PITCH DAY IS NEXT WEEK—REGISTER NOW!

PITCH DAY IS NEXT WEEK—REGISTER NOW! 

Tuesday, September 14th, 2021,  5 - 8 pm  MST

Don't miss Silicon Couloir’s 10th Annual Pitch Day, our signature event of the year. “Shark Tank, Teton style,” Pitch Day features local entrepreneurs showcasing their businesses. Cash prizes will be awarded in a number of categories. Pitch Day will be held at the Center for the Arts on Tuesday, September 14th from 5 - 8 pm MDT. 

The safety and health of our community are our highest priority. Therefore, due to the recent surge in Covid cases, we have limited in-person attendance, which is now closed. We do hope you will attend virtually. A livestream link will be sent to all following submission of the registration form linked from the button below.
 
Pitch Day stars a select group of innovative and creative companies developing in the Teton region. This event supports local entrepreneurs by allowing them to hone their pitch and share their business to a wide audience.  

Presenting entrepreneurs have had several coaching sessions with a team of successful and experienced business experts leading up to the main event. Coaching is a critical feature of the program, as it helps entrepreneurs hone their delivery and synthesize the information that is most likely to interest the audience.  

Pitch Day is a celebration of the highly successful entrepreneurial ecosystem in the Teton region. We hope to inspire audience members and others in our community to dream up or begin their own entrepreneurial journey.
 

DETAILS & REGISTRATION

Scott Fitzgerald pitched for Buddy Pegs Media in 2019.

HELP SUPPORT A HEALTHY ECONOMY THROUGH
OLD BILL'S FUN RUN

Silicon Couloir offers a wide range of cost-free programs from founding to funding for our dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem. Please help us continue our work and leverage your gift with a match by donating through Old Bill's. The giving period is now open until 5 pm on Friday, September 17th.

GIVE NOW

VISIONARY VENTURES

The August edition of Visionary Ventures, our monthly News & Guide column, explores the challenges of owning a business that relies on local workers in our current housing crisis through the experience of Jeff Rice, former owner of Jackson Whole Grocer.

Notes author Will Stabler, "(Rice) urges local leaders to dream bigger and make more bold and ambitious initiatives, even if they may be unpopular with some constituents. He would like to encourage approval of more housing projects even if they don’t fit neatly into the Comprehensive Plan."

READ THE FULL COLUMN HERE

WELCOME TO NEW TRUSTEES

Silicon Couloir Trustees are a bold group of thinkers and doers who provide support for our mission. Please help us welcome new Trustees Mark Ladd and Dave Anderson. We're grateful for their generous gift to our entrepreneurial community.

Mark J. Ladd has over 25 years of experience leading design and technical innovation for large multi-national architectural/engineering/ construction/ real estate and emerging services companies. Mark is an investor, entrepreneur, and a seasoned professional adept at developing sophisticated solutions for the virtual and built environments with a proficiency in merging disparate technologies and personnel into team and customer service-centered business units. 

Mark is the Managing Director of Malex Enterprises which is focused on early-stage ventures, real estate investment, and equities portfolio. In addition, Mark is a Venture Partner at New Stack Ventures involved in deal flow, assessing new opportunities, and working with portfolio companies in their technical and marketing roadmaps. Mark is also a Board Member/ Shareholder of Artory, a blockchain based registry that tracks provenance for art and collectibles. Mark is also a mentor to aspiring real estate and construction technology start-ups at Moderne Ventures and previously at Elmspring Accelerator.

Mark was also the Founder/ CEO of LyteShot, the first immersive augmented reality (AR) gaming platform that leverages the cloud, connected mobile and IoT devices and AR smartglasses for unique interactive gaming experiences anywhere.

Mark received his Master’s in Architecture from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) with a concentration in Digital Media where he received multiple awards for his design portfolio projects. He earned his bachelor’s degree in English Literature and Medieval History from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Dave Anderson is a lifelong resident of the Tetons Region. Recently retired as a practicing ophthalmologist in Idaho Falls after 37 years, Dave enjoys all the adventure that the region has to offer: from ski racing on Rendezvous Mountain before the Tram was built to hiking in the Tetons. Dave’s goal is to provide the space, training, and support for consumers to transform into entrepreneurs.

NOSO PATCHES IS HIRING! 

Noso Patches is hiring a Director of Operations. Put your talent to work for a remarkable company that makes environmental and social change through extending the life of clothing by using next-generation hi-tech do-it-yourself patches.

JOB DESCRIPTION HERE

LEARN MORE ABOUT SILICON COULOIR

HAVE NEWS TO SHARE?

As always, please feel free to send news of your company's press, events, successes, and milestones to Gary@siliconcouloir.com and we'll do our best to feature them in our newsletters!

ARE YOU A COMMUNITY CARETAKER?

Silicon Couloir strengthens our Teton regional community by empowering the entrepreneurial ecosystem. More than just business development, we believe in enriching our community character and enhancing our mountain town culture. Help us support business pioneers in the Tetons by becoming a community caretaker!

To offer your time or talent, please email us at Gary@siliconcouloir.com.

THANK YOU TO OUR SILICON COULOIR SPONSORS

Jeff Rice an advocate for workers

August Visionary Ventures: Jeff Rice an advocate for workers

By Will Stabler

One day in 2010, Jeff Rice, owner of Jackson Whole Grocer, realized that the Rocky Mountain regional president of Whole Foods Market, along with several others from his management team, were sitting at his store’s juice bar in the Powderhorn Plaza. Whole Foods was scouting the Jackson market and it became clear over the coming couple of years that Whole Foods wanted to be in Jackson.

Shortly afterward they made an offer to buy the store and Jeff turned them down. Many years later in 2019, when Kmart announced it was closing and Lucky’s Market had recently pulled out of the market, Jeff was faced with the prospect that another grocer could enter using either of those spaces. What was the fate of the old Kmart and Lucky’s spaces — would a Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s or other national or specialty grocer appear? Jeff had already navigated through Lucky’s entry into the Jackson market and there was a rumor that Smith’s was eyeing the Kmart space for a second store. Another player was something Jeff kept a watchful eye on.

Jeff was comfortable dealing with such a prospect. In fact, Jeff thought he would run Whole Grocer for decades until only recently; “I’d have been happy to run this business for another decade or more,” he said recently via video call.

An entrepreneur most of his adult life, Jeff had been involved in various start-ups including a locally based pharmacy benefits management company in the mid-1990s and a regional internet service provider in the late ’90s. Back in the early ’90s, during Jeff’s first few years in Jackson, he sold lift tickets at Jackson Hole Ski Corp and was in sales for Sysco Intermountain. Tragedy struck his young family in 2005 when he abruptly and unexpectedly lost his wife, Wendy, to a heart arrhythmia disease. He was a single parent of two baby boys for five years thereafter. He then married his current wife, Darcy, reengaged his career life and acquired Whole Grocer from the Arndt family. Jeff and Darcy were drawn to a local community-oriented business and had a love of natural food.

Eleven years later Jeff is proud of what he accomplished at Jackson Whole Grocer. In the face of Whole Foods’ offer to buy the business in 2012, he and his team doubled down by relocating and expanding the store. In 2014 it moved to the current location of Whole Foods and was expanded from 14,000 square feet at the old location to 40,000 square feet at its current location.

More important to Jeff were Whole Grocer’s contributions to the community. Jackson Whole Grocer fostered philanthropic partnerships with organizations like Systems of Care, an affinity group of 35 local health and human services organizations. Further, Whole Grocer contributed many tons of food to Hole Food Rescue and supported organizations like Slow Food in the Tetons.

Jeff commented that “pursuing the company’s mission of creating and sharing the JWG experience…was the really good stuff that came from my time at JWG. It was always a joy to see the community come together through food. It was a pleasure to watch the community in the aisles chatting, or customers engaging with employees while finding something or as they tried a sample of something new.”

The team — 140 strong when the sale finalized in February — is what Jeff holds most dear from his years at the helm of Whole Grocer.

“Our team truly made the magic happen and I will always be grateful for each of them and cherish our chapters spent together,” he said.

In recent years Jeff watched with great concern as stress and anxiety grew among his team at all levels of the company.

“While labor challenges across the country are certainly a current trend, the lack and cost of housing here is at the foundation of the systemic stress and anxiety in our community,” Jeff said. “There are a lot of people suffering as they try to make it here.”

From a business perspective, such dynamics are creating an increasingly unsustainable environment. Housing shortages lead to higher labor costs. While Jeff feels employees in Jackson need and deserve higher wages, high labor costs, even despite high sales volumes, don’t blend well with a business in the low-margin grocery industry. Jeff said that “a tipping point was realized when even higher paying leadership and management positions — directors of accounting, HR, IT, and marketing — were being affected by housing issues.”

Long before the business was sold, Whole Grocer’s accounting and HR offices had gone dark and such operations were outsourced. Such folks are finding it difficult to make it in Jackson. That in turn is resulting in a material shortage of qualified professionals.

The situation was “compromising fundamental operations within the company,” so when the Whole Foods opportunity came along Jeff made the decision to take it. But first he explored any alternative available to keep the business locally owned. He did deep dives into the possibilities of an employee-owned company and opportunities to sell locally. Despite spending substantial time, effort and money on these options they did not prove viable. So after ensuring all qualified team members would be offered job opportunities after the transition, Jeff concluded that the best alternative was to sell Jackson Whole Grocer to Whole Foods Market.

Jeff is contemplative now. As a 30-year community member and businessman, he’s troubled by current dynamics in Jackson. He points to the sale of Whole Grocer, the closing of The Bootlegger, the recent announcement of Jackson Cycle and Saw closing, and many businesses cutting back their operating hours, etc., as foreshadowing: “Unfortunately, in the coming years we’re going to see more of this — business owners and the workforce can’t run full-tilt and carry the shortfalls on a sustained basis.”

He urges local leaders to dream bigger and make more bold and ambitious initiatives, even if they may be unpopular with some constituents. He would like to encourage approval of more housing projects even if they don’t fit neatly into the Comprehensive Plan.

“Let’s not let perfect get in the way of good. There is a healthy balance that can be struck here ... as an avid outdoorsman, skier, fisherman and climber, I’m all for conserving and keeping this place beautiful and healthy, but we’ve got to put people first.”

Silicon Couloir supports entrepreneurs in the hope they can create something like Jeff did: one of the biggest employers in Teton County, driven by strong core values and with many year-round, well-paying jobs.

If we are at a point that both front-line employees and higher-paid leaders and management-level folks cannot make it here, who is going to be left and what’s the point?

Again, Jeff urges local leadership to take big, bold, decisive action that will advance progressive development regulations, housing proposals, alternative tax measures, transportation initiatives, etc. — all of which are aimed at bettering the lives of the people that make up the fabric of the community.

I, for one, agree with him.

“There are a lot of people suffering as they try to make it here.” — Jeff Rice former whole grocer owner

Visionary Ventures prints once a month. Will Stabler is operations manager for Silicon Couloir. Reach him at will@siliconcouloir.com.

Please Remember Silicon Couloir at Old Bill's!

Silicon Couloir is hard at work supporting our entrepreneurial community so that they may remain in the Teton region pursing meaningful work and create good-paying, year-round jobs. If you value the Teton region’s new economy—beyond tourism and resource extraction—and a suite of free programs from Founding to Funding, please support Silicon Couloir at Old Bill’s.

