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 graduating without student debt. They dive into the importance of partnerships with local businesses, why competency-based education is the future of workforce training, and how accessible, skill-based programs are changing lives and communities.

This conversation isn’t just about education — it’s about economic mobility, leadership evolution, and the legacy of creating opportunity for all.

💡 In this episode:
The ingredients to M-tech’s growth to the largest and best rated tech college in Utah
How technical colleges partner directly with industries to meet workforce needs
The future of competency-based, debt-free education
Clay’s personal vision for removing barriers and expanding opportunity
The leadership lessons that come with building a purpose-driven institution
If you care about education, leadership, and the future of workforce development — you need to hear this one.

For more leadership insights - connect with Jon on LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/jonspiesman

We hope you enjoyed this episode of Untold.
Jon and the Untold podcast team

Connect with Jon on LinkedIn where he shares leadership insights regularly: www.linkedin.com/in/jonspiesman

Book a free exploration call with Jon here: https://calendly.com/d/ytw-khm-4r5?utm_source=LI&utm_campaign=Bio

Listen to Untold on these podcast platforms:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0bshg8B2x1kX665eeYkk52
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/untold/id1805797903
Amazon Podcasts: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/fa845f62-543e-44b2-a6f1-7704bccfc099/untold

#UntoldPodcast #MTech #VocationalEducation #UtahEducation #DebtFreeCollege #WorkforceDevelopment #TechnicalTraining #EconomicMobility #LeadershipLessons #HigherEdInnovation #UntoldPodcastwithJon #IndigenousLanguages #LanguageAccess #CulturalPreservation #Entrepreneurship #MayaBridge #SocialImpact #LeadershipLessons #HumanDignity #UtahBusiness #EncouragingLeaders #UtahBusiness #EntrepreneurPodcast #SmallBusinessStories #UntoldPodcast #BusinessTips #StartupJourney #LocalBusinessUtah #HiddenGems #WeeklyPodcast #JonSpiesman #BusinessAdvice #podcastforentrepreneurs
Untold is the podcast hosted by Jon Spiesman where we uncover the best-kept business secrets of Utah. Each week, we sit down with local entrepreneurs and business owners to explore their unique journeys, the challenges they’ve overcome, and the lessons they've learned along the way. Whether you're building your own business or just love a good underdog story, you'll find hidden gems of advice and inspiration in every episode.

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 and clarity of purpose drives every decision they make. From pivoting product lines to innovating based on overlooked hair types, Jeff opens up about the realities of entrepreneurship, the importance of supplier relationships, and the vision for turning a beauty brand into a global movement.

💡 In this episode:
Why innovation and details matter in even basic beauty products
How focusing on female empowerment became a competitive edge
What it means to build a community of brand builders in Utah
The role of relationships in scaling a product-based business
Jeff’s long-term mission to create jobs in developing countries and leave a lasting legacy
This is more than a business story — it’s about lifting others while you climb.

Connect with Jon on LinkedIn where he shares leadership insights regularly: www.linkedin.com/in/jonspiesman

#UntoldPodcastwithJon #GimmeBeauty #FemaleEmpowerment #BeautyIndustry #CPGx #Entrepreneurship #UtahStartups #GlobalImpact #HairCareInnovation #LeadershipLessons #EncouragingLeaders #UtahBusiness #EntrepreneurPodcast #SmallBusinessStories #UntoldPodcast #BusinessTips #StartupJourney #LocalBusinessUtah #HiddenGems #WeeklyPodcast #JonSpiesman #BusinessAdvice #PodcastForEntrepreneurs
Untold is the podcast hosted by Jon Spiesman where we uncover the best-kept business secrets of Utah. Each week, we sit down with local entrepreneurs and business owners to explore their unique journeys, the challenges they’ve overcome, and the lessons they've learned along the way. Whether you're building your own business or just love a good underdog story, you'll find hidden gems of advice and inspiration in every episode.
New episodes drop every Tuesday at 8am.
Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and rate the show so you never miss an Untold story.

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 — and the growing number of indigenous language speakers right here in the United States. He shares his personal journey into this underserved industry, the creation of language proficiency testing for Kekchi, and the hard business lessons learned from relying too heavily on one client and unqualified partners.

More than a business, Maya Bridge is a mission: to preserve culture, protect human dignity, and build industries that empower indigenous communities. From fixing the broken language access system in healthcare and courts to advocating for cultural preservation, this episode is about leadership, resilience, and creating businesses that do good while doing well.

💡 Inside this episode:
The invisible populations of indigenous language speakers in the U.S.
How language access is a justice and dignity issue
The business mistakes that nearly killed Maya Bridge — and how Jace turned it around
Why entrepreneurship is one of the most powerful tools for community empowerment

🌎 Whether you’re a business owner, nonprofit leader, or someone passionate about culture and human connection, you’ll be glad you tuned in.

#UntoldPodcastwithJon #IndigenousLanguages #LanguageAccess #CulturalPreservation #Entrepreneurship #MayaBridge #SocialImpact #LeadershipLessons #HumanDignity #UtahBusiness #EncouragingLeaders

• 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 challenges affecting kids today. But this isn’t a story about problems — it’s about hope, healing, and leadership that matters.

• They dive deep into the critical importance of early intervention, why public-pay kids deserve elite care, and how creating a culture of honest feedback and self-awareness inside an organization leads to life-changing outcomes.

• If you’re a business owner, entrepreneur, or leader who cares about making an impact on people, communities, and future generations — this conversation will hit home.

• 💡 In this episode:
  
  
  • Why trauma isn’t the end of the story
  • The importance of honest leadership and self-care
  • How organizational culture saves lives
  • What it means to leave a legacy that matters
  • The upcoming launch of ‘The Voice of Hope’ podcast
  • And why hope isn’t a slogan — it’s a strategy.
• 🔥 Subscribe and turn on notifications — you’ll want to hear this.

• #UntoldPodcast #TheHopeGroup #KenHuey #BehavioralHealth #YouthMentalHealth #TraumaCare #LeadershipLessons #OrganizationalCulture #VoiceOfHope #Entrepreneurship #ImpactLeadership #EncouragingLeaders

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 and drills — it’s about building cultures of trust, core values, and continuous improvement. From youth athletes chasing college scholarships to adults reclaiming fitness post-pandemic, Charlie breaks down where sports performance is heading and why the future belongs to those who adapt.

Warning: Listening may cause spontaneous ambition and speed drills.

They dive deep into what separates successful franchise operators, how to stay ahead of industry shifts, and why focusing on what you do best can change your business — and your life.

If you're an entrepreneur, leader, or business owner looking to learn how elite training and sharp leadership mindsets create long-lasting business legacies, this one's for you.

#AthleticRepublic #CharlieGraves #BusinessLeadership #UtahEntrepreneurs #UntoldPodcast #FranchiseSuccess #HumanPerformance #SportsBusiness #FutureProofing #EnduranceMindset #YouthSports #AdultFitness #EntrepreneurLife #LeadershipLessons

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 a game-changing request by JCPenney to navigating logistics nightmares and skeptical markets, Rene reveals how he turned a simple idea—printing messages on real roses—into a thriving business model.

💡 Inside this episode:

• The messy, magical reality of scaling a disruptive idea
• Why hyper-personalization is the future of consumer goods
• How Rene navigated skeptics, setbacks, and logistics
• The importance - and difficulty - of creating new consumer habits
• Why relationships—not products—are what business is really about

Rene also unveils the future of Speaking Roses, including preserved roses that last forever and a licensing model aimed at scaling globally. For aspiring entrepreneurs, he offers real talk on action over ideas, surrounding yourself with smarter people, and mastering the emotional experience behind every transaction.

🌹 If you believe business is more than a product—it’s about people, emotion, and unforgettable experiences—you’ll love this conversation.

🔔 Subscribe for more stories you won’t hear anywhere else.

#UntoldPodcast #SpeakingRoses #Entrepreneurship #BusinessOfEmotion #UtahStartups #PersonalizedProducts

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 content creation. But at the heart of this episode is a powerful conversation about how we talk about sustainability, why that conversation is shifting, and what sustainability will need to do to go beyond an ‘initiative’.

In Kim’s view, the politicization of sustainability—whether accusations of greenwashing or of ‘wokeness’—isn’t just a challenge, it’s a sign of progress. It means the language is evolving, people are paying attention, and brands are being called to communicate more clearly and authentically than ever before.

💬 Inside this episode:

Why Right On treats clients as co-creators, not content blockers
How AI is reshaping (but not replacing) creative work
The real danger of green hushing and how leading companies will avoid it
Why clear, relatable language matters more than jargon
The legacy of sustainability messaging—and how to get it right
Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs: “Don’t overthink it. Learn on the job.”
Kim also opens up about what it takes to run a values-driven business, why complementary skills make for great partnerships, and what the future of sustainability storytelling could look like.

🌱 Whether you're a founder, marketer, or someone passionate about sustainability, this episode is packed with fresh insights and bold perspectives.

🔔 Subscribe and don’t miss Utah’s untold stories of impact, innovation, and inspiration.

#UntoldPodcast #Sustainability #ContentStrategy #Greenwashing #Entrepreneurship #UtahBusiness #AIandCreativity #EncouragingLeaders

"We started with $462 and no clue what we were doing—but we had drive."

In this episode of Untold – The Best Kept Secrets of Utah, Conner Atkin, co-founder of Tagg N Go Express Car Wash, shares how he turned $462 and a bold idea into one of the fastest-growing regional car wash brands in the West.

From sketching ideas with business partners to building 30+ locations across Utah and Idaho, Conner walks us through the highs, lows, and lessons of scaling a business from nothing. You'll hear how creative financing, strong partnership, ambition, and a whole lot of elbow grease has shaped the company.

🎯 Inside this episode:
- How to start with no money—and still make it work
- Why the right partnership and good partner agreements can save your business
- What it really takes to grow a regional brand with staying power
- Why leadership must evolve with every stage of growth
- Making car washes a training ground for life skills
- And why your “why” matters more than any short-term win

Whether you’re starting out, scaling up, or somewhere in between, this episode is packed with insight, humility, and advice from someone who’s been in the trenches and still washing strong.

🎧 Tune in now to learn, laugh, and get inspired.

📌 #Entrepreneurship #StartupStories #Leadership #BusinessGrowth #TaggNGo #UntoldPodcast #EncouragingLeaders