CASE STUDIES

In this powerful episode, Casey Baugh sits down with long-time friend and All-American wrestler Ben Kjar for an unforgettable conversation about resilience, adversity, and becoming the kind of person who stands out—on purpose. From surviving childhood bullying to becoming Utah Valley University’s first All-American, Ben shares what it takes to turn pain into fuel, pressure into performance, and setbacks into legacy.Ben opens up about living with Crouzon Syndrome, calling his shot as a teen, building elite discipline, and the upcoming release of his inspiring feature film Stand Out. This isn’t just a story of success—it’s a blueprint for how to live bold, focused, and fully committed to your calling.00:00 | Missionary Beginnings & Lifelong Friendship03:58 | Wrestling Origins & Crouzon Syndrome06:39 | Calling the Shot: Becoming a 3X State Champion08:55 | Childhood Trauma That Sparked Transformation12:39 | Choosing Power Over Victimhood18:10 | Lessons from Jesus: Grace vs. Retaliation24:31 | UVU Wrestling & Sacrificing for the Dream26:45 | Be Disobedient to Average29:42 | The Power of Shot-Calling & Deadlines32:57 | Translating Athletic Principles to Life35:07 | Expanding Worldviews Through Experience41:56 | Letting Go to Go All In44:43 | Becoming UVU’s First All-American48:01 | Grit, Redemption & Spitting in Fear’s Face54:15 | Impact of Focused Commitment57:25 | From Real Estate to Life Purpose01:02:00 | Family, Adoption & Unwavering Support01:06:09 | Speaking with Purpose & Creating Legacy01:09:03 | Trust, Belief & Living with Intention01:15:08 | Behind the Film “Stand Out”01:21:00 | Final Reflections & Lasting Impact Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week’s episode, Casey welcomes his longtime friend and fearless entrepreneur, Lindsay Hadley. With a friendship spanning over 20 years, Casey and Lindsay dive deep into the stories and mindset that have defined Lindsay’s extraordinary career and life. From orchestrating massive global fundraising efforts to facing failures head-on, Lindsay opens up about her philosophy of taking bold action and trusting the process, even when the odds seem insurmountable.Listen as they explore Lindsay’s incredible journey of faith, risk-taking, and pursuit of purpose, all while balancing personal challenges and the drive to make a meaningful impact. Through candid anecdotes and powerful insights, this episode will challenge you to rethink what it means to be fearless, to embrace failure, and to trust in your mission—no matter where it leads. Don’t miss this heartfelt conversation that proves bravery isn’t the absence of fear, but the determination to act in spite of it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Case Studies, Casey sits down with Jeanette Bennett – award-winning journalist, founder of Utah Valley Magazine, and now a rising leader in commercial real estate; for a compelling conversation about reinvention, resilience, and the power of quiet ambition.Jeanette opens up about her early days growing up in Idaho, her fierce internal drive that led her to become valedictorian, and how motherhood sparked the entrepreneurial fire that would define her career. With no outside funding, she sold her home to launch her first magazine; a move that would go on to shape the voice of Utah’s business community for over two decades.They explore the realities of building a company from scratch, navigating gender dynamics in leadership, and what it looks like to gracefully transition into a new chapter of influence and impact. Through it all, Jeanette reflects on listening as a superpower, the art of celebrating others, and the quiet strength it takes to lead with both confidence and humility.This conversation is packed with insight for anyone building a business, a life, or both.00:00 | Welcome & Jeanette’s Early Career Roots01:34 | The Gender Gap in Utah Business03:33 | Navigating Motherhood and Ambition06:37 | Embracing Opportunity in a Man’s World08:45 | Building a Career Around Storytelling13:41 | The Warrior Spirit of Young Jeanette17:01 | BYU, Journalism, and Dreaming Bigger21:21 | Falling in Love with People and Events27:53 | Why Motherhood Sparked Her Entrepreneurial Fire31:04 | Selling Her Home to Start a Magazine34:27 | Learning Business the Hard Way38:54 | Finding Joy in Mentorship and Team Building40:12 | Surviving the Housing Crisis & Reinventing Verticals43:41 | Knowing When It’s Time for a New Chapter45:33 | Reinvention and the Courage to Start Over48:29 | Leading with Confidence and Humility49:56 | Why Diversity Makes Teams Stronger51:30 | Wisdom from Mentors and Multigenerational Networks55:38 | Choosing Family Over Fame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special episode, Casey’s business partner and long time friend, Dave Jensen sits down at the MW3 conference with Kalani Sitake, head coach of the BYU Cougars football team. Kalani, reflects on his upbringing sharing stories from his early years, the impact of his multicultural background, and his experiences with legendary figures like BYU coach LaVell Edwards and Nike founder Phil Knight. He discusses how the relationships in his life have shaped his coaching philosophy, focusing on humility, empathy, and genuine connection. With powerful anecdotes of overcoming adversity, Kalani emphasizes the value of kindness and its profound impact on people’s lives. Kalani shares his commitment to creating a positive environment where his players grow as athletes and individuals. He discusses his belief that true success is measured not just in victories but in the character and values instilled in those he mentors. Tune in for an inspiring conversation that shows how sports can transform lives and build stronger communities.00:00 | Welcome, MW3 setup & Kalani’s intro00:06 | Dave introduces Kalani’s journey & coaching career01:46 | What excites Kalani most about BYU football right now02:39 | Visiting Nike, meeting Phil Knight & LaVell Edwards stories03:21 | The voicemail from LaVell that changed a 1–3 season06:15 | Mission call, faith, and early mentoring from LaVell07:19 | Growing up Tongan: divorce, moving, and feeling broken10:11 | A BYU player’s hug that “fixed” a nine-year-old kid12:09 | Kindness as a superpower & what really matters more than wins13:44 | Spotting people who are hurting & choosing to reach out15:16 | Family storytelling, heritage, and choosing happiness with little17:21 | Discovering the commandment that changed how he honored his parents18:41 | His father’s last day of work & a quiet act of integrity22:06 | Meeting Timberley, raising kids, and the realities of coaching life23:11 | How Timberley prepped him for the BYU head coach interview25:33 | The line that sealed the BYU job (and who really wrote it)27:03 | Lessons from Kyle Whittingham & gratitude to Utah28:34 | Family, rivalry, legacy, and letting love lead29:42 | Closing challenge: use your strengths to lift the world Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Case Studies, Casey sits down with Taylor Randall, the 17th president of the University of Utah and former dean of the David Eccles School of Business. With a background as a distinguished economist and academic leader, Taylor brings deep insight into what it takes to lead major institutions through growth, innovation, and cultural transformation.He shares the leadership principles that guided his decade-long transformation of the Eccles School into a nationally recognized and fast growing business program, and discusses how those same values now shape his presidency at the University of Utah. The conversation explores how to build momentum in complex systems, why fast decision making matters, and how to lead with both humility and urgency in high stakes environments.Casey and Taylor unpack topics ranging from academic innovation and public university strategy to entrepreneurship, economics, and the future of higher education.00:00 | Welcome & Introduction to Taylor Randall01:14 | Growing Up at the University of Utah03:10 | Early Career at Arthur Andersen05:01 | Wharton Years & Ambitious Peers06:13 | Academic Curiosity & Consulting for MLB07:34 | Why Chaos Creates Opportunity08:31 | PhD Research on Global Operations Strategy10:27 | Turning Down Chicago to Return to Utah11:27 | Venture Fund & Breaking the Classroom Model13:37 | How AI Disrupts and Enhances Higher Ed14:42 | Launching Lassonde Studios & Student Startups16:59 | Building Immersive, Purpose-Driven Experiences18:50 | Early 2000s Venture Fund Success & Lessons20:31 | Inspiration Behind the Entrepreneurial Institute21:57 | Reimagining the Classroom-Incubator Hybrid22:07 | Teaming Up with Futurists and Architects23:39 | Becoming Dean During the Financial Crisis24:18 | Privatizing the Business School Model27:36 | Program Innovation & Specialized Master’s Degrees30:48 | Education as a Confidence Catalyst32:25 | Mentorship, Mistakes & Growth Moments34:59 | Considering Life After Academia36:15 | Presidential Application Process & Headwinds in Higher Ed38:33 | Interviewing for President During COVID40:13 | Behind Utah’s Nationally Ranked COVID Response43:36 | Lessons from the Pandemic Response Team45:43 | Understanding the University of Utah as a $9B Enterprise47:02 | Medical Education, Research, and Clinical Trials50:36 | Breakthroughs in Neurobionics & HIV Prevention52:04 | University-Owned Businesses & Innovation Ecosystem53:16 | Huntsman Cancer Institute’s Impact on Utah County54:50 | Collaborative Vision Across Utah’s Higher Ed Institutions55:22 | Proxima: Creating Healthcare Career Pathways57:54 | UVU, First-Gen Students & The Promise of Education59:11 | Executive Education & Adapting to a Changing Market59:26 | The Future of College Sports & Athlete Compensation01:03:20 | Sustainable Models for College Athletics Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.