Success Story: Delixirs Bloody Mary Mix

An Interview With The Colonel

Delixirs LLC

Drew Hanlon aka Col. Clifton DeBeQue: The Bloody Mary Emissary

Products:

I exhibit two breeds of bloody mary mixes: Rooster Collbran's Tart & Twangy Bloody Mary Mix, tuned with the taste of dill pickles and lemons and Rowdy Roubidoux's Hot & Wild Bloody Mary Mix, fueled by habanero, horseradish and wasabi. I also boast of a complementary food line featuring: bloody mary rimmin' salt, hot sauce, steak sauce, jalapeño stuffed olives, red beans & rice readi-mix, and seasoning salt. My non-alcoholic bloody mary mixes are veritably versatile vessels: add vodka to it to make the classic Bloody Mary, tequila for a Bloody Maria and whiskey for a Bloody Molly. And when you add no alcohol? A Bloody Shame. But to each his own, I encourage everyone to enjoy my mix to their preference and in good health.

Background:

I've been called a gambler, a rambler, an entrepreneur, a raconteur, a bon vivant and an iconoclastic impresario. I've even been called a snake oil salesman--but in my defense, snakes do need to be oiled. But from here forthwith, I am the Bloody Mary Emissary!

The idea:

I've long been enchanted by the Bloody Mary. But respectable ones are as few and far between as a good chicken fried steak. I was painfully perceptive that most national brand Bloody Mary mixes (and many bars) use subpar ingredients to produce a paltry paste barely passing as a Bloody Mary (much like stuffing a child's dolly with sawdust-it's unacceptable). Quite simply, my Bloodies are better.

Grand Junction SBDC:

With their classes such as Leading Edge and free counseling, the fine folks at the Grand Junction SBDC have been invaluable in providing a fertile environment for my brilliance to flourish into a most exquisite bouquet of commerce.

Col. Clifton DeBeQue:

The title is honorary, but my products are extraordinary. You see, the company name is Delixirs, but the name on the bottle is mine: "Col. Clifton DeBeQue Proudly Presents..."

Delixirs LLC - Home of Col. Clifton DeBeQue

970.245.4124

drewhanlon@gmail.com

Breckenridge Women's Small Business Conference - Register Now!

The Colorado SBDC is hosting a Women's Small Business Conference on July 28th in Breckenridge. Register today as our other Women's conference sold out! The conference will feature breakout sessions that were chosen using responses from a survey we sent out to Women Owned Businesses and Women Leaders across the state. Check out the agenda for more details but some highlights include: Marketing with Social Media, Cash Flow Training, Hiring and Firing, Funding Your Business, CEO's Path to Peace of Mind, and many more. We will have exciting keynote speakers, resource tables, networking opportunities, and free business counseling for existing businesses and start ups. The conferences include breakfast, lunch, a networking reception and every attendee will receive a resource bag with conference materials and "Wordfood" by Julia Hubbel. There are a limited amount of scholarships available for both conferences, please email Alex.Markovich@state.co.us 

Breckenridge Women's Small Business Conference

Register Here

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Village Hotel Breckenridge

Info Flyer: Breckenridge Women's Conference Flyer

Tentative Schedule: Breckenridge Agenda

Main Street Mentor Walk

Business Plan Scholarships for Start Up Energy Companies

The SBDC and Workforce Centers have created an opportunity for energy start-up businesses to attend the Leading Edge (LE) business plan course and start-up classes at no charge.  The Workforce Centers will pay $500.00 per attendee to go through the LE course and $25.00 per attendee to go to a start up class. 

If you or someone you know is interested in starting an energy business (preservation, solar, audits etc.) and they are unemployed, send them to the local Workforce Center to get more information and to sign up for the scholarship.

Scholarships will be given depending on the level of completeness the business is in. If you have a great idea but have not begun any of the startup procedures you might qualify for the start up class. If you business is ready to start and you need a structured course to clarify and improve your business plan then the Leading Edge course might be right for you. Regardless of where your business is, the SBDC and Workforce Centers are here to help and our aim is to help 30 people through the Leading Edge business plan course in the next 2 years. 

Keeping a log of your miles driven for business or moving or medical purposes just got more valuable. For the second half of 2011 (July 1, 2011 through December 31, 2011), the Internal Revenue Service has increased the amount you can deduct for unreimbursed mileage expenses "in recognition of recent gasoline price increases." If you itemize deductions on your federal tax return, you'll get the enhanced break on your 2011 taxes when you file next spring.

The mileage rate for business purposes is 55.5 cents a mile, up from 51 cents a mile during the first half of 2011. The mileage rate for medical and moving expenses is 23.5 cents a mile, up from 19 cents a mile during the first half of 2011. The last time the IRS put in a mid-year increase was in 2008, when the business mileage rates went from 50.5 cents a mile to 58.5 cents a mile, and the rate for medical and moving purposes went from 19 cents a mile to 27 cents a mile.

Mileage rates for charitable work remain stuck at 14 cents a mile. (They are set by legislation.) Keeping a log of miles is key. You need to record the destination, miles traveled and purpose of the trip. Parking and tolls can be deducted too, so note those on your log as well. (An EZPass statement helps as backup with tolls). Business mileage, with its higher rate, is obviously the better deal. But for folks who do a lot of charitable work, like driving to distant board meetings or delivering food to a food pantry, those miles can add up.

By ASHLEA EBELING

This tip was submitted by the San Luis Valley SBDC

Upcoming MBO Events

Small Business Resource Fair

Coming together to help your small business:

• One-on-One Conseling
•  Small Business Panel Discussion
• Exhibitors:
• Bankers
• Gov. Contractors
• Bus. Resources
• Networking Partners
• Business Workshops
• Lending Matchmaking

Date: Thursday, August 18th, 2011

Time: 10:15 am - 3:45 pm

Place: Denver Public Library

   10 West 14th Ave.

   Denver, CO 80204

Register here 

For information related to minority business events please contact LeRoy Romero at: l.romero@state.co.us 

Upcoming SBDC Events

South Metro Denver:

Tuesday, July 19th

Business Start Up Basics

Learn the Basic Steps to Starting a New Business

Cost: No Charge

Philip S. Miller Library

100 S Wilcox St. 

Castle Rock CO 80104

6:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Wednesday, July 20th

Cash Flow Fundamentals

Discover How to Make Your Money Work For Your Business

Cost: No Charge