Throughout Colorado and the United States, there has been an ongoing economic movement away from corporate channels of distribution, and towards local businesses; as a result, the small, locally owned business is experiencing a sort of 21st Century renaissance. By operating on economies of scale, corporations are able to offer lower prices, but in a city such as Boulder, where household income is well above the national average, the benefits of buying locally vastly outweigh the comparatively minimal price differences. Here are five important benefits of buying locally: Economic Stability            ... Read More

Launching Labs Marketing recently won the Best Website, Branding & Marketing Services Company – Colorado from Corporate Vision Magazine. Launching Labs Marketing is a full-service agency offering branding, web design, and marketing to growing companies. Launching Labs was founded in 2017, with offices in Boulder and Loveland helps businesses ensure their look, feel, and messaging represent their core brand across all platforms. Launching Labs has helped businesses in Colorado and nationwide with their logos, branding, and websites. Some local Colorado businesses they’ve worked with... Read More

I’m not a gearhead. I don’t know how most systems work in my car. Checking tire pressure, and maybe replacing a fuse or headlight bulb, is about as hands-on as is possible. I know of the internal combustion engine’s work, but couldn’t tell you much about it. Growing up and beyond, cars never interested me all that much (see also: complicated board games, the heaviest/ deathiest of heavy/ death metal, and reality TV). But as with anything, whether or not I generally like it, there’s always the possibility for change. Sometimes all it takes is the right situation, or person, or example... Read More

The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, based in Missouri, found that Boulder Colorado had the highest density of start-up companies per capita in the United States. Most of these sprouting businesses are technology-based, and many start and eventually settle in the city. But what is it about Boulder which makes it a breeding ground for new business? First of all, Boulder’s culture spans the distance between nature-loving outdoorsy people and highly-educated tech creators. To the west are the glorious Flatirons and innumerable natural wonders, meanwhile the university is researching more... Read More

Thanksgiving has come to be known as the great American day of indulgence: a day of over-eating, over-sharing and over-spending on Black Friday deals- like that shockingly discounted cooler or that 72-inch flat-screen TV complete with a mail-in rebate. We, the people, have taken our constitutionally granted liberty to take Thanksgiving as the seminal day to relax, spend time with family, and be grateful for all of the excess and privilege we have in our lives. Being grateful is undoubtedly a good thing for our mental and emotional well-being and so is having a holiday that gives us an excuse to... Read More

Dan is a full time musician, currently on the road, with Iowa as his destination. He is originally from the Bay Area near San Fransisco, but travels to perform music, and also tap! He has previously played in Boulder a hand full of times with his band. In fact, his second stop his first time traveling with the band was Boulder! He used to perform for Andy, the owner of Albums on the Hill and also at the Boulder Theater. Now, Dan plays his music at weddings and different special events, but tapping is also part of his creative side. He is going to start offering tap lessons to inspire others to... Read More

Moksha is the husband and wife team of Jennifer, a world traveler, and Michael Caines, a horticulturalist. Their endeavor into chocolate started in 2013, when Michael, an Australian transplant, grew tired of his foray into IT and longed to return to food and farming. When given the opportunity to visit and purchase a cocoa farm in Peru, Michael knew this was his chance to get his hands dirty again. But there was one problem — the local cocoa farm’s profits were not making their way back to the community. Michael set out to ensure that the farmers were paid more than market value, in order to... Read More

Martin is a motivational speaker for the organization Save the Children, and also works with Art from Ashes. He writes and performs poetry for Art from Ashes, which specializes in empowering the youth. Martin says, “I wanted to give back, and I believe one of the best causes is for children because they’re shaping the future.” Martin doesn’t quit there, he also is working on writing a book and an album! He paints and takes photos – and of course, snowboards. Martin visited Colorado in July of last year for two weeks, fell in love, and decided to move here in September... Read More

Meet Rose! “I moved out to Boulder last August. I was born and raised in Florida, but will never go back. The first day I was out here already felt like home. I was walking around one day and walked into Brooklyn Pizza. They hired me immediately. It’s fun to work here – you meet a lot of characters!”  Read More

What on earth are we talking about today? Only the coolest festival in Colorado. Every year thousands gather in Nederland to celebrate our state’s most famous frozen grandpa with games, beer, music, and coffin races! Did we mention most events are free? A little backstory first: Back in 1993 it was discovered that Trygve Bauge and his mother Aud were storing Trygve’s grandfather with dry ice in the shed behind their unfinished house in Nederland. They wanted the body cryonically frozen in the hopes that someday grandpa would be resurrected by future technologies (nanobots, etc.). The... Read More

https://siliconflatirons.org/events/entrepreneurs-unplugged-douglas-campbell-solid-power/ Entrepreneurs Unplugged: Doug Campbell, Solid Power  Read More

