Your Guiding Light

Dee Hofstetler had a dream to create cleaner living in SE Colorado and the Arkansas Valley in 2012. By 2014, she was a SECO SBDC client working towards nonprofit status and a larger location. She had outgrown her space and was moving to the Sugar Mill in Sugar City, Colorado, where she continued to grow slowly over the next few years. She always returned to SBDC for guidance to support and ideas for increasing her capacity. The pandemic was tough enough for the for-profit businesses and many of the region's nonprofits found it completely devastating. Once again, she reached out to the SECO SBDC team for guidance. It's because of SBDC that Dee can effectively spread the word that they survived the pandemic.

Makalah Emanuel, CEO and Founder of Melaxation Boxes, is on a mission to continue amplifying the message of self-care through her business which sells boxes filled with hand-made gifts, thoughtful activities, and products from Black-Indigenous-People of Color-(BIPOC) owned businesses. "SBDC helped me with my business, strategy, marketing, and brainstorming and gave me a sense of relief and guidance."

Kosi Events felt the pains that the 2020 pandemic brought on for many businesses. Owner, April Arnold, came to the Grand Junction SBDC to find ways to manage the growth that she knew was coming to her company. She has rebranded her event planning business, renaming it to Kosi Events, and has moved from her kitchen table to an office in downtown Grand Junction, where she works alongside her team of 4 employees planning weddings and events throughout Colorado and Utah.

Kara joined the Entrepreneurship for Creatives course offered by the North Metro SBDC in July of 2020 for six weeks of learning and exploring how to turn her passion for music into a profession. Throughout the course, Kara worked to develop her marketing strategy and define her niche audience in the local folk market. After working through many start-up steps in these sessions, Kara officially formed her LLC in June of 2021 and was also able to receive $3,000 in SBA EIDL Loan funds. Kara continues to push her dreams of becoming a professional musician forward as her business foundation strengthens through the support of the North Metro SBDC.

Capitol Formation in Tech Development Companies in 2021

Havana Street Tattoo opened 15 years ago in Aurora. In mid-2019, business partners and co-owners, Larry Foussat and Gilbert Ledesma decided to open a new location. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 shelter in place order was a major obstacle to opening a second business. Contacting the Aurora-South Metro SBDC was the most beneficial first step possible. The SBDC offered direction on a plan of action, creating a comprehensive well-organized business plan and ultimately provided information about optional funding. "The guidance and assistance that we've received from the SBDC prior to opening our new shop has been amazing! It has been like having an expert, professional friend who is always available to help."

Sisu Therapies was founded by married couple Laura Simenson, DPT, and Joe Schroeder, DPT in January 2020.  Opening a small business certainly has its challenges on a normal basis, and to do so during a worldwide pandemic was the softest and slowest start that a business could ever go through. They started working with the SBDC and said," it has been one of the best connections that the owners of Sisu Therapies have made. SBDC has been a wealth of information from formulating a solid business plan, to financial and legal contacts, to help in promoting their business. SBDC's experience, knowledge, and passion to help small businesses thrive is indomitable."

Sales growth in 2021

When Dr. Michelle Thomas moved to Fort Collins in 1996, as a newly-minted veterinarian from Washington State University, she landed a job as an associate with Mulnix Animal Clinic. Little did she know she would one day own and operate that business. "I found myself with a business. There was so much I didn't know. I researched the SBDC's website, and signed up for the business consulting. SBDC helped me understand how to read financials, financial ratios, use that data to improve the business, and make sure it was profitable. We would meet monthly to make decisions. SBDC helped with various human resource and pricing issues. I am so thankful for their experience, mentorship, and friendship."

Monique Flemings made the biggest risk of her life while experiencing homelessness. One of her last gigs in the nonprofit arena was as a transition coordinator for an agency that assisted Medicaid recipients. She decided that was something she'd like to continue doing with her own company. In August of that year, she earned a grant to attend an eight-week SBDC Leading Edge strategic business planning course. "The SBDC gave me the blueprint," she says. "It gave me confidence in what I was doing. I didn't have two words on paper when I walked in, but within the first couple months after taking their class, I had my first federal grant money in-hand. That class was pivotal."