Geneva always dreamed of starting her own bakery and has custom baked for friends and family for years. “With the assistance I received from the Southeast Colorado SBDC, I was not only able to start a new career – I was able to follow my dream of having my own small bakery. I was supported with guidance and direction to become and stay successful. One of the best things I know is at any point

“The whole idea is to keep it as local as possible,” says Matt Cudmore who started Meier Skis in 2009. “We emphasize home-grown, local wood and a product coming right out of Glenwood Springs.” Matt, who had been making skateboards for several years, began making the skis using primarily Colorado-grown beetle kill pine, working in a one-car garage. As the story goes, he gave up searching for “the next perfect ski” and decided to build

Originally from China, husband and wife entrepreneurial team, Qin Liu and Rong Pan graduated from the Leeds School of Business at Colorado University with the dream of starting their own company. The original business idea was from Qin’s Business Plan Preparation class while enrolled in CU. In 2005, they launched their business, drawing upon the 5000-year-old tradition of drinking tea. In 2007, Qin and Rong changed the company’s original name from “The Leaf – All

For many businesses, being first to market is essential to their success. When owner Brian Lacertosa of the Denver Escape Room began planning his venture, there was nothing like it in the state of Colorado, but by the time he launched he was third to market in Denver. That didn’t stop his momentum though; just a year after opening his first location he has already opened a second location in Phoenix, Arizona, and by the

The Little Bird Bakeshop opened its doors on December 14, 2010 and in the past year has developed a loyal following. On any given morning, a passerby wandering through Old Town Square in Fort Collins can peer through the bakeshop’s inviting façade and watch customers sipping coffee and enjoying delicious chocolate croissants, chocolate walnut cookies, and other pastries. With its friendly atmosphere and fresh, creative confections, it will take only a glance before you walk

“Not only did I learn a great deal from these exercises, but I was also able to produce solid projections on productivity, which led to raising seed funding for my business. I even had the luxury of choosing the investor of my choice.” Element Pet Nutrition was born out of the love for dogs and cats and the mission to provide them a better quality of life. While working in a veterinary clinic, Marney Zafi