Utah Business

Dr. Jerry Chidester and Mindee Chidester, founders of The Plastics Clinic + Spa, join Utah Business live at Founder Friday to share the emotional story behind one of Utah's fastest-growing cosmetic surgery businesses. From leaving a practice with 90 days' notice to launching a practice January 2, 2020, just weeks before COVID shut down elective surgery, the Chidesters break down how they pivoted and survived, building a company that grew 15X in just a few years. They talk about trust, the decision to go out on their own, a virtual grand opening that booked 50 surgeries in 2 days, and the avalanche of demand that crashed their phone server with more than 2,000 calls in 48 hours. Jerry and Mindee also open up about building culture from scratch, why they chose "be yourself, find joy, and have fun" as their first core values, what it means to create a luxury experience for everyday people, and their vision to build the first global aesthetic plastic surgery brand.    Visit UtahBusiness.com to subscribe to our email newsletters and the magazine. Follow Utah Business online on LinkedIn, Facebook, X/Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.  

Join us for this live-taped Founder Friday event with Ryan Anderson, Founder & CEO of Filevine, a Legal Operating Intelligence System used by over 100,000 legal professionals. A former litigator, Ryan has become a leading voice on the responsible adoption of AI in regulated environments. His work focuses on building embedded, matter-aware intelligence systems that advance legal outcomes while reinforcing governance, confidentiality, and operational control. He advises legal leaders, policymakers, and enterprise teams on the infrastructure required for secure, defensible AI in modern practice. Visit UtahBusiness.com to subscribe to our email newsletters and the magazine. Follow Utah Business online on LinkedIn, Facebook, X/Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.  

In this Utah Business Podcast, executive editor Catherine Bennett sits down with Alexandra Pasi, PhD mathematician and the co-founder and CEO of Lucidity Sciences.   At work, Alexandra helps companies rethink how they use AI, beyond the hype cycle.  In this episode, Catherine and Lexi talk about what AI actually is, what businesses are getting wrong about adoption, why most companies risk looking exactly the same, and how leaders can use AI to amplify human creativity… instead of replacing it.  Visit UtahBusiness.com to subscribe to our email newsletters and the magazine. Follow Utah Business online on LinkedIn, Facebook, X/Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.  

In this Utah Business Podcast episode, executive editor Catherine Bennett sits down with Chrisi Hammer, the “Founder & Chief Bun Boss” of Sunshine Buns, a rapidly expanding CPG brand offering family-favorite cinnamon buns to customers across the country. Chrisi Hammer has skillfully managed the challenges of rapid growth, taking the company from local roots to the shelves of major retailers nationwide, from Costco to Kroger.  Balancing her dynamic role with the demands of being a mother of 5, Chrisi shares her insights on navigating logistics, maintaining a personal touch in branding, and the power of saying “no” as a key element of strategic growth. Visit UtahBusiness.com to subscribe to our email newsletters and the magazine. Follow Utah Business online on LinkedIn, Facebook, X/Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

In this live-recorded episode of the Utah Business Magazine podcast, executive editor Catherine Bennett sits down with Gavin Christensen, the founder and managing partner of Kickstart—Utah’s premier seed-stage venture capital firm. Gavin shares his journey from a "military brat" living in a double-wide trailer in New Mexico to becoming the first Utahn ever to chair the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA). Gavin pulls back the curtain on the early days of Kickstart, reflecting on launching an $8 million fund right as the 2008 financial crisis hit, what he learned from a first fund that didn't quite hit the mark, and how those hard-fought lessons paved the way for massive future success. This event was sponsored by Kiln and Northwestern Mutual.  Visit UtahBusiness.com to subscribe to our email newsletters and the magazine. Follow Utah Business online on LinkedIn, Facebook, X/Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.