Archives: Events

Intentional living is a values-based lifestyle that encourages an individual or a group to get clear on their beliefs and goals. Living with intention is rooted in the freedom and agency to live in your purpose on purpose. When applied to business building, entrepreneurs can develop a system that integrates and maximizes their personal and …

Road Trip! How Budgeting and Discipline Can Take Your Business Places. Learn valuable information about where & how to start your first budget. Learn how to calculate for several scenarios, and how to achieve it. Speaker: Geneve Huxley Attendees will walk away knowing this one thing: How to build your first budget

Learn the research based framework that has helped companies of all sizes successfully navigate recessions and not only survive, but thrive. This framework has been successfully deployed by over 20 companies in northern Colorado, allowing them emerge triumphant through the recent challenging times due to COVID, quarantine, and the dynamic economic landscape. We will cover …

Living well with dementia is entirely possible. This session will introduce a simple "why, what, and how" to promote lifelong well-being for our customers, friends, and family members who are living with dementia. • Learn practical tips to make your business more dementia friendly. • Identify concrete counter-intuitive strategies required to provide excellent customer service …

So you started your own business, and things have been going really well for a few years. But now you are growing more....don't let these top 10 unknown problems stymie your growth or cost you cold hard cash. I'll explain what I've seen and show you how to avoid the mistakes many others have made. …

Do you want to form your own nonprofit but don’t know where to start? In this session we will walk through all the steps to file the paperwork to obtain your 501c3 tax-exempt status. Learn how to meet all the requirements for the 1023 application. Elements of a Healthy Nonprofit Clarify your vision and mission …

There are so many moving pieces required to run a business - marketing, sales, technology, profitability, systems, outsourcing - that it can be overwhelming to know what you should be working on and when. But when you're clear on your next step, you can cut out all the noise and move your business forward in …

In the first year or two of business, it's all about MAKING more money. But once you've figured out sales and marketing, it's time to focus on KEEPING more money. If you never learned about money as a kid, making your business profitable can be really difficult. But with just a few key strategies, you'll …

Nonprofits are always challenged with attracting and retaining quality board members. How do you effectively, recruit, train and recognize quality volunteers so they remain actively involved in advancing the mission of your organization?  This workshop will provide some basic information that will help you to create a solid foundation for board development and provide an …

Diana Precht, Co-Founder of Vergent Products (retired) and current founder of Rocky Mountain Blooms Diana is a manufacturing executive and a serial entrepreneur at the same time. She and her husband Terry founded the Loveland CO electronics contract manufacturing company Vergent Products in 1995. Together, they built the business solidly into the middle market until …

StockIQ was founded in 2015 by a team of serial entrepreneurs. It has quickly scaled to a multi-million dollar operation WITHOUT outside funding. Join Jeffrey Porter and Candyce Edelen as they talk about how the StockIQ team built and scaled the company so quickly. Jeffrey will talk about the DNA of the organization and how …

Fundraising grants can be the lifeblood of nonprofit organizations. Join Alex Koenigsberg of Arula Consulting for a discussion of various strategies learned from years of applying to a variety of grants. Instead of merely focusing on grant writing fundamentals, you'll learn new ways to improve your grant writing process and the final product. Alex is …

Derrick Kuhn founded Brillity Digital in 2017 and has scaled it to over $950K in 5 years. Join Derrick to hear about how he's built this company, the pivots he's had to make as the market changed, and how he's grown his services based business.

