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Greetings!
 | | Kelly Manning |
As summer winds down and we move into fall I want to give you an update on the great success of the SBDC network through June 2011. SBDC businesses created 823 jobs and retained 1,354. There were 186 business starts and $43,971,448 of capital formation. I'm very excited about our progress in 2011!
I also wanted to make sure you are aware of some exciting opportunities:
The Denver Metro SBDC is proud to announce the Latino Small Business Summit on October 6th. The Summit will take place at the PPA Event Center and will also be giving two awards: Dream Big Award and Empresaria Latina Award. Be sure and submit your award nominations.
Also, there are some great upcoming opportunities to take your operation from a local or regional business, to a global business. The 2011 Colorado Export Development Grant (CEDG) application is now open. Additionally, the Global Business Development Division is heading to the 2011 Green Expo in Mexico City and they are in search of cleantech companies to join them.
Finally, Something Independent is taking submissions for their 2011 SI Snowsport Entrepreneur Award. Video applications are due by Friday Sept., 9th.
You can find out more about these and other opportunities below. Be sure check your local SBDC website often for more opportunities.
Sincerely,
Kelly Manning
State Director
Colorado Small Business Development Centers |
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Success Story: Greenbank, Inc. |
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Growth, expansion, and frustration are the reasons that office manager Karen Jensen and owner Milton Greenbank visited the Small Business Development Center in Fort Morgan, Colorado. Milton took over the family business, Greenbank, Inc., nine-years ago. The company cleans grain seed for farmers from a mobile grain cleaner. He has a crew that  follows the wheat harvest from Texas into Nebraska and Wyoming. "It is more economical for the farmer to have him take his machine to them, then it is for the farmer to haul the seed to have it cleaned at an elevator," states Greenbank.
The growth of Greenbank, Inc. under the leadership of Milton has resulted in the young entrepreneur building a second machine mounted on a new truck. He also has expanded his building in order to keep the machine in a dry atmosphere. Milton's father designed the first machine in Australia and brought the machine to the United States where it was patented 21 years ago.
During five months of the year the company has a large amount of income. However, during the winter months they have zero incomes and still have overhead costs. In the past they have gone to the bank for a line-of-credit, but they wanted to change that cycle. With the help of long time SBDC business counselor, Dr. Merle Rhoades, they were able to change their way of managing the business. They have written a business plan to be used as a guide and received a $200,000, ten-year loan to pay for the building expansion, the fabrication of the new machine, and to have startup money for the new season. With Rhoades' assistance they have developed a monthly budget for the company, which is monitored by Jensen, and is helping them retain jobs.
Rhoades also connected Jensen with an Agriculture and Business Management program at Morgan Community College in order to strengthen her accounting and recordkeeping skills. The SBDC counselor continually oversees the progress of the company's management. "I will be helping them to analyze and understand their financial statements soon," states Rhoades. "Working with SBDC helped us to get the loan from Fort Morgan State Bank. Our plan is for the company to be debt free within five years," says Jensen.
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Lund Takes Reins of Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade | | |
 On August 1st, Ken Lund became director of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT). Prior to his position at the OEDIT, Lund was Governor John Hickenlooper's Chief Legal Counsel. Lund will be taking control of the Colorado Blueprint, a recently released plan which is designed to help jump-start the Colorado economy. The document, which emphasizes a bottom-up approach to economic development, contains 24 goals and was developed after meetings with business leaders across the state.
Lund's responsibilities also include overseeing all departments, programs, and strategies to execute the OEDITs strategic plan. Additionally, he is a member of the Governor's Cabinet and Senior Staff, and will act as the media spokesperson. "Ken Lund has a fierce passion for expanding business. As managing partner for one of Colorado's largest transactional law firms, Ken was intimately involved with growing businesses at all stages of their evolution. He's almost obsessed with how to grow Colorado companies. Ken will build on the grass-roots plan we are creating and continue efforts to attract new jobs to Colorado," says Governor Hickenlooper. |
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2011 Something Independent Snowsport Entrepreneur Award | | |
Something Independent has announced the 2011 SI Snowsport Entrepreneur Award. This first-time award will recognize a Colorado-based entrepreneur whose product or service demonstrates a connection to the snowsports industry and whose idea has been influenced by and drawn inspiration from Colorado - all that it represents and all that it inspires. A sound concept, innovative approach and creativity will be key factors in the judging of applicants.
Through this award, Something Independent aims to assist future business leaders by fostering opportunities for growth through exposure, networking, and access to new resources. The winning entrepreneur will receive a cash award of $1,500. Other benefits include a marketing & communications package from Sprocket Communications and media recognition from ColoradoBiz Magazine, media sponsor of the 2011 SI Snowsport Entrepreneur Award.
What: Something Independent is looking to hear from future leaders who are embracing core tenets of entrepreneurism - innovation, creativity, purpose and perseverance - in pursuit of their ideas and passions. In the creation of this first-time award, SI looks to the Colorado snowsport community to help feature ideas and companies that are poised to become leaders in Colorado's new entrepreneurial economy.
When: Video Applications Due Friday Sept. 9, 2011
Award Announcement: At TBD date, between September 28 - October 7, 2011
For more information and to apply, visit: www.somethingindependent.com |
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Colorado Export Development Grant (CEDG) 2011 Application Period Now Open | | |
 The Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT)'s International Trade Office, within the Global Business Development Division, is now accepting applications for this year's Colorado Export Development Grant (CEDG). The OEDIT created the CEDG to help Colorado companies export their products and services to new global markets. Grant funding may be applied towards travel expenses (airfare/hotel), trade show exhibition and/or attendance, business matchmaking services or other direct expenses for developing a new target market. The CEDG is open to Colorado small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) (200 or fewer employees worldwide) of all industries. Applicants should be export ready and apply directly to receive the grant (no third party consultants may apply on behalf of their own company or a client company).
