Roots and Branches of Lehi

About Roots and Branches of Lehi

🌳 Dive into Lehi's heart with Roots and Branches of Lehi. Join us for stories from those shaping our community, from city leaders to everyday heroes. Each episode explores Lehi's evolution, offering insights and celebrating our collective history. Whether you’re a longtime resident or new, these narratives deepen connections to our town. 🎙️ Subscribe for inspiring stories and expert insights every week!

Publisher

Work Harding

Category

society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

13 Nov 2024

Latest episode

23 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

121 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   23 Oct 2026

   Principled Leadership in a Divided Political Climate

   🏛️ Public service means balancing competing needs, standing by your principles, and remembering who you serve. In this Roots & Branches of Lehi highlight, James Harrison reflects on how his experiences in military service and government shaped his approach to leadership. As a transportation logistics officer, he served in assignments connected to Washington, D.C., China, Pakistan, and Japan, and later volunteered to deploy to Afghanistan. Those experiences taught him to work alongside people with different perspectives while remaining committed to the Constitution and the responsibility of serving Americans. That same mindset carries into local government. James discusses why he pursued a city council seat, the challenges of managing Lehi’s growth, and why housing decisions must account for more than density alone. Infrastructure, neighborhood impacts, and property rights all deserve careful consideration. He also shares his perspective on public spending, explaining how reprioritizing the city budget helped avoid a proposed property tax increase. To James, tax dollars represent a public trust that leaders must handle responsibly. 💬 His broader message is that leadership requires more than defending a position. It means listening, weighing consequences, debating respectfully, and building trust—even when people disagree. Strong communities aren't built by eliminating every difference. They're built by working through those differences with principle and respect. 🏡 At Work Hard Mortgage, we believe stronger communities grow when people invest in one another, take responsibility for their communities, and put down roots where they live. 🎧 Full conversation also in bio. #RootsAndBranchesOfLehi #WorkHardMortgage #LehiUtah #LocalGovernment #CommunityLeadership #PropertyRights #ResponsibleGrowth #PublicService

2. 

   19 Oct 2026

   Lehi Utah Growth Explained: Zoning, Property Taxes, Traffic, and Housing

   Lehi City Councilmember James Harrison on Growth, Zoning, Taxes, and Transportation | Roots & Branches of Lehi Podcast How can a growing city balance new housing, traffic, taxes, and the needs of longtime residents? In this episode of Roots & Branches of Lehi, host Ryan Harding sits down with Lehi City Councilmember James Harrison to discuss the decisions shaping Lehi’s future and how residents can take part in local government. Before moving to Lehi in 2022, James served in the Army Reserve as a transportation logistics officer and worked in the U.S. State Department Foreign Service, with assignments in Washington, D.C., China, Pakistan, and Japan. He shares how those experiences shaped his perspective on leadership, public service, and the importance of understanding different viewpoints. James explains why he ran for City Council, including concerns about rapid growth, traffic congestion, infrastructure capacity, and high-density housing. The conversation explores zoning and property rights, protecting commercial land to support sales-tax revenue, and balancing city services with residents’ tax concerns. He also discusses budget constraints, transparency through social media updates, and the challenges of making decisions that reflect competing community priorities. From transportation projects and park improvements to pedestrian safety and long-term land-use planning, this episode offers a closer look at the choices facing Lehi as it grows—and why an engaged community matters. 📌 Subscribe for more Roots & Branches of Lehi episodes exploring the people, decisions, and ideas shaping our community. 🏡 Brought to you by Work Hard Mortgage — helping families go from renting to rooted. 00:00 Podcast Welcome 00:37 Meet James Harrison 00:51 From Utah to Lehi 02:07 Military and State Department Service 04:53 Lessons from Diplomacy 06:37 Why He Ran for City Council 09:39 Growth and Housing 12:22 Zoning and Property Rights 16:38 Protecting Lehi’s Commercial Tax Base 19:50 City Budgets and Tax Choices 28:40 Balancing Voter Priorities 29:41 Democracy vs. Republic 30:28 Expertise and Complex Decisions 31:47 Transparency and Budget Limits 35:20 Social Media and Accountability 38:00 Council Trust and Debate 44:03 Long-Term City Priorities 48:17 Transportation Project Updates 52:26 Parks, Pedestrian Safety, and Community Needs 57:02 Community Pride and Getting Involved Lehi City Council, Lehi Utah growth and development, Utah housing and zoning, property rights, local government budgets, property taxes, sales-tax revenue, transportation planning, traffic congestion, city infrastructure, parks and recreation, pedestrian safety, civic engagement, community development in Utah. Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/40J53Ln (https://apple.co/40J53Ln) Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7BC8a3YpULFYMSRgtfqF7v (https://open.spotify.com/show/7BC8a3YpULFYMSRgtfqF7v) YouTube Playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlz4rzd_rsGZcR4Kscsck4ez_bWSLCuwM (https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlz4rzd_rsGZcR4Kscsck4ez_bWSLCuwM) https://workharding.com/start (https://workharding.com/start) #RootsAndBranchesOfLehi #LehiUtah #LehiCityCouncil #UtahGrowth #LocalGovernment #CommunityDevelopment