Access for All: SIlicon Couloir & happyly

Caitlin Iseler, Founder of happyly and a busy mom, felt there needed to be an easier way for families to get outside together.  So, after a 15-year career with tech companies, she decided to build an app to give parents suggestions for activities in under 60 seconds for a 5 star family time. 

Today happyly serves families across the US in thirty locations and is growing by the week. Activities are sourced by a passionate team of ambassadors that share local knowledge of quality family experiences. 

As a TEAMS company, Entrepreneurship Essentials graduate, and a Pitch Day 2020 finalist, Silicon Couloir has been instrumental in happyly’s growth.

 Pitch Day provided Iseler with an opportunity to hone her pitch and build awareness for the company. The coaching and hard work paid off. Iseler took home the Audience Choice Award.

Despite the isolation brought on by COVID, Iseler has never felt alone. As part of the Silicon Couloir community, she has a network of mentors, coaches, and peers, so there’s always someone available to take a call, share advice or simply listen.

“SC made it easy for me to invest in myself and my business by providing both low-cost and no-cost programming,” states Iseler.  “It’s the gift that keeps on giving! It's such a special community and being part of it has helped me and happyly beyond measure. I have been the recipient of so much goodness and hope I can return that to this community over a lifetime.”

Virtual Chance Meetings is Monday, August 2nd: Competition, Refreshed: Understanding Leadership with Jeff Moore

MONTHLY CHANCE MEETINGS 

August 2, 2021,  5 - 6 pm Via Zoom

Please register by clicking the button below

Sometimes all you need is the right connection and a little inspiration. Well, what are you waiting for? Find both at our free monthly virtual networking event. You never know...

REGISTER FOR CHANCE MEETINGS

Theme: Competition, Refreshed: Understanding Leadership with Jeff Moore

Jeff will challenge you to re-examine your approach to leadership by discussing the difference between leading people and managing them. Managers build companies from the outside-in. They tend to be results-obsessed, driven by the need to compare favorably. Leaders don't compare. They compete. Leaders build companies from the inside-out by embracing Strivership, an ethic of continuous improvement based on the origin of compete: “to strive together.”  

Succeeding in today’s disruptive, unstable economy requires being in perpetual invent, adapt, and reinvent mode, and yet there is constant pressure to compare favorably. The impression management industry has stifled our willingness to solve big problems. Success (or the appearance of it) must always be within our grasp. The key to thriving in a rapid change economy is the willingness to compete - the willingness to stretch beyond perceived limitations. Companies that are led exude a Spirit of Strivership, the palpable sense that everyone involved is excited about getting better every day - together!

Jeff is the CEO of Moore Leadership LLC. He helps leaders in organizations of all types build championship teams using the revolutionary Strivership Quotient Assessment. During his 23 year career at the University of Texas, Jeff's Longhorn Tennis Teams won 2 NCAA Championships, appeared in 2 NCAA finals, advanced to the Final Four 3 times, reached the Elite Eight 3 times, and won 18 conference titles. Jeff is a member of the Longhorn Hall of Honor and the College Tennis Hall of Fame. He has been named National Coach of the Year and was Conference Coach of the Year 10 times. Before taking the reins at Texas, Jeff coached the Men's and Women's Tennis Teams at the University of Colorado.  

Jeff served as Chairperson of the NCAA Men's and Women's Tennis Committee and as a member of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's Board of Directors. He also has experience as a teacher, administrator, and basketball coach at all levels. Jeff and his wife Lucy live part time in both Jackson Wyoming and Austin, Texas. They have 2 sons, Tim, a dean at St. Andrew's Episcopal School and Andy (32), a product development manager for GoDaddy.

REGISTER FOR CHANCE MEETINGS

FOUNDING TO FUNDING: 8 QUESTIONS WITH SUSAN PIEPER,  FOUNDER & CEO, DMOS COLLECTIVE, AND 2016 PITCH DAY WINNER

Susan Pieper saw a need for a portable yet full-sized and durable shovel. Since there was nothing out there that fit the bill, she created it and DMOS Collective was born in 2015. She has grown DMOS Collective into a nation-wide highly recognized brand with numerous innovative products. And, the shovels are made right here in Wyoming. Now that’s a success story! Silicon Couloir has been there as a support for DMOS Collective throughout their growth, starting with Pitch Day in 2016. We’re so proud to see one of our ecosystem companies grow from FOUNDING TO FUNDING with our help and support. Way to go Susan!

Read her thoughtful responses below to learn more about DMOS Collective and visit https://dmoscollective.com to see the goods!

8 QUESTIONS WITH SUSAN PIEPER

WELCOME NEW TRUSTEES MARTY COLOMBATTO &
 RISHI KUMAR

Martin (Marty) Colombatto is a technology industry executive with over 30 years of experience in engineering, production development, sales & marketing, and general management. Marty built his career in the semiconductor field holding various management positions with Texas Instruments, LSI Logic, Broadcom and Staccato Communications. As VP & GM of Broadcom’s Networking Division, Marty built a $500M business from inception, was instrumental in the company’s IPO and subsequent acquisition of 20+ companies. Marty was Chairman and CEO of Staccato Communications - an Ultra-Wideband wireless communication chip developer.

Marty is currently serving on corporate boards, consulting and angel investing. He graduated from California Polytechnic University with a degree in Electronic Engineering Technology. He continues to serve on the school of engineering’s Dean’s Leadership Board. In 2013, he received the school’s Distinguished Alumnus award and was appointed to the Engineering Hall of Fame. Marty resides in Wilson, WY, has 3 children and 4 grandchildren. He enjoys all forms of outdoor sports and recreation.

Rishi is one part engineer and one part financier. He is an MIT trained computer scientist who spent many years as a bond derivatives trader on Wall Street before founding two financial technology companies. As Founder and Co-CEO of Kashable, an employee financial wellness platform, he is now looking to use the same talents to drive social and financial impact in the lives of Working Americans. Rishi’s companies have provided $2 billion in financing to underserved small businesses and consumers.

VISIONARY VENTURES: PITCH DAY SUCCESS PORTENDS ANOTHER GREAT EVENT

"While we’re unsure who will stand out in interviews this week, one thing is certain: With such a strong pool of businesses to choose from and terrific coaching to follow, we’re in for quite a show at Pitch Day on Sept. 14. And for those selected to compete, just look at Irene with Nitrome Bioscience, Jack and Ellie with Powwater or several other community members and see: This may be the beginning of something big, " explains Silicon Couloir staff member Will Stabler in the July edition of Silicon Couloir's Jackson Hole News & Guide column, Visionary Ventures.

READ THE FULL COLUMN

STAY TUNED FOR THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF OUR PITCH DAY FINALISTS!

REMEMBER SILICON COULOIR AT OLD BILL'S FUN RUN

Silicon Couloir offers a range of FREE programs to entrepreneurs in the Teton region— from monthly networking events, to education, to world-class mentoring. Entrepreneurs in our ecosystem build values-based businesses, create jobs, and enjoy meaningful work. If you appreciate the work we do,please remember Silicon Couloir at Old Bill's Fun Run. and double your impact with a match. Giving starts on August 13th.

THREE CHEERS FOR START-UP SUCCESS GRADUATES 

If you attended Chance Meetings last month, you were treated to inspiring and thoughtful elevator pitches from 8 of our 14 Start-Up Success: Fundamentals graduates. Three members of the cohort went on to apply for Pitch Day. Congratulations to all of the grads for their hard work, vision, and courage to begin their entrepreneurial journey.
Says Start-Up Success: Fundamentals graduate Megan Curfman, “Start-Up Success was everything I was hoping for and more! I had a business concept I was excited about, but didn’t really know where to begin on creating a pitch deck, let alone all the critical pieces that go into one. The instructors were amazing at walking us through the critical path of entrepreneurship - with support every step of the way. I especially loved the emphasis on preparing ourselves mentally and emotionally for what is in store as you finesse a concept into a real live business.”

Peter Frank, CEO & Founder of Buonaforma gives his pitch at the July Chance Meetings.

FORBES FEATURES LOCAL ENTREPRENEURS

KELLI JONES & TANA HOFFMAN

We're so proud of these local ladies who are making a name for themselves as successful entreprepreneurs with national recognition from Forbes Magazine. Kelli Jones, Founder and CEO of Noso Patches, was interviewd for a piece entitled "There's No Business Like Your Own Business: Six Essential Tips To Launching A Successful Startup". Both Kelli and Tana Hoffman, founder and CEO of Mountainist, were named on the Next 1000 list. Congratulations, Kelli and Tana!

LEARN MORE ABOUT SILICON COULOIR

HAVE NEWS
TO SHARE?

As always, please feel free to send news of your company's press, events, successes, and milestones to gary@siliconcouloir.com and we'll do our best to feature them in our newsletters!

ARE YOU A COMMUNITY CARETAKER?

Silicon Couloir strengthens our Teton regional community by empowering the entrepreneurial ecosystem. More than just business development, we believe in enriching our community character and enhancing our mountain town culture. Help us support business pioneers in the Tetons by becoming a community caretaker!

To offer your time or talent, please email us at Gary@siliconcouloir.com.

THANK YOU TO OUR SILICON COULOIR SPONSORS

Pitch Day success portends another great event

July Visionary Ventures: Pitch Day success portends another great event

Visionary Ventures / By Will Stabler

The audience was on to something. In September 2018 people attending Silicon Couloir’s eighth annual Pitch Day voted for Irene Griswold-Prenner’s Nitrome Biosciences more than any other business competing that day. Less than 18 months later Nitrome raised $38 million from investors to fund its research for a Parkinson’s disease treatment.

In 2019 an experienced investor panel awarded Pitch Day’s grand prize to Powwater, a startup determined to bring clean water solutions to underserved populations around the globe. Since then Powwater has won an extremely competitive grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and significantly expanded its team as it endeavors to beta test in Mombasa, Kenya.

These are not anomalies. Several Pitch Day alumni were awarded grants by the Wyoming Business Council, including Monica Grohne (Marea), Eric Green (Blaze Controller) and Karissa Akin and Kailey Gieck (both of Iksplor). This run of success speaks to the experience Pitch Day affords, and the counsel that Silicon Couloir’s volunteer coaches and panelists provide.

Another episode of Silicon Couloir’s Pitch Day ramps up this week. Twenty-six applicants — double the previous single-year high — will be narrowed down to six finalists. The interview stage mirrors Pitch Day itself, with contestants limited to eight minutes to explain and market their business. Entrepreneurs will explain the problem they are hoping to solve, their concise solution and who their customers will be and how they’ll find them. The presenters will also look to distinguish their business from its competitors, and provide key milestones and financial data.

A question-and-answer session follows, when the selection committee will both probe the businesses fundamentals and offer coaching to the individuals. The committee then faces the daunting task of selecting just a handful of finalists from a strong group, evaluating each business on its chance for success, likelihood of being funded, the strength of its team, the quality of the presentation and the values it holds closest.

