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Greetings!
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Kelly Manning
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March has arrived and summer is just around the corner. The springtime weather brings great news for the Colorado SBDC Network! Our very own Denver Metro Small Business Development Center has been awarded the 2012 Small Business Development Center Excellence and Innovation Award! The U.S. Small Business Administration selects one recipient from the thousands of centers across the nation. Tameka Montgomery, the Executive Director of the Denver Metro SBDC, will be honored for her leadership during the National Small Business Week held in Washington, D.C. Read the full article here. Many Congratulations to Tameka and her team and many thanks to everyone in the network for all of their hard work. More proof that Colorado centers are some of the best in the nation!
In other news, Colorado continues to grow and flourish. Governor Hickenlooper announced the formal certification of two new Colorado Creative Districts: Downtown Salida and Denver's Art District on Santa Fe. This certification and accompanying grants will help to create more jobs and small businesses in these areas and the surrounding Colorado counties! Be sure to check with Colorado Creative Industries for all the grant awards and certifications.
More great news and exciting opportunities below. Check with your local SBDC for workshops and events in your area.
Sincerely,
Kelly Manning
State Director
Colorado Small Business Development Centers
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Success Story : Avalanche Roofing and Exteriors  | | |
Jesse Russow became an entrepreneur before he could even drive. He grew up on a small farm and through daily hard work he developed a mindset that he could do anything. When he was 15, he started working nights and weekends on appliances. At 16, he was taking service calls by himself. Then, when Jesse turned 19, he opened his own appliance service and repair business. When asked why he was so driven at a young age to be a business owner, he replied, "Simple. In school, I saw a statistic that said 97% of millionaires were self-employed. So, I always knew I would be self-employed".
Little did Jesse know that he would later start a highly successful business in roofing and exterior remodeling in Colorado.
That highly successful business was founded in December of 2007 when Jesse started Avalanche Roofing & Exteriors. Jesse's business was doing very well in Colorado Springs, but he knew that he needed assistance to manage his fast growth the right way.
 He had questions about sales retention, business entity, and he knew he was going to eventually need a loan. Jesse had known about Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) in Missouri, so he knew to look for an SBDC in Colorado Springs for business assistance. Jesse contacted the Colorado Springs SBDC in July of 2010.
He attended business training classes offered through the SBDC and met with volunteer counselors for assistance with tracking sales and retention, outsourcing, and intellectual property. He also received assistance with preparing for a business loan. Through the assistance of the SBDC, he was approved for an SBA 7(a) loan in February 2011 in the amount of $500K. Jesse states, "The SBDC put me in touch with the right people. I've always believed in surrounding myself with 'good people' and those smarter than me. At the SBDC, I was surrounded by experts including attorneys, CPAs and business bankers."
 Future plans for Avalanche Roofing & Exteriors consist of continuing an excellent customer service, and an expansion of services including siding, stucco, gutters, paint, windows & doors, and attic insulation. He knows that this includes still working long hours every week, but states, "I believe in putting your time in and paying your dues. After 10 years, I'll be able to step back and the company will be running itself." |
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Bankers and Lenders working together for Small Businesses
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 Colorado bankers and lenders Wednesday unveiled a consortium effort aimed at helping small businesses navigate their way to critical funding sources by way of a newly created website.
The effort, SmallBizLending.org, is the first time nationally that private and public agencies have worked together to help small businesses obtain financing, Colorado Bankers Association chief executive Don Childears said.
The website brings together about a dozen organizations to hold the hand of small-business owners seeking much-needed loans to not only grow their operation, but to fuel job growth and hiring. It includes a matrix of lenders and a flowchart of the lending process.
At Wednesday's announcement, Gov. John Hickenlooper relayed his experience as a small-business owner - when he started the Wynkoop Brewery in the forgotten section of Lower Downtown - and the difficulty he and his partners had in acquiring financing. Help in cutting the process short would have been appreciated, he said.
"We got turned down by 33 banks when we started the brewery," Hickenlooper said. "And it took a lot of time just to get turned down."
SmallBizLending.org is intended to point business owners to the right funding sources, places where they're likely to succeed in acquiring loans rather than meet long periods of endless red tape only to learn they're in the wrong place.
