September News

MONTHLY CHANCE MEETINGS 

September 12, 2022,  5 - 7 pm @ Snake River Roasting Co. Cafe (50 West Broadway)

NOTE NEW LOCATION

Please 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 networking event. You never know...

Theme: Tools and Strategies for Effective Management

Effective staff management is more than making schedules and delegating tasks—It takes vision, leadership, and diligence. Join us for Chance Meetings on Monday, September 12th from 5-7 pm for a talk from Silicon Couloir board members and proven business experts Cynthia Blankenship and Tom Quantrille. Cynthia and Tom will impart both practical and actionable management skills necessary for creating an aligned, productive, and efficient team. Topics covered will include:

• Setting clear expectations with staff

• Defining & refining company values

• Living those values and making them the cornerstone of your company

• How and why to give constructive feedback

PLEASE NOTE OUR LOCATION THIS MONTH IS THE SNAKE RIVER ROASTING COMPANY CAFE LOCATED AT 50 WEST BROADWAY JUST DOWNSTAIRS FROM THE ROSE.

NEWS AND NOTES

OLD BILLS  SEASON IS HERE & WE NEED YOUR HELP! 

Silicon Couloir works toward a vibrant and diverse Teton region economy by empowering entrepreneurs and helping them realize their professional dreams. We offer an array of free to low-cost programs designed to assist ventures at every stage of development, from founding to funding. Our ecosystem companies create sustainable, year-round and high paying jobs, enabling ambitious and creative individuals to remain in the area.

Our world-class programs include TEAMS, Pitch Day, Angel Investing Group, Chance Meetings, Start-Up Success, and The Cowork Space, all of which require significant resources to plan, administer, and execute. As a 501c3 nonprofit, we are supported 100% by community donations from people like you who want to see their entrepreneurial neighbors succeed. 

If you appreciate the investment Silicon Couloir makes in our community please support our work through Old Bill’s Fun Run. Your gift will be leveraged with a generous match from the Community Foundation of Jackson Hole CoChallengers. Donate from now until Friday, September 16th at 5pm.

COUNT ME IN!

POLISHING THE PITCH FOR OCTOBER 19TH

Our five fantastic finalists are hard at work prepping for Pitch Day 2022. Don't miss the entrepreneurial event of the year on Wednesday, October 19th from 5-8 pm at Center for the Arts. Reception to follow the main event. The completion will be live streamed for those who can't attend in person. Though Pitch Day is free to attend and open to the public, we ask that you kindly register by clicking the button below.
Overview Coffee, founder by Alex Yoder, goes beyond organic with regenerative agriculture.

REGISTER FOR PITCH DAY

REGISTER NOW FOR 22 IN 21: HOW HEALTHY ARE WE

22 in 21: Jackson Hole in the 21st Century, is our region’s premier forum for considering where we are, where we are going, and how we might create the future we want. This year’s theme is “22 in 21: How Healthy Are We?”

“22 in 21: How Healthy Are We?” draws from the Vision Statement of the Jackson/Teton County Comp Plan: “Preserve and protect the area’s ecosystem in order to ensure a healthy environment, community and economy for current and future generations.”

But what is a healthy environment? A healthy community? A healthy economy? How healthy are ours? How do we know? Without clear answers to these questions, it will be difficult for us to achieve the future we want.

Given how the COVID pandemic has accelerated the pace of growth and change in the Tetons region, answering these questions is critical. This year’s 22 in 21 will begin that process.

What: 22 in 21: How Healthy Are We?
When: Wednesday, October 5; 10:00am - 5:00 pm, with a social hour to follow
Where: Snow King Resort
Cost: $100 (includes lunch and the social hour)

REGISTER FOR 22 IN 21

AUGUST VISIONARY VENTURES: AHH, THE JOY OF HAVING A BUSINESS PLAN

Maligned. Necessary. Reviled. Revealing. Too much work. High priority. Low priority...the much loved and much hated business plan. In our September edition of Visionary Ventures, Gary Trauner brings clarity to the importance of a business plan, the elements it should contain and why a seeming “academic” exercise should be a key part of any entrepreneur’s journey.

READ THE COLUMN HERE

ENTREPRENEUR HAPPENINGS

Big congratulations to Mia Share, 2021 Pitch Day Panelist and Audience Choice award winner, on the opening of their new office in Jackson! Mia Share connects students and schools to the future of fair education payments through income share agreements, payment plans and other custom payment solutions.

Ik'splôr, Co-Founded by Karissa Akin and Kailey Gieck, has been accepted as a finalists into the Title Nine Pitchfest, which will be held in early September. They are busy preparing with the help of two Pitchfest coaches from Good Morning America.

WELCOME TO NEW TRUSTEES

A warm welcome to new Silicon Couloir Trustees. Thank you to LizAnn Eisen, Todd Foley, and Salim Mitha your generous commitment to supporting entrepreneurship in the Teton region.

LizAnn Eisen retired as a corporate partner from Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP at the end of 2018. She spent more than twenty years focusing on public and private corporate finance transactions, mergers & acquisitions, corporate governance and liability management transactions. Since then, LizAnn has been an adjunct faculty member and senior lecturer at Cornell University/Cornell Tech (teaching law and MBA students), University of Oregon Law School and Tel Aviv University Law School. From January 2022 to August 2022, LizAnn served as the Deputy Director, Disclosure Operations, in the Division of Corporation Finance at the SEC. There she led a team of over 350 people responsible for overseeing US public company disclosure.

Todd Foley moved full-time to Alta, WY in 2020. He is a partner in the venture capital firm MPM Capital, which he joined in 1999. His focus is on founding and investing in biotech startups working to develop new drugs to treat unmet medical needs. He serves on a number of MPM portfolio company boards, including Aktis Oncology (Chairman and co-founder), CODA Bio, Crossbow Therapeutics (Chairman and co-founder), Entrada Therapeutics (NASDAQ: TRDA), Repare Therapeutics (NASDAQ: RPTX), and Tetherex Inc. He previously served on the board of Semma Therapeutics, a potentially curative diabetes cell-therapy company founded by Doug Melton at Harvard, which was acquired by Vertex for $950M in 2019 in one of the largest ever preclinical M&A deals. He guided Selexys Pharmaceuticals to an acquisition by Novartis for $665M in 2016. Later, Novartis launched the Selexys drug, Adakveo™ in late 2019 to treat sickle cell disease. Todd earned his M.B.A. from Harvard Business School and his B.S. in Chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Salim Mitha enjoys helping startups grow, and now gets to do this every day as a media, entertainment, gaming & sports investor at Powerhouse Capital, a sector-focused Los Angeles based venture capital firm. Most recently Salim was a Partner at Evolution Media, the growth venture capital firm that invested in partnership TPG Growth and Creative Artists Agency (CAA). Prior to being an investor, he spent a few cycles as an entrepreneur where he launched three startups, helped them grow, and guided them all to successful exits (and all three continue to thrive to this day). Salim's past tech experience derives from running Yahoo! Search & Social Search across Europe, and from startup e-commerce marketplace company Wahanda (Treatwell) which was acquired by Recruit of Japan, owners of indeed.com and Glassdoor.

2022 PROGRESS REPORT ~ BY THE NUMBERS

✶  8 Chance Meetings
✶  407 attendees
✶  2,927 newsletter subscribers
✶ 16,476 newsletter opens

✶  41 companies mentored 
✶  483 volunteer hours May-Sept
✶  161 mentor meetings
✶ 51 mentors

✶  50 members ea. summer month
✶  500+ additional sq. feet added
 

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!

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.

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Ahh, the joy of having a business plan

Ahh, the joy of having a business plan

By Gary Trauner

When I work with entrepreneurs, I tell them the two traits that are most essential to success are tenacity and focus.

Today’s column will detail the latter — focus — and one of the best tools available to help entrepreneurs find, keep and maintain the requisite focus needed to succeed. That tool? The business plan.

Maligned. Necessary. Reviled. Revealing. Too much work. High priority. Low priority.

For those starting a venture, where does the venerable business plan (“BP”) fit into their plans for a successful undertaking? I’ll attempt to bring some clarity to the importance of a BP, the elements it should contain and why a seeming “academic” exercise should be a key part of any entrepreneur’s journey. Let’s start with the basics. What actually is a BP? In simple terms, it’s a written document that lays out the future of your venture. In essence it is a forward-looking effort to understand, predict and put in place strategies and tactics to help you succeed in your venture. If you and a co-founder scribble notes or a paragraph on a napkin at lunch with your thoughts and ideas, you’ve essentially created a BP. Of course the legendary “back of the napkin” plan is almost universally too rudimentary and insufficient for any serious venture.

While this column doesn’t provide enough space to get into the details, a comprehensive BP should include the following topics (note, this is not an exhaustive list of what should be included): executive summary, business description, problem/solution, revenue model, market definition, market share, marketing/promotion strategy, product distribution (if relevant), quantitative financial projections, analysis of competition, personnel, risk assessment/management, operations, organizational structure.

Yes, the topic list seems daunting, but trust me, it’s worth exploring and analyzing each subject area.

Perhaps the most frequent response I get from entrepreneurs when I mention the importance of putting together a BP, is some version of “Do I really have to do that? I’m super busy and it seems like a waste of time when I’ve got so many other things to do.” I get it. Starting a new venture generally requires more time than hours in a day. But in my experience (and I’ve written too many BPs to count), there are several important and valid reasons to take the time to write a comprehensive BP. Let’s touch on a few: Viability. Every entrepreneur starting a new venture believes they’ve identified a product or service that will provide an acceptable financial return in exchange for their efforts. Working through the aspects of a BP should give the founder and their team a much better feel (based on empirical data) for the true viability and prospects of their endeavor.

Risk assessment. Part of writing a BP is consideration of the problem you want to solve, the solution you are offering, and the viability of that solution in the marketplace (i.e., will consumers pay for your solution to a problem they are dealing with). As you move through this aspect of the process, you should be getting a much more refined idea of the risk level involved in your endeavor.

Core competencies. An integral aspect of “focus” is ensuring that you stick to core competencies as your venture grows. By nature, entrepreneurs are seemingly always looking for that next opportunity, searching for that next problem to solve. Working through a BP should provide the entrepreneur with a better understanding of the core mission, the strengths of the team they’ve assembled, and the main solution to the identified problem. Staying focused on core competency is critical to success — many ventures fail when they spread their attention and efforts too thin in an effort to grab for the latest and shiniest brass ring.

Now that I’ve laid out the reason why a BP makes good sense, I’ll add an unfortunate coda: More often than not, within the first six months or so of operationalizing your venture, you can take a large percentage of that detailed BP and throw it out the window.

Why? Well, maybe the market is sending signals that your product or service needs to be changed. Perhaps potential investors don’t agree with your problem/solution premise. Maybe the competition is different than you expected and you need to pivot to something else. There are a host of reasons.

