Phil Weiser, the Colorado Attorney General, is stepping down from the Startup Colorado Executive Committee. In this episode, we're recognizing his contribution to our organization, as well as Colorado's startup community as a whole. We speak with Phil about the history of Startup Colorado and his hope for the organization's future.

Mara and Josh Hardy purchased their new physical therapy business in January. In March, the pandemic hit. We spoke with this husband/wife team about what it was like to be a new business owner navigating an unprecedented crisis. Despite the challenges, Mara and Josh experienced some unexpected silver linings.

When Briana Wiles came down with an assumed case of COVID-19, she relied upon her background as an herbalist to cope with the symptoms. She developed new teas and tinctures from roots and herbs at home, then figured out how to make these new blends available to her customers at Rooted Apothecary in Crested Butte and Gunnison. In this episode, we hear about Briana's experience with the virus and how it changed her as a business owner.

Eagle County recently received an exemption to the new Safer at Home Order and is laying out a tiered approach to reopening. We chat with the county's emergency manager, as well as business owners who are implementing health and safety protocols to keep their employees and customers safe. For other counties developing their reopening strategies, Eagle County can provide some solid advice.

When over a hundred restaurants closed for business, many wondered what would happen to all that food sitting in their coolers. That's where the Good Food Collective and emergency food assistance groups in Southwest Colorado came in. Through a quick response to the pandemic, a coalition of kitchen staff, community organizers, and farmers are now providing restaurant-prepared meals for those in need.

A new mentorship program aims to help Colorado business owners and entrepreneurs navigate the growing economic crisis. Erick Mueller, the Executive Director of the Deming Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Colorado Leeds School of Business, introduces COVenture Forward and how business owners can take advantage of an extensive network of mentors, CU faculty, and business students.

It's a stressful, chaotic world out there. No wonder so many of us are feeling overwhelmed and anxious. This week, we speak with Jeff Kinsey from The Logos Group, a coaching and consulting business in Boulder, about how entrepreneurs can learn to let go of stressful thoughts and tackle the big challenges ahead.

This iterative process is used by businesses and organizations around the world to define and solve problems. How can we use it to help entrepreneurs and community champions in times of crisis? We hear from Jonathan Ballesteros of Geyser Systems, Beth Flowers of the AIR Institute, and Beth McKeon of the Fluency Score.

In response to the ongoing financial crisis, The Foundry Group has teamed up with Lew's List and High Plains Advisors to create a pro-bono COVID-19 Finance Assistance Network. The group comprises CFOs, controllers, and other senior finance professionals who are helping business owners navigate the new relief programs, as well as advice on planning for cash flow management and business planning in a post-COVID world.

Durango's MakerLab is teaming up with Fort Lewis College and a small army of volunteers to produce protective equipment for local hospitals. Here's how this rural makerspace transformed their day-to-day operations overnight and will soon produce $2.5 million worth of medical supplies.