When the dust settles, six people and their companies will have eight weeks to prepare for Pitch Day 2021, set for the afternoon of Sept. 14 at the Center for the Arts. The selection committee will have indicated areas of weakness in both the business and the presentation, and Silicon Couloir has found that the finalists who put the most work in before Pitch Day are those who walk away with the awards and prize money.

Arguably the most valuable experience for the finalists is this interim period, between the selection as a finalist and the event itself. During these eight weeks each entrepreneur will have the opportunity to pitch four more times before seasoned volunteer coaches, who will offer critiques on the presentation and the business. A rotating cast of coaches ensures a variety of perspectives and differing levels of industry familiarity, so presenters can be sure that their pitch resonates with people from all sorts of backgrounds.

While we’re unsure who will stand out in interviews this week, one thing is certain: With such a strong pool of businesses to choose from and terrific coaching to follow, we’re in for quite a show at Pitch Day on Sept. 14. And for those selected to compete, just look at Irene with Nitrome, Jack and Ellie with Powwater or several other community members and see: This may be the beginning of something big.

FOUNDING TO FUNDING: 8 QUESTIONS WITH SUSAN PIEPER, FOUNDER & CEO, DMOS COLLECTIVE, AND 2016 PITCH DAY WINNER

FOUNDING TO FUNDING: 8 QUESTIONS WITH SUSAN PIEPER,  FOUNDER & CEO, DMOS COLLECTIVE, AND 2016 PITCH DAY WINNER

Susan Pieper saw a need for a portable yet full-sized and durable shovel. Since there was nothing out there that fit the bill she created it and DMOS Collective was born in 2015. Since that time, she has grown DMOS Collective into a nation-wide highly recognized brand with numerous innovative products. And, the shovels are made right here in Wyoming. Now that’s a success story!

Silicon Couloir has been there as a support for DMOS collective throughout their growth, starting with winning Pitch Day in 2016. We’re so proud to see one of our ecosystem companies grow from FOUNDING TO FUNDING with our help and support. Way to go Susan!

Read her thoughtful responses below to learn more about DMOS Collective and visit https://dmoscollective.com to see the goods!

Q: How did you come to found DMOS Collective?

A: I’ll make a long story short and say that innovation happens at the intersection of multiple fields, disciplines, and cultures (this is called the Medici effect) and that’s how DMOS was born.  I had previously been working in startups and have an MBA and knew I wanted to start a brand.  Separately, when I moved to Jackson, I wanted to be connected to this place by working in the outdoor industry. The third vector was that I lived in Japan for three years and studied principals of Japanese design, particularly the art of well made/beautifully made things (Monozukuri) as well as their small and often compact to fit small spaces.  So, DMOS was born out of the intersection of those experiences. A lot of people know the story that the catalyst for our first product was the observation that there was no tool that was full sized yet portable for my son to use in building jumps in snow and dirt.  If all of this doesn’t sound linear, it’s because it truly wasn’t, but what emerged as DMOS today was a crowd hit through a successful Kickstarter Campaign that won awards and was a cult favorite with skiers and snowboarders including Travis Rice, whom I deeply admire.  I may digress here, but I simply want to say that I am forever grateful for Travis’s support and encouragement and DMOS wouldn’t be where we are today without Travis. 

 Q: Tell us about the growth of DMOS. How have you been able to scale so successfully?

A: Well, the growth has not been linear as in the early days we were looking for product market fit outside of the backcountry kicker building market, which while cool, is very small.  In 2016-2017, we started selling driveway shovels, but few were sold to the same customers in the same channels. It wasn’t until 2018 that I put two and two together and noted that the larger market of DMOS customers were the dads of the skiers who were buying the DMOS Stealth Shovel as the best winter recovery shovel for their car and, around that time, one of my mentors, Emily Miller, the founder of the Rebelle Rally, told me to go to Overland expo that people there would love the Stealth Shovel as she does for an off road recovery shovel in sand/dirt.  And that is when our business began to really take off. 

Q: What prompted your decision to move your manufacturing to WY?

A: We had been operating with a strategic supplier who did all engineering, design for manufacturing, production, and fulfillment from 2017-2020 and when COVID hit, demand for DMOS products skyrocketed and yet their production capacity was extremely limited by COVID-19 protocols that were very strict in Oregon.  We could not get product for most of 2020 and  obviously realized we could no longer afford to be beholden to one supplier.  After our former factory finished the holiday order in December, we moved all these processes to Wyoming at New Year’s – right in the middle of our busiest season with 5’ of snow on the ground.  I had been living in Jackson but could not put the warehouse in East Jackson so I moved down to Alpine and got a 2000 square foot warehouse.  I still have PTSD from all the moved (LOL) but we’re doing better than ever now in Alpine.  Everything is better – our product quality, customer service and warranty service, fulfillment, and particularly innovation and engineering.  The only thing worse is that I don’t have a commute and I can now work all the time since the warehouse is right by my house.  But, hey, that’s the entrepreneur life, and I am living my dream of creating not just a business but a lifestyle brand that stands for self-reliance through great adventure products that fit your mobile life.

Q: How has Silicon Couloir supported you in your journey?

A: I have been tightly networked in the Valley through Silicon Couloir and couldn’t build this startup business without my network here.  I was able to close a funding round after pitching (and winning the panel and audience choice award) at Pitch Day in 2016 as it gave me reach and relationships.  I’ve enjoyed a sense of community and have learned from the other companies here and I’ve hoped I’ve been able to help other startups as I’ve been very open to share about my journey and our challenges

Q: What do you appreciate about being in the Teton region and in Alpine specifically? A: A: What I appreciate about the region is the quality of life we all enjoy.  What I appreciate in Alpine specifically is the ability to attract and retain employees who can afford housing here or in neighboring Star Valley.

Q: Would you recommend Pitch Day to other entrepreneurs and why?

A: I would definitely recommend Pitch Day as it’s not just a day but a process of expert mentorship and forces you to have discipline in pitching so that you are prepared to go to any angel group anywhere in the world.  It’s a first rate event and the Board and Trustees keep it that way and I respect their contribution to our community and dedication to support the entrepreneurs here. 

Q: Being an entrepreneur can be lonely. How has Silicon Couloir contributed to a sense of community?

A: Have you been listening to Brene Brown on vulnerability?   Just by asking that question, I applaud you for raising a topic that is mostly not discussed except in whispers.  Yes, it is lonely at the top and I have found Silicon Couloir to be a community of like-minded business owners to share experiences with as well as some war stories. 

Q: Is there anything else you would like to share?

A: I simply want to say that I feel so privileged to live in the Valley and that there is an entrepreneurial ecosystem around our world class Jackson Hole Mountain Resort and the Tetons.  The brands that call the Tetons home and/or that have roots here have paved the way for those of us who follow in their footsteps to succeed.  The history is rich if you consider that Mountain Khakis, Croakies, Life Link, Simms, Mizu, Cloudveil, all started here.   and now the current generation of brands like Stio, Made/Mountain Dandy, New West Knives, Franco Snowshapes, Noso, and Avalon 7 pave the way for us and lift us up. 

Our brand values are truly indistinguishable from what you need to survive here – self reliance, being prepared, having gear that outlasts you and I drive a lot of inspiration from the sense of place in which we live.

Chance Meetings is Monday, July 12th: Start-Up Success Graduates Pitch Their Businesses

IN-PERSON Chance Meetings is Monday, July 12: Start-Up Success Graduates Pitch Their Businesses (Note new location)

July 12, 2021,  5 - 7 pm @ Jackson Hole Historical Museum

Sometimes all you need is the right connection and a little inspiration. Well, what are you waiting for? Find both at our free monthly networking event. You never know...

Theme: Start-Up Success Graduates Pitch Their Businesses

We're excited to be back IN-PERSON and in a NEW LOCATION for Chance Meetings! Enjoy your first drink on us.

Join us to hear graduates from the new Start-Up Success (SUS) course share their elevator pitches and discuss their key learnings from this spring. Give support to these new founders and learn about their business ideas!  3D printing for home decor, Grizzly-proof composters, and an authentic app for travel recommendations— to name a few. Be inspired by the new cohort of entrepreneurs. 

Thank you to SUS sponsors Stio and Beyond Efficiency for providing student scholarships!
 

Please note: In accordance with CDC guidelines, fully vaccinated invitees may attend without masks; non or partially-vaccinated guests are asked to maintain social distancing and to bring a mask to be worn when interacting with others.

NEWS AND NOTES

RECORD NUMBER OF PITCH DAY APPLICANTS

This year's round of Pitch Day applicants was the strongest ever with 25 entrepreneur applications, a new record! Thank you to everyone who took the time to apply. It's going to be a very competitive selection process and a world-class event.

We're looking forward to hosting an in-person Pitch Day again this year at the Center for the Arts on Tuesday, September 14th from 5-8 pm. Pitch Day is free and open to the public.

WELCOME NEW TRUSTEE ANNIE MORITA

We're delighted to announce that Annie Morita is our newest Trustee! Annie brings years of experience in technology and innovation. Welcome, Annie!

Most recently, Annie was an executive with Apple, Inc., as the business lead for the Internet Software & Services Division in Greater China, focusing on the App Store, and Apple Media Products (Apple Music, TV, iTunes, and Podcasts). She joined Apple in January 2017 and was based in Shanghai, China.

A marketing and new media veteran, Annie has held top leadership positions at Dreamworks Animation, Warner Bros. Studios, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Electronic Arts where she was a founding member of EA Mobile and supported efforts for the company’s acquisition of Jamdat Entertainment. Annie began her career with Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., as an assignment editor with CNN International before moving to Hong Kong as the head of marketing for Turner International Far East Ltd., launching both CNN International and TNT & Cartoon Network to 32 countries in the region.

Annie holds a BA from Smith College and a master’s diploma in patisserie and baking from Le Cordon Bleu. She is a trustee emeritus at Smith College where she served on the board of trustees from 2006-2011. Annie served on the board of trustees for the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) from 2015-2017 before departing for her international assignment with Apple in China, and recently re-joined in June 2019 for a six-year term.

With her move to Jackson, Wyoming, Annie is certified in Wilderness First Aid (WFA) as well as is a Wilderness First Responder (WFR). She also serves on the board of trustees for the Grand Teton National Park Foundation and Silicon Couloir.

LEADERSHIP: MORE THAN MANAGING

Our June Visionary Ventures column in the Jackson Hole News & Guide was an insightful reflection on the importance of leadership and how entrepreneurs. Gary Trauner uses personal examples to highlight how entrepreneurs can move beyond mere management to take their businesses to the next level.

READ VISIONARY VENTURES

LEARN MORE ABOUT SILICON COULOIR

HAVE NEWS TO SHARE?

As always, please feel free to send news of your company's press, events, successes, and milestones to Gary@siliconcouloir.com and we'll do our best to feature them in our newsletters!

ARE YOU A COMMUNITY CARETAKER?

Silicon Couloir strengthens our Teton regional community by empowering the entrepreneurial ecosystem. More than just business development, we believe in enriching our community character and enhancing our mountain town culture. Help us support business pioneers in the Tetons by becoming a community caretaker!

To offer your time or talent, please email us at Gary@siliconcouloir.com.

THANK YOU TO OUR SILICON COULOIR SPONSORS

Leadership: More than Managing

June Visionary Ventures: Leadership— More than Managing

By Gary Trauner

Many entrepreneurs in our valley, and in general, are new to starting and running a business.

