The Business Elevated podcast discusses what it’s like to live, work, and recreate in the great state of Utah from the perspective of the state's business, nonprofit, and government leaders. Since 2019, it has included the state's critical economic development topics, the day's pressing issues, and timely conversations with industry-leading guest experts. The Business Elevated podcast is a production of the Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity.
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Bob Falcone shares tips and news about outdoor recreation in the Pikes Peak region. Bob covers trails, clothing, equipment, volunteerism, tourism, politics, photography, destinations and preparedness.
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422 Fox 21 Chief Meteorologist Matt Meister
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Bob starts off November with an interview with Matt Meister, the Chief Meteorologist for Colorado Springs' Fox 21 TV station. They talk about the complexity of predicting the weather in Colorado, and what makes Colorado's weather - especially in the Pikes Peak region - so unique. Meister talks about the difference between a La Nina and El Nino wint…
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193. Adam Torkildson — Mentoring Utah's Entrepreneurs Through SCORE
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Season 6 Episode 36: In this episode, Pete Codella, managing director of business services at the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity, talks with Adam Torkildson, entrepreneur and SCORE Mentors volunteer. Torkildson shares his life and career journey in Utah, emphasizing his roots in agriculture, entrepreneurial spirit, and commitment to ment…
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421 Colorado Springs Mayor Yemi Mobolade is the guest
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On this week's podcast, Bob sits down with Colorado Springs Mayor Yemi Mobolade. He and Mayor Yemi discuss the 2025 budget process that is underway, and how it will affect the city's parks and trails. They also discuss public safety in the city in general and parks in particular, and ballot measure 2C, which asks voters to renew the special sales t…
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192. Jennifer Campbell and Jacki Cassady — Helping Companies Create Safe Work Environments for Domestic Violence Victims
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Season 6 Episode 35: Content Warning: This episode contains discussions of domestic violence, which may be distressing for some listeners and not suitable for a younger audience. In this podcast, Pete Codella, managing director of business services at the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity, talks with Jennifer Campbell, executive director of…
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420 This Group Helps Older Hearing Impaired Enjoy the Outdoors
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On this week's podcast, co-host Kevin takes the reins and interviews Bernie Schmeits, Project Manager of Hearing, Vision and Dental Programming for the Colorado Gerontological Society (CGS). They talk about CGS's work to provide hearing aids to older adults with hearing impairments, and how this enables them to get out of the house and improve thei…
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191. Ben Elkins — Meeting Rising Demand for Internet Accessibility With Utah Broadband
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Season 6 Episode 34: In this episode, Pete Codella, managing director of business services at the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity, talks with Ben Elkins, CEO of Utah Broadband. Elkins discusses his recent move to Utah and his leadership overseeing multiple broadband companies under Boston Omaha, including Airbeam, Utah Broadband, and Info…
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419 Bonus Episode: More on Colorado Springs E-bike policy
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On a special bonus episode, Bob and Cory Sutela, the Executive Director of the Medicine Wheel Trail Advocates (MWTA), discuss Colorado Springs' proposed e-bike policy. Bob first corrects and clarifies some comments he made on the topic in episode 418, while still of the opinion that it is a generally good policy. Sutela then gives his organizations…
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190. Jessie Richards and Brooke Muir — Raising Awareness in the Fight Against Domestic Violence
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Season 6 Episode 33: Content Warning: This episode contains discussions of domestic violence, which may be distressing for some listeners and not suitable for a younger audience. In this episode, Pete Codella, managing director of business services at the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity, talks with Jessie Richards, co-founder and advisory…
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418 Colorado Springs Unveils Park e-bike policy
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On this week's episode, Bob and co-host Kevin discuss the newly unveiled proposed e-bike policy for Colorado Springs parks, trails and open spaces. They discuss some of the nuances of the policy, how the process of adopting the policy will go forward, and did Bob's opinion how e-bikes should be adopted into the city's open spaces change? As of this…
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189. Liam and Josh Brown — Exploring STEM Careers as a 13-Year-Old Entrepreneur
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Season 6 Episode 32: In this episode, Pete Codella, managing director of business services at the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity, talks with Liam Brown, president of STEMheads, and Josh Brown, co-founder of STEMheads. Liam co-founded the nonprofit STEMheads with his parents when he was 10 years old. They emphasize the importance of STEM …
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188. Matthew Young — Commemorating Excellence With Recognition Items
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Season 6 Episode 31: In this episode, Pete Codella, managing director of business services at the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity, talks with Matthew Young, national sales manager for the corporate sales team at SymbolArts. Young discusses his career progression from technical writing to marketing and sales. He shares insights into Symbol…
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417 Author Randi Minetor Talks About Accidents in National Parks
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On this week's episode, Bob talks with Randi Minetor, the author of "Death in...", a series of books about accidents and deaths that have occurred at some of the United States' national parks. With some of the incidents detailed in her books going back more than 100 years, they compare and contrast hiking, mountain climbing and other activities ove…
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187. Natalie Randall — Exploring Tourism’s Effect on the Economy and Communities
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Season 6 Episode 30: In this episode, Pete Codella, managing director of business services at the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity, talks with Natalie Randall, managing director of the Utah Office of Tourism and Film. Randall discusses her journey from growing up in northern Virginia to building her career focused on outdoor recreation and…
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186. Justin Helms — Restoring Residences, Businesses, and Lives After Disaster
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Season 6 Episode 29: In this episode, Pete Codella, managing director of business services at the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity, talks with Justin Helms, St. George branch manager of Utah Disaster Kleenup (UDK). Helms, a second-generation restoration professional, shares his love for St. George. He highlights the operations of UDK, emph…
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416 Fall colors are coming! Also, are voters smart enough?
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Bob welcomes Wild Westendorf back to the podcast. They discuss what they have been doing since the last time Kevin on the show. Bob talks about the end of his term on the TOPS Working Committee, his experiences there and his plans moving forward. Also, Bob talks about his conversation with a person who thinks Colorado Springs voters aren't "smart e…
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185. McKenzie Bauer — From a Lost Wallet To Entrepreneurial Success
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Season 6 Episode 28: In this episode, Pete Codella, managing director of business services at the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity, talks with McKenzie Bauer, co-founder of Thread Wallets. A Utah native, Bauer studied international cultural studies and peacebuilding at BYU-Hawaii, an experience that shaped her marketing and storytelling ap…
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184. Josh Chavez — Introducing a New Take on Energy Beverages
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Season 6 Episode 27: In this episode, Pete Codella, managing director of business services at the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity (GOEO), talks with Josh Chavez, founder of RAH Energy. Chavez discusses his background as an entrepreneur, highlighting his early career ventures and the development of his newest business, RAH Energy, an energ…
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415 The "Unlikely Through Hiker" Derick Lugo
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On this week's episode, Bob interviews Derick Lugo, author of "The Unlikely Through Hiker". They discuss how Derick, having grown up in Brooklyn, Queens and Harlem in New York City became a through hiker, tackling the Appalachian Trail with no prior experience. Derick tells of the impact on his outlook on life and interpersonal relations the experi…
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183. Path to Prosperity — Bringing Resources To Small Businesses
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Season 6 Episode 26: In this episode, Pete Codella, managing director of business services at the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity, talks with Paul Jolley, the new director of the Utah Small Business Credit Initiative (USBCI), and David Ramos, senior community affairs advisor at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). Jolley disc…
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182. Tessa Arneson — Empowering Local Small Businesses and Women Entrepreneurs
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Season 6 Episode 25: In this episode, Pete Codella, managing director of business services at the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity, talks with Tessa Arneson, founder of the Maven District. Arneson reflects on her upbringing in Ogden and her eventual return to Utah after living in various big cities. She describes how her love for Utah's ou…
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181. Salvatore Buscemi — Navigating the Dynamic World of Finance and Real Estate
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Season 6 Episode 24: In this episode, Pete Codella, managing director of business services at the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity, talks with Salvatore Buscemi, co-founder and managing partner of Brahmin Partners. Buscemi shares his connections to Utah and experiences with the entrepreneurial spirit of its residents. Inspired by an intern…
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414 Author & Thru-Hiker Christine Woodside is the Guest
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On this week's episode, Bob chats with author and thru-hiker Christine Woodside about her book, "Going Over the Mountain: One Woman's Journey from Follower to Solo Hiker and Back". In this entertaining hour, they discuss her experiences as a day and thru-hiker, and the experiences that led to the writing of this book. Book website: https://tinyurl.…
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180. Neight Casperson — Bringing a Fresh Look to the Slopes
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Season 6 Episode 23: In this episode, Pete Codella, managing director of business services at the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity, talks with Neight Casperson, owner and CEO of N8 Elite Skiwear. Casperson shares his deep connection to Utah, having been born and raised in Ogden. He recounts his time away during a mission for the Church of …
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413 Special bonus episode with Wild Westendorf
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With July having a 5th Wednesday, and not wanting to go too long between podcasts with our new twice-a- month schedule, I had Kevin "Wild" Westendorf come in for a short episode to catch up on things. We discuss what we've both been doing for the past few weeks, find out more about Kevin's recent health scare, new trails he's visited and any plans …
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179. Karrie Ketchum — Resolving Conflict in the Workplace and Beyond
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Season 6 Episode 22: In this episode, Pete Codella, managing director of business services at the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity, talks with Karrie Ketchum, executive director of Utah Dispute Resolution. Ketchum discusses her professional journey and the significance of conflict resolution in various sectors. She recounts her experience …
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178. Jefferson Moss and Ryan Starks — Cultivating a Community of Innovation and Entrepreneurship
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Season 6 Episode 21: In this episode, Pete Codella, managing director of business services at the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity (GOEO), talks with Jefferson Moss, state representative and associate commissioner of innovation at the Utah System of Higher Education, and Ryan Starks, executive director of GOEO. The discussion highlights Ut…
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On episode 412, Bob chats with local author PJ Anderson about "Cheyenne Mountain - Here's Looking at You" an exhaustively researched book about the history of Colorado Springs' nearest mountain. They discuss Anderson's history in developing Cheyenne Mountain State Park at the base of the peak, the history of the early discovery and then mining and …
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177. Alan Matheson & Brandon Fugal — The Vision for The Point
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Season 6 Episode 20: In this episode, Pete Codella, managing director of business services at the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity, talks with Alan Matheson, executive director of Point of the Mountain State Land Authority, and Brandon Fugal, chairman of Colliers International. Matheson and Fugal discuss the vision for The Point, a 600-acr…
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176. Vance Checketts — Integrating Neurodiversity into Tech
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Season 6 Episode 19: In this episode, Pete Codella, managing director of business services at the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity, interviews Vance Checketts, CEO of auticon. Checketts discusses his career in technology, culminating in his current role at auticon, a company with a unique mission to integrate neurodivergent individuals, es…
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411 Lifeseeker Technology Can Save Your Life
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On this episode, Bob chats with Hector Estevez, the CEO of Centum Research and Technology. Calling from his company's headquarters in Spain, he and Bob talk about the "Lifeseeker" technology and devices that have been used in Europe and are now being introduced in the United States. The devices, which can locate a missing hiker in minutes, work alo…
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175. Trena Anderson — A Journey of Community Service and Volunteerism
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Season 6 Episode 18: In this episode, Pete Codella, managing director of business services at the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity, interviews Trena Anderson, president of Deseret First Charitable Foundation. Anderson shares her journey, beginning with her move to Utah 38 years ago, her career spanning over three decades at Deseret First C…
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174. Mori Paulsen — Empowering Communities with Bank of America
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Season 6 Episode 17: In this episode, Pete Codella, managing director of business services at the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity, talks with Mori Paulsen, president of Bank of America Utah. Paulsen discusses his extensive career and deep-rooted connection to the state. He shares his journey from being born in Salt Lake City to graduating…
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173. Mike Hawker — From Sports PR to Tech Leadership
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Season 6 Episode 16: In this episode, Pete Codella, managing director of business services at the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity, talks with Mike Hawker, vice president of operations at CoDev. Hawker shares his professional journey, from his initial ambitions in sports public relations to his unexpected entry into the tech world. After w…
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On this week's podcast, Bob goes solo as he talks about his trip hiking and photographing waterfalls in North Carolina. He discusses the scenery, the trails and the people he's encountered. Also, a short discussion on when you should go with a tour group and when you should make your own arrangements. Also, Colorado Springs E-bike survey and El Pas…
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172. David Bates & Simon Gleeson — Serving Clients' Global Legal and Tax Needs
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Season 6 Episode 15: In this episode, Pete Codella, managing director of business services at the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity, talks with David Bates, partner at Taylor Wessing, and Simon Gleeson, partner at Blick Rothenberg. The duo discusses their ties to Utah, professional endeavors, and Utah's entrepreneurial opportunities. The co…
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On this week's podcast, Bob and co-host Kevin discuss big changes coming to the podcast, and ask the listeners to voice their thoughts on the changes. Also, water safety and Kevin went to the Outdoor Magazine event in Denver Please consider becoming a patron of this podcast! Visit: https://www.patreon.com/hikingbob for more information Hiking Bob w…
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408 Author and Adventurer Kevin Fedarko is the guest
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On this week's podcast, Bob's guest us author and adventurer Kevin Fedarko. They talk about his newly released book "A Walk in the Park: The True Story of a Spectacular Misadventure in the Grand Canyon". The book details his and photographer Pete McBride's attempt to hike the entire length of the canyon, from east to west. Also, they discuss how ov…
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171. Felecia Maxfield-Barrett — Building a More Interconnected World
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Season 6 Episode 14: In this episode, Pete Codella, managing director of business services at the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity, talks with Felecia Maxfield-Barrett, president and CEO of Utah Global Diplomacy. She discusses her deep roots in Utah and her journey through various roles that ultimately led to her current position. Born and…
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407 City leader Richard Skorman is the guest
