{"version":"1.0","type":"rich","provider_name":"Acast","provider_url":"https://acast.com","height":250,"width":700,"html":"<iframe src=\"https://embed.acast.com/$/65669bb2f7e6aa0012a3a280/68ef246cc68aefb90847d514?\" frameBorder=\"0\" width=\"700\" height=\"250\"></iframe>","title":"Chris Crittenden: Redefining Higher Education Through Sandbox and Bold Choices","description":"<p>In this episode, Casey sits down with Chris Crittenden, entrepreneur, educator, and co-founder of Sandbox, for a conversation on courage, innovation, and rethinking what education should be. From selling a startup to Walmart to leading at BYU and now building Sandbox into a movement across multiple universities, Chris shares why closing doors and going deep often leads to the greatest returns.</p><p><br></p><p>He and Casey explore the flaws of traditional higher education, the trap of chasing prestige, and the power of learning by doing. Chris outlines how Sandbox is equipping students to launch real companies while reshaping themselves in the process. Their discussion dives into resilience, resourcefulness, and why the greatest opportunities often lie off the beaten path.</p><p><br></p><p>This episode is both a critique of the old system and a vision for a new one, where students learn through building, failure is embraced as part of the process, and desire becomes the ultimate differentiator.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>What you'll learn</strong></p><ul><li>How traditional higher ed’s incentives produce shallow learning—and how changing the “soil” unlocks genuine growth.&nbsp;</li><li>The launch of the <strong>Sandbox Fellowship</strong>: a 12-month, accredited master’s built around one job—build a company.&nbsp;</li><li>The “neobank for universities” model: partnering with <strong>New Mexico Highlands University</strong> to innovate on top of accredited infrastructure.&nbsp;</li><li>Why <strong>desire</strong> beats pedigree for founders, and how door-to-door grit translates into startup success.&nbsp;</li></ul><p><br></p><p><strong>Chapters</strong></p><p><strong>00:00 | Welcome &amp; Chris’s background</strong>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>00:16 | Walmart exit, BYU connection &amp; early influences</strong>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>06:30 | Resourcefulness as the core Sandbox skill</strong></p><p><strong>07:14 | Growing up: farm roots, do-it-yourself mindset</strong></p><p><strong>09:51 | BYU → Consulting: chasing “stamps” vs. depth</strong>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>10:27 | McKinsey, prestige traps, and closing doors</strong>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>16:05 | Leaving Duke’s PhD for a startup</strong></p><p><strong>17:19 | Joining an unsexy company → billion-dollar outcome</strong></p><p><strong>31:11 | Teaching at BYU: joy vs. the politics of change</strong></p><p><strong>32:24 | Running the Rollins Center &amp; building inside BYU</strong>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>33:24 | Sandbox thesis: learn by doing, start real companies</strong>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>35:58 | Early wins: teams into YC, model effects</strong></p><p><strong>41:29 | Scaling beyond BYU: UVU story &amp; lucky plane ride</strong>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>43:02 | Six campuses: BYU, UVU, Utah State, Utah Tech, Boise State, Louisville</strong>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>43:41 | The “neobank for higher ed” insight</strong>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>45:27 | Announcing the Sandbox Fellowship (12-month MS, build a company)</strong>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>46:42 | Why for-profit: hire the best, build the best experience</strong>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>51:39 | Education as human transformation</strong>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>53:36 | Sales, rejection, and D2D grit in startups</strong>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>56:56 | Failure isn’t opposite of success—it’s part of it</strong>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>59:55 | Fellowship launches today + how to apply</strong>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>01:01:32 | Who gets in? One word: desire</strong>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>01:03:46 | Scale: cohort sizes, no equity, partner funds</strong>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>01:05:20 | Faith, purpose, and building for impact</strong>&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>","author_name":"Casey Baugh"}