Youpa Stein is an activist, artist, and advocate for a plastic-free world. In this episode, Justin and Youpa discuss the widespread impacts of plastic pollution, from its presence in the human body to its role in climate change. Youpa explains why recycling alone isn’t enough, highlights policy challenges and victories, and offers some practical steps for reducing plastic use.

Transcript available here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FazH-GBKvj01q6vwMlpz6eaIsUl3xFzio7n90h2AhaI/edit?usp=sharing

In the first episode of our new Voices of Trade miniseries, Justin speaks with Brian Cebull, CEO of GTUIT, an energy company based in Billings focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. They discuss GTUIT’s innovative approach to mitigating natural gas flaring, the company’s expansion into international markets, and the challenges of conducting global business from Montana.

In the lead up to the Montana World Trade Center’s World Trade and Investment Day, our Voices of Trade miniseries will be exploring the various opportunities and challenges facing Montana firms doing business internationally.

Learn more about GTUIT here: https://gtuit.com/

Learn more about Montana World Trade Center here: https://www.mwtc.org/

Transcript available here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1D5ZKMDVsZTIppbLBqMIYcXZPLCofOjmwMhwcgypQJNE/edit?usp=sharing

Slaven Lee is the executive director of the Missoula Public Library, which was the first North American library to be named Best Public Library by the International Federation of Library Associations in 2022. In this episode, she highlights the library’s innovative “All Under One Roof” model, commitment to sustainability, and role as a vital community hub.

Learn more about Missoula Public Library here: https://www.missoulapubliclibrary.org/

Transcript available here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ug2XVOeKCBvnIvDWWtLSbapwsCJxzGZz2rTwMtvZQZQ/edit?usp=sharing

In our annual January predictions show, Justin and Bryce forecast what’s in store for 2025. After they dissect last year’s calls on economic stability, political shifts, and cultural trends, the two share their predictions and personal resolutions for the year ahead.

Transcript available here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZRGYc_0TBYdtoQOF5-YS8YCxTozT2It_5DOFx9aru6A/edit?usp=sharing

Mallory Ottariano is the founder of Youer, an American-made apparel company headquartered in Missoula that offers bold, functional, and sustainable clothing for active individuals. Mallory shares her journey from experimenting with sewing and design in her Massachusetts hometown to building a thriving business in Montana. She delves into the pivotal moments that shaped her path, including leveraging Etsy to launch her brand, transitioning from solo production to owning a local factory, creating a distinct design ethos, and maintaining creativity and passion in entrepreneurship.

1/23/2025 update from Mallory:

Last month, we made the very difficult decision to let half our team go and downsize our in-house production. We’ve moved those units to our existing partner facility in California. We’ll still be making one product in-house but nothing like the scale we were operating at before, where we made 70% in-house in 2024. We’ve always made things in California, but now we’ll be making nearly all of it there. Thanks for the opportunity to share stories of making clothes in America.

Learn more about Youer here.

Transcript available here.

Yarrow Kraner is the founder of Hatch, a global network of influencers committed to progress on pressing societal issues. Yarrow reflects on his early experiences pioneering social networking for good with initiatives that predated platforms like MySpace and Facebook, the unintended consequences of modern social media platforms, and the importance of creating spaces for genuine connection and impact. He also discusses Hatch’s gatherings, like its global summits and the Montana Festival, which bring together leaders, creators, and problem-solvers to foster transformative conversations and solutions.

Learn more about Hatch at HatchExperience.org and the Montana Festival at MontanaFestival.org.

Transcript available here.

David Cohen is the CEO and co-founder of Techstars, one of the most influential startup accelerators in the world. In this live episode recorded at the Scaling Montana Summit in Bozeman, Justin sits down with David to discuss Techstar’s mission to help founders succeed and the cultural value of “give first” that defines vibrant startup ecosystems. David shares lessons from Boulder’s entrepreneurial community, the importance of investing in people over ideas, and ethical considerations in tech.

Learn more about Techstars here.

Transcript available here.

J. David McSwane is an award-winning investigative journalist at ProPublica who recently published a story about Dr. Tom Weiner, a prominent oncologist at Helena’s St. Peter’s Hospital whose practices raised significant ethical, medical, and legal questions. McSwane takes us behind the scenes of his reporting process, sharing how he uncovered allegations of malpractice, including fraudulent billing, overprescription of narcotics, and unsettling end-of-life care decisions. The conversation explores the intersection of health care and greed, the power dynamics within the medical community, and the challenges of exposing complex institutional failures in a community divided between admiration for Dr. Weiner and distrust of the hospital system.

Read McSwane’s story on Dr. Weiner, “Eat What You Kill,” here: https://www.propublica.org/article/thomas-weiner-montana-st-peters-hospital-oncology

Transcript available here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Zxg23YdMoJEkzuv_bvC-ZimCJ-6Tbw0xUkFH0wP3oy0/edit?usp=sharing