As a nonprofit leader, you have a lot on your plate! You’re always looking for involved and engaged Board members and how to generate more funds for your mission. All while running your programs and serving the people and causes you love. The last few years have taught us about the need to build greater …

Come join other nonprofit leaders for a fun happy hour on Monday, September 26th from 4:30PM – 6:30PM at the New Belgium Porch at the Colorado State University Canvas Stadium! Come network with business owners, entrepreneurs, and community members as we celebrate the start of Founded in FOCO Week. Look for our sign, flag, banner …

Come join us for a fun happy hour on Monday, September 26th from 4:30PM - 6:30PM at the New Belgium Porch at the Colorado State University Canvas Stadium! Come network with fellow business owners, entrepreneurs, and community members as we celebrate the start of Founded in FOCO Week. Our kickoff party features a short panel …

Neurodivergent or not, Founders face daily challenges to help their companies build momentum and sustain traction. In this session, we'll explore the unique benefits that a Neurodivergent (in this example ADHD) Founder can bring to the equation, as well as, how to overcome some of the stigmas and common challenges neurodivergent founders face so that …

Wouldn’t it be amazing if we loved what we do every single day at in our business? And got to do the things we love to do most of the day? Maybe you already do get to do a lot of the things you love in your business. I bet though that there are some …

In 60 days I was able to grow my TikTok account by over 170k followers. I want to share the strategies to use for your business to grow using short form video as well as best practices for content creation and story telling. Speaker: Joe Buckner Attendees will walk away knowing this one thing: How …

Do you struggle to create a brand that people pay attention to and care about? Do you find yourself staring at a blank page with no idea how to create cool content? Do you wanna avoid rinse-and-repeating the same old marketing tactics and build events, content, and promotions that can't be ignored? This session will teach you how to find, …

Small businesses are integral to our economy but many entrepreneurs are starting with little to no knowledge of where to start. In this panel discussion, we will give you direct access to experts in the Northern Colorado Entrepreneur Ecosystem so that you don’t have to keep wondering what to do next, how to find the …

A discussion about the four types of intellectual property: trademarks, copyrights, patents, and trade secrets including what each covers, how long they can last, how to obtain them, and how they can be used to protect your business. I will also provide information to the audience on how to conduct their own trademark, patent, and …

How would like to save on those 3% credit card fees on every transaction? Cryptocurrency has its on-again-off-again affairs with public attention, but underneath the shiny NFTs and the tokens, the original cryptocurrency has silently and slowing creating an alternate payment system. If you have tried to accept Bitcoin into your physical or eshop a …

I help professional women design an alcohol free lifestyle they love. Many women feel frustrated when trying to live alcohol free because they focus on the strategy. However, strategy alone will not pull you toward a life you love! I use the power of a MasterMind community and leadership coaching techniques to tap into our …

Many entrepreneurial startups believe that their product is going to sell itself. The truth is that those that maintain that mindset will quickly go out of business. Lori Jones, president and CEO of Avocet Communications, will share the intriguing and winning mindset that entrepreneurs must have in order to achieve a five-fold acquisition income and …

Everyone wants to win when it comes to negotiating a contract. Negotiating is an art many people lack the confidence to master completely. The key is being confident and truly understanding your style. Once you have a true understanding of how you interact and communicate during the negotiation process, you then need to be aware …

This is not a "look at me and what I did" talk. No, this is just a story to share and that might inspire. I started On Point Communications 100% unintentionally in 2015 after no one would hire me for a part time gig. I almost closed up shop in the pandemic, and interviewed at …

Makeover your LinkedIn to communicate clearly to your network and build a new network. Engage your existing audience and grow your connections authentically and effectively. Understand how to be findable using keywords and how to step into thought leadership to attract business through liking, commenting, sharing content, posting, and writing articles. Whether you are a …

If you’ve listened to anyone talk about innovation recently, you’ve probably heard something along these lines: “The world is changing at a crazy fast rate. Everything you’re doing now is about to become obsolete. If you don’t come up with some amazing, industry-changing ideas in the next 18 seconds, your business is basically going to …

Roughly 6 million firms operate as employers in the United States. Only 180,000 have more than $10 million in revenue.  A breathtaking fact considering the hopes and dreams of start-up entrepreneurs planning to easily break through this barrier within the first few years of operation. So how can you beat these odds? Research proves that …

How hiring outsourced virtual assistance supported us when our pet video went viral. (Hundreds of Millions of views and got us onto shark tank!) And how to use virtual assistants today for every day uses in business and personal life. Also, tips on ways to communicate and means of keeping organized. Speaker: Rina Bindi Attendees …

