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February 25 to March 2, 2019
Friday, February 22
 

10:00am MST

Free Drop- In Coworking at Innop
Come check out Innop at 144 N Mason Street unit #3

Exhibitors
DA

Dr. Ajay Jha

Founder and CEO, Innop


Friday February 22, 2019 10:00am - 4:00pm MST
Innop

6:00pm MST

Closing Party- First Friday Art Walk
Come celebrate a fantastic Startup week with the speakers, leaders, and community members of the Fort Collins entrepreneurial community!!

Friday February 22, 2019 6:00pm - 8:00pm MST
Downtown Artery Performance Venue

6:00pm MST

Startup Weekend: Music Innovation
Please Read: Full details and ticket purchasing must be done through the Startup Weekend website. 
Signing up on the Startup Week site will not guarantee your spot at Startup Weeekend.

Fort Collins Startup Weekend: Music Innovation is a themed event, where participants are encouraged to develop business/product ideas related to music innovation, and have potential for applications in other industries.
If your idea does not relate to either of those, no problem! Pitching any and all ideas are welcome!

Who: You! And other awesome people that are excited by problem solving, new solutions, and innovation across different industries!

What: A Friday night through Sunday night experience to develop new business ideas, and understand their feasibility.

How: Participants will pitch ideas upon arriving Friday night. After participants have a chance to pitch their idea, voting occurs.
If your idea doesn’t get picked, don't sweat it! You'll get to vote for another idea and work in that team. Whether it's your idea or someone else's; the process of the weekend is the same!

Speakers
MM

Mark Madic

Facilitator, Techstars-Startup Weekend
SS

Scott Shrake

Entrepreneurship Director, Colorado State University

Sponsors
JE

Jesse Elliott

Director, Music District



Friday February 22, 2019 6:00pm - Sunday February 24, 2019 7:30pm MST
Nancy Richardson Design Center
 
Sunday, February 24
 

5:00pm MST

Startup Weekend Final Pitches
Limited Capacity seats available

https://www.eventbrite.com/myevent?eid=55527866343

Teams that have participated in Startup Weekend will pitch their final ideas and progress on Sunday night. Please reserve your free ticket to see the pitches using the link posted above.

Prizes:
1st place 1000$
2nd place 500$
3rd place 250$ 

Speakers
JJ

Jake Jabs

American Furniture Warehouse

Sponsors
JE

Jesse Elliott

Director, Music District


Sunday February 24, 2019 5:00pm - 7:30pm MST
Nancy Richardson Design Center
 
Monday, February 25
 

8:00am MST

Free Drop-In Coworking at desk chair workspace
desk chair workspace will be hosting free drop-in coworking during Startup Week. desk chair is located in Loveland, but we're worth the drive!  Come work in a beautiful upscale coworking environment, network with fellow coworkers and take advantage of our fiber optic internet, free coffee, and fabulous rooftop patio. 

Monday February 25, 2019 8:00am - 5:00pm MST
desk chair workspace

8:00am MST

Free Drop-In Coworking at Digital Workshop Center
Digital Workshop Center is offering unlimited free coworking during Fort Collins Startup Week. Get your work done in a quiet, professional environment while meeting some other entrepreneurs and small business owners. Free internet, coffee, snacks, and beer. Stop by for a tour!

Monday February 25, 2019 8:00am - 5:00pm MST
Digital Workshop Center

8:00am MST

Free Drop-In Coworking at Front Range Business Centers
Tours and FREE drop-in coworking for a day at Front Range Business Centers in mid-town during Startup Week. Enjoy a free spot to work, free wifi, and free coffee for any day between Feb. 25th and March 1st. Open 8am-5pm on the 3rd floor of the First National Bank building at College & Boardwalk. We have meeting rooms, workspaces, business address/mailboxes, full-time offices and even phone answering available. Receive one month free if you join during Startup Week.  

Monday February 25, 2019 8:00am - 5:00pm MST
Front Range Business Centers

8:30am MST

SBDC & SAGE Consulting Appointments
Entrepreneurs, do you have a tricky business issue that’s keeping you awake? Think you have a good idea, and would like to run it past someone? Interested in connecting with some local resources that can help you with your process?

Techstars Startup Week Fort Collins (FCSW) offers you a wide variety of experienced businesspeople and skill-set experts, who will provide you FREE one-on-one consulting during Techstars Startup Week Fort Collins. These experts are provided by The Innosphere’s SAGE (social advisor group for entrepreneurs) advisor network and the Larimer SBDC (small business development center) consulting network. The SAGE network has core competencies in bioscience, clean energy, and software/IT industries. The Larimer SBDC has competencies in many “main street” businesses such as restaurant/food products, retail, health and wellness, the creative sector, and more. The Innosphere is one of the leading business incubators in the Western US, and the Larimer SBDC consults with over 600 local clients annually. These consultants can also connect you with available useful resources to help you with your ongoing business process.

FCSW attendees can schedule 30 minute consulting sessions from 8:30am through 11:30am Monday 2/26, Tuesday 2/27, or Thursday 3/1. Sign up at https://startupfoco.youcanbook.me/.

Additional information on this service—including specific consultant biographies and availability and sign-up information—is available at https://startupfoco.youcanbook.me/.

We look forward to supporting you!

Monday February 25, 2019 8:30am - 11:30am MST
Spaces

8:30am MST

Free Drop-In Coworking at Spaces
Spaces is offering free coworking to all attendees during startup week. Attendees are welcome to drop-in anytime Monday thru Friday during the hours of 8:30am-5:00pm to get work done, connect with other people, have a coffee, and enjoy everything this beautiful Old Town space has to offer. A 10% membership discount is offered to anyone who signs up for a membership during 2/25 and 3/1.

Monday February 25, 2019 8:30am - 5:00pm MST
Spaces

9:00am MST

Free Drop-In Coworking at Cohere
Cohere Community will be hosting free drop-in coworking during Startup Week. All attendees are welcome to drop-in once during the week. Come check out the space, get some work done, drink coffee, and make friends. Hours: 9am-4pm Monday February 25th-Friday March 1st. Join during Startup Week and get $50 off your first full month of membership.

Monday February 25, 2019 9:00am - 4:00pm MST
Cohere Coworking

9:00am MST

Free Drop-In Coworking at Office Evolution
Office Evolution Fort Collins is offering free coworking day passes during Startup Week. Drop-in anytime 9am to 4pm in the Shared Workspace and enjoy complimentary beverages. Sign up for a full month during StartUp Week and receive $25.00 off membership.

Monday February 25, 2019 9:00am - 4:00pm MST
Office Evolution

10:00am MST

Using Design Thinking and Creative Communications to Create Meaningful Connections and Social Good for Companies, Cultures and Communities
Speakers
avatar for Sarah Acer

Sarah Acer

Managing Partner, Align Communications & Creative
Sarah is the founder and managing partner of Align Communications and Creative — a women-led social impact creative agency focused on story, strategy, operations and partnerships to increase outcomes and social change — with offices in New York and Colorado. Some of Align's past... Read More →


Monday February 25, 2019 10:00am - 11:00am MST
Spaces

10:00am MST

RVC Angel 101
This is a "Lite" 1 hr. version of the Rockies Venture Club's (RVC) Angel 101, an introduction for the Angel Accelerator course that typically costs $1,295 to attend for the angel investors to learn how to make investment in ventue startrup companies.  This is a rare opportunity for the entrepreneurs to learn what investors are learning for free during FCSW!

The session will be presented by the Executive DIrector of RVC, Peter Adams and Director of Operations, Dave Harris.

ANGEL INVESTOR WORKSHOP Angel Investors are popping up all over the place and getting involved in Colorado’s thriving startup economy. Angels are making great returns on their investments while also making connections, learning about cutting edge technologies, and giving back to the community by sharing expertise.
Angel investors who are part of an angel group don’t technically need to know anything about the process since they can rely on the expertise of other “lead” investors. Smart angels will take the time to learn about the process and how to evaluate a deal, even if it’s with the help of others.
 

Speakers
avatar for Dave Harris

Dave Harris

Director of Operations, Rockies Venture Club
Dave Harris is the Director of Operations for Rockies Venture Club (RVC), and is a Managing Partner with Rockies Venture Fund (RVF) and Rockies Impact Fund (RIF); two Colorado-centric venture funds. RVC is the longest running angel investor group in the US and is a non-profit organization... Read More →
avatar for Peter Adams

Peter Adams

Executive Director, Rockies Venture Club
Peter Adams is the Executive Director of the Rockies Venture Club a non-profit organization furthering economic development in Colorado by connecting investors and entrepreneurs through conferences (Angel Capital Summit and Colorado Capital Conference), networking events, educational... Read More →


Monday February 25, 2019 10:00am - 11:00am MST
The Articulate

11:00am MST

What Entrepreneurs can Learn from the Craft of Theater
Is it possible for entrepreneurs to learn everything they need to know about startups through the craft of theater? Come to my session and find out! After spending a decade in theater starting at the age of 11, transitioning to the business world was easier than I would have imagined.  And business was full of opportunities to get creative - who knew?

This session will be a series of short, real life examples with thematic ideas to further the exploration and parallels between these two unseemingly similar topics. The three factors that will be discussed in greater depth during this session due to their importance include:
  • People
  • Planning 
  • Performance
Whether you are a performer considering starting a company, an entrepreneur who would like to learn from the creative process, or an interested community citizen, come to this talk and join in some discussion. The world is our stage, let's make this the best story we can possbily imagine.
See you there!

Speakers
avatar for Hope Hartman

Hope Hartman

Founder, Escape Velocity
Empowering women and girls, leadership, performing arts, entrepreneurship. Community building around youth engagement and youth empowerment.


Monday February 25, 2019 11:00am - 11:45am MST
Downtown Artery Gallery

11:00am MST

Define the Line: How to create civility in the workplace

Define the Line | Harassment training for today's workforce

In this interactive discussion, Tina and Nikki will take participants through the definitions of sexual harassment, how we can each be advocates for harassment-free workplaces, and how to handle difficult situations when they come up. Not only do participants walk away from this training with discussion topics and activities to introduce to their teams, but they'll also understand their role and responsibility in creating workplaces that are free from harassment. This dynamic and interactive training is great for individuals in HR, manager and leadership roles.


About the speakers:

Tina Todd, PHR, SHRM-CP, and Nikki Larchar, SHRM-CP, are trainers, speakers, authors, and co-founders of Define the Line.Tina and Nikki work with organizations who want to end workplace harassment and spark real change. As trainers and speakers, the Define the Line duo has helped individuals and teams understand what it means to speak up and define the line for themselves and others. Their work has been featured nationally with media outlets such as NPR, SHRM, HR Dive, and Diversity Woman. Nikki and Tina are the authors of the first of it's kind, comic book sexual harassment training, Define the Line and are the co-founders of HR consulting firm, simplyHR. When they're not inspiring teams, you can find the duo sipping margaritas in Old Town, Fort Collins, CO.



Speakers
avatar for Nikki Larchar

Nikki Larchar

Co-Founder, Define the Line


Monday February 25, 2019 11:00am - 12:00pm MST
Downtown Artery Performance Venue

12:00pm MST

Business Beyond Privilege

Do you want to change the world? Me, too! You are set to make a difference in the world but here's where many social impact business owners get it wrong- your unconscious privilege bias may be limiting your impact. What?! If you're ready to really change the world let's talk about business beyond privilege!

Join author Chrysta Bairre for an insightful and revolutionary conversation about privilege and how to reach beyond people who are just like you to increase your social impact across socioeconomic barriers.

Do You Want To…

  • Make a difference with your message, product, or service?
  • Create real change that reaches beyond people who look and think like you?
  • Educate and inspire a wider audience in your business?

Informed by her experience growing up in poverty and tired of seeing so-called Thought Leaders impact only people most like themselves, Chrysta will share personal insights and enlightening research on how you can make your message accessible to a wider audience and reach even more people with your message to increase your social impact!


Speakers
avatar for Chrysta Bairre

Chrysta Bairre

Career Coach | Speaker | Author, Live Love Work
Chrysta Bairre is a career coach, speaker, author, and founder of Live Love Work.Chrysta works with women who want more from life and career. Her clients increase their professional impact and income-- so they can say no in business, make more money, and find happiness in and out... Read More →


Monday February 25, 2019 12:00pm - 1:00pm MST
Downtown Artery Gallery

12:00pm MST

Entrepreneurs on Branding
As a former Apple executive and CMO of couple startups, Pat can talk about real meaning of brand (not just a tag line or logo).

Speakers
avatar for Pat Nicholson

Pat Nicholson

CMO, Deserve
Pat is a marketing executive, advisor, and investor with more than 20 years experience working with large and small technology brands. He developed his branding sensibilities and skills at Apple, where he worked for 16 years and led marketing for Apple’s software, education, and... Read More →


Monday February 25, 2019 12:00pm - 1:00pm MST
Cohere Coworking

12:30pm MST

Managing Technical Debt
Lessons from the field about pitfalls to avoid and how to set you and your startup up for future success. Broad topics include platform, database and scalability.

Speakers
avatar for Lisa Gumerman

Lisa Gumerman

CEO & Co-Founder, Sunshower.io
Lisa came to software engineering the long way round. Despite doing web development back when GeoCities was still a thing (RIP), she didn't come to programming again until she discovered that the recession was a bad time to be a journalism major. She got her M.S. in Public Communication... Read More →


Monday February 25, 2019 12:30pm - 1:30pm MST
The Articulate

1:30pm MST

Freelancer/Solopreneur Marketing Strategy 101
Almost everybody has a hard time marketing themselves, so actually writing a marketing strategy is often one of the most difficult, time-consuming, eye-roll-inducing things a solopreneur/freelancer can ever do.

After all, all you have to do is tell people what you do, right? Just kidding.

What if you could learn how to create everything you needed for a highly-competent marketing strategy in just 5 minutes?

What if you could show up to this session, answer 3 questions, and feel amped up for the rest of the year because you'll know:
  • What your value is
  • What your place in the market is
  • How to communicate your value
  • What you'll need to blog/market/post about
  • How to create goals, strategy, and campaigns, and then measure your efforts
I know what you're thinking: Nick, can you really cover all this in an hour? YES.

Ready to have a marketing strategy that’s both useful and makes sense? Let’s get started.

Who is this guy and what does he know about business?

I’m Nick Armstrong: the Geek-in-Chief behind WTF Marketing, dad, author, Ignite, PechaKucha, Startup Week, and TEDx speaker, audio drama enthusiast, and award-winning entrepreneur. Through WTF Marketing and partner organizations, I’ve served a wide array of happy clients ranging from mom-and-pop shops to Fortune 100’s over the last 10 years. I’ve co-organized community events like Fort Collins Comic Con, Startup Week Fort Collins, TEDxFoCo, Ignite Fort Collins, LaidOffCamp/CareerCamp, PodCamp Fort Collins, and more. My local efforts landed me a prestigious spot as one of BizWest’s 40 Under Forty for 2016 and the Colorado Association of Libraries’ Library Community Partnership Award in 2018.