“For conscious companies, growth is different by definition. We don’t grow only for profit; we grow for purpose. We scale not only for a greater bottom line, but also for greater impact.” Says Lori Hanau, founder of Global Round Table Leadership. Many of the companies that I’ve written about and many others in Boulder strive to be conscious companies. They strive to put purpose before profit and to build products or offer services that make a positive impact on society. However, it’s not just an organic foods or a renewable energy company that can be conscious. Any company, no matter... Read More

You can find the same business models in all major cities, but the real interests of a community can only be unearthed by digging through their non-profit and/or nongovernmental organizations. Here are a few of Boulder’s which we felt touched on some key interests of this city as a whole. Boulder’s BCycle AboutBoulder has a 3 year history with BCycle, and for good reason. This NGO brought “bikeshare” to Boulder. They now have 39 stations around the city with a fleet of 275 bikes. Simply buy a pass and you’ll get access to unlimited 30-minute bike rental sessions until the pass expires.... Read More

All my life, leading up to early this week, I thought eating healthy was hard. There are hundreds of diets out there, from Mariah Carey’s ‘eating only purple shade food’ to Atkins, each with its own bag of tricks and snake oil, promising easy weight loss and health benefits. And then there are those food labels; the tiny black ink consumers are encouraged to read. When the ingredients on the back of the package read “Sodium Benzoate” and “Butylated Hydroxyanisole,” it may as well be written in a foreign language. But then I discovered 1908 Brands, a Boulder-based company that develops... Read More

Let’s face it.  In 2020, searching for a good job (in an industry that you’re interested in and that pays the bills) is almost as lonely and desperate as looking for love on Tinder!  While networking, building your skills, and having the knowledge/skills needed are always important aspects when searching for the right job, it’s also important to be looking in the right areas for the best opportunities.   In the digital age, most opportunities are buried in an overload of online sites and career search engines.  Sites like LinkedIn, Craigslist, Monster.com, and Glassdoor are great when... Read More

Grab your smartphones and tablets and get ready, because automated learning just got cuddly with this local startup’s toy. Meet Ubooly, the uber cute and unboring toy for your kids ‘guaranteed to outlast any other toy’. At its most basic, Ubooly is an interactive, smart technology based stuffed animal that is powered by your smartphone or tablet.   When you purchase an Ubooly, you receive the adorably furry toy case for your phone or tablet as well as a free membership for Ubooly’s interactive features to provide your child with an engaging and educational play experience. Once your... Read More

Almost anyone with a dog will tell you that their furry friend is more than just a pet, it’s their beloved best friend and they do everything they can together; walks, runs, hikes and in the case of some of the lucky well behaved and registered support dogs, even errands! And in a city where tech and dogs rule all, its no surprise that one of Boulder’s youngest startups offers smart technology for mans best friend. WÜF is a smart dog collar striving to become the leader in smart technology for animals.  Their mission: to enable better dog owners and provide unique communication with... Read More

  Generally speaking, most companies offer a multitude of benefits for their employees. Benefits can range anywhere from local bus passes to health and dental benefits or 401k matching. But nowadays, with startups and new businesses placing such a heavy emphasis on engaging company cultures, new and unique takes on employee perks and benefits are popping up all over, it’s not just your average health insurance coverage anymore. Major companies like Eventbrite offer employees weekly massage, acupuncture and chiropractic sessions covered by the company; Thrilllist and Foursquare allow their... Read More

It’s been argued the history of the world can be seen on your plate. Moorish improvements to Roman irrigation boosted rice production in 15th century Spain, eventually melding with Middle Eastern spices into what we know today as paella. Bánh mì sandwiches combine native Vietnamese ingredients (such as cilantro, cucumbers, and pickled daikon) with baguettes and mayonnaise left behind by French colonists. There are many interesting through-lines when it comes to food. Closer to home, consider a different kind of example: the humble sub sandwich. Whether you prefer to call them hoagies, grinders,... Read More

The Leeds Business Research Division at CU Boulder has been recording Colorado business confidence for the last 17 years based on a scale, with 50 points being a neutral level. At the beginning of the year, the business confidence level in Colorado was sitting at right about 50, but with the recent layoffs and uncertainty surrounding COVID-19, the scale has dropped to 29.7, the lowest its been since the scale was introduced–with scores being even lower than 2009 recession level confidence. The scale is compiled from business leaders’ expectations around Colorado and consists of expectations... Read More