The Startup Colorado Podcast
by Startup Colorado
Join Startup Colorado as we visit entrepreneurs and small business owners throughout the state, from outdoor industry startups to tech founders. We'll explore the biggest challenges and opportunities rural entrepreneurs are facing in today's evolving business landscape.
Episodes
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Town Hall: How Love of Community Led to an Adventure in Entrepreneurship
When Robin Hall's employer Smartwool announced that she—along with all other employees—would need to relocate from Steamboat Springs to Denver, she was faced with a big decision. Leave the company she thought she'd retire at... or stay in Steamboat Springs and wayfind a new future for herself.…
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How One Carniceria Is Building for Family and Community
In Rocky Ford, Colorado, a meat market isn't "just" a meat market. Maya's Carniceria is helping address the unique needs of a small, rural town, as well as creating an opportunity for young people to stay local. Hear how Maya and her family launched Rocky Ford's first carniceria.
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From Baker to Business Owner - How Jessica Larriva Launched Tumbleweed Bread
Jessica Larriva never set out to become a business owner. She's a baker. But when her mother fell ill, Jessica returned home to Colorado's San Luis Valley and soon discovered that starting a business was a necessity. Here's how Jessica launched Tumbleweed Bread—an artisan sourdough baking company...
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From Energy to Adventure: Good Vibes in Craig, Colorado's Economic Transition
Seven years ago, Josh Veenstra was working as an insulator at one of Craig, Colorado's energy companies. Today, he and his wife Meagan are the founders of Good Vibes River Gear, a handmade mesh rafting accessory manufacturer that's become an influential voice in the town's transition from the...
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Julia Taylor and the Rise of GeekPack
Julia Taylor didn't set out to create an e-learning business for women; she was just trying to find a job that she could perform regardless of where the military stationed her husband. In 2014, she stumbled across website building and began teaching herself to code. The journey wasn't easy. There...
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How This Entrepreneur Turned a Hobby Into a Successful Business
Chereen Leong Schwarz started knitting as a way to decompress after long, stressful days as a head chef. Today she's the owner of Smeeny Beanie Knits, a handmade apparel company in Steamboat Springs. We spoke with Chereen about how she turned a hobby into a side-hustle and eventually into a...
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Women In Tech with Eva Helén
With more than two decades in tech, Eva Helén has co-founded, built, and exited two software companies - most recently Sanbolic, acquired by Citrix in 2015. Since 2017, she has influenced a broad range of technology companies to build more diverse workforces and inclusive cultures. Her book Women...
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Why Does Art Matter in Rural?
When Dominque Robbins arrived in the rural town of Rocky Ford, Colorado, the culture shock was real. Where was the Starbucks? And latenight burrito joints? A lifelong musician, Dominque also quickly discovered another Big City ammenity was missing: an art scene. A few months after arriving,...
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This Entrepreneur Is "Flipping" Towns
As Craig, Colorado transitions away from its roots as a coal town, local entrepreneurs like Kirstie McPherson are laying the groundwork for its next phase of life. When TriState Generation and Transmission and Xcel Energy announced that both the coal mines and power plant would be shutdown by…
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How Entrepreneurs Can Tap Into Podcasting
Is podcasting the new blogging? Have we reached "peak pod?" If so, who cares? The podcast industry is booming and shows no sign of slowing down anytime soon. Here's how rural entrepreneurs can tap into podcasting - as a business, a marketing channel for your business, or an advertising…
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Colorado's Emergent Communities
We're going for a moonlight bike ride, heading to the bar for some live music, and then checking out Colorado's second tech sector. Want to come? With the help of outdoor recreation, arts and culture, and tech, two communities in southern Colorado are on the cusp of booming. In this episode of…
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Rural & Independent: Publishing in the West
Think print is dead? Or publishing only happens in mega cities? We hear from three entrepreneurs and business owners who prove that small, independent, and niche publishing is alive and well in rural areas. Featuring: The Climbing Zine, Maria's Bookshop, and Torrey House Press.
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The Entrepreneurs Tackling Water Scarcity
Colorado has been in a persistent drought since the late 1990s and the threat of water scarcity is quickly becoming a reality. Since entrepreneurs are known for their problem-solving wizardry, we wanted to know how they're tackling the water crisis. In Episode 2 of the Startup Colorado Podcast,...
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Beyond Craft Brew
Has Colorado reached "peak beer?" Our state may be known for its ales, but there's something new fermenting in the mountains. In this episode, we get to know the makers behind EsoTerra Cider, Mesa Park Vineyards, and Oh Hi THC Seltzers. Our host Margaret Hedderman takes us on a road trip through...
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Investing For The Good Of It
There's a saying: our attention goes where the money flows. That's why social entrepreneur Adrian Reif wrote The Do-Gooder's Guide To Investing, a guide for anyone interested in putting their money where their values are. In this episode, we chat with Adrian (who is also on our Executive…
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Save the Businesses, Save the Communities
Many rural, minority, women, and veteran-owned businesses often have trouble accessing traditional funding. Throw in an economic and health crisis, and you've got a lot of businesses struggling to tap into the money they need to stay open. In this episode, we chat with three alternative funds…
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In Conversation with Brad Feld & Delaney Keating
In this special conversation with Techstars Co-Founder Brad Feld and Startup Colorado's Managing Director Delaney Keating, we discuss the importance of ecosystem builders (community champions) for rural startup communities. Plus, we'll hear from the three recipients of the Anchor Point…
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Getting Creative with Virtual Events
When COVID-19 swept across the nation this Spring, major events were cancelled left and right. Event organizers were asked to decide: do I cancel? Do I postpone? Or do I do something different? In the case of the West Slope Startup Week, they decided to do something different. The second annual...