Speakers
avatar for Nick Armstrong

Nick Armstrong

Geek-in-Chief, WTF Marketing
I’m Nick Armstrong and I’m #2 on the speed dial of most small business owners, right after mom. When they’re stuck in a rut and need a whiteboard-worth of fun, profitable marketing ideas to fill up client waitlists and bank accounts for a year, they call me.Gathering together... Read More →



Monday February 25, 2019 1:30pm - 2:30pm MST
Downtown Artery Gallery

2:30pm MST

How to leverage hyper targeting to engage more customers
Speakers
avatar for Marcus Hansen

Marcus Hansen

Founder/CEO, 970 Marketing Inc
I am a digital marketing executive that is focused on decreasing spend and increasing revenue. I am proficient in Display, SEO, Content Marketing, Social Media Marketing, and Direct Response marketing. Our agency brings the thoughts and ideas of Madison Ave without the large price... Read More →


Monday February 25, 2019 2:30pm - 3:30pm MST
Downtown Artery Performance Venue

3:00pm MST

One Page Business Plans for Creatives
Every good business needs a plan and foundation, a business plan! Come to this hands-on workshop for artists, musicians and creative businesses about getting organized and thinking strategically. Learn from expert, Kathy Stewart on how to start your One Page Business Plan!

Speakers
avatar for Kathy Stewart

Kathy Stewart

A Colorado native, having grown up on a farm west of Ault, Colorado…Received her BA in Communications and an MA in Organizational Behavior. 20 years of experience in thetelecommunications industry, including a corporate regional position as Vice President of Operations for a six-state... Read More →


Monday February 25, 2019 3:00pm - 4:00pm MST
Downtown Artery Gallery

4:30pm MST

Negotiation for Freelancers and Solopreneurs
Lemme ask you a personal question:
  • Do you often end up holding the short end of the stick with your clients?
  • Do you feel like you can't charge what you're worth without a mile of scope-creep tagging along?
  • Do you want to handle client complaints and disagreements with tact and composition?
This course will teach you how to handle negotiations with clients, how to grow your confidence when setting and asking for your rate, how to handle tough situations and disagreements with your clients, and how to redirect scope creep into a profit-earning opportunity.

With the skills you'll learn, you'll have the opportunity to advance your goals in the real world.

Earn more, stress less, grow your list of happy clients.

Who is this guy and how does he know how to negotiate?
I’m Nick Armstrong: the Geek-in-Chief behind WTF Marketing, dad, author, Ignite, PechaKucha, Startup Week, and TEDx speaker, audio drama enthusiast, and award-winning entrepreneur. Through WTF Marketing and partner organizations, I’ve served a wide array of happy clients ranging from mom-and-pop shops to Fortune 100’s. I’ve co-organized community events like Fort Collins Comic Con, Startup Week Fort Collins, TEDxFoCo, Ignite Fort Collins, LaidOffCamp/CareerCamp, PodCamp Fort Collins, and more. My local efforts landed me a prestigious spot as one of BizWest’s 40 Under Forty in 2016 and the Colorado Association of Libraries’ Library Community Partnership Award in 2018.

Speakers
avatar for Nick Armstrong

Nick Armstrong

Geek-in-Chief, WTF Marketing
I’m Nick Armstrong and I’m #2 on the speed dial of most small business owners, right after mom. When they’re stuck in a rut and need a whiteboard-worth of fun, profitable marketing ideas to fill up client waitlists and bank accounts for a year, they call me.Gathering together... Read More →



Monday February 25, 2019 4:30pm - 5:30pm MST
Downtown Artery Gallery

6:00pm MST

FC/Longmont New Tech: Just Because You Have a Great Idea Doesn’t Mean It's Manufacturable
Shane Barber from Manufacturing's Edge will do a presentation titled: Just Because You Have a Great Idea Doesn’t Mean It's Manufacturable We have all read and heard about the spectacular flameouts that have befallen many well-funded hardware startups. It takes time, a lot of money, immense talent, and expert know-how to bring hardware to market and build a manufacturing company.
Hardware startups don’t get off the ground in 10, 12, or 16 weeks. In that timeframe, you might be able to get through multiple iterations of your prototype, get early customer traction, and work on some DFM (Design For Manufacturability) — but getting from working prototype to even small batch manufacturing is difficult. Some of the primary reasons that hardware manufacturing companies fail include:
  • Creating a design that cannot be manufactured.
  • Not prototyping a design rigorously enough.
  • Failing to control the product cost and gross margin.
  • Not understanding obligations regarding regulatory certifications.
  • Selecting the wrong partner to assist you in manufacturing.
  • Not creating a good quality plan for scalability early in the manufacturing process.
  • Not establishing and/or maintaining a realistic schedule.
So, what does it take to build and grow a manufacturing company? Shane will talk about the four stages in a manufacturing company’s lifecycle and the critical steps necessary for scaling and maturity.

Shane Barber is a respected leadership/management resource who partners to help organizations optimize their workforce strengths and systems design. He specializes in business strategy, organizational design, operations management, and innovation/problem-solving.
Shane leverages 20 years of corporate experience having worked for the Intel Corporation and as a personal business owner. His diverse skills in management/leadership, systems development, human resource management, professional training/instruction, and performance consulting offer his partners a unique set of skills to solve many common business issues.
Shane has a Production Operations Management degree from New Mexico State University. He has received specialized training in Human Resources and Organization Development from the Teachers College at Columbia University, and he is a Certified WorkStyle™ Coach.

Speakers
avatar for Nathalie Rachline

Nathalie Rachline

Co founder, kIT Framework
Nathalie Rachline was Senior Director for IT Planning at Nutrien. She held similar position at Agrium IT from March 2016 until now. Nathalie is also the co founder of kIT Framework, a small Fort Collins company offering IT consulting services to start ups and growing companies. Previously... Read More →


Monday February 25, 2019 6:00pm - 8:00pm MST
Spaces
 
Tuesday, February 26
 

8:00am MST

Free Drop-In Coworking at desk chair workspace
desk chair workspace will be hosting free drop-in coworking during Startup Week. desk chair is located in Loveland, but we're worth the drive!  Come work in a beautiful upscale coworking environment, network with fellow coworkers and take advantage of our fiber optic internet, free coffee, and fabulous rooftop patio. 

Tuesday February 26, 2019 8:00am - 5:00pm MST
desk chair workspace

8:00am MST

Free Drop-In Coworking at Digital Workshop Center
Digital Workshop Center is offering unlimited free coworking during Fort Collins Startup Week. Get your work done in a quiet, professional environment while meeting some other entrepreneurs and small business owners. Free internet, coffee, snacks, and beer. Stop by for a tour!

Tuesday February 26, 2019 8:00am - 5:00pm MST

8:00am MST

Free Drop-In Coworking at Front Range Business Centers
Tours and FREE drop-in coworking for a day at Front Range Business Centers in mid-town during Startup Week. Enjoy a free spot to work, free wifi, and free coffee for any day between Feb. 25th and March 1st. Open 8am-5pm on the 3rd floor of the First National Bank building at College & Boardwalk. We have meeting rooms, workspaces, business address/mailboxes, full-time offices and even phone answering available. Receive one month free if you join during Startup Week.  

Tuesday February 26, 2019 8:00am - 5:00pm MST
Front Range Business Centers

8:30am MST

Morning Mingle: Creative Business Before Hours
Come mingle with your creative industry peers! This Creative Business Before Hours networking event is brought to you in partnership between the Larimer Small Business Development Center and the Downtown Fort Collins Creative District. Light snacks and beverages are provided. And stay for the creative focused presentation and panel discussion "Overwhelmed by Ecommerce? Find Your Platform"

Exhibitors
avatar for Larimer Small Business Development Center

Larimer Small Business Development Center

Program Coordinator, Larimer SBDC
Since 1989, the Larimer Small Business Development Center Network (SBDC) has been dedicated to helping existing and new businesses grow and prosper in Larimer County by providing free and confidential consulting and no- or low-cost training programs. In the last 10 years, we have... Read More →
avatar for Downtown Fort Collins Creative District

Downtown Fort Collins Creative District

The Downtown Fort Collins Creative District is a Certified District in the Colorado Creative Industries Creative District Program.  It acts as a resource for creative and artist information, collaboration, industry representation and placemaking.


Tuesday February 26, 2019 8:30am - 9:15am MST
Downtown Artery Performance Venue
  Artup

8:30am MST

Free Drop-In Coworking at Spaces
Spaces is offering free coworking to all attendees during startup week. Attendees are welcome to drop-in anytime Monday thru Friday during the hours of 8:30am-5:00pm to get work done, connect with other people, have a coffee, and enjoy everything this beautiful Old Town space has to offer. A 10% membership discount is offered to anyone who signs up for a membership during 2/25 and 3/1.

Tuesday February 26, 2019 8:30am - 5:00pm MST
Spaces

9:00am MST

Free Drop-In Coworking at Cohere
Cohere Community will be hosting free drop-in coworking during Startup Week. All attendees are welcome to drop-in once during the week. Come check out the space, get some work done, drink coffee, and make friends. Hours: 9am-4pm Monday February 25th-Friday March 1st. Join during Startup Week and get $50 off your first full month of membership.

Tuesday February 26, 2019 9:00am - 4:00pm MST
Cohere Coworking

9:00am MST

Free Drop-In Coworking at Office Evolution
Office Evolution Fort Collins is offering free coworking day passes during Startup Week. Drop-in anytime 9am to 4pm in the Shared Workspace and enjoy complimentary beverages. Sign up for a full month during StartUp Week and receive $25.00 off membership.

Tuesday February 26, 2019 9:00am - 4:00pm MST
Office Evolution

9:15am MST

Overwhelmed by E-Commerce? Find Your Platform
Are you a creative looking for help selling your goods or artwork on the web? E-commerce is a vast universe and can be hard to enter if you don't get on the right platform. Learn about Etsy, Shopify, WooCommerce, Instagram, Facebook Shop or Amazon, their differences and how to optimize your website for internet traffic. This panel discussion will be very informative and get you set in the direction of success!

Speakers
avatar for Benjamin McConnell

Benjamin McConnell

Co-Founder | CEO, Blue Parable
Ben McConnell is co-founder and CEO of Blue Parable, a Loveland based software start-up focused on bringing elegant, intuitive software solutionsto businesses big and small.In addition to running Blue Parable, Ben serves as Manager of Ecommerce and Digital Marketing for Cloz LLC... Read More →
avatar for Charity DeVries

Charity DeVries

Charity is a co-owner of TechKnow. TechKnow is a Loveland based business helping people to get to KNOW technology. She works to help local businesses develop and build their websites and connect with their customers through digital marketing including Email Marketing Campaigns and... Read More →
avatar for Sari Kimbell

Sari Kimbell

Sari Kimbell brings over 20 years of experience in the food industry. In 2016 she established Sari Kimbell Food Business Consulting to work with food-related businesses, in particular her niche is helping packaged food entrepreneurs start and grow into successful and profitable businesses... Read More →
avatar for Lukas Matthews

Lukas Matthews

Founder, Twin Scroll Marketing
My name is Lukas Matthews and I am an Amazon marketing expert. Lukas has personally managed advertising for hundreds of brands on Amazon, selling tens of thousands of products in nearly every industry and driving several millions of dollars in Amazon ad sales. He has worked with both... Read More →


Tuesday February 26, 2019 9:15am - 11:00am MST
Downtown Artery Performance Venue

10:00am MST

Women in Tech / Diversity / Unconscious Bias
This will be an open discussion and we look forward to answering any questions you have!

  • How do you build a culture of diversity and acceptance from the ground up - especially without an HR department?
  • How do you hold your team accountable?
  • How do you recruit women in a vertical that traditionally has more men?
  • What are challenges that we have faced and how have we overcome them?

Be sure to come with some questions of your own.

Speakers
MH

Mickey Hayden

Cloud Engineer
IT Geek, social justice advocate, and supporter of diversity, women in tech, and equal rights. Feel free to speak to me about anything tech or diversity related. I've been fortunate to be around several incredible women, and am open about my personal experience with unconscious b... Read More →
avatar for Darlene Rouleau

Darlene Rouleau

Software Engineer, UI/UX, Schneider Electric
I have been a software engineer or development manager for 13 years. I develop software for the Utility GIS vertical. Personally, I am married with a 5yo son and 2yo daughter. I am passionate about raising both my kids to encourage their unique personalities and allowing them to... Read More →
avatar for Stacey McBride

Stacey McBride

Director, Marketing, Pivvot
For the past fifteen years, I’ve been working with software and data management companies to develop strategic branding and communications plans for SaaS, BI, and GIS applications.
avatar for Vivianna Davis

Vivianna Davis

Digital Marketing Strategist, Brillity Digital
SEO & Digital Marketing Specialist. 2019 Women of Distinction Nominee. Colorado State Alumni. Pilates & Dog Enthusiast. With a background in both online and traditional marketing, I’ve spent the majority of my career working for marketing agencies in Fort Collins though I also spent... Read More →


Panel V4 pptx

Tuesday February 26, 2019 10:00am - 11:00am MST
Cohere Coworking

10:00am MST

Business Model Canvas

Business Model Canvas Class – One Page Business Plan

Do you have a brilliant business idea that you think could be the next big thing but aren’t quite sure how to move forward? Or have you been in business awhile and your business strategy isn’t panning out quite how you had planned.  Having a business plan to guide you through the steps of getting started or moving forward are critical to your business success.  

Join us as we work through the step by step process of creating your One Page Business Model Canvas giving your business focus to take your idea from vision to implementation and from implementation to profitability.  

During this packed and fast paced class, you will acquire the tools to create your own reference guide for your one-page business plan.  Whether you are just getting started or you are looking for the missing piece that is holding you back from moving to the next level this class is for you.   


Speakers
avatar for Kristin McMahon

Kristin McMahon

Business & Networking Strategist, Einstein Creations, LLC
Kristin McMahon is a Business Brand Networking Strategist and a Certified Leadership coach with an emphasis in neuroscience. Having owned 5 different companies over the last 25 years, Kristin has extensive experience in Executive Sales, Marketing, Brand Development and Networking... Read More →



Tuesday February 26, 2019 10:00am - 11:00am MST
Innosphere

11:00am MST

No PhD? No problem! Machine Learning for everyone else
UPDATE: I've turned the presentation into a blog post.

