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Startup 101

Startup 101 articles are instructional in nature. They educate on a specific topic and act as reference pieces that can be revisited repeatedly over time.

Startup 101

Startup 101 articles are instructional in nature. They educate on a specific topic and act as reference pieces that can be revisited repeatedly over time.

Startup 101   -   Mar 27, 2026 For Utah Fintechs, Your Bank Isn’t a Vendor—It’s Infrastructure
For Utah Fintechs, Your Bank Isn’t a Vendor—It’s Infrastructure

Utah fintech founders often treat banking as a utility, but the right partner functions as infrastructure. Early, strategic alignment with a bank can prevent scaling bottlenecks and quietly enable long-term growth.

Startup 101   -   Feb 24, 2026 You Don’t Rise to the Level of Your Goals — You Fall to the Level of Your Readiness
You Don’t Rise to the Level of Your Goals — You Fall to the Level of Your Readiness

Rob Shipp shares a tense USS Nimitz replenishment-at-sea where the tanker drifted, prompting a perfect emergency breakaway by the crew. From his Navy background, he and the team at ThetaCore (Lehi, UT), champion the concept of "readiness"—the true driver of team performance under pressure.

He Went Viral, Sold 45,000 Units — Then Found His Own Face Selling Knockoffs on Amazon
Startup 101   -   May 14, 2026 He Went Viral, Sold 45,000 Units — Then Found His Own Face Selling Knockoffs on Amazon

Utah entrepreneur Joshua Ahlstrom built Tilted Spray Co. into a viral success, selling 45,000 units worldwide — then discovered counterfeiters using his own face and photos on Amazon to sell knockoffs, exposing a systemic crisis facing American product startups.

by Mark Tullis
Latest Articles 45 Articles
Startup 101   -   May 14, 2026 He Went Viral, Sold 45,000 Units — Then Found His Own Face Selling Knockoffs on Amazon
He Went Viral, Sold 45,000 Units — Then Found His Own Face Selling Knockoffs on Amazon

Utah entrepreneur Joshua Ahlstrom built Tilted Spray Co. into a viral success, selling 45,000 units worldwide — then discovered counterfeiters using his own face and photos on Amazon to sell knockoffs, exposing a systemic crisis facing American product startups.

by Mark Tullis
Startup 101   -   Mar 27, 2026 For Utah Fintechs, Your Bank Isn’t a Vendor—It’s Infrastructure
For Utah Fintechs, Your Bank Isn’t a Vendor—It’s Infrastructure

Utah fintech founders often treat banking as a utility, but the right partner functions as infrastructure. Early, strategic alignment with a bank can prevent scaling bottlenecks and quietly enable long-term growth.

by Josh Creer
Startup 101   -   Feb 24, 2026 You Don’t Rise to the Level of Your Goals — You Fall to the Level of Your Readiness
You Don’t Rise to the Level of Your Goals — You Fall to the Level of Your Readiness

Rob Shipp shares a tense USS Nimitz replenishment-at-sea where the tanker drifted, prompting a perfect emergency breakaway by the crew. From his Navy background, he and the team at ThetaCore (Lehi, UT), champion the concept of "readiness"—the true driver of team performance under pressure.

by Mark Tullis
Startup 101   -   Feb 06, 2026 Go Big or Go Home
Go Big or Go Home

David Frazier argues that venture capital economics reward extreme differentiation, not incremental progress. Playing it safe may feel prudent, but for VC-backed startups, asymmetry and monopolistic advantage are often the only viable path.

by David Frazier
Startup 101   -   Jan 27, 2026 Embedding AI into Workflows: How Leaders Turn Agents into Organizational Advantage
Embedding AI into Workflows: How Leaders Turn Agents into Organizational Advantage

SageCreek AI provided an executive briefing on AI agents and workflow transformation. Hosted by Pelion (Draper, UT) at their stylish top-floor HQ, the event explored real-world ROI, generative AI strategies, and behavioral frameworks with Nisha Advani (Chicago) and Dr. Barclay Burns (UVU).

by Mark Tullis
Startup 101   -   Sep 23, 2024 Will the VC Add Value or Mistreat and Abandon Us?
Will the VC Add Value or Mistreat and Abandon Us?

Scott Frazier, Managing Partner of The Frazier Group, addresses a common question entrepreneurs often ask: Do VCs add value, or could they harm a startup?

by Scott Frazier
Startup 101   -   Mar 26, 2024 Key Inflection Points for a Late-Stage Tech Startup
Key Inflection Points for a Late-Stage Tech Startup

Myriad factors go into running a successful startup, but when you break things down to their foundational elements, managing one requires fast, smart decision-making. There are new choices to be made every day—some big, some small, some of minimum consequence and some with major ramifications. Some decisions, however, prove

by Paige Penke & Scott Olmsted
Startup 101   -   Apr 24, 2023 How Secure is Your Company's Security?
How Secure is Your Company's Security?

Layoffs and staff reductions at Big Tech companies have become all-too-frequent news headlines over the past five months. Adding to economic tensions already plagued with inflation and other financial uncertainties, these headlines seem daunting, if not downright depressing. When I read about these layoffs, I think immediately of the human

by Paul Bingham
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