Description
In such a brief criteria clarify entrepreneurs from startups through 2nd stage companies.
Colorado State House Bill 13-1003 Progress Report
November 1, 2014
Pursuant to House Bill 13-1003 the Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT)
was appropriated funds during state fiscal year 2013-2014 for the creation of an economic gardening
pilot program. OEDIT was appropriated $200,000 in year 1 and $100,000 each subsequent year for a
total of three years. Economic gardening refers to a type of economic development emphasizing the
nurturing and growth of small businesses already located in the state, in contrast to the ‘hunting and
gathering’ method of bringing in new companies through incentives, tax credits, etc. Economic
gardening programs revolve around finding the second-stage or “gazelle” companies that are positioned
and poised for rapid growth. The programs utilize corporate level tools and databases otherwise out of
reach for these fast growing small businesses. The entrepreneurs and business owners benefit from
specialized business assistance helping target and refine core strategies including in-depth market
research, geographic information system analysis, search engine optimization, and competitor analysis.
The Colorado Small Business Development Center Network (SBDC) was tasked with creating the
economic gardening 3 year pilot program. The SBDC was chosen due to their expansive network of
experienced consultants, existing infrastructure covering every county in Colorado, business owners,
and mentors across the state. The SBDC’s goal was to enroll a minimum of 20 second stage companies
through the program throughout the duration of the three year pilot project. These companies should
represent a geographic spread of the state of Colorado, as well as encompass various industries. The
funds appropriated were designated for high-level business consulting, database research and analysis,
industry reports, database licenses, economic gardening certification, training, and professional
development for SBDC Center Directors and staff.
To date, the program has 12 second-stage companies currently participating. The companies accepted
into the program were chosen based on their current size, export potential and growth potential. The
companies accepted include 2 in advanced industries, 5 in manufacturing, and 4 in professional services.
The companies enrolled thus far range in location from the front range (Denver, Boulder, Colorado
Springs, Fort Collins) to the southwest (Durango, Montrose, Silverton) and the northeast (Greeley, Fort
Morgan). Please see Appendix 1 for a list of companies enrolled thus far.
To date the funds expensed have been for SBDC Director and staff certification, database licenses,
including geographic information system licenses, and consulting. Please see Appendix 2 for program
expenditures. The SBDC has utilized a core team of high level consultants with experience spanning
multiple industries and specializing in market research and strategic development. Please see Appendix
3 for core consulting team resumes. The program brings in various industry experts based upon the
business needs and industries.
In addition to the standard pilot program, the Colorado SBDC created an additional program to assist the
companies who did not meet the ‘second-stage’ requirements but were able to demonstrate positive
growth potential. The economic gardening program, coined ‘SBDC ADVANCED’ was unveiled with three
levels of the program. The Gold level (described above) assists only the companies who meet the
criteria of a true second-stage, gazelle type business. The Silver and Copper levels were unveiled to
assist the remaining companies who were able to demonstrate positive growth potential. Please see
Appendix 4 for the SBDC ADVANCED informative flyer and more information about the economic
gardening levels and programs. The Silver and Copper levels of the program have been immensely
successful. To date, there have been 15 companies encompassing all corners of the state. One
particular success is a Mexican restaurant chain in Fort Morgan and Greeley. The owner was able to
open a new location in Montrose after utilizing the program resources and consultants. Below is the
recorded economic impact due to the work done in the Silver and Copper programs.
SBDC ADVANCED Economic Gardening Program
Impact recorded to date (10/24/2014) – Silver and Copper Level Program
Jobs Created 28
Increased Sales $229,700
Capital Formation $550,000
Consulting Hours 479
SBDC ADVANCED Economic Gardening Program
Impact recorded to date (10/24/2014) – Gold Level Program
Consulting Hours 576
*These hours do not reflect prep time, travel or coordination of teams.
No companies in the Gold level program have completed the first round of the program. Impact is not
collected from these companies until they have completed the first round of the program and have had
time to adjust their strategic plans, implement changes, and realize impact.
