The Midnight Founders Podcast

Jamis O'brien - Lone Tree Companies

Jamis has spent over 20 years tackling one of the nation’s biggest challenges: affordable housing. With a background in corporate housing and land acquisition, Jamis is now on a mission to make homeownership a reality for more Americans. In this episode, we’ll dive into:
Why most developers avoid affordable housing, and why Lone Tree is stepping up to solve the problem.
The importance of aligning cities, contractors, and investors to make projects successful.
How investors are making homeownership harder, and Lone Tree’s approach to balancing investor interests with homebuyer opportunities.
The power of vertical integration to scale affordable housing with low margins and high volume.
Key financial advice for first-time homebuyers, including how to save and avoid common pitfalls.
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The Midnight Founders Podcast is powered by RevRoad and CB Vault. 

Tim Cooley - Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity

Tim Cooley, the Director of Entrepreneurship for the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity, shares how he’s helping to elevate Utah’s entrepreneurial ecosystem through the Startup State initiative. If you’re curious about the resources available for entrepreneurs in Utah—or how to get your startup off the ground, stick around. We'll cover:
The four key initiatives driving the Startup State program
How Tim is helping founders get to revenue faster without sacrificing long-term growth
Why Utah’s give-first culture sets it apart from other startup ecosystems
The importance of founders reinvesting in the community that helped them succeed
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The Midnight Founders Podcast is powered by RevRoad and CB Vault. 

Ryan Moss - Little Giant Ladder System

Scaling a company is hard enough, but scaling your way up the ladder at the same company for 40 years while preventing injuries and saving lives? That’s a different ladder to climb. In this episode, we sit down with Ryan Moss, CEO of Little Giant Ladder System, to uncover the milestones, challenges, and innovation strategies that helped the company grow from a small Utah business to a global brand. Tune in to explore:
How Ryan transitioned from $4.50 an hour in manufacturing to the CEO's office
The strategic decision that led Little Giant to partner exclusively with a single retail partner
How the company’s 2003 infomercial catapulted 600% growth in a single year
Ryan’s leadership philosophy and his commitment to both employee and customer feedback
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The Midnight Founders Podcast is powered by RevRoad and CB Vault. 

Nathan Walter - Briefpoint

Running a legal tech startup takes more than just knowing the law—it requires a deep understanding of technology, sales, and a persistent drive to solve industry pain points. In this episode, Nathan Walter, Founder and CEO of BriefPoint, shares his journey from practicing law to learning coding and building an innovative platform that automates discovery responses for litigation attorneys using advanced AI.
We’ll explore:
How he automated his entire sales funnel, from lead generation to client acquisition
The unique challenges of selling untested legal tech and securing early adopters
Nathan's approach to raising capital and what he looks for in investors
The creative ways Nathan funded BriefPoint, including taking a job as an entry-level salesperson at a competitor company to keep the business afloat
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The Midnight Founders Podcast is powered by RevRoad and CB Vault. 

Dan Clark - The Art of Significance

This week’s guest is Dan Clark, a world-renowned public speaker who has delivered over 6,000 speeches in 76 countries, authored 37 books, and even ventured into space. Dan Clark suffered a severe injury during a college football practice, where he had a violent head-on collision with another player. This life-altering event eventually led him to his path as a motivational speaker.
 
Tune in as Dan shares powerful lessons on resilience, the importance of having a "why" that's bigger than your "why not," and the critical difference between living a life of success or a life of significance.
 
This episode is packed with actionable insights that can help you rethink your approach to leadership, storytelling, and personal growth.
 
