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 a chance on her favorite summer go-to. Gel-Oh Dolly! was sparked at a tailgating party at Red Rocks. After bringing gourmet Jell-O shots, it soon became an expectation that she would be providing them at every gathering. “People kept telling me I should sell them, and here we are!” Fiedelman said.

Unlike your typical shot, these Jell-O shots use real food ingredients to create craft cocktail and gourmet dessert inspired mixes. You have the freedom to get crafty with glasses and garnishes, or keep it simple and just mix with your favorite spirit, chill and enjoy!

Fiedelman and her co-founder Terri Johanson joined LEADING EDGE for Entrepreneurs in spring 2017 to put a plan in place, and create a business from their idea: “The program allowed us to evaluate and understand our concept and decide if it was viable. It also pushed us to start thinking in the entrepreneur mindset.”

During LEADING EDGE, they created a plan for a brick and mortar, selling individual Jell-O shots and focusing on events. However, due to cost in the liquor licensing and perishability limiting scalability, they pivoted to the dry mix right before joining Trout Tank: Food Frenzy. They found themselves putting their pitch together in two weeks. Although they were the only company pitching at the event that was not selling at the time, Gel-Oh Dolly! received the People’s Choice award.

“Trout Tank led us to opportunities to do pop-up events and while we didn’t think we’d be ready to do so and sell in the timeframe given, it pushed us to take the leap,” Fiedelman said. With their pivot to dry mix, they now have a product that can be shipped world-wide.

Recently, they partnered with one of their favorite breweries, Intrepid Sojourner Beer Project for the Bacon and Beer Classic at Mile High Stadium. They experienced a great reception and collaboration, where they made an orange cream Jell-O shot that can be made with a light wheat beer. And, this is not the last time the two are partnering – they are in the works right now to plan future events together.

Back at their launch, Gel-Oh Dolly! served four year-round flavors. They have since launched six new flavors, including seasonal favorites like winter cosmo and spiced orange. “While we continue to grow our brand awareness, we pride ourselves on changing people’s perceptions of Jell-O shots,” Fiedelman said. As they continue to hone in on their operations, they plan to focus on large events, such as corporate events and weddings. This gives them the opportunity to work with the client one-on-one to not only create a custom label but flavor as well, to create a unique experience for each customer.

Open Road Snacks

In January of 2007, Karen and Tim Bradley were looking for an opportunity to combine Tim’s expertise in consumer packaged goods, finance and operations with Karen’s background in graphic design, marketing and sales. That’s when they acquired Rocky Mountain Popcorn Company. “We work really well together and we wanted to use both sides of our collective brain,” Karen said. “With our experience in brand management, we recognized that, while Rocky Mountain Popcorn was proven in

Lori J Photography

Entrepreneurs are known for having to perform many different roles. Many struggle with the financial and accounting aspect of their business, while others have a hard time understanding the power of social media. For Lori Johnson, owner of Lori J Photography, she’s the first to admit that her nemesis is marketing. Lori J Photography provides a boutique photography service experience for Denver wedding photography, family portraits, and lifestyle headshots for entrepreneurs in Denver. The business

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,

Coppertops Paperie

When considering starting her own business, Jessica Burke was given the advice, “do something you completely love, even in the tiny details.” The only thing she felt absolutely certain she loved – tiny details and all – was paper products. Jessica’s passion drove her to start CopperTops Paperie, a company that sells personalized paper products, in 2013. CopperTops is most widely known for their patent-pending bottle wrap, which emerged from a conversation with a customer

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.

Med-Fit

Med-Fit, PLLC provides physician-supervised individualized weight management systems designed to help overweight and obese clients lose and maintain a healthy weight. Owner Dr. Angela Tran is Board-Certified in Internal Medicine and Obesity Medicine and has practiced in primary care since 2007. Despite Angela’s extensive education and experience, she admits she knew very little about how to start a business when she decided to seek assistance from the Denver Metro SBDC in January of 2012. Angela