Most recently Chad launched Green Leader Ventures; a seed/early stage fund that backs Utah’s brightest and most inspiring entrepreneurs and then acts as an accelerator to help them achieve their dreams.  He sits on the Boards and has operational oversight roles in several of the portfolio companies. In addition, he provides franchisor, real estate, and venture investment consultation to high net-worth individuals and franchise companies. To not lose sight of his roots and to "pay it forward," each month he also provides free franchise consulting to a select few first time franchise candidates. 

 

As CEO, Chad’s led businesses in software and Internet, franchising, retail, manufacturing & distribution, and consumer services for over 30 years.

 

His Dating DNA venture is a profitable tech company that is both a successful website based business (www.datingdna.com) and is one of Apple’s top iOS App Developers, with over 40 apps (www.clipish.net) – 20 of which are in the top 200 in the app store charts -- with two reaching #1 and another at #2 of their respective categories.

Franchise companies that he’s founded/co-founded led have sold over 500 franchises, in all 50 states and six countries--the highest profile being a 210 store franchise chain called Pro Image (www.proimage.net) which sold licensed team NFL, NBA, MLB, & NCAA apparel. With only $1,000 start-up capital and no other debt or equity invested, Chad and his brother, Kevin, grew this company to be Inc. Magazines #160 Fastest Growing Small Business In The U.S. with 1000 system-wide employees and doing $100 million in annual sales.

 

During this same time, they innovated and opened another mall-based store called Kartoyz. This store specialized in retailing licensed automotive apparel and branded merchandise, which were not available at the time, so they negotiated deals and became a licensee of Porche, Ferrari, BMW, and many other automotive brands and began designing, manufacturing, and distributing licensed apparel items. They had a very successful exit in Kartoyz by selling it to the same public company that purchased the Pro Image.

Chad was the Founder, Chairman and CEO of Sadie's--a unique chain of creative children's digital photography stores located in malls throughout the country.  This innovative concept produced the “World’s Most Creative Children’s Portraits” and was the first in the country to adopt leading edge digital photography technology and merge it into the Internet, in real time, to generate e-commerce to complement the traditional brick-and-mortar retail revenue.    

       
Prior to Sadie’s, he started and led I.N.V.U. Portraits to 68 franchises, which made it the world's largest chain of children's vintage photography franchises. During this same time, Chad was a partner and Board Member as he actively assisted his brother, Kevin, in innovating and growing a mall based fast food specialty concept, called Nach-O Fast, to 65 franchise stores.

Another business he founded was I.N.V.U Apparel--a manufacturer of a Junior line of active-wear clothing with national distribution to specialty retailers and large department stores such as Nordstrom, J.C. Penny, Macy's, and Dillard's.

Chad’s business ventures have led him to receive numerous honors, including the National Young Entrepreneur of the Year by Chivas Regal. He was also named the Utah Small Business Person of the Year by the SBA. From there, he went on to receive the National Small Business Person of the Year Second Runner-up award presented by President George Bush at the White House. He was named as the Inc. Magazine/Ernst & Young Regional Entrepreneur of the Year and was inducted into the Institute of American Entrepreneurs. Chad is a graduate of Weber State University – B.S., Accounting.