It's been said
artificial intelligence (AI) might be the biggest technological leap since the Internet. From self-driving cars to identifying hotdogs in photos, machine learning (a subset of AI) gives us a way to solve problems we can't with traditional algorithms. 

How do you break into this exciting new world? From the outside, machine learning seems confined to PhDs. Are you confined to watch from bench without a doctorate? I don't think so! In this presentation, I'll introduce you to applied machine learning, discuss some approachable problems machine learning can solve, work through a "hello world" ML problem, and share my favorite resources to get your feet wet. 

In short, if you have a FOMO for machine learning, don't fret. I'll help you get started.

Here are the resources I mentioned during the presentation to get you going:

Hands-On Machine Learning with Scikit-Learn and TensorFlow
* Fort Collins Data Science Meetup
* Intro to ML Blog Post
Kaggle

Speakers
avatar for Derek Haynes

Derek Haynes

Life-longer engineer and tinker. Co-founder of 2 SaaS analytics products with happy exits (most recently Scout Server Monitoring, acquired by Solarwinds - Nasdaq: SWI).


Tuesday February 26, 2019 11:00am - 11:45am MST
Innosphere

11:00am MST

China Business Best Practices
We all know that business with China can be challenging. Most people who have worked with Chinese companies, tend to say that the biggest challenge, next to language, is culture. However, the Chinese work well amongst themselves. So, what is the difference? The Chinese have practices that they have depended on for thousands of years, one of which is the importance of learning about the people they are interacting with. In this presentation, you will gain insight into strategies and practices that will help you to do business in China, working with Chinese manufactures and to better understand the best ways to have successful business relationships overseas!

Speakers
avatar for Todd Cornell

Todd Cornell

Executive Director, Global Chamber NoCo
Cornell boasts over 30 years of experience in US-China cross-cultural business and communications. His experience includes working for Sino-US Joint Ventures and managing US business and manufacturing offices in Mainland China and Taiwan.His early entry into China afforded him a profound... Read More →


Tuesday February 26, 2019 11:00am - 12:00pm MST
Downtown Artery Gallery

11:00am MST

LinkedIn Prospecting for B2B Sales
Used properly, LinkedIn is the ultimate prospecting tool for B2B sales. It feeds a customer-centric sales process and enables a human-to-human interaction with very low cost compared to other prospecting methods.

LinkedIn prospecting BLOWS AWAY the results from typical email marketing campaigns. You will receive far more positive replies from this than from any other outbound lead generation strategy.

Join Candyce Edelen, CEO of PropelGrowth, to learn how over the course of 6 months, she was able to book hundreds of sales calls using LinkedIn.

Here’s the results she’s seen using her repeatable strategy:
  • 76% of target contacts accept connection requests
  • 71% of connections engage by replying to messages
  • 35% of engaged leads book initial sales calls

It takes time and effort - but the results prove that time is worth it as those connections are much more likely to lead to opportunities.

In this workshop, we'll cover:
  • How Marketing can enable Sales to switch to a high-engagement prospecting strategy
  • How to develop messaging and personas that will ensure an effective LinkedIn strategy
  • How Sales can build a network of high-value relationships and book sales calls

This presentation offers solutions to both B2B Marketing and Sales professionals. You won't want to miss it!

Speakers
avatar for Candyce Edelen

Candyce Edelen

CEO, PropelGrowth
Candyce has 25+ years experience launching and growing B2B tech businesses. She has founded or co-founded 5 business, two of which grew into multi-million dollar enterprises. She's raised an oversubscribed Series A and made the Fast 50 list of fastest growing technology businesses... Read More →


Tuesday February 26, 2019 11:00am - 12:00pm MST
Cohere Coworking

11:00am MST

5 Easy Ways to Improve Your Email (and other business writing)
In this workshop, we'll review 5 major keys to great emails including
  • what makes a good subject line
  • the best greetings and closings
  • how to format your messages so they are more likely to be read
  • using questions (questions? yes, questions!) and
  • strategies for proofreading quickly
With these keys in mind, we'll help you review emails you've sent recently and put these strategies into action by drafting an email during our session.

Speakers
avatar for Jenny Morse w/ Katie Hoffman

Jenny Morse w/ Katie Hoffman

Appendance, Inc
I'm a writer: poetry, non fiction, young adult novels, web copy, marketing campaigns, advertorials, blog content. And I draw on that experience to teach others how to write clearer, more concise, and more considerate messages. Travel, running, nature, and the most recent thing I've... Read More →


Tuesday February 26, 2019 11:00am - 12:00pm MST
The Articulate

12:00pm MST

Storyfied Marketing: The illuminating and persuasive craft of business storytelling

Why are we so inspired by individuals making an impact at the community level but ignore seismic events like the Arab Spring? Why do we forget 99 percent of all we learn in history textbooks but vividly remember the same events as described in historical fiction? Why are we more moved when we hear the plight of a single person than we are by millions living in squalor? 

For 20,000 years we've used stories to connect with one another, make sense of a confusing and often frightening world, and to bring meaning into our lives. There are perfectly healthy people who don't like sex, chocolate, or Chopin, but EVERYBODY loves stories. Stories also have a disproportionate influence over our decisions--even in business and economic contexts.

In this Startup Week session, I’ll provide practical insights and guide you through a couple of exercises to help you harness the power of storytelling in business and beyond. ... Even if you don't have a liberal arts degree.


Speakers
avatar for John Garvey

John Garvey

Chief Storytelling Officer (pomp!), Garvington Creative
Do people understand, at first glance, what you do and why they should care? Most businesses struggle to clearly communicate what differentiates them, define the problems they help solve, and connect with customers by speaking to their needs with their marketing. I help busy entrepreneurs... Read More →


Tuesday February 26, 2019 12:00pm - 12:45pm MST
Innosphere

12:00pm MST

Your Press Kit: How to look your best in print and online
Speakers
avatar for John Metcalf

John Metcalf

Owner, Perfect Square
John Metcalf, owner and key contact for Perfect Square, whose mission is to provide ‘design with the right angle,’ has operated in Loveland since 2007 under the name JM Designs. From brochures, annual reports, marketing kits, logos, websites and promotional materials, Metcalf... Read More →


Tuesday February 26, 2019 12:00pm - 1:00pm MST
Downtown Artery Performance Venue

1:00pm MST

Don’t Go Pitching Without One: Your Financing Narrative

Raising money is never easy, but a strong starting point helps as the initial conversations around your financing needs will go a long way in determining the effectiveness of your fundraising efforts. To help get off on the right foot, you need a financing narrative: A succinct presentation of the key facts potential funders and investors will want to know quickly.

The narrative covers such elements as:

  • where does your business stand today
  • what is the need
  • what are you willing to sacrifice for the cash

 

Your clear grasp of these concepts and others will help you streamline your pitch on what’s important to this focused audience.

The session will follow a workshop format: I'll explain the eight elements of a financing narrative, take questions and then turn you loose on a worksheet (posted here) that covers the eight elements. Toward the end of the session, I'll ask for a couple of volunteers to share their narrative.


Speakers
avatar for Kerby Meyers

Kerby Meyers

Founder, The Communications Refinery
Many founders and company leaders are so mired in the day-to-day of their business they neglect the path(s) to growth. I help facilitate growth at small companies with strategic thinking, effective messaging and smart communication efforts.



Tuesday February 26, 2019 1:00pm - 1:45pm MST
Innosphere

1:00pm MST

So You Wanna Self-Publish? Make Your Book a Success
Planning on self-publishing your book?

Led by marketing expert Nick Armstrong, this presentation will give you the advice you need to design your personalized self-publishing plan.

You’ll leave armed with a basic timeline for self-publishing, an understanding of the average costs involved, and a list of potential pitfalls to avoid. This session will go WAY beyond the “publish it and forget it” mindset and touch on some simple techniques that will help you create a high-quality, highly marketable book.

Your journey toward becoming a published author starts today!

Speakers
avatar for Nick Armstrong

Nick Armstrong

Geek-in-Chief, WTF Marketing
I’m Nick Armstrong and I’m #2 on the speed dial of most small business owners, right after mom. When they’re stuck in a rut and need a whiteboard-worth of fun, profitable marketing ideas to fill up client waitlists and bank accounts for a year, they call me.Gathering together... Read More →



Tuesday February 26, 2019 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
Downtown Artery Gallery

2:00pm MST

Podcasting for Marketing, Sales and Customer Service
While other media is designed for scrolling and viewing in short bursts, podcasts are consumed in longer formats and in situations without as many distractions. People listen to podcasts when they are alone, more able to focus, and when their attention is more fully available. These features make podcasting an exceptional medium for marketing, sales, and customer service. In this workshop we'll highlight practical ways that a podcast can help you reach more customers, make more sales, and follow up your sales with high value customer service. 

Speakers
avatar for Franklin Taggart

Franklin Taggart

Creative Business Consultant, Franklin Taggart Coaching & Consulting
Franklin Taggart began his consulting career in 1996 when asked to be a part of a corporate transition planning team. His specialty at the time was conflict preparation and response. He's worked with businesses and organizations of all sizes in that capacity. In 2008 he shifted the... Read More →



Tuesday February 26, 2019 2:00pm - 2:45pm MST
Innosphere

2:00pm MST

Supporting women in the workplace
During this panel discussion, experts share their insights on how employers can retain top female talent and how to support women in the workplace. Covering topics on parental leave, workplace harassment training, unconscious bias, and more, you're sure to walk away with a better understanding of how you can create a workplace that supports employees. 


About the panelist:
Jennifer Henderson - Founder of Career Allies. With her team, Jennifer has created a technology platform and program to manage effective and respectful leave processes. She's revolutionizing parental leave in the workplace

Maureen Berkner Boyt - Head Moxie at The Moxie Exchange. The Moxie Exchange partners with organizations and executives who are working towards diversity and inclusion. They provide the programs, tools, and resources to help them achieve their diversity goals and business results. Our workshops, resources, and systems interrupt unconscious bias and create an inclusive workplace for everyone.

Tina Todd - Co-founder of Define the Line. Tina and her team are revolutionizing sexual harassment training. Define the Line is on a mission to empower people and organizations to #definetheline to help end workplace harassment. 

Speakers
avatar for Nikki Larchar

Nikki Larchar

Co-Founder, Define the Line


Tuesday February 26, 2019 2:00pm - 3:00pm MST
Downtown Artery Performance Venue

2:30pm MST

Portfolio: Tips to Create Low-Cost Portfolio Web Sites
Learn tips & tricks to take the best photos of your artwork using your own digital camera & smart phones. Then, learn low-cost, but high-quality editing techniques of those photos. Once you have those edited portfolio photos, learn some options to make a website portfolio cost-effective for you.

Speakers
avatar for Colleen Martin

Colleen Martin

Graphic Design Instructor, FRCC
Colleen Martin is an instructor of Graphic Design at Front Range Community College – teaching portfolio production classes, workshops for art & design students and local artists in the community. Colleen started working with portfolios by teaching architecture students how to photograph... Read More →


Tuesday February 26, 2019 2:30pm - 3:30pm MST
Downtown Artery Gallery

3:00pm MST

How to Build Companies that Attract and Retain Top Talent
How to Build Companies that Attract and Retain Top Talent
Join us for an exclusive screening of the award winning documentary Zero Weeks. After the 20 minute screening, we will have a panel discussion from some of Fort Collins most distinguished business owners who will discuss how to utilize leave policies to instill purpose, create opportunities for employee development, plan for succession and be a progressive employer in regards to people practices and benefits. 
Featured Panelists:

Zach Mercurio:

Zach Mercurio is widely recognized as one of the leading voices on the role of purpose and meaningfulness in leadership, work, and organizations. Through consulting, speaking, teaching, and research he helps both organizations and individuals understand how purpose and meaningfulness unleash human potential to produce tangible results. Zach is the bestselling author of “The Invisible Leader: Transform Your Life, Work, and Organization with the Power of Authentic Purpose.” As a researcher and Adjunct Professor at Colorado State University, Zach teaches courses on organizational and leadership development while he completes his Ph.D. in Organizational Learning, Performance, and Change.

Amy Thompson:

Amy has worked for Starbucks Coffee Company for over 12 years as a results focused manager, HR leader and progressive employee advocate. She has driven the evolution of processes and systems in one the worlds most recognized and admired brands for employee engagement and retention. She has an intimate knowledge of people practices that matter and brings a proven approach on how to engage top talent.

Rich Feller:

Helping others maximize their talent by reimagining work, learning, and well-being choices. Rich Feller, Ph.D. is one of Colorado State University’s twelve University Distinguished Teaching Scholars, and Past President, Fellow, and Eminent Career Award recipient of the National Career Development Association. A Though Leader for Career Development, Chief Scientist for YouScience.com, and co-owner of Valerproductions.com and OneLifeTools.com. He leads Rich Feller & Associates and has consulted within all 50 US States and on six continents.



Speakers
avatar for Jennifer Henderson

Jennifer Henderson

founder, Career Allies
Career Allies is revolutionizing parental leave in the workplace. Through a web based platform, our process guides employees and companies through a research based, aptitude inclusive approach to retention, engagement and effective transitions. Ensuring organizations reduce turnover... Read More →


Tuesday February 26, 2019 3:00pm - 5:00pm MST
Downtown Artery Performance Venue

3:00pm MST

She Leads Social
She Leads is a northern Colorado women's leadership organization with over 500 members. We host free educational workshops twice a month to support professional women to become leaders in their life, work, and community. At She Leads you can ditch the elevator pitch- we want to know who you are, not JUST what you do. We're introvert-friendly and welcome introverts and extroverts alike!

Speakers
avatar for Chrysta Bairre

Chrysta Bairre

Career Coach | Speaker | Author, Live Love Work
Chrysta Bairre is a career coach, speaker, author, and founder of Live Love Work.Chrysta works with women who want more from life and career. Her clients increase their professional impact and income-- so they can say no in business, make more money, and find happiness in and out... Read More →


Tuesday February 26, 2019 3:00pm - 5:00pm MST
Cohere Coworking

4:00pm MST

Artists, Teachers and Teaching Artists – Everybody Wins!
Limited Capacity filling up

Musicians and artists offer an invaluable perspective that can enliven a classroom and connect to a wide cross-section of students. Join us to learn more about the power and potential of engaging teaching artists in the classroom, how to become one (and supplement your income by sharing your knowledge) and where and how teachers can find them (to add relevance to your creative curriculum).

