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CASE STUDIES
Todd Miller: His Mindset Behind Creating A Championship Culture
In this week's episode, Casey sits down with Todd Miller, longtime BYU Golf coach, mentor, and son of golf legend Johnny Miller, for a conversation about leadership, faith, mentorship, and the principles that shape championship culture.
Todd shares the lessons passed down through generations of his family, the mindset that has guided his life and career, and why developing people will always matter more than developing players. From growing up alongside one of golf's greatest champions to coaching All-Americans and PGA Tour professionals, Todd reflects on the importance of character, conviction, and creating an environment where people can reach their full potential.
Together, Casey and Todd explore what separates great competitors from great leaders, the power of authentic mentorship, and why success is ultimately measured by the lives you influence, not the trophies you collect.
[00:00] No success can compensate for failure at home
[00:25] Welcome back to Case Studies
[00:59] Coming to golf later in life
[02:55] Growing up a Miller in golf's shadow
[04:33] Time with Dad after the tour
[06:00] Grandpa Miller building champions
[08:46] Four brothers, four All-Americans
[16:26] BYU golf as a family forever
[20:30] Faith in the Miller household
[34:23] Choosing a mission over golf
[44:47] Building a coaching career on conviction
[57:03] Twenty years building BYU golf
[1:07:00] Caddying Carson's eagle at the US Am
[1:12:56] The future of BYU golf
The information in this communication is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice, a recommendation, or a solicitation to invest in any fund or security. This communication is not intended to provide, and should not be relied upon as, tax, legal, investment, accounting, or financial advice. Recipients should consult their own tax, legal, accounting, and other professional advisors regarding any potential investment in a fund or security.
This communication does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any interest in a pooled investment vehicle sponsored by Sandlot Partners, LLC (“Sandlot”) or any of its affiliates (“Fund”). Any such offer or solicitation will be made only by means of each respective Fund’s confidential Private Placement Memorandum (“PPM”), Limited Partnership Agreement, Subscription Documents, and other operative documents (collectively, the “Offering Documents”), which contain material information not included herein and which supersede this communication in its entirety.
Past performance is not indicative of future results. There can be no assurance that any Fund will achieve comparable results or implement its strategy successfully. All investing involves risk, including the loss of principal. Each Fund typically invests in illiquid projects that cannot be quickly sold or converted to cash. As a result, investors may not be able to access their capital when desired. Additional risks associated with an investment in a Fund, as well as important information about Sandlot Partners and its personnel, are described in detail in the Offering Documents and in Sandlot Partners’ Form ADV, which is publicly available on the SEC’s Investment Adviser Public Disclosure website at https://adviserinfo.sec.gov. Both the Offering Documents and Form ADV should be read carefully and should serve as the sole basis for any decision to invest in each respective Fund.
Certain statements, testimonials, or endorsements included in this communication may have been provided by clients or non-clients of Sandlot. The individuals or entities providing such statements did not receive direct cash compensation from Sandlot in connection with the statements or endorsements.
In certain circumstances, Sandlot or its affiliates may have provided indirect economic benefits or other consideration to such persons or entities, including through business relationships, investments, portfolio company relationships, or other arrangements.
