Utah Business

By the numbers: DEI Initiatives edition ??: Eliza Anderson, Illustration & John Lee, Graphic Design Novva Data Centers

?? Know someone doing incredible marketing or communications work in Utah? Nominate them for our Marketing & Communications Awards at https://lnkd.in/gv_62grM. Categories include: ?? Agency/Team of the Year ?? Best Campaign - Student ?? Best Integrated Marketing/Communications Campaign of the Year ?? Best Use of AI ?? Community Relations ?? Content Marketing ?? Crisis Communications ?? Email Campaign ?? Events ?? Financial Communications ?? Influencer Marketing ?? Internal Communications ?? Marketing/Communications Professional of the Year ?? Public Affairs ?? Social Media Marketing The deadline is December 9, so act fast!

Joseph Grenny’s journey is one of profound impact, driven by a deep desire to change lives through the power of influence. Whether through his leadership training company, bestselling books or transformative nonprofits, he has dedicated his life to teaching others how to improve their circumstances and thrive. His work, rooted in self-efficacy, behavioral science and a strong moral compass, has touched millions and continues to inspire hope and change around the world. ??: Tim Stay Crucial Learning The Other Side Academy The Other Side Village

Smaller, craft-based businesses have many available avenues for selling products: farmer’s markets, social media, personal web pages. Etsy has long been an easy-to-use online storefront option for creators, but is it still as useful as it once was? Here are differing perspectives from four local artisans: https://lnkd.in/g_Js2dBU ??: Judd Bagley

5 Public Speaking Lessons from Utah Business Forward This week's event was ?? because our speakers were SO good. Here are a few elements I noticed that made them effective: ? Grab attention immediately? Presenters often open by rattling off their credentials and telling you why they are an authority. That signals to the audience, “What you’re about to see will be all about ME.” Guess what? People don’t like that. If they tune out, you may lose them for the remainder of your presentation. The audience wants to know if you’re going to inspire, entertain or educate them. Give them a preview of what you will do FOR THEM and leave the bio to the emcee or the program. There are various ways to capture attention, like Dave Durocher’s startling opening story or Patrick McMillan’s man-of-steel-style shirt change. ? Level the field As a speaker, you’re set apart from the audience in a very literal sense. You’re on a platform above them. You’re standing while they are sitting. You’re facing opposite directions. You’re talking, and they have to be silent. All the physical components of the situation signal that you’re unreachable. However, your mission is to guide them on a topic and help them make change. That’s hard if they feel like you’re so superior that they could never do what you do. Find ways to make yourself relatable and human. Fernanda B?hme did this by sharing her failures with the audience and inspiring them to just keep trying. Sidni Lloyd-Shorter,PsyD did this through call and response, inviting the audience into her presentation. ? Break it up An endless monologue is not only monotonous for the audience, it’s monotonous for the speaker! Monologuing can create a vocal rhythm that makes a speaker sound unenthusiastic. When speaking on a highly technical subject, be sure to intersperse with stories, video clips or humor, when appropriate. Attorney Troy Keller did a great job with this during his presentation on deal-making in 2024. ? Keep it together It’s OK to get emotional during a presentation — that can be incredibly moving. Just don’t try to speak through the sob. Crying tenses the muscles and tightens the vocal cords. This can raise vocal pitch or make your voice squeaky, and it can be hard to get under control while talking. Take a deep breath, relax, and resume speaking. We saw this in Jeff Taylor and Christopher Carlson’s presentation this week. Jeff did a great job pausing when he felt overwhelmed. As an audience, we cried freely! #LightTheWorld ? Earn the right Your audience is giving you their most precious commodity: time. They deserve a prepared speaker who has expertise in the topic they are presenting. Don’t show up and shoot from the hip. Don’t cobble together slides an hour before you take the stage. Respect your audience and deliver value. Heather Brace was a perfect example of this. What other tactics have you found to be effective? ?? Amber Manning, Isaac Hale

Last month, Utah Business partnered with?Foley & Lardner LLP?to host a roundtable featuring Utah’s quantum and cloud computing experts. This conversation was moderated by?Dr. Taylor Sparks, director of ReUSE REU and professor of materials science and engineering at the University of Utah. Read the summary: https://lnkd.in/gM_FcXwf ??: Beth Taylor

Nominations are due on December 9th! Visit the link below to nominate the exceptional marketing and communication efforts and professionals you work with. https://lnkd.in/gsSqcJeM

From The Watercooler ?? Jerry Wohletz, President & CEO, Draper

In 2012, Snap Finance was born, providing point-of-sale (POS) lease-to-own financing to millions of consumers who couldn’t qualify for traditional financing. It filled a need that was even larger than I expected. Today, we partner with more than 50,000 merchants nationwide, attracting over 1 million new customers annually. Learn more in this week's edition of the Founder Series: https://lnkd.in/gEbJ_gSh Matt Hawkins

Did you attend the VIP Afterparty with Hannah and Daniel Neeleman of Ballerina Farm at the end of Utah Business Forward? Find your photos here! https://lnkd.in/gqsajMtB ??: Melissa Majchrzak Thank you to Presenting Sponsor Dentons and VIP Event Sponsor PACS. We'd also like to thank Hannah and Daniel for spending some of their evening with us! ?? #UtahBusinessForward