That said, if you’ve devoted the time, effort and thought in a BP for your venture, you’ll have a better understanding of market dynamics and will be more to adjust to what the market is signaling.

Maintaining focus is essential to the success of any new venture. A well-researched and thought out BP can serve as the roadmap and reference document that allows entrepreneurs to keep their “eyes on the prize” and increase the odds of a successful outcome.

August News

MONTHLY CHANCE MEETINGS 

August 1, 2022,  5 - 7 pm @The Alpine Civic Center
121 US-89, Alpine

Please 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 networking event. You never know...

As a Teton regional nonprofit, Silicon Couloir views Alpine, WY as an essential part of our service area and community. Please join us for our very first Chance Meetings at the Alpine Civic Center on Monday, August 1st from 5-7 pm to celebrate our Alpine entrepreneurs. Hear elevator pitches from the founders of Blaze Controller, DMOS Collective, ILLA, Melvin Brewing, Mountainist, and The Worm Cowboy. Enjoy a complimentary beer from Melvin Brewing, and pursue the goods and services these ventures offer.

REGISTER FOR CHANCE MEETINGS

NEWS AND NOTES

PITCH DAY FINALIST SELECTED

Silicon Couloir’s 11th Annual Pitch Day will be held on Wednesday, October 19th from 5 - 8 PM MDT at the Center for the Arts in Jackson, WY. Pitch Day, which is free and open to the public, is a chance to be inspired by your entrepreneurial neighbors and learn about the latest up-and-coming companies in the Teton region. 

It was another tough year for the selection committee. Following excellent pitches from all of our applicants, the committee winnowed it down to six finalists. Silicon Couloir is proud to announce the following diverse and compelling group of regional ventures.

Avant is a reusable packaging service for corporations and residential consumers. Avant replaces common single use packaging with assets with more durable packaging that can be reused up to 1,000 times and is priced below the cost of single use.

Beyond Efficiency is a team of progressive engineers and architects empowering people to create enduring human-centered buildings. Beyond Efficiency provides building consulting, research, program, and policy development services, which are leverages to create knowledge products to scale solutions and accelerate impact.

Naughty Fruit uses natural dehydration techniques that preserve the nutritional qualities of fresh fruit, we bring convenient, travel-ready snack.

Remo Health is a virtual care provider offering comprehensive, accessible dementia care. All in one place.

Rinord builds an intentionally designed system of high performance outdoor apparel that helps you thrive in dynamic environments all year round.

Sego Ski Co. is a ski manufacturer based in Victor, Idaho. Sego Skis offers the best in hand-made big mountain, twin tip, powder, and all-mountain skis.

JULY VISIONARY VENTURES: CHOSE THE RIGHT BUSINESS STRUCTURE

After months of hard work, you finally have a product or service tested diligently with market research and a launch plan. Now comes the time to officially register your business. State registration requires a designated structure, a decision that should be made based on the goals of the founder. Will you be a solopreneur or are there multiple partners? Are loans needed from financial institutions? Do you plan to go public someday? The answers to these and other questions can help guide you in choosing the appropriate structure. In this column we look at the most common types of for profit companies and how each influences business operations, ability to raise funds, taxation, and personal liability.

READ THE COLUMN HERE

WELCOME TO NEW TRUSTEE VIJAY KARIA

A warm welcome to Vijay Karia, our newest Silicon Couloir Trustee. Thank you Vijay for your generous commitment to supporting entrepreneurship in the Teton region.

Vijay Karia is a seasoned technology executive with 15+ years of experience in data, web, mobile, software, and hardware development.  He currently serves as the Chief Digital Officer for Connect America, North America’s largest provider of digital health and safety for seniors.  He is responsible for leading the product roadmap, new product development and innovation efforts for the company.

Before joining Connect America, Vijay served as the Director of Technology and PMO at KGB, a private equity company that has built some of the most well-known brands in the United Kingdom and France.  During Vijay’s tenure at KGB, he helped develop a growth strategy, launched new consumer products in the United States and Europe as well as constructed and managed teams to implement data infrastructure and platform architecture.  While at KGB, he also managed engineering, project management, data warehousing, and global product management teams in the United States, United Kingdom, France, Switzerland and the Philippines. Prior to KGB, Vijay served as a Product Manager at the New York Stock Exchange, where he was responsible for successfully replacing critical alerting systems on the NYSE trading floor.

Before his career in technology, Vijay was a professional tennis player on the men’s ATP circuit.  Vijay also holds a BSBA degree from Boston University Questrom School of Business, and has studied Computer Science at NYU.

SEGO SKI CO. JOINS TEAMS

We're pleased to welcome Sego Ski Co. into our TEAMS program. TEAMS powered by volunteer mentors, accelerate the development of entrepreneurs. Each selected venture is assigned a team of 3-5 mentors with one lead mentor. This group of mentors meets in person with the company founder for 90-minute sessions. Meetings are on an as-needed basis, are cost-free, and center on an agenda provided by the entrepreneur.

            DMOS NAMED A SEMI-FINALIST IN SEMA                LAUNCH PAD 2022

DMOS has been named one of fifteen semi-finalists in the 10th annual SEMA Launch Pad 2022 competition. The fifteen semifinalists were chosen from a vast array of applicants who presented impressive sales pitches, interactive demonstrations, amazing product innovations, and answered tough questions from four massively successful industry leaders serving as this year’s Launch Pad judging panel.

Each semifinalist will receive a one-year SEMA membership, and a complimentary booth in the SEMA Launch Pad Pavilion at the 2022 SEMA Show in November in Las Vegas.

Five finalists, who will be announced later this year, will advance to pitch their products live to the audience at the 2022 SEMA Show, where they will compete for a grand prize with a total value of up to $92,000.

Susan Pieper, CEO of DMOS Collective, a SEMA semi-finalist, lined up with
the other contestants.

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

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You need to start with the right business structure

July Visionary Ventures: You need to start with the right business structure

By Rebecca Reimers

After months of hard work, you finally have a product or service tested diligently with market research and a launch plan. Now comes the time to officially register your business. State registration requires a designated structure, a decision that should be made based on the goals of the founder.

Will you be a solopreneur or are there multiple partners? Are loans needed from financial institutions? Do you plan to go public someday? The answers to these and other questions can help guide you in choosing the appropriate structure. In this column we’ll look at the most common types of for-profit companies and how each influences business operations, ability to raise funds, taxation and personal liability.

A sole proprietorship is simple to form for a single owner and allows for complete control of the business with few legal requirements. This structure has the benefit of “pass through” taxation, meaning business revenue is taxed once on the owner’s personal tax return. However, sole proprietorships do not result in a separate legal business entity. Thus there is no asset or liability protection to the owner, exposing the founder to lawsuits or personal bankruptcy. As a result, banks will consider a loan to be higher risk. Professional insurance may provide some level of protection for those providing a service.

Partnerships establish a business enterprise through a legally binding contract between two or more owners and are much like a sole proprietorship. Owners are not separate entities from the business, so do not gain any liability protection, but do benefit from pass-through taxation. Partnerships are common for professional groups like attorneys or doctors.

A limited liability company provides the advantages of both a corporation and a partnership structure. As referenced in the name, LLCs protect the owner(s) from personal liability, meaning personal assets are generally, but not always, shielded in the case of bankruptcy or lawsuits. In addition, LLCs benefit from pass through income, so tax rates may be lower than with a C corporation. One disadvantage of LLCs over corporations is that an LLC can’t raise funds via a sale of company shares. LLCs in Wyoming have both perpetual life and transferability of ownership — not the case in all states.

A corporation is a legal entity that’s separate from its owners and offers unlimited, for-profit growth potential through the issuance and sale of shares. Much like an individual, corporations can make a profit, be taxed, and can be held legally liable. This structure provides the strongest level of protection for owners, but comes with significantly more stringent requirements for company organization, record-keeping and reporting.

There are several types of corporations: “C”, “S” and “B.” The difference between these variations is primarily in taxation, flexibility of ownership and corporate purpose. The most common type is a C corporation. C corps are primarily suited to larger companies and companies that want to raise capital through a variety of means. Unlike the above options, C corps are subject to “double taxation.” That is, the company itself is taxed on profits and shareholders are taxed on dividends, which are distributed to shareholders from company profits. If the ultimate goal is to become a public company, a C corp may make the most sense.

S corporations are another option under the corporate structure umbrella. From a tax perspective, S corps resemble sole proprietorships and partnerships in that profits “flow through” to the individual and are taxed at the individual’s tax rate on their tax return. S corporations are also more limited in flexibility of ownership, including limiting the total number of shareholders and the type of shareholder allowed (for example, individuals are allowed but not LLCs or trusts).

A benefit corporation, or B corp, is a type of for-profit corporation designated by the IRS with the dual goal of making a profit and doing public good. Traditionally, C corporations have had one goal — increasing shareholder value. Conversely, B corps require decision makers to widen their scope and consider impacts on employees, the community, society, and the environment. Directors enjoy an elevated level of legal protection for “triple bottom line” based decisions.

While B corps are different from C corps in mission, accountability and transparency, they are taxed in the same manner. Note that benefit corporations are created from state law and Wyoming does not legally acknowledge B corps. Therefore, companies seeking this designation must incorporate in a different state. Some states require B corps to submit annual benefit reports that demonstrate their contribution to the public good.

While this isn’t an exhaustive list and is not legal advice, we hope it gives you an overview of options for establishing your business. However, you should always consult a lawyer and other experts when making important decisions about your venture.

TEAMS Accepting New Ventures

TEAMS Accepting New Ventures

Entrepreneur support 501(c)(3) nonprofit Silicon Couloir is pairing local startups with accomplished volunteer mentors in a free program called TEAMS (Teton Entrepreneurs and Mentoring Service).

Piloted in early 2018 and launched in late 2019, TEAMS currently has 20 active ventures and more than 50 mentors. Each burgeoning company is paired with two to four mentors for regular 90-minute sessions. Companies are also keyed into the larger network and community of other ventures working through the process.

Director of Entrepreneurship Brittney Ziebell was recently able to see Highpoint Cider's founders show off their brick and mortar, at Silicon Couloir’s June Chance Meetings. “That was a special moment,” she said. “They made it through COVID and they're really blossoming.”

“Because the Silicon Couloir program is free, it's a no-brainer for new companies in their growth stage. Comparative consulting work can cost thousands,, which is out of reach for most early-stage ventures, “ notes Zibell. “Mentoring can have a huge impact on a company’s future, and it’s identified as one of the key factors in company success.”

TEAMS is currently recruiting new companies who are beyond the conceptual stage and ready for objective advice and guidance from expert business people and veteran entrepreneurs.

Experienced entrepreneurs are also encouraged to sign on as new mentors.

Embracing risk is a Jackson mantra, but unlike hucking off a cliff snowboarding, a leap into the world of entrepreneurship benefits greatly from a helpful hand.

TEAMS is based on the proven MIT Venture Mentor Services program.

