Talent and teamwork: A winning combination for county entrepreneurs

“We were very slim on employees, just getting our feet wet basically,” said Jenny, Expedition’s Office Coordinator. “The funding we received absolutely helped with permitting fees and allowed us to move forward with breaking ground on our first facility east of Briggsdale.”

As the years progressed, Expedition, which specializes in filtering, separating and storing saltwater from oil and gas, has grown into an organization with 42 employees and several facilities throughout Weld County and Wyoming.

There are certainly more success stories to tell as over the past nine years the SBIP has allocated more than $388,000 to 25 small businesses in unincorporated Weld County. However, much more integral to the program’s success has been the longstanding vision Weld County Commissioners and the Weld County Department of Planning Services have had to ease the burden on small business owners and create an environment that encourages economic growth in unincorporated Weld County. Following the commissioners’ involvement in Gov. Hickenlooper’s statewide economic strategy in 2011, discussions were held with planning services and focused on recruiting, growing and retaining business in the county. What evolved was the SBIP in 2014, a program designed to give eligible business owners funding to offset many capital costs associated with starting a business, such as land use and permitting fees.

“We knew the challenges facing small businesses in terms of startup costs,” said Weld County Planning Director Tom Parko, explaining why the program was created. “The commissioners were looking for a way to make starting a business easier and more successful, because beyond being beneficial to a business owner, a small business creates jobs and can strengthen our economy.”

The benefits Parko mentioned can only be realized if a small business not only establishes itself but also flourishes, a daunting task to even the most determined and business savvy individuals. That’s why the commissioners and planning services reached out to the East Colorado Small Business Development Center (ECSBDC) for help implementing the SBIP, specifically making it a requirement that businesses meet with business consultants to develop business or strategic plans prior to being eligible to receive funds.

“What we know is nationwide, believe it or not, the percentage of businesses that go under in the first year is about 93%,” said Jesse Esparza, one of the Weld County Business Consultants for the ECSBDC. Esparza attributes the high number, at least in part, to not having a plan or realistic expectations to succeed long-term. “The more planning and education a business owner receives, the more likely they are to succeed.

“Businesses come in with a lot of ideas, and it’s kind of like a puzzle. I say, ‘OK, let’s take your foundation of ideas and determine how you’re going achieve them,’” he said. “That becomes really a good plan, because (business owners) now have a step-by-step plan of how to put their business together.”

In the process of identifying goals, Esparza uses what he calls a “real-world reality” approach to determine if a goal is achievable. If it isn’t, based on demographics or demand, he can suggest smaller, more attainable goals to help a business grow while taking on less risk. And because services from the ECSBDC are provided free of charge, business owners can continually update plans and develop new strategies as their needs change, something that’s almost inevitable, particularly to businesses in unincorporated Weld County.

“Businesses in unincorporated Weld County are a little bit different,” Esparza said, explaining the challenges for businesses located outside of municipalities or retail areas. “That’s why one of the biggest things is to continually know the business and product and the market research that can indicate if a business will be successful or at least have a chance to be.”

For all the planning and money provided by the SBIP, there’s no substitute for the hard work and vision of the small business owners who’ve utilized the program. While Expedition may have started on Jim’s dining room table, he brought with him more than 20 years of experience in the oil and gas industry. What makes the SBIP unique is it matches the drive of the individuals with continued teamwork between the board of commissioners, planning services and the ECSBDC.

It's teamwork that has helped 25 businesses over the past nine years, and the commissioners are excited to see how it can continue to turn small business dreams into reality moving forward.

“The ability for the planning director to reduce land use and permitting fees reduces the barriers to entry as well as barriers to long-term success for our Weld County business owners," said Weld County Commissioner Lori Saine, Coordinator of the Department of Planning Services.

“The incentive program has been a great asset to business owners in unincorporated Weld County,” said Weld County Commissioner Chair Mike Freeman, who was a commissioner when the program launched in 2014. “We’re proud of the incentive program and happy to see businesses benefiting from it.”

In the next installment of our County Government 101 series, we'll explore the county's membership in the National Association of Counties and how it helps Weld County Government stay informed of important legislative issues.