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Success Stories

ALL SUCCESS STORIES

Black Swift Technologies

Boulder-based company Black Swift Technologies was founded by three PhD students from the University of Colorado. The three men were inspired to start the company from their work in the field during their studies. At CU, they learned how to chase storms and collect data using old military equipment, which is relatively complicated to use. They set out to simplify the process with unmanned aircraft systems and Black Swift Technologies was born.

Although they are a relatively new company, their team, now consisting of seven engineers, represents over 30 years of experience in complex unmanned aircraft systems. The company takes pride in their modular aircraft system that has been approved and used by NASA.

The Boulder Small Business Development Center had the pleasure of working with President and CEO, Jack Elston, in their Technology Ventures Series in 2016.

“We were a bunch of engineers who started a company, so there was a lot to be learned on the business side,” explained Elston. “We got an idea of what we should be looking at, what we weren’t looking at, and what we missed to get a better understanding of the business aspect. We also got a good network of people we could talk to.”

He found abundant value in the experience and relatability of the consultants and presenters who were brought into the program. “We immediately started chatting about the work we’d done and our frustrations of trying to find money to span the gap between the technology development and getting it to market, and we’ve had a pretty good relationship ever since,” remarked Elston.

The cohort aspect even brought him a valuable business partnership. Another company participating in the program was able to use Black Swift Technologies as a beta tester for one of their projects. Furthermore, Elston was also able to build a strong network of similar companies in the same startup space in the Boulder area.

Since the end of the program, Boulder SBDC has continued the relationship with Black Swift Technologies and has been able to provide consulting on additional business needs that have arisen since the conclusion of the program. Elston’s company is working on bettering their marketing plan based on client research they collected while working with the SBDC and consultants. They are also focusing more on business planning and working on allocating more money towards other areas. “We saw that there was a lot more value for us with focusing on retail. It’s a little too early to tell if that’s the right direction, but we’re excited about the potential,” concluded Elston.

The Boulder Small Business Development Center will be continuing their Technology Ventures Series in the future because of the success of companies like Black Swift Technologies.

  • 720-638-9656
  • 2100 Central Ave, Ste 201 Boulder, CO 80301
Flight Deck Grill

One day, after leaving her full time job, Diann and her husband were at the Vance Brand airport in Longmont for flight class. She really just wanted to sit down at the end of the day and have some good food and cold drink. She realized that the Vance Brand Airport in Longmont, CO had a lot to offer except a restaurant. That desire and realization was the birth of The Flight Deck Grill. Over

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Full Stop. Bakery

In November 2020, amidst a period of deep reflection, the journey of Full Stop. Bakery began. The founder Sadie Stutzman, then a graduate student in Mechanical Engineering at CU, realized a need For change in her life trajectory. The desire to prioritize people and connections led to the pivot into the food industry. This shift was further fueled by the creation of The OG: Parm & Herb Sourdough Cracker, a collaborative effort with the founder’s

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ERC Insulation

ERC Insulation is a local, majority woman-owned and operated business based in Boulder, Colorado, serving Boulder, Denver, Jefferson, Eagle, Garfield and Pitkin Counties. The story surrounding the formation of ERC Insulation began in 2006, when Elton and Christine Randall formed Elton Construction and Design. Elton had difficulty finding a spray foam contractor for his jobs, so he sought a solution to this problem. Elton purchased a trailer with a spray foam reactor, which he could

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Leenie’s Southern Cafe

Conversations, laughter, biscuits and homemade jam melt together at Leenies Southern Café. Established in January 2006, Mel Flores and Eileen Gilmore’s restaurant in Longmont, CO has become a destination for those looking for a classic Southern breakfast and lunch restaurant in Longmont. The dining area is blanketed in simple white tablecloths and is surrounded by shelves loaded with Leenies jams and dishes while local artisan artwork decorates the walls. The atmosphere is relaxed and the

