The award-winning Master of Business Creation (MBC) program at the University of Utah’s David Eccles School of Business graduated 16 founders from the online option for the period ending fall 2024.
See below for a complete listing of the founders, with company descriptions.
The founders started 14 companies and are from 2 states. They completed the MBC Online option, a virtual, flexible format that spans three semesters. They accelerating their startup companies in this high-value and affordable program for entrepreneurs with help from personalized mentoring, applied curriculum, access to grants for their business, marketing support and more.
“We are proud of what all these founders achieved in this intense program designed for entrepreneurs,” said Paul Brown, director of the MBC program and a professor in the Department of Entrepreneurship & Strategy. “In many ways, graduation is only the beginning for them, as they will now be applying the lessons learned to their companies and other endeavors. We will also continue to stay engaged as they join our growing alumni network across the globe.”
The MBC program is provided by the Department of Entrepreneurship & Strategy at the Eccles School in partnership with the Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute at the University of Utah’s David Eccles School of Business.
Applications are now open to join the MBC Online and In-Person programs in fall 2025. The priority application deadline to enroll in fall 2025 is March 20, and the regular deadline is June 15. Space is limited, so early applications are encouraged. Apply and learn more here.
The Eccles School created the MBC program to blend the best attributes of a top-tier business curriculum with a startup accelerator. The founders develop their startups during the program while taking classes from leading experts and receiving extensive resources and mentorship to help them address their immediate business needs.
The MBC program is one of the latest additions to the Eccles School, which celebrates entrepreneurship as a core value and fosters it throughout its undergraduate and graduate programs. The program was recognized by the Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers for “Excellence in Entrepreneurship Teaching and Pedagogical Innovation,” and the program won first place in the professional-services category in the Utah Innovation Awards managed by Utah Business and Foley & Lardner.
Learn more about the Master of Business Creation program and apply at eccles.utah.edu/mbc.
MBC Online Graduates Fall 2024
Here are the startups and founders graduating from the MBC Online program in the period ending fall 2024 (in alphabetical order by company):
- Delos Industries (Cameron Van Waggoner, of Provo, Utah) – Light-gauge, steel-framing manufacturing. Panelized construction company building homes in the developing world.
- Dune Automotive/ Pro Auto Films (Zachary Hale, of Murray, Utah) – Car detailing and customizing.
- Helios Fitness & Wellness (Ari Weinstein, of Heber City, Utah) – High-end wellness facility.
- High Top HR (Sharon Salmon, of Park City, Utah) – Fractional human resources business. People operations consulting and coaching.
- Honu Medical (Bruno Silva, of Saratoga Springs, Utah) – Proactive medical clinic to address heart disease and diabetes.
- Independent Notion (Aleksander “Alek” Hender, of Layton, Utah) – Lifestyle clothing company.
- Intellition (Annie Davis, of Salt Lake City) – Autonomous drone solutions for ski resorts.
- Ovation Health (Eric Danielson, of Bountiful, Utah and Kyler Mahoney, of Layton, Utah) – Providing onsite health services for employers with an emphasis in musculoskeletal health care. Onsite employer-based chiropractic and physical therapy services.
- Space Gnome Studio (Kory Fluckiger, of Woodruff, Utah) – Full-service art production studio. A contract game design, development and art production studio.
- Utah Medical Massage & Wellness (Krystal Christensen, of Riverton, Utah) – Medical massage and wellness business. They provide complimentary orthopedic medicine to help people optimize wellness, manage pain and rehabilitate after injury or surgery.
- Wasatch Optimal Wellness Clinic, WOW Clinic – (G. Bryant Salmon and Benjamin Fogg, Heber City, Utah) – Outdoor-sports-oriented Heber wellness clinic.
- We Rock DM (Tricia Ulberg, Spicewood, Texas) – Austin-based website design and digital marketing agency.
- What if Jewelry (Brie Wahlstrom, of Centerville, Utah) – Sustainable custom jewelry.
- Yesui (Tsenduren “Cindy” Tumnee, of Lehi, Utah) – Small business connecting the Mongolian community.
About the David Eccles School of Business
The Eccles experience provides a world-class business education with a unique, entrepreneurial focus on real-world scenarios where students put what they learn into practice long before graduation. Founded in 1917 and educating more than 6,000 students annually, the University of Utah David Eccles School of Business offers nine undergraduate majors, four MBAs, eight other graduate programs, a Ph.D. in five areas and executive education curricula. The School is also home to 12 institutes, centers and initiatives that deliver academic research and support an ecosystem of entrepreneurship and innovation. For more information, visit Eccles.Utah.edu or call 801-581-7676.
About the Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute
The Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute is a nationally ranked hub for student entrepreneurship and innovation at the University of Utah and an interdisciplinary division of the David Eccles School of Business. The first programs were offered in 2001, through the vision and support of Pierre Lassonde, an alumnus of the Eccles School and successful mining entrepreneur. The institute now provides opportunities for thousands of students to learn about entrepreneurship and innovation. Programs include workshops, networking events, business-plan competitions, startup support, innovation programs, graduate and alumni programs, scholarships, community outreach and more. All programs are open to students from any academic major or background. The Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute also manages Lassonde Studios, a five-story innovation space and housing facility for all students. Learn more at Lassonde.Utah.edu.