Success Stories

By Malia Durbano

Ross Barrable an acoustic sculptor attended the Leading Edge for Entrepreneur’s Class offered by the SBDC in the winter of 2010 because, “I wanted to learn about business and branding and how to market my wind harps.”

Barrable doesn’t have a store front and recognizes that most of the sales for his high ticket items come by building relationships with potential clients. Barrable creates, “Contemporary sound sculptures, or wind harps, fabricated out of highly resonant metals using the principals of sacred geometry.” The harps, which range in size from 53 inches to 14 feet, are each mounted on metal bases of varying shapes and sizes.

Rich Lindblad, instructor for the Leading Edge course, helped Barrable discover ways to reposition his very unique art work and get recognition nationally and internationally. “We devised a whole marketing approach differentiating between push and pull marketing. Instead of waiting for people to find the web page, we determined who our potential customers are and how to get in front of them.”

The two decided that, “We needed to get this fascinating product into the hands of potential clients.”

They contacted Assisted Living facilities, high end marinas, and boardwalk communities, with a breeze on the water. “The product needed to be out there where it can be visually and auditorially experienced,” explained Lindblad. “We decided to gift the harps to a few communities for six months and then see if we can get them back.” The theory is that they will fall in love with the product and want to keep it. “We will keep playing with the market until we find the right niche.”

Barrable expounds, “Having to submit a business plan got me thinking. I got an expanded understanding of what it takes to really run a business. I learned about the costs of having employees above and beyond their salary. I got a huge reality check.” He chose to recreate how he markets the products. “I got really clear on why I’m doing what I do- it’s for love and passion.”

Barrable spent lots of time cultivating relationships with Landscape Architects. “But, they didn’t get it.” He decided to get on LinkedIn to connect with people who understand the science of sound and the healing effects of music. “I needed to connect with people who resonate with where I’m coming from and who value the importance of bringing healing sound into their environment.

Through LinkedIn, he connected with a man who runs, Water for the World- Ponds for Peace, a 501 (C3) organization. They donate and install water gardens for children’s hospitals and orphanages all over the world. Barrable donated a larger wind harp, which is installed in a meditation garden project in Haiti adjacent to the children’s hospital that was being rebuilt. “It was truly a joy to participate in a project that was more about giving than getting”

Sterling Wind Harps create soothing music as the wind passes through the strings and have an effect similar to listening to flowing water like a babbling brook.

Happy with the new direction in marketing and with the knowledge he gained in the course, Barrable is now moving forward with his Wind Harp sales.

By Malia Durbano

Many people and organizations came together to bring the Mancos Early Childhood Learning Center to fruition. Ken Charles, with the Colorado Department of Local Affairs, read about the proposed center in the Mancos Times. He contacted Brian Hanson, Superintendent of Schools for the Mancos School District and encouraged him to apply for a Community Development Block Grant to build the school. The grant comes from HUD, the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Since the School District is not eligible to apply for the grant, the town decided to apply for the grant. To qualify for the grant, 51% of the students served by the school must come from low and moderate income families.

To apply for the grant, the Early Childhood Learning Center needed a business plan. Charles referred Hanson to Joe Keck at the SBDC for help with grant writing. Joe Keck, recommended Theresa Malone to write the grant for the School District. Malone recognized the Early Childhood Learning Center as a need in the community, conducted lots of research to support that fact and to determine the feasibility of the Center to become a viable and profitable business venture. “I ran the numbers and believed it would work. This Center is a good fit for lots of families in the community. We got the grant for the capital to build the building,” explains Malone.

Susan Doudy, Business Manager for the Mancos School District, provided the numbers that were needed for the business plan and the grant application. Doudy clarified, “I provided estimated numbers on the overhead, the history of the pupils in the District and other financial projections.”

Collaborators in the effort included the town of Mancos, the School District, Tri-County Head Start and the SBDC.

