This story appears in the February issue of Utah Business. Subscribe.
Tim Holladay’s day-to-day is a journey into the future. As managing partner of Spacestation Investments, he spends his days talking to ambitious founders and evaluating the companies that will shape how we live, work and consume in the years ahead. (“It’s like I’m in the DeLorean,” Holladay says.) He knows how to be a trusted advisor because he’s a founder himself: After exiting Crowd Mics — a tech company he built with his brother, Sean — the two of them joined forces with YouTube star Shaun McBride (“Shonduras”) to help build what would become one of Utah’s most prolific investment firms. Holladay has helped grow its portfolio to over 107 companies in just four years, including breakout brands like Magic Spoon, Oura Ring and Olipop. With a new $40 million fund in the works, he’s focused on backing early-stage consumer and tech companies while leveraging strategic partnerships with creators like MrBeast and Dude Perfect.
Apps: ChatGPT, Amazon, Notes
Podcasts: “All-In,” “Modern Wisdom,” “The Full Ratchet,” “20VC,” “Ear Biscuits”
Investor coins
“We mint coins for our private group of angel investors. … One side has the logo of the company they invested in, and the other side has the Spacestation logo. On the back of every coin, it says, ‘Surround yourself with good people.’ We try to live by that in every aspect of what we do.”
AirPods
“For sound masking when things get wild at The Spacestation. On a regular Friday, a channel will hit 8 million subscribers. I’ll just be sitting here on a call and suddenly hear confetti cannons and 50 people screaming and yelling.”
Nomatic McKinnon Camera Pack 25L Backpack
“The ultimate everyday carry. They’re premium, and it’s worth it.”
Dairy Queen T-Bucket
“My parents owned a Dairy Queen for 33 years. … My dad and brother Sean built this hot rod years ago, and it’s a blast to drive. It’s the closest thing to riding a motorcycle without being on a bike.”
Crushed ice machine
“Every day, I fill up my Spacestation-branded tumbler with water and ice, drink an LMNT — one of our portfolio companies — fill it back up, then eat the ice. … The addiction is deep.”
Treadmill desk
“I’ve been trying to do five miles a day, which is not as tough as you think when it’s spread throughout the workday.”
Bear Lake
“Family, boating, skiing, stars, hikes — it’s my escape, and it’s what helped us decide to move here from Arizona.”