Can your stakeholders endure a long journey? Consider this immutable fact: Only 3% of all firms operating in the U.S. eventually reach $10 million in sales. Most will take an average of 12 years to reach the $10 million threshold. Few entrepreneurs have prepared their stakeholders for this extended journey. But there are steps you …

C.J. Whelan is a serial entrepreneur (and bicycling fanatic and car nut) who founded, scaled, and sold several multi-million dollar businesses. He now serves as the Executive Director for the Rockies Venture Club. RVC is angel investing group with a strong focus on entrepreneurial education.  Hear how angel/venture backed companies should be thinking about scaling. In …

Carl Hartman has pitched and sold billions of dollars in projects to major corporations. This program was originally designed to teach his neurodiverse coaching clients how to read why people buy and sell to them almost every time. His clients experience a phenomenal 93% close rate. During this workshop you will learn how to see …

This session would unpack the progression from Emotional Intelligence to Relational Intelligence, using a framework known as Hallos TRIADS methodology - in wide use in South America and Europe, but only now being introduced in USA. This simple and memorable framework is useful for developing leaders, building strong teams, and appreciating and relating with one …

When you think about earning more do you come up with a list of more things to do? Many service providers are working more hours and giving more expertise for less and less return. Get control of burnout and boost your business revenue with a few simple and easy-to-implement productivity tools! You can increase your …

Diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging (DEIB+) is trending, but how do we actually create environments that allow for difference? Research points to psychological safety. During the great resignation people were leaving jobs at staggering rates due to disrespect, lack of DEIB+, and toxic leadership/cultures. Creating psychologically safe culture isn't easy, but the payoff is actual diversity …

LinkedIn is a powerful platform for finding clients. Candyce Edelen will teach you how to find leads on LinkedIn and engage them in conversations, so you can book sales calls with your ideal prospects and quickly grow your business. Candyce teaches from experience. In 2018, she pivoted her business and needed leads fast. In 6 …

People with disabilities face roadblocks every day. When they lean into their challenges, they develop resourcefulness and adaptability that people without disabilities could never gain. Their perseverance and resilience make them incredible assets to any team. Because of this, hiring people with disabilities can be a huge differentiator for your business. They bring a different …

Entrepreneurs are 50% more likely to report having a mental health condition than the general public. Let's get real and talk about mental health. We all have mental health, and one of the most effective ways to treat mental illness is to talk about it. In this session you'll learn: How to manage mental illness …

"A midwife in rural India proudly showed me the tool she used for cutting umbilical cords. It was a sickle, also used for cutting grass. I knew in that moment that I would bring life-saving change to women in need," - Zubaida Bai Zubaida Bai innovates health and livelihood solutions for under-served women and girls …

Founded in 1976, Vern's Toffee is a 3rd generation, family-owned and operated FoCo business that handcrafts butter almond toffee the old-fashioned way. Join the 3rd generation owners, Patrick and Stefanie as they share the struggles and victories of taking over and running this business. Learn about how they've pivoted from a business perspective while sticking …

Marketing, branding, showing up in your business authentically is crucial to build connection with your ideal clients. Julie's talk focuses on four embodiment practices to show up brilliantly in your business, so you can attract your ideal clients and power partners with ease. Speaker: Julie Ulstrup Attendees will walk away knowing this one thing: Four …

A mental health resource fair for freelancers, entrepreneurs, and small business owners, Brain Crawl returns to Founded in FoCo in 2022, featuring: White Light Guidance Web: www.withwhitelightguidance.com FB: https://www.facebook.com/WhiteLightLifeCoach/ IG: @WhiteLightLifeCoach Boundaries Coach, Mary Brown Web: www.BoundariesCoach.com FB: https://www.facebook.com/theboundariescoach/ IOME Web: www.iowemenow.com IG: @iowemenow Health District of Northern Larimer County Web: www.healthdistrict.org FB: www.facebook.com/healthdistrict IG: …