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147. Brian Murphy: Turning Broken Deals Into Billion-Dollar Structures
01:41:45||Season 1, Ep. 147Brian Murphy spent thirty years building Portfolio Advisors from a bare office with no furniture into a firm that raised roughly $90 billion and delivered an 18.4% compounded return to its clients. In this episode of Case Studies, Brian sits down with Casey to trace that arc, from selling bootleg fireworks as a kid to restructuring a broken $395 million portfolio at twenty-nine years old, and ultimately building one of the most creative fund structures in private equity.The conversation moves well beyond deal mechanics. Brian unpacks the mindset behind solving problems no one else would touch, the discipline of building partnerships instead of hierarchies, and why he and his wife, Louise, chose to fund college educations for the children of their employees rather than keep more for themselves.[00:00] Introducing Brian Murphy[02:15] Childhood hustles and mopeds[05:35] Born with the entrepreneurial bug[13:26] Painting crews and street credit[20:36] Landing at Columbia Business School[25:04] Restructuring, Blackstone, and Gibson Greetings[33:21] Founding Portfolio Advisors[43:09] Ninety billion and an 18.4% return[45:33] Sharing equity with employees[52:00] The scholarship gift to staff[1:13:31] The Murphy family bank[1:29:56] Lessons from every market crashThe information in this communication is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice, a recommendation, or a solicitation to invest in any fund or security. This communication is not intended to provide, and should not be relied upon as, tax, legal, investment, accounting, or financial advice. Recipients should consult their own tax, legal, accounting, and other professional advisors regarding any potential investment in a fund or security.This communication does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any interest in a pooled investment vehicle sponsored by Sandlot Partners, LLC (“Sandlot”) or any of its affiliates (“Fund”). Any such offer or solicitation will be made only by means of each respective Fund’s confidential Private Placement Memorandum (“PPM”), Limited Partnership Agreement, Subscription Documents, and other operative documents (collectively, the “Offering Documents”), which contain material information not included herein and which supersede this communication in its entirety.Past performance is not indicative of future results. There can be no assurance that any Fund will achieve comparable results or implement its strategy successfully. All investing involves risk, including the loss of principal. Each Fund typically invests in illiquid projects that cannot be quickly sold or converted to cash. As a result, investors may not be able to access their capital when desired. Additional risks associated with an investment in a Fund, as well as important information about Sandlot Partners and its personnel, are described in detail in the Offering Documents and in Sandlot Partners’ Form ADV, which is publicly available on the SEC’s Investment Adviser Public Disclosure website at https://adviserinfo.sec.gov. Both the Offering Documents and Form ADV should be read carefully and should serve as the sole basis for any decision to invest in each respective Fund.Certain statements, testimonials, or endorsements included in this communication may have been provided by clients or non-clients of Sandlot. The individuals or entities providing such statements did not receive direct cash compensation from Sandlot in connection with the statements or endorsements.In certain circumstances, Sandlot or its affiliates may have provided indirect economic benefits or other consideration to such persons or entities, including through business relationships, investments, portfolio company relationships, or other arrangements.146. Adam Edmunds: Why High Performers Secretly Struggle With Feeling Enough
01:21:55||Season 1, Ep. 146In this episode of Case Studies, Casey sits down with Adam Edmunds, CEO of Entrada and former executive behind companies like Podium, Allegiance, and SilentWhistle, for an honest conversation about ambition, identity, and the emotional weight that often comes with high performance.Adam opens up about the hidden struggle behind outward success; building and selling companies, chasing relevance, and quietly battling depression while leading at the highest levels of Utah tech. He reflects on the pressure to prove himself, the danger of tying self-worth to achievement, and the wake up call that forced him to reevaluate everything from leadership to relationships to personal fulfillment.The conversation explores entrepreneurship, product-market fit, burnout, divorce, fatherhood, reinvention, and what it means to build a life rooted in gratitude instead of validation. Adam also shares lessons from scaling Entrada into one of the most important software companies in the country and why creating meaningful impact now matters more to him than titles or recognition.This episode is a powerful listen for founders, leaders, and anyone learning that success without alignment eventually comes at a cost.[00:00] Meeting face to face, finally[01:34] Gratitude for where he stands now[03:49] Blending two families[07:40] Losing his edge on a bike climb[10:29] High-functioning, undiagnosed depression[14:19] Facing the silence after leaving Podium[23:39] Spring, summer, fall, and winter[27:56] Never feeling like enough[35:18] SilentWhistle and cold-emailing CEOs[43:48] Allegiance and a broken cap table[52:17] Podium, product-market fit, and burnout[58:00] Dave's call and joining Entrada[01:07:48] Rules he broke to meet Alli[01:17:52] Faith, spirituality, and showing up[01:20:31] Basketball cards for foster kids145. David Butler: Why Every Culture on Earth Points Back to God
