Archuleta Economic Development Forum

SonnyLight LED is Sprouting and Helping Pagosa Springs Grow their Economy “Green”

A brand new “Lone Eagle” company is debuting in Pagosa Springs – SonnyLight, LLC. Manufacturer of a patent-pending indoor kitchen garden that grows herbs, vegetables and flowering plants year round, SonnyLight will be shipping their first round of products late this year.

Prior to the product launch, SonnyLight assembled an exceptional team of marketing and business consultants from the Pagosa Springs and Durango area. In fact, the company already has hundreds of interested buyers eagerly anticipating the shipment of this innovative garden product. As the demand continues and business grows, SonnyLight expects to hire additional employees in the near future.

SonnyLight LED is a small container garden that utilizes superior LED grow lights to cultivate plants up to three times faster than the competition while using 70% less energy. Using standard 10” x 20” nursery trays, customers can start up to 72 plans at one time. In addition, the pre-programmed Grow Logic software and selectable light wavelength matched to the

plant type provides the right light for the right season of the plants life, whether it is germinating, growing and/or budding and flowering.

SonnyLight is the inspiration of a retired automotive executive who has a passion for both technology and sustainability. After leaving the auto industry several years ago, Leo “Sonny” Hayes and his wife purchased a small Colorado mountain ranch in Pagosa Springs. They built a greenhouse on their property to grow their own organic, heirloom vegetables and also began to raise heritage animals.

As they experienced the joy of this quiet, sustainable lifestyle, they also encountered a challenge in the short growing season of Southwest Colorado. To that end, Sonny recognized a significant need for a product that would enhance plant growth without the huge electrical power consumption of traditional grow lights. Sonny also discovered that plants utilize a very small portion of the visible light spectrum for photosynthesis.

Sonny and his wife decided to pursue this idea as a new business and took the NeXT Level Leading Edge course sponsored by the Archuleta Economic Development Association (AEDA) in the fall of 2008. The 12-week business plan class gave him the foundation and path to pursue his dream. Leo expressed, “Our Company wouldn’t be here today without taking that class.”

After winning the business plan competition, attending mentoring sessions with AEDA and the Small Business Development Association, Leo connected with key individuals in manufacturing, product design and marketing and successfully launched the business in 2009.

For more information on SonnyLight LED, visit their website at http://www.sonnylightLED.com or call 877-204-5435.

Town of Pagosa Springs Approves Economic Incentives

On September 1st, the Pagosa Springs Town Council approved a portfolio of economic incentives proposed by Town Manager David Mitchem geared towards spurring on the local economy for the retail, services, manufacturing and tourism sectors.

In language introducing the resolution, Mitchem wrote, “A pro-business and pro-development climate in the Town of Pagosa Springs is a prerequisite for economic growth and job creation. The Town of Pagosa Springs should consider deploying a portfolio of incentives to encourage public/private partnerships that advance economic development.”

The resolution recommends several procedural and financial incentives meant to stimulate the local economy including property, sales and lodging tax rebates, expedited review processes, primary employment incentives, general development rebates, and a local business preference.

For details on how your business can take advantage of these growth incentives, DOWNLOAD THE FULL RESOLUTION.

So what are the differences between Region 9 EDD and AEDA?

It appears to some from the outside that both the Archuleta Economic Development Association (AEDA) and Region 9 do the same thing. To add to the confusion, the Executive Director of AEDA is on the Region 9 Board and Region 9 is a member of the AEDA. The bottom line is both organizations work together to help local business owners and communities succeed.

Similarities and Differences

Region 9 Economic Development District of Southwest Colorado, Inc. (Region 9 EDD) is a 501 c(6) Colorado non-profit community economic development corporation that promotes and coordinates economic development efforts throughout Southwest Colorado. Their board of directors is comprised of 26 directors, 17 members from local government agencies throughout the region, and nine members that represent the private sector in their five county area. They have 5 staff members and 1 consultant. Region 9 EDD serves the counties of Archuleta, Dolores, La Plata, Montezuma and San Juan, and the cities and towns within those regions, as well as the Southern Ute Indian Tribe and the Ute Mountain Ute Indian Tribe.

