MountainWest Capital Network: Welcome to the Winners' Circle

Bucked Up is one of Utah’s most well-known supplement and energy drink brands. But do you know the full story behind the company? Cheri and Jason sit down with Jeff and Ryan Gardner, the twin brothers behind Bucked Up, and ask them about how their company came to be. They share the origin story of the company built on instinct, hustle, and a knack for spotting opportunity. Their journey from deera...

What does it take to build a company that outlasts trends, technology shifts, and decades of change? Cheri and Jason are joined by Paul Walker, CEO of FranklinCovey, for a conversation about leadership, organizational culture, and the secret to successful business performance. Paul shares the origin story of FranklinCovey and draws surprising parallels to the challenges every entrepreneur faces wh...

Cheri and Jason look back on their conversations with nine of Utah's most remarkable businesses and their founders to look at the question that kept coming up across every conversation this past year: what makes Utah a good place to build a business? As they reflect on each founder's answers and thoughts, they share the moments that show what it takes to build a truly remarkable business. The rang...

Utah's deal landscape is more complex, more competitive, and more geographically diverse than ever before. This episode pulls back the curtain on how it all gets measured.  Jason and Cheri sit down with three members of the MountainWest Capital Network community to walk through the findings of the 2025 Deal Flow Report, now in its 31st edition. Kady Reese, Matt Bartholomew, and Kevin Jessop break...

We all need healthcare, but not all of us understand the ins and outs of the business behind it. Today’s episode breaks down HSAs, the healthcare business, and how individuals can build long-term financial health through healthcare at every stage of life. Jason and Cheri sit down with Dr. Stephen Neeleman, founder and vice chairman of HealthEquity, to explore the story behind one of the nation’s m...

It takes more than ideas to build a long-lasting business. And Bud Scruggs from Cynosure has a clear perspective on what it takes. This week, Jason and Cheri sit down with Bud Scruggs, the co-founder of The Cynosure Group, to discuss what it’s like to navigate a complex, growing business in the Utah business landscape. Bud shares what he has learned from his decades of experience in high-stakes bu...

How do you take a simple, fun product, and turn it into a large-scale beverage brand?  Jason and Cheri sit down with Kyle Freebairn and Sam Owens, the leadership team behind Frazil, one of the fastest-growing beverage brands in the country, to talk about what it actually takes to scale—operationally, culturally, commercially.  Frazil’s story shows how a simple idea can become a category leader whe...

Jason and Cheri are joined by Mary Crafts, an entrepreneur, motivational speaker, author, mother, and more. Mary’s life story is extraordinary, showing that success is possible no matter where someone begins. She shares what it was like coming from humble beginnings and working her way to the top. Today, Mary is one of Utah’s most influential business leaders, running a very successful catering co...

In this week’s episode, Jason and Cheri sit down with Jared and Heather Andersen, founders of Andersen’s Crazy Candy. What started with the simple decision to buy a freeze dryer unexpectedly turned into one of Utah’s fastest-growing confectionery brands. A fun hobby to share with friends and family quickly grew into a candy business that is now recognized nationwide. Their story shares the grit, i...

This week, Cheri and Jason sit down with entrepreneur and early TaxBit co-founder Bobby Clayson to explore what it takes to build, pivot, and rebuild in rapidly changing industries. From helping launch a billion-dollar fintech startup during the early days of cryptocurrency compliance to founding Crofter Market—a platform connecting consumers directly with local farmers—Bobby shares how solving re...

This week, hosts Cheri and Jason sit down with Cory Bengtzen, Founder and CEO of SkyShare, to explore what it really takes to scale a complex, capital-intensive business while preserving trust, culture, and long-term vision. Cory shares his journey from running car dealerships to building one of the fastest-growing private aviation companies in the western United States—one that’s bootstrapped, va...

Cheri and Jason sit down with two founders who turned their friendship into one of Utah’s fastest-growing software companies. Trevor Larson and Andrew Hollis, co-founders of Nectar, share how their small beginnings evolved into a platform that now serves thousands of customers around the world. This conversation highlights the power of being “in the arena,” where real opportunity emerges through m...