Appendix 1
SBDC ADVANCED
Gold Level Client List
Updated 10/22/14
Redstone Aerospace Longmont Design – Aerospace
Stratom Boulder Manufacturing and Design -
Robotics
Kota Longboards Denver Manufacturing -
longboards/skateboards
Best Signs Montrose Manufacturing - Construction
build signs
Venture Snowboards Silverton Manufacturing – Snowboards
Growing Spaces Pagosa Springs Manufacturing – Geodesic
domes
Chinook Medical Durango Manfacturing – high quality
medical/emergency/survival kits
BSC Signs Broomfield Manufacturing – Signs
Lakeside Insurance Center Arvada Professional Services - Insurance
Miramont Family Medicine Fort Collins Professional Services – Family
practice medical centers
Anton Collins Mitchell (ACM) Boulder/Denver Professional services - Consulting
Amnet Colorado Springs Professional services - IT
TOTAL
Certification Date Desc. Amount
26,100.73 $ 2/1/2014 ESRI BAO 3,200.00 $
Travel 2/1/2014 Fintel 3,640.00 $
6,059.27 $ 6/6/2014 ESRI Renewal through 2015 3,000.00 $
D & L Total spent 9,840.00 $
9,840.00 $
Consulting
68,000.00 $ Date Desc. Amount
Team Leader 9/17/2013 Edward Lowe Cert. 16,800.00 $
90,000.00 $ 9/17/2013 Misc. travel for group 2,100.73 $
Total Budgeted 200,000.00 $ 4/30/2014 Edward Lowe Cert. 2 7,200.00 $
Total Spent 200,000.00 $ Total spent 26,100.73 $
Total Remaining - $
Date Client Location
5/19/2014 Chinook Durango
5/20/2014 Growing Spaces Pagosa Springs
6/17/2014 KOTA Longboards Denver
6/22/2014 Chinook Durango
6/23/2014 Growing Spaces Pagosa Springs
7/7/2014 KOTA Longboards Denver
7/16/2014 Miramont Loveland
7/17/2014 KOTA Longboards Denver
8/8/2014 Miramont Loveland
8/15/2014 Lakeside Insurance Arvada
9/2/2014 Amnet Colorado Springs
9/2/2014 DataMAPt Colorado Springs
10/16/2014 Amnet Colorado Springs
Total Spent 6,059.27 $
2. Earlier in 2014, clients were in Boulder County. No cost for this travel.
Program Expenditures - Appendix 2
1. Online conferencing platforms were used for Best Signs (Montrose,) Venture Snow Boards (Silverton )and follow up meetings with all
clients.
3. Planning meetings for the Colorado EG program were held in Denver (9) and Colorado Springs (1) - including training
presentation at statewide Colorado SBDC conference, implementation meetings, and client meetings
2013 - 2014 Economic Gardening (HB1003)
Database and Licenses
Certification Course
Travel
Appendix 3
SBDC Advanced - Economic Development Gold Level Team
Sharon King
Executive Director, Boulder SBDC
Team Leader, SBDC Advanced – Economic Gardening Gold
In 10+ years, Sharon King and the Boulder SBDC have worked with over 5,000 entrepreneurs
from startups through 2
nd
stage companies, from “Main Street” businesses through highly
scalable manufacturing and Advanced Industries. Sharon’s first business was a vintage retail
store – right out of college. Just before joining the SBDC in 2004, Sharon converted and re-
branded a franchise hotel into the independent concept Boulder Outlook Hotel, in which she
was an investor. In the 30 years between, Sharon has been an entrepreneur/intrapreneur,
marketing executive and consultant for small (and larger) businesses in many industries --
including professional services, banking, hospitality, consumer products, retail and
manufacturing. She holds an MBA from Cornell University, is nationally-certified as an
Economic Gardening Team Leader through the Edward P. Lowe Foundation and nationally
certified to facilitate FastTrac NewVenture, GrowthVenture and TechVenture programs through
the Kauffman Foundation for Entrepreneurship.
Ruth Janjic
Ruth Janjic, founder of Diagonal Growth Strategies, is a marketing generalist with deep
experience conducting secondary industry research, marketing analysis and strategy work. Ruth
started her career in sales and marketing for one of the first Apple retailers, followed by a stint in
high-growth technology firms, including Qualcomm. In her consulting work, she has spent
hundreds of hours researching the strategies of a broad range of industries to assist companies
with their revenue models. More recently, she added not-for-profit organizations and small
businesses to her knowledge base and enjoys helping them with their marketing challenges.
Ruth holds an M.B.A. from the University of Washington and a B.A. from the University of New
Hampshire, and is a Giftworks Certified Consultant. Ruth is nationally-certified as an Economic
Gardening Market Research Specialist through the Edward P. Lowe Foundation.