The AEDA is a 501 c(6) non-profit organization whose sole purpose is to enable, grow and sustain economic development in Archuleta County. We are an independent, private and publicly funded organization, completely separate from the County or the Town.  We are an organization of 15 Board members and 1 staff person representing private business, local government, financial institutions, builders/developers, real estate agents, and local utilities. Our focus is Archuleta County only, not regional.

Among their many services, Region 9 EDD offers a revolving loan program for “gap” financing to assist small business retention, expansion and job creation. They also offer a micro-enterprise loan program for loans up to $100,000 for qualifying small businesses with five or fewer employees. Currently, the AEDA does not offer loans to businesses.

In addition to their loan programs, Region 9 EDD administers the Colorado Enterprise Zone Tax Credit program, meaning they process and approve all tax credit applications from businesses. They are also the liaison for the State in administering this program in our region. The AEDA markets this program to local businesses, and assists and educates local businesses  about the Enterprise Zone tax credit program. The AEDA also helps local businesses decide which credits are applicable as well as work with Town and County staff on implementing local business incentives.

Region 9 provides administrative support to the Southwest Regional Transportation Planning Commission. The AEDA is not involved in the transportation planning committee.

Region 9 publishes the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) to assist local communities with regional economic development strategic planning and technical assistance. The AEDA works with Region 9 on these updates, providing the necessary information to put into the report. While working with Region 9 in 2007, the AEDA spearheaded efforts to change the contents of the report to include the local economic development vision, strategic imperatives and goals and objectives. The new format was so well received that the other counties followed suit.

Region 9 publishes many different data reports on the region, including the Southwest Colorado Index Report, and the Region 9 Report, which provides tons of economic data on the local community economies. Other data, such as real estate MLS data, data on local sales tax, lodging tax, reports on education, and other more specific reports are provided by the AEDA. It’s the combination of all of these reports from both organizations, and the ability to have it consolidated on the AEDA website and the scan.org website that makes it useful and effective.

Another main difference is Region 9 EDD is focused on regional economic development, whereas the AEDA is focused on local. Region 9 is here to support the local community, in whatever capacity we need them. But the AEDA is responsible for working with the community, creating the economic development vision, and executing that vision.

Region 9 is also not involved in mentoring businesses. The AEDA executive director Bart Mitchell is the only certified SBA counselor in the County, and does one-on-one mentoring with local businesses. He also partners with the Small Business Development Center’s director Joe Keck to mentor every 4^th Tuesday of the month at the Pagosa Springs Chamber.

We hope this has helped some in clearing up the confusion. If you have any questions at all about what the AEDA does, or how we can help you, please don’t hesitate to call us at 970-731-1443, or visit our website at http://www.aedaed.org.

Quest Aerospace…Launching Model Rocket Business from Pagosa Springs

Drawn to the small town climate and outdoor lifestyle, owner Bill Stine decided to move his business operations to Pagosa Springs, Colorado in June 2007. This 19-year old High Flier company, Quest Aerospace, designs, produces and sells model rockets for various skill levels of modelers, from the beginner to the most highly skilled. His company distributes model rockets, kits and accessories direct through their website, through retailers and through a worldwide distributor network.

After vacationing in Pagosa Springs and purchasing a second home here, Bill and his family decided they wanted to make the beautiful mountain community their primary residence. To help make that transition possible, Bill contacted Archuleta Economic Development Association (AEDA) Executive Director, Bart Mitchell.

Bart provided relocation information, helped him find warehouse and office space for his business and even personally helped Quest Aerospace employees move into their newly purchased home. Office manager, Nettie Hunsicker was not only blown away by the personal attention, but she felt welcomed to the community from the start. “My husband and I were both sick on move in day, so we could not have done it without Bart. That day also started a great friendship with Bart’s whole family and ours!” Nettie explained.