Typically, first-time entrepreneurs come up with what they believe is a great idea. If they are smart, organized and lucky, their idea may morph from concept into reality. Et voila, a new venture is born, and with it, a founder or founders who must run the business.

This applies to potential growth businesses that can scale beyond the Tetons region as well as small local businesses dependent on people spending their money here.

As their business grows, so typically does the eventual need for employees. What might have started out as a venture run by a solo entrepreneur often grows into one that turns to outside contractors and vendors and part-time staff. If all goes well and growth continues, in all likelihood the founder will end up with full-time employees, part-time employees and outside vendors for specific aspects of the venture, such as marketing or manufacturing.

Throughout this process two distinct facets of running an organization become more critical as the venture grows: management and leadership.

Yes. Though often conflated together, leadership and management are two distinctly different concepts requiring completely different skill sets. For the entrepreneur, understanding the difference between the two can be the determining factor in the ultimate success or failure of their venture.

Peter Drucker is revered by many as the father of modern management. He defined management as “the art of getting things done through and with people in formally organized groups.” More than just “art,” management involves process. Specifically, utilizing processes through planning, organizing, decision-making, implementing and accountability to achieve organizational goals efficiently and effectively (yeah, sounds pretty wonky). Effective management of staff and outside vendors is critical to the success of any business or organization.

Inspiring and motivating

However, managing is not the same as leading. Leadership entails, well, leading others. This entails defining a mission and vision and inspiring and motivating others to fully believe in and work toward a common purpose. Leadership means not just convincing people to hop onboard the boat for the ride, but inspiring everyone to actively pull their oars in the same direction to make sure the boat arrives where it was meant to go, perhaps even faster and earlier than originally planned.

In many organizations, leadership is highly undervalued and misunderstood. Most businesses tend to lean on quantitative metrics (sales growth, profitability and gross margin, among others) to measure success. These metrics are easy to measure and, yes, important to understand. Yet it is the qualitative aspects of a business — common culture, motivation, maximizing efforts for a common purpose — that often determine the ultimate success or failure of a venture.

Clear guidance

As organizations grow, so do the views and opinions of staff. Good leaders recognize that it is highly unlikely that everyone in their organization will agree with any given leadership decision. That’s why it is essential that true leaders set clear roles, goals, responsibilities and expectations, delineate processes and clearly guide their teams on how decisions are to be made.

Leaders must meaningfully engage with all parties in a process, and then clearly communicate not only the final decision but also the reasons behind the final decision to all participating and affected parties. And, yes, leaders must make tough decisions.

Entrepreneurs and business owners can delegate management (i.e., operations, sales marketing, finance, accounting and other business processes) to others within the organization. The same is most certainly not true of leadership.

Perhaps a real-life story will help underline the difference between management and leadership. Several years ago, a co-founder and I were running an internet firm here in the valley. We had started from scratch, and the business had grown rapidly through acquisitions to where it had nearly 100 employees. The company competed in a rapidly evolving industry that required constant infusions of capital to keep up with technological change and consumer demand.

Tough decisions

Over time, it became clear that our organization did not have the resources to continue to compete against bigger and better-capitalized competitors. While we had a management structure that allowed the company to operate as efficiently as possible, it became clear to me and my partner that no change in process or increase in efficiency would stem the bleeding of our customers to larger companies offering state-of-the-art services.

We knew that we were facing a founder’s worst nightmares: the possibility of laying off staff. It was time for leadership to kick into a higher gear. We gathered everyone together and explained the situation, ran through market and industry conditions and where the company stood from a competitive perspective. We solicited alternative ideas and worked our way through them.

Only after considering all alternatives did we actually arrive at the final decision, albeit a gut wrenching one: Layoffs were required.

Understanding the reasons

To this day, it is still one of the hardest business decisions I ever made. However, not long after we explained our decision to our team, one of our managers approached me unsolicited in the hall outside his office.

“Gary, I know how hard this must have been,” he said. “But think of it this way: Your decision actually saved all of the jobs for those of us still here.

“And I understand why you needed to do what you did. For that I’m truly appreciative.”

For success, management matters. But, leadership is essential.

Chance Meetings is Monday, June 7th: Beyond Cryptocurrency—Blockchain for Business

VIRTUAL MONTHLY CHANCE MEETINGS 

JUNE 7, 2021,  5 - 6 pm Via Zoom—Registration below

Sometimes all you need is the right connection and a little inspiration. Well, what are you waiting for? Find both at our free monthly virtual networking event. You never know...

Theme: Beyond Cryptocurrency—Blockchain Technology & Applications

Innovations in technology leave most of us trying to catch up. New products, platforms, and companies arise on a near-daily basis. Rarely, however, does an innovation come along with as much potential to alter and disrupt our current systems as blockchain. From healthcare to finance to social benefit, blockchain is changing the way we do business.

Join us for a panel discussion from experts in the field to understand the basics of blockchain and how it is being applied to businesses and systems for the better.  

This event will be moderated by Stina Brock with presentations from Rob Torti and Stuart Corby of Authentag, 2019 Pitch Day finalists. 

Stuart Corby is the CEO of Authentag and CEO of Databased.FINANCE. Stuart spends his time meeting clients from all verticals and helping them protect their consumers, product, brands and bringing best practice into their inventory and tracking capabilities.  Stuart has worked in the US, Australia, the UK and Hong Kong and has had a broad ranging career as a systems architect, the founder of multiple successful companies and a senior manager and board member in a variety of multimillion dollar ventures. His experience includes IT, investment banking, secure printing, packaging and consulting.

He started his career working for Sales Trading at Warburg, an investment bank.  5 mergers later and SFC and SFA qualified, he had set up and run the Asian electronic and algorithmic business for UBS and was responsible for 80% by value of their Asian equity trading flow. Stuart left UBS in 2002 to co-found I&W Ltd; a medical waste processing technology company whose machines still process most of London’s medical waste at the GRUNDON site in West London.  He sat on the board of SEP Sprint from 2004 to 2008; a secure printer that printed the postage stamps for multiple small countries around the globe. He founded Bio-Supplies Ltd in 2004 and sold it in 2008; bringing environmental packaging to markets in Asia and Europe for top F&B, retailers and cosmetic companies.

Since 2008 Stuart has executed turnarounds for APA Group, The Joyce Group (SEHK:647) and Lane Crawford in Hong Kong and worked with HDAC (backed by Hyundai) in South
Korea as a Technical Advisor during their $268M Token Generation Event in 2017. In the US he was advisor to the Chairman of Further Future.

In 2011 Stuart started looking at hash structures and brought his broad knowledge of logistics, IT, algorithmic architecture and big data together to design, build and apply for the Patent rights for the Authentag technology platform.

Stuart holds a MA in International Relations and Economics from St Andrews University and in 2009 he sat for his Chartered Public Accountancy Exams in Hong Kong. He was a Mountbatten Scholar at the UWC of the Atlantic (Atlantic College) and was supported by the Sir Vincent Fairfax scholarship while working for Outward Bound Australia.

As COO / CFO of Authentag and the COO of Databased.FINANCE, Rob Torti manages cross functional teams to facilitate a positive, equitable, open environment leading to higher quality discussions and interactions resulting in higher performance. Rob also gives investor and community presentations spreading the word about what is now possible in supply chain security and decentralized finance.


He started his career in New York City as an Equities Trader at Credit Suisse and then as a proprietary trader at First New York Securities. Rob moved into Mergers and Acquisitions in 2004 with Gridley & Company and then Warburg Pincus. Rob left the world of banking after taking his MBA at Columbia and moved into insolvency and restructuring with Alix Partners. After 7 years at the firm Rob had helped the likes of - General Motors, Kodak, General Growth Properties, AIG and BearingPoint in their time of greatest need.
In the Arts, Rob is a Treasurer of Robot Heart, a 501c3 organisation focused on the curation of world- class musicians and art, alongside inspiring leaders in the areas of science, entrepreneurship, innovation, and technology.

Rob holds a BA in History from Princeton and an MBA from Columbia University.

Stina Brock is currently VP of business development at Proterra, where she is focused on building out Proterra's software capabilities to support customers with charging and grid integration for their electric vehicle fleets. Stina was formerly head of North America for Electron. Electron's blockchain-based platform digitizes asset identities and allows market operators to launch local flexibility markets for distributed energy resources. Previously, Stina was the Senior Director of Global Energy Solutions at Sunverge, where she led Sunverge’s efforts to improve how distributed energy resources can provide services and value to customers and grid operators.

Prior to Sunverge, Stina led product marketing activities at Primus Power, an energy storage startup based on advanced flow battery technology, and managed utility demand response operations at EnerNOC. She started her career at Accenture as a consultant in the technology sector.

Stina holds an MSEE degree in electrical power engineering from the University of Washington, and AB & BE degrees in engineering and economics from Dartmouth College.

REGISTER FOR CHANCE MEETINGS

NEWS AND NOTES

VISIONARY VENTURES NEWS & GUIDE COLUMN: ENTREPRENEURSHIP COULD ANCHOR YOU IN JH

Our most recent Visionary Ventures column published in the Jackson Hole News & Guide features Mikey Franco of Franco Snowshapes. Author Will Stabler describes Mikey's path from juggling multiple seasonal jobs to establishing a world-class custom snowboard business. Silicon Couloir has supported Mikey along the way with our TEAMS mentoring program and our annual Pitch Day event.

READ VISIONARY VENTURES

WATCH gBETA PITCH NIGHT TONIGHT

gBETA Cheyenne's Pitch Night takes place tonight and you are invited. Silicon Couloir is rooting for Beauty Scripts, Silicon Couloir's 2018 Pitch Day Finalist Choice Award winner!

"The gBETA Cheyenne startup accelerator is nearing completion of the Spring 2021 cohort, and I am so excited to show off the work that these incredible teams have done, says Baylie Evans, gBETA Cheyenne Director  "The founders and I hope you will join us for our public Pitch Night -- to be held in person AND livestreamed -- starting at 5 p.m. MT on Tuesday, June 1, at the Array Coworking Space, 106 E. Lincolnway in downtown Cheyenne."

Pitch Night is a fun and casual reception during which participating companies have the opportunity to pitch to an audience of entrepreneurs, mentors, investors, and community members.

If you will join us, either in person or via the livestream, please RSVP by clicking here.
 

NOMINATE FOR 'WOMEN ENTREPRENEUR AWARD'

The Wyoming Council for Women (WCW) is seeking nominations for outstanding female entrepreneurs across the Cowboy State for recognition with the annual ‘Woman Entrepreneur Award.’

“Female entrepreneurs impact economies and families in every single community in Wyoming,” said Jennifer Wilmetti, Chair of the Wyoming Council for Women. “It requires tremendous courage and a belief in self that the Wyoming Council for Women celebrates. We encourage women entrepreneurs, as well as their families, friends, and colleagues, to submit an application so we can recognize and celebrate the amazing Wyoming women helping to drive our local economies. ”

The ‘Woman Entrepreneur Award’ recognizes woman-owned businesses in Wyoming and is designed to increase the attention to, and recognition of, the contribution female entrepreneurs make to Wyoming's economy. Applications are now available here.

