Sit-Ins

By Malia Durbano

Music composer, James Bowers came up with a great idea a few years ago and formulated it more – in of all places- Trimble Hot Springs! James and his wife Lily Weisbecker had attended a string quartet concert through Music in the Mountains, which they thoroughly enjoyed. The next night, while they were at Trimble, the cello player from the ensemble also happened to be there.

They began discussing how to make Chamber music more relevant and accessible and how they could strengthen the classical music community. James’ idea was coalescing.

James plays guitar and composes background music for Global National News in Canada. Both he and Lily love classical music and “never tire of listening to it,” she explains. Lily conveniently, has a background in software development.

sitins1Their idea, which is now their new company, is called Sit-Ins. It’s an app that can be downloaded onto a Mac or PC that allows musicians to play with experts. The audio and video allow practicing musicians to play along with professionals. They can play with the whole ensemble or block out which ever parts they want to, and fill in with their own music –similar to karaoke, where the lyrics are filled in by the live singer.

The visual and auditory communication makes learning to play a musical instrument easier and more fun. As Lily explains, “Practicing alone is no fun. Music is a language. People who come from musical families and have somebody to play with really thrive.”

James and Lily recorded 180 songs with professional musicians in Budapest last summer. Each instrument was recorded in isolation, so it can be eliminated, slowed down or speeded up. Currently, they just have string quartets and piano duos, but will branch out into other genres.

They just debuted their product at the Chamber Music America Trade Show in New York City. Lily explains, “It was so exciting! It was very well received as a quality, high-end product. We got the interest of lots of musicians.”

The couple agrees that, “Participating in the SCAPE program made sitins3all the difference in the world. It was an intense four months, but we learned so much.” Lily credits advisors Jim Mackay, Barbara Heinrich, Mark Epstein, John Wolgamott and Jasper Welch for their mentorship, generous consulting time and for being amazing resources.

The most valuable help they got was in carefully defining their target market and then “learning how to reach them as quickly as possible for the least amount of money. This prevented us from making some of the most common mistakes new start-ups make.

http://sit-ins.com/

Coffee Bear Silverton

Who doesn’t love a nice cup o’ joe in the morning, afternoon, or evening? Since 2016, Coffee Bear has provided countless cups of coffee and memorable experiences for locals, tourists, and everyone in between. Holly and Sophie were working as baristas at the coffee shop when it went up for sale. After serious consideration, they decided that it “just felt right to buy it together.” Despite the craziness of 2020, Holly and Sophie persisted in

Ruby Jo Walker: Southwest Trauma Training

Ruby Jo Walker: Transforming Trauma Therapy Through Innovation and Trainingby Denise Leslie By age 16, Ruby Jo Walker was determined to turn her passion for helping people into a career as a social worker. She has since conducted over 33,000therapy sessions and developed numerous trauma-informed trainings. Ruby Jo Walker, LCSW, is an expert therapist and trainer specializing in the neurobiology of trauma and resilience. For over thirty years, she has dedicated herself to helping individuals navigate

Eight Four Ranch

Every cloud really does have a silver lining. At least, that’s how Brian Wattier sees it. When he lost his job in advertising and sales last year, he saw the opportunity to do what he’d always dreamed of—own a ranch in Colorado. He took his family on a trip, and when they came to Pagosa Springs, they knew they’d found their new home. They sold their house in California, packed up, and moved. Since they’d

Given’ Home Health

By Malia Durbano Sandra Shepherd didn’t set out to own a Home Health agency. But “now I feel like it is where I’ve been headed all my life,” she shared. She and her husband owned a construction company when he got cancer. This was her first experience at home health. She graduated from nursing school and was working in a Rehab Unit, when her teen-age son had a stroke. Driving him to appointments in Albuquerque

Higher Grounds

By Malia Durbano Nicki Alley, owner of Higher Grounds Coffee in Pagosa Springs was “really excited” when she won First Place for the business plan she wrote after attending the Leading Edge for Entrepreneurs training. Although her coffee house, bakery and gift shop had been open since 2004, she wanted “a refresher and to update the business plan”. She will be celebrating her 10th anniversary on August 16th & 17th. The eclectic shop features scarves,

Durango Running Company

Durango Running Company owner, Brett Sublett had lots of experience in the outdoor retail and athletic shoe industries but had never owned his own store. Sublett had managed Your Running Store for four years and then became the footwear buyer at Back Country Experience for three years. He also knew a lot about running and running shoes since he Coached Cross Country at Fort Lewis. When Sublett decided he wanted his own store, he contacted