Startup Colorado

When I was asked to reflect on someone who had a meaningful impact on my work this past year, the first person that came to mind was Nick Thompson. Nick, a Calgary-based entrepreneur, author, and coach with EO, served as the Learning Day Coach for EOA Colorado. Over the past year, his guidance has been transformative for me both personally and professionally. As Executive Director of Startup Colorado, I’ve relied heavily on EOA for growth strategies, community support, and technical assistance. EO’s core curriculum, Scaling Up, focuses on four pillars: Strategy, People, Execution, and Cash. During a recent Learning Day focused on Strategy, I worked on aligning my personal interests with Startup Colorado’s mission of bridging the gap between urban and rural communities, providing resources for rural founders to succeed. I shared with Nick my passion for empowering rural entrepreneurs to build wealth—a goal that often feels daunting due to unique challenges. I explained my vision of helping founders surpass $1M in revenue, a milestone harder to achieve in rural settings, and the systemic hurdles that rural ecosystem builders, like myself, face. While many focus on urban or urban-adjacent companies, Nick saw the opportunity to support rural communities. He encouraged me to evolve the vision into a scalable program that aligns with both Startup Colorado’s philanthropic mission and the economic needs of Rural Colorado. Nick’s insight helped clarify Startup Colorado’s core purpose, vision, BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal), brand promises, and strategy. His coaching inspired me to focus on developing and scaling Startup Colorado’s continuum of wraparound services statewide to amplify the success of rural companies. Nick’s validation of Startup Colorado’s mission and his confidence in me as a leader has been invaluable. I look forward to learning from him one final time in January before he moves on to coach another chapter. His impact has been crucial, and I’m excited for how Startup Colorado will build on his teachings to support rural founders. If you’ve heard me mention EOA, it’s because it’s been transformational. I’m excited to share that EOA hosts a virtual cohort in partnership with Startup Colorado. This program eliminates the need for rural entrepreneurs to commute to Denver monthly. If you're interested in joining this Global Program to work with exceptional coaches, mentors, and gain the skills needed to scale your business, reach out to me—I’d love to share more! This virtual cohort is a new offering that Startup Colorado helped bring to life, so please join us! Additionally, Startup Colorado is launching a mastermind program in 2025 based on Scaling Up. This program will build on skills developed in the Idea Factory and Growth Challenge, offering technical training, peer-to-peer support, expert mentorship, and more. If you’re ready to scale your rural business, contact Brittany or Tim for more details—we’d love to have you join us!

Student Teams Seeking Project Partners: Now accepting project proposals for the 2025 Wright Challenge! Submit your proposal by December 12th. The Colorado Outdoor Recreation Industry Office and The Wright are seeking project proposals from business, nonprofit, and civic organizations interested in collaborating with Colorado higher-ed students to develop an actionable solution to a current-day challenge facing the organization. This semester-long program - The Wright Challenge - provides students experience working alongside businesses and organizations in Colorado's wide-ranging outdoor sector to prepare for future career opportunities. Ready to tackle that project you keep putting off? Submit a proposal by December 12th! - https://lnkd.in/g7umRPVs Learn More about The Wright Challenge - https://lnkd.in/eHvnCQpK

Startup Colorado is dedicated to amplifying the voices of rural entrepreneurs and highlighting how businesses are thriving in Colorado’s remote areas. We’re inspired by your stories of resilience and innovation, and want to share these journeys with the broader community. If you’re a rural entrepreneur, consider sharing your unique startup story for a chance to be featured on our channels and the Startup Colorado blog: https://ow.ly/tgfn50Uc2Nq Photo: Josiah & Meg Mothershed, founders of Mothershed Design Co.

Looking for flexible financing to grow your Colorado business? The CLIMBER Loan Fund offers low-interest loans designed to support small businesses across Colorado. Whether you need working capital or funds to expand, this program provides crucial financial support to help your business thrive. Learn more and apply today: https://lnkd.in/evgwNCvf

This year, we’re calling on 100 supporters to join us by donating any amount to help strengthen and sustain local businesses across our state. Every donation, big or small, makes a difference! Your donation empowers rural entrepreneurs and provides them with the resources, mentorship, and connections they need to thrive. Donate today: https://lnkd.in/gYmdf-9w

We're thrilled to introduce the November 2024 cohort of the Founder Coopetition // Idea Factory! This dynamic group of rural Colorado founders is committed to building businesses that uplift health, wellness, and community engagement. Meet the November cohort: Nicole Burns, Vaca Valet—Breckenridge Erica Cicero, The Double Helix Doula Program—Carbondale Candice Freeman of Waymaker Collective—Grand Junction Erica Hines of MindReels—Durango Alyson Lewis, Summit Sol Yoga + Wellness—Dillon Mike Mayer, TerraForm Projects—Buena Vista Mike Milakovic, Mighty Mike’s Foods—Durango Kellen Priest, Shar(e)on Lightly—Grand Junction Sam Sickles, Stock the Fridge—Breckenridge Kylie Springer, Paradise Pilates CB—Crested Butt Heidi Steltzer, Center for Earth Theology—Cortez Janita Pavelka Walker, Start Young Biz Camps—Durango The Idea Factory accelerator offers access to peer support, expert mentorship, and a strong network. In 4 weeks, participants sharpen their strategies with the goal of expanding their impact. We’re excited to see these ideas come to life and make a difference across the state! Read about each of these entrepreneurs: https://lnkd.in/e4i6a9Zi

Startup Colorado Community Engagement Manager Vanessa McCrann joined the Ute Mountain Tribe in Cortez on Wednesday for an evening of meaningful connection and community building. We’re excited about the opportunities ahead for future collaborations!

This year, we’re asking 100 donors to make a donation of any amount for Colorado Gives Day. Will you join us in supporting rural entrepreneurship across Colorado? This past year, Startup Colorado has: ? Supported entrepreneurs and ecosystem in 51 rural counties ? Helped 69 rural founders launch and scale their businesses via our Founder Coopetition ? Hosted over 500 attendees at West Slope Startup Week in Durango ? Highlighted 76 rural entrepreneurs and ecosystem builders through storytelling Donate at the link below! ?? https://lnkd.in/gYmdf-9w

We're excited to announce a new opportunity to access high-quality entrepreneurial support. In response to Startup Colorado's advocacy, the Entrepreneurs' Organization Accelerator (EOA) program is launching a virtual cohort designed just for rural entrepreneurs. This program will give you access to expert mentorship, proven growth strategies, and a global network of successful entrepreneurs. If you’re a business owner with annual revenues of $250,000-$1 million and are looking to scale, this program could be a game-changer ?? Startup Colorado Executive Director Brittany Romano has been an EOA participant since 2019. Connect with her at [email protected] to learn more about this virtual EOA cohort and take the next step toward significant growth. *Program launches in January!

Finding the right funding pathway is one of the most critical challenges for entrepreneurs. Whether it’s bootstrapping, grants, loans, or venture capital, the right choice depends on your business’s goals and stage. In our latest blog, we explore real funding journeys of rural entrepreneurs across Colorado—like how a Grand Junction bike rack company navigated a supply chain crisis with a community loan, or how a Crested Butte outdoor company accelerated growth with equity funding. Discover the lessons these founders learned and find inspiration for your own funding journey: https://lnkd.in/e_dRrAbq