Joey Jenkins
Joey Jenkins, Program Manager for SBDC Advanced – Economic Gardening initiative, joined
the Colorado SBDC in the spring of 2012. In addition to SBDC Advanced, he oversees various
other SBDC ventures. He is responsible for the collection and reporting of statewide economic
impact and individual center performance. Through impact collection, he conducts trend
analysis and gauges client satisfaction to ensure the network is meeting and exceeding
economic goals. He also assists with center reviews, statewide marketing efforts, and
maintains the relevance of SBDC resources, including the Colorado Resource Gateway and the
Business License Database.
Prior to joining the SBDC, Joey gained his business experience in the finance industry, working
as a mutual and hedge fund accountant for ALPS Inc. He holds a bachelor's degree in
economics from Colorado State University with a minor in business administration.
Tally Costa
Tally Costa brings to the SBDC Advanced team over 20 years of senior management
experience in the U.S. with extensive global exposure. This experience scales from several
start-ups to publicly traded international companies. She is a generalist and quite proficient in
identifying and overcoming any challenges that small businesses are facing. Tally’s formal
education includes a BSEE, Cornell University and MBA, Pepperdine University.
Tally’s Core Experience: Design & Product Management; Materials; Planning/Forecasting;
Manufacturing Relocation; Technology Licensing & Transfers: Sales and Operations;
Management; Outside Sales; Applications Engineering; Manufacturers' Representation;
Distribution Sales; Strategic Marketing & OEM Alliances; Product Marketing; Strategic
Planning; Business Development (new geographic territories or new technologies/products);
Implementation of New Business Plans; Exit Strategies; Change Management.
Industries Tally has worked with: High Tech, including Semiconductors (Silicon, GaAs, and IIIIV
types), Electronic Components, Systems, and Test Equipment; Medical Devices and
Equipment; Software; Aerospace, Defense, Data and Telecommunications; Radio,
Microwave, and Millimeterwave Markets; Consumer, including Sports Equipment & Accessories;
Residential & Commercial Service Markets; Medical Aging & Holistic; Entertainment;
Emerging Technologies, particularly for Industrial & Alternative Energy Markets Tally thrives in
High-Tech markets, with an uncanny ability to understand difficult technologies, re-strategize,
and match existing products with current and emerging markets to grow revenue quickly.
Michael Minard
Michael Minard is a retired executive from General Electric. He was one of the senior
executives responsible for a multi-billion dollar, international GE business which distributed
high-end computers and software. His departments included: sales, marketing, operations,
purchasing, technical groups, education centers, warehouses and research labs. He has also
created strategies for new business ventures for large companies such as Lockheed and IBM
as well as dozens of other small and medium-sized small businesses. For several years,
Michael has been a reviewer for the National Science Foundation’s Small Business Innovative
Research (SBIR) Program in Washington, DC.
Prior to his corporate career, Michael owned a half dozen of his own successful small
businesses in retail, wholesale food distribution, and syndicated publications. He enjoys
working with both start-ups and existing business, especially technology ventures. In addition to
strategy development and management coaching, he specializes in growth issues.
Steven Groves
Steven Groves heads up Social Marketing Conversations (SMC) in Englewood Colorado. SMC
is a global marketing effectiveness consulting agency. Steven is also a trained and certified
‘Gardener’, assigned to the National Strategic Resources Team (NSRT) since 2012 working
with the National Center for Economic Gardening (NCEG) and the Canadian Centre for
Economic Gardening (C2EG).
His work with large and small clients has taken him around the world to Calgary Alberta, the
Okanagan Valley in British Columbia, Bangkok Thailand, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia, and to
Monterrey Mexico. Industry expertise spans manufacturing, high-tech, consumer products
(B2C) and has an advanced capability in working with businesses that sell only to other
businesses (B2B).
Steven is also a published author on social & online marketing with “ROI of Social Media: How
to improve the return on your social marketing investment”, published in hardback by John
Wiley and Sons (ISBN-13: 978-0470827413)
Wayne Kocina
Wayne Kocina, a seasoned industry veteran with twenty three years of experience in GIS
founded GeoWize in 2003. As CEO, he is responsible for the overall operations of GeoWize.
Wayne has provided GIS services and consulted for such companies as Target, Big O Tires,
Smiling Moose Deli, US West, Qwest, Unisys (France), Telebras (Brazil) & Telebras - CpQD,
Idea Integration, the City of Littleton, numerous other cities and communities, and hundreds of
small businesses. Wayne is one of the founding members and the GIS component of the
Economic Gardening National Strategic Research Team (EG-NSRT). He is currently working
with nineteen state-wide EG programs, and numerous community programs.
Wayne has managed a $100M GIS development & deployment project, vehicle tracking
projects, spatial enterprise data projects, and hundreds of site prospecting, competitive
intelligence, and market intelligence projects using ESRI's ArcGIS and Business Analyst tools
coupled with demographic, income, spending, market & spatial data from the world's leading
providers of this data. These are the same tools that many of the biggest and most successful
retail business use to give them a real "competitive advantage" over their competitors.
Maureen (Mo) Kanwischer
With 25 years of marketing and business development experience in high-tech, software,
ecommerce, manufacturing and medical companies, Maureen Kanwischer’s expertise is
marketing, strategic planning and business model development for small to medium businesses.
She also has experience in product management, new product launches, pricing models,
marketing communication programs, product positioning and event management.
As a consultant, Mo most often works in engagements with emphasis on strategic planning,
crafting business plans, developing and executing marketing plans, and new product launches.
Mo also is the founder of Momentum Business Consulting and facilitator of peer advisory
boards. The m.b.a. (momentum board of advisors) is an informal board of directors for small
business owners. Members meet monthly for strategic planning, creative problem solving and
tapping the wisdom of the group in order to grow their business.
Recognized for her public speaking ability, she has been a sought after speaker and is a fanatic
for client care and customer satisfaction. Maureen holds a Bachelor of Science degree from
Alfred University in New York and earned an Executive MBA from the State University of New
York.
SBDC ADVANCED
SBDC ADVANCED is a new business development program administered by the
Colorado SBDC Network. It is an economic gardening program, focused on
helping our Colorado companies to grow by providing custom-fit market research
and corporate-level tools that might otherwise be out of reach for small to
mid-sized businesses. These businesses can then use this data to make informed
strategic growth decisions.
The SBDC ADVANCED program is open to Colorado businesses at three levels:
Gold, Silver, and Copper. Deliverables provided may include specialized reports
in market research, geographic information systems (GIS), financial analysis,
marketing and search engine optimization (SEO). The SBDC ADVANCED program
taps into corporate-level tools, experienced consultants and their strategic plans.
Businesses can apply to be involved in the SBDC ADVANCED program online.
The Colorado Small Business Development Center Network is a partnership between the State of Colorado, the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International
Trade, the Small Business Administration (SBA), Colorado’s institutions of higher education, local economic development organizations and local chambers of commerce.
Joey Jenkins, Special Projects Manager
Colorado SBDC Network
[email protected]
303-892-3840
www.coloradosbdc.org/
consulting/sbdc-advanced
Economic Gardening
FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO APPLY:
ABOUT SBDC ADVANCED
The Colorado Small Business Development Center Network (CSBDC) is dedicated to
helping existing and new businesses grow and prosper in Colorado by providing free
and confidential consulting and no- or low-cost training programs across Colorado.
ABOUT THE COLORADO SBDC
GOLD LEVEL - $750
· For premier growth-oriented businesses
· Full suite of high-end tools and sophisticated databases
· Consulting team dedicates their time to the businesses unique needs, focused in on issues that the business has
identified as opportunities or hurdles for growth
· Research, deliverables, and outcomes are customized to the companies’ priorities and strategic growth initiatives
Qualifications:
· Be a privately held business
· Employ 6-99 full-time employees
· Maintained its principal place of business and a majority of its employees in CO for at least the previous 2 years
· Have a gross revenue or working capital between $500,000 and $50,000,000
· Have a product or service that is/has potential to be sold outside company’s local area/state
SILVER LEVEL - $250
· Provides businesses with the tools they need to grow in their respective markets and customize their strategic
growth plans
· Provides companies with market research, industry concentration and financial benchmark data
· Specialized consulting teams are unique to the businesses’ regional SBDC office and vary with location and
business industry
Qualifications: None
COPPER LEVEL - $150
· Provides businesses with tools and consulting to customize their strategic growth plans.
· Provides companies with market research and financial benchmark data.
· Specialized consulting teams are unique to the businesses’ regional SBDC office and vary with location and
business industry
Qualifications: None
doc_115595914.pdf
In such a brief criteria clarify entrepreneurs from startups through 2nd stage companies.