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Salida Offers New Space for Small Businesses
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 Growing businesses, keeping jobs in the community and adding jobs are key parts to the Western State College Small Business Development Center in the Touber Building.
Marilyn Laverty, program director, recently requested another office be added to the center at a Salida City Council meeting. The request was granted, and a contractor firm moved into the new office space.
She said the purpose of the center is to help grow small businesses by breaking through barriers that often plague expansion - obstacles like money, marketing and time management.
A team of consultants is available to answer questions and provide support, Laverty said.
Flexible leases, mentoring and accountability are part of the program. "Marketing and financial questions are common, but we'll provide anything that's needed," she said. The two conference rooms in the Touber Building are also available for tenants to reserve, Laverty said.
Cailey McDermott, Mail Staff Writer
For more on this story, please visit the Salida Mountain Mail article here.
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Northeast Business Resource Center
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The grand opening of the Northeast Business Resource Center is scheduled for Friday, March 20th. An open house and ribbon cutting ceremony will begin at 5 pm. ON march 21st, they will be hosting free hourly workshops! Anyone can attend, no registration needed!
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Gov. Hickenlooper Announces Colorado's First Creative Districts
| |  Gov. John Hickenlooper announced the formal certification of two new Colorado Creative Districts: Downtown Salida and Denver's Art District on Santa Fe. The districts will each receive a $15,000 grant and assistance to attract artists, creative entrepreneurs and visitors as a strategy to infuse new energy and innovation and enhance the economic and civic capital of the community. The program is administered by the Office of Economic Development and International Trade through the Colorado Creative Industries division.
"Colorado is filled with vibrant centers of commerce, culture and creativity, and is a magnet for creative workers," Hickenlooper said. "The formation of Creative Districts provides visitors and residents with an opportunity to participate and invest in the arts, while contributing to the economic vitality of the region and attracting creative entrepreneurs and artists."
Forty-four different districts from 25 counties applied for the designation. In addition to the two Certified Creative Districts, five applicants were designated as Prospective Creative Districts and will each receive $8,000 and a customized package of technical assistance to enhance the likelihood that they will be certified in the future. Eight were designated as Emerging Creative Districts and will each receive $2,000 and a technical assistance to further their district planning.
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Got a 'Green' Idea?
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 You May Qualify for a Grant for Entrepreneurship Training. If you are an unemployed Coloradan looking to start an energy-related business,* you may qualify for a grant that will cover the full cost of the Leading Edge Entrepreneurship Series. The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment provides entrepreneurship training through the State Energy Sector Partnership (SESP) Grant to qualified applicants. Energy-related businesses include installation companies (weatherization, HVAC, insulation,) solar/wind/geothermal/biofuels, sustainability consulting, recycling and others. Contact us to see if you may qualify.
The Entrepreneurship Training
The Leading Edge Entrepreneurship Series is a hands-on, step by-step business planning program for startup and early stage businesses. This 10-part Series provides expert help to build your launch and growth plan and to test the feasibility of your idea and business model. You can finish the series with an actionable business plan -- to access potential financing and/or to use as a road map to manage your business. This practical program provides a forum that allows you to develop an effective marketing plan, create meaningful financial projections, understand legal and organizational issues, use research for competitive advantage and understand the financing options to help you access capital to grow your busines.
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Small Business Tip : Keep taxes from being taxing
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It's a fact of life. Everyone has to pay taxes, and so do businesses. Don't make them taxing. Here are some things to remember to make tax time as easy as possible.
- Deductions - Keep detailed records of expenses including healthcare, salaries, and rent. If more than half of your trip was devoted to business you can deduct your travel expenses as well as other business-related expenses such as meals or hotel stays.
- Employee Taxes - Be sure to pay the proper amount of unemployment, FICA, Medicare, Social Security, and federal and state taxes. Check with your accountant on the correct amounts for 2012.
- Estimated taxes - Be sure to keep up with your estimated taxes due in April, June, September and January, to avoid cash flow problems or an IRS penalty.
Brought to you by South Metro Denver SBDC. For more helpful tax tips, click here.
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'Government to Business' Networking and Training Event
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The Colorado PTAC (Procurement Technical Assistance Center) is hosting another 'Government to Business' networking and training event on the Western Slope for Thursday, March 29th, 3:00 - 6:00 pm and all day Friday, March 30th, 2012 at the US Forest Service (USFS) Center in Durango. This is a FREE event for all Colorado businesses.
