The LoCo Experience

Darren Murphy is the Founder and President of PUSH Industries, the manufacturer of the best mountain bike suspension in the world!  PUSH suspension systems are 100% American made, manufactured at their Loveland, Colorado headquarters, and sold through distribution outlets throughout the US, Asia, Australia, and Europe.  

In this episode, Curt gets deep with Darren on his life story, digging back to his early years in Maine for the roots of his passion for bikes.  Darren shares how the loss of his father at a young age impacted his journey, his struggles through high school years and how he found community in the local BMX circuit.  Darren took a 3-week bike mechanic course right after high school, and worked as the lead mechanic for a startup retail bike enterprise.  

That first job launched a career of impact for Darren, and as his passion for racing and suspension systems grew, so did his skills and reputation.  A move to California was instrumental to expanding his network, which propelled him through a pair of challenging partnerships to found his own business in an 800 sq. ft. warehouse space in 2003.  Originally a suspension-tuning business, PUSH eventually developed it's own patented technology - an easily switchable two-stage suspension tunable for uphill and downhill segments of a trail.  Darren and his wife moved themselves and PUSH to Northern Colorado in 2005 in search of closer trails and a better quality of life, and now provide over 25 high-quality jobs to members of our community - and are still growing fast!  

This episode is full of vulnerable moments and business learnings, and we're thankful to Darren for sharing his time to be a part of the LoCo Experience!  

The LoCo Experience Podcast is sponsored by:  Purpose Driven Wealth Thrivent: Learn more

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Music By: A Brother's Fountain

Did you set ants on fire with a magnifying glass when you were little? In this Shorts episode with Candyce Edelen, President/CEO at Propel Growth, she shares many elements of business growth through sales and marketing, including the time she realized that finding a niche and walking away from potential clients & industries was the only way to grow her business. She says you should think of your offerings as a magnifying glass focusing on one area small enough that the magnifying glass can start a fire.

Candyce knew early on she wanted to have her own business. Her journey involved owning multiple businesses, working in corporations, having mentors, a business exit, and founding–all to lead her to her current enterprise, PropelGrowth14 years ago. With her innate ability to identify the gaps and improve processes, Candyce translated her success in growing businesses to help others understand what it takes to increase revenue through marketing and sales.

Listen in to be inspired, to get focused on your business journey, and get some tips on how to stay focused on goals, sales and pricing!

You'll learn more about her very handy LinkedIn outreach tool, LinkedIn Sales Masterclass, where she did tons of research, testing, and developed a process to keep her pipeline full. Then she turned what she learned into a course. This is a good reminder when you see an opportunity, to go get it and make it your own!

The LoCo Experience Podcast is sponsored by:  Purpose Driven Wealth Thrivent: Learn more

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Music By: A Brother's Fountain

In this special Experience episode, guest host and LoCo teammate, Rory Schaar interviews Curt Bear, LoCo Think Tank Founder. This month marks the 7th year of LoCo being in business! Curt looks back on his business journey, from working in banking to starting a food trailer, a season in financial services, and the development of LoCo Think Tank - a peer advisory group model built to help business owners learn from each other.  During his banking years, he'd noticed that his most successful clients had something like this, so he founded LoCo so that he and other small businesses could have the same experience.  

One of the key moments that shaped the trajectory of LoCo was when Curt's peer group asked deep & probing questions that led him to make a sobering yet relieving decision to put down his food trailer and identify a path to go full time LoCo.  

Curt's journey has been well-supported by his family, including most epic wife, Jill Bear. Curt's father also holds a special place in this business story, as he demonstrated to Curt what was possible by starting what has become a large and successful farm from scratch as he and his siblings were growing up in North Dakota.  

Listen in for this story of a business idea that changed shape over time, but always remained true to its' vision of a more-connected small business community.  

Cheers to 7 years and here's to many, many more! Happy Birthday, LoCo!

