Court Appointed Special Advocates of the 7th District, or CASA, as they are commonly referred to, underwent a huge transition in early 2014 starting with a reorganization and downsizing. Then, only a few weeks later its executive director resigned with short notice to take care of her ailing parents in another state. Carlton Mason was promoted to be the new executive director. Although Carlton had owned his own business and was working on a contract

Freddie and Tom Hancock took one look at their new home in Montrose and saw something beyond a magnificent house. Their dream was to transform it into a bed and breakfast, plus a base for their not for profit animal rescue operation. Familiar with SBDC consulting services in Arizona where they had moved from, the Hancocks contacted the SBDC for assistance in achieving their dream. Freddie gave the SBDC consultant a tour of the 12,500

Sometimes a little bit of capital – somewhere in the range of $2,500 to $3,500 – is all a business owner needs to get started or to make a small change. This capital can help build a website, buy equipment, or – as the story of Ron Edwards will show you – open a quaint, Caribbean-themed café in Crested Butte. Born in New York, Edwards’ journey to Western Colorado is a story of resiliency. He

Mallory Logan has moved from employee to owner of RoShamBo, a marketing and design shop. This out of the box creative business is celebrating its seventh year in business in Gunnison. “I started as an intern when I was a graphic design student at Western in 2008,” Mallory said. “ I have loved every minute of being here.” The creative firm was founded by Delaney Keating, who mentored Mallory to eventually take over the business.

As a child, Brittany Phelps always dreamed of owning a yoga studio. As she grew, she gained more knowledge around the art of yoga and became an instructor. Eight months ago, that dream became a reality. Not one to take risks, she took a risk when she took over ownership of Yoga for the Peaceful in Crested Butte, Colorado. Early on, Brittany experienced difficulty deciphering business documents. Another challenge she faced was learning how to

Disabled veteran John Casedy doesn’t drink alcohol; however, he enjoys the social part of going to the local bars. Recently, one night he stayed until the bar closed. He noticed that everyone left and drove home – sober or not. He offered to take several folks home who clearly shouldn’t have driven. During the drive, they discussed the need for a taxi service from the bars. John saw this business opportunity. The next day, he