01:28:41||Season 1, Ep. 145In this episode of Case Studies, Casey sits down again with David Butler, a teacher of world religions and guide of immersive faith based trips, for the second installment of their four part series. The discussion moves from the Maasai tribes of Tanzania to a mosque in Turkey to the streets of first century Jerusalem, tracing a consistent idea. Across every culture, language, and tradition, people are reaching for the same thing. David unpacks why grace only exists in a messy world, why failure is often the doorway rather than the disqualifier, and why Jesus's ministry ran on a kind of inefficiency that modern leaders are trained to avoid: one-on-one presence over scale. For founders and leaders who default to optimization, this is a case for slowing down, sitting with the outlier, and finding meaning in what looks unproductive. David also shares how to join him on a future Jerusalem trip. This episode is for anyone rethinking how faith, leadership, and human connection intersect, especially those wrestling with how ambition and presence coexist. Connect with David on Instagram at @mrdavebutler, or sign up to be notified about upcoming trips here144. Jeanette Bennett: Highlight Episode
01:38:05||Season 1, Ep. 144In this episode of Case Studies, Casey sits down with Jeanette Bennett – award-winning journalist, founder of Utah Valley Magazine, and now a rising leader in commercial real estate; for a compelling conversation about reinvention, resilience, and the power of quiet ambition.Jeanette opens up about her early days growing up in Idaho, her fierce internal drive that led her to become valedictorian, and how motherhood sparked the entrepreneurial fire that would define her career. With no outside funding, she sold her home to launch her first magazine; a move that would go on to shape the voice of Utah’s business community for over two decades.They explore the realities of building a company from scratch, navigating gender dynamics in leadership, and what it looks like to gracefully transition into a new chapter of influence and impact. Through it all, Jeanette reflects on listening as a superpower, the art of celebrating others, and the quiet strength it takes to lead with both confidence and humility.This conversation is packed with insight for anyone building a business, a life, or both.144. David Butler: Faith, the Cosmos, and the Road to Jerusalem
01:31:14||Season 1, Ep. 144In this episode of Case Studies, Casey welcomes back David Butler for the first of a four-part series exploring faith ahead of a group pilgrimage to Jerusalem. David, who leads pilgrimage experiences to the Holy Land, joins Casey to unpack what it means to know God more deeply, starting with creation itself.The conversation moves from a desert night in the Sahara staring through a telescope at two billion solar systems, to the story of Job being pointed toward the stars, to why scripture's purpose isn't a history lesson but a portrait of God's character. David and Casey talk about the strange comfort of feeling small against something vast, why the wealthy and powerful become less accessible while God becomes more so, and how a friend's grief after unexpected loss became an unexpected testimony of connection beyond death.They also get personal, about the pull toward something bigger than daily life, the discipline of belief that lets you actually move forward instead of staying stuck in fear, and what it's like walking through the literal places where these ancient stories happened. David closes by sharing how listeners can put together their own custom trip to experience it firsthand.00:00 | Intro: Recapping the last episode and the road to Jerusalem02:27 | Setting the scene: what Jerusalem actually looks like03:38 | Why Jerusalem captures the imagination04:59 | Faith as a driving force in history — for good and for harm05:41 | A night in the Sahara and 2 billion solar systems08:49 | The two creation accounts: scripture and the stars10:45 | SpaceX, the moon race, and our pull toward something bigger19:58 | Covenant Mountain: God initiating a relationship with Abraham25:08 | The Todd Peterson story: what real leadership looks like28:41 | God's promises to Abraham and the origin of "believe"32:00 | What "amen" really means36:43 | The Alex and Grant story: playing the long game as a parent38:51 | "You've been God for a long time"42:52 | Do the dead still show up? A friend's stage-four cancer and a dream52:41 | Bethlehem, the Jordan River, and the name Joshua/Jesus55:23 | Reading scripture to learn God's character, not just how to act59:10 | Tying the Old Testament to the New: Jesus as the God who heals1:03:48 | Doing his best work in ordinary, unremarkable places1:06:27 | Capernaum: the city Christ's miracles kept returning to1:09:28 | The paralyzed man lowered through the roof — healing the soul first1:14:53 | The woman with the issue of blood — 12 years overlooked1:22:09 | "Who God is, is who he'll always be" — reading scripture as pattern1:24:07 | Wrapping up: Jehovah, Jesus, and what it means for the Jerusalem trip143. Doug Cartwright: Stage 4 Brain Cancer and the Power of Hope
