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These local events are worthwhile for entrepreneurs and businesses

Patrick Brower
Grand Enterprise

The truth is that there are entities and groups across the county that want to reach out and help local businesses survive to thrive our unique Middle Park economic environment.

There are three events coming up designed specifically to help business people talk about their issues, meet other like entrepreneurs and get a good picture of our local economic situation.

Like the work I do helping people who want to start or expand businesses in Grand County (It’s free and confidential and people only need to call or email me), these gatherings will be worthwhile for our local merchant and entrepreneurial class. I want to stress “local,” because there are unique characteristics of our communities that drive our economy.



Destination Granby, which is the new name for what was the Granby Chamber of Commerce, is sponsoring a Granby Business Roundtable from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 24, at the Granby Library meeting room.

The Granby Chamber of Commerce will be renamed to Destination Granby on May 5. The new name is meant to better capture all the services of the chamber, which also runs Granby Main Street and the visitor’s center.
Amy Golden / agolden@skyhinews.com

This gathering is being organized on order to give Granby area business people a chance to meet with Destination Granby and other people so they can air their concerns, successes and ideas for helping the overall business climate in Granby. Destination Granby wants RSVPs to this event, which can be provided by going to the Destination Granby website.



Then there’s the Winter Park / Fraser Valley Chamber of Commerce’s annual Speed Networking event, set to take place from 3-6 p.m. Thursday, May 25 at Fontenot’s Seafood and Grill in Winter Park. This is a fun networking event that gives “networking” a structure that takes some of the awkwardness out of cold-call introductions that take place at more traditional networking events.

I’ve attended the event many times and enjoyed it every time. And I learned a lot as well. The chamber does need to know who is coming so go to the chamber website and sign in so you can be part of this fun night in Winter Park. It will surely brighten up mud season.

The culmination event of these gatherings that are sure to help local business people and aspiring entrepreneurs is called the Grand Vision Summit, subtitled Rocky Mountain Economic Resilience Strategies for Grand County. This event takes place from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 7, at Sun Outdoors (formerly River Run) in Granby. There is a full slate of informative and worthwhile presentations taking place at this event.

A sign at the entrance to Sun Outdoors features the RV resort’s logo, as well as the logo of its old moniker, River Run.
Kyle McCabe/Sky-Hi News

I think the most interesting will be the talk to be given by the Colorado State Demographer Elizabeth Gardner, who does an excellent job giving a great snapshot of what’s going on with population trends, employment trends and living patterns. Also featured will be Chet W. Sisk, a futurist who is likely to open our eyes about what’s coming down the pike. The Grand County Tourism Board is also on the agenda.

These are sure to be fascinating talks. Grand County’s Economic Developer DiAnn Butler has done a good job of making this Grand Vision Summit an event that will be very worthwhile to all who can attend. Try and let them know beforehand that you are coming.

So try to be there and learn, socialize and network. All these events will be worthwhile.

Patrick Brower is the Enterprise Facilitator for the Grand Enterprise Initiative and the former managing editor and publisher of the Grand County Newspapers. He offers free and confidential business management coaching to anyone who wants to start or expand a business in Grand County. He can be reached by calling 970-531-0632 or at patrickbrower@kapoks.org.

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