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On this week's podcast, Bob sits down for a chat with Colorado Springs' Richard Skorman. Skorman is a a former city councilor, a small business owner, outdoor advocate, civic leader and water conservation activist. They talk about his newest initiative of getting volunteers to help clean up trash in sensitive areas and neighborhoods, the scarcity o…
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170. Lavanya Mahate — Making a Tasty Impact on Salt Lake's Dining Scene
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Season 6 Episode 13: In this episode, Pete Codella, managing director of business services at the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity, talks with Lavanya Mahate, founder of Saffron Valley restaurants and the RISE Culinary Institute. Mahate shares her story of moving to Utah from India in 2001. She details her journey in pursuing additional ed…
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406 Pikes Peak Update, Fox Run Nature Center, other news
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On this week's podcast, Bob provides an update on the shuttle and reservation system on Pikes Peak. Also, interesting facts around the proposed Fox Run Park Nature Center, a new feature on the COTREX app and website, and Bob is selling one of his cameras. Pikes Peak season/annual passes: https://tinyurl.com/tz94b427 COTREX wildfire alerts: https://…
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405 City and County Master Plans, Pikes Peak Shuttle
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On this week's podcast, Bob and Kevin discuss master plans projects underway for Colorado Springs' Fishers Canyon Open Space and El Paso County's Jones Park. Also, a discussion about timed-entry reservation requirement for Pikes Peak, and a new shuttle system that leaves out recreational users. Fishers Canyon Master Plan: https://tinyurl.com/3ndbv8…
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169. Steve Brosvik — Connecting Communities Through Music
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Season 6 Episode 12: In this episode, Pete Codella, managing director of Business Services at the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity, talks with Steve Brosvik, president and CEO of the Utah Symphony | Utah Opera (USUO). Brosvik shares his recent move to Utah and details his journey from the vice president and general manager of the Houston S…
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404 A hike and conversation with "Hiking Unlimited"
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On this week's podcast, Bob takes a short hike while interviewing Sheila Doherty a/k/a "Hiking Unlimited" on social media. An expert based in Phoenix, she gives advice on hiking in the desert Southwest, chats with Bob about her favorite trips and hikes, and also her future plans. Along on the hike was Sheila's friend, Michelle, a new hiker who was …
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403 Want to hike to Hanging Lake? Plan ahead.
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On this week's podcast, Bob is joined by co-host Kevin "Wild" Westendorf and they catch up on what Kevin has been doing since he was last on the show. They also discuss people behaving badly on trails, a rescue due to people being woefully underprepared, and if you want to hike to the popular Hanging Lake, you will need to prepare carefully and far…
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168. Ally Isom — Building Better Communities
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Season 6 Episode 11: In this episode, Pete Codella, managing director of business services at the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity, talks with Ally Isom, chief strategy and marketing officer at Clyde Companies. Isom shares her extensive background and deep connection to Utah, highlighting her journey from diverse professional experiences t…
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402 Rocky Mountain Field Institute's Jolie NeSmith
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On this week's podcast, Bob interviews Jolie NeSmith, the Executive Director of the Rocky Mountain Field Institute (RMFI). They talk about her first year at the helm, including challenges and accomplishments, and then move on to discuss the 2024 work season. The review the projects RMFI will be working on, with an update on the multi-year Devils Pl…
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401 Luis Benitez and How Outdoor Recreation can Save the World
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Bob chats with Luis Benitez, the author of "Higher Ground: How The Outdoor Recreation Industry Can Save The World". The first head of Colorado's Outdoor Recreation Industry Office, and a leader in the outdoor recreation industry, he talks with Bob about the need to change how outdoor recreation in the United States is funded and managed, and how he…
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167. Jaron Erickson — Selling Skills for High-Growth Tech Companies
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Season 6 Episode 10: In this episode, Pete Codella, managing director of business services at the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity, talks with Jaron Erickson, founder and CEO of Sales Dojo. Erickson shares his journey from growing up in Farmington, Utah, to becoming an entrepreneur in the tech industry, where he found his passion. Inspired…
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400 The Healthy Hiker talks about taking care of our feet
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This week's podcast is all about feet and how to take care of them. Bob is joined by frequent guest Physical Therapist and "Healthy Hiker" Alicia Filley, for an enlightening talk about feet. From common injuries, to how to decipher pain, to socks and shoes, they cover almost anything you'd want to know about feet and hiking. The Healthy Hiker websi…
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