“Some of the participating companies have been acquired or graduated from the intense growth phase where they need consistent mentor support, but it's never a closed door,” Ziebell said “They can always reach back out if they're at a point where they need more advice.'

Wyoming offers resources to entrepreneurs

June Visionary Ventures: Wyoming offers resources to entrepreneurs

By Rebecca Reimers

Wyoming is rich in minerals, vistas and wildlife, resources that have been the backbone of the state’s economy. We’ve learned the hard way, however, that resource extraction and tourism are not without impacts and boom-bust cycles.

While seasonal pressures in Jackson Hole spurred the formation of Silicon Couloir’s efforts to diversify our economy 11 years ago, the rest of the state has also recognized the need to invest in entrepreneurs and has created a growing infrastructure of resources and support.

I recently advised a friend seeking advisors to help grow her company. In addition to mentoring from Silicon Couloir, I suggested the Wyoming Small Business Development Center. She wasn’t previously aware of the organization but found it to be of great assistance.

The geographical challenges of Wyoming, coupled with the demands of building and running a company, may not allow founders to look beyond the day-to-day and understand the support available to them both within and beyond our community. This column will detail statewide assistance for entrepreneurs, all of which are also noted on the “Resources” page of the Silicon Couloir website, SiliconCouloir.com.

Silicon Couloir’s own mentoring program, TEAMS, has provided invaluable (and cost-free) guidance to dozens of Teton regional ventures. TEAMS is powered by volunteer mentors who are excited by innovation, ideas and problem-solving for ventures.

Mentors are overseen and supported by the Silicon Couloir staff and a few veteran mentors. Based on the proven MIT Venture Mentor Services program, each selected venture is assigned a team of two to four mentors with one lead mentor. This group of mentors meets in person with the company founder for 90-minute sessions. Meetings are on an as-needed basis and center on an agenda provided by the entrepreneur. Silicon Couloir is currently accepting applications for new ventures, which are selected based on growth potential, coachability and other factors.

The Small Business Development Center provides no-cost, confidential advising and technical assistance to help entrepreneurs start, grow, reinvent or exit their business.

The Wyoming Business Council offers infrastructure development grants to accommodate new and expanding businesses; recruits new companies to the state; provides small capital grants to startups; delivers expertise to small businesses; assists in the redevelopment of downtowns; participates with banks to fill the gap in business financing; and partners with nonprofits, local governments and local economic development organizations to assist in community and business projects. The Wyoming Department of Workforce Services Workforce Development Training Fund connects employers with professional development opportunities to increase employee skill attainment. Funding opportunities include business training grants, prehire grants, internship grants and apprenticeship grants. Businesses must have an established payroll to participate.

Not just for women, the Wyoming Women’s Business Center has a mission to enable and empower Wyoming entrepreneurs. It assists entrepreneurs, especially women who are economically or socially disadvantaged, through counseling, training and microfi nance programs to start or expand small businesses in the state of Wyoming. It strives to advance financial self-sufficiency by promoting economic justice and equality throughout the state.

The Silicon Couloir Angel Group hosts selected entrepreneurs who are raising equity financing. The group is composed of local angel investors and meets every two to three months. Interested companies and accredited investors can get involved through our Gust website linked on the Angel Group page of our website.

Breakthrough 307 is a program custom built around its participants, providing a constructive and supportive culture to cultivate dreams into real and profitable companies. Entrepreneurs have access to one another in a format that encourages idea and experience sharing to promote growth.

There’s also gBETA Cheyenne, a free, seven-week accelerator for earlystage companies with local roots. Each program is capped at five teams and requires no fees and no equity.

As you can see, while entrepreneurship often feels lonely, you are not alone. Forward-looking experts and advisors across the state want to help you succeed and grow your business.

June News

MONTHLY CHANCE MEETINGS 

June 6, 2022,  5 - 7 pm @The Victor Maker's Space (7565 Lupine Lane)

Please 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 networking event. You never know...

As a Teton regional nonprofit, Silicon Couloir views Teton Valley, ID, and Alpine, WY as essential parts of our service area and community. Please join us for our very first Chance Meetings in Victor, ID on June 6th from 5-7 pm to celebrate our Teton Valley entrepreneurs. Hear elevator pitches from the founders of Highpoint Cider, Franco Snowshapes, Sego Ski Co, Cultivate, and Naughty Fruit, enjoy a pint of freshly brewed cider, and tour the facilities of the Victor Maker's Space: Highpoint Cider, Franco Snowshapes, and Sego Ski Co. We're also pleased to announce that our August 1st Chance Meetings will be held in Alpine.

REGISTER FOR CHANCE MEETINGS

NEWS AND NOTES

          SILICON COULOIR HELPS         
FRANCO SNOWSHAPES THRIVE

Speaking of our Victor entrepreneurs...in this wonderful video created by Pope Productions, Mikey Franco, Founder and CEO of Franco Snowshapes, reflects on the Silicon Couloir programs—Pitch Day and TEAMS— that have helped him create a successful company. Mikey not only makes the world's best custom snowboards, he also provides jobs that support a thriving middle class. We're proud to assist Franco Snowshapes as they grow and flourish.

ENJOY MORE ENTREPRENEUR VIDEOS

WELCOME TO BRITTNEY ZIEBELL, DIRECTOR OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Silicon Couloir welcomes Brittney Ziebell as Director of Entrepreneurship. Ziebell joins a growing staff and group of volunteers working to support entrepreneurs in the Teton region. Ziebell serves as the primary point of contact for interaction with entrepreneurs, ventures, mentors, and other volunteers in SC programs, and oversees the operations of Teton Entrepreneurs & Mentoring Service (TEAMS) and Silicon Couloir’s Angel Group. 

“We are excited to be bringing someone of Brittney’s caliber on board, along with her experience in nonprofit leadership and organization,” says Gary Trauner, Executive Director. “As a nascent entrepreneur herself, Brittney has experienced firsthand the difference external support can make to those seeking to build something new. We’d also like to thank Will Stabler for his years of service and essential contribution to taking Silicon Couloir from an idea to an integral part of the Teton Region community.”

MORE HERE

ANNOUNCING THE SILICON COULOIR CAREER BOARD

If you are a local venture in the Silicon Couloir ecosystem and you're hiring for year-round, good-paying jobs we'd like to help. We're launching our Career Board webpage with FREE month-long listing for Teton regional job opportunities. To submit a posting, click on the link on the page, or on the image below.

MAY VISIONARY VENTURES: INCREASE YOUR ODDS WITH AN OPEN MIND

"For a budding entrepreneur, diversity of thought and perspective — and an openness to those inputs from others — is critical, if not foundational, to achieving success," explains Gary Trauner in Silicon Couloir's most recent JH News and Guide column on how to increase your odds by seeking a diversity of thought and changing course as needed.

READ THE COLUMN HERE

NEW VENTURES JOIN TEAMS

Three new companies have recently joined TEAMS, our cost-free proven mentorship program powered by 53 expert volunteer mentors. Avant Delivery, Naughty Fruit, and The Worm Cowboy join 19 companies currently being mentored in TEAMS. Congratulations to these companies for stepping up and doing the work to take their venture to the next level.

The local foods marketplace, delivered to your home in 100% reusable containers. A one stop shop for all of your favorite local producers and restaurant take out, without all the waste.

Using natural dehydration techniques that preserve the nutritional qualities of fresh fruit, we bring convenient, travel-ready snack.

Wrangling worms to compost waste into nature’s richest soil. We make composting easy for homes & businesses.

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

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Increase your odds with an open mind

May Visionary Ventures: Increase your odds with an open mind

By Gary Trauner

Those of you who’ve been reading Visionary Ventures since its inception might recognize that one of the themes that has run through these columns — both explicitly and implicitly — is that entrepreneurship is ... challenging, to say the least.

As an experienced entrepreneur myself, I tell anyone who is interested that my three inviolate rules of thumb for entrepreneurship are as follows:

1. It will take longer than you think.

2. It will cost more than you think.

3. It will require (way) more effort than you think.

For those willing to take on the challenge of starting and growing an organization/ venture, the rewards can be immense, measured internally by the satisfaction of attaining a desired goal, and externally by the likelihood of financial success along with contributing to the vibrancy of one’s community and society.

With that in mind, today’s column will look at one perhaps undervalued and under-noticed aspect of entrepreneurship that increases the chance of success for all entrepreneurs setting out on their journey: diversity of input.

You would have to be living in a cave to not be aware of the discussion happening in our society around “DEI”, otherwise known as Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Those conversations are critically important to have because, hopefully, they result in concrete policies that provide every person with appropriate opportunity. That’s a somewhat fraught discussion for another column on another day.

For a budding entrepreneur, diversity of thought and perspective — and an openness to those inputs from others — is critical, if not foundational, to achieving success.

So let’s take a quick look at the general evolution of an entrepreneurial venture.

First, it starts as an idea in the mind of one or more people to solve a problem that, in their view, isn’t being addressed. In many instances the next step is to run the idea by friends, peers and others the founders respect to determine if the idea is valid. Next, if the idea is a “go,” a good entrepreneur will take the time to put together a business plan.

This plan may vary widely in its scope and detail, but can include looking at all or some of the following: the feasibility of the concept, market potential, market size, existing competition, financial viability, ability to put together an expert team, how to market the concept to potential customers, and other aspects of the proposed venture. If there are no insurmountable roadblocks in the above-mentioned steps, the founders will likely move forward into the execution and operational phase of transforming an idea into an operating venture.

Back to my premise. Why the need for openness to diversity of thought and perspective?

Well, most entrepreneurs are extremely passionate about their concept and venture. It is, after all, their “baby” and an initiative that tends to consume their lives while they are engaged in working to make it succeed. However, that passion and all-consuming desire to succeed can lead to stubbornness and blind spots; to a “my way or the highway” mind-set (“after all, it was my idea”); to a tendency to ignore market dynamics, empirical evidence, and data that might suggest a different approach is needed, or a modification in the direction of some aspect of the venture. I would argue this is one of the most common fatal flaws that can doom a new venture. In mentoring entrepreneurs, I always recommend writing a business plan, even though I also tell them that six months or so down the road, in all likelihood, they can take their plan and throw 75% of it out the window (I often get pushback because some believe it’s a waste of time and that they should be moving forward instead). Why do I recommend this? Because taking the time to set down all aspects of a concept, and consulting others with expertise and experience while doing so, is, in my view, one of the best ways to determine the strengths and weaknesses of the proposed venture. Because being open to testing assumptions and projections will always result in a greater chance of success.

At Silicon Couloir one of the key traits we look at in individuals who apply to take part in our programs is coachability. Simply put, this means we look for people who are open and willing to entertain different points of view. While rare, we have turned down applicants who we don’t believe are willing to genuinely accept honest feedback and input. Because we know from experience that mindset is a serious red flag.

