maryshepherd

There’s nothing better than spending a day water skiing on the lake.

There’s nothing more frustrating than trying to fasten cylindrical fenders to the side of your boat before arriving back at the dock.

As California natives, Brian Slaughter and Courtney Gates love boats. One day in 2017, they had just finished water skiing and were trying to attach their boat fenders when Brian had an epiphany: why hasn’t anyone created an easier system?

As he reached out to other boaters, Brian discovered that they had the same frustrations. Soon he was drawing up designs, looking at materials, and trying out options.

Brian and Courtney joined forces with Jack’s Plastic Welding in Aztec, NM. “They were so helpful,” Courtney says. “They made computer designs of our ideas and had plenty of materials.” After four rounds of prototypes, Impact Fenders was born.

In the meantime, they learned about the Southwest Colorado Accelerator Program for Entrepreneurs (SCAPE) and decided to apply.

Courtney remembers, “It was a crazy time. We were leaving the country for Christmas, and SCAPE requested a video of our product. We ended up filming from Belize!” Soon after, they were accepted to the SCAPE program.

By November of 2018, they were preparing to launch their product. They headed to their first boat show at Lake Havasu and sold out in two days. “Everyone kept asking, ‘Why hasn’t anyone thought of this before?’ People were intrigued by the flat fender idea, which stores easily and doesn’t scratch the boat.” Brian and Courtney returned from the boat show with dozens of new orders and a renewed excitement.

The product officially launched in January 2019, and Brian and Courtney were “off to the boat shows.” Initially, they focused on the performance sport boat market, which was the industry segment they knew best. That spring, they hit every large boat event they could find. By June, they were ready to test the salt water market, and they headed to coastal shows that focused on sailboats, catamarans, and cruisers.

They quickly discovered that their product worked for every boat type. They’ve made custom fenders for house boats, yachts, and boat clubs with dozens of boats in their fleets. Impact has also created custom bumpers for boat docks of every size and shape. All of their products are manufactured in their Durango facility and come with a lifetime limited warranty.

As they looked forward to 2020, Brian and Courtney planned a boat show circuit that included some of the largest shows in the world. They also planned to focus heavily on the wholesale channel to get their products into the hands of boat dealers, marinas, and retail stores. In March, COVID hit, and they found themselves pivoting to a new marketing strategy—fast.

To compensate for the cancellation of live events, Brian and Courtney stepped up their social media game and rebuilt their website. They also started running Google Ads and partnering with YouTube influencers. Courtney says, “We had the most amazing response from our market. This has been the best year in 12 years for the marine industry, and we were able to ride that wave. Our sales in 2020 have been thousands of dollars higher than our previous year.”

The future is bright, and Brian and Courtney are already looking forward to 2021. Their growing staff currently includes two office team members, two salespeople in the field, and two people in the shop helping manufacture products.

Brian and Courtney are extremely grateful to SBDC and the team at SCAPE. “The SBDC has been super supportive; Mary and the team put us in contact with quite a few people who have helped in many different ways. The people at SCAPE have been so helpful; they are still helping us find investors, negotiate contracts, and they are always willing to advise us. Thank you to our investors and everyone who believed in us. ”

Both Brian and Courtney are thrilled to be working in this exciting industry. They encourage other budding entrepreneurs: “Really believe in your product, but be equally open to advice and feedback. Listen to what people with experience have to say. Not everyone has the guts to start a business, but if you do, find that support network to get you started on a strong path.”

About three years ago, Danny Perez got an idea.

He was the manager of Radio Shack in Durango, and the company had recently filed for bankruptcy. Danny’s wife had mentioned that Durango needed a game store, so he started looking into it. He soon realized that this could be a viable new career path.

Danny’s first stop was the SBDC. They guided him through the business plan and loan application process, and in May of 2017, Guild House Games was born.

Guild House Games currently resides inside the historic Main Mall, and the business specializes in board games, collectible card games, collectible minis, miniatures, paints, puzzles, puzzle games, Ugears, and Legos. They really do have a game for everyone!

