{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Burn The Map: Joel McKay Smith \u2014 Networking Maestro, Rural Champion, and Master of Community Capital","description":"In This Episode: We talk to Joel McKay Smith\u2014a guy whose \u201cRolodex\u201d literally stress-tested the Wrench platform\u2014about why real power isn\u2019t in the LinkedIn follower count, but in the relationships you actually maintain. From rural Utah dairy farms to industrial parks, Joel\u2019s journey is a hilarious, head-spinning tour straight through the heart of economic disruption and small-town resurrection. You think you\u2019re a \u201csuper-connector\u201d? Please. Joel remembers your name, your birthday, and probably your lactose intolerance from a conversation in 1997, all while masterminding a carbon-neutral Olympics bid and hustling for tech that lets seniors outsmart scammers.  What We Cover:   How networking actually works (and why most people still get it so, so wrong)   The unlikely perks\u2014and headaches\u2014of a memory wired for deep connection   Building tech that transforms rural economies and gives Main Street a shot at Silicon Valley relevance   The art (and science) of running unforgettable events\u2014yes, booze helps, but forcing people to talk is the real secret sauce   What it\u2019ll take to make Utah ground zero for the first real carbon-neutral Olympics, and why he\u2019s stubborn enough to try    Guest Bio: Joel McKay Smith is that rare breed\u2014equal parts super-connector, entrepreneur, and small-town disruptor. If you\u2019re in Utah and don\u2019t know Joel, you\u2019re probably new here or you just don\u2019t get out much. Joel\u2019s professional Rolodex is the stuff of urban legend: 125,000 contacts deep and more engaged than half the \u201cthought leaders\u201d on LinkedIn. He\u2019s stress-tested new tech, built some of the largest community groups in the region, and still remembers your name, your dog\u2019s birthday, and probably what you were wearing at that luncheon in 2009\u2014thanks to a brain wired for deep connection and a dash of neurodivergent genius. In this interview, we discuss building social capital (and the importance of actually giving a damn), the state of economic development, and why rural communities are one innovation away from rewriting their fate. Joel spills on power grids, nuclear moonshots, masterminding events, and how he\u2019s turned his own experiences\u2014as a neurodiverse leader and the child of a swindled senior\u2014into launching tech solutions for the next wave of aging Gen Xers. If you\u2019re here for pretty talk, keep scrolling. If you want real talk about legacy, innovation, and how the \u201cgive first, get later\u201d philosophy actually pays off, settle in. Enjoy! This show was brought to you by Wrench.ai.  Follow Dan: LinkedIn: https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/danbaird\/ X: https:\/\/x.com\/mrdanbaird Follow Joel: LinkedIn: https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/joelmckaysmith\/ Follow the Pod: YouTube: https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@burnthemappodcast Twitter\/X: https:\/\/x.com\/BurnTheMapPodInstagram: https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/burnthemappodcast\/ TikTok: https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@burnthemappodcast BlueSky: https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/burnthemappodcast.bsky.social  Selected Links From This Episode:  Silverguard: https:\/\/silverguard-deck.lovable.app\/ , https:\/\/silverguard.lovable.app\/   People and Organizations Mentioned:   Joel McKay Smith   Dan Baird   Dean Lundberg: https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/deanlundberg\/   Spencer Cox: https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/govcox\/   Matthew Webster: https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/matthewfischer2018\/   Michael Baghoomian: https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/mikebags\/   Vance Jackets (Oticon US)   Utah Port Authority    Show Notes &amp;amp; Timestamps:   00:08 \u2014 Intro to Joel McKay Smith: Super-connector, Rolodex legend, and stress-tester of all things tech.   01:17 \u2013 06:41 \u2014 Neurodiversity, accidental savant memory, and networking superpowers.   07:36 \u2013 10:05 \u2014 Embracing neurodiversity, Oticon, and why Vance Jackets is a Utah tech legend.   10:30 \u2013 17:34 \u2014 Rural roots, economic disruption, and building communities that don\u2019t suck.   17:34 \u2013 20:24 \u2014 Carbon-neutral moonshot: Utah\u2019s Olympic dreams, industrial parks, and advanced nuclear.   20:24 \u2013 26:07 \u2014 Data centers, clean energy, and the economics of \u201csmart\u201d water.   26:07 \u2013 32:14 \u2014 Salt domes, micro-politan communities, visionary rural growth, and government shenanigans.   32:14 \u2013 33:12 \u2014 Main Street lessons, throwing parties worth attending, and why networking is everything.   33:12 \u2013 35:04 \u2014 Personal story: Elder scams, Silverguard, and fighting for senior safety.   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