The CU Boulder campus is jam packed with creative, innovative and savvy-minded students. Denver, and Colorado as a whole, is thriving – It’s rapid growth due to the hundreds of thousands of people who are moving to the CO each month can be contributed to the economic success of the state. Much of this success is due to the explosion of small yet successful businesses popping up across Colorado, from dispensaries to breweries.

A new App called Free & For Sale is launching in August. Not only will this App change the way that we buy and sell used items within our local communities, it will prove to everyone within the Boulder community that CU students are bright, talented and devoted to success. Christian Dean, a CU student is the innovator behind the Free & For Sale brand idea and App design. The Business Minor offered at CU allowed him to expand his idea because it gave him the opportunity to grow relationships with real life mentors, practice giving pitches and also allowed him to explore the financial portion of app development, and business creation in general.

The University of Colorado, Boulder is an absolute gem for young entrepreneurs. Not only does the college’s location provide an environment rich with privilege, open-mindedness and economic success, it is filled with people who are eager to support students in their quest for success.

Spark Boulder is a wonderful place for students with business ideas to create relationships with other like-minded people within the Boulder community. This co-mingling space allows students who purchase a membership to have the space and resources to necessary to grow and share their ideas.

One thing that I’ve learned in regards to new business ideas is commitment – First, commit to your idea. This is exactly what Christian Dean did when he was set on his idea. Immediately he bought the URL for Free & For Sale. A genius name for the business because Free & For Sale was already a Facebook group. Thus, people (all across the country) were already familiar with the name and the idea behind the name. Some of the branding was already complete before motion was ever set to Christian’s Free & For Sale. Second, commit to your business. Be ready to spend long hours on the phone, giving pitches and in the work room with your team members. If you want a business to succeed, it needs to be your primary commitment.

Cortney Ratashak