So how can entrepreneurs ensure receiving diversity of thought? As previously mentioned, they can, and should, write a business plan while actively soliciting outside input. They can, and should, put together an advisory board or board of directors with specific industry expertise and outside perspectives. They can work with professional coaches with expertise in aspects of their venture or general experience and success in the private sector. They can, and should, hire competent team members who are willing to provide honest and open feedback (no sycophants need apply).

Starting a new venture is challenging in the best of circumstances. Being open to diversity of thought and experience is one of the best ways to increase the odds of rewarding and successful endeavor in the long run.

Silicon Couloir Welcomes Director of Entrepreneurship

Silicon Couloir (SC) is pleased to welcome Brittney Ziebell as Director of Entrepreneurship effective May 18th. Ziebell joins a growing staff and group of volunteers working to support entrepreneurs in the Teton region. Ziebell will serve as the primary point of contact for interaction with entrepreneurs, ventures, mentors, and other volunteers in SC programs, and will oversee the operations of Teton Entrepreneurs & Mentoring Service (TEAMS) and Silicon Couloir’s Angel Group. 

“We are excited to be bringing someone of Brittney’s caliber on board, along with her experience in nonprofit leadership and organization,” says Gary Trauner, Executive Director. “As a nascent entrepreneur herself, Brittney has experienced firsthand the difference external support can make to those seeking to build something new. We’d also like to thank Will Stabler for his years of service and essential contribution to taking Silicon Couloir from an idea to an integral part of the Teton Region community.”

Originally from New Hampshire, Ziebell grew up alpine ski racing in the White Mountains. After graduating from Colby College where she was a NCAA Division 1 ski racer, she moved west, and she's called Jackson her home for over six years. Since 2016, Ziebell worked at the Jackson Hole Ski & Snowboard Club as Marketing & Events Manager and Development Director. She helped the JHSC raise funds through their many community events and through various campaigns in support of their mission of building champions in sport and life through winter sports. An entrepreneur herself, Brittney also runs an art business, and co-produced an award-winning short documentary, Latitude, in 2020. Since dabbling in screenwriting and narration, Brittney has begun assisting businesses with storytelling campaigns that go beyond the product or service. 

"I'm thrilled to join the Silicon Couloir team, and to help bolster entrepreneurship opportunities in our community that serve the middle-class," says Ziebell.

Ziebell follows outgoing staff member Will Stabler who has been instrumental in growing TEAMS. Stabler recently relocated and is pursuing professional opportunities in his new home. “I've truly enjoyed working to develop an entrepreneurial ecosystem in one of the most cherished parts of the world,” states Stabler. “Thank you to the founders, mentors, investors, and community members who contribute such valuable time and energy to our programming. Brittney is a longstanding member of our community and will bring great perspective and nonprofit experience to our team.”

May News

MONTHLY CHANCE MEETINGS 

May 2, 2022,  5 - 7 pm @The Rose

Please 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 networking event. You never know...

We are pleased to welcome you back to in-person Chance Meetings at The Rose (50 W Broadway in Jackson). Join us from 5-7 pm on Monday, May 2nd for Speed Networking. Designed to accelerate business contacts through 3-minute introductions and conversations, speed networking is lively, fun, and will expand your community and connections. So, bring your business cards, a pen, and paper, and be ready to meet new friends in the Silicon Couloir ecosystem. Please register below.
THANK YOU TO THE ROSE FOR HOSTING CHANCE MEETINGS!

REGISTER FOR CHANCE MEETINGS

NEWS AND NOTES

ORCHESTRA PROVISIONS GETS A BOOST FROM
SILICON COULOIR

Kate Stoddard, Founder and CEO of Orchestra Provisions, is working to create solutions to global hunger. Silicon Couloir is supporting Kate's work with our Pitch Day and TEAMS programs. In this short video Kate recounts how Pitch Day and TEAMS has accelerated her company's growth. See more entrepreneur stories in our 2021 Annual Report.

APRIL VISIONARY VENTURES: REALIZE YOUR DREAM WITH START-UP SUCCESS

Over the past nine years, Sandy Hessler and Liza Millet have taught and coached more than 300 students. 13 more students joined that fortunate group with our spring offering of Start-Up Success: Fundamentals. In our April edition of Visionary Ventures, Sandy and Liza discuss their motivation to teach and the new heights students achieve with the foundation the course provides.

READ THE COLUMN HERE

MIA SHARE IS HIRING

Mia Share, 2021 Pitch Day Panelist and Audience Choice award winner, is hiring for a range of positions with competitive salaries, benefits & equity! Join a 10-person growing, dynamic and well-funded FinTech startup based right here in the Tetons. Mia Share connects students with trade and technical schools to the future of fair education payments. Products include income share agreements, payment plans, other custom payment solutions & career services. Mia Share is focused on high-value education and improving people's lives. Make sure to text Josh (Founder) when you apply or if you have questions: 307 203 7202.

APPLY HERE

HIGHPOINT CIDER DOUBLES PRODUCTION 

Highpoint Cider recently expanded its storage and production capacity by splitting a unit with Sego skis to store kegs and cans, acquiring another full 1500 square foot unit next to the taproom for final product storage, and adding 2 80 barrel fermentation tanks to double monthly production capacity. Alex & Andrew are also excited to announce that Highpoint Cider has brought on a full-time assistant cider maker, and will be available in Yellowstone National Park and Utah in the coming weeks!

Stop in for a fresh pint of cider at 7565 Lupine Ln in Victor. And mark your calendar for our June Chance Meetings at the same location, which along with Franco Snowshapes and Sego Skis, constitutes the Victor Makers Space.

If you want to learn more about Highpoint Cider's origins and how Silicon Couloir has supported the Perex brothers with our TEAMS program, watch this video.

GIVE'R TO EXPAND TO VICTOR AND CREATE NEW JOBS

After a decade in business in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Give'r will expand its operations to Victor, Idaho. Give’r has purchased a building in Victor that will allow for increased production and fulfillment of online sales. The new building is considered an expansion not a replacement, of Give’r Headquarters in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The expansion is planned to bring up to 50 well-paying jobs to Teton Valley by 2023.

Give’r was launched in 2012 by current CEO Bubba Albrecht and friends Carly Platt and Jed Mickle. Upon Platt’s and Mickle’s departures, Albrecht embraced being in the trenches before launching Give’rs record-breaking Kickstarter campaigns. Since then, Give’r has grown to over 25 employees and continues to release new products.

The expansion to Victor is a significant step towards the ambitious goals set by Albrecht and co-owner Bill Watkins to make Give’r a household name connected with longevity, inspiration, and creativity.

A participant in the inaugural Start-Up Intensive class and one of Silicon Couloir's first TEAMS program companies, we've been proud to support Bubba and his crew along the way.

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

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Realize your dream with Start-Up Success

April Visionary Ventures: Realize your dream with Start-Up Success

By Rebecca Reimers

Success comes in many forms. Over the past nine years, Sandy Hessler and Liza Millet have taught and coached more than 300 students. Some have gone on to found multimillion-dollar businesses, but it’s seeing people transform their lives and overcome great adversity that are the most memorable for these two mentors.

“We’ve had students who have had significant trauma in their lives,” Sandy said. “Knowing that background, to see how they have really leaned into their vulnerability, taken control of their lives, and have built a sustainable business through that process is really inspiring.”

Liza, a co-founder of Silicon Couloir, also finds great satisfaction in teaching: “My deeper vision in life is to help people find their abundance and business is the language and lens through which I like to do that. I love helping people channel their passion into something they can make a living on.”

Start-Up Success: Fundamentals, Silicon Couloir’s annual five-week intensive business program, will be offered again starting this Friday, April 22, and there’s still time to join the class. Offered over two weekends and five Wednesday evenings, the course is structured to accommodate those with an existing job.

Students come to the course in different stages of their business. Some have an established venture they’re looking to optimize or reboot; others have five ideas on the back of a napkin. All are welcome. The frameworks and processes taught “are something students can take with them for the rest of their lives, whether it’s for this business, the next business, or an existing career,” Sandy said.

Participants will learn the key concepts in business, marketing and financials. But this is no ordinary how-to class. What Liza and Sandy aim to do is help students harness their passion and vision and channel them into a unique values-based business.

“In the Tetons region we get so many founders who are passionate about the world — not just about making money — so we get so many heartfelt businesses here,” Liza said. “When you give someone the permission to dream in a supportive environment the results are amazing.”

Spring, a quiet season for most in our area, is an ideal time to lay the groundwork.

“We provide a framework and roadmap for somebody who has the vision, dream and idea ... to have the foundations and structures to know the key steps so it’s not so overwhelming to begin,” Sandy said. “In our fast-paced culture the majority of new businesses fail because people haven’t taken the reflective time to make sure that the ground is ready for the roots to grow deep and the plant to be strong.”

The two instructors bring complementary backgrounds that “together bring wholeness,” said Sandy, whose expertise is in branding and marketing. Liza, a registered investment advisor, brings skills in finance, strategy and business development.

Complementary skills are a theme of SUS content. Students will develop and practice an “Elevator Pitch” that succinctly gives voice and resonance to their vision. Students also hear from outside speakers like Steve Sullivan of Stio to help students see real world application of the principles.

However, internal processing and reflection are also a vital part of the curriculum. Underlying outward success is “an internal awareness of the resilience and perseverance needed to keep going and love the vision more than they’re afraid of failure,” Sandy said. When you have a business idea and are testing it to determine if it will succeed in the marketplace, “a lot of openness, vulnerability, and in many ways courageous humility are needed.”

The class provides a supportive space where students can play, explore, practice and brainstorm together. Being an entrepreneur can be lonely, especially in the beginning. Joining a group of peers can have remarkable advantages, and many cohorts form a community that persists long after the class ends.

“We’ve seen over time that there are great bonds that form,” Liza said. “Being able to find a tribe of people who are pushing forward to bring a vision to life is often really necessary for an entrepreneur to realize their dream.”

If you’re ready to take the journey and become your own boss, visit SiliconCouloir.com/start-up to apply.

April News

MONTHLY VIRTUAL CHANCE MEETINGS 

April 4, 2022,  5 - 6 pm via Zoom

Please register below for Zoom link

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: Authentic & low-cost approaches to user acquisition with social media & community

If you're looking for practical and affordable ways to grow your business with both social media and in-person community tactics, you won't want to miss this Chance Meetings. Our power-house participants will share strategies and ideas that have proven to be successful. Panelists include Nikki Bogopolskaya, Gesche Haas, Caitlin Iseler, and Kelli Jones. Our moderator will be Annie Morita. This remarkable group will bring clarity and purpose to what can be an overwhelming aspect of marketing and branding for new and emerging entrepreneurs.

REGISTER FOR CHANCE MEETINGS

Nikki Bogopolskaya is a brand partnerships lead at TikTok, she previously led creator and brand partnerships at influencer marketing agency Social Studies and worked with brands at global tech companies such as Foursquare and Match. She is also an angel investor and advisor to companies in the health, wealth and community space. When not on the internet, she teaches yoga and megaformer, and enjoys cooking, reading, hiking, traveling and live performance. She lives in East Jackson with her husband and two crazy Mini Australian Shepherds.