Colorado State House Bill 13-1003 Progress Report
November 1, 2014
Pursuant to House Bill 13-1003 the Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT)
was appropriated funds during state fiscal year 2013-2014 for the creation of an economic gardening
pilot program. OEDIT was appropriated $200,000 in year 1 and $100,000 each subsequent year for a
total of three years. Economic gardening refers to a type of economic development emphasizing the
nurturing and growth of small businesses already located in the state, in contrast to the ‘hunting and
gathering’ method of bringing in new companies through incentives, tax credits, etc. Economic
gardening programs revolve around finding the second-stage or “gazelle” companies that are positioned
and poised for rapid growth. The programs utilize corporate level tools and databases otherwise out of
reach for these fast growing small businesses. The entrepreneurs and business owners benefit from
specialized business assistance helping target and refine core strategies including in-depth market
research, geographic information system analysis, search engine optimization, and competitor analysis.
The Colorado Small Business Development Center Network (SBDC) was tasked with creating the
economic gardening 3 year pilot program. The SBDC was chosen due to their expansive network of
experienced consultants, existing infrastructure covering every county in Colorado, business owners,
and mentors across the state. The SBDC’s goal was to enroll a minimum of 20 second stage companies
through the program throughout the duration of the three year pilot project. These companies should
represent a geographic spread of the state of Colorado, as well as encompass various industries. The
funds appropriated were designated for high-level business consulting, database research and analysis,
industry reports, database licenses, economic gardening certification, training, and professional
development for SBDC Center Directors and staff.
To date, the program has 12 second-stage companies currently participating. The companies accepted
into the program were chosen based on their current size, export potential and growth potential. The
companies accepted include 2 in advanced industries, 5 in manufacturing, and 4 in professional services.
The companies enrolled thus far range in location from the front range (Denver, Boulder, Colorado
Springs, Fort Collins) to the southwest (Durango, Montrose, Silverton) and the northeast (Greeley, Fort
Morgan). Please see Appendix 1 for a list of companies enrolled thus far.
To date the funds expensed have been for SBDC Director and staff certification, database licenses,
including geographic information system licenses, and consulting. Please see Appendix 2 for program
expenditures. The SBDC has utilized a core team of high level consultants with experience spanning
multiple industries and specializing in market research and strategic development. Please see Appendix
3 for core consulting team resumes. The program brings in various industry experts based upon the
business needs and industries.
In addition to the standard pilot program, the Colorado SBDC created an additional program to assist the
companies who did not meet the ‘second-stage’ requirements but were able to demonstrate positive
growth potential. The economic gardening program, coined ‘SBDC ADVANCED’ was unveiled with three
levels of the program. The Gold level (described above) assists only the companies who meet the
criteria of a true second-stage, gazelle type business. The Silver and Copper levels were unveiled to
assist the remaining companies who were able to demonstrate positive growth potential. Please see
Appendix 4 for the SBDC ADVANCED informative flyer and more information about the economic
gardening levels and programs. The Silver and Copper levels of the program have been immensely
successful. To date, there have been 15 companies encompassing all corners of the state. One
particular success is a Mexican restaurant chain in Fort Morgan and Greeley. The owner was able to
open a new location in Montrose after utilizing the program resources and consultants. Below is the
recorded economic impact due to the work done in the Silver and Copper programs.
SBDC ADVANCED Economic Gardening Program
Impact recorded to date (10/24/2014) – Silver and Copper Level Program
Jobs Created 28
Increased Sales $229,700
Capital Formation $550,000
Consulting Hours 479
SBDC ADVANCED Economic Gardening Program
Impact recorded to date (10/24/2014) – Gold Level Program
Consulting Hours 576
*These hours do not reflect prep time, travel or coordination of teams.
No companies in the Gold level program have completed the first round of the program. Impact is not
collected from these companies until they have completed the first round of the program and have had
time to adjust their strategic plans, implement changes, and realize impact.
