Chris Crittenden: Redefining Higher Education Through Sandbox and Bold Choices

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.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.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.What you'll learnHow traditional higher ed’s incentives produce shallow learning—and how changing the “soil” unlocks genuine growth. The launch of the Sandbox Fellowship: a 12-month, accredited master’s built around one job—build a company. The “neobank for universities” model: partnering with New Mexico Highlands University to innovate on top of accredited infrastructure. Why desire beats pedigree for founders, and how door-to-door grit translates into startup success. Chapters00:00 | Welcome & Chris’s background 00:16 | Walmart exit, BYU connection & early influences 06:30 | Resourcefulness as the core Sandbox skill07:14 | Growing up: farm roots, do-it-yourself mindset09:51 | BYU → Consulting: chasing “stamps” vs. depth 10:27 | McKinsey, prestige traps, and closing doors 16:05 | Leaving Duke’s PhD for a startup17:19 | Joining an unsexy company → billion-dollar outcome31:11 | Teaching at BYU: joy vs. the politics of change32:24 | Running the Rollins Center & building inside BYU 33:24 | Sandbox thesis: learn by doing, start real companies 35:58 | Early wins: teams into YC, model effects41:29 | Scaling beyond BYU: UVU story & lucky plane ride 43:02 | Six campuses: BYU, UVU, Utah State, Utah Tech, Boise State, Louisville 43:41 | The “neobank for higher ed” insight 45:27 | Announcing the Sandbox Fellowship (12-month MS, build a company) 46:42 | Why for-profit: hire the best, build the best experience 51:39 | Education as human transformation 53:36 | Sales, rejection, and D2D grit in startups 56:56 | Failure isn’t opposite of success—it’s part of it 59:55 | Fellowship launches today + how to apply 01:01:32 | Who gets in? One word: desire 01:03:46 | Scale: cohort sizes, no equity, partner funds 01:05:20 | Faith, purpose, and building for impact   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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