The game shop has a very diverse client base. They pride themselves in carrying products for everyone, from heavy gamers to those just looking for something to do on family night. They also have games for every genre including classic, mystery, adventure, RPG, miniature, and strategy games.

Before launching Guild House Games, Danny spent countless hours researching other game stores. “When I looked into why these types of stores fail, I found that many of them lacked diversity in their product mix and become stale. That meant that when the main product experienced a down period, they couldn’t recover.”

To counter this trend, Danny committed to creating an ever-evolving business model. Last year, they focused heavily on building their selection of children’s games. Now they have a good selection of games for kids ages three and up. This year, they added to their Ugears collection, bringing in more than 80% of that product line. They also added Lego to their product list.

The store is still in its infancy and has navigated an array of challenging situations over the past few years, from its first autumn to drought to fire to the pandemic. Through it all, Danny has worked hard to build a resilient business. He says, “We continue to look at the big and small stores to see what they are doing and get ideas on what we can do better.”

The store is currently experiencing a great highlight. They expanded their retail store into what was their large game room. This has provided positive responses and reactions from their customers! They have even started looking for larger locations to accommodate their new vision. In addition, they are currently working on a web store, so they can put their entire inventory at their customer’s fingertips for curbside and delivery.

Danny is quick to note that his new team members are another highlight. Kate has been with the company for more than a year and is thriving in the environment they have created together. Aidan has been with the company for almost a year, and his knowledge has been a big part of taking the business to new heights. Danny encourages other business owners, “Don’t be afraid to train your people to be you.”

One of the biggest challenges presented by the pandemic has been the cancellation of nightly events. Although the nightly events resumed in June, they were again canceled in November. Please follow Guild House Games on Facebook to get the most recent updates.

Through it all, Danny and the Guild House Games team are grateful for the steady support from SBDC. “Our local SBDC is always available when we have a question and need something explained to us. A great example is that I was able to stop by and ask Mary about the current loans, so I could determine if we needed to apply.”

Danny enjoys retail and gives this bit of advice: “Retail is a difficult business to be in. Margins are always shrinking, making it difficult to stay profitable. Have a plan and don’t be afraid to stick to it. Look ahead and be proactive when dealing with upcoming challenges. Do not be afraid of change, it is a constant in retail and the gaming industry. You have to be able to move with change and adapt.”

Milt Wiley was a local paddling legend.

Even in the 1980s, when whitewater sports were still coming on the scene, everyone in Durango had heard of the Wiley’s.

In 1983, he and his daughters opened 4 Corners Riversports (4CRS).

Since that time, 4CRS has become Southwest Colorado’s iconic river supply store. With everything from stand up paddle boards (SUPs) to cookstoves to PFDs, the shop supplies river goers with everything they need for their outdoor adventures. They have gear for purchase or rent, and they host paddling classes for all ages and abilities.

In 2002, Milt’s daughter, Nancy, sold the shop to her brother in law, Andy Corra. Over the past 18 years, Tony Miely, Ashleigh Diaz, and Matt Gerhardt have also become managing partners. 

Each of these individuals has their own story of falling in love with whitewater. Andy started paddling on the Roaring Fork River in 1979 and has traveled from South America to Africa to paddle some of the world’s wildest rivers. Tony, who is originally from Chicago, started paddling while attending CSU. His love for rivers took him to Steamboat Springs where he worked at WaveSport Kayaks and back to Denver to manage Down River Equipment.

Ashleigh grew up in Vermont and moved to Durango in 2001, where she and a friend taught themselves to paddle by running the Animas River every day. Matt was born and raised in Durango and has a passion for multi-day trips. He is the shop photographer and loves snapping pictures of people enjoying the river.

All of these managers strive to provide excellent customer service and choice of product to the 4Corners area. The company has also worked hard to develop a great online presence.  

Running an outdoor adventure business in Southwest Colorado is no easy feat, and 4CRS has faced its share of challenges. They’ve had to navigate an array of natural hardships, including fires, droughts, and now COVID.