Appendix 1
SBDC ADVANCED
Gold Level Client List
Updated 10/22/14
Redstone Aerospace Longmont Design – Aerospace
Stratom Boulder Manufacturing and Design -
Robotics
Kota Longboards Denver Manufacturing -
longboards/skateboards
Best Signs Montrose Manufacturing - Construction
build signs
Venture Snowboards Silverton Manufacturing – Snowboards
Growing Spaces Pagosa Springs Manufacturing – Geodesic
domes
Chinook Medical Durango Manfacturing – high quality
medical/emergency/survival kits
BSC Signs Broomfield Manufacturing – Signs
Lakeside Insurance Center Arvada Professional Services - Insurance
Miramont Family Medicine Fort Collins Professional Services – Family
practice medical centers
Anton Collins Mitchell (ACM) Boulder/Denver Professional services - Consulting
Amnet Colorado Springs Professional services - IT
TOTAL
Certification Date Desc. Amount
26,100.73 $ 2/1/2014 ESRI BAO 3,200.00 $
Travel 2/1/2014 Fintel 3,640.00 $
6,059.27 $ 6/6/2014 ESRI Renewal through 2015 3,000.00 $
D & L Total spent 9,840.00 $
9,840.00 $
Consulting
68,000.00 $ Date Desc. Amount
Team Leader 9/17/2013 Edward Lowe Cert. 16,800.00 $
90,000.00 $ 9/17/2013 Misc. travel for group 2,100.73 $
Total Budgeted 200,000.00 $ 4/30/2014 Edward Lowe Cert. 2 7,200.00 $
Total Spent 200,000.00 $ Total spent 26,100.73 $
Total Remaining - $
Date Client Location
5/19/2014 Chinook Durango
5/20/2014 Growing Spaces Pagosa Springs
6/17/2014 KOTA Longboards Denver
6/22/2014 Chinook Durango
6/23/2014 Growing Spaces Pagosa Springs
7/7/2014 KOTA Longboards Denver
7/16/2014 Miramont Loveland
7/17/2014 KOTA Longboards Denver
8/8/2014 Miramont Loveland
8/15/2014 Lakeside Insurance Arvada
9/2/2014 Amnet Colorado Springs
9/2/2014 DataMAPt Colorado Springs
10/16/2014 Amnet Colorado Springs
Total Spent 6,059.27 $
2. Earlier in 2014, clients were in Boulder County. No cost for this travel.
Program Expenditures - Appendix 2
1. Online conferencing platforms were used for Best Signs (Montrose,) Venture Snow Boards (Silverton )and follow up meetings with all
clients.
3. Planning meetings for the Colorado EG program were held in Denver (9) and Colorado Springs (1) - including training
presentation at statewide Colorado SBDC conference, implementation meetings, and client meetings
2013 - 2014 Economic Gardening (HB1003)
Database and Licenses
Certification Course
Travel
Appendix 3
SBDC Advanced - Economic Development Gold Level Team
Sharon King
Executive Director, Boulder SBDC
Team Leader, SBDC Advanced – Economic Gardening Gold
In 10+ years, Sharon King and the Boulder SBDC have worked with over 5,000 entrepreneurs
from startups through 2
nd
stage companies, from “Main Street” businesses through highly
scalable manufacturing and Advanced Industries. Sharon’s first business was a vintage retail
store – right out of college. Just before joining the SBDC in 2004, Sharon converted and re-
branded a franchise hotel into the independent concept Boulder Outlook Hotel, in which she
was an investor. In the 30 years between, Sharon has been an entrepreneur/intrapreneur,
marketing executive and consultant for small (and larger) businesses in many industries --
including professional services, banking, hospitality, consumer products, retail and
manufacturing. She holds an MBA from Cornell University, is nationally-certified as an
Economic Gardening Team Leader through the Edward P. Lowe Foundation and nationally
certified to facilitate FastTrac NewVenture, GrowthVenture and TechVenture programs through
the Kauffman Foundation for Entrepreneurship.
Ruth Janjic
Ruth Janjic, founder of Diagonal Growth Strategies, is a marketing generalist with deep
experience conducting secondary industry research, marketing analysis and strategy work. Ruth
started her career in sales and marketing for one of the first Apple retailers, followed by a stint in
high-growth technology firms, including Qualcomm. In her consulting work, she has spent
hundreds of hours researching the strategies of a broad range of industries to assist companies
with their revenue models. More recently, she added not-for-profit organizations and small
businesses to her knowledge base and enjoys helping them with their marketing challenges.
Ruth holds an M.B.A. from the University of Washington and a B.A. from the University of New
Hampshire, and is a Giftworks Certified Consultant. Ruth is nationally-certified as an Economic
Gardening Market Research Specialist through the Edward P. Lowe Foundation.
