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Burn The Map: Joel McKay Smith — Networking Maestro, Rural Champion, and Master of Community Capital

Burn The Map

Release Date: 10/23/2025

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In This Episode:

We talk to Joel McKay Smith—a guy whose “Rolodex” literally stress-tested the Wrench platform—about why real power isn’t in the LinkedIn follower count, but in the relationships you actually maintain. From rural Utah dairy farms to industrial parks, Joel’s journey is a hilarious, head-spinning tour straight through the heart of economic disruption and small-town resurrection. You think you’re a “super-connector”? 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—and headaches—of 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—yes, booze helps, but forcing people to talk is the real secret sauce

  • What it’ll take to make Utah ground zero for the first real carbon-neutral Olympics, and why he’s stubborn enough to try

Guest Bio:
Joel McKay Smith is that rare breed—equal parts super-connector, entrepreneur, and small-town disruptor. If you’re in Utah and don’t know Joel, you’re probably new here or you just don’t get out much. Joel’s professional Rolodex is the stuff of urban legend: 125,000 contacts deep and more engaged than half the “thought leaders” on LinkedIn. He’s stress-tested new tech, built some of the largest community groups in the region, and still remembers your name, your dog’s birthday, and probably what you were wearing at that luncheon in 2009—thanks 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’s turned his own experiences—as a neurodiverse leader and the child of a swindled senior—into launching tech solutions for the next wave of aging Gen Xers. If you’re here for pretty talk, keep scrolling. If you want real talk about legacy, innovation, and how the “give first, get later” 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/BurnTheMapPod
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/burnthemappodcast/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@burnthemappodcast
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/burnthemappodcast.bsky.social

Selected Links From This Episode:

People and Organizations Mentioned:

Show Notes & Timestamps:

  • 00:08 — Intro to Joel McKay Smith: Super-connector, Rolodex legend, and stress-tester of all things tech.

  • 01:17 – 06:41 — Neurodiversity, accidental savant memory, and networking superpowers.

  • 07:36 – 10:05 — Embracing neurodiversity, Oticon, and why Vance Jackets is a Utah tech legend.

  • 10:30 – 17:34 — Rural roots, economic disruption, and building communities that don’t suck.

  • 17:34 – 20:24 — Carbon-neutral moonshot: Utah’s Olympic dreams, industrial parks, and advanced nuclear.

  • 20:24 – 26:07 — Data centers, clean energy, and the economics of “smart” water.

  • 26:07 – 32:14 — Salt domes, micro-politan communities, visionary rural growth, and government shenanigans.

  • 32:14 – 33:12 — Main Street lessons, throwing parties worth attending, and why networking is everything.

  • 33:12 – 35:04 — Personal story: Elder scams, Silverguard, and fighting for senior safety.