3. 

   16 Oct 2026

   A Family-Owned Utah Burger Brand, Cajun Fest, and the Road to 30+ Stores

   🍔 Building Chubby’s | Family Business, Cajun Fest & Utah’s Burger Legacy | Highlight Reel How does a family turn a small restaurant into a growing Utah burger brand? In this highlight from Roots & Branches of Lehi, brothers Tom and Mike Moak share the story behind Chubby’s, a family-owned restaurant business built on perseverance, teamwork, and a commitment to serving its community. Starting in Pleasant Grove during the challenging economic climate of 2010, the brothers learned to adapt their menu, work through financial uncertainty, and divide responsibilities according to their individual strengths. With one focused on customer relationships and the other managing behind-the-scenes operations, they developed a partnership that helped the business grow while keeping family at its heart. Their Louisiana roots also remain an important part of the Chubby’s story. From working long hours together to relying on their siblings during the early years, the Moak family learned that success takes sacrifice, trust, and clearly defined roles. They also give back through Cajun Fest, an annual celebration featuring crawfish and Cajun food that brings people together while raising funds for a good cause. Now with ambitions to expand to more than 30 Utah locations, Tom and Mike are focused on growing without losing the customer service and family values that built their business. Their journey is a reminder that successful local businesses do more than serve great food—they create gathering places, support their neighbors, and become part of a community’s story. 📌 Love stories about family businesses, local entrepreneurs, and the people building stronger communities? Follow for more highlights and full episodes of Roots & Branches of Lehi, brought to you by Work Hard Mortgage. 🏡 At Work Hard Mortgage, we believe in that same principle: stronger communities are built when people invest in each other and put down roots where they live. ⸻ • 00:00 – Connections Beyond Blood • 00:07 – Adapting the Menu to Survive • 00:28 – Complementary Strengths in Business • 00:48 – From Louisiana to Utah • 01:13 – A Big Family Behind the Brand • 01:21 – Growing Chubby’s Across Utah • 01:45 – Family Bonds & Defined Roles • 02:20 – Cajun Fest & Giving Back • 02:49 – Early Hustle, Long Hours & Sacrifice • 03:34 – Expansion Plans & Future Vision • 04:25 – Community Impact & Customer Favorites • 04:53 – Sixteen Years of Building a Legacy ⸻ Chubby’s Burgers • Tom and Mike Moak • Utah Restaurant Business • Family-Owned Restaurants • Small Business Success • Restaurant Entrepreneurship • Louisiana Cajun Food • Cajun Fest • Community Fundraising • Customer Service • Family Business Partnerships • Local Business Growth • Roots and Branches of Lehi Podcast • Lehi Utah • Utah Food Scene • Building a Family Legacy ⸻ 📲 Take the 60-second Homebuyer Readiness Quiz — link in bio 🎧 Full conversation also in bio #RootsAndBranchesOfLehi #WorkHardMortgage #BuyAHomeBuildACommunity #LocalLeadership #LehiUtah #RealStoriesRealPeople

Who has been a guest on Roots and Branches of Lehi

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Tim Brantley
• residents of Covington Assisted Living Center
• John Wallwork
• Jeremy Craft
• Grand Marshals

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

236,951

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

5 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 63 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

79

Social presence

0

YouTube

86

Engagement

32