Joey Jenkins
Joey Jenkins, Program Manager for SBDC Advanced – Economic Gardening initiative, joined
the Colorado SBDC in the spring of 2012. In addition to SBDC Advanced, he oversees various
other SBDC ventures. He is responsible for the collection and reporting of statewide economic
impact and individual center performance. Through impact collection, he conducts trend
analysis and gauges client satisfaction to ensure the network is meeting and exceeding
economic goals. He also assists with center reviews, statewide marketing efforts, and
maintains the relevance of SBDC resources, including the Colorado Resource Gateway and the
Business License Database.
Prior to joining the SBDC, Joey gained his business experience in the finance industry, working
as a mutual and hedge fund accountant for ALPS Inc. He holds a bachelor's degree in
economics from Colorado State University with a minor in business administration.
Tally Costa
Tally Costa brings to the SBDC Advanced team over 20 years of senior management
experience in the U.S. with extensive global exposure. This experience scales from several
start-ups to publicly traded international companies. She is a generalist and quite proficient in
identifying and overcoming any challenges that small businesses are facing. Tally’s formal
education includes a BSEE, Cornell University and MBA, Pepperdine University.
Tally’s Core Experience: Design & Product Management; Materials; Planning/Forecasting;
Manufacturing Relocation; Technology Licensing & Transfers: Sales and Operations;
Management; Outside Sales; Applications Engineering; Manufacturers' Representation;
Distribution Sales; Strategic Marketing & OEM Alliances; Product Marketing; Strategic
Planning; Business Development (new geographic territories or new technologies/products);
Implementation of New Business Plans; Exit Strategies; Change Management.
Industries Tally has worked with: High Tech, including Semiconductors (Silicon, GaAs, and IIIIV
types), Electronic Components, Systems, and Test Equipment; Medical Devices and
Equipment; Software; Aerospace, Defense, Data and Telecommunications; Radio,
Microwave, and Millimeterwave Markets; Consumer, including Sports Equipment & Accessories;
Residential & Commercial Service Markets; Medical Aging & Holistic; Entertainment;
Emerging Technologies, particularly for Industrial & Alternative Energy Markets Tally thrives in
High-Tech markets, with an uncanny ability to understand difficult technologies, re-strategize,
and match existing products with current and emerging markets to grow revenue quickly.
Michael Minard
Michael Minard is a retired executive from General Electric. He was one of the senior
executives responsible for a multi-billion dollar, international GE business which distributed
high-end computers and software. His departments included: sales, marketing, operations,
purchasing, technical groups, education centers, warehouses and research labs. He has also
created strategies for new business ventures for large companies such as Lockheed and IBM
as well as dozens of other small and medium-sized small businesses. For several years,
Michael has been a reviewer for the National Science Foundation’s Small Business Innovative
Research (SBIR) Program in Washington, DC.
Prior to his corporate career, Michael owned a half dozen of his own successful small
businesses in retail, wholesale food distribution, and syndicated publications. He enjoys
working with both start-ups and existing business, especially technology ventures. In addition to
strategy development and management coaching, he specializes in growth issues.
Steven Groves
Steven Groves heads up Social Marketing Conversations (SMC) in Englewood Colorado. SMC
is a global marketing effectiveness consulting agency. Steven is also a trained and certified
‘Gardener’, assigned to the National Strategic Resources Team (NSRT) since 2012 working
with the National Center for Economic Gardening (NCEG) and the Canadian Centre for
Economic Gardening (C2EG).
His work with large and small clients has taken him around the world to Calgary Alberta, the
Okanagan Valley in British Columbia, Bangkok Thailand, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia, and to
Monterrey Mexico. Industry expertise spans manufacturing, high-tech, consumer products
(B2C) and has an advanced capability in working with businesses that sell only to other
businesses (B2B).
Steven is also a published author on social & online marketing with “ROI of Social Media: How
to improve the return on your social marketing investment”, published in hardback by John
Wiley and Sons (ISBN-13: 978-0470827413)
Wayne Kocina
Wayne Kocina, a seasoned industry veteran with twenty three years of experience in GIS
founded GeoWize in 2003. As CEO, he is responsible for the overall operations of GeoWize.