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The Midnight Founders Podcast is powered by:
RevRoad - Your sweat equity partner
CB Vault - The entrepreneur arm of Central Bank
 
Contact us:
aj.rounds@revroad.com
jake.mchargue@cbutah.com

Kurt Francom - Leading Saints

Kurt Francom is the founder of Leading Saints, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing training resources to ecclesiastical leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ. What once began as a simple blog has evolved into a global podcast and full-time venture.
In this episode, Kurt emphasizes the importance of finding a "niche of a niche" to build a dedicated audience and believes that every business, regardless of industry, can use podcasting as a tool for networking and client education.
Tune in to learn about Kurt’s transition from corporate life to self-employment, the challenges of scaling a nonprofit, and his plans to broaden his reach by launching a Spanish version of the podcast.
Whether you're interested in podcasting, nonprofit leadership, or entrepreneurial growth, this episode offers valuable insights for you.
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The Midnight Founders Podcast is powered by:
RevRoad - Your sweat equity partner
CB Vault - The entrepreneur arm of Central Bank
 
Contact us:
aj.rounds@revroad.com
jake.mchargue@cbutah.com

Jeff Griffin - Griffin Motivation

Jeff Griffin, once a collegiate football player, experienced a life-altering fall from a 40-foot scaffold that left him paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair. Now a world-renowned speaker and author, Jeff is known for his incredible resilience and transformative messages. In this episode, Jeff shares his journey of turning that tragic event into a powerful message of hope, focusing on overcoming mental barriers like doubt and fear.
Entrepreneurs alike can learn practical strategies from Jeff’s “Daily Dime” technique to maintain a positive mindset and achieve their goals. Jeff also highlights the importance of building strong relationships in driving business success, sharing real-world examples of companies that experienced significant growth under his guidance. Tune in for actionable insights and inspiring lessons to apply to your growing startup.
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The Midnight Founders Podcast is powered by:
RevRoad - Your sweat equity partner
CB Vault - The entrepreneur arm of Central Bank
 
Contact us:
aj.rounds@revroad.com
jake.mchargue@cbutah.com

Jesse Randall - Sweater

After facing personal frustration with accreditation laws and exclusion, Jesse Randall, founder and CEO of Sweater, started a revolutionary venture capital fund accessible to everyone. For more than two years Jesse engaged with the SEC until he found a compliant way to allow non-accredited investors to participate with just $500, ushering in the Cashmere Fund. Learn about the innovative legal structures, such as the interval fund, that made Sweater's vision possible, and gain valuable advice on navigating the modern fundraising landscape. Jesse also shares his insights on the value of building relationships rather than relying on cold outreach and the practicalities of balancing entrepreneurial dreams with personal responsibilities. Listen now! -- The Midnight Founders Podcast is powered by: RevRoad - Your sweat equity partner CB Vault - The entrepreneur arm of Central Bank Contact us: aj.rounds@revroad.com jake.mchargue@cbutah.com

Michael Romrell - Literal

In this episode, we sit down with Michael Romrell, co-founder of Literal, to explore his journey in the EdTech industry. Michael shares how Literal improves student engagement by making books as addictive as social media, leading to a 70% increase in reading time. He discusses the challenges of selling to risk-averse school districts, and the importance of managing co-founder relationships.
Michael also reveals how he nurtures entrepreneurship in his children, encouraging them to start their own businesses. Tune in for a deep dive into innovative strategies and inspiring stories from the frontlines of EdTech.
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The Midnight Founders Podcast is powered by:RevRoad - Your sweat equity partnerCB Vault - The entrepreneur arm of Central Bank
Contact us:aj.rounds@revroad.comjake.mchargue@cbutah.com

Case and Kerri Lawrence - CircusTrix (now SkyZone)

Case Lawrence is the founder of CircusTrix (now SkyZone), the world's largest owner, operator, and franchisor of trampoline parks with over 300 facilities, 5,000 employees, and 50 million annual guests. In this episode, Case discusses his experience campaigning for the U.S. House of Representatives in Utah's 3rd District, drawing parallels between running for office and starting a business. His wife, Kerri, shares her perspective on involving the family in both the trampoline park business and the political campaign. Case highlights the sacred relationship between investors and entrepreneurs, the importance of remaining true to your values in the face of adversity, and the benefits of involving children in the business journey. Case and Kerri's story will inspire you to take the leap into entrepreneurship during both times of famine and prosperity.
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The Midnight Founders Podcast is powered by:RevRoad - Your sweat equity partnerCB Vault - The entrepreneur arm of Central Bank
Contact us:aj.rounds@revroad.comjake.mchargue@cbutah.com