, and long-term thinking. Learn more about the next Silicon Slopes Start School session here: https://www.siliconslopes.com/c/events/five-companies-one-ipo-and-decades-of-building-start-school-with-will-west

One in four Utahns lives with a disability and many also face financial and mental health challenges that make life feel even more limited.

Wasatch Adaptive Sports is changing that.

Meet Don Webber: former D1 football player, musician, nonprofit leader—and someone who knows firsthand what it’s like to live with anxiety and PTSD. After years in advertising, including time at Traeger Grills, Don felt called to something more meaningful. What began as volunteering became a mission.

Founded in 1977, Wasatch Adaptive Sports empowers people with disabilities to improve their physical, mental, and social health through outdoor recreation. Participants don’t pay. They don’t sit on the sidelines. They redefine what’s possible.

Don’s mindset shift is simple but powerful:

Stop asking what you can’t do.
Start asking: What would it take to make this work?

If you’ve ever believed something was out of reach, this conversation may challenge you to think again.

On March 11, join Jimmy Choi, CEO of Bridge and Cory Tanner, President and Founder at Exit IQ, for a special lunch and learning opportunity. M&A Bridge hosts Scaling for Exit: Tools, Resources, and Strategies That Drive Value.

This monthly RSVP-only event is designed to bring together Utah’s M & A community for networking, learning, and real-world deal conversations. Space is limited! Register here:

Join us on March 12 for this free, in-person and live-streamed event provided by Meta, the Valley Crossroads Chamber of Commerce, the Utah Veteran Business Resource Center, and the Silicon Slopes Military Chapter.

The following is provided during the Communication Builder Session:

• Defining your audience and the customer journey for social media

• Growing your business through conversations with Meta Messenger

• Stepping into the Metaverse

Sessions are taught by a Meta-Certified Instructor.

Click here for class details and registration information:
https://www.chamberorganizer.com/members/evr/reg_event.php?evid=100281887&orgcode=EMCC 

Don't miss this special lunch and learning event, March 18, sponsored by Lear Immigration Law Offices. 

Details

The last year has seen a lot of changes in business immigration law and policy.  And the next years are likely to be no different. 

Join Utah business immigration attorneys at Lear Immigration to learn what’s changed in immigration law in the last year and how to ensure you’ll be able to find and keep the employees that will help your company flourish.

Save your spot and register today!

Shape the Future of Silicon Slopes!