Ashleigh Diaz says, “Although COVID was scary in the beginning, it ended up being a super busy year with great sales.  People couldn’t go on their European vacations and stayed locally to play in the desert and mountains. The biggest struggle this year was actually getting product. Our manufactures were working on limited production schedules, had trouble getting materials, and ran into shipping delays.”

Despite these challenges, 4CRS works hard to be an active part of the community. They are the title sponsor for Animas River Days and regularly donate to local causes and events. They are also an active member of the Colorado Outdoor Business Alliance. All of the owners are passionate about sustainability. Their building is solar powered, and they try to purchase from companies who have a green impact (such as Patagonia, Ten Tree, Carve Designs, Kokatat, Astral, and Immersion Research).

Through the years, 4CRS has used SBDC for everything from social media help to understanding the Payment Protection Plan loans during the pandemic. Ashleigh encourages all business owners to seek them out. “SBDC is an amazing resource to have as a business owner, as well as, for anyone looking to start a business. They are all very knowledgeable and get you paired with the right people to go over all of the questions you may have during the process of opening a business. Also, for those who are already in business and looking to dial in a certain aspect, SBDC has someone who can help you. I have found everything so useful during my many meetings with their staff. I would highly recommend them.”

Even in the 1980s, when whitewater sports were still coming on the scene, everyone in Durango had heard of the Wiley’s.

In 1983, he and his daughters opened 4 Corners Riversports (4CRS).

Since that time, 4CRS has become Southwest Colorado’s iconic river supply store. With everything from stand up paddle boards (SUPs) to cookstoves to PFDs, the shop supplies river goers with everything they need for their outdoor adventures. They have gear for purchase or rent, and they host paddling classes for all ages and abilities.

In 2002, Milt’s daughter, Nancy, sold the shop to her brother in law, Andy Corra. Over the past 18 years, Tony Miely, Ashleigh Diaz, and Matt Gerhardt have also become managing partners. 

Each of these individuals has their own story of falling in love with whitewater. Andy started paddling on the Roaring Fork River in 1979 and has traveled from South America to Africa to paddle some of the world’s wildest rivers. Tony, who is originally from Chicago, started paddling while attending CSU. His love for rivers took him to Steamboat Springs where he worked at WaveSport Kayaks and back to Denver to manage Down River Equipment.

Ashleigh grew up in Vermont and moved to Durango in 2001, where she and a friend taught themselves to paddle by running the Animas River every day. Matt was born and raised in Durango and has a passion for multi-day trips. He is the shop photographer and loves snapping pictures of people enjoying the river.

All of these managers strive to provide excellent customer service and choice of product to the 4Corners area. The company has also worked hard to develop a great online presence.  

Running an outdoor adventure business in Southwest Colorado is no easy feat, and 4CRS has faced its share of challenges. They’ve had to navigate an array of natural hardships, including fires, droughts, and now COVID.

Ashleigh Diaz says, “Although COVID was scary in the beginning, it ended up being a super busy year with great sales.  People couldn’t go on their European vacations and stayed locally to play in the desert and mountains. The biggest struggle this year was actually getting product. Our manufactures were working on limited production schedules, had trouble getting materials, and ran into shipping delays.”

Despite these challenges, 4CRS works hard to be an active part of the community. They are the title sponsor for Animas River Days and regularly donate to local causes and events. They are also an active member of the Colorado Outdoor Business Alliance. All of the owners are passionate about sustainability. Their building is solar powered, and they try to purchase from companies who have a green impact (such as Patagonia, Ten Tree, Carve Designs, Kokatat, Astral, and Immersion Research).

Through the years, 4CRS has used SBDC for everything from social media help to understanding the Payment Protection Plan loans during the pandemic. Ashleigh encourages all business owners to seek them out. “SBDC is an amazing resource to have as a business owner, as well as, for anyone looking to start a business. They are all very knowledgeable and get you paired with the right people to go over all of the questions you may have during the process of opening a business. Also, for those who are already in business and looking to dial in a certain aspect, SBDC has someone who can help you. I have found everything so useful during my many meetings with their staff. I would highly recommend them.”