Nominees must be women who own or operate a Wyoming-based business that has operated continuously for at least three years. Nominees may nominate themselves or be nominated by another individual. Along with recognition on the WCW website and social media and statewide media outlets, the award will be provided at a recognition ceremony in the recipient's business location city. The deadline for 2021 nominations is June 30, 2021.

PERFECTUS BIOMED IS HIRING

Local biomedical research company Perfectus Biomed, formally Extherid Biosciences, is hiring a research scientist! Extherid was one of our original TEAMS companies and we're excited to see them thriving and growing.

Perfectus Biomed, LLC is a fast-growing global company that provides innovative research and development services for medical and consumer health sectors. We have a unique full-time opportunity in Jackson! We are seeking creative individuals with a background in science for Research Scientist position. We offer training programs, international travel, innovative research teams, publishing opportunities along with competitive salary, health and retirement benefits, PTO and paid holidays.

Applicants must submit a CV, personal statement, and 2 recommendation letters to info.US@perfectusbiomed.com.  For a full job description click here. 
 

LEARN MORE ABOUT SILICON COULOIR

HAVE NEWSTO SHARE?

As always, please feel free to send news of your company's press, events, successes, and milestones to Gary@siliconcouloir.com and we'll do our best to feature them in our newsletters!

ARE YOU A COMMUNITY CARETAKER?

Silicon Couloir strengthens our Teton regional community by empowering the entrepreneurial ecosystem. More than just business development, we believe in enriching our community character and enhancing our mountain town culture. Help us support business pioneers in the Tetons by becoming a community caretaker!

To offer your time or talent, please email us at Gary@siliconcouloir.com.

THANK YOU TO OUR SILICON COULOIR SPONSORS

Founding to Funding: Silicon Couloir & Extherid Biosciences

Founding to Funding: Silicon Couloir & Extherid Biosciences

Extherid Biosciences was one of our original TEAMS members. This film explains how the guidance and mentoring CEO and Founder Dr. Marnie Peterson received from Silicon Couloir helped propel Extherid and prepared the company for a key merger with Perfectus Biomed. Extherid does groundbreaking research and provides career opportunities for scientists right here in the Teton region. We're proud to be Empowering Entrepreneurship in the Tetons.

Click below to watch.

Access for All: Silicon Couloir & Franco Snowshapes

Entrepreneurship could anchor you in JH

By Will Stabler

In 1990 Mikey Franco was a firstyear snowboard instructor at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. His 1995 summer was spent guiding the whitewater section of the Snake River. In 2002 he managed catering events for Fine Dining Restaurant Group. In the years between you might have also found Mikey selling T-shirts, making chocolate or serving a porterhouse.

“Having tons of jobs was just as important then as it is now,” he said.

I’d imagine everyone reading this knows a contemporary version of this Mikey Franco, if not several: some young person sweating it out to enjoy the recreation opportunities afforded by wide-open spaces and daunting mountain ranges. But that person might not be here long, or may have moved away.

“It took me 25 years to feel a part of the community, to feel like this is my home,” Franco said. “It was so transient. ... From my 20s to my mid-30s I’d have friends leaving every other year. I felt [Jackson] was a hard place to feel like ‘this is home.’ It took a lot for me to say Jackson Hole is my home, even though I never intended to leave.”

Today Mikey is a business owner, responsible for two full-time and several part-time employees; he is an emeritus snowboard instructor at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort; he is a factory owner and landlord, providing other entrepreneurs a space to pursue their own dreams; and he is permanently settled here in Jackson Hole. He is an indisputably integral member of the community, floating between so many walks of life in both valleys adjacent the Tetons. What changed?

In 2010 Mikey made his first snowboard at the Igneous Skis factory on Gregory Lane. Mikey was recovering from back surgery at the time, and

his ski-shaping friends had found a great outlet to cheer him up. While Mikey always knew he wanted to make snowboards, this may have been the catalyst of his transition from snowboard instructor to entrepreneur, and a new wave of milestones followed.

In 2013 Mikey formed his company, Franco Snowshapes, which makes bespoke snowboards with state-of-the-art technology and an on-snow custom fitting experience, led by the company’s namesake with his years of high-level instructing experience. Mikey partnered with his friends at both Igneous and

Maiden Skis for factory space and turned his instructing clients into his first customers. In 2018 Mikey joined Silicon Couloir’s Teton Entrepreneurs and Mentors Service program, in which he still participates. The next year he was a finalist for the organization’s Pitch Day. This year Franco Snowshapes opened its own manufacturing facility in Victor, Idaho, which will allow the business to grow even more. Mikey started this transition from instructor to entrepreneur in his 30s. With rising rent and limited housing stock, lifestylefirst Jackson Hole residents are being forced to adapt or move earlier than in years past. While interviewing Mikey by phone, I find myself recalling my own time in Jackson Hole. Hearing him describe his 20s, I see my friends juggling several jobs: serving, photographing, ranching; I see my friends who are the ultimate networkers, knowing everyone around town; I see terrific advocacy efforts on social and environmental issues; and I admire all of you for your commitment to the valleys and to the community. Entrepreneurship may be an avenue to afford you more sunny days on the Snake, rides on the Thunder Chair, or nights in the wilderness.

I encourage you to look at Mikey’s story, how he was open to working with his neighbors and

available to timely collaborations around town: with Silicon Couloir, with his friends, with his competitors, with Jackson Hole Mountain Resort and with many others. There are so many resources available to you, many of them free. Consider how Mikey has found success marketing a product to the wealthy crowd that makes up an increasingly large part of our community. I hope you’ll start setting aside time to ponder what product or service you and your friends could provide the community, and soon — with some finesse and hard work — you might be as entrenched in Jackson Hole as Mikey Franco is today.

Will Stabler is operations manager for Silicon Couloir. Reach him at will@siliconcouloir.com.

“It took me 25 years to feel a part of the community, to feel like this is my home.

It was so transient.”

— Mike Franco

Access for all & Highpoint Cider: A short film with founders Alex & andrew perez

Access for all & Highpoint Cider: A short film with founders Alex & Andrew Perez

We're so proud to have helped the Perez brothers realize their dream of opening Highpoint Cider in Victor, Idaho. This video illustrates the brother's journey and the ways we were able to support them with free TEAMS mentoring and vital connections. Visit the new brewery at 7565 Lupine Ln. and enjoy a refreshing pint. Learn more at highpointcider.com.

Founding to Funding: Silicon Couloir & Naughty Fruit

Founding to Funding: Silicon Couloir & Naughty Fruit

Juan Morales honed his entrepreneurial skills with Start-Up Institute and is now the CEO of the highly successful Naughty Fruit. Silicon Couloir helped Juan thrive and grow. From Founding to Funding, we can help you realize your entrepreneurial aspirations. Learn more about Naughty Fruit at naughtyfruit.com.

Juan Morales was looking for a better fruit snack but wasn’t satisfied with the existing options, so he founded Naughty Fruit in 2017. By combining a blend of unique spices and using dehydrating techniques that allowed the fruit to retain its raw nutrient-dense qualities, he created a chewy and unforgettable taste experience. 

Since launching, Naughty Fruit’s local distribution has grown dramatically from several local clients to partnering with Yellowstone National Park, Whole Foods, and Quality Foods Distributing of Montana. However, Morales is still true to his roots. Current Teton Valley partners continue to support the thriving company and are growing in number. 

Morales notes that, “As a small business owner, it has been crucial to be able to count on local support, and our community has been such an integral part of our growing success. Regular positive feedback from local customers is one of my favorite parts of living in Teton Valley.”

Silicon Couloir has been an integral part of Naughty Fruit’s success. “Silicon Couloir has created a safe and inclusive environment for individuals like myself to thrive and grow,” explains Morales. “It’s such a blessing to be a part of the community with wonderful networks available online and, in non-COVID times, in-person at gatherings. Silicon Couloir has not only been an inspiration to myself and Naughty Fruit and would be an asset for anyone seeking enlightenment amidst this global pandemic.”

Chance Meetings: in Monday, May 3rd Lessons from Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiatives

EMPOWERING ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN THE TETONS
~

VIRTUAL MONTHLY CHANCE MEETINGS 

May 3, 2021,  5 - 6 pm Via Zoom—registration below

Sometimes all you need is the right connection and a little inspiration. Well, what are you waiting for? Find both at our free monthly virtual networking event. You never know...

Theme: Lessons from Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiatives

Events over the last year have brought Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion ("DEI"), to the forefront of our personal and professional lives. Americans are awakening to a new understanding of what constituted diversity, the existence and experience of inequity, and how we can be more inclusive in small and large ways. Individuals are engaged in rigorous self-reflection and are gaining a new understanding of how we can do better and help create real opportunities for all.

This is all well and good, but why should companies engage in DEI efforts? Is it simply for public relations or out of a sense of obligation? Or, can DEI make a lasting difference in the culture, productivity, and health of a company? We believe it's the latter. Join us for a Chance Meetings on Monday, May 3rd to hear Fred Keller, Founder and Chair of Cascade Engineering, discuss the real-world lessons and benefits of implementing DEI initiatives in the business world. Through Fred's experience, you'll gain a new sense of the value and importance of thoughtful and purposeful DEI initiatives.  

 Fred Keller is the Founder and Chair of Cascade Engineering, which he started in Grand Rapids, Michigan in 1973. With a belief that you can have a successful business and still treat employees with dignity and respect, Fred began molding plastic parts with six employees in a 10,000 square foot building. Today, Cascade Engineering employs 1600 people across 15 facilities in six US locations and additional European operations in Budapest, Hungary.

Cascade Engineering has 9 business units spanning a wide diversity of markets including transportation, recycling/waste management, office furniture, agricultural/industrial containers, polymer compounding, and RFID asset management. Primarily focused on designing, engineering and injection molding of large plastic parts, Cascade Engineering is widely recognized for its business achievements and community involvement, and is one of the largest Certified B Corps in the world.

Fred believes that business has the unique opportunity to complement its efforts on financial performance with important work in the social and environmental arenas. He has emphasized the key role business can play in building financial, social and ecological capital, often through partnerships with government and community agencies. His innovative management approach and work in advancing sustainability are featured regularly in business and industry publications.

REGISTER FOR CHANCE MEETINGS

NEWS AND NOTES

START-UP SUCCESS EARLY BIRD PRICING UNTIL MAY 1

If you're ready to get your start-up idea or just need a little more help with the foundations of building a successful business we can help. Start-Up Success: Fundamentals is a 4-week intensive business start-up program focusing on building a values-based foundation for your business.

Students will learn key business skills, strategies, tools, and financial templates along with developing answers to the essential questions of how to develop a values-based business. Join a community of fellow budding entrepreneurs, small business owners, nonprofit leaders, and business-oriented students in the journey of building a proven framework by learning, collaborating, connecting, and, ultimately, succeeding. Students will have the opportunity to pitch their business at Silicon Couloir’s Chance Meetings to an audience of entrepreneurs, local leaders, and investors.

Early bird pricing: register and pay half by May 1 for $100 off tuition.  

