Jennifer Conrad is the Founder, CEO, and Editor-in-Chief of Arizona Ascent, a media platform more than a magazine—uniting business, real estate, and community across Arizona. She builds brands and content that people remember, turning storytelling into strategy—and strategy into measurable impact.
Under her leadership, Arizona Ascent spotlights the leaders shaping Arizona’s future, positioning their work within the state’s broader momentum. Its stories don’t just inform—they elevate credibility, expand visibility, and connect leaders to the ecosystem that makes growth possible.
At 21, Clay Richardson dropped out of college with $400, a duffel bag, and a relentless curiosity. He slept on a mattress in a Berkeley frat house and started building—teaching himself hardware and software before most people had dial-up internet. Raised in Kaufman, Texas by a Vietnam veteran father who worked on missile guidance systems and a fiercely driven Filipino mother, Clay grew up wired for resilience.
Now building at the intersection of hardware and software in Tempe, he believes something uncommon: “Business doesn’t have to be spreadsheets and greed. You can run a company empathetically.” This episode is about risk, grit, and why empathy might be the ultimate competitive edge.