Building the Right Team in the challenging landscape of today that many business owners are facing can be difficult, especially if the need to hire is urgent. Hiring the wrong person because they are the 'best' right now or because 'we need someone immediately' can be a costly mistake that causes major productivity issues, stress, …

Local businesswoman and cookbook author Bina Mehta will share her knowledge from her Indian heritage and formal study of Ayurvedic philosophy. Her presentation, Ayurveda for Better Nutrition and Health, will explain Ayurveda, the three doshas to determine your body type, the dosha quiz, and how to eat for the three body types (types of food …

After being married and working in our career fields for 20 years, then merging our agency together for over 5 years, 2020 brought some big changes. TikTok took off as a social platform and of all things, made us look a little deeper into our minds. The next thing we know, one of us was …

Creating a strengths-based career means creating a work role for yourself as an entrepreneur that uses your natural talents. When you base your work life on what comes naturally to you and find ways to partner with others or delegate what drains you, you create a work-life that energizes and engages you. Isn't that why …

Whether you are presenting in front of a large group, pitching your vision to an investor, or are meeting with prospects one-on-one, communicating your ideas in an honest and clear way is crucial to your success in sales. Storytelling helps you engage your potential clients and keep them interested throughout the presentation or pitch all …

What if you were able to do more of what is easy, and you do naturally well, in your business and you were able to stop focusing in on all the things that you don’t do well. You know, the things that bring you down in your business and put you at risk for burnout. …

Don’t fear about paying the bills throw you off track. In this highly actionable and interactive session, you will learn what you can do to stand out from the crowd and attract new and better business, even in a turbulent economy. We will explore five core actions that are essential to attracting and keeping business …

As entrepreneurs, we wear many hats, and one of those hats is being your business's social media manager. Social Media has evolved from a photo-sharing platform to staying in touch with family and friends, morphing into a place where we share the most perfect, staged, curated highlight reels of our lives. As a social media …

Stepping into the world of entrepreneurship is both thrilling and terrifying. You get to meet awesome people and feel extraordinarily lonely. You have to do things you don’t particularly enjoy - marketing, sales, accounting, copywriting, etc. so you can make a living while being true to yourself. In this engaging talk, Ariana shares insights she's …

What is “quiet quitting” and how to identify it in your organization. Learn 1 strategy to help hire the right fit the first time. Use onboarding to set your hire up to succeed. Steps to build relationships and reduce “quiet quitting” Speaker: Dayle Wickizer Attendees will walk away knowing this one thing: Real life practices …

Work-Life Balance Boundaries: How to Create a Contract with Yourself Are you looking for the ever elusive work-life balance?  I call BS! What you really need is Work-Life Boundaries!  You will learn: How to decide your boundaries with confidence How to have both good boundaries and good customer service How to create a working contract with yourself

When you are building your product and service’s features or go-to-market strategy, your business is actively removing 25% of your potential customer base or 1.97 billion consumers, if you realize it or not. Who are they? Consumers with short-term and long-term disabilities. That population is larger than in China (1.44B). Our panel will discuss the …

Raising capital is difficult, if not impossible, for small businesses when seeking capital from investors who stand to gain only a return on their investment (ROI). Raising capital is easier, with a higher probability of success, a lower cost and time of raising capital and possibly a lower price of money when seeking capital from …

Well-being incorporates much more than physical health. We will take a look at overall Organizational Well-being and how Physical & Emotional, Financial, and Career wellness all come into play every day when our employees come to work. We will address ways employers can better the well-being of their organizations by providing ideas and exploring tools …

Are you seeking funding for your small business but are unsure of where to begin? With all the options available for small businesses today, it’s normal to feel overwhelmed! The Larimer SBDC is bringing together multiple types of funding sources for you to ask questions and get answers. In this unique event, we will have …

What if you don’t want to grow a bigger business? What if you actually want a *smaller* one? The Great Resignation doesn’t only apply to employees. Many small business owners have lost our appetite for building an empire. But we need more than a hobby! How can we find that just-right size and flow to …