APPLY NOW

PROFIT, PEOPLE, PLANET: SILICON COULOIR & POWWATER

This inspiring video demonstrates the powerful & productive partnership between Silicon Couloir and Powwater and the shared values of Profit, People, Planet. We're proud to be Empowering Entrepreneurship in the Tetons. Learn more about Powwater here: powwater.com

VISIONARY VENTURES: TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE & OUR FUTURE       

What is triple bottom line and why is it one of Silicon Couloir's guiding principles? This month's Visionary Ventures column in the Jackson Hole News & Guide provides answers and insights.

Read Visionary Ventures

PATCHING THE PLANET: NOSO BUILDS MOMENTUM 

Kelli jones of Noso Patches is saving resources while bringing pizzaz and new life to torn nylon gear (think your favorite down jacket). To learn more about her story and how Silicon Couloir is helping support Noso's journey read our Q&A with the queen of patches. We're proud to be empowering entrepreneurship in the Tetons.

Profit, People Planet: Noso Patches

22 in 21 Announced for May 12: Registration Open

What: 22 in 21: Tourism 2021: Undertourism. Overtourism. Ideal Tourism. What Is It and How Do We Know?

Date: Wednesday, May 12, 2021
Time: 8:00 am - 12:00 noon
Location: Virtual (via Zoom)
Cost: Free, but donations of any size are welcome and suggested
Sign-Up: Registration is required @ 22in21.com/signup


What might 2021's tourist season hold? This is the focus of Tourism 2021: Undertourism. Overtourism. Ideal Tourism. What Is It and How Do We Know?

The session will combine a series of speaker panels and breakout rooms to explore the session’s four fundamental questions:

1. How much tourism is too little?

2. How much tourism is too much?

3. How much tourism is just right?

4. How do we know?

The goal of Tourism 2021 is to start a community dialogue on these questions, a dialogue that will be continued at future conferences.

While this is a Zoom conference, registration will be limited to allow for optimal use of virtual chatrooms.

Register Now

LEARN MORE ABOUT SILICON COULOIR

HAVE NEWS TO SHARE?

As always, please feel free to send news of your company's press, events, successes, and milestones to Gary@siliconcouloir.com and we'll do our best to feature them in our newsletters!

ARE YOU A COMMUNITY CARETAKER?

Silicon Couloir strengthens our Teton regional community by empowering the entrepreneurial ecosystem. More than just business development, we believe in enriching our community character and enhancing our mountain town culture. Help us support business pioneers in the Tetons by becoming a community caretaker!

To offer your time or talent, please email us at Gary@siliconcouloir.com.

THANK YOU TO OUR SILICON COULOIR SPONSORS

A Triple Bottom Line spurs a healthy future

April Visionary Ventures: A Triple Bottom Line spurs a healthy future

By Rebecca Reimers

A remarkable thing happened when the Business Roundtable Group met in 2019. The Business Roundtable is composed of CEOs drawn from the world’s largest companies, representing a wide spectrum of industry sectors. However, in 2019 CEOs agreed that corporations should endeavor to benefit society as a whole, not just shareholders, a fundamental shift in business priorities.

After decades of viewing profit as the sole measurement of bottom line success, corporations are shifting their outlook and embracing what we at Silicon Couloir hold as one of our guiding principles: Profit, People, Planet, commonly known as Triple Bottom Line.

In recent years many companies have learned that being a good steward is in turn good for business. Employees, communities and the natural environment are not expendable commodities. These resources must be protected and nurtured if society, and business, is to thrive.

In many ways the Teton region is an ideal test case to examine and understand the importance of expanding the traditional accounting framework to include both the social and environmental impacts of a company. Why? Because in a small community people are, in theory and practice, more accountable to each other. We care about our neighbors, and we aren’t anonymous.

We also care deeply about our natural environment, truly one of the most pristine in the world. Impacts on our wild and unique ecosystem can be swift and devastating, be it from loss of wildlife habitat or climate changeinduced proliferation of pine bark beetles. There’s no question that the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem has not only innate value but also enormous economic and spiritual value to our community. It’s why we are here, and most would agree we must be good stewards of this place we inhabit.

Let’s take a closer look at the three aspects of Triple Bottom Line.

Profit: We choose to put profit first for the simple truism that a business must be profitable to survive. We strive to support ventures in the Teton region that produce year-round goodpaying jobs. We envision a diverse economic community with a thriving middle class. Recent shifts toward growing inequality are a threat to the future of our region. It’s more important than ever to support local entrepreneurs and small businesses.

People: When companies support their employees with living wages, benefits and opportunities, remarkable things happen. Productivity increases and ideas flourish. Employees are a company’s most precious asset, not just an expense item on the income statement.

A local biotech company formerly known as Extherid provides an illustration. Last year Extherid merged with a U.K. company to form the Perfectus Biomed Group, an achievement born of hard work and success. The local lab employs four scientists with thriving careers right here in Jackson and is looking to add staff. The lab also provides internship opportunities for local high school students, thus enriching and inspiring our students to achieve. Planet: To Silicon Couloir “planet” means thinking small and big. On the micro scale, community engagement and support, in a variety of ways, results in a more vibrant region. For local businesses we believe the payback is material. You can do “good” by doing well financially, and do well by doing “good” in your community. It’s a virtuous circle.

On a macro level, evidence of a global ecological crisis abounds. We are currently living through a mass extinction caused primarily by human activity. The planet is warming, many fragile ecosystems are on the brink of collapse, and public opinion supports the notion that businesses have to do more to protect the environment. Sustaining our biosphere is the key to sustaining our economy for current and future generations.

Some local businesses Silicon Couloir supports, such as Noso Patches, are working directly on solutions to combat environmental degradation. Noso produces creative and stylish patches to repair torn clothing, thus keeping items in use and out of landfills.

Other companies we work with commit to the planet with green energy, use of sustainably harvested raw materials or by giving back through programs like 1% For The Tetons. Each initiative cumulatively adds up to significant impact.

As a business owner or a consumer your choices shape our economy, community and environment. Let Triple Bottom Line be a lens through which you help create greater sustainability in the Teton region.

Visionary Ventures is a monthly column written by the staff of Silicon Couloir. Rebecca Reimers works as marketing director for the nonprofit. She can be reached at rebecca@siliconcouloir.com.

Profit, People, Planet & Powwater: A Short Film with Founder & CEO Jack Hartpence

Profit, People, Planet & Powwater: A Short Film with Founder & CEO Jack Hartpence

This inspiring video demonstrates the powerful & productive partnership between Powwater and Silicon Couloir and the shared values of Profit, People, Planet. We're proud to be Empowering Entrepreneurship in the Tetons. Learn more about Powwater here: powwater.com

Profit, People, Planet & Noso Patches: Q&A with Founder & CEO Kelli Jones

Profit, People, Planet & Noso Patches: Q&A with Founder & CEO Kelli Jones

Kelli Jones of Noso Patches is saving resources while bringing pizzaz and new life to torn nylon gear (think your favorite down jacket). To learn more about her story and how Silicon Couloir is helping support Noso's journey read our Q&A with the queen of patches. We're proud to be Empowering Entrepreneurship in the Tetons. Learn more about Noso here: nosopatches.com

Q: How did you come to found Noso Patches?

A: In 2015, I hopped a barbed-wire fence while I was hunting and ripped my brand new $400 Patagonia Fitz Roy down parka. I cut a piece of duct tape into the shape of a heart and put it on my coat sleeve, but didn’t like the way it looked. Nylon gear rips all the time, and I had lots of tears in my clothing, so I started cutting fabric patches into fun shapes which caught people’s eye in the tram line at Jackson Hole. People kept asking me about them, so I thought to myself, this could be a business opportunity.

Q: Tell us about the growth of Noso Patches. How were you able to scale so successfully? 

A: When we launched the company in 2016, we quickly realized we were onto something big! There was nothing like what we were doing available on the market. Patent-pending, we have been able to create a strong market share, dominate the sustainability space, and create a cult following of DIY-ers who care about repairs. We are still rocking and rolling, and we are lucky to have a solid US-based supply chain to grow. We are currently looking to set up additional operations overseas as Noso continues to work towards its north star— that is to be bundled on gear at the point of purchase, just like when you get an extra button with a new sweater!

Q: How has Silicon Couloir supported you in your journey? 

A: Silicon Couloir board member Liza Millet is a good friend of mine and has supported me since the beginning. Noso was moving so fast the first 2 years. We opened 250+ retailers, and I had little time to hop out of the weeds and look at the big picture. When Silicon Couloir launched its TEAMS program, Liza said, “you should do this, Kel”.  I am so thankful for this resource as I don’t have to take my business concerns home with me, as this built-in board of advisors program acts as my sounding board and helps me plan for the future. 

Q: What were some challenges you encountered, and how did Silicon Couloir help you overcome them?

A: We had a couple of issues last year when Covid hit, and they were there for me. Our third-party logistics team was a complete disaster last April to June, dealing with their own state’s regulations and such. During Covid, our orders were sitting for months, sometimes orders were shipped to the wrong store, and then worst of all… we had damaged product due to their employees taking our product off-site to assemble. It was a rough few months;, no one saw any of this coming. We pivoted behind the scenes, as I kept smiling and waving like a queen. My TEAMS advisors were there with me. We weighed all the pros and cons, and together decided to bring all product back to our HQ in Jackson and fulfill and assemble orders locally until COVID-related concerns passed and we could successfully rely on another third-party logistics/ warehouse team.  

Q: What do you appreciate about being in the Teton region?

A; I’m patching the planet and I’m immersed in the natural world every day. Having access to all the activities I like to do fills me up. I hike, hunt, ski, dirt bike, swim, raft, and mountain bike. Being close to nature is the only way for me. I am a small-town girl at heart. I could never live in a city: there are too many roads, lights, noises, and crowds. I like how small our town is. I like that I know the names of the people that check me out at the grocery store (Hi Hunter & Wil). I appreciate all the wonderful people in my life and the community here in the Tetons. As our community continues to change, the die hards are still here, working hard, playing hard. I am thankful I am part of that group of people that make Jackson’s lifestyle what it is. 

Q: Would you recommend TEAMS (or other Silicon Couloir programs) to fellow entrepreneurs and why?

A: Yes, I’d recommend TEAMS to other entrepreneurs if they are looking for a sounding board and unbiased honest support. My TEAMS advisors help me see my blindspots and face them head-on. I’m too nice, which can impact my business. I’m really working on that one, golly gosheroos! I never thought running a business would be so tough, but I am learning how to lead a company, delegate tasks, and the art of managing people. My advisors will say, “are we still talking about XYZ”…they help me move the needle (not the sewing ones) on some of my bigger challenges. They’ve been standing in my shoes. They know what it’s like to be an entrepreneur.

Q: Being an entrepreneur can be lonely. How has Silicon Couloir contributed to a sense of community?

A: I was a Division 1 scholarship athlete in college. As a swimmer, you spend half of your life underwater and you get comfortable being in your own world. I’ve always been extremely independent, and I don’t get lonely. There is just so much to do and see in this life. That said, I am alone and on my entrepreneurial island at times for sure, but my work is an extension of who I am and aligns with every cell in my body.

My TEAMS mentors have helped me build a solid team that supports Noso’s mission. I’m also grateful to have so many people in this community who are rooting me on. Like when I am skiing under the lift in Laramie Bowl and someone yells “Hey Patch lady, I need a Noso!"