The LoCo Experience Podcast is sponsored by:  Purpose Driven Wealth Thrivent: Learn more

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Music By: A Brother's Fountain

Rina Jean Bindi is the Founder and CEO of Tipping Point Digital - a Digital Marketing Strategy firm based in Loveland, Colorado.  Tipping point helps their clients be found (and trusted) on the internet by focusing on positive reviews and SEO optimization.  She also serves as a marketing strategist for her sister's company, ZuGo Pet, and hosts the Point Taken Podcast - supporting positive business mindset and educating on alternative health practices.  

Rina was the founder and operator of RJ's Amazing Entertainment, which she sold in 2020 after 7 years of business.  RJ's continues to operate as an entertainment business focused on kids parties and community events - face painting, superheroes, princess parties - you name it.  We explore her journey of skills building in the San Diego area, her escape from a decade-long lifestyle of partying and substance abuse, and her eventual move to Colorado and the launch of her entertainment business here.  We explore her development of the business systems and digital presence that would allow her to find an eager buyer and to found and develop her current enterprises.  

Rina Jean is an eccentric and very likeable character, and this episode is a bit of a squirrel-chase through her life and business journey.  She gets real about her challenges with drugs and alcohol, her journey in finding her purpose and priorities, and her passion for continuous improvement in business and life.  She shares abundantly when it comes to digital marketing trends and tactics, and her story will help listeners realize that no matter the hard places they find themselves there is a pathway to success as we serve the needs of others and work on ourselves.  

The LoCo Experience Podcast is sponsored by:  Purpose Driven Wealth Thrivent: Learn more

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Music By: A Brother's Fountain

Seth Silvers is the Founder and CEO of Story On Media & Marketing based in Fort Collins, Colorado, and also the creator of The Small Business Storytellers Podcast, and is preparing to launch a new podcast focused on Authentic Marketing.  Seth and his team develop marketing campaigns and outreach built on storytelling - helping their client's customers see and hear and know the stories that reveal the value and values of the business in the community.  They help business owners create and distribute their own content, and provide production and distribution support for podcasts and other media channels.  

Seth shares abundantly of his insights into story marketing, how small businesses of different types can use stories to attract and retain customers, and the trends to be aware of.  He also gets real about the business journey of Story On - starting as a short-lived partnership in 2015, evolving through periods of being a part-time business, and getting real with his staffing model and service offerings in 2020.  

This episode is full of great marketing insights and get real business learnings, some from the school of hard knocks - and you're gonna love it.  

The LoCo Experience Podcast is sponsored by:  Purpose Driven Wealth Thrivent: Learn more

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Music By: A Brother's Fountain

How do you see new opportunities as an entrepreneur? Nick Armstrong, Geek in Chief at WTF Marketing (and lead organizer of Fort Collins Startup Week and Comic-Con) shares his journey of finding countless ways to create something unique to give back to the community. This includes his newest endeavor, running for City Council!

In this Shorts episode, get inspired to work beyond your business and find ways to identify needs in the community–and fill them! Nick’s strong aptitude for relationship building and community events helped him have a greater impact in addition to his 11+ year business, WTF Marketing.

You’ll leave this episode thinking of ways to invest in yourself and learning it’s ok to change big and small things that don’t serve you.

The LoCo Experience Podcast is sponsored by:  Purpose Driven Wealth Thrivent: Learn more

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Music By: A Brother's Fountain

Abbie Stout is the owner/proprietor of the Edwards House Inn, a boutique hotel, conference, and special event center in Old Town Fort Collins, Luz en el Cielo, an Eco-B&B / Hostel in Montezuma, Costa Rica, and Cedar & Sage Mercantile, a sustainable hone products company operated by the Edwards House staff - and she is also a LoCo Think Tank member!  

Abbie started her business journey as a school project the summer before her final year of college, when she wrote a business plan for an eco-lodge in Costa Rica.  As her education wound down, her business professor and others encouraged her to pursue the project - and she did! - purchasing a broken-down property as a 23-year-old business novice with limited Spanish speaking ability.  She bootstrapped the reinvigoration of the property and re-opened as Luz en el Cielo in the fall of 2010.  