Gesche Haas is an entrepreneur, investor, mentor, and advisor who is the CEO and Founder of Dreamers & Doers, a high-impact community and agile PR team amplifying extraordinary entrepreneurial women. Dreamers & Doers has built a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem of over 34,000 women globally. Gesche has won several awards including 'Forbes Next 1000', 'VOTY 100 Community Builder' by BlogHer, 'Empowered Woman of the Year', 'The Buildies Profitability Award' by Calm Company Fund, 'Best Remote CEO' by RemoteRated, and others. Gesche is currently also a Venture Partner at Republic supporting diverse founders seeking funding. Prior to founding Dreamers & Doers, Gesche held senior positions at several venture-backed startups in roles covering growth, strategy, finance, operations and business development. She also spent five years as an investor at a healthcare-focused hedge fund (~$3bn AUM, SAC spin-off). Gesche is half German, half Chinese-Malaysian, and was born in Africa.

Kelli Jones founded Noso Patches in 2015 after she hopped a barbed wire fence hiking in Wyoming and snagged her brand-new $400 Patagonia Fitz Roy down parka. The only thing she could find to repair it was a piece of duct tape but didn’t like the way it looked.  Gear made with synthetic fabric rips all the time, and she – had a lot of tears in her clothes so she sourced materials online to cut into hearts and star patches.  In the tram line at the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, people kept asking about them.  In August 2016, Noso Patches successfully launched on Indiegogo.  Featured in Outside Magazine, Wired and Forbes, Noso Patches are now carried in over 600 specialty stores in over 10 countries and they offer a robust custom program.

Caitlin Iseler is the Founder and CEO of happyly, a wellness company partnering with corporations to provide an employee benefit supporting the work from anywhere employee experience. Prior to starting happyly, Caitlin spent 15 years in executive search in the software space, most recently with Korn Ferry. Caitlin is a graduate of the University of Virginia with a Master's in Information Technology Management and was a member of the 2004 Women's Lacrosse National Championship team. She and her husband, Thomas, and their daughter, Hanah, moved to Jackson 5 years ago and love the outdoors.

Annie Morita is currently consulting for Anousheh Ansari, CEO of XPRIZE. Most recently, Annie was the Chief Operating Officer at Koji. Before COVID-19, Annie was an executive with Apple, Inc. She was the business lead for the Internet Software & Services Division in Greater China. Prior to Apple, Annie served as the head of global interactive for DreamWorks Animation. Prior to this role, Annie served as the lead business executive for Oriental DreamWorks, DreamWorks Animation's first-ever joint venture in China with the goal of creating the leading family entertainment company in China. A marketing and new media veteran, Annie has held top leadership positions at 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.

REGISTER FOR CHANCE MEETINGS

Note: We're currently working to secure a venue for in-person Chance Meetings and hope this will be the last virtual meeting.

NEWS AND NOTES

THERE'S STILL TIME TO APPLY FOR START-UP SUCCESS

What are you doing this off-season? Take the opportunity to build or grow a thriving company. Silicon Couloir is offering Start-Up Success: Fundamentals, our 5-week business intensive program again this spring with world-class instructors Sandy Hessler and Liza Millet. Don't miss this opportunity to gain business skills, strategies, and tools with a community of your peers. Our 2022 cohort is a wonderful and talented group that will bring fresh ideas and perspectives to the course. We want YOU to be a part of it!

APPLY NOW

MARCH VISIONARY VENTURES: FINANCING OPTIONS OFFER DIFFERENT RISKS AND REWARDS

Deciding how to finance your business is a big decision. Read about the various options and pros and cons of each in our March Visionary Ventures column published monthly in the Jackson Hole News & Guide.

READ THE COLUMN HERE

THE COWORK SPACE GROWS TO MEET DEMAND

Silicon Couloir is pleased to announce that The Cowork Space has expanded to meet growing demand. The Cowork Space (CWS), located in downtown Jackson at 140 East Broadway, serves as a central hub for entrepreneurs. By providing affordable workspace in a clean, bright environment, with reliable internet, conference space, and networking opportunities, The CWS is an inspiring space that encourages inspiring work. In an environment of rising rents, The CWS plays an essential role in our ecosystem. 

Silicon Couloir acquired The CSW in 2018. Membership has grown consistently every year since. Over 2021, 329 users benefited from The CWS, a 30% increase from 2020. 60% of these were either monthly members or dedicated desk members. The expansion is in the same building and consists of two private offices, as well as a large designated desk area for 10 members. Improvements in the original space include two phone booths/ focus rooms and one micro office. If you are interested in becoming a Cowork Space member please email michael@siliconcouloir.com.

WELCOME TO NEW TRUSTEE 

We are pleased to announce that Salim Mitha is our newest Silicon Couloir Trustee. Welcome, Salim, and thank you for your generous commitment to support entrepreneurship in the Teton region.

Salim Mitha enjoys helping startups grow, and now gets to do this every day as a media, entertainment, gaming & sports investor at Powerhouse Capital, a sector-focused Los Angeles based venture capital firm.

Most recently Salim was a Partner at Evolution Media, the growth venture capital firm that invested in partnership TPG Growth and Creative Artists Agency (CAA). Prior to being an investor, he spent a few cycles as an entrepreneur where he launched three startups, helped them grow, and guided them all to successful exits (and all three continue to thrive to this day).

Salim's past tech experience derives from running Yahoo! Search & Social Search across Europe, and from startup e-commerce marketplace company Wahanda (Treatwell) which was acquired by Recruit of Japan, owners of indeed.com and Glassdoor.

WOMEN IN WYOMING FEATURES MARNIE PETERSON

The most recent chapter of Lindsay Linton's Women in Wyoming: Portraits and Interviews of Women Who Shape the West features Marnie Peterson, Chief Scientific Officer of Perfectus Biomend Group. The mission of Women in Wyoming is to tell the inspiring stories of contemporary Wyoming women through art and media, celebrating their achievements, power, and learned wisdom.

Marnie is a participant in our TEAMS mentoring program. "Silicon Couloir has been such a huge part of my business and overall success," says Marnie. "I think Lindsay's project is amazing and I'm honored to be a part of it." Portrait by Lindsay Linton.

WOMEN IN WYOMING

HONORING SILICON COULOIR'S
VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR

Silicon Couloir is pleased to announce Ginny Hutchinson as our 2021 Volunteer of the Year. Ginny served as a board member from 2016 to 2021 and spent countless hours advising on marketing efforts and bolstering our Trustee Circle. Ginny was instrumental in guiding the organization through the pandemic turbulence of 2019 and 2020, helping to find new ways to assist our entrepreneurial community. Ginny and her husband John Kanengieter continue to support Silicon Couloir as Trustees.

 NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR WOMAN ENTREPRENEUR
OF THE YEAR

The Wyoming Council for Women is thrilled to announce the opening of nominations for 2022 Wyoming Woman Entrepreneur of the Year. If you or someone you know is a woman entrepreneur, please consider filling out the nomination by clicking the button below.

“The impact of female entrepreneurs across the state of Wyoming is tremendous,” said Jennifer Wilmetti, Chair of the Wyoming Council for Women. “Starting and maintaining a small business 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 a nomination so we can recognize and celebrate the amazing Wyoming women helping to drive our local economies. ”

NOMINATIONS OPEN

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

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Financing options offer different risks and rewards

By Rebecca Reimers and Will Stabler

Financing is a critical component of any business, and there are many paths to raise capital. In this week’s column we are going to look at the various options for financing both small and growth businesses.

Before deciding how to raise capital, it’s important to identify your long-term goals, as different forms of financing provide different opportunities for your business. If you’re looking to scale your business, you might choose an aggressive tactic that will grow the company faster. If you have a small business or are a solo entrepreneur, you likely want to grow more slowly and maintain full ownership.

First, we’ll look at bootstrapping: funding your business with your own money alongside revenues. Bootstrapping requires quick customer acquisition to finance the continued growth of your business. The upside is founders aren’t beholden to investors or debt payments and can set their own vision and priorities. Drawbacks are slower growth than with a capital infusion and, potentially, a more limited ceiling for your revenues. Crowdfunding uses a reward- based system that reduces risk for the entrepreneur. Imagine an apparel business that wants to try out a new item isn’t certain it will be a hit. The business is faced with a large minimum investment in inventory. With rewards-based crowdfunding, supporters of the brand commit to prepay for the product. If enough supporters join the effort, the capital minimum is met and the company makes the order with the funds. This model typically does not dilute ownership in your company. Crowdfunding campaigns can give access to early adopters of your product or service, and these customers can be ambassadors or beta testers. Crowdfunding platforms do charge fees, and the initial setup can require significant time.

Equity crowdfunding — selling pieces of your company to a large number of people — is an option, too. This avenue is more complex and requires the help of a business lawyer.

Grants for private businesses are often available for specific product types or underrepresented entrepreneur groups. Grants are a great way to raise nondilutive funds, meaning that they do not dilute the company ownership. Grants are often aimed at funding the development of new technologies and can be awarded by both government institutions and private foundations.

Conventional business loans from banks and lending institutions are widely available, and there are several debt products that you can use to finance your business, from a line of credit, to equipment financing, to term loans and more. The U.S. Small Business Administration and other government agencies may offer the most attractive low-interest loans, so entrepreneurs should evaluate each type of loan by the same standards.

With a loan, you don’t have to give up company ownership, and the range of products can be tailored to your needs. Financing can happen quickly, but loans must be paid back, and late payments can be costly. Some lending institutions will require collateral in the form of personal assets, which can bring added risk.

Angel investors are wealthy individuals who invest their own money in a startup in exchange for a portion of company ownership. In addition to providing a capital infusion without legal stipulations on spending, angels can be advisors to help grow your company. Keep in mind you may dilute your ownership stake further if you continue to raise money through angels or venture capital. If you have many angels, they may have conflicting advice and priorities, and managing them all may be onerous.

Raising venture capital is a significant endeavor that can bring large amounts of capital to your business in exchange for relatively large slices of your business’s ownership. VC firms pool funds and have employees that make and support investments. Larger amounts of capital allow companies to hire employees and secure long-term partnerships and agreements. VC firms become a strategic partner, making introductions to advisors, employers, customers and other investors. Nearly all private companies valued at $1 billion or more have raised money from VC firms.

But VC funding is hard to acquire. Firms will want to see strong growth potential in a large market, as they need to see a path for a return on their investment. You will forfeit a large percentage of your ownership by raising VC money, and consequently, a percentage of your business’s profits. Lastly, most VC firms demand that they have some level of operational control, like placing certain members of your board of directors and veto power over certain decisions.