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Money Is Still Moving
Finding investors is challenging enough without a pandemic, so we wanted to know how and if money is moving toward rural startups. We chat with Marc Nager with the Greater Colorado Venture Fund, Jay Bockhaus from the CORI Innovation Fund, and Jeffrey Max from Agile Space, a Durango-business that...
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Trinidad Entices Creatives with Affordable Housing
Want to move to Trinidad, Colorado? You might, once you hear about their new affordable housing initiative for creatives. Space to Create, a program through Colorado Creative Industries and Artspace in Minnesota, will soon make 13 affordable live/work spaces available; plus a commons area for...
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New PPE Marketplace for Businesses
Finding Personal Protective Equipment has been yet another headache for business owners. That's why Energize Colorado, a volunteer organization originally tasked with sourcing PPE for healthcare providers, has launched a new marketplace for masks, hand sanitizer, disinfectant, and more. We spoke...
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Phil Weiser Departs SUCO Executive Committee
Phil Weiser, the Colorado Attorney General, is stepping down from the Startup Colorado Executive Committee. In this episode, we're recognizing his contribution to our organization, as well as Colorado's startup community as a whole. We speak with Phil about the history of Startup Colorado and his...
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Becoming a Business Owner in a Pandemic
Mara and Josh Hardy purchased their new physical therapy business in January. In March, the pandemic hit. We spoke with this husband/wife team about what it was like to be a new business owner navigating an unprecedented crisis. Despite the challenges, Mara and Josh experienced some unexpected...
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An Apothecary, an Herbalist, and COVID-19
When Briana Wiles came down with an assumed case of COVID-19, she relied upon her background as an herbalist to cope with the symptoms. She developed new teas and tinctures from roots and herbs at home, then figured out how to make these new blends available to her customers at Rooted Apothecary…
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The Reopening Trail Map
Eagle County recently received an exemption to the new Safer at Home Order and is laying out a tiered approach to reopening. We chat with the county's emergency manager, as well as business owners who are implementing health and safety protocols to keep their employees and customers safe. For…
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Waste Not - Save the Food, Serve the People
When restaurants closed for business, many wondered what would happen to all that food sitting in their coolers. That's where the Good Food Collective and emergency food assistance groups in Southwest Colorado came in. Through a quick response to the pandemic, stay-at-home orders, and sudden job...
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A New Mentorship Program for Entrepreneurs
A new mentorship program aims to help Colorado business owners and entrepreneurs navigate the growing economic crisis. Erick Mueller, the Executive Director of the Deming Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Colorado Leeds School of Business, introduces COVenture Forward and how...
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Finding Calm and Clarity in a Chaotic Mind
It's a stressful, chaotic world out there. No wonder so many of us are feeling overwhelmed and anxious. This week, we speak with Jeff Kinsey from The Logos Group, a coaching and consulting business in Boulder, about how entrepreneurs can learn to let go of stressful thoughts and tackle the big...
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Design Thinking In A Crisis
This iterative process is used by businesses and organizations around the world to define and solve problems. How can we use it to help entrepreneurs and community champions in times of crisis? We hear from Jonathan Ballesteros of Geyser Systems, Beth Flowers of the AIR Institute, and Beth McKeon...
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A Free Financial Advising Network
In response to the ongoing financial crisis, The Foundry Group has teamed up with Lew's List and High Plains Advisors to create a pro-bono COVID-19 Finance Assistance Network. The group comprises CFOs, controllers, and other senior finance professionals who are helping business owners navigate…
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How One Makerspace Is Saving Lives
Durango's MakerLab is teaming up with Fort Lewis College and a small army of volunteers to produce protective equipment for local hospitals. Here's how this rural makerspace transformed their day-to-day operations overnight and will soon produce $2.5 million worth of medical supplies.
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Going Online Overnight
Since the Stay At Home order went into place, yoga studios and gyms have closed their doors for the foreseeable future. Many, like The Sweaty Buddha in Durango, are moving their classes online to connect with their community of members. The transition isn't as easy as turning on the camera and...
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What Is Our Societal Obligation?
Packraft manufacturer Thor Tingey reveals how his business is navigating his societal obligation to slow the spread. Based in the rural town of Mancos in Southwest Colorado, Alpacka Raft has been at the forefront of promoting responsible adventuring and providing for 30+ employees in a moment of...
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One Step Ahead of "You Know What"
Josh Niernberg is the co-owner of three restaurants in Grand Junction. When the need for social distancing and staying at home meant customers could no longer dine-in, Josh revamped his entire business structure to stay one step ahead of You Know What. Episode 2 of Startup Colorado's new podcast...
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"We Can Do This" - A Note to Entrepreneurs
The Startup Colorado team is pivoting in response to the ongoing crisis by providing a new podcast series featuring rural entrepreneurs and community champions who are rising to the occasion. In our first episode, we hear from Colorado's Attorney General Phil Weiser and Startup Colorado's…
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About this show
Join Startup Colorado as we visit entrepreneurs and small business owners throughout the state, from outdoor industry startups to tech founders. We'll explore the biggest challenges and opportunities rural entrepreneurs are facing in today's evolving business landscape.
Hosted by
Startup Colorado
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