Construction was completed on the facility, next to the Elementary School on Grand Avenue and the new school opened in January of 2013. Brian Hanson explains, “The grant paid for half the cost of building construction. The Mancos School District took the other half out of our beginning fund balance.” Pearlie Chadwick, the director of the Pre-School, oversees the two classrooms and school for approximately 32 students, ranging in age from three to five years. The Early Learning Center prepares the students for Kindergarten.

Three funding sources were used to accomplish the project, Head Start, Colorado Pre-School Program and Private Pay Tuition. This is a great example of how combing talents, knowledge and cooperation can achieve great things for a community. Kudos to all who participated in making the project a success and a win-win for the children, their families and the School District.

By Malia Durbano

When Holly Zink decided to open her fresh, local and organic meat and seafood business in 2002, she called Joe Keck to learn how to set up a corporation and to “make sure all my bases were covered.”

When she moved to her new location inside of Nature’s Oasis in 2007, she realized there were some issues and difficulties with profitability. In 2008, she and her husband, Jesse Villanueba, attended the NxLevel for Entrepreneurs training.

They got some marketing advice from Simon Walls and worked with advisor, Terry Tanahil, who looked at their pricing structure. “It became very obvious for the first time that we were vastly undercharging,” explained Zink. “She helped me understand mark-up and profit margins better.” Walls helped her understand pricing and value through lectures that she attended and advice gained through emails.

Zink continues to meet with Joe Keck and Joe Bishop periodically to go over her progress and numbers, set goals and to map out the future of the business.

“These classes are an amazing and valuable resource in the community. There are lots of talented people who are willing to be supportive. Jay Marqua helped us a lot with individual and collaborative branding when we moved to the new location inside Nature’s Oasis.”

“We have utilized lots of channels of help from the SBDC and we have grown personally as well as have had our business grow and prosper under their guidance. I highly recommend contacting the SBDC for assistance with any aspect of a new or existing business.”

By Malia Durbano

Ed Gilbert saw a niche that needed to be filled and filled it. The existing public transportation system in Cortez was very limited. There was no “on demand private system”, so he started one. He is now approaching his second busy season and the business keeps growing.

Gilbert, who had never owned a business, took the Leading Edge for Entrepreneurs class twice – once in Cortez in the fall of 2011 and again in the spring of 2012 in Durango. “The second time, I did a Feasibility Study to determine if I had a viable business. This helped me gain enough information to put the business plan together.”

He learned about Profit and Loss Statements, Balance Sheets and Financial Projections. Through the help of the SBDC, he also learned about lots of resources that opened doors. Gilbert acquired a Region 9 Economic Development loan and help from First National Bank for start-up costs, because of his thorough business plan.

“The SBDC advisors and Joe Keck really steer you in the right direction. I would never be as far along as I am today if I were doing this on my own,” explains Gilbert.

Gilbert was doing research to start a non-emergent medical transport company when the Cortez Chamber asked him to start a private service to help individuals and businesses. His company now provides transportation all over Montezuma and Dolores Counties and provides transportation to La Plata and San Miguel counties.

His fleet consists of 4 taxis, 2 vans and 2 sedans, with plans for future growth. Gilbert keeps very detailed records, gathers data and watches statistics to measure the business. “There is really no other place like Cortez, so it’s hard to learn from other companies to make predictions. We are watching our own numbers and the business is growing steadily.”

One of the biggest challenges Gilbert “didn’t see coming” was finding and keeping good employees. Running a 24/7 transportation business, he has put in many more hours than expected. “Summer season is busier at night, with people attending parties and being out more. Requests for transportation to the Cortez airport are picking up as well as rides from the airport to Telluride and Durango.

He recently acquired a contract from Southwest Memorial Hospital to drive people home that don’t need to go in an ambulance. His future plans also include offering set routes and set schedules, reducing transportation costs to individuals.

Gilbert is extremely grateful for all he learned in the classes and for the help he got from Joe Keck and the instructors at other seminars he has attended.