Speakers
avatar for Jen Olson

Jen Olson

Executive Director, Think 360 Arts
Jen Olson has been a leader in arts education for over twenty years. Her background includes museum education roles at the Boston Children’s Museum, Norton Simon Museum, and Museum of Contemporary Art Los Angeles. She was the founding Director of My Masterpieces, an award-winning... Read More →
avatar for Chad Fisher

Chad Fisher

President & Artistic Director, Lineage Music Studio
Lineage Music Studio President & Artistic Director, Performance & Instruction: Mandolin, Fiddle & Guitar. Chad started playing music in elementary school, but didn't find his instrument until 1998 when a good friend left a mandolin at his house. Since then, in a pursuit to learn from... Read More →
avatar for 2MX2

2MX2

2MX2 is a Latin Pop/Hip Hop group based in Colorado. They are well known for their modern renditions of traditional Latin music as well as their focus on sociopolitical topics such as immigration, health, education reform, and other important matters of our times. The band consists... Read More →
avatar for Lares Feliciano

Lares Feliciano

Program Director, Think 360 Arts
Lares Feliciano is an animator, filmmaker, collaborator, and curator. She holds an M.F.A in Cinema Production from San Francisco State University and a B.A. in Film & American Studies from Smith College. She is a current resident artist at RedLine Contemporary Art Center and was a... Read More →
avatar for Jason Diminich

Jason Diminich

Education Director, Think 360 Arts
A Tony nominated educator, avid traveler, and life-long learner, Jason comes to Think 360 Arts from New York where he worked for over a decade as a middle school drama teacher. During his tenure, he served as an arts consultant for the NYC Department of Education designing and implementing... Read More →
avatar for Bevin Foley

Bevin Foley

Bevin plays fiddle, sings, and writes songs for the band Trout Steak Revival. Trout Steak Revival won the 2014 Telluride Bluegrass Band Competition as well as an Emmy Award for a soundtrack contributed to a Rocky Mountain PBS series. Westword named Trout Steak Revival Denver’s Best... Read More →
avatar for Hannah Barnes

Hannah Barnes

Hannah has been a musician and performer for as long as she can remember. She began violin lessons at the age of eight, when she begged her mother to be enrolled in Suzuki method group classes. She soon began to dedicate the majority of her free time to music, and began teaching private... Read More →


Tuesday February 26, 2019 4:00pm - 5:30pm MST
The Music District Living Room

4:30pm MST

Essentials of Prospecting
Limited Capacity seats available

Speakers

Tuesday February 26, 2019 4:30pm - 5:30pm MST
Innosphere

5:00pm MST

How To Leverage Technology to Advance Your Music Career
Limited Capacity full

Are you a working musician looking for ways to advance your career? New technology and the digital world has many tools that can help you get exposure, sell your music, cut an album, show your videos and so much more. Come learn all the pro tips from Fort Collins Musicians Association's director Matthew Fritz!

Speakers
avatar for Matthew Fritz

Matthew Fritz

Executive Director, Fort Collins Musicians Association
Matthew Fritz, who now serves as the Executive Director of the Fort Collins Musicians Association comes to Fort Collins with 10+ years of music business and music management experience working with notable artists such as Ben Sollee, King Cardinal, Satsang, The Last Revel, and Yonder... Read More →


Tuesday February 26, 2019 5:00pm - 6:00pm MST
The Music District Media Library

5:00pm MST

Sound Decisions: Live Audio Production Workshop and Demonstration
Limited Capacity full

Join the Colorado State University Jazz Ensembles for an evening of big band jazz, while learning the fundamentals of live audio production for jazz ensembles utilizing the new state of the art audio system in Griffin Concert Hall. Learn about:
*instrumentation and set up requirements for a jazz big band
*how to properly amplify an acoustic piano and other rhythm section instruments
*microphones for trumpet, trombone, and saxophone, and how to properly set the microphones in the sections
*how to do a live mix for a jazz ensemble using a DiGiCo console

Speakers
avatar for Jim Doser

Jim Doser

Colorado State University
Jim Doser graduated from the University of Wyoming in 1999 with bachelor degrees in music theory and composition. He attended the Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences and graduated with a Certificate of Master Recording, as well as Protools Certification. Jim spent sixteen... Read More →

Exhibitors

Tuesday February 26, 2019 5:00pm - 9:30pm MST
University Center for the Arts - Griffin Concert Hall
 
Wednesday, February 27
 

8:00am MST

Free Drop-In Coworking at desk chair workspace
desk chair workspace will be hosting free drop-in coworking during Startup Week. desk chair is located in Loveland, but we're worth the drive!  Come work in a beautiful upscale coworking environment, network with fellow coworkers and take advantage of our fiber optic internet, free coffee, and fabulous rooftop patio. 

Wednesday February 27, 2019 8:00am - 5:00pm MST
desk chair workspace

8:00am MST

Free Drop-In Coworking at Digital Workshop Center
Digital Workshop Center is offering unlimited free coworking during Fort Collins Startup Week. Get your work done in a quiet, professional environment while meeting some other entrepreneurs and small business owners. Free internet, coffee, snacks, and beer. Stop by for a tour!

Wednesday February 27, 2019 8:00am - 5:00pm MST

8:00am MST

Free Drop-In Coworking at Front Range Business Centers
Tours and FREE drop-in coworking for a day at Front Range Business Centers in mid-town during Startup Week. Enjoy a free spot to work, free wifi, and free coffee for any day between Feb. 25th and March 1st. Open 8am-5pm on the 3rd floor of the First National Bank building at College & Boardwalk. We have meeting rooms, workspaces, business address/mailboxes, full-time offices and even phone answering available. Receive one month free if you join during Startup Week.  

Wednesday February 27, 2019 8:00am - 5:00pm MST
Front Range Business Centers

8:30am MST

SBDC & SAGE Consulting Appointments
Entrepreneurs, do you have a tricky business issue that’s keeping you awake? Think you have a good idea, and would like to run it past someone? Interested in connecting with some local resources that can help you with your process?

Techstars Startup Week Fort Collins (FCSW) offers you a wide variety of experienced businesspeople and skill-set experts, who will provide you FREE one-on-one consulting during Techstars Startup Week Fort Collins. These experts are provided by The Innosphere’s SAGE (social advisor group for entrepreneurs) advisor network and the Larimer SBDC (small business development center) consulting network. The SAGE network has core competencies in bioscience, clean energy, and software/IT industries. The Larimer SBDC has competencies in many “main street” businesses such as restaurant/food products, retail, health and wellness, the creative sector, and more. The Innosphere is one of the leading business incubators in the Western US, and the Larimer SBDC consults with over 600 local clients annually. These consultants can also connect you with available useful resources to help you with your ongoing business process.

FCSW attendees can schedule 30 minute consulting sessions from 8:30am through 11:30am Monday 2/26, Tuesday 2/27, or Thursday 3/1. Sign up at https://startupfoco.youcanbook.me/.

Additional information on this service—including specific consultant biographies and availability and sign-up information—is available at https://startupfoco.youcanbook.me/.

We look forward to supporting you!


Wednesday February 27, 2019 8:30am - 11:30am MST
Spaces

8:30am MST

Free Drop-In Coworking at Spaces
Spaces is offering free coworking to all attendees during startup week. Attendees are welcome to drop-in anytime Monday thru Friday during the hours of 8:30am-5:00pm to get work done, connect with other people, have a coffee, and enjoy everything this beautiful Old Town space has to offer. A 10% membership discount is offered to anyone who signs up for a membership during 2/25 and 3/1.

Wednesday February 27, 2019 8:30am - 5:00pm MST
Spaces

9:00am MST

1 Million Cups Special FCSW
Speakers
avatar for Nathalie Rachline

Nathalie Rachline

Co founder, kIT Framework
Nathalie Rachline was Senior Director for IT Planning at Nutrien. She held similar position at Agrium IT from March 2016 until now. Nathalie is also the co founder of kIT Framework, a small Fort Collins company offering IT consulting services to start ups and growing companies. Previously... Read More →


Wednesday February 27, 2019 9:00am - 10:00am MST
The Articulate

9:00am MST

How To Fire Clients and Say No In Business
This interactive session will explore how and when to fire clients and say no in business situations so you're only doing your best work with your favorite clients while building a thriving business.

Speakers
avatar for Chrysta Bairre

Chrysta Bairre

Career Coach | Speaker | Author, Live Love Work
Chrysta Bairre is a career coach, speaker, author, and founder of Live Love Work.Chrysta works with women who want more from life and career. Her clients increase their professional impact and income-- so they can say no in business, make more money, and find happiness in and out... Read More →


Wednesday February 27, 2019 9:00am - 10:00am MST
Innosphere

9:00am MST

Free Drop-In Coworking at Cohere
Cohere Community will be hosting free drop-in coworking during Startup Week. All attendees are welcome to drop-in once during the week. Come check out the space, get some work done, drink coffee, and make friends. Hours: 9am-4pm Monday February 25th-Friday March 1st. Join during Startup Week and get $50 off your first full month of membership.

Wednesday February 27, 2019 9:00am - 4:00pm MST
Cohere Coworking

9:00am MST

Free Drop-In Coworking at Office Evolution
Office Evolution Fort Collins is offering free coworking day passes during Startup Week. Drop-in anytime 9am to 4pm in the Shared Workspace and enjoy complimentary beverages. Sign up for a full month during StartUp Week and receive $25.00 off membership.

Wednesday February 27, 2019 9:00am - 4:00pm MST
Office Evolution

9:00am MST

Google Advertising Office Hours
ADDITIONAL RSVP REQUIREMENT: https://googlesw.youcanbook.me/

Local Google experts will be available to consult one-on-one in person on how to get your businesses online, find the right digital advertising strategy and other assistance with Google products. Area of expertise includes getting your business registered in Google search and maps with Google My Business, how to use Google Ads for digital advertising, advice on Google Analytics for your website, and Google Shopping. Office hours will be located at the Artery. Use the link above to RSVP for a specific time slot.

Wednesday February 27, 2019 9:00am - 5:00pm MST
Downtown Artery Gallery

10:00am MST

How to Use Google Advertising Products for Your Startup
Looking to increase your online presence and advertising? Google can help!
The Google My Business and Google Ads talk will be a workshop-style session meant to give start-ups the tools they need to succeed in the online marketing ecosystem. This session will teach companies how to successfully show up on Google Search and Google Maps, and how they can harness the power of online marketing to help customers find them.

This talk will help Fort Collins businesses advertise effectively on Google using Google advertising products.

If you would like one on one time with Google Support please book an appointment here: https://googlesw.youcanbook.me/


Speakers
avatar for Alex Rainone

Alex Rainone

Community Operations Manager, Google
Alex Rainone is currently a Community Operations Manager at Google based out of Boulder, Colorado. She specializes in a range of Google products and services including Google Ads, Analytics, Play and overall online marketing strategy. Outside of her day job, Alex leads the Google... Read More →
avatar for Keni Herman

Keni Herman

Account Strategist, Google
Keni Herman is currently a Support Specialist at Google Boulder. She specializes in advertising products including Google AdWords, Analytics, and Youtube and overall online marketing strategy.Keni leads the Google House Calls Program, which helps local startups and nonprofits grow... Read More →



Wednesday February 27, 2019 10:00am - 11:00am MST
Cohere Coworking

11:00am MST

Breaking the Silence: Mental Health and Entrepreneurship
A recent study published in Small Business Economics suggests that 72% of entrepreneurs are directly or indirectly affected by mental illness. Additionally, the US has seen a 30% rise in suicides since 1999. This panel will feature entrepreneurs who experience depression, anxiety, and other mental illness for an open and honest discussion about the impact of mental illness on entrepreneurs.

Speakers
avatar for Chrysta Bairre

Chrysta Bairre

Career Coach | Speaker | Author, Live Love Work
Chrysta Bairre is a career coach, speaker, author, and founder of Live Love Work.Chrysta works with women who want more from life and career. Her clients increase their professional impact and income-- so they can say no in business, make more money, and find happiness in and out... Read More →


Wednesday February 27, 2019 11:00am - 12:00pm MST
Innosphere

11:00am MST

Improv Your Office
Welcome to the "yes, and" world of improv - where we create a more dynamic, supportive, authentic and collaborative working team. Using tried and true theatre techniques, we introduce non-actors to a world of play, thereby reducing anxiety, building trust and elevating the team dynamic. Through short games and exercises, your team learns to more effectively communicate, collaborate and create! No boring lectures here, we play our way into building a better world!

Speakers
avatar for Dulcie Dawn Willis

Dulcie Dawn Willis

Director/Teacher/Co-Owner, La-De-Da Performing Arts
Dulcie Willis holds a Master of Arts in Arts Administration degree from Goucher College along with BA degrees in Theatre Arts Education from the University of Northern Colorado and Musical Theatre from Mesa State College. Dulcie has taught Arts Event Management, drama, speech, film... Read More →


Wednesday February 27, 2019 11:00am - 12:00pm MST
Downtown Artery Performance Venue

11:00am MST

RVC Pitch Academy Light
This is a 'Lite' version of the Rockies Venture Club's (RVC) fiver-hour pitch academy that usually costs $99.  You will get an overview of topics covered in the full version of the Pitch Academy.

This session is presented by RVC's Certified Instructor, Cindy Skalicky
How often in life do you get an “Oprah Moment”?
If you had the opportunity to appear on Oprah would you go in unprepared, hoping that you would look great without any practice or preparation? What is the cost of failure when you have a once in a lifetime opportunity to make an impression?
You only have one chance – don’t blow it!
If you have the opportunity to present your business to Angel Investors, Venture Capital firms or Private Equity funds, you typically have five minutes to convey the crucial information about your team, your business, its market, your strategy, barriers to entry, capitalization, exit strategy and more. You have just one chance and rarely does anyone receive a second opportunity to present. How can you present all that information in a coherent “story” that simultaneously grabs the attention of the investor and informs them of the critical information they need to know to make an educated “go/no-go” decision?
Pitch Academy is much more than just pitches
When you go through the four hour pitch academy, you receive expert critique and advice on your pitch, your strategy, your plan and your chance of success. Attendees often exit the academy with a completely revamped business plan that is designed to appeal to investors while also increasing your chances of business success.
 

Speakers
avatar for Cindy Skalicky

Cindy Skalicky

Owner and Head Coach, On Point Communications
Cindy Skalicky is a Certified Instructor of Rockies Venture Club (RVC) content and the Owner of On Point Communications, LLC, a boutique messaging firm in Colorado. She provides expert public speaking coaching and brand consulting to individuals and teams who seek to master their... Read More →


Wednesday February 27, 2019 11:00am - 12:00pm MST
The Articulate

12:00pm MST

Crazy Sh%# employee do and what you can do about it 2.0
Back by popular demand, Crazy sh%# employees do and what you can do about it, takes you through REAL situations and scenarios employers have dealt with and what you can do if the same crazy thing happens in your workplace. You're sure to laugh, cry, and feel your jaw hit the floor as HR consultants Tina Todd and Nikki Larchar recall some of the craziest situations they've come across. 

Have a crazy story of your own? We'll open the floor to hear some of your stories. And we all may learn a thing or two. 


About the speakers:
Nikki Larchar and Tina Todd are the co-founders of the HR consulting firm, simplyHR. Over the last decade, the dynamic duo has worked in HR and management positions, providing them with insights into the crazy world of employee management. Both are certified HR professionals and are specialists for the SBDC of Larimer County, offering guidance and advice to small business owners. 



Speakers
avatar for Nikki Larchar

Nikki Larchar

Co-Founder, Define the Line


Wednesday February 27, 2019 12:00pm - 1:00pm MST
Downtown Artery Performance Venue

12:00pm MST

Raising Capital - Seed Stage
Speakers

Wednesday February 27, 2019 12:00pm - 1:00pm MST
Innosphere

1:00pm MST

8 Mistakes Craft Businesses Make and How to Avoid Them
From pricing to branding, manufacturing and licenses, there is a lot to know about going into an artisan food or craft business. Sari Kimbell Consulting coaches and advises clients to avoid the pitfalls that can result wasted time, money and lost confidence when starting a business. Get the tools for success to start your business!

Speakers
avatar for Sari Kimbell

Sari Kimbell

Sari Kimbell brings over 20 years of experience in the food industry. In 2016 she established Sari Kimbell Food Business Consulting to work with food-related businesses, in particular her niche is helping packaged food entrepreneurs start and grow into successful and profitable businesses... Read More →


Wednesday February 27, 2019 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
Downtown Artery Performance Venue

1:00pm MST

The “Return on Investment” (ROI) of Internships & Mentorships to Cultivate a Creative Learning Community
Entrepreneurial and creative businesses will invariably need vital talent and more hands to help them grow. What steps can we take to foster a community that supports talent development for the creative industries? CSU career services staff will share information about best practices, available resources to implement internship programs and facilitate a discussion about the value proposition of experiential learning and the cultivation of an community ecosystem of internships, mentorships and apprenticeships. This discussion is for people who are willing to invest in developing future professionals and looking to grow their creative careers staff or business workforce.

Speakers
avatar for Lucinda Van Inwagen

Lucinda Van Inwagen

The Career Center at Colorado State University
Lucinda Van Inwagen is Senior Employer Connections Manager in CSU’s Career Center. She consults with employers regarding CSU campus engagement and CSU Ram talent recruitment strategies to fill full time and intern opportunities with focus on STEM-related industries. Our staff help... Read More →
avatar for Samantha Boren

Samantha Boren

The Career Center at Colorado State University
Sam Boren is the Employer Connections Coordinator at Colorado State University. In her role, she helps new employers find ways to recruit CSU students for open internships, fellowships, and jobs. While new to the role, Sam has begun focusing specifically on building relationships... Read More →


Wednesday February 27, 2019 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
CCC Gallery

1:00pm MST

SLS Production 3D Printing enables entrapanures in niche markets, and then some
This talk will cover many aspects of 3D printing (also known as Additive Manufacturing or AM). We will discuss how different types of 3D printers work, the capabilities and limitations of these different types, and how they are used, from prototyping to production. We will also discuss new oportunities in "Niche Markets" opened by AM, particularly regarding high value low volume products, identifying several such products / markets as examples, Ever hear of "Mass Customization", or how "Complexity is free"? You will!

Come and learn about the miracle 3D printing is, where it came from, how it's fundimentally different from other methods of manufacturing, and perhaps gain some insight on where it's going.

Most of all, come to find out how 3D printing can help you Innovate Faster!

CY3D Printing ( http://www.cy3dprinting.com ) is a service provider making prototypes and production parts from Nylon using SLS AM technology. We are located on Lincoln Ave. here in Innovative Fort Collins and make parts for several local companies as well as for customers in Denver and out of state. Ken is also CEO of Cyclopital3D ( http://www.cy3dprinting.com ) a company that makes accesories for 3D cameras using AM technology for production. The use of AM for production at Cyclopital3D will also be discussed.

Speakers
avatar for Ken Burgess

Ken Burgess

CEO, CY3D Printing
Let's talk about 3D Printing, or Niche Markets


Wednesday February 27, 2019 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
Innosphere

2:00pm MST

Protecting Your Creativity
Learn how to legally protect your creativity! Join this seminar to learn the tricks that big business uses – without the big budget. Intellectual Property - patents, trademarks, and copyrights – is not just for rocket scientists; it is for artists, musicians, performers, creative people, and businesses big and small. Session will cover the basics of Intellectual Property (IP) from both offensive and defensive perspectives, and help connect you to legal resources.

Speakers
avatar for Nicole Ressue

Nicole Ressue

With over 16 years of experience, Nicole A. Ressue is a registered patent attorney who specializes in intellectual property including patents, trademarks, copyrights, licensing agreements, and litigation. Nicole is passionate about her work and takes a personal interest in helping... Read More →


Wednesday February 27, 2019 2:00pm - 3:00pm MST
CCC Gallery

2:00pm MST

Founded in FoCo
Come learn about what makes Fort Collins such a special place to launch an enterprise from 3 entrepreneurs who've built successful companies here in FoCo!  

Rayno Seaser (Egg & I), Connie Dohn (Dohn Construction), & John Arnolfo (The Silver Grille) share their experiences on how to leverage all that Fort Collins has to offer to build your enterprise.

Format will be Panel w/ Q&A at the end.  


Speakers
avatar for Scott Shrake

Scott Shrake

Director, Colorado State University Institute for Entrepreneurship


Wednesday February 27, 2019 2:00pm - 3:00pm MST
Bohemian Auditorium

3:00pm MST

3:00pm MST

RVC Revenue Model Planning
This is a 'Lite' version of the Rockies Venture Club's (RVC) fiver-hour Financial Strategy Class Cluster that usually costs $295.  You will get an overview of topics covered in the full version of the course, specifically on financial proforma.

This session is presented by RVC's Certified Instructor, Mike Bennett
 
BELIEVABLE FINANCIAL PROJECTIONS 
Proformas can be tricky – showing your financial strategy as you scale your company is very hard to do and it can make or break a company. This session will walk through essential topics, such as:
  • “Beginning With the End in Mind.” How will your exit strategy influence what your company is doing now.
  • Scaling Strategies- How will different aspects of your business grow as you scale up to achieve world domination?
  • Competition- Your closest competitors can be the best guides and show you where the market is going.
  • Validated Assumptions- How can you use a very small amount of resources to prove that your hypotheses hold water.
  • How to use Tabs to break out the detail, while rolling up to a consolidated statement.
  • Identifying your Assumptions – allow investors to modify the numbers to come up with their own “what if” scenarios. 

Speakers
MB

Mike Bennett

Senior Relationship Manager, GOpositive.BIZ, LLC
Mike Bennett founded GOpositive.BIZ, LLC in 2009 as a business and public policy consulting service. He uses his experience to produce positive results for his clients. Mike is a Rockies Venture Club instructor and has worked on several projects including nearly fifteen financial... Read More →


Wednesday February 27, 2019 3:00pm - 4:00pm MST
The Articulate

3:00pm MST

FoCo Nonprofit Networking Group Meeting
Limited Capacity seats available

Join the Fort Collins based peer-to-peer networking group for nonprofit organizations. Come to share your experiences and learn from others by discussing the most pressing issues you’re facing or ask questions you’ve never been sure where to find the answers. Work with our own Poudre River Public Library District, Nonprofit Resources Librarian Sarah Scobey to find and share resources for nonprofit management. Whether you’re supporting a start-up or a seasoned organization, we’d love for you to join us.

Speakers
avatar for Sarah Scobey

Sarah Scobey

Nonprofit Resources Librarian, Poudre River Public Library District
Sarah ScobeyPoudre River Public Library DistrictNonprofit Resources Librariansscobey@poudrelibraries.org


Wednesday February 27, 2019 3:00pm - 4:00pm MST
Harmony Library Community Room

3:00pm MST

Emphasis on Equity: Supporting Inclusive Practices from the beginning
Diversity is a reality. And as northern Colorado grows in population, our diversity will increase as well. As a start up entrepeneur, you have the opportunity to shape your company to be more inclusive for your employees and your customers. In this session we will consider how your own identity profile informs the decisions you make, the team you hire, and how the culture and day-to-day functions of your company support inclusive practices towards greater equity.

Speakers
avatar for Colleen Stanevich

Colleen Stanevich

Zusammen Consulting
I have experience helping organizations move from vision to strategy to action and getting the results they want in a consistent and sustainable way. I support start up work in three specific areas:Launching the work--clarifying vision and mission, proactively managing change, setting... Read More →


Wednesday February 27, 2019 3:00pm - 5:00pm MST
Innosphere

4:00pm MST

5 Online Income Opportunities for Creative Businesses
The online marketplace offers creative businesses many ways to generate new and diverse income streams. In this session we'll look at 5 online opportunities for your creative business to make money online. We'll also understand how marketing and sales can be automated to generate ongoing sources of residual income. Participants will receive a comprehensive resource list highlighting each of the five types of opportunity and where to find more information and direction.

Speakers
avatar for Franklin Taggart

Franklin Taggart

Creative Business Consultant, Franklin Taggart Coaching & Consulting
Franklin Taggart began his consulting career in 1996 when asked to be a part of a corporate transition planning team. His specialty at the time was conflict preparation and response. He's worked with businesses and organizations of all sizes in that capacity. In 2008 he shifted the... Read More →



Wednesday February 27, 2019 4:00pm - 5:00pm MST
CCC Gallery

4:00pm MST

How Do Writers of Diversity Create Literary Art in Fort Collins? (FoCo Writers Panel)
How does Fort Collins shape and support the work of literary artists? Our panelists—Leslee Becker, Ray Martinez, and Vauhini Vara—will read briefly from their work and discuss with moderators Kathleen Willard and Marj Hahne their experiences making a life and a living as a writer of diversity in Northern Colorado.

Speakers
avatar for Ray Martinez

Ray Martinez

Ray Martinez has served his hometown of Fort Collins for 30+ years: in the policedepartment, building a bridge with the Hispanic community (1974–1996), as mayor(1999–2005), and as a city councilman since 2015. He has published thirteen books,including a memoir, Baby Boy-R, about... Read More →
avatar for Kathleen Willard

Kathleen Willard

Freelance Writer, Paragraph
Kathleen Willard, author of two poetry collections, Cirque & Sky and This Incendiary Season, works as a literary community organizer in Fort Collins,curating Writing Parties at the Museum of Art Fort Collins, a poetry writing parties a poetry/origami writing booth at the Loveland... Read More →
avatar for Marj Hahne

Marj Hahne

Marj Hahne is a freelance copyeditor, proofreader, and writing teacher, and a 2015MFA graduate from the Rainier Writing Workshop, with a concentration in poetry.
avatar for Leslee Becker

Leslee Becker

Leslee Becker grew up in the Adirondacks. She received an MFA from the IowaWriters’ Workshop, and is a former Stegner Fiction Fellow and Jones Lecturer atStanford. Her stories have appeared in Ploughshares, The Atlantic, Alaska QuarterlyReview, Kenyon Review, Iowa Review, Epoch... Read More →
avatar for Vauhini Vara

Vauhini Vara

Vauhini Vara has written, as a freelance journalist, for The Atlantic, Harper’s, andelsewhere. Previously, she worked as a reporter for The Wall Street Journal and as aneditor and writer for The New Yorker’s website. She is an O. Henry Prize–winningfiction writer, with short... Read More →


Wednesday February 27, 2019 4:00pm - 5:00pm MST
The Forge Publick House

4:00pm MST

How to Make a Comic Book
Comics are movies on paper, and like most fiction, they are a dynamic narrative with a beginning, a middle, and an end. Understand the importance of story, pacing, and art, and how it all works together. You'll learn al the steps: start with a script, proceed to layouts, finished pencils, inks, lettering, and finally coloring.

Speakers
avatar for Mike the Baron

Mike the Baron

Chief cook and bottle washer, Bloody Red Baron LLC
Mike Baron is the creator of Nexus (with artist Steve Rude) and Badger two of the longest lasting independent superhero comics. Nexus is about a cosmic avenger 500 years in the future. Badger, about a multiple personality one of whom is a costumed crime fighter. First/Devils Due is... Read More →


Wednesday February 27, 2019 4:00pm - 5:00pm MST
Downtown Artery Gallery

4:00pm MST

Filmmakers Crash Course
Have you always thought about making a film? How do you even know where to start? Join filmmaker Jesse Nyander as he shares how to navigate your short or feature film to fruition. Learn what is needed from starting your script all the way through finishing in the editing room! Geared towards beginning filmmakers.

Speakers
avatar for Jesse Nyander

Jesse Nyander

Jesse Nyander made his first feature film in 2007 where he learned the process and reality of film creation. Along with working at The Lyric, he has been working with Filmmakers in Colorado and Missouri over the last 13 years, helping bring local films to fruition. He started the... Read More →


Wednesday February 27, 2019 4:00pm - 5:30pm MST
Downtown Artery Performance Venue

5:00pm MST

Sharing Your Personal Culture: Where Dance and Music Intersect
Dance is a universal language... but it does have its own distinct styles. This panel discussion will explore the ways that dance and music reflect our own personal cultures and experiences while building bridges across groups. Come learn more about how dance is a powerful force in our communities and how it is positioned to be a leader in understanding.

Speakers
avatar for Godwin Abotsi

Godwin Abotsi

Director, Sweet Africa Dance Ensemble
Godwin Abotsi is a traditional dancer from the Volta region in Ghana, West Africa who specializes in the ten regional dances of Ghana. As a premier dancer whose craft has taken him all over Ghana andbeyond, Godwin uses his expertise in traditional Ghanaian dance and music to effectively... Read More →
avatar for Raghu Raj Kumar

Raghu Raj Kumar

Dr. Raghu Raj Kumar is a Bharatanatyam dancer who began learning dance in 1988, and has had 16 years of training and 22+ years of experience in classical dancing. He has learnt Bharatanatyam under Guru Smt. Rajalakshmi, Guru Dr. Sanjay Shantaram and Guru Smt. Brunda Iyengar. Being... Read More →
avatar for Peggy Lyle

Peggy Lyle

Director, Downtown Fort Collins Creative District
Peggy Lyle has been a creative force in Fort Collins and Northern Colorado for over 20 years and she loves to get involved. Peggy is passionate about the arts and creative approaches to business, branding and communications. With 20+ years of event production, marketing, and entertainment... Read More →
avatar for Judy Bejarano

Judy Bejarano

Artistic Director, IMPACT Dance Company
Judy Bejarano is the founder and artistic director of IMPACT Dance Company, a dance/theatre company whose performances speak to issues in our everyday lives. IMPACT’s work can be found in nontraditional spaces; art galleries, historic sites, airplane hangars, as well as the traditional... Read More →


Wednesday February 27, 2019 5:00pm - 6:30pm MST
The Music District Living Room

5:00pm MST

FoCo Writers Social
Stories Sell: How Is Your Business Story Like a Beer, a Poem, a Painting?  Mingle with entrepreneurs and writers while illuminating your business story—its sensory dimensions, its in-between—by comparing it with poems, paintings, and beer available for your consumption. Might you craft a new story that expands and enlivens Fort Collins’ communal narrative of entrepreneurship and art making? This interactive event will inspire entrepreneurs and artists to look at their business in new ways. Canino’s is providing a complimentary antipasto platter, and. The Forge is selling a special beer flight to assist your inquiry!

Wednesday February 27, 2019 5:00pm - 7:00pm MST
The Forge Publick House
 
Thursday, February 28
 

8:00am MST

Free Drop-In Coworking at desk chair workspace
desk chair workspace will be hosting free drop-in coworking during Startup Week. desk chair is located in Loveland, but we're worth the drive!  Come work in a beautiful upscale coworking environment, network with fellow coworkers and take advantage of our fiber optic internet, free coffee, and fabulous rooftop patio. 

Thursday February 28, 2019 8:00am - 5:00pm MST
desk chair workspace

8:00am MST

Free Drop-In Coworking at Digital Workshop Center
Digital Workshop Center is offering unlimited free coworking during Fort Collins Startup Week. Get your work done in a quiet, professional environment while meeting some other entrepreneurs and small business owners. Free internet, coffee, snacks, and beer. Stop by for a tour!

Thursday February 28, 2019 8:00am - 5:00pm MST

8:00am MST

Free Drop-In Coworking at Front Range Business Centers
Tours and FREE drop-in coworking for a day at Front Range Business Centers in mid-town during Startup Week. Enjoy a free spot to work, free wifi, and free coffee for any day between Feb. 25th and March 1st. Open 8am-5pm on the 3rd floor of the First National Bank building at College & Boardwalk. We have meeting rooms, workspaces, business address/mailboxes, full-time offices and even phone answering available. Receive one month free if you join during Startup Week.  

Thursday February 28, 2019 8:00am - 5:00pm MST
Front Range Business Centers

8:30am MST

SBDC & SAGE Consulting Appointments
Entrepreneurs, do you have a tricky business issue that’s keeping you awake? Think you have a good idea, and would like to run it past someone? Interested in connecting with some local resources that can help you with your process?

Techstars Startup Week Fort Collins (FCSW) offers you a wide variety of experienced businesspeople and skill-set experts, who will provide you FREE one-on-one consulting during Techstars Startup Week Fort Collins. These experts are provided by The Innosphere’s SAGE (social advisor group for entrepreneurs) advisor network and the Larimer SBDC (small business development center) consulting network. The SAGE network has core competencies in bioscience, clean energy, and software/IT industries. The Larimer SBDC has competencies in many “main street” businesses such as restaurant/food products, retail, health and wellness, the creative sector, and more. The Innosphere is one of the leading business incubators in the Western US, and the Larimer SBDC consults with over 600 local clients annually. These consultants can also connect you with available useful resources to help you with your ongoing business process.

FCSW attendees can schedule 30 minute consulting sessions from 8:30am through 11:30am Monday 2/26, Tuesday 2/27, or Thursday 3/1. Sign up at https://startupfoco.youcanbook.me/.

Additional information on this service—including specific consultant biographies and availability and sign-up information—is available at https://startupfoco.youcanbook.me/.

We look forward to supporting you!

Thursday February 28, 2019 8:30am - 11:30am MST
Spaces

8:30am MST

Free Drop-In Coworking at Spaces
Spaces is offering free coworking to all attendees during startup week. Attendees are welcome to drop-in anytime Monday thru Friday during the hours of 8:30am-5:00pm to get work done, connect with other people, have a coffee, and enjoy everything this beautiful Old Town space has to offer. A 10% membership discount is offered to anyone who signs up for a membership during 2/25 and 3/1.

Thursday February 28, 2019 8:30am - 5:00pm MST
Spaces

9:00am MST

Free Drop-In Coworking at Cohere
Cohere Community will be hosting free drop-in coworking during Startup Week. All attendees are welcome to drop-in once during the week. Come check out the space, get some work done, drink coffee, and make friends. Hours: 9am-4pm Monday February 25th-Friday March 1st. Join during Startup Week and get $50 off your first full month of membership.

Thursday February 28, 2019 9:00am - 4:00pm MST
Cohere Coworking

9:00am MST

Free Drop-In Coworking at Office Evolution
Office Evolution Fort Collins is offering free coworking day passes during Startup Week. Drop-in anytime 9am to 4pm in the Shared Workspace and enjoy complimentary beverages. Sign up for a full month during StartUp Week and receive $25.00 off membership.

Thursday February 28, 2019 9:00am - 4:00pm MST
Office Evolution

9:00am MST

Google Advertising Office Hours
ADDITIONAL RSVP REQUIREMENT: https://googlesw.youcanbook.me/

Local Google experts will be available to consult one-on-one in person on how to get your businesses online, find the right digital advertising strategy and other assistance with Google products. Area of expertise includes getting your business registered in Google search and maps with Google My Business, how to use Google Ads for digital advertising, advice on Google Analytics for your website, and Google Shopping. Office hours will be located at the Artery. Use the link above to RSVP for a specific time slot.

Thursday February 28, 2019 9:00am - 5:00pm MST
Downtown Artery Gallery

9:30am MST

Fort Collins Startup Week: Free eResources for Startups
Limited Capacity seats available

The Poudre River Public Library District has numerous free online databases, research resources, and more to help you find accurate and reliable information for your business. Whether you’re looking for demographics or help with writing a business plan, or don’t even know where to start - there’s a resource available for you. Our Business librarian will guide you through the various databases and talk about how to use them effectively for your business.

Speakers
avatar for Sarah Scobey

Sarah Scobey

Nonprofit Resources Librarian, Poudre River Public Library District
Sarah ScobeyPoudre River Public Library DistrictNonprofit Resources Librariansscobey@poudrelibraries.org
MT

Molly Thompson

Manager, Poudre River Public Library District



Thursday February 28, 2019 9:30am - 10:30am MST
Old Town Library Conference Room

9:30am MST

The Neuroscience of Conversation: How to Fix the 7 Mistakes Entrepreneurs Make that Shut People Down
Ever talk to a potential customer or employee that's excited about your idea but never follows through on actually doing what you expected? That's incredibly frustrating and confusing (and you're not alone)! What if there was a scientific explanation for why verbal agreement does not translate into action? You're in luck, in this engaging talk Ariana will show entrepreneurs how to use Conversational Intelligence to build trust, get buy-in and co-create new products or services that'll keep your business relevant in an ever changing marketplace.

Speakers
avatar for Ariana Friedlander

Ariana Friedlander

Founder, Rosabella Consulting
Ariana Friedlander, MPA, is an author, social entrepreneur, and the founder of Rosabella Consulting. She works with leaders doing “Business as Unusual” and specializes in fostering positive change within organizations and companies of all shapes and sizes. Her first book, “A... Read More →


Thursday February 28, 2019 9:30am - 11:00am MST
Innosphere

10:00am MST

Align Your Brand with Access, Inclusivity & Equity
As Founders and Entrepreneurs we all want our audiences, clients and customers to feel seen, heard and understood. They want to know that we have them in the forefront of all of our offerings and products. We are learning more and more everyday about the dynamic identities and needs of the people our brands reach. In order to best serve our people, we have to go beyond traditional diversity measures to ensure that we are actively and authentically centering accessibility, inclusivity and justice in our business models, practices and offerings. This workshop will present some key principles as well as provide an opportunity to explore meaningful ways to align your brand with those whom you desire to reach.

Speakers
avatar for Robyn Mourning

Robyn Mourning

Founder, WellSoul Wellness
Robyn Mourning, MS is a Registered Psychotherapist in Colorado. Robyn received her Masters of Science in Marriage, Family and Child Counseling and became a trauma recovery specialist at her private mental health practice. Robyn specializes in trauma recovery wellness for survivors... Read More →


Thursday February 28, 2019 10:00am - 11:00am MST
Downtown Artery Performance Venue

10:00am MST

Free Drop- In Coworking at Innop
Come check out Innop at 144 N Mason Street unit #3

Exhibitors
DA

Dr. Ajay Jha

Founder and CEO, Innop


Thursday February 28, 2019 10:00am - 4:00pm MST
Innop

10:30am MST

Fort Collins Startup Week: Self-Publishing Through the Library
Limited Capacity seats available

The Library's new selection of free, easy-to-use self-publishing tools will help you write, format, and self-publish your work. In this quick overview, you’ll be introduced to the Pressbooks platform for writing, designing, and formatting your eBook or print book and to SELF-e, a library service for getting your ebook out into the world through Poudre River Libraries catalog and the "Indie Colorado" collection of local authors. Open to all writers, no previous eBook or publishing experience necessary.

Speakers
avatar for Katie Auman

Katie Auman

Marketing & Communications, Poudre River Public Library District


Thursday February 28, 2019 10:30am - 11:30am MST
Old Town Library Conference Room

11:00am MST

Price Your Service Right
Competitively pricing your services is a challenge for many freelancers and service-based entrepreneurs. Come hear from our panel of prosperous entrepreneurs discussing the nuances of pricing your services right. Learn from their pricing successes and mistakes so you can enjoy a successful and thriving business!

Speakers
avatar for Chrysta Bairre

Chrysta Bairre

Career Coach | Speaker | Author, Live Love Work
Chrysta Bairre is a career coach, speaker, author, and founder of Live Love Work.Chrysta works with women who want more from life and career. Her clients increase their professional impact and income-- so they can say no in business, make more money, and find happiness in and out... Read More →


Thursday February 28, 2019 11:00am - 12:00pm MST
Downtown Artery Performance Venue

11:15am MST

Colorado's Artificial Intelligence Initiative
Artificial Intelligence will inevitably be applied in most applications. Colorado is striving to be an industry leader in Artificial Intelligence. Come join us along with our state's best AI entrepreneurs as we turn our heads towards the future of AI.

ADDITIONAL RSVP REQUIRED FOR THIS INNOSPHERE SESSION: http://bit.ly/startupwk_AI

Speakers

Thursday February 28, 2019 11:15am - 12:15pm MST
Innosphere

12:00pm MST

Career Goal Setting for Visual Artists
Do you have goals for your visual arts career? Are you working towards a show? Are you planning years ahead, working towards bigger projects, working towards gallery contracts, expanding into regional marketplaces, sales goals, and diversifying your product lines? Hear tips from working artists and industry professionals to help you take steps towards strategic planning in the visual arts.

Speakers
avatar for Chris Bates

Chris Bates

Chris Bates is a Fort Collins native that has worked as a professional artist for the past 10 years. He has completed over 40 murals in Northern Colorado. He stays active in the community by teaching mural workshops to grade school students, working at two local galleries and spinning... Read More →
avatar for Jill MacKay

Jill MacKay

Owner, Jill MacKay Enterprises LLC
Jill MacKay is an accomplished designer, author and consultant. Her name issynonymous with innovation and inspiration. Jill MacKay designs productlines and licenses to national chain stores, manufacturers and televisionretailers. Jill is perhaps best known for having been the jewelry... Read More →
avatar for Jeanne Shoaff

Jeanne Shoaff

Owner, Jeanne Shoaff - The Art Maven
Jeanne Shoaff has a passion for creating community through art. Jeanne has two decades of experience behind the gallery walls as a Gallery Coordinator, Museum Curator, and non-profit Executive Director. With over 100 exhibitions under her belt, Ms. Shoaff understands what curators... Read More →


Thursday February 28, 2019 12:00pm - 1:00pm MST
CCC Gallery

12:00pm MST

The Blueprint For Building a Lasting Brand Through Storytelling
Limited Capacity filling up

Seth Silvers shares the steps behind the Success With Stories™ Blueprint, showing how small businesses can dominate online marketing through strategic storytelling. Seth will show you the things every purpose-driven business should be doing online to build a brand that lasts. This will be the perfect session for small business onwers wanting to grow their business online in a way that lasts but unsure of what the exact next steps are. 


Speakers
avatar for Seth Silvers

Seth Silvers

Founder, Story On
Seth Silvers founded Story On in 2015 as after developing frustration with shallow marketing and a passion for helping businesses market through stories. Story On works with brands who are confident their work is changing lives but frustrated with knowing how to effectively grow their... Read More →


Thursday February 28, 2019 12:00pm - 1:00pm MST
Downtown Artery Performance Venue

12:00pm MST

12:00pm MST

Art & Craft Supplies Swap
Calling artists, creatives & makers! Looking to clean out your craft closet or dabble in a new art form without investing too much on supplies? Bring your unused or gently used arts and crafts materials to the Arts & Found Art Supplies Swap. Leftover supplies will be donated to a local nonprofit. Please come early and hang out for the entire swap! Bring your lunch and visit with fellow crafters.

Speakers
avatar for Ayelet Golz

Ayelet Golz

Founder & Editor-in-Chief, Arts & Found
Ayelet Golz is the founder and editor-in-chief of Arts & Found, a free weekly curated newsletter of creative happenings for modern crafters in Northern Colorado. When Ayelet moved to Fort Collins five years ago, this lifelong sewist struggled to find crafty friends who shared her... Read More →


Thursday February 28, 2019 12:00pm - 2:00pm MST
CCC Lobby

12:15pm MST

Defeating Self-Doubt + The Payoff of Adversity (topic)
Speakers
avatar for Sierra Frost

Sierra Frost

Recovery Coach/Author/Speaker, Invitation Wellness
Sierra is the owner of Invitation Wellness LLC and works with resilient people who turn their adverse experiences into advantages. Her clients enjoy more peace, money, and confidence in their personal and professional lives. She has experience in the fields of education, juvenile... Read More →


Thursday February 28, 2019 12:15pm - 1:00pm MST
Innosphere

1:00pm MST

Cultural Intelligence Is For Everyone
In today’s world, the need for skills to successfully navigate diversity and inclusion are becoming more necessary for success in all sectors of our society. When we take into consideration VUCA, nurturing cross-cultural skills should be a requirement for us all. Today, crossing cultures may be easily achieved without even leaving your neighborhood. Cultural Intelligence (CQ) is a skill set that supports you to better understand your cross-cultural skill strengths and weaknesses and how to improve. This presentation will shed light on culture and what it is, an opportunity to assess your CQ skill set, while offering suggestions on how to improve your own cultural intelligence.