The means of choosing to raise capital is a big decision for entrepreneurs, and Silicon Couloir has various programs that can help guide the planning and strategy at all stages. Start-Up Success, which will be offered in April, provides a foundation and helps to identify your goals. Our expert TEAMS mentors give guidance to determine the best form of financing. Our annual Pitch Day competition awards prize money and helps entrepreneurs hone their pitch to angels and VCs alike. Finally, our Angel Group connects entrepreneurs to local investors.

March News

MONTHLY VIRTUAL CHANCE MEETINGS 

March 7, 2022,  5 - 6 pm via Zoom

Please register below or Zoom link

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...

Silicon Couloir exists to serve the Teton regional community by aligning entrepreneurship with community vision to promote a diverse economy and a healthy environment for current and future generations. We offer a full range of values-based founding-to-funding programs for entrepreneurs from education to mentoring.

At our March Chance Meetings, want to hear from YOU, our ecosystem members, about what we can do to improve our offerings. Please join us at our Monday, March 7th Virtual Chance Meetings, for small breakout groups to garner your insight and feedback. Small groups will also serve as an opportunity to make new connections with other attendees.

NEWS AND NOTES

If you are ready to build a successful start-up, we can help! Silicon Couloir is offering Start-Up Success, our 5-week business intensive program again this spring with world-class instructors Sandy Hessler and Liza Millet. Don't miss this opportunity to gain business skills, strategies, and tools with a community of your peers. Early bird pricing is available until March 15th!

APPLY NOW

FEBRUARY VISIONARY VENTURES: START-UP SUCCESS GIVES JULIET A PUSH TOWARD GROWTH

Our most recent Visionary Ventures column follows Heather Smith's experience as a first-time entrepreneur who recently negotiated an exit for her business, Juliet. Heather benefited from a range of Silicon Couloir programs including Start-Up Success, which will be offered again this spring. If you're thinking about starting your own venture, or want to hear first-hand how Silicon Couloir's range of programs can support you, this is a must-read.

READ THE COLUMN HERE

WELCOME TO NEW TRUSTEES

We are pleased to announce two new Silicon Couloir Trustees. Welcome and thank you for your generous commitment to support entrepreneurship in the
Teton region.

Gary Scheier is a co-founder and managing partner at 11.2 Ventures. 11.2 is a Venture Builder Studio established in July 2020 focused on building “in-house” artificial intelligence-based companies. Gary is also cofounder and managing partner of Trivium Group LLC, a venture capital fund of funds, providing investors with exposure to early-stage, mid-stage and late-stage venture opportunities. Prior to 11.2, Gary was a managing partner at K8 Ventures, a venture builder studio purchased by 11.2 Ventures in July 2020. Previously, Gary was CEO of Social Qnect, a mobile application development company focusing on building Q&A native mobile applications for affinity groups that was sold to Founder Equity Fund in 2013. In 2001 Gary co-founded QuietAgent Inc., a software development company focusing on social recruitment solutions for enterprise clients through its subsidiary, Findly Talent. In 2012 Findly Talent was sold to the Symphony Technology Group, a large private equity firm headquartered in Palo Alto, CA. From 1997 to 2002 Gary was VP of Business Development and later President of Telecom Wireless Solutions, an Atlanta-based company providing engineering services to the wireless telecommunications industry. From 1991 to 1997 Mr. Scheier was a partner at Weiss, Peck & Greer and co-founder of its Quantitative Equity Division where he managed over $2 billion.

For 30 years, Ben Davis has sponsored SME’s in their respective fields to launch operating platforms, or “Sponsored Alpha.” These startup platforms generate proprietary deal flow and technologies, which Ben typically commercializes with strategic partners. Current platforms include CapStream Group (capstreamgroup,.com), Midnight Venture Partners (midnightvp.com), Advanced Mill Solutions (advancedmills.com), Halide Holdings (halideholdings.com), and Allegiance Mobile Health (allmh.com). He previously founded, built, and sold businesses in wireless telecommunications, clean energy, and oilfield services, and maintains legacy investments in industrial tech and other businesses, including bulk terminals, biomaterials, and analytical labs. He served as General Chairman and remains on the Host Committee of the PGA’s Dell Technologies Match Play in Austin and also serves on Baylor University’s Leadership Council and Hankamer School of Business Advisory Board. He is married to a landscape artist (juliedavistudio.com) and has 3 daughters, the eldest of which married in Jackson last August. Ben is reachable via LinkedIn or at bdavis@capstreamgroup.com.

gBETA APPLICATIONS DUE MARCH 15TH

Apply by March 15 for gBETA Cheyenne's Spring 2022 cohort! gBETA is a program of nationally ranked startup accelerator, gener8tor. gBETA Cheyenne is a seven-week accelerator for early-stage companies with Wyoming roots. Each program is capped at five startup teams and requires no fees and no equity. Participants benefit from a localized program in addition to a nationwide network of mentors, experts, and potential investors. Sign up to meet the director, Baylie, and ask questions 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

Start-Up Success gives Juliet a push toward growth

February Visionary Ventures: Start-Up Success gives Juliet a push toward growth

By Will Stabler

“I would’ve done anything to get here,” said Heather Smith, referring to her move to Jackson in 2017.

The civil rights attorney had visited the valley several times for work and knew that “there’s an energy in Jackson and a really strong sense of belonging. I was at an important juncture in life as a single parent, wanting a strong friendfamily. I knew Jackson had this really special community.”

By day Heather works in civil rights. Upon her move to Jackson she found a desk in The Cowork Space, where she still manages a regional team of a dozen professionals who advocate and litigate on behalf of individuals and underrepresented populations. While she takes particular pride in defending women’s reproductive rights, she “wanted to be on the front of some proactive change, something unapologetically rooted in feminism and power for women. I’ve always wanted a diverse and varied experience in life, trying new things and building new projects.” Conversations at Silicon Couloir’s coworking space had her thinking: “What else do I want to do?”

A single mother, Heather often encountered shame and stigma in her pregnancy journey, navigating personal questions about why and how. As a consumer she found pregnancy and fertility products that missed the mark. Later, as an entrepreneur in the space, marketing her own business, she was dismayed to see male CEOs running “pink wash” women’s health companies.

“They see it as a market opportunity,” she said. “I see it as that but also more, as a way to be seen and heard.”

After a conversation with a fellow entrepreneur, Heather enrolled in Start-Up Success: Fundamentals, a Silicon Couloir program that teaches the fundamentals of entrepreneurship. Devoting her nights and weekends to shaping an idea, Heather eventually incorporated her business, Juliet, in June 2020. Juliet sells pregnancy and fertility products to meet women where they are; to provide a community to women on the margins of infertility.

The Start-Up Success course grounded Heather in business fundamentals, but “I also learned so much about values and how you show up.” Heather iterated her idea quite a bit, and Juliet’s values now align quite closely with Heather’s personal priorities: to empower women by providing the tools and community to navigate their own fertility journey.

Timing was fortuitous here, as Heather started the entrepreneurship program just as the United States entered stay-at-home orders in spring 2020.

“Starting Juliet during the pandemic gave me a creative outlet, something to control when everything in the world was out of whack,” she said. “It didn’t feel like work.”

Heather built the fundamentals of her business and applied to Silicon Couloir’s Pitch Day 2020. There she won the Bob Arndt Community Caretaker Award and a spot in Silicon Couloir’s TEAMS mentoring program. She’d already come a long way for a nights-and-weekends business, on top of caring for her family.

By that point she’d hired help with content and website design, completed her product testing and held a small amount of inventory. She was building her online brand, testing posts on social media, trying to find what hit home with her nascent community. In January 2021, something clicked, and “it was like wildfire.” Though she’d already sold some products, Heather was planning a full launch of her marketing campaign and associated inventory orders for March. All of a sudden, she was facing a big surge in demand. The “success was so exciting but so challenging,” she said.

Because the orders came before she had arranged distribution, Heather handled them herself. Picture her amid a residential move, with product everywhere, packing orders in her packed-up apartment: “Is this what success really looks like?”

Heather was energized, and she used her new revenue to invest in content and purchase additional inventory for Juliet. By summer she’d established steady growth in monthly sales, an important metric to startups. But she was still balancing her full-time work and her nighttime work with Juliet, all while raising a young child during the pandemic.

Heather had strong connections with the leaders of The Body Agency, a women’s health company rooted in values similar to Juliet’s. While Heather had funded Juliet herself — “bootstrapped,” in startup jargon — The Body Agency was capital funded and could spend to develop products to prolong the customer journey and support women throughout their lives. Conversations began toward the end of last year, and Heather finalized the sale of her business just last month.

“It landed with a company that has the same values that I share personally and also the values that are embedded within Juliet,” she said. “There was definitely a level of relief to see it land somewhere that was going to continue that mission.”

When asked about her plans for future startup endeavors, Heather doesn’t hesitate: “One hundred percent I would do it again. The amount of growth and stretch that happens in building a business is itself a reason to say yes.”

While she kicks around ideas with friends and colleagues, for now she’s focused on her ultimate goal in life: “Raising a really badass daughter.”

February News

VIRTUAL MONTHLY CHANCE MEETINGS 

February 7, 2022,  5 - 6 pm via Zoom

Please register below for Zoom link

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: Wyoming Economic Transition— Strategy or
Whack-a-Mole with Dave Dodson

At this juncture, most everyone—from citizens to policymakers— knows that Wyoming can’t survive off coal and natural gas royalties. The stakes are high for the state and our county. Wyoming in particular has an aging population, an underfunded pension plan, and weakening infrastructure.

We need creative ideas and forward-thinking solutions. Join us for Virtual Chance Meetings on Monday, February 7th from 5-6 pm for an in-depth discussion on Wyoming's Economic Transition with David Dodson. Dave will discuss the state’s current situation and a blueprint for how to rebuild the state’s economic base.
 

David Dodson has been active for thirty-five years in the formation of new businesses. Prior to entering the Stanford GSB, Dodson worked at McKinsey & Company, where he worked for clients in oil field services, gas pipelines, liquefied natural gas, and offshore drilling. Between 1990 and 2004, Dodson operated as CEO or Executive Chairman of five companies, including co-founding Wind River Environmental, the largest specialty trucking company of its kind; ADAP, Inc., an auto parts retailer that was eventually sold to Auto Zone; Smith Alarm Systems, Inc.; Paragon Systems, Inc.; and Worldbridge Broadband Services Inc, which was eventually sold to C-Corp. Dodson has been an active mentor and investor in over seventy-five early stage companies, and has been on the board of directors of over a dozen companies, including Asurion, LLC, an insurance company with over 20,000 employees operating in 14 countries.

In 2018, out of concern for the state of our country, Dodson ran for the U.S. Senate in his home state of Wyoming. He is a frequent columnist for The Boston Globe and Casper Star-Tribune, and a regular guest commentator with CNBC and Fox Business News.

David Dodson is a faculty member at Stanford Graduate School of Business), and teaches strategic management within the Center for Entrepreneurial Studies. Mr. Dodson is a graduate of Stanford University (Economics ’83, MBA ’87).
 

NEWS AND NOTES

SILICON COULOIR IS HIRING! 