Many guests coming to present including Contracting Officers, Small Business Specialists and representatives from Buckley AFB, DOE/WAPA, CDOT, SBA, US Army Corps of Engineers, NM, NPS, BLM, and the USFS. The SB Administration team will give detailed presentations on the Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB) Development programs on Thursday from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm. This includes building Lending Relationships, Surety Bonds, 8(a) Certification, and Woman-owned Small Business Self-Certification. This is your opportunity to learn more about the SBA's preference programs.
For more information or to register click here.
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Colorado Creative Industries Summit: April 12-13, 2012
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The Colorado Creative Industries Summit will provide inspiration, networking and learning opportunities for Colorado creatives. Artist-entrepreneurs, owners of creative sector businesses, nonprofit cultural workers, and emerging creatives will come together for this inaugural event.
The theme of the summit will be Cultivating Common Ground and will feature keynotes and
 workshops featuring Colorado creatives who are talented, inspiring, and motivational. The Governor's Arts Award event will be the culminating luncheon on the second day of the Summit, celebrating a Colorado town or city that has effectively employed the arts and creative activity as a strategy for community and economic development.
For more information and Registration click here. |
Upcoming Events
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Colorado Springs
Thursday, April 5th
Start ups, Franchises, and Resales: What are your Business Ownership Options?
SBDC Building at UCCS
1420 Austin Bluffs Parkway, Colorado Springs, Co 80933
9:00am - 11:00am
Cost: $20
Register here
Friday, April 27th
Funding your Business
SBDC Building at UCCS
1420 Austin Bluffs Parkway, Colorado Springs, Co 80933
2:00pm - 4:00pm
Cost: $20
Register here
San Luis Valley
Tuesday, April 17th
QuickBooks for Beginners
Colorado Welcome Center
610 State Avenue, Suite 120, Alamosa, CO 81101
5:30pm - 7:30pm
Cost: $25 for non-chamber members; $20 for chamber members
To register, call SBDC at 719-589-3682
Wednesday, April 25th
Rio Grande County Customer Service Training
Scholarships for "lost wages" for employers to send their employees
Three Locations: South Fork, Del Norte, Monte Vista
Contact the SBDC for more information: 719-589-3682
South Metro Denver
Wednesday, April 4th
NxLeveL Business Plan Program
South Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce
2154 E Commons Avenue, Suite 342, Centennial, Co 80122
6:00pm - 9:00pm
Cost: $495 ($445 for South Metro Denver Chamber Investors or Colorado Business Bank Customers)
Register here
Tuesday, April 10th
Business Plan Basics
Steps to Writing a Successful Small Business Plan
Lone Tree Library (8827 Lone Tree Pkwy, Lone Tree, Co 80124)
6:30pm - 8:30pm
Cost : Free
Register here
Tuesday, April 24th
Sales for the Entrepreneur
Increase Your Sales and Develop Relationships with Your Current Customer Base
South Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce
2154 E Commons Avenue, Suite 342, Centennial, Co 80122
9:30am - 11:30am
Cost : $25
Register here
Northeast-East Central
Tuesday, March 20th
Facebook 2.0
Successfully integrating Social Media into Marketing Plans
Greeley Chamber of Commerce
902 7th Avenue, Greeley, Co 80631
12:00pm - 1:00pm
Cost : Free
Register here
Wednesday, March 28th
Identity Theft
Identity Theft legislation and Minimizing Identity Theft Risk
Greeley Chamber of Commerce
902 7th Avenue, Greeley, Co 80631
3:00pm - 5:00pm
Register here
Boulder
Tuesday, April 12th
Business Research 101 Essentials
Boulder Public Library, 1001 Arapahoe Avenue, Boulder, CO 80302
7:00pm - 8:00pm
Cost: Free
Register here
April 10th - June 26th
Leading Edge Entrepreneurship Business Planning Series
Boulder SBDC at Boulder Chamber
2440 Pearl St, Boulder, CO 80302
Contact Boulder SBDC for more information: 303-442-1475
Register here
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 Colorado Small Business Development Center a division of
Colorado Office of Economic Development
& International Trade
1625 Broadway, Suite 2700
Denver, CO 80202 |
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