A diverse group of entrepreneurs talk about the difficulties of being a startup trying to attract attention and funding.
entrepreneurship
Posted inBusiness, COVID, News
A mission-minded loan source that doesn’t care if you’re a startup with no experience, revenues or credit
When Valerie and Cesar Beltran decided to open Beltran’s Meat Market & Grill in Northglenn four years ago, they thought their past experience of running their own meat market in New Mexico and then a Front Range tortilla factory was enough to make them creditworthy. But as opening day approached, the couple realized they needed […]
Posted inOpinion
Opinion: Why Colorado is a top state for female entrepreneurs
In recent months, the general public has become intrinsically aware of the global impact of public health. Disease knows no borders. It’s crucial that we recognize that the same applies to business. We live in a global age, and business interests must reflect, and adjust, to this new fact of life. As early as January, […]
Posted inBusiness, News
As society changes, Colorado investors want to make more impact with their money
Back in 2014, the Colorado Health Foundation made an unusual decision. The philanthropic organization, known for helping nonprofits, put its money into a for-profit startup, myStrength, a behavioral health app. It was neither a grant nor a donation. And it wasn’t quite venture capital, where multimillion-dollar investments often aim for tenfold returns. Technically, it was […]
Posted inBusiness, COVID, News
Colorado entrepreneurs already faced a steep startup curve. Coronavirus increased the grade.
Beanstalk, a children’s video site in Denver, was preparing to launch at the end of March. That would be exciting enough for any entrepreneur. But founder Amy Klein Molk found herself in an even more exhilarating situation. She was participating in the fast-paced business accelerator Techstars to turn her idea into a high-growth, venture-backed business. […]
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Opinion: Why Denver is the top spot for women seeking to start a business
Denver was recently ranked as the top metro area for women looking to start a business, ranking above 49 other cities across the country. With 29% of business being woman-owned and -operated and an unemployment rate of 4.2% for women, Denver is leading in economic and business mobility for women in business. To better understand […]
Posted inBusiness, Coloradans, Health, News, Politics and Government
Breads, whoopie pies, donuts and pickles: How Colorado’s Cottage Foods Act has produced a batch of entrepreneurs
Amy Wulbecker doesn’t put eggs or milk in her whoopie pies per Colorado law, but she can do her baking when it suits her — and for the mother of four small children, that means late into the night while her Severance household sleeps. David Kaminer’s old job kept him cooped up in a kitchen […]
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Opinion: Is Denver’s startup scene welcoming for veterans?
In the past 10 years, more than 100,000 people have moved to Denver, many drawn by the mountains, its breweries and dispensaries and the vibrant economy and startup scene. In its 2017 report on metropolitan areas, the Kauffman Foundation ranked Denver 10th in the nation for startup activity. The same report ranked Denver eighth in […]
Posted inBusiness, Growth, News, Technology
With or without WeWork, Colorado’s coworking industry sees sustainable growth in flexible office space
The inquiries started coming into Galvanize shortly after its coworking-space rival, WeWork, began publicly imploding. The interest in tech educator Galvanize, which also rents out month-to-month office space via memberships, came not just from one- to two-person startups, but larger companies needing dozens or more than 100 seats for a year or two — a […]
Posted inBusiness, Growth, News
Sometimes startups need advice more than capital, and that’s where Colorado’s BEN steps in
A month before announcing a new $80 million investment in his travel tech company, Brian Egan knew he needed help to manage this next stage of growth. At the invitation of a low-profile business organization that focuses on fast-growing companies, the cofounder of Evolve Vacation Rental shared his quandary with a group of seasoned entrepreneurs […]