Welcome to the Yampa Valley Entrepreneurship Center
The Yampa Valley Entrepreneurship Center offers free, confidential business counseling for new and existing small businesses. The YVEC was established in 1999 and has assisted hundreds of local businesses launch and stay viable through changing economic conditions. Several skilled business professionals donate their time to meet with individuals and discuss their goals and challenges. We also offer a variety of seminars and workshops to help with the professional development of your small business skills. Call or email for an appointment.
Randy Rudasics
Manager, Yampa Valley Entrepreneurship Center
970-870-4491
rrudasics@coloradomtn.edu
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Upcoming Events
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Workshops
Questions? Contact Randy Rudasics, 970-870-4491 or email rrudasics@coloradomtn.edu.
Marketing Your Business with Social Media
Grow Brand Awareness for Your Small Business
May 11, 12:00 to 1:30 PM
Craig Chamber of Commerce
775 Yampa Avenue, Craig, CO
Instructor: Kayleen Cohen, founder of Mtn Dog Media
Valuing A Small Business
June 6, 6:00 - 7:00 PM
Colorado Mountain College
1275 Crawford Ave, Room 302, Steamboat Springs, CO
Instructor: Steve Hitchcock
Planning a New Business Startup
May 25, 6:00 to 7:30 PM
Colorado Mountain College
1275 Crawford Ave, Room 302, Steamboat Springs, CO
Instructor: Randy Rudasics/CMC
Selling A Small Business
June 7, 9:00 - 10:30 AM
Colorado Mountain College
1275 Crawford Ave, Room 302, Steamboat Springs, CO
Instructor: Steve Hitchcock
Small Business Resources for our rural mountain community
Please welcome a new addition to the entrepreneurship support team in the Yampa Valley, Ashley Pynes. Ashley is a recent transplant from the Western Slope of Colorado. She brings her experience working for the West Central SBDC and the Region 10 Loan Fund, serving a large region that includes communities transitioning from coal and mountain resort towns. She has facilitated, taught, and consulted on topics such as starting a business, retail business basics, and how to successfully plan and manage cash flow.
Her background in corporate finance began when she worked for a major retailer planning sales, margin and inventory in the merchandising department to maximize profit and inventory efficiencies. After several years planning cash flow for specific merchandise departments, she moved into corporate financial planning & analysis to apply her Bachelor’s Degree in Finance, and forecast sales and cash flow at the company level.
Growing up in West Texas, Ashley spent every summer and most holidays in the mountains of New Mexico or Colorado where she had close family, and there developed a love for the outdoors and cooler weather. She knows the deep satisfaction that comes from living and giving to rural communities, and the importance of local businesses who support those communities. She loves providing entrepreneurs with resources and tools that help them run their businesses more efficiently and more profitably. She is thrilled to have moved further north into the rural community of Clark, just north of Steamboat Springs, to serve the counties of Northwest Colorado.
Resources and Tools for Entrepreneurs
There are many emerging tools to assist prospective and existing small business owners and managers deal with the challenges they face. The following web sites offer tools, learning modules and seminars, experiences of other entrepreneurs and connections to mentors. The following sites are regional in focus and serve our Colorado mountain communities.
National and state web sites for small business support organizations also offer information and tools to improve your skill set and move forward with a business opportunity.
- https://www.sba.gov
- https://score.org
- https://www.coloradosbdc.org
- https://uschamber.com
- https://www.coloradosos.gov/pubs/business/businessHome.html
Do you need to build a web site on a tight budget? Here are three options for “home grown” web sites that can get your information out there.
In Routt County, stay up to date on the business environment, network for clients and friends and get engaged with professional development opportunities through the Steamboat Springs Chamber:
Want to Improve Your Productity with Online Tools?
Online Appointment Scheduling Software:
https://www.capterra.com/appointment-scheduling-software/
^Use this tool to find the best solution for your specific needs
Online Accounting Softwares:
https://www.pcmag.com/picks/the-best-small-business-accounting-software
^Resource for evaluating pros and cons most popular online accounting solutions.
Resources for learning more:
Lynda.com - Software tutorials, business skill courses
Copyblogger.com - SEO, Content Marketing, Blogging
Hubspot.com - Great digital marketing resource
Resources for hiring specialized talent:
Freelance Sites - UpWork, Fiver, The Mom Project
Connect/share resources with other Colorado Entrepreneurs - StartupColorado.org
Useful resource to start a LLC in Colorado:
https://www.simplifyllc.com/llc-formation/start-colorado-llc-3209/
Learn . Start . Grow
Supporting entrepreneurship through education, counseling, incubation and support to improve economic development in the community.
For more information regarding the programs listed below please contact us.
Learn
Colorado Mountain College degree programs: www.coloradomtn.edu/programs
Seminars and workshops:
- New Business Planning
- Business Plan Writing
- Small Business Skills Development Seminars
- Finance and Marketing Workshops
Extensive entrepreneurial library
Start
Mentoring and counseling with Yampa Valley Entrepreneurship Center
- Free, confidential and individualized
- Online resource tools, seminars and workshops on business planning
Referrals to business support professionals
- Attorneys
- Accountants and Bookkeepers
- Design and Web Development professionals
- Social Media and Marketing professionals
Information on regional lending options
- Banks
- Micro-lenders
- Small Business Administration loans
- USDA lending programs
Grow
Networking assistance
Marketing and financial counseling
Human Resource program development counseling
Periodic business plan reviews
For information regarding economic development resources in Steamboat Springs and the surrounding area please check out the following: