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Cheers to Thriving Entrepreneurs in Adams County, CO

Startups succeed here, thanks to guidance from North Metro Denver SBDC and other great resources.

By Heather Cherry on June 22, 2022

Adams County Colorado is a hotspot for businesses.
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Deciding to start a business can be both exciting and overwhelming.

However, entrepreneurs know that even the best-inspired ideas can fail without the proper resources and support. Adams County offers a network of resources and an environment that makes it highly attractive for entrepreneurial companies.

Resources such as the North Metro Denver Small Business Development Center (SBDC) offer several programs to help entrepreneurs launch and grow their business.

Ready to Grow?

Here’s a snapshot of the past 10 years with the North Metro Denver SBDC:

3,500 clients helped • 200 businesses started • 900 jobs created

Since 1989, the North Metro Denver SBDC has helped businesses grow and prosper by providing free and confidential consulting and no- or low-cost training programs.

“Much of our focus goes to the one-on-one consulting offering businesses support,” says Hannah Curtis, the SBDC’s assistant director. “Our other programming complements that work. Specifically, our consultants lead webinars on different business topics that anyone can join.”

The organization offers courses, such as the six-week accelerated course that covers basic business fundamentals and helps small businesses get the knowledge they need, make connections and build relationships.

Winna Do of Berrybites in Adams County, CO
Berrybites

“The local SBDC helped me develop a strategy that I could check off each step of the way.”

Winna Do, Berrybites

Entrepreneurial Resources in Adams County

“We see our programs complementing each other,” Curtis says. “The hope is that businesses take advantage of educational opportunities available to them while also seeking consulting services.”

Local entrepreneur Winna Do, owner and CEO of Berrybites, did precisely that.

“When I had the business idea for Berrybites – an organic baby food delivery company – I reached out to the North Metro Denver SBDC,” Do says. “Even though I had a background in business, I didn’t know where to start. But I took some SBDC courses and signed up for consulting. Anytime I had a question, a consultant would give me advice to improve.”

Other resources to small businesses and entrepreneurs in Adams County include Thornton’s Alliance Business Assistance Center, a collection of private, public and nonprofit small business resources. They support local businesses by offering services from coworking space to loan and grant assistance.

Ryan Evans (right) and Charlie Gottenkieny, co-owners of Bruz Beers
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Bruz Brews Success

The region has cultivated a rich food, beverage and agribusiness sector that employs more than 5,000 people. Many of the companies in the sector are homegrown enterprises, something local entrepreneurs credit to a vibrant and supportive community.

Bruz Beers is Adams County’s artisanal brewery dedicated to brewing traditional Belgian-style beers and innovative Belgian=inspired brews.

“I fell in love with Belgian beers when I was backpacking Europe in college,” says Ryan Evans, owner, president and CEO of Bruz Beers. “On my way to Amsterdam, I had a train change to Brussels. I spent two hours waiting for the next train in a pub. I didn’t know what to order. The bartender suggested Tripel Karmeliet; it forever changed me.”

Returning home, Evans was unable to find the Belgian beer he enjoyed. Unsure of how to brew it to perfection, he joined forces with award-winning Belgian-brewer Charlie Gottenkieny. They then set out to start their business.

“We first looked at starting our brewery in downtown Denver,” Evans says. “But we kept getting out-bid for similar-zoned businesses. We couldn’t compete. Then we discovered Adams County. A brand-new neighborhood was getting built, and homes surrounded all four sides of us. Can you get any more European than that?”

Bruz Beers quickly became a community hub. “We’re so community focused that we built a space that was way too big initially, but we knew we’d grow into it,” Evans says. “And we did, thanks to our community. The community has poured out for us, especially in a time of need during COVID.”

Receiving strong support from the community can be crucial to a startup business’s success – especially in those early stages.

“Starting a business is difficult, but the community can help the process,” Do says. “Adams County has so much to offer – they have been loving and supportive. I am thankful I can run my business here.”

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