56:41||Season 1, Ep. 143In this episode of Case Studies, Casey back sits down with Doug Cartwright; entrepreneur, author, speaker, and longtime friend; for one of the most personal and powerful conversations ever shared on the show. After being diagnosed with stage 4 glioblastoma, an aggressive and incurable form of brain cancer, Doug opens up about the months leading to his diagnosis, the emotional weight of confronting mortality, and the perspective shift that followed. Together, they explore faith, friendship, resilience, and the surprising gifts that can emerge from life’s most difficult challenges. Doug shares how his relationship with God has deepened, why relationships have become his highest priority, and how a renewed sense of urgency has sharpened his appreciation for everyday moments. He also discusses the cutting edge treatment options he is pursuing, including a groundbreaking CAR-T clinical trial at the University of Pennsylvania, and the resourcefulness required to keep fighting when the odds are stacked against him. Doug’s perspective is a powerful reminder that life’s greatest challenges often reveal what matters most.To support Doug’s treatment, medical expenses, and clinical trial journey, you can donate here: gofund.me/0ef9a2dae142. Taylor Randall: Highlight Episode
01:10:34||Season 1, Ep. 142In this episode of Case Studies, Casey sits down with Taylor Randall, the 17th president of the University of Utah and former dean of the David Eccles School of Business. With a background as a distinguished economist and academic leader, Taylor brings deep insight into what it takes to lead major institutions through growth, innovation, and cultural transformation.He shares the leadership principles that guided his decade-long transformation of the Eccles School into a nationally recognized and fast growing business program, and discusses how those same values now shape his presidency at the University of Utah. The conversation explores how to build momentum in complex systems, why fast decision making matters, and how to lead with both humility and urgency in high stakes environments.Casey and Taylor unpack topics ranging from academic innovation and public university strategy to entrepreneurship, economics, and the future of higher education.142. Heather & Don Van Boerum: How Losing Everything Taught Us What We Had
01:27:45||Season 1, Ep. 142In this episode of Case Studies, Casey sits down with Heather and Don Van Boerum — a Utah couple whose ordinary trip to Costco became a moment that divided their lives into before and after — for an honest conversation about trauma, faith, marriage, and what it means to find joy on the other side of the unthinkable.Heather opens up about losing both legs below the knee in a parking lot accident just days before Christmas, navigating 14-plus hours of surgery, and the quiet spiritual premonition she'd had only a week before it happened. Don, a trauma surgeon who has spent his career walking into the worst moments of strangers' lives, reflects on what it was like to jump into the back of an ambulance and realize it was his wife — and the dark night he spent wandering back to the Costco parking lot wondering if they'd made the wrong call.The conversation explores the thin line between survival and loss, the choice to compete instead of collapse, the son who wrote a forgiveness card to the driver before his mom had even thought to be angry, and the kind of joy that can only be found on the other side of deep suffering. Heather and Don talk about what presence actually means, how tragedy clarified their marriage, and why four and a half years later, neither of them would trade what this experience has given them.This episode is a powerful listen for anyone navigating hardship, anyone who's ever questioned whether faith holds up under real pressure, and anyone who needs a reminder that the richest lives are rarely the ones that went according to plan.00:00 — Introduction & How They Met11:00 — Life Before the Accident11:54 — Just a Normal Day16:18 — The Moment of Impact22:32 — Don Hears It Happen25:06 — "We Have Her Limbs"33:30 — The Surgery That Lasted Until Christmas Eve36:22 — "This Is My Wife, Let's Get Going"47:42 — Choosing to Win49:44 — The Christmas Eve Surgery57:54 — "Will You Make Up My Difference?"01:03:10 — The Card01:13:00 — Beauty From Ashes01:18:23 — What We Know Now01:26:38 — Happy vs. Joy