Savory Fund co-founder and entrepreneur Andrew Smith delivered an inspiring lecture on persistence, growth, and investing in long-term success during the Reed and Christine Halladay Executive Lecture Series.
Andrew Smith shared insights from his entrepreneurial journey, highlighting lessons in persistence, growth, and building businesses over time.
Andrew, who grew up in Chicago, began his career as a serial entrepreneur, launching multiple ventures early on, including an initial idea centered on bringing commercials to the internet. Over time, he continued to build and scale businesses, developing a strong foundation in the food service industry.
In 2007, Andrew and his wife, Shauna, began franchising a Kneaders Bakery & Cafe location. Despite launching just before the 2008 financial crisis, the business proved successful. Andrew later transitioned fully into the restaurant space, and together they went on to build more than 50 Kneaders locations. Over the course of his career, he has been involved in owning and operating more than 530 restaurants across the country.
Andrew emphasized that success is not immediate, but rather the result of consistent focus and effort over time. He shared that "success is the accomplishment of an aim or purpose," reinforcing the importance of defining and committing to clear goals. His experiences eventually led him into the private equity space, where he co-founded Savory Fund and scaled the business by investing in and growing restaurant brands.
Throughout the lecture, Andrew highlighted that career paths are rarely linear. Instead, he encouraged students to view their careers as a portfolio of experiences, each contributing to long-term growth. He noted that individuals do not need to start a company to think like entrepreneurs, emphasizing the importance of ownership, initiative, and problem-solving in any role.
Andrew also addressed the evolving role of human skills in an increasingly AI-driven world, stressing that qualities such as leadership, communication, and relationship-building remain essential. He reminded students that meaningful success requires patience, that steps cannot be skipped, and that consistent effort matters more than immediate results.
Andrew concluded his lecture by emphasizing that no one succeeds alone, and that money should not be the primary driver behind a career. Instead, he encouraged students to focus on purpose, relationships, and long-term value creation.
The Woodbury School of Business thanks Andrew Smith for sharing his experience and
perspective with UVU students. His message reinforced the importance of persistence,
intentional growth, and building a career grounded in purpose rather than short-term
outcomes.
Want to catch every insight from this year’s Halladay Lecture Series?
LEARN MORE ABOUT ALL SPRING 2026 HALLADAY LECTURE SERIES SPEAKERS HERE.
Watch Andrew's full lecture below.
