fbpx

We’ve helped thousands of entrepreneurs. Here are some of their

SUCCESS STORIES

Discovery College Consulting, LLC

When Sara Zessar first began meeting with consultants and attending programs at the Denver SBDC in 2013, she had a company name and not much else. A former high school counselor, Zessar wanted to start a college consulting practice to assist high school students with the college search and admissions process, but she had no experience in the business world. “I knew what I wanted to do, but I needed a lot of help in creating a viable business, especially in regards to marketing,” Zessar said.

Zessar began meeting with consultants at the Denver Metro SBDC in June 2013. Wendy King, a marketing consultant with the Denver Metro SBDC, advised her on developing a website and putting together marketing materials to share with potential clients. Although a friend had offered to teach Zessar how to design a website, the consultant encouraged her to pay someone to do her website – and said Zessar’s time would be better spent building her business.

“I definitely don’t think I’d be where I am today if not for the SBDC consultant – her guidance, assistance, and support have been paramount to helping me build my business, and I look forward to continuing to work with her in the future,” Zessar said.

In order to round out her consulting sessions and build her network, Zessar also took advantage of SBDC classes. She focused on digital marketing through programming.

In the summer of 2015, Zessar brought on an associate college consultant to accommodate growing demand. To date, 90% of Discovery College Consulting’s students have received college merit scholarships of up to $33,000.

Zessar’s company is now four years old, and, with the SBDC’s help, it has become a very successful business. Zessar has worked with over 90 students (and worked with hundreds as a high school counselor) and has helped them gain admission to more than 100 colleges.

Briar Common Brewery + Eatery

Kent Dawson is no stranger to the hard work it takes to start his own business. He learned young as he and his brother Greg spent their summer breaks helping their grandparents tend to their farm. “Spending time on ‘The Farm’ was no picnic: this wasn’t one of those grandparents spoiling the grandkids situation. It was exhausting!” Dawson recalled. Dawson and his wife moved to Denver in 2008, looking to enjoy what Denver and Colorado

Read More »
Gel-Oh Dolly!

Do you want a fun, easy-to-use way to consume your favorite craft cocktails and deserts? That’s where Gel-Oh Dolly! comes in. Gel-Ol Dolly! is a grown-up twist on an old favorite. They provide a gourmet Jell-O shot mix for you to create your own fancy shot. For Dolly Fiedelman co-founder of Gel-Oh Dolly!, running her own company seemed natural coming from a family of entrepreneurs. The desire was always there – that’s why Fiedelman took

Read More »
Alt Ethos

You may have seen their installations during Denver Startup week or read their name in 303 Magazine as “Denver Artists to Watch in 2018.” Alt Ethos is introducing a new way of capturing the attention of audiences through experiential design. By combining mixed reality (MR), augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) to create interactive light displays, people are more than just viewers – they become part of the art display. CEO Ethan Bach and

Read More »
dance2b

Jennifer Tisdale learned early in her years as a consultant that creativity and business opportunity are imperative for a successful startup. Looking for a dance studio to express her own creative outlet, she explored the Denver region to see what dance studios existed and what they offered. The more she searched, the more she realized that a true business opportunity existed. Her idea? Start a boutique fitness studio that provided daily dance classes for adults.

Read More »
Big Sky Aerial Technology

In business, the sky is the limit for Big Sky Aerial Technology—literally. This start-up company captures high-resolution aerial images for use in precision agriculture, allowing farmers to analyze the health of their crops. Founded in 2015 by Ron Lester and Jerred Lane, the idea to launch Big Sky Aerial Technology was inspired by the years Lester and Lane spent working with land and air-based remote sensing technologies in the Middle East. “With some of the

Read More »
Moss Pink

A love of flowers led Jil Schlisner to buy an existing flower shop in 2006, rename it and build her business by creating inspirational, beautiful atmospheres for clients. She believes people should wear flowers more often, in the form of corsages and boutonnieres—and on ordinary Wednesdays, not only proms or weddings. Moss Pink Flora & Botanicals, located on E. 23rd and Dexter streets in Denver, provides clients with beautiful shopping environment, as well as personal

Read More »
Scroll to Top
Skip to content