I do look forward to having a cocktail at another in-person Chance Meetings again soon.  

Q: Is there anything else you would like to share? 

A: The average American tosses 70 pounds of textiles annually. If a critical mass of people start patching their gear instead of trashing it, that has an impact. I’d love for every one of you reading this article to tell your friend about reducing textile waste and keeping their gear in use for as long as possible. I like to say #patchpowertothepeople … DIY repairs are the future. We make it so easy for you to repair gear, no needles, no thread. I invite you to join the Noso Patches revolution!  Patch on!! Xxx, Kelli.

Chance Meetings is Monday, April 5th: Raising Capital 101

VIRTUAL MONTHLY CHANCE MEETINGS 

April 5, 2021,  5 - 6 pm Via Zoom—registration below

Sometimes all you need is the right connection and a little inspiration. Well, what are you waiting for? Find both at our free monthly virtual networking event. You never know...

Theme: Raising Capital 101

There’s simply no way around it — growing a company requires capital. And for many entrepreneurs, one of the scariest and most daunting tasks is deciding how, when and from whom to raise capital for their venture. Our experienced panel will try to demystify, in clear language, the options in, and dynamics of, the start-up capital markets.

This panel will be moderated by Leslie Schrock. Panelists include: Sam Heshmati, John Jenkins, and Alex Muromcew.

Sam Heshmati leads the banking team managing private equity at First Republic Bank , venture capital and startup company relationships. He has nearly 20 years of experience in the technology ecosystem, serving clients not only as a banker, but also as an advisor. He leads the programs to serve the tech community, cultivating and managing relationships with some of the West Coast’s top incubators, micro-VCs and entrepreneurs. Over his career, he has worked with more than 500 early-stage VC firms. and several thousand venture-backed startups. Prior to joining First Republic in 2012, he spent 10 years as a tech banker at Silicon Valley Bank and Square 1 Bank. He earned a bachelor’s degree from San Jose State University.

John Jenkins lives and breathes the start-up journey, having built companies in partnership with investors and by brute force bootstrapping. He knows where the landmines are, he knows the shortcuts and loves building high-quality companies who deliver amazing outcomes. John is expanding Dundee Capital’s presence in Healthcare IT, fintech, and insurance tech worlds, focusing on those three sectors, while also being a resource to all existing portfolio founders.

Alex Muromcew is Board Chair of Silicon Couloir and a Trustee. He is a private investor and is very active in the Rocky Mountain West start-up community as an angel investor, advisor, board member, and mentor. Alex spent twenty-five years as an institutional asset manager most recently as a Managing Director at TIAA where he managed $2bn in global equities. Alex has an MBA from Stanford and a BA from Dartmouth College.

After working in advertising with clients like (RED), Leslie Schrock joined the founding team of Rock Health, a globally-known startup accelerator that became a venture fund with over 100 portfolio companies and partners like the Mayo Clinic. I also cofounded a food startup introducing sustainable protein sources, and am on the Advisory Council at the University of Texas College of Communication. When I’m not writing, I spend my time with startups improving the way we live.

REGISTER FOR CHANCE MEETINGS

NEWS AND NOTES

MATT MURPHY STEPS UP TO SUPER TRUSTEE

We're pleased to announce that Silicon Couloir board member, Matt Murphy, is our newest Super Trustee! Thank you, Matt, for your service, generosity, and dedication to strengthening our Teton region entrepreneur ecosystem. We are so grateful.

Matt Murphy is President and Chief Executive Officer of Marvell Semiconductor. He has led the company since joining in July 2016 and also serves as a member of company’s Board of Directors. In his role as CEO, Matt is responsible for leading new technology development, directing ongoing operations and driving Marvell's growth strategy. Prior to joining Marvell, Matt worked for Maxim Integrated, where he advanced through a series of business leadership roles over two decades. Most recently at Maxim, he served as Executive Vice President of Business Units and Sales & Marketing, overseeing all product development and go-to-market activities. In 2018, Institutional Investor named him All-America Executive Team Best CEO in the semiconductor category. He also served as the Chairman of the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) in 2018. Matt earned a B.A. from Franklin & Marshall College, and is also a graduate of the Stanford Executive Program. He was appointed to the board of directors of eBay Inc. in March 2019 and serves on the boards of directors of the SIA and Global Semiconductor Alliance (GSA).

SILICON COULOIR ANGEL GROUP RESUMES

On February 25, the Silicon Couloir Angel Group held its first meeting since the beginning of the pandemic. Two companies, Powwater and Cowboy Clean Fuels, delivered 15-minute pitches and held their own during a robust question and answer session before a virtual audience of 20+ investors.

Powwater, winner of the Panel Award at Silicon Couloir’s 2019 Pitch Day, recently closed a seed round, and this summer is competing for the second phase of a Gates Foundation grant that could award the B-Corp business another $1mm in non-dilutive funding. Powwater is currently in Mombasa, Kenya piloting its logistics technology to improve efficiency in water sales, quality, and distribution in emerging markets.

Cowboy Clean Fuels (CCF) is developing technology to capture carbon-negative natural gas from aging wells by injecting them with organic matter. Natural gas created by the resulting reactions is eligible for sale under various renewable portfolio standards, allowing CCF access to strong existing markets. 

If your company is raising capital and you'd like to present to the Angel Group, please complete the application at this link.

AMBOY STREET VENTURES LAUNCHES

Amboy Street Ventures, the world's first venture capital fund currently in the market focused on Sexual Health (for all genders) and Women's Health Technology start-ups launched on March 24th.

Says Principal Carli Sapir, Silicon Couloir TEAMS participant, "We believe billion dollar companies will emerge in order to bridge the gap between the underserved Sexual and Women's Health Tech space and the needs of today's society. We are female investors who are living through the issues facing women. We know the potential to help drive the market and make genuine change happen."

READ MORE HERE

TEAMS Mentor Launches Cirque Analytics

Gary Harvey, a Silicon Couloir TEAMS mentor, is the Founding Principle at Cirque Analytics. Cirque is a start-up that brings together a team with a unique set of cutting-edge consulting services and testimonial experts in the application of statistics and economics to litigation and challenges facing businesses worldwide.

Clients include Visa, JPMorgan Chase, Capital One, Barclays, PNC Bank, Wells Fargo, Major League Baseball, National Football League, National Basketball Association, Women’s National Basketball, Facebook, Google, Google Fiber, Monsanto, Allianz, BP, and other national and international clients.

Areas of expertise include credit and debit card networks and markets, epidemiology,
damage estimates in litigation, survey design and analysis, merger and agency competition review, antitrust matters involving claims of price-fixing, false advertising, unfair competition and monopolization, intellectual property litigation, consumer product performance, toxic torts, risk analysis, insurance claims analysis, health care costs analysis, technology policy consulting, data security (including evaluating and deploying security architecture and standards), data risk management, Internet policy, and the Internet domain name system.

Cirque headquartered in Jackson Hole, WY, and is expecting to add offices on the West Coast and East Coast this summer.

VERTICAL HARVEST ON THE SCREEN & IN THE NEWS 

Greater Teton Community “Hearts of Glass” Virtual Film Screening & Panel Discussion
Stream the Film: 4/7- 4/17
Join the Discussion: 4/15 from 7-8 pm MT
You’re invited to stream “Hearts of Glass,” the award-winning documentary about Vertical Harvest Farms, our history-making hometown hydroponic greenhouse. Then, join us for a virtual panel discussion with the filmmaker, CEO/Co-Founder of Vertical Harvest, a graduate of Jackson Hole High School’s Transition Academy, and local educators focused on inclusion, food production, and sustainability.

We welcome community members from both sides of the Tetons. If you are interested in any or all of these topics — disability inclusion, sustainability, local food production, social entrepreneurship — watch the film and join the discussion.

Please watch the film at your convenience between 4/7 and 4/17. You can register for the panel discussion on 4/15 using the same link. Go under the "Q&A" tab and click the "REGISTER HERE" button.

WATCH THE FILM

Vertical Harvest Co- Founders, Nona Yehia and Caroline Croft Estay, were part of a Today Show segment celebrating International Women's Day on March 8.

WATCH THE SEGMENT

PRIME MOVERS LAB CLOSES RAISE FOR
EARLY STAGE FUND

Prime Movers Lab, based in Jackson, invests in breakthrough scientific startups with the potential to transform billions of lives. "We are excited to announce we have raised $245mm for our second early-stage fund. Heliogen, a Fund 1 portfolio company, has begun a project with mining giant Rio Tinto to power a mine in Boron, California with Heliogen’s revolutionary concentrated solar technology. In Fund 2 news, Fort Robotics closed a $13mm funding round that we led. They will use the capital to accelerate their mission to make industrial robots safe. Our Partner Caleb Bell was recently featured in Longevity Technology discussing our investment in Elevian, a company curing aging and the diseases related to it."

ORCHESTRA PROVISIONS LAUNCHES PROTEIN POWDER

Orchestra Provisions announces the launch of a new protein powder line from the heart of Teton Valley. Available in Chocolate, Vanilla, and Chai, Orchestra Protein is produced sustainably in Idaho and is farmed with regenerative techniques. Crafted with 4 whole food ingredients to create the healthiest possible protein on the planet—for you and the natural world. As a superfood, Orchestra Protein delivers all of your daily protein demands, and is extremely rich in highly absorbable heme-iron, b-vitamins, prebiotic fiber, calcium, and delivers all essential amino acids.  Add 1-2 scoops to your favorite smoothies, oatmeal, pancakes, and baking recipes for a supercharged nutrition boost. Orchestra Protein is a great substitute for those wanting to make conscious food decisions that protect the earth without sacrificing personal nutrition. 

PERFECTUS BIOMED PARTNERS WITH JAGUAR

Local biotech company Perfectus Biomed (formerly Extherid prior to a recent merger) partnered with Jaguar Land Rover to test a cutting-edge cabin air purification technology that has been shown in laboratory tests to inhibit viruses and airborne bacteria by as much as 97 percent. Read more here.

ALEX YODER & OVERVIEW COFFEE FEATURED BY PATAGONIA

Jackson native, Overview Coffee Founder, and pro snowboarder Alex Yoder was recently featured in an article on the Patagonia website in which he recounts his journey from risking it all on the slopes to finding fulfillment in his new regenerative organic coffee venture.

Photo: Johnie Gall

LEARN MORE ABOUT SILICON COULOIR

HAVE NEWS
TO SHARE?

As always, please feel free to send news of your company's press, events, successes, and milestones to Gary@siliconcouloir.com and we'll do our best to feature them in our newsletters!

ARE YOU A COMMUNITY CARETAKER?

Silicon Couloir strengthens our Teton regional community by empowering the entrepreneurial ecosystem. More than just business development, we believe in enriching our community character and enhancing our mountain town culture. Help us support business pioneers in the Tetons by becoming a community caretaker!

To offer your time or talent, please email us at Gary@siliconcouloir.com.

THANK YOU TO OUR SILICON COULOIR SPONSORS

Why Employee Retention Is a Win-Win

March Visionary Ventures: Why Employee Retention Is a Win-Win

By Rebecca Reimers

This week The Jackson Hole News & Guide introduces Visionary Ventures, a monthly column written by the staff of Silicon Couloir, a nonprofit whose mission is to nurture entrepreneurship in the region. Visionary Ventures will run the third Wednesday of every month, exploring topics relevant to new and long-standing businesses. — Eds.

Visionary Ventures: Why Employee Retention Is a Win-Win

There’s an old business adage that says: “Employees do just enough not to get fired and get paid just enough not to quit.” While it’s meant to be funny, is there some truth here, and what’s the remedy?

If you’re reading this, you’ve probably been an employee or a boss, and likely both. Most of us have had jobs that paid the bills but ultimately, did not create joy or fulfillment. Employees who merely go through the motions rarely add much value for their employer either, and the end result typically finds the employee moving on and the employer looking to hire yet again.

The average American spends a third of their life working. Shouldn’t that life energy be spent in a manner that serves our growth and development and contributes to the greater good?

Eighty-seven percent of employers say that improving employee retention is a top priority, according to Fortune Magazine. Seventy-five percent of the time the cause of employee turnover is preventable, based on studies by HR Drive. And, perhaps most significantly, the cost of a lost employee can often exceed 150% of his or her annual salary.

So how do we remedy a situation in which dissatisfied employees quit at a significant cost to the company and the greater productivity of a community?

It may be easy for employers in the Teton region to chalk turnover up to a seasonal workforce of unambitious ski bums. Here at Silicon Couloir we’re pushing back against that narrative. We see and nurture a significant segment of workers and entrepreneurs who are well-educated, ambitious and dedicated to our community. The Teton region has grown and evolved. So how do local companies honor that evolution and create a win-win business culture that has a committed, creative and collaborative team at its core?

We think the answer is consciously striving to build a workplace that supports employee empowerment, appreciation and opportunity. Every business, no matter how small, can incorporate these values into daily operations and wider strategy. We have some suggestions that will undoubtedly result in greater job satisfaction, increased productivity and progress, no matter if you run a food truck or a multimillion-dollar firm.

1. Be clear about expectations.

This is the communications piece of the puzzle that is often overlooked. Assumptions are made about individual roles, goals and responsibilities. Often the result is inefficiency, disappointment and resentment.

Clearly identify who is to do what by when and for what purpose. Regular team meetings with open and honest dialogue are essential. As a staff member be ready to share ideas for improvement in products or services. As a boss be open to feedback and strive for constant improvement.

The good news is that technology can enhance your ability to improve this feedback loop. Platforms such as Slack or Asana can be a helpful tool to promote communication and expectations.

2. Nurture your employees’ strengths.

Everyone brings different abilities and talents, and good leaders notice, cultivate and incorporate these strengths into the larger company goals. Creating projects that challenge and provide growth opportunities leads to greater job satisfaction and retention.

No one wants to just go through the motions. Employees who buy into what they are doing will stay and develop. This very column you’re reading is a case in point: It’s a new, creative means for Silicon Couloir staff to share their experience.

3. Build a company culture based on values.

Every company needs to have core values, no matter what the service or product. For employees, feeling good about what they do and achieve is a massive motivational force.

If you’re an employer, ask yourself how you can bring more meaning and value to your company. Business can and should be a force for good. Perhaps it’s using locally-sourced products or donating a portion of proceeds to a worthy cause. DMOS Collective recently pivoted all warehouse, fulfillment, service, R&D and development to its new headquarters in Alpine to create more local jobs.

When you try to do good things for others, everyone in the organization benefits as well.

4. Show appreciation with benefits and compensation.

Paying staff well and providing benefits is an obvious way to increase satisfaction and retention. Think of your company as part of employees’ career, not just a job, and they will do the same.

What if your business is just starting out and barely making ends meet? Consider other lifestyle benefits you can offer such as work flexibility (think powder days), time off, remote work or opportunities to socialize and bond as a group.

Your team is your greatest strength. Ending the cycle of employee turnover that hinders so many businesses is one of the keys to unlocking success. If you can bring creative thinking to this problem, you might find that the ability to retain employees becomes one of your most valuable assets.

Rebecca Reimers is marketing and events coordinator for Silicon Couloir. She can be reached at rebecca@siliconcouloir.com.

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Chance Meetings is Monday, March 1: Managing Remote Teams

EMPOWERING ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN THE TETONS
~
VIRTUAL MONTHLY CHANCE MEETINGS 

MARCH 1, 2021  5 - 6 pm Via Zoom (register below)

Sometimes all you need is the right connection and a little inspiration. Well, what are you waiting for? Find both at our free monthly virtual networking event. You never know...

Theme: Managing Remote Teams

1 in 4 Americans will be working remotely in 2021, according to Upwork’s “Future of Workforce Pulse Report” released in December 2020. The study predicts that by 2025, 36.2 million Americans will be working remotely, an 87% increase from pre-pandemic levels. Whether you have chosen remote work, or it's been thrust upon you by COVID restrictions, there's little doubt remote work is here to stay. For employees, benefits include greater flexibility, more autonomy, and less time spent commuting. For business owners, scaling back office space can afford significant savings.

Yet remote work has presented challenges for both bosses and employees. As a boss, how do you make sure everyone is working productively towards common goals?  As a team member, how do you ensure collaboration from a distance?  Join us for Chance Meetings on Monday, March 1st as we discuss strategy and tools for managing remote teams. Our expert panel includes Bryan Miles of BELAY Solutions, Nathan Adams of Linkwell Health, and Bill Watkins of The Lions Pride. Whether you manage a remote team or are part of one, this is a discussion you won't want to miss. 

About Bryan: Before BELAY, Bryan was a sales consultant in the tech and construction industries. In late 2010, (during the Great Recession) he and Shannon saw the need for an innovative staffing model where people could work remotely from their homes. They gave their notices and resigned from their employers on the same day, October 1st, 2010. They cashed in their 401(k)s for start-up capital and just like that, BELAY was born.

Creating and fostering a healthy culture has always been close to Bryan’s heart. He has written about it for years and has put all of his thoughts in his second book, Virtual Culture: The Way We Work Doesn’t Work Anymore, which is available now.

About Nathan: Nathan is the CEO and President and serves on the Board of Directors of Linkwell Health, the premier digital content and consumer experience company in healthcare. Prior to joining Linkwell in 2016, he was a Co-Founder and COO/CFO of DIVA Networks Inc., a technology company sitting at center of communications between people, devices and places, which was acquired by Fujitsu. Prior to that, Nathan was the President of Everyartist, a technology company with a mission to spark creativity. He also served as a partner at Stratford Group, a Private Equity firm that invests in growth stage operating companies, real estate, and hospitality businesses. Nathan began his career at UBS, where he held a variety of positions and served as a lead of the Venture Capital Coverage Group, providing investment banking and capital advisory services to venture backed companies in the Northeast. Nathan was also a co-founder and long-time Board Member of Silicon Couloir and was a co-founder of Young Professionals of the Tetons.

About Bill: West Point Graduate. Decorated Army veteran. Business leader. Successfully-exited serial
entrepreneur. 10X Accelerator. Supportive husband. Proud dad. Prouder Grandad. World-class athlete. The real deal. And a few he won’t mention here (but that doesn’t mean they are any less true). Nowadays, people call Bill the “Founder CEO Whisperer.” He speaks the language of high performance and accelerated results to CEOs, founders, and entrepreneurs. Using an almost thirty-year-old playbook gleaned and created from his own experience and the experience of others, Bill shows small business owners how to get more—more money, more results, more happiness, more time, and more done—so they can add jet fuel to their business success and lead extraordinary lives at home at the same time.

Bill is married to his West Point sweetheart, Donna, and they split time between Jackson,
Wyoming, and Victor, Idaho. When he’s not climbing the Tetons, exploring the wilderness, or coaching members, he’s sharing his business and productivity insights so countless others can live the dream, too. https://www.linkedin.com/in/willambcwatkins/

Please register in advance for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcpf-2grz8sEtKMKY-XIXILkeTynhfndsO9

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

GET INVOLVED

NEWS AND NOTES

Free Business Crisis Coaching Ongoing for All
in Teton Region

It's a new year and things are looking up. However, with a slow vaccine rollout and new COVID strains, we still face uncertainty in the economy. Silicon Couloir is here for all businesses in the Teton Region with free confidential Business Crisis Coaching. We'll match you with a local, empathetic, community & business expert who wants to help you pivot, strategize, or plan.

Request a Session

Ellie O'Neil of Powwater Named to Forbes Next 1000

Powwater Co-Founder Ellie O'Neil has been named to Forbes Next 1000, an honor that highlights the next generation of inspiring visionaries and business leaders. Congratulations, Ellie! Powwater won Pitch Day 2019 and participates in the TEAMS mentoring program. Powwater recently received a Gates Foundation Grant and is in Kenya developing technology to provide clean water directly to residents.

Nominations are still open for the Forbes Next 1000 list! Suggest your favorite Teton region entrepreneur now!

Nominate

Co-Thrive Unpacks the Real Estate Market

COVID has had rapid impacts on the fabric and economy of the Teton region that we're only just beginning to understand. In his most recent Co-Thrive newsletter, Johnathan Schechter of Charture Institute examines the recent real estate boom and what that means for our community. A must-read for all!

Read Co-Thrive

DMOS Alpha Driveway is Shovel of Choice

It's snowing all over the country and that means shoveling. DMOS was been chosen as the driveway shovel of choice by Radio and TV Host Lou Manfredini, who owns ACE stores and has a 20+ year DIY channel "Mr. Fix It." Check out this segment from Chicago TV.

Vertical Harvest Announces Third Location 

Vertical Harvest announces a third farm location in Philadelphia, PA. The farm, scheduled to break ground later this year, will be part of the new Tioga District™ development — a federal qualified opportunity zone located in a food, health, and wellness desert in the upper north area of the city.

Stationed adjacent to the Temple University Health Sciences Campus and Temple University Hospital, the 70,000-square-foot Vertical Harvest greenhouse will be part of the development’s Preventative Health Hub™ — a 168,000-sqare-foot, state-of-the-art national model for healthcare, health, and wellness with social impact.

Along with the farm already under development in Westbrook, Maine, this Philadelphia greenhouse is part of an initiative to co-locate vertical farms with affordable housing in underserved communities across the nation.

Get Your Blaze Controller Pre-Launch Discount

The ultimate Wireless Lighting Control System For LED lights. This fully wireless system integrates with your vehicle’s factory switches to control the aftermarket lighting, putting you in control of the night. Blaze Controller’s Bluetooth System eliminates the need for internal relays and switches, making it easy to install with new or existing lights. Blaze Controller is launching soon. Get an exclusive discount by signing up now!

Sign Up for Blaze Controller

HAVE NEWS
TO SHARE?

As always, please feel free to send news of your company's press, events, successes, and milestones to gary@siliconcouloir.com and we'll do our best to feature them in our newsletters!

ARE YOU A COMMUNITY CARETAKER?

Silicon Couloir strengthens our Teton regional community by empowering the entrepreneurial ecosystem. More than just business development, we believe in enriching our community character and enhancing our mountain town culture. Help us support business pioneers in the Tetons by becoming a community caretaker!

To offer your time or talent, please email us at gary@siliconcouloir.com.

THANK YOU TO SILICON COULOIR SPONSORS

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