Grant amounts will be up to $4,500 per participating company and will be determined by the OEDIT based on the quality of proposals and export potential of applicant companies. For more informa.tion, including eligibility guidelines and to apply through a fillable PDF, please visit: www.colorado.gov/trade/cedg. The application period for this year's CEDG will be open August 1 through September 16, 2011, and grantees will be announced September 30, 2011.
Questions about the CEDG may be referred to Stephanie Dybsky of the OEDIT at Stephanie.Dybsky@state.co.us or 303-892-8762. |
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Global Business Development seeks Cleantech Companies for Expo | | |
The Global Business Development Division's CO-EXist program is seeking 7-10 Colorado cleantech companies to attend the 2011 Green Expo (Sept. 26-30) in Mexico City. Through CO -Exist, Colorado cleantech small and medium size companies can be subsidized to exhibit at the Green Expo. Information on qualifying companies, cost, and how to apply, can be found here.
Registration Deadline: August 31, 2011
Program open to first 10 qualified companies
For more information, please contact Stephanie Garnica at 303.892.3891 or Stephanie.Garnica@state.co.us. |
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Mares-Dixon October Mediation Training | | The final Mares-Dixon 40-hour Mediation Training Program of the season will take place the week of October 3-7. The fast-paced and highly interactive program will cover critical topics including:
 Learning and practicing the mediation process, from start to finish- Dealing with data problems, trust issues and the "unknown"
- Managing toxic emotions and difficult histories
- Moving beyond impasse
- Managing power imbalances and ethical dilemmas
- Applications of mediation in community, environmental, healthcare and workplace arenas and
- Building a mediation program in your organization, starting a private practice or finding mediation positions in the private and public sectors
Informational Flyer: Mares-Dixon: The Mediation Process
Registration Form: Mares-Dixon Registration Form
For more information or to register, please contact Call (303) 842-2097 or E-mail: Judy.Mares-Dixon@earthlink.net |
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Business Tip: Choosing a Business Location | | |
From U.S. Small Business Administration - SBA.gov
The ideal location for your business depends on a number of factors. The most important consideration is the kind of business you're running. Before you begin scouting a location, consider a few of the factors that can help you select the right location for your business.
Determine Your Business Activity
Your business activity is an important determining factor of where your business should be located. Answering the following questions can quickly narrow your location choices.
- Do your customers come to you?
- Do you have to go to your customers?
- Do you have employees?
- Do you manufacture products for distribution?
If your type of business depends heavily on pedestrian or drive-by traffic, such as a florist, gift shop, or clothing boutique, you'll want to seek popular retail locations, such as a downtown area or a mall, where there are few restrictions on signs that can help attract passing customers.
If customers typically seek your type of business, such as a child care service, beauty salon, or fitness center, you'll want to find space that is easily accessible from population centers, major roads and public transportation.
If your customers do not typically come to you, other location factors may be more important than physical proximity to your customers. For example, if you conduct much of your business online, establishing a home-based business might be more desirable and economical than leasing commercial office space. If you manufacture products for distribution, an ideal location might be an industrial park near major transportation ports.
Read more of the SBA article here. |
| Minority Business Office | | |
Upcoming MBO Events:
CMBO Third Annual Buyers & Sellers Procurement Fair
When & Where:
AUGUST 30, 2011
8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Auraria Campus, Denver, CO
For the most timely information about the Fair, you can follow the MBO on Twitter at @MinorityBizOff. You can go directly to the Twitter page by visiting: www.twitter.com/MinorityBizOff
Informational Flyer available here.
For further information regarding sponsorships and tables, contact LeRoy Romero of the State Minority Business Office at 303-892-3764. |
Upcoming SBDC Events | | |
South Metro Denver:
Thursday, September 22nd
Business Start-Up Basics
Learn the Basic Steps to Starting a Small Business
Cost: No Charge
Parker Library
6:30pm-8:30pm
Monday, September 26th
Business Plan Basics
Steps to Writing a Successful Business Plan
Cost: No Charge
Castle Pines Chamber of Commerce
6:30pm-8:30pm
Please register at the South Metro Denver SBDC.
Denver
Thursday, October 6
Latino Business Summit
PPA Event Center
2105 Decatur St.
Denver, CO 80211
8:30am - 6:30pm
Info and Registration at: latinobusinesssummit.org
Larimer
Thursday Sept. 29, 2011
Larimer SBDC Trademarks and Copyrights Class
"No Lame Names"
125 S Howes, Suite 150
Key Bank Tower, Fort Collins
To register, call SBDC at 498-9295, or e-mail sbdc@frii.com. Pre-registration is advised; pre-payment reserves a seat.
Boulder
Colorado Entrepreneur Sustainable Profits Series
August 31, September 14, September 28, and October 26
Cost: $75
Location: Boulder SBDC @ Boulder Chamber
8:00am - 12:00 noon
For more information and to register: Boulder SBDC
Leading Edge Growth Venture Series
Sept 30, Oct 7, Oct 14, Oct 21, Oct 28, Nov 4, Nov 11, Nov 18, *OFF Nov. 25, Dec 2, and Dec 9
Targeted specifically to entrepreneurs who have experience running their businesses
Cost: $495 l Chamber Members $445 l Partners/Spouse from same business $125
Location: Boulder SBDC @ Boulder Chamber
8:30am-11:30am
For more information and to register: Boulder SBDC |
  Colorado Small Business Development Centers A division of
Denver, CO 80202 | |
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