Boost 24

?? Just got back from an incredible experience at Boost 24 hosted @ Utah Valley University! I had the privilege of attending three amazing breakout sessions: ?? How to Build with AI in Mind – Nate Sanders ?? Scale with Financials in Mind – Renato V. ?? GTM and Growth at Each Stage – Rachel Hofstetter & Heather Zynczak (my personal favorite!) ? Key Takeaway: Entrepreneurship isn’t linear. The path may twist and turn, but each step is part of the journey. I was fortunate to have a 1:1 mentor session with Eric Lo, who shared incredible advice about driving change in industries resistant to transformation. As many of you know, I’m passionate about Agriculture, and I’m channeling that into a platform called AgriAuctioneer, aimed at improving logistics for private treaty and large lot sales. ???? One of the most inspiring moments came from Sid K. on the main stage. His personal story about the importance of finding the right co-founders struck a chord and pushed me to reflect on my own entrepreneurial journey. ?? Additional shoutouts to amazing speakers like Chris Klomp, Erik Allebest, Trent Mano, Sean Holladay and so many more who shared their wisdom. A huge thanks to Sandbox, Tyler Jennings, and everyone who made Boost24 possible. Being surrounded by driven, like-minded individuals reminded me of the incredible potential we all have to make a difference. Let’s keep building! ??? #Boost24 #Entrepreneurship #AgricultureInnovation #AgriAuctioneer #Startups #GrowthMindset #Networking #Sandbox #LaunchNow

"You need to know your why. You need to dig deep. You will be tested. It will be painful. Everyone thinks it is awesome and sexy but it is constant failure, nonstop bad news every day percolated with these teeny tiny glimmers of greatness. But if you don't have your why -- you, or your loved ones, or both will crumble when you run into brick wall after brick wall after brick wall and the pain is just too much." ?? -Chris Klomp, on the nature of startups. (I call that book title!) ?? This excerpt from Chris Klomp has been echoing in my head since his presentation at Boost 24 last week. I literally am getting chills writing it out again. ?? From incredible childhood challenges to turning down career opportunities that some only dream of -- Chris Klomp is the embodiment of grit. He pushed through uncertainty and doubt and pain that I can only imagine today. ?? Chris, I hope you know that you gave us a gift last week. ?? Some other key takeaways: ? 4 Core Principles of a Startup - Focus, Accountability, Speed, Trust (FAST) → Chris mentioned Steve Jobs super power: impeccable focus. Steve insisted that you say no to everything -- his definition of focus was narrowing down your to-do list to things that you ABSOLUTELY, in your heart of hearts, KNOW that you need to do -- and you still kill all of them except the ONE task that will propel you forward. ? "Doing well by doing good" → Chris only kept customers by providing value to them, no contractual obligations, really emphasizes the importance of building something people love. ? Accountability (his most important Core Principle) → "Doing exactly what you say you are going to do unfailingly, and insisting that everyone in the org does the same thing. If I tell you I will do something, you know that I will do it or die trying." Still thanking Tyler Jennings and Reference Group for putting on Boost 24 at Utah Valley University -- Continuing to process and reflect on my notes from this event!

Boost 24 was the event of a lifetime. I watched hearts ache, hands shake, and lives change. More than one of my friends met a mentor who changed their life. Here's what I took away: ?? "Dreams are free", "Nobody is self made", "Everyone needs a boost". - Astrid S. Tuminez (A legendary President) ??"Anyone can build something great", "find a durable dislocation", "I woke up the same person with the same problems" (money won't fix you). - Nate Walkingshaw ??"Speed, Focus, Accountability, Trust" (Speed is your only advantage), "It's not bad business, but it's not THAT business"(choose the one with more good), "Know your why". - Chris Klomp ?? "Steal like an artist"(emulate → innovate), "Brand is nothing without an offer", Offer → they "feel dumb saying no". - Garrett Robbins ?? "Multiply your life by 10,000 → that is who you'll become", Do what you love, "Care about people". - Erik Allebest ?? "Act", "I wish on you pain and suffering", "Are you going to be in the arena?" - Tyler Jennings At Boost 24, I felt something... and I know that the world is far better because Tyler Jennings woke up and decided to change student's lives forever. No thank you is big enough. Justin Smith, Shane Rowley, and Drew Brown, thank you for talking accounting and design with me. Thanks for helping the little guy. To all the guys I got to deal Poker for: Greg Dunn, Erik Allebest, Mike Romney, Peter Harris, Darrell Sorenson, Josh Leigh, Tyler Slater, Nathan Resnick, and Justin Smith → it was an honor to meet you all! Thanks for knowing the rules Erik, and Tyler S. congrats on the win! To a just a few of my fellow students, I would LOVE to hear takeaways. DM me, comment, or I'll see you in class! Tyler Spackman, Garrett Calaway, Angel Gutierrez, Oriana Montes, Elijah Taylor, Caitlyn P., Julianna Fotheringham, Chretien Banza, Connor Neistadt, Dallin Tew, Diana Cervantes, Hunter Anderton, Jaron Anderson, Nicholas Potter, Kamila Turapova, Thomas Coates, Tim Shorts, Eli Holdaway, Alee Christensen, Ben Crockett, Alexander Oyler (Exceeded max mention limit, but know that I saw you, and I appreciate you!) Adventure on! ??

?? ?? As a first Generation student my path through education has been over a decade in the making. When Tyler shared his personal story it resonated with me because of my upbringing as well. "Greatness comes from character". Being a father of 5 and had lost our livelihood through covid I decided to come back to school and finish my education. FirstGen at Utah Valley University has been a huge help especially introducing us to our mentors Sid K., Tyler Jennings, Lisa Rogers Thomas, Kainoa Clark, Bronson Kaufusi, Kat Kennedy, Carolina Nú?ez, Trent Mano. Their insight and help has helped me create more value to my journey in life and education. Its also been great to know Patrick Kunz, Rosa Baker, Annette C., Jonathan Garces, Lucia Ayala Saydee,Savannah Evans, Sarah Burtenshaw,Dareli Villegas, Daniel Orellana, Christopher Anderson, and Sabrina Salazar. Being able to connect and help each other has be a huge help. Everyone at BOOST24 want to help students reach their highest potential. They taught us that our passion should be attained instead of suppressed because of life's difficulties. It was amazing to meet Matthew Hollingshaus and learning about your career, ambitions, and willingness to help others. I also met Eric, thank you for taking time and talking with me about opportunities and your willingness to help to. Learning from one of the greatest GIANTS in our school like Astrid S. Tuminez, helps me know that anything is possible. We need to be our greatest supporter. as she said "Be a reader". The greatest minds are readers. The founders of Torus, Nate Walkingshaw and Gilbert Lee were truly inspirational! They have heart, and grit. "Invent it, make it, sell it". Like Gil said, "believe in yourself". What I learned from them is that no matter how deep our hole is, wee are capable of building our own ladder to get our of it! Be the person who you need and can be. I am a dreamer. I hope that one day I can bring my ideas to fruition and help people have a better quality of life. My path is very different than most but I love it and live it every day! No one is where they are without help from incredible people. Thank you Cassandra Fuimaono and Colton Simons for being the amazing people you are and having the heart to help people like me. Theres so much more that I can say, lets be the BOOST for our peers and everyone around us so we can all be better versions of ourselves.

“When staring at the abyss, what do you say when it stares back?” -Nate Walkingshaw Incredible and humbling experience to learn from all the powerhouses at Boost 24 ?? ?? ?? Thank you Tyler Jennings for bringing together a special community and to everyone for sharing their stories, I'm honored to have been part of this culture. Astrid S. Tuminez, I'll be sure to catch some of those dreams while they're free. Gilbert Lee, you didn't directly say this but mental fortitude seemed to be a big part of overcoming challenges and I'll be sure to remember that. Chris Klomp, I'm sad about the failed revival of hot or not, but happy to learn about your success that followed and what it truly means to be locked in and focused. Sid K., I appreciate you sharing your story, and I'll remember to worship none and that I have a mark to make. Pete Larkin, I've never thought to ripen my experiences, I'll be sure to reflect personally and with others more often. Erik Allebest, calling an employee for 2.5 years after they disconnected until they answered, says a lot. Commitment to a vision isn't just for one person but a community. Dan Cook, I'm making sure to be a part of the culture club that eats strategy for breakfast. Trent Mano, "Why buy me" will stick with me the most, of the 3 "why's" and I thank you for that. Alex Bean, keeping a special eye out for the cars I get into from now on. Drew Brown Jaquelynne Elliott & Reuben Holdaway Thank you for your willingness to mentor me 1-on-1, your wealth of knowledge was apparent and appreciated. I'll be sure to act as "It is not the critic who counts."

Friday was such a good day to be in Utah at the Boost 24. We have a community that is both incredible intelligent, driven, and giving. We heard from Nate Walkingshaw & Gilbert Lee (Who won Times Invention of the Year with Torus!), Chris Klomp, and Sid K. about their Journeys and lessons! I heard patterns from each of them: Focus, Focus , Focus. However, there is nuance here. What is the absolutely most important thing that you should be doing. And then remove everything else. Don't even keep the should have. Just focus on what is the highest priority, and do it really well. Your personal why. If this isn't clear than you will be in a boat without a rudder. Get clear on your why. However, it is also the great people that you meet to have meaningful conversations with that make great events. Thanks to Logan Williams, Mike Romney, A.J. Rounds, Angela C., Darrell Sorenson, Drew Brown and Brad Romney for the great convos! Thank you Tyler Jennings and team for the vision and efforts to put this together!

