For those of you who don't know, July 24th is Pioneer Day in Utah -- the day Utahans honor the Mormon Pioneers who crossed the plains to settle what was then a dry, barren desert valley.
I was raised in California, so I had no idea this was such a big deal here. Most companies shut down for the day and there are 4th of July-esque firEworks displays. Behind Christmas, Easter and Independence Day, this is the biggest day of the year for the Beehive State.
Utah's pioneer spirit is evident in its active entrepreneurial community and growing angel investment community. Utah is home to more entrepreneurs per capita than every state in the nation, save two. Despite a population of only 2.5 million, there are five organized angel groups in the state. Compare that to Florida's four groups (pop. 18 million), and Texas' seven (pop. 22 million).
I would bet the farm that Brigham Young, Utah's first territorial governor, would be an angel investor if he were here today. In Brigham's words:
"A man has no right with property, which, according to the laws of the land, legally belongs to him, if he does not want to use it; he ought to possess no more than he can put to usury, and cause to do good to himself and his fellow man. When will a man accumulate money enough to justify him in salting it down, or, in other words, laying it away in the chest, to lock it up, there to lie, doing no manner of good either to himself or his neighbor? It is impossible for a man ever to do it. No man should keep money or property by him that he cannot put to usury for the advancement of that property in value or amount, and for the good of the community in which he lives; if he does, it becomes a dead weight upon him."
(I first read that quote on the blog of one of Utah's finest entrepreneurs and angel investors, Paul Allen. Thank Paul!)
So, if you're doing business with a Utah company and you're trying to reach them on Monday, good luck. We'll be busy partying like it's 1847: the year the Mormon Pioneers arrived in the Salt Lake Valley.