Speakers
avatar for Todd Cornell

Todd Cornell

Executive Director, Global Chamber NoCo
Cornell boasts over 30 years of experience in US-China cross-cultural business and communications. His experience includes working for Sino-US Joint Ventures and managing US business and manufacturing offices in Mainland China and Taiwan.His early entry into China afforded him a profound... Read More →


Thursday February 28, 2019 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
Downtown Artery Performance Venue

1:00pm MST

"The You Show" - Hands on experience at FC Public Media
Utilizing full studio capabilities, you can be part of an in a live studio production. On the "You Show" we will be discussing ArtUp week through interviews and hands-on experience with our state of the art equipment which includes a green screen, professional lighting setups, HD cameras, track and editing bays and the latest software! Our participants will have fun running the cameras, lighting and audio, acting as the director in the control room. Come learn about video and television production and our role in the community. The final video result you help create will air on our FC Public cable channel and on YouTube (Get your name in the credits too!)

Thursday February 28, 2019 1:00pm - 2:30pm MST
CCC - FC Public Media

1:30pm MST

Business Basics for Artisan, Craft and Food Entrepreneurs
Considering starting a home-based business? This panel discussion will cover everything from licensing, sales tax, reaching your customer and sales channels. Whether you are a home chef, jeweler, crafter, artist or other artisan, this expert panel will answer your questions and help clarify if a home business is for you.

Speakers
avatar for Andrea Daniel

Andrea Daniel

August Ink
What started as a new hobby and way to return to her creative roots, Andrea taught herself how to screen print and dove into the logistics of running her own business. August Ink officially launched in the summer of 2014 and started selling hand screen printed tees online and at markets... Read More →
avatar for Shannon Hein

Shannon Hein

Economic Health Manager, Small Business, City of Fort Collins
Shannon is part of the business support team for the Economic Health Office of the City of Fort Collins, as a Business Specialist. Her focus is business engagement for small to medium-sized businesses. As a former marketing and community manager, she not only managed events and marketing... Read More →
avatar for Sari Kimbell

Sari Kimbell

Sari Kimbell brings over 20 years of experience in the food industry. In 2016 she established Sari Kimbell Food Business Consulting to work with food-related businesses, in particular her niche is helping packaged food entrepreneurs start and grow into successful and profitable businesses... Read More →
avatar for Martha Sullens

Martha Sullens

Martha Sullins is an Ag Business Management Specialist with Colorado State University Extension, where her areas of emphasis in applied research and outreach include smaller-scale and specialty livestock and crop production businesses, agritourism, local foods, farm transition, on-farm... Read More →


Thursday February 28, 2019 1:30pm - 2:30pm MST
CCC Gallery

2:00pm MST

Find the Root of Creative Blocks and Learn to Break Free
What is a creative block anyway? A mind thing? An emotional challenge? Difficulty focusing or staying motivated? All of the above and more? During this workshop, we explore how to pinpoint where you get stuck, why, and cover tips to move from the confusion you feel, to clarity about what to do next. I will also share tools to take you from self doubt to creative confidence, including ways to manage resistance, fear, and lack of focus in the creative process. Time to break free and thrive. Walk away from this session with a "Breaking Free" workbook you can use in your creative process!

Speakers
avatar for Katrina Pfannkuch

Katrina Pfannkuch

Communications Director, Horsetooth Int'l Film Festival
Katrina Pfannkuch is a creative consultant, catalyst, strategist, writer, editor and podcaster passionate about creativity, entrepreneurship, and personal transformation. She started her own business, Creative Katrina, LLC, and has created content, strategies, and provided marketing... Read More →


Thursday February 28, 2019 2:00pm - 3:00pm MST
The Articulate

2:30pm MST

Dementia-friendly businesses: Why does it matter? What does it mean? How do we become dementia-friendly?
DEMENTIA-FRIENDLY BUSINESSES:
Why do we need them?
With our aging population, it seems we all know or will know someone living with the cognitive challenges of dementia. Since more than 20% of our residents in Northern Colorado will be 65 and older within the next 10 years, the future of effective businesses is in providing effective customer service to the 70% of people with dementia who are still living out in our communities. In discovering how can you ensure your business is ready, you will also discover how the strategies shared will help you interact in a positive way personally when an aging neighbor or loved one is living with cognitive challenges as well.

Speakers
CL

Cyndy Luzinski

Cyndy Luzinski is an advanced practice nurse, certified dementia practitioner, Founder and Executive Director of the nonprofit organization,  "Dementia-Friendly Communities of Northern Colorado®.”  She is a strong advocate for community collaboration and person-centered dementia... Read More →


Thursday February 28, 2019 2:30pm - 3:30pm MST
CCC Gallery

3:00pm MST

Building Your Personal Brand with Storytelling Visuals

We all know that people buy from people they know, like and trust. In the online world, compelling photography and videography is the best way to make people feel like they know you. Learn why authentic visuals help you connect with your audience, how to use images to tell your story, and photography tips to freshen up your Instagram feed. 


Speakers
avatar for Valerie Mosley

Valerie Mosley

Visual Storyteller, Valerie Mosley Photography, LLC
I specialize in documentary photography and videography for nonprofits, small businesses and families. I'm a former newspaper photographer and board member at Mulberry Community Garden.


Thursday February 28, 2019 3:00pm - 4:00pm MST
The Articulate

3:00pm MST

Notes from the Field: Using Technology to Advance Artepreneurship
How are artists and musicians harnessing technology to thrive in their respective fields? Hear how artist entrepreneurs from the Grammy-nominated International Contemporary Ensemble in New York City, co-founders of the experimental media non-profit Signal Culture in upstate New York, and founder of the Alt Ethos design studio in Denver have used technology to bring their work up to the next level through new project management software, global distribution platforms, experimental media art, and experiential events.

Speakers
avatar for Debora Bernagozzi

Debora Bernagozzi

Debora Bernagozzi is Co-Founder and Executive Director of Signal Culture, an experimental media art nonprofit organization that provides residencies, resources, and exhibition opportunities for artists, researchers, and innovators working in the field. She continues her practice as... Read More →
avatar for Jason Bernagozzi

Jason Bernagozzi

Jason Bernagozzi is an artist whose work examines and critiques the codes embedded within the psyche of media culture. His work has been exhibited nationally and internationally at exhibitions such as the European Media Art Festival in Osnabruk, Germany; the Festival Les Instants... Read More →
avatar for Rebekah Heller

Rebekah Heller

Rebekah Heller is a bassoon soloist, collaborative artist, educator and advocate for new music. As Co-Artistic Director and bassoonist of the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE), Heller has premiered hundreds of new works. Her two solo albums, 100 names and METAFAGOTE, exclusively... Read More →
avatar for Joshua Rubin

Joshua Rubin

Joshua Rubin is a founding clarinetist and served as the co-Artistic Director of the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE) from 2014-2018, where he oversaw the creative direction of more than one hundred concerts per season in the United States and abroad. He previously served... Read More →
avatar for Ethan Bach

Ethan Bach

Alt Ethos
Ethan Bach is an entrepreneur, artist, coach, and consultant. He uses creative technology to foster deeper connections through his roles as CEO of Alt Ethos, experiential design studio and as Executive Director of Denver Arts + Technology Advancement (DATA), a 501(c)3 agency whose... Read More →


Thursday February 28, 2019 3:00pm - 4:30pm MST
Downtown Artery Performance Venue

3:30pm MST

Customer insights and research (why it's mission-critical, how to conduct your own)
- Penduluming between total overwhelm and paralysis?
- Not quite sure who your current or future customer is or should be?
- Need help applying the data you already have?

Research shows that a lack of customer understanding is the #1 cause of startup failure and a major contributor to startup waste. And for nearly a century, startups have been left to fend for themselves. But just as the modern day smartphone began as a stodgy computer only accessible to the elite, market research - once only afforded by the billion-dollar giants - is finally now available and packaged just for startups and small businesses.

Come learn what customer insights and research actually is and why it's an absolute must-have in your startup's success. Learn how to spot when a problem is actually a symptom of a great customer understanding issue. We'll talk about how to conduct great research yourself when scrappy is the name of the game and when you should consider outsourcing. And finally, we'll have time at the end to answer your questions.

Don't miss out on this game-changing session!

Speakers
avatar for Leslie Na

Leslie Na

Founder, Truth Bomb
Hi there! I'm the founder of Truth Bomb, Truth Bomb, the only customer insights, research, and strategy resource exclusively designed for startups to mid-sized businesses. We help you get more customers, make more money, and do it faster by answering the two most mission-critical... Read More →


Thursday February 28, 2019 3:30pm - 4:30pm MST
CCC Gallery

4:00pm MST

Innovation After Hours: Artificial Intelligence
Speakers
avatar for Emily Wilson

Emily Wilson

Communications, Innosphere
Emily is Communication Director for Innosphere, Colorado’s leading technology incubator supporting high-tech companies that have the potential to exponentially grow in the industries of health innovation, bioscience and animal sciences, energy, advanced materials, hardware and enterprise... Read More →


Thursday February 28, 2019 4:00pm - 6:00pm MST
Innosphere

5:30pm MST

Pitch No.Co Competition - Semi Finals
Join us for a networking happy hour while watching some of Northern Colorado's companies present their pitches for the 2nd Annual PitchNo.CO! The competition helps companies of all kinds take the next big step in their growth. Companies are pitching to a panel of judges who are evaluating their business strategy and providing expert feedback.

Drink and light snacks served. Doors open 5:30pm. Pitches begin 5:45pm.

Semis Facebook event link:
https://www.facebook.com/events/383992735733633/

Moderators
avatar for Jana Sanchez

Jana Sanchez

Executive Director, LaunchNo.CO
Jana specializes in helping people magnify what they’re passionate about and connecting them to resources and people. Jana is the Executive Director of LaunchNo.CO, a nonprofit organization helping companies form, grow, and stay in Northern Colorado. Jana is deeply passionate about... Read More →

Thursday February 28, 2019 5:30pm - 7:00pm MST
Spaces

5:30pm MST

Women Who Succeed
A celebration of women entrepreneurs and leaders in Northern Colorado! Enjoy an evening of networking and celebrating with other women leaders and women business owners. Brought to you by Food Business Success: Sari Kimbell Consulting and the Downtown FoCo Creative District.

Exhibitors
avatar for Downtown Fort Collins Creative District

Downtown Fort Collins Creative District

The Downtown Fort Collins Creative District is a Certified District in the Colorado Creative Industries Creative District Program.  It acts as a resource for creative and artist information, collaboration, industry representation and placemaking.


Thursday February 28, 2019 5:30pm - 8:00pm MST
Scrumpy's Hard Cider Bar and Pub

6:00pm MST

Sound Decisions: Know Your Microphones
Limited Capacity filling up

An open discussion exploring the differences between, and applications for, both dynamic and condenser microphones. The goal of the discussion will be to help musicians more effectively communicate with sound engineers, and improve the overall recording and or live performance experience for everyone involved. Moderated by Hannah Copeland.

Speakers
avatar for Andrew Berlin

Andrew Berlin

Blasting Room Studios
A recording enthusiast and multi instrumentalist since he was young, Andrew moved to Colorado and started at the Blasting Room in 2001. When it was apparent that the bands he was bringing in were no longer able to fit into the already heavily booked studio, the B room was created... Read More →
avatar for Hannah Copeland

Hannah Copeland

General Manager, 90.5 KCSU, Colorado State University
General manager of college radio station. We have 18-part-time-student employees and 50+ volunteers. Teaches 2 audio/radio college courses. Background in radio journalism at NPR. Been in this art/radio biz thing for about 6-years.
avatar for Chrissy Pilley

Chrissy Pilley

Chrissy "Powerhouse" Pilley is an ER veterinarian, drummer, sound tech at KRFC, and all-around badass. She picked up her first pair of drum sticks at the age of 11 and has been banging away since then. After marching snare drum through high school and college, she transitioned to drum kit and percussion. She has performed with a variety of music projects du... Read More →
avatar for Lee Putnam

Lee Putnam

President, Rockfan Entertainment
Lee Putnam is an audio engineer and President of Rockfan Entertainment. Lee studied recording engineering at Full Sail University and went on to work with renowned mastering engineer Bob Katz as the in-house mix engineer. In 2010 Lee moved to Fort Collins and started Rockfan Entertainment, a Fort Collins-based production company focusing on providin... Read More →


Thursday February 28, 2019 6:00pm - 7:30pm MST
The Music District Living Room
  Artup
 
Friday, March 1
 

8:00am MST

Free Drop-In Coworking at desk chair workspace
desk chair workspace will be hosting free drop-in coworking during Startup Week. desk chair is located in Loveland, but we're worth the drive!  Come work in a beautiful upscale coworking environment, network with fellow coworkers and take advantage of our fiber optic internet, free coffee, and fabulous rooftop patio. 

Friday March 1, 2019 8:00am - 5:00pm MST
desk chair workspace

8:00am MST

Free Drop-In Coworking at Digital Workshop Center
Digital Workshop Center is offering unlimited free coworking during Fort Collins Startup Week. Get your work done in a quiet, professional environment while meeting some other entrepreneurs and small business owners. Free internet, coffee, snacks, and beer. Stop by for a tour!

Friday March 1, 2019 8:00am - 5:00pm MST

8:00am MST

Free Drop-In Coworking at Front Range Business Centers
Tours and FREE drop-in coworking for a day at Front Range Business Centers in mid-town during Startup Week. Enjoy a free spot to work, free wifi, and free coffee for any day between Feb. 25th and March 1st. Open 8am-5pm on the 3rd floor of the First National Bank building at College & Boardwalk. We have meeting rooms, workspaces, business address/mailboxes, full-time offices and even phone answering available. Receive one month free if you join during Startup Week.  

Friday March 1, 2019 8:00am - 5:00pm MST
Front Range Business Centers

8:30am MST

Free Drop-In Coworking at Spaces
Spaces is offering free coworking to all attendees during startup week. Attendees are welcome to drop-in anytime Monday thru Friday during the hours of 8:30am-5:00pm to get work done, connect with other people, have a coffee, and enjoy everything this beautiful Old Town space has to offer. A 10% membership discount is offered to anyone who signs up for a membership during 2/25 and 3/1.

Friday March 1, 2019 8:30am - 5:00pm MST
Spaces

9:00am MST

The State of Inclusion in Startup Ecosystems
Limited Capacity seats available

Speakers
avatar for Jason Thompson

Jason Thompson

VP Diversity and Inclusion, Techstars
Jason is currently the Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion at Techstars. Jason was hired in April of 2018 to lead the development of a D&I program within the Techstars’ network of experts, mentors, alumni, investors, community leaders, and corporate partners.A 25-year veteran in the area... Read More →


Friday March 1, 2019 9:00am - 10:00am MST
Downtown Artery Performance Venue

9:00am MST

Free Drop-In Coworking at Cohere
Cohere Community will be hosting free drop-in coworking during Startup Week. All attendees are welcome to drop-in once during the week. Come check out the space, get some work done, drink coffee, and make friends. Hours: 9am-4pm Monday February 25th-Friday March 1st. Join during Startup Week and get $50 off your first full month of membership.