I loved my experience at Boost 24 at UVU! ?? Attending Boost 24 was a powerful reminder of the impact of self-reflection, resilience, and authenticity. Each speaker left me motivated to keep growing. I want to thank Tyler Jennings for making this possible and let him know that this experience impacted our lives forever. From Pete Larkin, I learned how reflecting on our daily micro-experiences amplifies their value. He reminded us that life is built from these little moments, and reflecting on them helps us gain more from every experience. Erik Allebest, CEO of Chess.com, inspired us with his journey of resilience. He built a company rooted in vision, authenticity, and kindness. His advice to "be yourself and own all aspects of you" reflects how culture has been a key to his company's growth. The closing session, "All Systems Go," led by Tyler Jennings, reinforced that greatness is built on character, not intelligence. He reminded us to embrace setbacks and doubters, to find strength in the challenges, and that resilience is key. His message that “if it was easy, it wasn’t worth it” really hit home, it reminded me how I took a step into the unknown with confidence when I came to the United States almost a year ago, and even if my path hasn't been linear or easy, I am grateful for where I am and what I will become. Thank you Boost 24! I left feeling inspired to believe in myself a little more and ready to take on the next opportunity, whatever it may be. ?? #Boost24 #Leadership #PersonalGrowth #UVU #SelfReflection

I used to think that letting my tears fall was synonymous with weakness, but this Friday at Boost 24 I understood it is actually synonymous with a meaningful life; something that reminds me that I am human. I learned that I am capable of doing great things by being myself, embracing my insecurities and what I call weaknesses. I learned how going through pain can become my purpose. I realized the power of influence and networking not only for the growth of my business but also for my personal life. Thank you, President Astrid S. Tuminez for teaching us that “dreams are free”; Gilbert Lee and Nate Walkingshaw for teaching me that I can “get out of mess through action”; Chris Klomp, for your vulnerability and for teaching me the value of speed, focus, accountability, and trust; Sid K., for your honesty, humility, and admirable personality, for teaching me to be aware of my mental health through your brother’s story; Sean Holladay, for helping me realize the power of influence; Aaron McReynolds, for your time in our mentorship session, talking to me about your life and your entrepreneurial experience; Pete Larkin, for teaching me the importance of reflection; and Erik Allebest, for advocating authenticity and the importance of the effect habits have on my life. Of course, biggest thank you Tyler Jennings for this event, believing in students like me and having this vision of how far any student can go by being who they are today. The day I met you, I understood the type of person I can be and have worked toward my best self-version since then!

This morning, dozens of professionals and students met at Utah Valley University for a boost. ?? To be exact, Boost24, hosted by Reference Group. After introductory remarks from creator Tyler Jennings and Astrid S. Tuminez, Tyler brought the founders of Torus on stage for a fireside chat. This year, the Torus Nova Spin was recognized as one of TIME Magazine's 2024 Best Inventions. While this is a prestigious, exciting award, Nate Walkingshaw and Gilbert Lee didn't shy away from sharing the somewhat messy steps that led to where they are today. "A few years ago, nobody believed in us," Gilbert says. "The doubt and the insecurity are hard, and you just have to push through. It's a lot of work. Don't get discouraged if you feel like the world isn't giving you a chance." We also heard from the powerful and authentic Chris Klomp, founder of Collective Medical. He shared that, as much as we shy away from talking about it, each of us is who we are today because of the failures we've had along the way. Those missteps have shaped us, he says. "The answer to who we are is failure." Thank you to UVU, Reference Group and all the speakers who expanded our mindsets and gave us the business boost we needed. #boost24 #boost #utahentrepreneur #utahvalleybusiness #siliconslopes #uvubusiness #torus #businessfailure #businessadvice

?? There are no words to capture just how incredible yesterday was. Imagine being in a room filled with inspiring individuals, all dedicated to one goal—seeing YOU succeed. That’s what Boost 24 was all about. The highlight? Tyler Jennings the incredible person behind Boost and my mentor in the Sandbox program. Tyler shared so much wisdom, and a few insights truly resonated with me: ?? “The path is not linear.” ?? “Come what may, and love it.” ?? “You can get everything you want in life, just not all at the same time.” ?? “Part of who you are is the trials and suffering you have been through.” Tyler is a rare individual who lives to lift others, helping them realize their full potential. Bringing people together to spread good in the world is one of his greatest desires. Personally, Tyler has given me a BOOST. When my future has seemed uncertain, he has helped me realize my full potential. We could all stand to be a little more like Tyler. Feeling inspired and ready to embrace my journey with this new perspective. Thank you Tyler, and everyone at Boost 24, for the reminder that challenges can be our greatest strengths. ???? A big thank you to all the mentors I had the privilege to meet with and to each speaker. What you all shared is going to change lives. Erik Allebest Pete Larkin Aaron McReynolds Edgar Cheney Dylan Ferguson Chris Klomp Nate Walkingshaw Gilbert Lee Astrid S. Tuminez Dallin Regehr Sean Holladay Eric Lo ??And all the sandbox students, I’m so grateful to be surrounded by such amazing peers! Elijah Taylor Garrett Calaway Angel Gutierrez Patrick Kunz Oriana Montes Tyler Spackman Caitlyn P. Julianna Fotheringham Cade Ballif Chretien Banza Connor Neistadt Dallin Tew Diana Cervantes Hunter Anderton Jacob Willson Jaron Anderson Logan Mecham Nicholas Potter Jameson Tanner Josh Gimenes Kamila Turapova Thomas Coates Tim Shorts Jaxson Allen and everyone else that was there!! I exceeded the maximum mention limit?? LETS BUILD UTAH??