The Partnership Podcast

In this episode, VVP's Erik Williams welcomes Katie DiGiacomo, President and Owner of Hot Jobs Staffing & Recruiting, recent honoree of Coloradobiz’s Top 100 Woman-Owned Businesses.  They talk about hiring in the high country vs the front range, retention strategies, trends in the workplace, and the future of hiring for jobs in places where housing and childcare costs have made relocation more difficult in recent years.  Katie's expertise and experience hiring in the mountain communities make for a fascinating conversation about where our mountain communities are headed.  If your business is experiencing any struggles in hiring and retaining the best, this podcast is for you.
Find more information HERE

Erik has a chance to spend time with a truly extraordinary person, Brielle Kelley.  Brielle is a school-based therapist at Homestake Peak School and Eagle Valley Elementary School as well as as working at Your Hope Center.  Her passion is for her students to succeed and it comes through loud and clear with the strategies and techniques she employs including cultural and linguistic responsivity and her case study work within families.  She has helped to foster support groups for childcare workers and teaches social and emotional learning to students through the mentoring program at SOS outreach.  If it truly does take a village to raise our children, we should all be incredibly thankful that Brielle is a part of our village.  Learn more about what's being done for our students and how you can help in your own way!

Erik get's a chance to spend time with Gracie Rounds, which is always time well spent!  Gracie's Coffee was named Best Emerging Business of the Year at this year's Success Awards and Erik and Gracie go through her timeline of seeing a need, starting a business, growing that business and...spoiler alert...selling the business to another up and coming entrepreneur!
Learn more about Gracie's Coffee HERE

Erik has a chance to sit with Ryan Santilli, Director of Sales with AVA Rafting and Zipline, for a wide-ranging discussion of trends in outdoor recreation.  They discuss the COVID "bubble" of outdoor tourism, where it stands now, and the challenges of hiring and retention in a highly seasonal business.  Ryan also teaches Erik what Via Ferrata is and why everyone wants to do it!
Learn more about all the amazing outdoor opportunities that AVA offers HERE

In this podcast Erik gets a chance to chat about HR trends, challenges and solutions on a national scale with Yutaka Takagi, Principal Product Evangelist with isolved and how that transfers to our mountain communities with local isolved Business Coach Scott Trainer.  They discuss what national trends are happening around employee engagement and retention as well as break down bridging the gap between the employee experience and the customer experience...and why that's so vital in today's business culture.
Learn more about isolved HERE
Contact Scott directly: [email protected]
Contact Yutaka directly: www.linkedin.com/in/yutakatakagi/

Erik is joined by Tony Martinez, Founder and President of Cornerstone Insurance and Financial Group to discuss the vital role that proper insurance coverage plays in owning and operating a business of any size.  Tony talks about some potential pitfalls that may occur but focuses more on the idea that working with an insurance broker is relational rather than transactional and can have so many benefits for both your long-term and short-term business goals.  Tony shares some real life examples, including a recent relationship he's working on with a group that just purchased a town!  Yes, you heard me, you've got to listen to this story...

Learn more about Cornerstone Insurance and Financial Group HERE 

It's a real "plodcast" this time with Vail Valley Mountain Trail Alliance as we hike and talk! Erik is joined by Ernest Saeger, Executive Director with VVMTA and Nicky Asselin, Development and Engagement Manager.  Join this trio as they head up Boneyard in Eagle on a cold Spring morning to talk about spring trails, hiking, protecting our resources (including wildlife!) best hiking shoes (randomly) and their second favorite trails.  C'mon, nobody shares their favorite!

The VVMTA advocates for soft surface trails, manages trail stewardship programs, maintains and builds trails, coordinates and trains volunteers, educates outdoor recreational users, and creates opportunities to access the outdoors. They provide expertise, resources, and the experience to support local land managers in various soft surface trail initiatives.

Learn more about their incredible work and see how you can get involved HERE

Erik gets a tour of the new medical spa in town, Apres IV, Aesthetics and Dental Haus from Dr. Hillery Oliver.  Dr. Oliver talks with Erik about their multifaceted business, from skincare to dental and more while trying not to look too closely at how Erik himself is aging.  Yes, he was invited back for a free consultation and you are too!

Dr. Oliver talks about the business community in Avon, what she sees as her target demographic and what has been the best advertising for her (spoiler: it's not what you think!)  Join us for an insightful look at a growing business and hear what's fueling that success.

Learn more about the good work being done at Apres IV, Aesthetics and Dental Haus HERE.

Erik has a chance to visit an actual podcast room in the Slifer House, Slifer Smith and Frampton's shared workspace, with guests Jay Peterson and Kim Fritzler.
They discuss the Slifer Foundation, why community involvement is so important and the upcoming Skivenger event to benfit the Community Market.

The 4th annual Skivenger Hunt is a fun-filled day on Vail Mountain to give back to the place we call home. The SSF Foundation was established in 2015 focusing on supporting local community organizations that do an amazing job making our area the best place to live.  All proceeds this year will go to the Community Market, learn more about their good work HERE.

Erik has a chance to chat with Nancy Heard, GM of Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park and it's such an enlightening conversation!  From the history of the Caverns, to the creation of the first attraction, to the addition of Iron Mountain Hot Springs, this longtime local business has been growing strategically and with community in mind.  Nancy shares stories from the Caverns as well as some great business insights.
Learn more about their incredible story HERE.