Friday March 1, 2019 9:00am - 4:00pm MST
Cohere Coworking

9:00am MST

Free Drop-In Coworking at Office Evolution
Office Evolution Fort Collins is offering free coworking day passes during Startup Week. Drop-in anytime 9am to 4pm in the Shared Workspace and enjoy complimentary beverages. Sign up for a full month during StartUp Week and receive $25.00 off membership.

Friday March 1, 2019 9:00am - 4:00pm MST
Office Evolution

10:00am MST

Fireside Chat with David Brown, Techstars Co-CEO
Limited Capacity seats available

Come hear the Co-CEO and Co-founder of Techstars discuss  new and emerging trends in the Colorado and national startup ecosystem. 

Friday March 1, 2019 10:00am - 10:45am MST
Downtown Artery Performance Venue

10:00am MST

Creating a Lasting Content Strategy for Your Business Using Tech Platforms
Content is now the way that businesses should be selling their products and services. Creating a consistent content strategy will set you up for success. Content can consist of various types of media, such as video, audio and written blogs or articles. Using technology to create, distribute and schedule your content will keep your business top of mind for your ideal target market. 

In this presentation, we will cover:
  • Company Branding
  • Who do you create content for?
  • Why content is important in your business?
  • Types of content
  • Content Hack to create a month worth of content from ONE original source
  • Social Media
  • Content Calendar
  • Scheduling your content to stay organized

Speakers
avatar for Jean Ginzburg

Jean Ginzburg

Founder, Jean Ginzburg.com
Jean Ginzburg is a #1 best-selling author, award-winning entrepreneur and digital marketing expert with more than 12 years of industry expertise helping companies scale revenue, optimize sales and marketing processes and improve productivity. Jean is the CEO and Founder of JeanGinzburg.com... Read More →



Friday March 1, 2019 10:00am - 11:00am MST
Cohere Coworking

11:00am MST

Fostering Entreprenurial Ecosystems: Cross-Dimensional Policy Solutions
Speakers
avatar for Sam Houghteling

Sam Houghteling

Program Manager, CSU Straayer Center for Public Service Leadership
Sam is a creative and enterprising leader who is passionate about collaborative problem solving. Prior to leading the development of the Straayer Center at Colorado State University, Sam worked with the City of Fort Collins, and was active with a number of community organizations... Read More →


Friday March 1, 2019 11:00am - 12:00pm MST
Downtown Artery Performance Venue

11:00am MST

How to Market to Your Dream Clients
Marketing should drive results. But how do you make sure you’re marketing to the right people, with the right message, at the right time?

Tyler is going to break down the exact strategies he uses when putting together marketing plans for small and medium sized businesses. We’ll talk about the content you need to create, how to optimize targeting, and how to attract people to your business.

Basically, we’ll help you roadmap how to get your dream clients using your marketing.

It’ll be hard work, but it’s possible.

Speakers
avatar for Tyler Brooks

Tyler Brooks

Founder, Analytive
For the past seven years, Tyler has built a massive following of entrepreneurs, marketers, and sales people. He’s written hundreds of blog posts on marketing and growth, driven tens of thousands of visitors to client companies, 10x’ed traffic to websites, built lead generation... Read More →


Friday March 1, 2019 11:00am - 12:00pm MST
Cohere Coworking

12:00pm MST

Building a Valuable and Sellable Business
Speakers
avatar for Tommy West

Tommy West

Managing Partner, Sagewood Transaction Advisors
Tommy and the Sagewood Transaction Advisor team, provide unique perspectives on business growth, valuation, and exit transactions. As a business advisor and owner, licensed attorney, and investors, Tommy has guided thousands of companies through successful growth strategies and exit... Read More →


Friday March 1, 2019 12:00pm - 1:00pm MST
Innosphere

12:00pm MST

BadAss Business Branding
BadAss Business Branding

Universal Truths and Practical Tools at the core of your brand. We will explore what and how to be intentional about your branding.

This session will include ideas and tools to define and elevate your brand, creating a "gush worthy" experience for your potential clients.

Speakers
avatar for Julie Ulstrup

Julie Ulstrup

Photographer Owner, Julie Ulstrup Photography
I am a portrait, business branding and wedding photographer who believes that when we let our own light shine, we give others permission to do the same. We live in an age where we take so many images, yet never print or create something beautiful. I invite you to let me show you how... Read More →


Friday March 1, 2019 12:00pm - 1:00pm MST
Downtown Artery Performance Venue

12:00pm MST

Booking Yourself as a Podcast Guest
New podcasts are being created daily. Many of these shows are on the lookout for high quality guests in their area of interest. In this session we'll talk about where to find podcasts who are looking for guests like you, how to pitch yourself to them, and how to create a onesheet that showcases your experience and expertise in the most attractive light. Podcasts are a still growing medium who reach millions of new listeners each month. If you are trying to expand your influence in your field, or are trying to reach new markets for your business, podcasting is an excellent option.

Speakers
avatar for Franklin Taggart

Franklin Taggart

Creative Business Consultant, Franklin Taggart Coaching & Consulting
Franklin Taggart began his consulting career in 1996 when asked to be a part of a corporate transition planning team. His specialty at the time was conflict preparation and response. He's worked with businesses and organizations of all sizes in that capacity. In 2008 he shifted the... Read More →



Friday March 1, 2019 12:00pm - 1:00pm MST
The Articulate

12:00pm MST

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: The Future of Fort Collins Business
As the population of Fort Collins increases, so shall its degree of diversity. What does this mean for businesses, entrepreneurs and artrepreneurs? What do the terms “diversity,” “equity” and inclusion even mean? Join this panel of concerned professionals for an interactive discussion of how we can achieve a truly equitable and inclusive Fort Collins business ecosystem.

Moderators
avatar for Phil Donaldson

Phil Donaldson

Chief Operating & Creative Officer, PropelGrowth
Phil Donaldson is Chief Operating & Creative Officer at PropelGrowth, an online sales training company. With 25+ years of experience, Phil has helped companies with branding, content development, creative direction and media production. Phil has spoken and moderated panel discussions... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Marc Marius Mueller

Marc Marius Mueller

UX Designer
Marc Mueller works as a user experience designer in Colorado. Having lived in 4 countries led him to research how culture is shaped. He has worked with student exchange programs for 10 years, helped several local initiatives during his time in Savannah, GA, and leads a German culture... Read More →
avatar for Carisa Clinton

Carisa Clinton

Carisa Clinton came to The Arc of Larimer County with over 10 years of experience working with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities from birth through adulthood. A native Virginian, Carisa relocated to Fort Collins, Colorado in 2010 to continue her work with... Read More →
avatar for Leslie Nolte

Leslie Nolte

Leslie Nolte has been an innovator in arts education in the Iowa City creative community for nearly two decades. Founder and Artistic Director of Nolte Academy, a well-regarded performing arts institution, she has embraced the area’s growing diversity. Nolte Academy’s 30 specialized... Read More →
avatar for Meaghan Overton

Meaghan Overton

Meaghan Overton is a Planner for the City of Fort Collins with a background in long-range planning, community engagement, and economic development. She coordinated the community engagement process for the Fort Collins Downtown Plan and is currently leading the engagement effort for... Read More →
avatar for Caridad Souza

Caridad Souza

manager, Sweet Africa
Dr. Caridad Souza is the director of the Center for Women’s Studies and Gender Research at Colorado State University. Her teaching and research interests include contemporary race & ethnic relations and theories, women, children, & poverty, multiracial and decolonial feminisms... Read More →


Friday March 1, 2019 12:00pm - 1:30pm MST
CCC Gallery

1:00pm MST

Embracing Differences
Embracing differences is a leadership skill - often done well in theory but not so well in reality.  It's also a magic ingredient in agile collaboration.  Using Barry Johnson's groundbreaking polarity management work, we'll practice this skill that will help you when confronted by differences of opinion, perspective and preferences.

Speakers
avatar for Nancy Kepner

Nancy Kepner

CEO, Crafted Leadership
Conscious leadership, leadership development, culture
avatar for Julianna Christie

Julianna Christie

Chief Learning Officer, Crafted Leadership
Conscious Leadership, Leadership Development, Culture


Friday March 1, 2019 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
Innosphere

1:00pm MST

Money Mindset & Success
Have you ever wondered why you aren't making more money?  Why you feel that pit in your stomach when a friend gets a great opportunity you wish you could have?  Why you keep making the same financial mistakes over and over again? Why you keep attracting clients who are less than ideal?  And how you can turn it all around? 

In "Money Mindset & Success", we'll discuss:
  • How we push money away
  • How we use money
  • How we charge for our products and services
  • How we can attract money

Speakers
avatar for LeAndra Foster

LeAndra Foster

Speaker, Mentor, Coach, elan lyfe Consulting, LLC
I have taken a rather interesting path to get to where I am today - forging through actuarial exams, guiding horseback rides through the Rocky Mountains, teaching college Finance, managing day-to-day operations at a start-up hedge fund company, mothering, wife-ing, and reading personal... Read More →



Friday March 1, 2019 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST
The Articulate

2:00pm MST

Creative Zen - Finding Balance and Inspiration Between Deadlines and Demands
This session explores techniques and practices aimed at aligning the life of a Creative with Zen-based habits. The goal is to reduce tensions while placing focus on what’s truly important by finding ways to optimize one’s time and energy to get the most from all creative endeavors.

Speakers
avatar for Grant Smith

Grant Smith

Grant Smith is currently the Creative Director for the City of Fort Collins where he oversees a design team within the Communications Department and is responsible for City branding, developing and implementing design standards, and marketing campaigns.Grant is also an experienced... Read More →


Friday March 1, 2019 2:00pm - 3:00pm MST
CCC Gallery

2:00pm MST

Planning to Succeed: Mission-driven action plans
Mission statements are often crafted early in the start up process and then sit in a file as organizations go about their day to day operations. But the mission statement, if carefully crafted and thoughtfully leveraged, can guide an organizations strategic initiatives and clarify action steps. In this session, we will look at mission statements that translate to effective and strategic action plans. Come ready to analyze your own mission statements to identify the next steps that will help you meet your goals.

Speakers
avatar for Colleen Stanevich

Colleen Stanevich

Zusammen Consulting
I have experience helping organizations move from vision to strategy to action and getting the results they want in a consistent and sustainable way. I support start up work in three specific areas:Launching the work--clarifying vision and mission, proactively managing change, setting... Read More →


Friday March 1, 2019 2:00pm - 4:00pm MST
Innosphere

3:00pm MST

Tequilla Shot Friday
Limited Capacity filling up

Who remembers doing Tequila Shot Friday during the Galvanize days?!?! Its time to bring back this time honored tradition, this time at the Articulate. There are only 50 slots available so if you cannot attend, please remove yourself from the list so someone else can attend.  Please arrive on time, we will go around the room and everyone will share what their "win for the week" was. We will all take a shot with these beautiful mini-bottles from the amazing Suerte, our sponsor. We will then write our intentions for the next year on these little pieces of paper, roll them up and lock them in our beautiful little mini-bottles, and keep them till next year's FCSW.
Can't wait for this big community group hug!!!

Speakers
avatar for Charisse Bowen

Charisse Bowen

Chief Birthing Officer, BizDoula
I began my career working in the entertainment industry as a television and commercial producer where I gained a deep understanding of content creation and distribution. In 2006, my love for creating good content was combined with my love for doing good in the world with the launch... Read More →



Friday March 1, 2019 3:00pm - 4:00pm MST
The Articulate

4:00pm MST

Launch NoCo - Pitch NoCo Finals
Limited Capacity seats available

Join us for the Finals, and then Awards, for the 2nd Annual PitchNo.CO competition! The competition helps companies of all kinds take the next big step in their growth. Companies are pitching to a panel of judges who are evaluating their business strategy and providing expert feedback.

Finals Facebook event link: https://www.facebook.com/events/1879802528797881/

Moderators
avatar for Jana Sanchez

Jana Sanchez

Executive Director, LaunchNo.CO
Jana specializes in helping people magnify what they’re passionate about and connecting them to resources and people. Jana is the Executive Director of LaunchNo.CO, a nonprofit organization helping companies form, grow, and stay in Northern Colorado. Jana is deeply passionate about... Read More →

Friday March 1, 2019 4:00pm - 6:00pm MST
Downtown Artery Performance Venue

6:00pm MST

Investor Expert Panel- ‘Going From Startup Idea-to-Acceleration: How to Attract Venture Funds’
Panel Members
- Dr. John Latham, Founder of the design studio organization
- Inder Sharma, Founder of IBOS and Hotel.com
- Steve Stroud, Chairman of Bohemian LLC

This panel will focus on attracting and securing venture funds. The three panelists have extensive experience with accelerating startups and attracting angel investors. This event will be held at Innop, found at 144 Mason Street Unit #3 

Speakers
Exhibitors
DA

Dr. Ajay Jha

Founder and CEO, Innop


Friday March 1, 2019 6:00pm - 7:00pm MST
Innop

6:00pm MST

First Friday Art Walk
Join us for the ARTup Week Exhibition as part of First Friday Art Walk! From 6-9:00pm enjoy artwork from over 25 local talented artists displaying works in acrylic, pastels, mixed media and more.  Beer and wine will be offered as part of the evening of art appreciation and networking.

Exhibitors
avatar for Downtown Fort Collins Creative District

Downtown Fort Collins Creative District

The Downtown Fort Collins Creative District is a Certified District in the Colorado Creative Industries Creative District Program.  It acts as a resource for creative and artist information, collaboration, industry representation and placemaking.


Friday March 1, 2019 6:00pm - 9:00pm MST
CCC Gallery
 
Saturday, March 2
 

4:00pm MST

SONIC SOCIAL: a celebration of all things music + geekery
Join the Music District for Sonic Social, a party immersed in music and fandom fun, where you are invited to plug in, turn up, and geek out. Themed to science fiction, fantasy, and video games, Sonic Social has music at its core and will feature live performances, hands-on activities, gameplay, immersive video projections, photo ops, cash bar, a food truck, and an interactive, challenge-filled Quest inspired by some of your favorite realms. Costumes and/or fandom-inspired wares encouraged but not required. Free with RSVP here | All Ages

Exhibitors
avatar for The Music District

The Music District

The Music District
The Music District is a dynamic gathering hub, workspace, and creative playground for the music community. For the novice or pro, it’s a place where anyone can develop the art, learn the business, and share skills and passions with musicians and music lovers. A living laboratory... Read More →


Saturday March 2, 2019 4:00pm - 9:00pm MST
The Music District
  Artup
 
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