Untold

What does 800% growth actually cost a founder? In this episode of Untold: Best Kept Secrets in Utah, Jon sits down with Zachary Bailey, founder and CEO of ZB Designs and creator of Wigglitz— the award-winning line of 3D printed fidget collectible toys that exploded from a handful of retail stores to thousands of doors nationwide. But this conversation isn’t about the highlight reel. It’s about the...

Wilson Simons built a manufacturing company serving SpaceX, Airbus & Boeing — and he did it by refusing to compete on price. Here's the strategy behind it. What does it actually take to win contracts with the biggest aerospace brands in the world — without being the cheapest option in the room? Wilson Simons, President of Specialized Manufacturing, breaks down the leadership philosophy and bus...

What does it take to lead a company through change, uncertainty, and growth? In this episode, Tyler Hortin, CEO of Lion Energy, shares his journey from a finance background to leading an innovative energy company. Tyler discusses the evolving relationship between technology and energy, the realities of stepping into executive leadership, and the personal lessons learned through loss, resilience, a...

🎙️ In this episode, Tyler Margetts, CEO of LR Dynamics, shares insights on managing multiple businesses, building strong teams, and redefining excellence in leadership. From resource allocation and strategic planning to delegation and long-term stewardship, Tyler explains the realities of leading several companies while maintaining growth and operational focus. He also discusses how technology, or...

What really happens to company culture after an acquisition? In this episode, David Beenfield, CEO and co-founder of Dwelo, shares a candid, behind-the-scenes look at navigating mergers, cultural disruption, and rebuilding trust after major organizational change. From building a strong, scrappy startup culture to experiencing its breakdown following a high-stakes merger, David opens up about the h...

In this episode, Matthew Wride shares an inside look at leading DecisionWise through a major transition following a private equity acquisition. He breaks down the real challenges of scaling a business, including the hidden costs of growth, maintaining quality while expanding, and the complexities of integrating company cultures after a merger. Matthew also highlights why not all revenue is good re...

In this episode of Untold, host Jon Spiesman sits down with Joshua Christopherson, CEO of Achieve Today, to explore the hidden realities of leadership that rarely make it into press releases or boardroom summaries. Joshua shares his deeply personal journey from sales and marketing leadership roles to becoming CEO of Achieve Today, an EdTech company based in Utah that has helped more than 150,000 p...

In this episode of Untold, host Jon Spiesman sits down with Parker Judd, President of GMRE Incorporated, a defense and aerospace engineering firm based in Ogden, Utah. Parker shares how the company has tripled its revenue in recent years and the strategy behind scaling even further while protecting the culture that made the company successful. After spending 17 years at GMRE, Parker rose from engi...

In this episode of Untold: The Best Kept Secrets in Utah, host Jon Spiesman sits down with Justin Brach, CEO of Subcontractor Hub, to discuss how his company achieved 600% growth and continues to scale rapidly in the construction technology space. Subcontractor Hub is a platform that helps HVAC, roofing, and energy storage contractors close deals faster using AI-powered design tools, instant finan...

In this episode, Jon Spiesman sits down with Dave Olsen, co-founder and CEO of Nimbl, to explore the journey from individual contributor to effective leader. Dave shares honest insights on the challenges of transitioning from a technical role into leadership, and what it really takes to build and scale high-performing teams. The conversation dives into self-awareness, trust, and the internal minds...

What if your toddler's tantrum is more than a phase?   In this episode of Untold – The Best Kept Secrets of Utah , we sit down with Rebecca Dutson, President and CEO of the Children’s Center Utah, to explore the groundbreaking work her organization is doing to support the mental health of our youngest children—those from birth to age six. With over six decades of service, the Children’s Center Uta...

In this energizing episode of Untold - The Best Kept Secrets of Utah, we sit down with Brad Davis, founder of Roxberry Juice Company—a thriving smoothie and juice franchise born from a lawyer's leap of faith and a garage-turned-laboratory. Brad shares the incredible journey from his days practicing law to building Zuka Juice, selling it to Jamba Juice, and eventually launching Roxberry. You'll hea...

🚨 In this episode of Untold, Jon Spiesman talks with Bruce Rowe, CEO of Sebo Marketing — a Utah entrepreneur who runs his agency on principles most businesses wouldn’t dare touch. From running Spartan Beasts and endurance climbs to refusing to sign clients tp contracts and selling his company while staying CEO, Bruce breaks down how discomfort drives innovation. Hear how a single decision shaped...

🚨 From Caribbean press conferences to the CEO seat at Downeast Clothing — Chad Meyerson’s leadership journey is a masterclass in bold pivots, disciplined turnarounds, and finding opportunity in tough spots. In this episode of Untold, Chad and host Jon Spiesman dig into what it takes to right-size a struggling brand, build loyal teams, and why “cut deeper, sooner” is a business survival skill but...

Many business owners think accounting is about spreadsheets — but Roger Knecht knows it’s about the visibility you need to survive. In this episode, Roger, President of Universal Accounting, reveals the leadership lessons and tough calls behind building a business that thrives in one of the world’s less glamorous industries. From navigating AI disruptions in marketing to firing his own spouse for...

What happens when military grit meets entrepreneurial grit? Meet Noah Rosales, Founder and CEO of ACD Direct, in this episode of Untold – The Best Kept Secrets of Utah. From his days working F-16s in Saudi Arabia to building one of the nation’s most trusted BPO companies for nonprofits and beyond, Noah shares the story of launching a company with $16,000 and sheer willpower. You’ll hear how ACD Di...

In this powerful and personal episode of Untold – The Best Kept Secrets of Utah, host Jon Spiesman steps away from his usual lineup of for-profit founders to sit down with Chris Croswhite, Executive Director of the Rescue Mission of Salt Lake — a faith-based nonprofit tackling homelessness through compassion, transformation, and purpose. Chris shares a deeply human perspective on Utah’s growing ho...

In this episode of Untold – The Best Kept Secrets of Utah, host Jon Spiesman sits down with Clay Christensen, President of Mountainland Technical College (M-Tech), to unpack the often overlooked but incredibly powerful world of technical and vocational education. Clay shares how M-Tech became Utah’s leader in industry-driven, debt-free career training, with a staggering 99.7% of students graduatin...

In this episode of Untold – The Best Kept Secrets of Utah, host Jon Spiesman sits down with Jeff Durham, co-founder and CEO of Gimme Beauty, to talk about what it really takes to build a brand with purpose in one of the most competitive industries out there. Jeff shares how Gimme Beauty went from a small family business to a disruptive force in the hair accessories market — and why their mission a...

In this episode of Untold – The Best Kept Secrets of Utah, host Jon Spiesman sits down with Jace Norton, Founder and CEO of Maya Bridge Language Services, for a conversation that might just change how you think about language, culture, and the communities often left out of the conversation. Jace pulls back the curtain on the rich, diverse world of indigenous languages in Central and South America...

In this powerful episode of Untold – The Best Kept Secrets of Utah , host Jon Spiesman sits down with Dr. Ken Huey , CEO of The Hope Group , to talk about one of the most overlooked crises in America: the broken behavioral health system for at-risk youth. Dr. Huey pulls no punches as he exposes the harsh realities families face when navigating insurance, care access, and the trauma-driven challeng...

In this episode of Untold — The Best Kept Secrets of Utah , host Jon Spiesman sits down with Charlie Graves, CEO of Athletic Republic , the franchise on a mission to turn raw potential into peak performance. 💡Athletes train for performance. Business owners should too. Preferably without the spandex. Charlie shares the journey of leading a performance training business that’s more than just reps a...

What if you could print your feelings onto a rose? In this unforgettable episode of Untold – The Best Kept Secrets of Utah , host Jon Spiesman sits down with Rene Rodriguez , CEO and founder of Speaking Roses , a company rewriting the rules of the flower industry. Rene shares the bold, unexpected journey from running a promotional product business to creating a global brand built on emotion . From...

In this episode of Untold – The Best Kept Secrets of Utah, host Jon Spiesman sits down with Kim Grob, co-founding partner of Right On, a content strategy agency with a mission to elevate sustainability communications through clarity, creativity, and co-creation. Kim shares the origin story of Right On—from the decision to build a more balanced, creative workplace to navigating the rise of AI in co...