As project leader and sponsor of the Archuleta County 4H Rocketry Program, Nettie and Quest Aerospace have benefitted the local kids in our community. This is just one of the many ways Quest donates their time and money to improve local organizations.

Bill is married with 1 daughter in college and another in high school. “At first, my teenage daughters were hesitant to move to a small town away from the large shopping malls. However, they found out that there are a lot more important things in life and wouldn’t dream of moving back,” Bill explains.

In their free time, Bill and his family enjoy canoeing, kayaking, hiking and riding horses. Bill said that Pagosa Springs is an ideal place for mobile businesses who want greater family time and love to explore the outdoors. For more information on Quest Aerospace, visit their website at: http://www.questaerospace.com.

Business Falling? Open Your Parachute

In the midst of a challenging business cycle, the human tendency is to pull back, conserve and start thinking smaller. The problem is that thinking may not only prevent a business from pulling out of the downturn, it will also position it weaker to take advantage of the recovery period.

Most business owners forget the most basic truth – your business is more reliant on internal factors (an owner’s attitude, perspective and willingness to learn) than external factors, such as the marketplace. Your mind is like a parachute…it only works when it is OPEN.

The recession has given business owners a great opportunity to evaluate their strengths, more time to learn new skills, and let go of practices that are not conducive to growth. All businesses experience peaks and valleys in their business because you cannot control external factors. However, you can definitely influence the time spent in a valley and how long it will take to get your company up to peak performance. Here are a few things to evaluate:

1. Sense of optimism – Rate yourself on your current expectation for growth. If you don’t expect the best from yourself, you won’t expect the best from clients and it will reflect on your sales.
2. Positive Approach to Challenges – People are like tea bags – you see what they are like when you put them in hot water. Every problem has a lesson inside. You will only grow when you figure out the lesson and SOLVE it.
3. Law of Association – Our circumstances are primarily a result of our thinking. Our thinking is directly affected by those we hang around and the books, websites, newspapers and Emails we read and classes we attend. Check your circle of influence. Is it surrounded by people who look for solutions or spend most of their energy blaming others or whining about the problem?
4. Law of Attraction – This is closely related to the law of association. You attract what you are. So, if you want high integrity, hard working clients that value timely payments, quick response times and positive spirits, make sure you project those same values. If you are focused on growth, you will attract mentors and clients who will work with you to solve problems and grow. If you focus on lost revenues and blame, you will attract those people who are constantly struggling and won’t have as many resources to provide.
5. Self Discipline – It is the deliberate choice for delayed gratification. Your ability to set goals, search for knowledge, and work consistently to keep those goals directly affects your self-image and results. Success is more the result of daily deliberate actions than any one big splash or sale.

AEDA is linked-in with mentors and success-minded people that want to help you succeed. Open your chute and contact them today or decide to attend an upcoming business event that will grow your mind and your business.

As Owner of MTECH Internet Marketing (www.mtechbd.com), Marcy Mitchell has helped many local business cross the digital divide and use technology to expand their businesses. She will be speaking at the September 15^th Chamber Business Bites on “Drawing Customers In & Expanding Leads Through Social Media” at noon at Boss Hoggs. In addition, she will be teaching the Fall Marketing for Smarties class. Contact 731-6325 for more information.

Archuleta County Update – 8/22/09

By John Ranson, Board of County Commissioners – August 22, 2009 Email

To all,

1)      2008 Audit-We just received our 2008 audit and received an ‘unqualified opinion’-the first since 2004. The numbers are clean and the audit firm was extremely complimentary and even went so far to say that we were her ‘star County’. There are a few comments and suggestions and we will have a follow-up meeting to implement the recommended improvements.