79% of employees who quit their jobs cite lack of appreciation as a key reason for leaving. On the flip side… 81% of employees say they’re motivated to work harder when their boss shows appreciation for their work. In today's war for talent, appreciation is a necessity, not a nicety. The 5 Languages of Appreciation …

Storytelling is not about selling. It’s about more than that. It’s about creating connection and relevancy with your audiences. Join Andrew Matranga of StickerGiant as he walks our audience through ways to connect with your audience and promote authentic small business success stories. Speaker: Andrew Matranga Attendees will walk away knowing this one thing: How …

Many business owners find it difficult to grow because of limited skills, time, and other resources. This is where the power of collaborative partnerships comes in. Partnering with others who's efforts complement your own may be the best way for you to scale. In this panel discussion you will learn more about the powerful collaborative …

Our podcast will host a 45-minute live session with 3-4 different Hispanic/Latino/x-identifying business owners, managers, or economic development professionals to hear their experiences building, growing, and engaging the Fort Collins community in their work. Speaker: Latino Northern Colorado, Rhonda Solis, and Chris Garcia Attendees will walk away knowing this one thing: The impact Hispanic/Latinx business …

Podcasting has exploded...but how do you make money from it for your business? This session will dive into the different methods of monetizing a podcast and help you understand which one is right for your business podcast. Whether you have an existing podcast or have wanted to start one, this session will help you understand …

Do you have a podcast, or do you post videos to LinkedIn? Are you a musician recording your own songs? One easy way to improve the quality of your podcast, recordings, or social media videos is to improve your sound quality. In this presentation, Greg Douras will show you some low-cost ways to improve the …

In this session, you will hear from some of Fort Collins most tenured podcasters and learn from their lessons, successes, and failures. This session will focus on helping give actionable advice on how you can get a podcast started, how to be a great podcaster, and most importantly...how to keep it going. Speaker: Seth Silvers …

In our world as entrepreneurs, we're often advised to focus on just one thing and to drive only toward that goal. This makes perfect sense on the surface, but the ability to generate, store, act on and implement multiple directions is what drives us. It's our superpower. We'll cover the following: - Where do the …

Neurodivergent Focus: ADHD Life hacks about how to stay organized with ADHD. Also, benefits of having workers on your team who have ADHD. Speaker: Luke Hammons Attendees will walk away knowing this one thing: It is possible to become organized with ADHD with the proper techniques and guardrails in place.

Take a page from these amazing women standing out in a male-dominated industry.  This panel discussion will dive into how these women standing out in the brewing industry started their businesses, what lessons they have learned and how they have had to pivot to stand out.  This session is not just for people interested in …

Finding the right people is key to running your business. In this session you will learn how to identify what you want in a new employee, and what questions to ask to uncover things like core values, grit, emotional intelligence, and much more. Take 31 years of interviewing experience into your business and get a …

Affordable non-toxic homes made from industrial hemp can build a better future. Hear about how to start a hemp building business from a panel of hemp builders and a hemp homeowner. Hemp+lime (“hempcrete”) is a democratizing and empowering building material that sequesters carbon inside the walls of buildings for 100 years. Walls can be built …

For your startup to succeed, you need to be able to tell the world why it matters. Your emails, press releases, grant proposals, job descriptions—everything needs to be professional and persuasive. But maybe you're not entirely confident in your writing abilities. You might suspect that your sentences are too long or that you're breaking rules …

It can be hard for small businesses to compete with large benefits packages offered by bigger companies. However, many employees are looking for jobs that take a "whole person" approach to benefits. Small Businesses (like yours) can offer a wide variety of benefits that are cost-effective and support employees in meaningful ways. In this session …

Do you have a strong professional network? Life for entrepreneurs, creatives, and small business owners can be a lonely road. Creating a true community is foundational. The value of having a solid network of like-minded professionals in various points on their journey is immeasurable. Wrap-up Founded in FoCo right by making strong professional connections and …