Local Business Owners Determined 'What’s Next' at Demystifying Entrepreneurship in Northeast Colorado

[The Annex-A Coworking Community, Sterling, Colorado, July 23, 2022]  In the great Colorado eastern plains lies the town of Sterling. This rural town houses more than just beautiful scenery; it brings together ideas. During the warm weekend of July 22-23, the Logan County Economic Development Corporation and the Deming Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Colorado Boulder hosted Demystifying Entrepreneurship: StartUp to ScaleUp.

For the workshop’s fourth year, award-winning professors and entrepreneurs from the Leeds School of Business, Erick Mueller and Hunter Albright, taught participants how to shift their businesses from the startup phase into “what’s next”.

Over a dozen local entrepreneurs and innovators came seeking support, education, and community to improve their businesses. Participants included business owners already generating revenue and individuals looking to make their ideas a reality. The diverse group had many great companies, including a non-profit to support military veterans, a sustainable plant pot, an antibullying program for teachers, and a tea company.

Professor Erick Mueller had this to say about the workshop.

“What an inspiring group of changemakers! I was especially impressed by this cohort’s bias toward action and passion to grow their impact in Northeast Colorado. I can’t wait to see what they create!”

Some of these amazing entrepreneurs include Christina Giordano, a mother of two who opened a plant nursery and supports the business with the help of her daughters Rylyn Jade and Naiah. And Sherri Picciano, who started a clothing line and runs the store Western Wear. We can’t wait to see these businesses grow!

The Demystifying Entrepreneurship Workshop Series will return to Sterling in 2023 for its grand finale, Shore Up. Join us next year to focus on what’s important for your business to amp up creativity, marketing, and finances by leveraging must-know tactics to show the world what your business can do. Sign up today to receive the latest updates and be the first to know about cash prizes for the finale's pitch competition and other exciting opportunities.

This series of workshops is created in partnership with the Deming Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Colorado Boulder’s Leeds School of Business and is available in every major rural region in Colorado. The next Demystifying Workshop: Shore Up, will be in Telluride, Colorado, on September 30th and October 1st. To register for this event, check out the website.

To learn about all locations, visit our Demystifying Entrepreneurship: Rural Colorado Workshop Series website.

Many thanks to those who made this event possible.

• Deming Center for Entrepreneurship at CU’s Leeds School of Business
• Logan County Economic Development Corporation
• Bank of Colorado
• Holiday Inn Express and Suites of Sterling
• Northeast Colorado Revolving Loan Fund (NCRLF)
• Highline Electric Association
• The Annex, Coworking Community
• Colorado Small Business Development Center Network
• Logan County Chamber of Commerce
• TRI-STATE
• Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA)