OPINION | Patrick Brower: On widgets and business success

Are you curious about the business of being in business?

Grand County Economic Development, Destination Granby, the Grand County Library District and the Grand Enterprise Initiative want to know what you are curious about. Small business accounting and Quickbooks? Digital marketing, social media marketing, traditional advertising and marketing in general? Is your product and service any good? Worth tweaking?

Do you have a business idea and do you want to explore that with consultants, advisors and people with general business experience?

In response to some general requests from chambers and business groups for classes, seminars and business development classes, we are reaching out to the community to see what people would like to see when it comes to business development in Grand County.

Most people know that opening a business isn’t as easy as sitting down and just “doing it.” In fact, most people are so aware of the pitfalls and real issues when it comes to starting or developing a business, and are usually scared to death of giving their idea anything more than daydreaming.

These classes and series of seminars hope to take the guess work out of starting or expanding a business. They hope to give vetting of business ideas a sound basis in the real world. They will also help people to indulge their dreams and aspirations in the realm of business success and existing business growth.

Most everyone dreams of having that great business idea that just takes off and offers fulfilling work while bringing home some money.

Take me, for example. Many times, I’ve dreamed about the notion that I could come up with the idea for a widget that can only be made here in Grand County’s cold temperatures and high elevation, and it is in great demand by most everyone in the world. With my unique niche here in this manufacturing environment I could then corner the market, make the widget with ease and market the product with a great easy-to-maintain website, earning millions of dollars. Then after I’ve worked hard and built my brand and product, I could then turn around and sell the company to somebody like Elon Musk for even more millions.

Yes, that is sort of my daydream fantasy. But then I wake up from my dream after noting that the name of my proposed widget company is “Fat Chance Products.” Which says it all.

Sure, it’s possible for such a business fantasy to come true. But in reality, that is a pipe dream. It ignores the fact that I don’t even really know what this widget is, that I don’t have the money to really develop it once I know what it is, and that understanding market demand and reaching that market is very difficult. And that the easy-to-use, one-stop-shop website is a costly and near mythical thing. Oh, and how will I really count and spend all this money, and will I be able to pay the taxes and understand the taxes to start with?

The realistic truth about such business dreams comes down to local markets, local services and local understanding. Most people really want to offer a good local service and product and make a good living at it while still being able to live the life up here that they love.

That’s what these classes will be about.

Some of the classes and seminars will be introduced and market-tested at the Grand County Economic Summit set for Nov. 20. There will be breakout sessions and real informational gatherings to help local businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs, all based on community input.

So complete the survey about what business classes and services should be offered at https://forms.gle/jLr2GsFCbL3obtPJ9. I know I’ll be asking for a class on extremely useful and profitable locally made widgets.

Patrick Brower is the Enterprise Facilitator for the Grand Enterprise Initiative. He offers free and confidential business management coaching to anyone who wants to start or expand a business in Grand County. He is also the author of “KILLDOZER: The True Story of the Colorado Bulldozer Rampage.”  He can be reached by calling 970-531-0632 or at pbrower@consultbrower.com.