BAL22-Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship: Trinidad Waffle Co.

Anonymous — Fri, 04 Nov 2022 06:00:00 +0000

Entrepreneurship: Trinidad Waffle Co. Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 11/04/2022 - 00:00

From Business at Leeds 2022 | Full issue

James Fogerty biting into one of his waffle creations in his kitchen. His fusion waffles include dishes like spicy chicken, banana split and short rib.

Rural entrepreneurship

Meet some other founders who've benefited from Leeds' traveling entrepreneurship road show:
The Cycle Effect
Alluvia Packraft

At Trinidad Waffle Co., waffles aren’t just for maple syrup—or breakfast.

“The waffle iron is a piece of technology with multiple planes—a grid that creates a lot of surface area compared to a flat surface, and the nooks and crannies create perfect pockets for caramelization to happen,” said James Fogerty, who opened his waffle shop two months ago in Trinidad.

James serves fusion-style waffles to go, including spicy chicken, banana split, and a smoked, local short rib on a twice-baked potato waffle. With an extensive background in fine dining—he worked under a two-Michelin star chef—he aims to create culinary masterpieces and revolutionize how waffles are enjoyed.

To help get his vision off the ground, he attended the Startup to Scaleup workshop when it came to town last year. Despite being a self-proclaimed “fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants person,” he gained some valuable takeaways to apply to his business.

And he seems to be on the right track: After just a few months, much of his business is being driven by repeat customers. He plans to expand the business to event catering and use the space as an incubator kitchen for supplying mobile, satellite waffle stands and off-site pop-ups.

Business at Leeds magazine Deming Center for Entrepreneurship Rural Colorado Workshop Series Engage with Leeds

Waffles aren't just for breakfast. Just ask an entrepreneur and accomplished chef.

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Entrepreneurship: Alluvia Packraft

Anonymous — Fri, 04 Nov 2022 06:00:00 +0000

Entrepreneurship: Alluvia Packraft Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 11/04/2022 - 00:00

From Business at Leeds 2022 | Full issue

Mariana Cevallos, right, with her husband and co-counder, Mike. The pair saw an opportunity to introduce urban explorers and outdoors hobbyists to packrafting; because of the small size of the equipment, city dwellers in small apartments can easily make space for a packraft.

Rural entrepreneurship

Meet some other founders who've benefited from Leeds' traveling entrepreneurship road show:
The Cycle Effect
Trinidad Waffle Co.

Before she moved from Lima, Peru, to Vail, Mariana Cevallos described herself as an “urban explorer” without much outdoors experience. But like so many transplants who arrive in the Rockies, she quickly became an outdoors enthusiast—one with a budding passion for packrafting.

But while enjoying her new hobby, she began to notice a disturbing trend: a serious lack of people of color participating in outdoor recreation.

“By 2046, people of color will be the majority of the population of the United States, yet we represent less than 15% of outdoor enthusiasts,” Cevallos said.

“Getting to know other entrepreneurs who face similar challenges provided a network of support I didn’t have before.”

Mariana Cevallos, co-founder, Alluvia Packraft

Around the same time, she had a second revelation: “There was a huge gap in the market for casual paddlers who want to get out on the water.” Most packraft companies were targeting “outdoor experts” who go on multisport backcountry adventures. But what about urban explorers and people just wanting to do day floats?

That’s when she and her husband decided to make the outdoors more accessible to everyone. In 2021, they co-founded Alluvia Packraft. Set at affordable price points, their packrafts were promoted to urban and suburban users who faced barriers of entry to the outdoors, such as not having a car. Their durable, lightweight and packable products are much easier to transport, even on a bike or a bus.

In their first year of operations, Cevallos attended the Startup to Scaleup workshops of the Demystifying Entrepreneurship series in Norwood and Vail. She gained a holistic view of her business and left with actionable takeaways.

The most valuable aspect, she said, was the network.

“There’s not a lot of big networking events outside the big cities; it’s a completely different pace here. Getting to know other entrepreneurs who face similar challenges provided a network of support I didn’t have before,” she said.

Alluvia sets aside 3% of every sale toward making the outdoors a more inclusive, diverse and safe space for everyone. As CEO and co-founder, Cevallos hopes she will inspire other people of color, especially women. “I want them to see me running this business and think, ‘I could do that, too,’” she said.

Business at Leeds magazine Deming Center for Entrepreneurship Rural Colorado Workshop Series Engage with Leeds

How a workshop series brought perspective to packrafting.

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Entrepreneurship: The Cycle Effect

Anonymous — Fri, 04 Nov 2022 06:00:00 +0000

Entrepreneurship: The Cycle Effect Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 11/04/2022 - 00:00

From Business at Leeds 2022 | Full issue

Brett Donelson leads a group of cyclists on a ride. The rural entrepreneurship series helped give him the confidence to establish, and now grow, The Cycle Effect, which Donelson launched with his wife in 2013.

