Ready to take your business to the next level? Join us for a no-cost information session about LEADING EDGE™here. During this Info Session you will learn about the Larimer SBDC’s LEADING EDGE™ course and how it can help you reach your business goals. Join us to meet the course instructor, Bill Welter, get an overview of the curriculum, and have a chance to ask all your questions.
LEADING EDGE is for business owners and entrepreneurs positioning for growth stage, that desire focused education and planning, accountability, networking, and the tools to build a strategic business plan to take their company to the next level.
If you’re interested in opening a restaurant with little to no ownership experience this program will be a great resource to teach you the tricks of the trade and to set you up for success with real industry knowledge, experience and having a better understanding of what to expect as a restaurant owner.
Please email info@larimersbdc.org to be added to the next sessions waitlist.
Join us in empowering the Unstoppable Women Entrepreneurs of Northern Colorado. We are excited to bring you a day of education and encouragement. Listen to inspirational women presenters explore what makes an entrepreneur unstoppable.
Veterans have the character, discipline and skills needed to succeed as small business owners and entrepreneurs. Wondering what it takes and how you can prepare? Enroll in Boots to Business Reboot.
We’re helping existing and new businesses grow and prosper
No-Cost Consulting
Hope Hartman
Larimer SBDC Executive Director
Hope has a diverse background that includes software, startups, technology transfer and commercialization, education, and non-profits. She has worked for family owned and operated businesses as well as high-tech, high growth venture-backed companies. Most recently she served as a coach for the “Startup to Scale Up” learning community at Ingomu, a Colorado startup and was the Executive Director of Girls in the Spotlight Foundation, a Fort Collins non-profit. She started her first company when she was 18 and experienced her first acquisition in 2016 to a Japanese venture capital firm. Although Hope has worn many hats over the years, she is passionate about helping entrepreneurs and small businesses learn, grow, and succeed.
Hope’s appointment demonstrates our continued commitment to fostering local economic development by being the leading small business resource in our community. She is excited to join an experienced team and looks forward to the many opportunities to collaborate and connect.
Jade Shebelski is a seasoned social media manager specializing in coaching and strategizing Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and LinkedIn for product and service-based businesses.
She started her business Maven and Muse Media after other businesses saw her success in niche marketing, telling stories, and selling her vintage products directly off social media. Established business’ witnessed her growth and reached out to create contents that would transition into sales. Jade finds stories and tells them through motivational means, converting followers and hearts to conversations and bookings.
Consulting Expertise Includes:
Social Media Marketing Strategy
Implementation, and Content Creation specifically Instagram/Facebook and Pinterest
This appointment is with an SBDC Specialist who offers a limited number of hours (3, 1 hour sessions) to each SBDC client s/he sees. Please provide a 24-hour notice of cancellation if you are unable to make this appointment. Although we understand that emergencies arise, cancellations made within 24 hours of the appointment will count as 1 hour of the consultant’s time. As well, our normal cancellation policy applies: cancellations made less than 24 hours of the appointment may result in a requirement to attend a class before you can reschedule an appointment.
Sally grew up in Green Bay, Wisconsin and graduated from Colorado State University with a Bachelor of Science. She’s pursued various positions from veterinary medicine and environmental regulatory to non-profit work. These positions have taken her across the U.S. from Hawaii to Colorado, West Virginia, Virginia, and most recently back to Wisconsin. She joins the Larimer SBDC having spent 2+ years as the Program & Business Development Manager for a Downtown Business Improvement District. She will be completing an MBA program in early 2022.
When Derek Weber customized his first camper van in his garage in 2009, he didn’t anticipate his neighbors begging him to build one for them. “I wanted to spend my time camping, not building more vans”, Derek jokes. But he recognized the opportunity, put some photos on the internet, and customer interest exploded.
Today, Colorado Camper Van (CCV) does over $4 million in annual sales and employs over 40 people at its Loveland plant. CCV’s main offerings are installing “pop-top” higher ceilings, and a huge range of custom, high quality, interior designs. CCV performs this work on a wide variety of vans. See: www.coloradocampervan.com
In 2019, CCV was experiencing some tough growth pains, and Derek reached out to the Loveland Business Development Center and the SBDC.
SBDC financial consultant Bob Coffey dug deeply into the numbers at CCV. Derek says “he helped us get our books straightened out, and fixed a past tax situation that led to refunds for us. He helped with job costing and appropriate pricing. His work was integral to helping us get a much-needed loan”.
Manufacturing consultant Jon Jaggers helped CCV convert to a lean manufacturing operation. “He gave us direction on manufacturing. He helped improve our flow through optimal placement of workstations, tools, and components. He got our processes down to where the company was making money”, says Derek.
Recent accomplishments for Derek include becoming a part-owner of the CCV building, which stabilized CCV’s operating base in Loveland. Derek and his purchasing manager Elizabeth (also his business partner and wife) worked hard on purchasing components in bulk from manufacturers, which lowered costs and improved availability. Derek feels fortunate that he’s been able to find and retain employees – “we work 10 hour shifts four days a week, with three days off, and our team really likes that schedule”.
Future plans include broadening conversions to Jeeps and Ford Broncos, a pop-top trailer offering, and a possible van resale service. “I’m excited about where CCV is going”, Derek says with a smile.
Derek, Elizabeth, and their two children live in Drake, and enjoy camping!