Wayne has provided GIS services and consulted for such companies as Target, Big O Tires,
Smiling Moose Deli, US West, Qwest, Unisys (France), Telebras (Brazil) & Telebras - CpQD,
Idea Integration, the City of Littleton, numerous other cities and communities, and hundreds of
small businesses. Wayne is one of the founding members and the GIS component of the
Economic Gardening National Strategic Research Team (EG-NSRT). He is currently working
with nineteen state-wide EG programs, and numerous community programs.
Wayne has managed a $100M GIS development & deployment project, vehicle tracking
projects, spatial enterprise data projects, and hundreds of site prospecting, competitive
intelligence, and market intelligence projects using ESRI's ArcGIS and Business Analyst tools
coupled with demographic, income, spending, market & spatial data from the world's leading
providers of this data. These are the same tools that many of the biggest and most successful
retail business use to give them a real "competitive advantage" over their competitors.
Maureen (Mo) Kanwischer
With 25 years of marketing and business development experience in high-tech, software,
ecommerce, manufacturing and medical companies, Maureen Kanwischer’s expertise is
marketing, strategic planning and business model development for small to medium businesses.
She also has experience in product management, new product launches, pricing models,
marketing communication programs, product positioning and event management.
As a consultant, Mo most often works in engagements with emphasis on strategic planning,
crafting business plans, developing and executing marketing plans, and new product launches.
Mo also is the founder of Momentum Business Consulting and facilitator of peer advisory
boards. The m.b.a. (momentum board of advisors) is an informal board of directors for small
business owners. Members meet monthly for strategic planning, creative problem solving and
tapping the wisdom of the group in order to grow their business.
Recognized for her public speaking ability, she has been a sought after speaker and is a fanatic
for client care and customer satisfaction. Maureen holds a Bachelor of Science degree from
Alfred University in New York and earned an Executive MBA from the State University of New
York.
SBDC ADVANCED
SBDC ADVANCED is a new business development program administered by the
Colorado SBDC Network. It is an economic gardening program, focused on
helping our Colorado companies to grow by providing custom-fit market research
and corporate-level tools that might otherwise be out of reach for small to
mid-sized businesses. These businesses can then use this data to make informed
strategic growth decisions.
The SBDC ADVANCED program is open to Colorado businesses at three levels:
Gold, Silver, and Copper. Deliverables provided may include specialized reports
in market research, geographic information systems (GIS), financial analysis,
marketing and search engine optimization (SEO). The SBDC ADVANCED program
taps into corporate-level tools, experienced consultants and their strategic plans.
Businesses can apply to be involved in the SBDC ADVANCED program online.
The Colorado Small Business Development Center Network is a partnership between the State of Colorado, the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International
Trade, the Small Business Administration (SBA), Colorado’s institutions of higher education, local economic development organizations and local chambers of commerce.
Joey Jenkins, Special Projects Manager
Colorado SBDC Network
[email protected]
303-892-3840
www.coloradosbdc.org/
consulting/sbdc-advanced
Economic Gardening
FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO APPLY:
ABOUT SBDC ADVANCED
The Colorado Small Business Development Center Network (CSBDC) is dedicated to
helping existing and new businesses grow and prosper in Colorado by providing free
and confidential consulting and no- or low-cost training programs across Colorado.
ABOUT THE COLORADO SBDC
GOLD LEVEL - $750
· For premier growth-oriented businesses
· Full suite of high-end tools and sophisticated databases
· Consulting team dedicates their time to the businesses unique needs, focused in on issues that the business has
identified as opportunities or hurdles for growth
· Research, deliverables, and outcomes are customized to the companies’ priorities and strategic growth initiatives
Qualifications:
· Be a privately held business
· Employ 6-99 full-time employees
· Maintained its principal place of business and a majority of its employees in CO for at least the previous 2 years
· Have a gross revenue or working capital between $500,000 and $50,000,000
· Have a product or service that is/has potential to be sold outside company’s local area/state
SILVER LEVEL - $250
· Provides businesses with the tools they need to grow in their respective markets and customize their strategic
growth plans
· Provides companies with market research, industry concentration and financial benchmark data
· Specialized consulting teams are unique to the businesses’ regional SBDC office and vary with location and
business industry
Qualifications: None
COPPER LEVEL - $150
· Provides businesses with tools and consulting to customize their strategic growth plans.
· Provides companies with market research and financial benchmark data.
· Specialized consulting teams are unique to the businesses’ regional SBDC office and vary with location and
business industry
Qualifications: None
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