Position Title: Director of Entrepreneurship

Join the Teton region’s new economy & help support our thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem.

The Director of Entrepreneurship will manage and support Silicon Couloir programs and participants in our ecosystem. 

Qualifications: This FT position requires a bachelor’s degree & a min of 3-5 yrs. relevant experience in non-profits, business &/or w/ growth companies. Must be a team player, tech-savvy, & possess excellent oral & written communication skills. Silicon Couloir provides competitive pay, benefits & dynamic work environment.

To Apply: Submit resume & cover letter to hello@siliconcouloir.com by 2/7.
 

FULL JOB DESCRIPTION

JANUARY VISIONARY VENTURES: ALL FOR ONE AND ONE FOR ALL

Why should you support Silicon Couloir and our mission to empower entrepreneurship in the Teton region? Our January Visionary Ventures column published in The Jackson Hole News & Guide makes the case.

"A successful private sector that provides meaningful, well-paying jobs with benefits can lift community members and alleviate, to some extent, the public sector’s social program burden. A vibrant and successful private sector can similarly reduce the demand for certain nonprofit services, allowing charitable organizations to do more and have a greater impact with their resources."

READ THE FULL COLUMN HERE

START-UP SUCCESS TO BE OFFERED THIS SPRING

Develop Your Frameworks for a Thriving Venture

Learn, Connect, Collaborate, Succeed.

We're proud to announce that our world-class 5-week intensive business educational program Start-Up Success will be offered again this spring, and will be taught by highly experienced instructors Sandy Hessler and Liza Millet.

Dates: 
Weekend of 4/15 - 4/17
Wednesdays: 4/20, 4/27, 5/4, 5/11, 5/18
Weekend of 5/20 - 5-22

Hours:
Weekends Fri: 5 pm - 8pm, Sat: 9 am - 4 pm, Sun: 9 am-12:30 pm
Wednesdays: 5:30 pm-8 pm

The application period will open on February 14th. More details to follow. Please email rebecca@siliconcouloir.com if you are interested in creating a thriving venture.

SC PARTNERS WITH THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION TO OFFER OFFICE HOURS

If you're a nonprofit leader seeking objective and confidential, guidance on finance, creating sustainable revenue streams, organizational structure and management, board/staff relations, or fundraising, we can help. Silicon Couloir and the Community Foundation of Jackson Hole are teaming up to offer office hours with Gary Trauner, Silicon Couloir ED, on Feb. 16th and 17th for nonprofit leaders.

SIGN UP NOW

WELCOME TO NEW TRUSTEES

We're thrilled to announce that long-time Trustee Dave Brown has stepped up to become a Super Trustee. And we're honored to welcome three new Trustees to our ecosystem: Chuck Davis, Leslie Schrock, and Evan Skorpen.

Trustees provide a runway for Silicon Couloir programs with a generous multi-year commitment and are the foundation of funding for our important work. We could not be more grateful.

Dave Brown is a private equity and venture investor with twenty years of experience in range of sectors including software, business services, financial services, clean tech, social media, mobile software services, storage, wireless towers and cable. Generalist business background with strengths in strategy, finance, operations, marketing and governance.

Dave is focused on working with founders and management teams to turn great ideas into successful growing businesses.

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. Leslie also co-founded Bitty Foods, a food startup introducing sustainable protein sources, and is on the Advisory Council at the University of Texas College of Communication. When not writing, Leslie spends time with startups improving the way we live.

Chuck Davis has served in his position as CEO & Chairman of Prodege since May 2014, after initially joining as Chairman in 2013. Chuck brings more than 20 years of leadership and strategic experience to his position managing a cutting-edge marketing and consumer insights platform that leverages its global audience of reward program members to power its business solutions. These innovative offerings enable leading brands and agencies to gather insights and market to their target audiences. As prior CEO & Chairman of Fandango and CEO of Shopzilla.com, Chuck successfully guided both brands to major market sales to Comcast Corporation and E.W. Scripps Co., respectively. He’s further held positions at Walt Disney, TV Guide, and Sports Illustrated.

Evan is a Principal at Lead Edge Capital and heads our public market activities. Prior to joining Evan worked as an Associate at ValueAct Capital, a long-only hedge fund in San Francisco. Before that he worked at Hellman & Friedman and Bain & Company. Evan graduated from Williams College with a double major in Math and Economics.

JULIET AQUIRED BY THE BODY AGENCY

Juliet, Pitch Day 2020 Community Caretaker award winner and TEAMS member, was recently acquired by The Body Agency. Congratulations to Founder and CEO Heather Smith. Heather will join the board of The Body Agency.

MIA SHARE REPORTS CONTINUED GROWTH

Mia Share, Pitch Day 2021 Panelist Choice award winner, recently published exciting company growth and development with new positions and plans to open an office in downtown Jackson on April 1st.

Hiring: We currently have six openings: Software Engineer, Data Scientist, Partnership Manager, Partnership Associate (Sales), Customer Service Representative, and Executive Assistant. Email info@miashare.com to apply.

Recent metrics: 

• 59x growth 2021 vs. 2020 in payments processed.

• $12.5mm total notional on the platform.

• 2021 6x notional originated vs 2020 notional originated.

• 2021 5x applications vs. 2020 applications.

BE DELIBERATE WITH YOUR FINANCES

Need help with financial planning and budgeting for your business? Deliberate Dollars is offering a NEW, 3-week course in February—Small Business Cashflow. Offered virtually on 2/8, 2/15, & 2/22 5-7:30pm MT.

Many people have a small business, passion project, side hustle or are an independent contractor but don’t know how much money they are personally making. Deliberate Dollars’ Small Business Cashflow course will teach you financial systems to ensure that your business is serving you, paying you, paying your taxes and your cashflow can be easily summarized! Let’s make sure your business is working for you while you do what you love!

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

An Entrepreneur for Entrepreneurs

USING STARTUP KNOW HOW TO HELP OTHERS

From JHStyle Magazine Winter/Spring 2021-2022

WORDS Molly Absalon I IMAGE David Bowers

Gary Trauner thinks part of what makes Jackson, Jackson, is its incredible ecosystem. Not just the natural ecosystem - the public lands and wildlife for which the Tetons are famous - but also its ecosystem of talented and accomplished people. These people, he believes, are the ones who can help Jackson become more ecologically, economically, and culturally sustainable.

Gary helps foster such individuals through his work as the executive director of Silicon Couloir, a nonprofit business incubator that pro­ vides programs that support entrepreneurs in the Tetons.

"Most people who move here have a high-risk tolerance," Gary says. "A lot of the people we work with had gotten to the point where they are get­ ting older, or they want a less-extreme lifestyle and more stability in their lives so are looking to move into a new career. They are willing to transfer that risk tolerance into building some­ thing. What a lot of them don't have is a back­ ground in business. That's where we come in."

Silicon Couloir offers several programs for entrepreneurs that range from a boot camp on business fundamentals and mentorships to networking events and help securing financing. They're also well known for their signature event, Pitch Day, which Gary says is "like the show 'Shark Tank,' Teton style." All these programs are great, but what excites Gary the most is Silicon Couloir's values and how they affect the businesses they foster.

"I'm a do-gooder," he says. "I really want to make a difference. Silicon Couloir is committed to its values. They matter. I have no interest in supporting people who don't hold those values."

These values are centered around Silicon Couloir's three guiding principles: Access-for-All to provide everyone with resources and support; Founding-to-Funding programming for entrepreneurs wher­ ever they are in their journey; and, most importantly, the triple bot­tom line of Profit. People. Planet. They work with businesses that are committed to being a positive part of the Teton region and provide well-paying, meaningful jobs.

"Every business wants to be financially successful," Gary says. "But we're not just about helping people get wealthy. We also want to give back to the community."

Gary says he grew up in a family where the dinner table conversa­tion flowed around current events and politics, so he's always been engaged in what's going on in the world. But it took a family tragedy for him to step out of his business-oriented path. After losing a brother to brain cancer, Gary decided to run for political office - his "macro" attempt to make a difference. In 2006, he lost the race for Wyoming's lone U.S. House of Representatives seat to seven-time incumbent Barbara Cubin by just over 1,000 votes or less than a percentage point. It was Cubin's closest call ever.

After two. more unsuccessful runs, Gary shifted his focus closer to home. He started two successful businesses in Teton County (after starting other businesses elsewhere), served as the chair of his local water and sewer district, acted as the chief operating officer for St. John's Health, served as the chair of the school district, and was the first paid executive director of Jack­son Hole Lacrosse.

When Silicon Couloir decided to hire its first full-time executive director, Gary was the perfect fit - a businessman and entrepreneur with a long and storied career. Many of the people he works with are not much different than Gary himself; people who dream of follow­ing their passion and making their mark on the economic and cultural ecosystem of Jackson.

All for one, one for all — that’s not just a cliche

January Visionary Ventures: All for one, one for all — that’s not just a cliche

By Gary Trauner, Silicon Couloir ED

For those not familiar with Silicon Couloir, it is a nonprofit that focuses on entrepreneurship in the Teton region and sometimes beyond. That means it is a charitable organization that supports the private sector.

To many this might prompt what seems like a logical question: Why do we need a charitable service organization to support profit-seeking ventures? Today’s column seeks to answer that.

If you know me, you’ve likely heard me talk about the three main influential sectors of any community: the public sector, the nonprofit sector and the private sector. Let’s delve into the characteristics of each. The public sector is what we know as government. This sector obviously has a significant impact on our community and on our lives. Nonetheless, this sector has several characteristics that tend to make it more reactive than proactive in dealing with community issues and concerns.

First, public sector leadership is generally elected, which can, and often does, result in differing priorities and philosophies after every election cycle. Simply put, this makes continuity difficult to achieve. Second, in many ways, the bureaucracy of the public sector purposefully makes significant and major change more difficult — what we may gain in stability we may lose in adaptability. Third, as a generality that absolutely comes with exceptions, elected officials want to stay in office, and therefore tend to be hesitant to get ahead of the curve. The result of these characteristics? Change tends to come slowly through the public sector.

The nonprofit sector serves a vital function. It generally fills the gap where there is a perceived community need not being adequately addressed by public or private sectors. Community members may see a need for social support services, arts programming or environmental protection. If they don’t believe their specific interest is being dealt with, they may form a nonprofit to alleviate their concerns.

That leaves the private sector. As the proverbial 800-pound gorilla on the block, the desires and actions of the private sector interact with, and significantly impact, the other two sectors of our community. The private sector is the foundation of our entire economy and influences public policy through exerting its influence and financial clout on comp plans, zoning and development approval. All one needs to do is look at ubiquitous private sector sponsorship of charitable organizations here to gauge the symbiotic relationship between those two sectors.

To me the challenge is thus very clear: How can you ensure the private sector succeeds while channeling a portion of its resources in the direction of a sustainable, thriving community?

A successful private sector that provides meaningful, well-paying jobs with benefits can lift community members and alleviate, to some extent, the public sector’s social program burden. A vibrant and successful private sector can similarly reduce the demand for certain nonprofit services, allowing charitable organizations to do more and have a greater impact with their resources.

It takes all three sectors working together to meet our region’s vision and needs. Helping the private sector use its financial and intellectual clout to sustain the local community while taking some of the burden off of the public and nonprofit sectors is a win-win for everyone: individuals, government, nonprofits and, perhaps most importantly, our region as a whole.

The private sector can do well (financially) by doing good (communally) and do good by doing well.

Many of you have neighbors who have been able to stay in our region because Silicon Couloir helped them get where they are, put down roots, and fully engage in their community. Incubating one of the engines of our local economy is what we do, and it is why a nonprofit that supports the private sector makes sense.

January News

MONTHLY CHANCE MEETINGS 

January 10, 2021,  5 - 6 pm via Zoom

Please register below for Zoom link

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: Affordable Housing Opportunities in the Teton Region

Housing in the Teton region has become more and more challenging to secure over the years, and recent demographic changes have resulted in less inventory, increased prices, and greater disparity of wealth. In November 2021 the median listing home price in Jackson, WY was $2.4M up 38.6% year-over-year according to realtor.com. For many essential workers and young entrepreneurs, the only option for homeownership (and in some cases, for secure rentals) is through one of several affordable housing programs in our community.

If you're in need of affordable housing or want to support the effort, please join us for presentations from local affordable housing experts on Monday, January 10th from 5-6 pm. Panelists include Anne Cresswell, Jackson Hole Community Housing Trust Executive Director; April Norton, Jackson/Teton County Housing Department Director; Kris Greenville, Teton Habitat Executive Director; and Shawn Hill, Teton County, ID Joint Housing Authority Board. David Stubbs, long-time Jackson resident, and affordable housing homeowner will moderate. 

Anne Cresswell has served as the Executive Director of the Jackson Hole Community Housing Trust for nearly 19 years. The Community Housing Trust is a non-profit affordable housing developer dedicated to the creation of quality, truly affordable housing to retain our essential workforce. During Anne’s tenure she has overseen the development of 118 homes; an additional 70 units are in the pipeline. As the cost to construct affordable housing has increased over time, Anne has worked to develop a variety of financial and legal instruments to enable the development of affordable housing and facilitate partnerships with some of Teton County’s most essential employers. 2021 marked the 30th anniversary of the Community Housing Trust. During this time, more than 563 people have been served; in the last two years alone, the CHT has provided stable, affordable housing for 112 people.

In 2016, April Norton joined the Jackson/Teton County Housing Department as its first director, focusing on partnerships to create affordable housing in the Jackson Hole area. Since being hired, her team has partnered on eight public-private partnership developments that represent 241 new permanently deed restricted homes, including two partnerships with the Housing Trust and two partnerships with Teton Habitat. These public-private partnership projects represent $37,000,000 in public funds and over $95,000,000 in private investment.

Kris Greenville was named Executive Director of Teton Habitat in September of 2019. Previously, he worked as Operations Manager for NOLS, the job that brought him to Wyoming from the San Francisco Bay Area.  Kris was Vice President of the Pacific Pension and Investment Institute from 2007 – 2017.  He has also held management roles with the American Red Cross and the YMCA.  

Shawn W. Hill is the Executive Director of Future West and serves on the Teton County, ID Joint Housing Authority Board. He has 20 years of planning, conservation, and affordable housing consulting experience in the Northern Rockies. Prior to Future West, he served as the Executive Director of Valley Advocates for Responsible Development (VARD), a 501(c)(3) organization advocating for responsible land use planning in the Teton Valley of Idaho and Wyoming. Shawn has 9 years of experience in the public sector working as a planner for Summit County, Utah and the Town of Jackson, Wyoming. As a private consultant, he has been involved in various planning and housing projects in Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, and Colorado. Shawn holds a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Wyoming and a B.A. in Urban Planning from the University of Utah. He is on the Teton County, Idaho Joint Housing Authority Commission and serves on the editorial board of Western Planner.

David Stubbs is a contract photographer, cinematographer and filmmaker based in Jackson, Wyoming. He came to the valley for a photojournalist job at the Jackson Hole News and Guide shortly after college in 1999. He and his wife Bille, a district teacher in the dual immersion program, have lived in a Housing Trust home since 2008 rasing two daughters who are now nine and 13-years-old.

REGISTER FOR CHANCE MEETINGS

NEWS AND NOTES

FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Blessings… & Challenges

To everyone in the Greater Tetons Region –
Here we are at the beginning of a New Year, with its myriad of possibilities and choices we can make for a better future.

We are blessed that we live in such a wonderful place, full of natural beauty and wonder. Blessed to have family, friends and fellow community members with whom to share our experiences (good and, sometimes…not-so-good). And blessed to live in a true community where we care about each other and all the attributes that make this area so special.
And yet, we are faced with what I believe are abnormal challenges both large and small. Two, in particular, stand out.

The first, of course, is the ongoing pandemic. We are two years in to uncharted territory, with seemingly no end in sight. A microscopic virus has caused sickness, death and, unbelievably, magnified rifts in our society and local community. Rifts that may be difficult to mend.

The second challenge is the rapid change in the fabric of our region. COVID has accelerated demographic and class trends in the Tetons region at a furious pace. Housing for workers is becoming unattainable, traffic is more snarled than ever and our status as the most unequal county in the country by income has worsened at warp speed. All of these issues threaten the fabric of what I’ll call the “Jackson ethos” – work hard, play hard and mix/mingle regardless of class or income status.

We are being tested as never before. The three main sectors in any community – public, private and non-profit – must work together to solve seemingly intractable issues. I believe we must seek bold solutions to big problems. While this is not a time for the faint of heart, it is a time for us to remember who we are and why we are here.

So, we at Silicon Couloir welcome 2022, with its blessings and challenges. We will work to achieve our mission of “aligning entrepreneurship with community vision to promote a diverse economy and healthy environment for current and future generations” as well as our vision of maintaining a thriving middle class in our region. Together, we can achieve most anything if we listen, learn and pull as one.

Yours in service,

Gary Trauner

DECEMBER VISIONARY VENTURES: BUSINESS CAN BE A PART OF THE MENTAL HEALTH SOLUTION

Silicon Couloir recently hosted a Chance Meeting focused on making mental health a workplace priority with the aim of looking at practical creative tools and benefits available to support entrepreneurs, business owners and staff. Our expert panelists included Matt Murphy, CEO of Marvell Technology, a leader in innovative programs to promote employee wellness and work-life balance; Abigail Ridgway, managing director of FSG Consultants; and Deidre Ashley, executive director of the Jackson Hole Community Counseling Center. Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Anna Olson, who has also devoted enormous time and energy to this problem, also joined in the conversation. (The recording is available at SiliconCouloir.com/virtual-meetings.)

Given the importance of the topic, and the resulting insights, we devoted our December column to the subject.

READ THE COLUMN HERE

UTILITARIAN WINTER POP-UP IS UNDERWAY

Purchase new designs from Bentley Wederski, Founder and CEO of UTILITARIAN, at the winter pop-up until March 26th.

UTILITARIAN connects modern construction with minimal design to offer a collection of timeless clothing and accessories embracing the intersection of gender inclusion and equity.

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

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Businesses can be part of the mental health solution

December Visionary Ventures: Businesses can be part of the mental health solution

Visionary Ventures / By Rebecca Reimers

Holiday season in the mountains conjures up images of tranquility, contentment and celebration. Those of us who live in this region know that these postcard scenes are often just that, and the reality can be a daily struggle.

The stage for increased mental health problems has been set nationally, but locally there are extenuating factors at play. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, symptoms of depression and anxiety increased three to four times from 2019 to 2020 as a result of the pandemic. Wyoming in particular has dismal statistics that outpace the national average and, sadly, has the highest suicide rate in the nation.

Add to this the burden of a resort town with enormous economic disparity and housing insecurity, both accelerated and exacerbated by the pandemic. Viewed through these multiple lenses, it’s easy to understand why we are in a mental health crisis in the Teton region.

Silicon Couloir recently hosted a Chance Meeting focused on making mental health a workplace priority with the aim of looking at practical creative tools and benefits available to support entrepreneurs, business owners and staff. Our expert panelists included Matt Murphy, CEO of Marvell Technology, a leader in innovative programs to promote employee wellness and work-life balance; Abigail Ridgway, managing director of FSG Consultants; and Deidre Ashley, executive director of the Jackson Hole Community Counseling Center. Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Anna Olson, who has also devoted enormous time and energy to this problem, also joined in the conversation. (The recording is available at SiliconCouloir.com/virtual-meetings.) Given the importance, we will share some of the insights here.

A recent community survey of health care providers and residents conducted by FSG Consulting revealed that poor mental health days have doubled since 2018. From a business perspective the result is lost productivity and creativity.

Furthermore, nearly half of those surveyed considered leaving the area in the past year due to housing instability, lack of stable employment or insufficient income.

“We’re seeing people who haven’t struggled before,” Ashley said. “The constant uncertainty and changing environment of COVID has resulted in PTSD symptoms for many.” All signs point to higher employee turnover and more failed businesses if these trends continue.

Nearly half of those surveyed locally feel lonely, excluded or isolated. What if, Ridgway proposed, the workplace served as a solution by providing connectivity and support. Our panelists shared proven suggestions to realize this vision. One vital solution is to provide benefits for mental health and remove the stigma of using them.

“I talk about [mental health] to the company,” Murphy said. “This is like a physical illness and it’s got to be treated with dignity.”

Pre-COVID, studies from the World Health Organization showed that every $1 spent on mental health resulted in a $4 return in improved health and productivity. In other words, it’s money well spent.

Benefits aren’t limited to insurance. You can provide wellness days or an individual fund for activities of choice that provide joy and satisfaction for employees, as exists for Counseling Center staff.

At Marvell, Murphy implemented long weekend company “shutdowns” to give its nearly 7,000 employees an intrusion-free break. He also engages outside counseling and coaching services from Modern Health, an online support service. He counseled employers to include family members in offerings via multiple communication channels so everyone is aware of offerings.

Perhaps one silver lining of COVID is bringing this conversation to light.

“As a community we [at the Counseling Center] made it OK for people to say they are not OK and provide resources,” Ashley said. The counseling center offers a range of counseling services for individuals and families using a variety of nationally renowned therapies with trained professionals.

Olson relayed that mental health is now a priority on the state level. Wyoming workforce training grants may soon be available to assist with mental health needs, rather than just traditional job training. The chamber is launching Jackson Hole Happenings, a program for area newcomers designed to orient workers to local resources and a “community approach to connection,” Olson said. Additional resources are linked to on the Silicon Couloir webpage noted above.

“We need to get really creative about the way we approach this. ... and be proactive rather than reactive and make opportunities for connection,” Ashley said. “That is mental health.”