In this episode, Cheri and Jason welcome Scott Porter, founder of San Diablo Artisan Churros, for a conversation about entrepreneurship and genuine human connection. What begins as a discussion about churros quickly unfolds into an exploration of what it means to build a mission-driven business. Scott shares how a single opportunity evolved into a whirlwind three-day launch, laying the groundwork...

In this special compilation episode, Cheri and Jason revisit some of the most powerful moments from conversations with Utah’s top founders and business leaders. Instead of focusing on one company, this episode stitches together hard-won lessons from a range of Utah 100 and Emerging Elite honorees, leaders who have weathered fraud, near-failures, layoffs, and market upheaval and still found a way f...

In this episode, Cheri and Jason sit down with Kristy Pack, founder of Pack Tax, whose journey from working mother to driven entrepreneur reshaped not only her career, but also the tax experience for thousands of everyday families. What started as a search for flexibility during early motherhood became a fast-growing, multi-location firm serving more than 10,000 clients a year. Kristy shares the d...

Cheri and Jason sit down with Jim Sanders, a builder-turned-entrepreneur whose path to founding Nest Tiny Homes started with a leap of faith and a crisis that could have ended everything. What began as a simple side project grew quickly, but when the franchise he’d invested in collapsed under fraud, Jim found himself without a clear path forward. Instead of walking away, he rebuilt from scratch. J...

Cheri and Jason sit down with Karalynne Call, a certified nutritionist, wellness advocate, and founder of one of Utah’s fastest-growing health brands, Just Ingredients. Her journey began with her deeply personal battle with depression, which reshaped her understanding of health and the power of food. Karalynne shares how a long road to healing sparked a passion for education and empowerment, ultim...

For Kevin Jessop, outgoing president of MountainWest Capital Network, leadership has always been rooted in service, consistency, and connection. From the early days of handwritten deal reports and volunteer-run events to MWCN's role as a cornerstone of Utah’s booming economy, Kevin has helped shape an ecosystem where founders, investors, and future leaders can grow side by side.  In this reflectiv...

What if success didn’t mean sacrificing the life you love? For Crystalee Beck, founder and CEO of Comma Copywriters, entrepreneurship began with a powerful “why”—the desire to be fully present for her growing family. Nearly a decade later, her company has become one of Utah’s fastest-growing and most decorated creative agencies—recognized on the Utah 100, Utah Business 40 Under 40, and Best of Sta...

In this episode, hosts Cheri and Jason sit down with Earl Foote, founder and CEO of Nexus IT. For more than 25 years, Earl has been shaping Utah’s tech landscape with a people-first approach to business, building one of the region’s leading IT and cybersecurity firms. What started as a small e-commerce venture in 1998 has grown into a nationally respected managed services company through sheer det...

What separates founders who merely sell from those who maximize outcomes for themselves, their teams, and their legacy? In this episode, Garit Lawson, Managing Director at Forbes Partners, shares two decades of M&A experience working with founder-led and family-owned companies. From consumer products to tech-enabled manufacturing and business services, Garit explains how the right process, par...

What does it take to turn a simple water jug into a global movement? Hayden Wadsworth, co-founder and CEO of HydroJug, shares how a scrappy startup from Ogden, Utah, transformed into a household name by combining thoughtful design, relentless resilience, and a strong sense of community. From perfecting the details of bottle lids and straws to keeping the company self-funded through turbulent times...

What happens when a family legacy in farming collides with cutting-edge science? For Clark T. Bell, CEO and founder of Nano-Yield, the answer is a nanotechnology breakthrough that’s helping farmers grow more with less. From his roots on Utah farmland to leading a company that’s reshaping global agriculture, Clark’s journey blends tradition, innovation, and an unwavering drive to make an impact. In...

What happens when a self-described "bad student" from Michigan decides to bootstrap a business during the 2009 financial crisis with nothing but $15,000 and a whole lot of stubborn determination? Carson Poppenger, founder and CEO of Squeeze, turned that exact scenario into a national lead conversion company that now employs over 500 people across multiple states. His journey from Target supervisor...

What happens when a 14-year-old's frustration with uncomfortable dress shirts in Hong Kong's sweltering heat becomes Utah's 8th fastest-growing company? Ben Perkins, founder and CEO of &Collar, proves that sometimes the best business ideas come from solving your own problems,even if it takes a decade to act on them. From sweating through church services in Asia to revolutionizing performance d...