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

SUCCESS STORIES

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 the market, we could brand it as ours.”

The entrepreneurial duo researched trends and found that Americans craved healthy snack options. Indeed, there’s no corn syrup or anything partially hydrogenated in the company’s whole grain popcorn that comes in a variety of sizes and natural flavors that include white cheddar, caramel, jalapeño, red chili, butter and ‘naked.’

The Centennial-based company distributes nationally to grocery stores and convenience stores like King Soopers, City Market, Loaf ‘N Jug, Circle K and Conoco.

“To be successful, you have to think strategically and be persistent,” said Karen. “In part, that means knowing where to turn for guidance, to fill the gaps that fall outside your area of expertise.”

“The Denver Metro Small Business Development Center counseled me and provided me all the tools I needed to develop a business plan – something I’d never done before. About once a month for a year, she helped me get it right the first time,” said Karen.

The Bradleys’ unwavering focus and strategic thinking is paying off. Today, Rocky Mountain Popcorn is a brand of Open Road Snacks™, a respected company known for creating good-for-you, high-quality, naturally delicious snacks. From Rocky Mountain Popcorn® to Poplets® and Diego’s Chips™, Open Road Snacks™ strives to make the snack world a happier place.

Paleo Meals To Go

A few years ago, Ty Soukup went on his first multi-day backpacking trip around the Maroon Bells 14ers in Colorado. But, his biggest challenge wasn’t the terrain – it was figuring out what to eat. He couldn’t find any backpacking meal options that would fit with his Paleo diet. “I thought to myself, why isn’t someone making a backpacker meal that appeals to folks on alternative diets?” Soukup recalled. “It was in that moment that

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YAK Hospitality

Yak Hospitality Group is a unique social club creating a range of activities for party-goers, music enthusiasts, foodies, and beyond. Not only are their entertainment services diverse, but their clients too, serving guests in both Denver and Miami. Learn more about the exciting work of the latest Trout Tank winner, Yak Hospitality Group: Having started other businesses before, founders Yonnick, Antonio, and Khiry were prepared to meet the challenge. They commented on one of the

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Back2Basics

Brittany Winkfield is like a lot of entrepreneurs. She saw a gap in the marketplace and instead of waiting for someone else to fill it, she went after it herself. Led by a belief and desire that a Christian lifestyle magazine existed within the community, she used her creative skills, business network, and the SBDC to create Back2Basics Magazine. And she did it with the grace and style of a dedicated entrepreneur that understands how

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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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Denver Bouldering Club

The Denver Bouldering Club (DBC) started in 2009 when three local climbers – Thomas Betterton, Lee Payne, and Kevin Brown – decided that Denver’s passion for climbing and the outdoors deserved a better indoor training facility. What began as a dream to construct a small training center has now grown into one of the best climbing gyms in Colorado – a gathering place where climbers can learn, train and share their love of climbing. “It’s

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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.

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