After growing and developing her Costa Rica business, Abbie was able to move back to Fort Collins in late 2017, when her family swapped properties with Curt Richardson of Otterbox fame - the historic Stout Ranch near the Colorado/Wyoming border for the Edwards House in Fort Collins.  Abbie opened Cedar & Sage in 2020 to scratch a long-standing business itch in making it easier for consumers to select more sustainable products in their home product choices, and it has also helped to keep her staff employed after the reduction in revenues caused by the covid crisis.  

Abbie is an inspirational leader at the ripe young age of 34, and her attitude and perspectives are contagious.  "Go for it!" is her message to anyone who's interested in pursuing the lifestyle of the business owner - especially to women and moms!  Give this episode a listen to be encouraged and empowered to make your own business dreams come true!  

The LoCo Experience Podcast is sponsored by:  Purpose Driven Wealth Thrivent: Learn more

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Music By: A Brother's Fountain

John Shaw is the Founder and the Conductor of the Orchestra at DaVinci Sign Systems located in Windsor, Colorado.  DaVinci specializes in the creation of custom sign systems for businesses, communities, schools, churches and organizations of all kinds.  John founded the company in 2004 in Fort Collins, and has over 30 employees on the "E-Team" - everything about them is positive, and they work hard and always together - to make their client's custom signage dreams a reality.  

John's entrepreneurial journey started in 1985 when he founded Shaw Sign & Awning in Fort Collins, a business which grew over 13 years to over 50 employees.  In a perhaps-impulsive move to make more room for his family, John sold Shaw Sign & Awning in 1998.  From there, he wondered and wandered for a time through real estate, commercial insurance sales and custom home building.  He found himself coming back to the industry he knows and loves the best with the founding of DaVinci.  

John shares a look behind the curtain of the custom signage industry, with reflections on the changes and consistencies in the industry over a 30-year period.  He also shares insights gained from his non-business pursuits, ranging from his love of surfing to his decision to pursue a self-supported Ride the Rockies effort this season when the official ride was canceled over Covid concerns.  Enthusiasm, Endurance, and Excellence are abundant on the E-team, and John conducts the orchestra of their talents at the office and in his individual pursuits.   

The LoCo Experience Podcast is sponsored by:  Purpose Driven Wealth Thrivent: Learn more

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Music By: A Brother's Fountain

How do you feed a community during a pandemic? FOCO Cafe's Executive Director, Mallory Garneau, shares her bigs wins and key challenges 2020 brought for their non-profit. Learn about the creative adjustments Mallory and her team put in place to continue feeding the Fort Collins community, all while achieving record-breaking fundraising!

FoCo Cafe’s mission is to build community by providing nutritious and delicious meals to the people of Fort Collins regardless of their ability to pay while using mostly local, organic, and sustainably grown ingredients. They are a cafe & non-profit of shared responsibility that offers healthy and delicious meals to all people on a donation basis. They build community one plate at a time. If you can give more, please pay it forward. If you have a little less, pay what you can.

The LoCo Experience Podcast is sponsored by:  Purpose Driven Wealth Thrivent: Learn more

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Music By: A Brother's Fountain

Becky Lauridsen is the Founder of IOME - Guilt Free Self Care.  IOME is a membership organization that provides access to a supportive community in the areas of Mind, Body, and Soul, with plans that include access to discounts with community partners, monthly therapy/coaching session, and monthly small group engagements.   IOME provides the therapy/coaching/small groups, and partners provide an array of discounted services to members, including but not limited to massage, chiropractic, nutrition, yoga, fitness, skin care, travel, and interior design.  

Becky is a LoCo Think Tank member, and founded the business several years after burning out early in her career as a therapist and leaving the industry.  She later realized her struggles were due to her failure to tend to her own mental health needs, and she founded IOME in 2018.  Her basic premise is that the mental health industry would be more effective if they could engage people in their mental health maintenance before they're in a terrible place.  Becky shares how it's not selfish to make space for self-care, and that you can serve others better if you keep yourself in good shape - Mind, Body, and Soul.    

The LoCo Experience Podcast is sponsored by:  Purpose Driven Wealth Thrivent: Learn more

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Music By: A Brother's Fountain