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"The Take Action Marketing Series was invaluable for me as a small-business/non-profit director. Catherine McHale brought such helpful insight and expertise to these workshops, and she’s an empathetic and astute facilitator. I walked away so much more knowledgeable and confident in my approach to marketing, and armed with practical skills and strategies that I could begin to implement right away. I highly recommend!"
Joanna CaganWOW! Children's Museum
"The small business support from Colorado SBDC is phenomenal. The consultants are of the highest quality, high integrity, trustworthy and incredibly helpful. The time savings and ability to take on more work is facilitated by having this kind of support available to the small business, particularly in the technology sector."
Helen PetachRatiocinative Engineering Services LLC
"Dan, thank you for your efforts to help us get our EIDL. When I reached out to the SBDC, Sharon got back to me the same day and let me know that the SBDC would do what it could to help. By the end of the next day, Dan had put together a summary of the issues we were facing and sent it to his contact at the SBA. Just four business days later, our loan was approved! There is no shortage of challenges faced by small companies as they work tirelessly to succeed in a very competitive world, so it's great to know that there are organizations like the Boulder SBDC that we can turn to for help."
Michael DulbergSherpa Chai, LLC
“Thank you for organizing this great informative session on the PPP utilization part. I have been in conversation with Dan King and want you to know that you guys are doing a great job in helping small businesses like us. Thank you for all the work you guys do!”
DURGESH SINGHMagswitch Technology
"These [webinars] are super helpful and I can’t thank you and the [SBDC] for all your help for our small Colorado businesses. These are such hard and scary times - being connected does a world of good. Please thank all the panel participants as well. They’ve been fantastic! Best wishes to you and your colleagues and hope you’re all staying safe."
JacqueJourney's Aviation
"A big shout out to Dan and the staff of Boulder SBDC and the SBA from Mustards Last Stand. Thank you for your assistance in helping Mustards resolve a technical issue with our application for our second round funding of the PPP program. Without your assistance I would probably still be on hold listening to maddening music over and over and over again, while worrying the whole time. We appreciate the support from you and everyone else in this community that makes us proud to be an ongoing part of Boulder's business community."
Dan PolovinMustards Last Stand
“Thank you so much for your time! Besides the great information, your energy and support were priceless! It is so good to feel you are not alone in this journey.”
LAILA MARZALLTSM Microwave
"After almost two months of messing with Chase Bank, Susan got us the PPP loan filed and approved in about 8 hours. I hesitate to celebrate until money is in the bank, but it’s looking good and Susan was absolutely amazing. Of course, I’m wouldn't even be talking to Susan if you hadn't made the connection, so chalk up another small business success to SBDC. I see why you’re the best on the country. This loan was crucial to our success at a critical time in the world. All I can say is thank you."
Jeff S.Earthvisionz
“As a new resident in rural Colorado I was truly at a loss about the tech community out here until I attended the SBDC TechSource event in Salida. I was truly impressed by the quality of the content at the event (compared to similar events in Chicago), was able to make some great connections within the local community, and was able to sign up for additional services as well. SBDC assisted us with market research which helped expedite our focus in Colorado and helped connect us with funding sources to expand. Beyond that they were quick to respond, a pleasure to work with, and went above and beyond with their services. I would absolutely recommend SBDC TechSource to another tech company, especially for companies outside of the front range that are looking to connect and grow rapidly. “
CHRIS MCLAUGHLINVital Command
"I just wanted to send a quick note and let you know how helpful Brian Ormsby has been. He responded to my query about a week and answered a bunch of questions about the EIDL, and then we talked again to day about the PPP. I’ve asked several other resources about my PPP questions and he was the first person to answer them. I can’t stress enough how nice it is to be able to talk directly to someone who can answer questions about all of these programs. So thank you very much for making him available...!"
David PAccuer, Inc.
"I'm not sure if this email goes through, but I just wanted to say thank you so much for hosting this webinar. As a small business that is running because of the SBDC, I am so appreciative of what you do for business owners. I went to film school and I'm only successful in my business because of the years of support I've gotten from the SBDC to help me get a business mindset and navigate the crazy waters of running a company. In all of this uncertainty, it's felt like I couldn't find good, solid answers on our PPP loan, and this webinar was so helpful and the tool of the PPP Loan Forgiveness Estimator is so comforting to get some answers. Keep up the good work, and stay healthy out there. With much appreciation."
Shawna M.FX Media
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