2025 SPEAKER LINEUP

Brad Feld is a partner and co-founder of Foundry. He has been an early-stage investor and entrepreneur for over 35 years, since founding his first company, Feld Technologies, in college. Brad is also a co-founder of Techstars and, with his wife Amy Batchelor, runs the Anchor Point Foundation.

Brad holds Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Management Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Brad is also an art collector and long-distance runner who enjoys wandering around alone in the mountains for hours at a time.

Amanda Goetz is a 2x founder, 4x CMO, brand builder and content creator on marketing, personal and professional growth. She inspires over 150,000 people every week through her social insights and weekly newsletter, Life’s A Game. Her debut book “Toxic Grit” will be published October 2025.

Katie Trauth Taylor is CEO and Cofounder of Narratize AI, a product intelligence and innovation platform empowering teams to bring products and discoveries to market faster, smarter, and with greater impact by eliminating inefficiencies, aligning teams, and preserving institutional knowledge. Katie is a growth-focused entrepreneur executive with 10+ years experience inspiring teams to design and deliver magnetic products, memorable experiences, and groundbreaking impacts. She has led strategic innovation narratives and served as a senior content strategist within fast-growth tech startups and the Fortune 500. She believes that everyone can be an innovator–when empowered to share their bold ideas

Asia Orangio helps SaaS founders and growth teams reach their growth goals through tried-and-true go-to-market strategy, customer research, positioning and messaging, and growth practices. Asia also previously served on the board of directors at Moz before it was successfully acquired in 2021. In early 2018, Asia founded DemandMaven — a growth consultancy that helps SaaS, software, and internet-based companies troubleshoot their growth, identify new growth opportunities, and successfully go-to-market. Previously, Asia served in a number of marketing roles, but most notably as head of marketing at Hull where she helped the team 10.5x in growth, and #FlipMyFunnel / Terminus as demand generation manager. 

David “Dave” Hatley is the CEO and founder of LPI, Whisper, and related companies, with 30+ years in the hot tub, spa, and tanning industries. He built the largest hot tub manufacturer in the U.S., launched Whisper Carts—sold exclusively through Costco—and founded a finance company serving his customers. His operations in Johnson City employ over 700 people across 720,000 sq. ft. In 2023, he transitioned 36% of his water division to an ESOP. Dave and his wife also revived Hatley Pointe Ski Resort, winning national awards for its launch and marketing.

Chad Wolfe has spent nearly 30 years turning products into experiences and customers into loyal advocates. From leading retail strategies at Trek Bicycle to shaping Turtleson’s voice as Brand Manager, he’s built a career where data, storytelling, and hospitality meet.

Chad is passionate about creating brand moments that feel more like conversations than campaigns. Chad’s superpower is making people feel like they matter—and turning that into growth. At the Startup Mountain Summit, he’ll share lessons from building brands people truly love, and how to create trust, loyalty, and momentum in a crowded market.

Anthony Pierri is the co-founder of FletchPMM, a product marketing consultancy that helps companies discover their ideal product positioning and bring it to life on a newly crafted homepage. Since Fletch started, Anthony and his co-founder Rob Kaminski have worked with over 400 B2B software companies.

Erin is the founder of Scenic West Design, a boutique B2B SaaS Product Strategy and User Experience consultancy based in Nashville, TN. With over 15 years of Agile product and design experience, Erin has worked with 80+ SaaS companies to launch new products and iterate on existing products including a variety of ML/AI products. She enjoys working hands-on with growing B2B SaaS and AI companies to create innovative products and solve complex problems. Scenic West also currently leverages a range of AI tools to accelerate product management and design workflows for client projects.

Luke Thompson is a technologist and entrepreneur from East Tennessee. He is the Co‑Founder and Chief Operating Officer of The Operations Guide, a business automation agency that helps companies streamline processes with technology and artificial intelligence. Recognized for work at the intersection of business strategy and innovative tech, Luke’s mission at The Operations Guide is to use cutting‑edge AI so a small team can achieve the output of a 100‑person organization, redefining how companies operate through smart automation. He brings a people‑first mindset to every system he builds, aiming to remove busywork, create clarity, and help teams do their best work.

Lauren Glass Mullins, a native of Kingsport, TN, co-founded Personality Pool, a unique HR screening tool that expedites hiring by focusing on personalities instead of traditional resumes. With this venture, her third, Lauren transitioned into the tech industry. Driven by a simple goal: to make hiring easier and more effective for everyone. Lauren’s knack for recognizing talent and her commitment to efficiency define her approach. Through Personality Pool, she’s reshaping how companies find and integrate top talent.

Jose is a serial entrepreneur, the founder of Flavor Inc. and Spark Plaza—a thriving co-­working community that is home to businesses, creatives and startups.
As a speaker, Jose engages audiences in spicy conversations about the convergence of creativity, marketing, media, culture and technology. His travels have taken him from emceeing NASCAR races with audiences of 150,000 people, making salsa on stage in front of 500 business executives and helping people find their own unique flavor.