“The bicycle has done more for women than any one thing in the world—it gives her a feeling of self-reliance and independence the moment she takes her seat,” civil rights activist Susan B. Anthony said in 1896.

Today, women still ride bikes for the physical and psychological benefits, which can sometimes be life-changing. But not as many as one would think.

Brett Donelsen and his wife see the opportunity to change that every day. Inspired to help young women, they launched The Cycle Effect, in 2013, an Eagle County nonprofit that emboldens underprivileged girls to develop self-esteem and healthy lifestyles through biking.

“We had no business experience, but just kept saying ‘yes’ to opportunities instead of focusing on the 99 ‘no’s’ we got,” Donelsen said.

The program provides girls with bikes, training—and an escape from the stresses of high school. As they learn to ride and compete as a team, they not only improve their overall wellness, but they learn to work together and overcome obstacles.

Rural entrepreneurship

Meet some other founders who've benefited from Leeds' traveling entrepreneurship road show:
Alluvia Packraft
Trinidad Waffle Co.

None of them start with any prior mountain biking experience—but all of them end up becoming passionate about it. “We’re not super-focused on competition. We’re a bike team, but really a mentorship program that uses the bike as a tool,” he said. “I’ve never been part of a sport where you learn so many lessons that are metaphorical for life,” like the struggle to get up a hill, the freedom of letting go and the confidence to plunge ahead without fear.

Many of those same lessons also apply to him as he builds his nonprofit. A few years after its launch, he attended two Demystifying Entrepreneurship workshops in Vail.

“Being an entrepreneur is very lonely, because it feels like you’re making decisions with the weight of the world on your shoulders.”

Brett Donelson, founder, The Cycle Effect

“The workshops reassured me that I’m not completely lost. I could ask questions and realize I’m not crazy,” he said.

“The best things I got were confidence and networking; sitting in a room with like-minded people was so valuable. I had thought partners—I wasn’t alone.”

These days, he’s focused on developing outreach programs and expanding to new locations across Colorado. Ten years from now, his goal is to be working with thousands of kids.

“I love what I’m doing. I love learning about starting things—and now that I’ve done it once, the second and third time would be a lot easier,” he said.

Business at Leeds magazine Deming Center for Entrepreneurship Rural Colorado Workshop Series Engage with Leeds

Like a lot of founders, “we had no business experience, but just kept saying ‘yes’ to opportunities,” said the founder of Cycle Effect.

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Building a Business on Main Street, CO

Anonymous — Fri, 04 Nov 2022 06:00:00 +0000

Building a Business on Main Street, CO Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 11/04/2022 - 00:00

From Business at Leeds 2022 | Full issue

Erick Mueller travels across the state on his vintage Harley to events in the rural workshop series, where he co-teaches budding entrepreneurs and local leaders the ins and outs of starting and growing a business. Below are scenes from a recent workshop in the small town of Sterling.

In rural Colorado, passion projects—not millions in funding—are fueling startups.

One hundred and forty-two miles northeast of Boulder’s startup mecca, lies the small town of Sterling. Known as the “Queen City of the Plains,” its population is 15,000, the average household income is $55,000, and it boasts the region’s largest display of bronze artwork.

Rural entrepreneurship

Meet some of the founders who've benefited from Leeds' traveling entrepreneurship road show:
The Cycle Effect
Alluvia Packraft
Trinidad Waffle Co.

Out here, most entrepreneurs aren’t trying to start the next billion-dollar company; most want to find a way to make a living and maintain their current lifestyle. Still, there are others who aspire to launch the next big thing.

They all share one thing in common: they want to own a business borne from a passion. Whether it’s their side hustle, a lifestyle business or a growth venture—they aspire to make it their life’s work. And while the possibilities are there, living outside an urban area can make it hard to find the resources they need: professional business advice, access to investors and a community of other entrepreneurs.

So when Erick Mueller rolls into town, balancing resources and insights on his vintage Harley, people take notice.

Mueller, executive director of the Deming Center for Entrepreneurship, takes Leeds on the road for the Demystifying Entrepreneurship: Rural Colorado Workshop Series. In close collaboration with local community partners, it’s a two-day workshop for starting or growing a business, in which faculty and local entrepreneurs teach how to create an in-demand product or service, avoid pitfalls and make a profit.

Founders celebrate after completing the rural entrepreneurship course led by Leeds and its Deming Center.

Business at Leeds magazine Deming Center for Entrepreneurship Rural Colorado Workshop Series Engage with Leeds

In Colorado's rural regions, it's passion projects—not angel investment—that field startup activity.

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