Building a Business on Main Street, CO
From Business at Leeds 2022 |听Full issue
Erick Mueller travels across the state on his vintage Harley to events in the rural workshop series, where he co-teaches budding entrepreneurs and local leaders the ins and outs of starting and growing a business. Below are scenes from a recent workshop in the small town of Sterling.
In rural Colorado, passion projects鈥攏ot millions in funding鈥攁re fueling startups.
One hundred and forty-two miles northeast of Boulder startup mecca, lies the small town of Sterling. Known as the 鈥淨ueen City of the Plains,鈥 its population is 15,000, the average household income is $55,000, and it boasts the region largest display of bronze artwork.听
The Cycle Effect
Alluvia Packraft
Trinidad Waffle Co.
Out here, most entrepreneurs aren鈥檛 trying to start the next billion-dollar company; most want to find a way to make a living and maintain their current lifestyle. Still, there are others who aspire to launch the next big thing. 听
They all share one thing in common: they want to own a business borne from a passion. Whether it their side hustle, a lifestyle business or a growth venture鈥攖hey aspire to make it their life work. And while the possibilities are there, living outside an urban area can make it hard to find the resources they need: professional business advice, access to investors and a community of other entrepreneurs.听
So when Erick Mueller rolls into town, balancing resources and insights on his vintage Harley, people take notice. 听
Mueller, executive director of the Deming Center for Entrepreneurship, takes Leeds on the road for the Demystifying Entrepreneurship: Rural Colorado Workshop Series. In close collaboration with local community partners, it a two-day workshop for starting or growing a business, in which faculty and local entrepreneurs teach how to create an in-demand product or service, avoid pitfalls and make a profit. 听
Founders celebrate after completing the rural entrepreneurship course led by Leeds and its Deming Center.