Keynote Speaker, Serial Entrepreneur

Creating financial, mental & emotional freedom for Utah's $1M-$20M business owners. Exited my 20-year venture in 2024. Now laser-focused: accelerating 100 Utah founders to millionaire exits in 5 years. Your trusted advisor for the critical scaling phase → exit.

Don't let this innocent face fool you, my 14 year old is a ruthless business woman. 

I hired her (she has her own LLC) to do some data entry work. We agreed on a price and then she renegotiated before delivering the data stating that the work took more time than she originally calculated. 

At this rate, I’ll need a lawyer and an HR department just to parent her.

Zachary Barber

Heather Griffith Barber

Heather is a highly-rated speaker and facilitator with 22+ years of experience as an entrepreneur, business owner, college professor, coach and workshop leader.  Heather works with individuals, groups, and organizations to amplify their authenticity and empower them to become a better version of themselves.

Trusted advisor for Utah's established small business owners navigating the crucial $1M-$20M growth phase.

I am going to shout this from the rooftops- if you are not attending events Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute you are missing out!!!

Scott Holley, Anne Bastien, and Kurt Dirks have really put the University of Utah University of Utah - David Eccles School of Business on the map! 

They host sooooooo many free events that are open to the community. Check them out https://lnkd.in/gUtMKcsk

Expertise is no longer scarce.

That was my biggest takeaway from Ja-Nae Duane keynote at the Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute University of Utah University of Utah - David Eccles School of Business summit today.

We are officially in the Age of Intelligence—a 200-year era where humans and exponential tech converge.

The three shifts every entrepreneur needs to realize:
1. Your company is likely optimized for control, not reinvention. That’s why AI feels scary.
2. AI isn't a tool; it’s your co-founder.
3. We are in a collective evolution, not a solo race.

The game has changed. Expertise is the floor, not the ceiling.

How are you shifting your mindset from "Efficiency" to "Evolution" today?

If the events at Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute are not on your radar, they should be! Scott Holley Anne Bastien Kurt Dirks have done an amazing job hosting events that are relevant to entrepreneuership today!

Most small business owners pray: "God, send me money."

That's like a farmer praying for corn while ignoring the soil.

Here's what successful business owners pray instead:

"God, open my eyes to the leverage you've already given me."

After helping dozens of $1M-$20M businesses scale, I see the same pattern over and over.

The breakthrough doesn't come from more capital.
It comes from recognizing what's already in your hands.

Your client testimonials? Use them.
Your industry expertise? Package it.
Your team's unique skills? Leverage them.
Your reputation? Monetize it properly.

I built my previous company into Utah's largest vehicle wrap business not because I had the most money.

Because I used every piece of leverage available to me.

Stop asking for fruit. Start tending the entire system that produces the harvest.

The money follows the value. Every single time.
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Grab my book! https://amzn.to/45Cm2ky
Hi, I’m Heather.
Let me help you scale your Utah $1M+ biz to $20M+

My credentials:
Built & sold Queen of Wraps (yep, that’s my face on the side of I-15)
Learned 1,769,230+ lessons so you skip trial-and-error
Zero Ivy MBA (just pioneer grit + market-tested tactics)

Let’s talk if you’re:
Ready to make your ‘good’ business a GREAT business
Hitting $1M+ and knowing you're built for more
Have 10+ employees that need to see your vision

Subscribe to my YouTube https://lnkd.in/g78wdEhm

I am not going to lie, Chase Murdock has assembled the ultimate team of Avengers in Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition in Utah. Anyone looking to purchase a business, should join our chapter!!

CEO, Decada Group — Building and stewarding enduring small businesses. Writing on stewardship, judgment, and ownership.

I’m excited to introduce the official ETA Utah Chapter.

But first, let’s rewind. In the 1980s at Stanford, a simple idea took shape: instead of starting a new company, raise capital to find and buy a good one from a retiring owner.

The model worked. Quietly at first. Then it spread. From Stanford to Harvard, and then to universities across the country. As Baby Boomers began retiring at a rate of more than 10,000 per day and thousands of small businesses came to market, the idea reached escape velocity. 

What started as an academic experiment became a category. Search funds. Self-funded searchers. Independent sponsors.

ETA, or "Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition," stopped being theoretical and became practical.

And right here in Utah, our state has quietly built one of the strongest ETA ecosystems in the country. Across universities, investors, operators, and service providers, there is real momentum.

What we have not had is a single place where it all comes together...
Until now.

Durable, a Decada Group company, has launched Utah’s official ETA Utah Chapter as part of our broader work building Utah’s Business Commons. 

This effort is intentionally cross-institutional. Our Advisory Board brings together leadership from the University of Utah, Utah Valley University, and Brigham Young University, alongside funds, exited searchers, and advisors who have built real careers in ETA and are committed to helping others do the same.

The ETA Utah Chapter sits within Durable’s Business Commons as a dedicated home for the ETA + broader M&A community. It is designed to provide coordination and momentum, building on the strong work already happening through university summits, informal meetups, and service provider networks.

If you care about ETA — whether you’re searching, operating, advising, investing, or just curious — come join us at our kickoff event.

