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

SUCCESS STORIES

ECS

Jessica Acosta’s business philosophy is focused on three things: people, planet and profit. The Environmental Consulting Services (ECS) founder and CEO works to bring new jobs to the region while creating sustainable environment and financial stability. ECS, established in 2011, provides services ranging from design and development of stormwater management plans to training.

Acosta launched ECS to serve and address environmental management and water quality compliance needs of private, federal, state, and local clients.

“I’ve been in construction for the last 10 years, and I started at the bottom,” Acosta said. “Owning my business is something I always wanted to do, and when I had reached my level of growth at my current company, I decided to start on my own.”

That’s when Acosta first turned to the Denver Metro Small Business Development Center (SBDC). She leveraged the business training, certification classes and one-on-one consulting to navigate business ownership. “The SBDC partnered with me in creating a road map to where I wanted to go with my company and how I would to get there,” Acosta said.

She also took advantage of the SBDC’s Connect2DOT program, a partnership between the Colorado SBDC Network and the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), designed to help small businesses in the transportation industry become more competitive and successful in bidding and contracting.

ECS recently won a contract to participate in a project at Denver International Airport and is expected to participate in the North Metro Rail Line project for RTD, which will enable Acosta to hire more full-time inspectors and provide additional services.

Acosta’s positive attitude, resourceful nature and persistent goal to build a reputable legacy keep her focused on ECS’s growth.

“We provide excellent service and take a vested interest in our clients. This is a growing market and is becoming more regulated. The most important advice I can give clients is to invest in their company’s reputation by hiring ECS,” Acosta said.

Since 2011 ECS has increased revenue by 30% each year and has grown to five employees. ECS is projected to double revenue in 2014.

As the youngest member of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Denver and a 2014 member of the Denver Business Journal’s 40 under 40, Acosta strives to be an example to empower Latina women in the Denver community through her professional endeavors as well as her community involvement. A personal goal for Acosta is to establish an annual golf tournament to raise funds for non-profit organizations delivering educational programs to Denver’s youth.

Acosta advises other small businesses who want to gain the tools to create the long term relationships that make a company successful to start at the SBDC. She said, “ECS would not have been possible without the help of the SBDC consultants.”

When asked what advice she has for other small business owners, Jessica’s answer reveals her robust ambition, “Persistence is key.”

GreenPrint LLC

Founded in 2020 by Ben Rather and DeShawn Phenix, GreenPrint LLC provides its clients with the knowledge and tools to navigate the complexities of money and achieve financial wellness, was formed when Rather and Phenix saw the necessity for the next generation to know more about personal finance. “We’ve been through those struggles ourselves,” said Rather, “and [we] want to pass along tools and resources that see young folks more financially empowered as they grow

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Safe Rids 4 Kids

Firefighter. Paramedic. Emergency responder. Over an 18 year career, Greg Durocher spent his days and nights responding to some of the most devastating collisions and catastrophes. To prevent accidents and injury, Durocher decided to learn as much as possible about child passenger safety. “As responsible drivers we can only do our very best to ensure that our precious cargo is properly restrained with the best options available,” Durocher said, “so that if a crash occurs,

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My Identity Doctor

What was the inspiration behind starting your business? I was inspired to start My Identity Doctor™ not to become rich, but because I believe if you truly care about customers, the quality of your product and believe in yourself, the money will come naturally in conjunction with the right business plan. No other company that employs me can pay me enough for the self-gratification of putting in a hard days work and at the end

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The PB Love CO

“We want to feed people real, delicious food and make them happy!” That’s how PB Love CO , a Denver Metro Small Business Development Center (SBDC) company describes themselves, and it’s apparent in everything they do. PB Love is committed to creating stone-ground, handcrafted, artisan nut butter, using only real-food ingredients in every jar they make. Mario Esparza had been perfecting the flavor, consistency and ingredients of his own nut butter for over 12 years,

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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

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Fireside Production

“With resources like the Denver Metro Chamber and the Denver Metro SBDC – and a community of entrepreneurs and leaders who are so willing to share their insights – I have to admit, learning how to run a business has been one of my greatest joys.” Naomi Binkley, founder and managing partner of Fireside Production said. Naomi Binkley and Tom McDonald make their living telling others’ stories through video. They are committed to bringing creativity,

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