Community Navigator Featured on KRCC, New Employee Alert, Small Biz Feature, and More!

September 2022

At least seven counties in the Southeast plains, including Kiowa, Las Animas, and Otero, will use the results of the Community Navigator survey to plan and develop education programs for independently-owned companies. The survey was highlighted on the KRCC website last week. Colorado Public Radio runs the radio station, and the KRCC network, which consists of 13 broadcast stations and digital platforms, has a potential audience of 900,000 listeners.

Following President Biden's signing of the Inflation Reduction Act, Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman, head of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), and John Arensmeyer, founder and CEO of Small Business Majority, signed a co-sponsorship agreement to collaborate on a new webinar series, "The Bottom Line," to introduce our small businesses across America to SBA tools and resources to address pressing economic challenges.

This makes it possible to implement more comprehensive, targeted policies that help people and small business owners still dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic's effects, such as cutting healthcare and energy costs, lowering the federal deficit, and investing in clean energy options that create new opportunities for small manufacturers. The SBA and the Small Business Majority have also committed to assisting entrepreneurs with problems like inflation and supply chain disruption.

The first webinar in this series is scheduled for Tuesday, September 6, titled “How to Combat Inflation as a Small Business Owner.”

NEW CLIENT RELATIONSHIP MANAGER ANNOUNCEMENT

The Community Navigator consortium is pleased to introduce Bernadette Martinez as its new Client Relationship Manager. Born and raised in Pueblo, she is a mother of two: Reyes and Alexis, and has worked in the community with the Greater Chamber of Commerce for the past seven years. She is excited to work with small business advocates and clients throughout Southern Colorado in her new role.

Local Feature:

3 Rocks Engineering of Cañon City, Colorado

Part of the Community Navigator Pilot Program's strength lies in its connectivity among Southern Colorado. We're glad to feature groups and businesses who've engaged with us as we try to reach new audiences!

3 Rocks Engineering offers civil and structural engineering expertise in Cañon City, Colorado for the successful development of new projects as well as the preservation of current infrastructure and neighboring communities. Their team regularly creates plans for new residential and commercial developments, designs foundations and framing, conducts structural inspections, and designs OWTS (Septic Systems).

“3 Rocks was started because we saw that our region was underserved and would benefit from local expertise,” said founder, Alex Ewers. “We also love where we get to live, work, and play.”

When dealing with day-to-day work, 3 Rocks says faith comes first. Ewers tells us that, “Our goal is to love God and to love people.” They put in a lot of effort not only to help their neighbors but also so they can donate 20% of their earnings to causes they believe in (in addition to the 20% employee profit-sharing).

“Whether you’re hiring us or just living in the community we’re doing work in, our goal is to serve you,” voiced Ewers. “We are creative in our designs to help balance client expectations, regulations, and physics and we strongly believe in doing things the right way.”

To provide their personnel with special training opportunities that will develop design and drafting abilities, 3 Rocks is collaborating with Community Navigator. This will make it possible to produce designs of a higher caliber.

This business is careful to look after its customers, but it also remembers its staff. They have a full schedule that includes challenging work as well as enjoyable team-building activities like whitewater rafting, mountain biking, paid volunteer hours for each employee, and even weekly paper airplane competitions.

Note: Community Navigator resources are specific to small business and small business serving nonprofits. Meanwhile, program partnerships and connections are cross sector to reach a broader spectrum of small business clients.

What is my business worth? How will I retire? How much do I need to sell my business for in order to retire? How can I maximize the value of my business, and what is my “exit strategy”? Join us for an objective look at business valuation and plotting an exit strategy or sale of your business.

Learn Techniques on fee schedules.

What resources are available from state entities

Reimbursements for meals and snacks.

Earn training credit for your license (Must attend all classes). Sign up.

Explore the 7 key steps to bring meaning and purpose into your organization and team.

Build purpose alignment and coherence among your team with these 5 methods.

Infuse these 4 strategies into your company for continuous purpose alignment.

Whether you are creating or responding to change in your business, this interactive online workshop will highlight 7 steps toward leading and navigating thoughtful transitions. Join Jennifer Visitacion, Business & Leadership Coach/ Consultant to explore these strategies for addressing opportunities and challenges at each stage of the change cycle.

Pre-register for the Southern Colorado Small Business Development Center's Holiday Pop-Up Series if you are interested in hosting a vendor booth in Pueblo County.

More Small Business Funding Opportunities

Contact the Navigator Program HERE if you'd like assistance with any of these opportunities.

NeighborWorks

Southern Colorado:

As our access to capital Navigator, check out their programs HERE. Stay tuned for more opportunities as their new federally designated Community Financial Development Institution (CDFI) status develops!

Colorado Enterprise Fund:

CEF will also have more funding opportunities opening up this year. Check out their current programs HERE.

Grants:

The Colorado BIPOC Micro Equity Fund supports the growth and resiliency of Black, Indigenous, and People Of Color (BIPOC) owned businesses through patient equity-like investments designed to feel like friends and family capital. Learn more HERE.

The Colorado Community Revitalization Grant provides gap funding for projects in creative districts, historic districts, main streets or neighborhood commercial centers. Applications are open and accepted on a rolling basis.

Colorado Office of Economic Development & International Trade (OEDIT):

-Browse an OEDIT program & funding overview HERE

-Rural Jump Start Program:

If a business is located in a Rural-Jump Start zone, businesses can receive up to $20,000 as a newly established business and up to $2,500 per new hire. (Eligible counties: Fremont, Huerfano, Las Animas, Otero, Prowers, Pueblo)

If a business is located in a Tier 1 Just Transition community, businesses can receive up to $40,000 as a newly established business and up to $5,000 per new hire. (Eligible county: Pueblo)

Marketing Trainings For Your Small Business Toolbox

REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED.

Every first Friday of the month through November, join the Brown Bag Seminar Series to

learn marketing skills to help your business and the opportunity to access related technical assistance counseling.

This Friday, September 2, bring your lunch and learn how to use YouTube for your business!

Financial and E-commerce Training & Counseling Opportunities Available

The Community Navigator Program is offering ongoing training and counseling sessions for online QuickBooks financial software and related topics. E-commerce technical assistance is also available. Check out the ongoing classes this month HERE.

Registration is required. Email [email protected] to let us know you want to sign-up for this opportunity.

Above & Below: Shauna Boyd (center) owner of Boyd's Bookkeeping & Administrative Services works with the Pueblo Food Project Startup Inaugural Entrepreneur Development Class of 2022 during a group training facilitated in part by the Community Navigator Program.

More News & Resources from the SBA

Federal Resources for Small Businesses Tax Preparation Help - Learn more here

SBA Brown Bagged Lunch Sessions hosted by SBA Colorado and Mi Casa Resource Center through September 2022:

Small Mentor - Protege Program:

Wednesday, August 3 - Noon-12:45 PM

Small Joint Venture Program:

Wednesday, September 7 - Noon-12:45 PM

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

This program is funded through a U.S. Small Business Administration grant.

All opinions, conclusions, and/or recommendations expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA.