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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 biggest hurdles when starting Yak Hospitality Group saying, “The biggest challenge is making sure to stay unique in the market, so your business becomes a magnet to the people we wish to entertain at our social club. Truthfully, raising capital and getting the right type of financing has been the biggest challenge. We are a minority-owned business and there are many programs out there for us, but the timing of funding is everything when trying to start a project that needs lots of marketing.” After winning the Trout Tank Pitch Competition, they have gained positive exposure from much of the community and enjoyed navigating a new market by interacting with local vendors and partners.

The founders of Yak Hospitality Group look forward to the continued growth of the company saying, “We look forward to becoming the number one hospitality group in Denver. When people visit the city of Denver, they should have the opportunity to party with us, dine with us, stay at our hotels, and more importantly experience quality living and vacationing like they never have before. We are developing a dynamic value-added exclusive membership program that will allow participants to enjoy benefits in both Denver, CO and Miami, FL with affiliate partnered companies.”

With the goal of connecting individuals and creating long-lasting memories, Yak Hospitality recognizes the need to maintain a unique image for the brand. They believe with the relationships they have built and the support of the community, no hurdle is too big to overcome for their new business.

Yak Hospitality Group took home the top place at the Denver Metro SBDC’s Trout Tank Pitch Event.

You can find out more about Yak Hospitality Group at https://www.yakhospitality.com/.

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

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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

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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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Safe Ride 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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Sky Blue Builders

When Mowa Haile set out to build a business with a couple of friends, they agreed on one fundamental principle: customer service. “The opportunity to be customer focused is what motivates us and differentiates us,” said Mowa, President of minority-owned Sky Blue Builders, LLC. “As consumers, we see the mistakes that big companies make – and we want to change that. Everything we do, we consider it from the perspective of the customer. If it

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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

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