Official Kickoff Event
📍 Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute
📅 February 19 5:30 - 7:30 PM

Our Advisory Board includes people whose judgment I’ve long respected in Utah’s ETA ecosystem:

Heather Griffith Barber — Exited Founder, Queen of Wraps
Scott Holley — Exec Dir, Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute; Exited Searcher
Dave Gilbert — Successful Searcher, now CEO of Proven
Caroline Chapdelaine — Successful Searcher, now CEO of Northstar Photonics
Reid Tileston — BYU & Case Western Reserve University; Exited Searcher
Seth Jenson — Director, UVU Entrepreneurship Institute
Kyle Poll — Successful Searcher, now CEO of GetOutPass
Blake J. Harber — Successful Searcher, now CEO of Routine Holdings

Special thanks to Joe Connelly for leading the chapter, and to Durable’s Contributor Team: Robert Falconer, Grace Brown, Cenezhana Rokhaneevna, MSF, Tyler Doman, Cristian Corrales for driving this forward behind the scenes.

This is a bottom-up, community-driven effort with a clear goal: 
Ensure Utah punches above its weight in the broader ETA ecosystem.

Join us at the kickoff, future events, and what comes next.

Why Social Commerce Is a Big Deal for Small Businesses

𝟭. 𝗟𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗔𝗰𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀Running a Shopify store or Amazon listing often requires costly ads just to get traffic. With TikTok or Instagram, your content is your ad—and the potential reach is enormous, especially when paired with trending audio or hashtags.

𝟮. 𝗭𝗲𝗿𝗼-𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀
The fewer clicks, the higher the conversion. With social commerce, the entire buyer journey—discovery, validation, and checkout—happens in one place. This drastically reduces friction.

𝟯. 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝘁-𝗜𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿 𝗘𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝘆Both platforms make it easy to partner with creators who already have trust with your target audience. These influencers can promote your products natively—with affiliate links or shoppable tags that drive direct sales.

𝟰. 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗹𝘀
Social commerce thrives on relatable content, not polished commercials. That’s good news for small business owners. A simple iPhone video of you packing an order or explaining your product story can outperform a high-budget ad.

𝟱. 𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴
Social platforms allow for geographic targeting, local hashtags, and community engagement. A local clothing boutique, for instance, can reach users within 10 miles and become a neighborhood favorite online as well as offline. #SellToScale #ExitReady #GrowYourBusiness #SellForProfit #ScaleYourBusiness #BusinessOptimization #BusinessSellers #SellYourBusiness #SellAndRetire #HustleAndScale #ScaleToExit #BusinessExit #ScaleToExit #EntrepreneurExit #BusinessValuation #StrategicGrowth #ExitStrategy #BusinessTransition #SellYourCompany

I am hosting a free entrepreneurship through acquisition event on Leland on Jan 21. Sign up! 

https://lnkd.in/gAwiqihD

10x thinking results in creativity
________________
Grab my book! https://cstu.io/4b00df
Hi, I’m Heather.
Let me help you scale your Utah $1M+ biz to $20M+

My credentials:
Built & sold Queen of Wraps (yep, that’s my face on the side of I-15)
Learned 1,769,230+ lessons so you skip trial-and-error
Zero Ivy MBA (just pioneer grit + market-tested tactics)

Let’s talk if you’re:
Ready to make your ‘good’ business a GREAT business
Hitting $1M+ and knowing you're built for more
Have 10+ employees that need to see your vision

Subscribe to my YouTube https://cstu.io/182a97

Why Your Biz Should Be a Taco Truck, Not a Buffet
Specialize or die mediocre.

Newsflash: Trying to do everything for everyone is like opening a restaurant that serves sushi, tacos, and schnitzel. 
Congrats—you’re now the “Jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none burger” of your industry.

Here’s the spicy truth:
✅ “Full-Service” = code for “kinda mid at everything.”
✅ Specialists = the secret sauce. (Hire the weirdo who dreams about your niche at night.)
✅ Do ONE thing stupidly well. Buyers don’t pay extra for “meh.”

Example:
A bakery stopped selling cupcakes, croissants, and cronuts. Went all-in on sourdough. Sold for 3X revenue. 🍞💰 Because “artisan sourdough” > “bread-ish.”

Your 3-Step “Stop Sucking at Stuff” Plan:
1️⃣ Fire the fluff (RIP, side hustles your team hates).
2️⃣ Hire the nerds (Find people who geek out over your one thing).
3️⃣ Shout it louder (“WE DO ONE THING AND WE’RE OBSESSED” beats “we do… stuff?”).

PS Your competitor’s out here being the Beyoncé of their one thing. You’re the backup dancer. 💃
#BuyScaleSell #NicheNotNice #SpecializeOrDie

Back by popular demand! I am hosting a free event on Leland. Register here https://lnkd.in/gX-s82cF

Tired of unpredictable cash flow?

Feast one month, famine the next? Stop the revenue rollercoaster. Productize your services into sellable packages for steady income.

Free Blueprint → Productize & Scale shows you how.

https://lnkd.in/gt5C2Zjb

A family member is in need of a probate attorney in California. Anyone have a recommendation?

My biggest flex is planning a vacation while on vacation. You’re welcome Zachary Barber

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