2) Mid Year Budget-Our mid-year budget adjustment also looks good. This has been a very difficult year for ‘revenue’ but I am at least comfortable that we will be able to put more reserves away this year than earlier anticipated. We will continue to hold off on the spending to make sure that we are safe at year end. I am not going to make bold predictions yet but feel strongly that we will put more than most people are expecting and more than enough so that we will not have to borrow money next year to make up for cash shortfalls. In a year when most counties are struggling in a very difficult economic environment, I am very proud to be part of this team that has been constrained.

1)      2010 Budget-we will be preparing the budget in the next month and will be looking at a ‘three year’ time horizon rather than one year at a time as they have in the past. It is essential that we plan and budget well into the future for ‘capital projects’ and stop building budgets based on overhead alone. With a very likely decline in ‘property assessments’ in two years, it is very important that we budget now and put the money aside to make up for any anticipated shortfalls.

2)      Oil & Gas-we have had several productive meetings with LaPlata County, the Tribe and will have a meeting in mid-September with the Colorado Oil & Gas Commission. This is an area that Archuleta has missed out on a revenue stream that could be set aside for roads and/or a Justice Center that we will need in the future.

3)      Use Tax Ballot Issue-we had a meeting with the Town this past Thursday and the BoCC convinced the Town that this November is not the time for this vote. There is no organized effort to pass this and anything with the word ‘tax’ will fail without a concerted campaign effort. At this point, there are no other issues on the ballot so this one issue would have cost the County $30,000 plus thus we will not be moving forward at this time.

4)      Tax Protests-at this point, there are 397 tax protests and we will be bringing ‘independent referees’ from LaPlata to hear these cases. Many other counties use referees and we believe that this process will provide a more neutral and professional panel to hear these cases. We do not want to be viewed as trying to ‘protect County revenue’ and would prefer trained professionals to hear these cases and then present their findings to the Board of Equalization (the BoCC).

5)      Roads Tax Force-we had our second ‘road meeting’ and was disappointed that only 20 residents showed up. Input is being taken now the Task Force to make proposals for 2 to 3 projects for the Summer of 2010. We will need that info by November so we can complete the engineering in time.

6)      Park Avenue-I want to thank Ken Feyen(our new Publics Works Director). Park will begin paving next week and is well ahead of schedule. This has been done in a very professional way with emphasis on building the infrastructure so that the road will last(ie drainage and base).

7)      Road Financial Plan-we are looking to the future in planning for the Roads. The Task Force is looking at new projects (Road Capital Improvement) but also a ‘beefed up’ maintenance schedule(1A and Road & Bridge budget). It is important that we plan for both from a financial perspective.

8)      Cell 3-we accepted bids and are moving forward with the Landfill. It is hopeful that we will be done this Fall. It is essential that this project is completed so we can move forward with implementing the ‘Nuisance Ordinance’.

9)      Housing Authority-Clifford has been instrumental in taking over duties after Gene Crabtree passed away. The County is pursuing our own Housing Agency that will help to clean up past financial problems and allow the opportunity to receive more Federal money for ‘affordable housing projects’.

10)   Sales Tax-sales tax was down in June (received in August) by 8.23% For the year, we are down 7.71%. Don Warn has been very good in his projections as the County is only down 1.06% for budgeting purposes. All of the decline is in the ‘home construction’ industry and the retail shops that cater to the construction industry. All other categories seem to be holding up well.

11)   Treasurer’s Office- we had the software company come back for three days and 99% of the problems are cleared up and we are getting the financial information to help us plan and make informed decisions. I would like to thank Betty and her staff for the hard work and hours put in to get these problems resolved. The previous software provider was less than helpful in helping to make this a much more smooth transition.

12)   Locals Preference-the BoCC passed a local preference earlier this year for 10% on non-capital purchases and just passed a 2% preference for ‘Capital Projects’. This was a very difficult decision for me. I am very much in favor of helping our local employers but we do not have many (possibly 2) companies located here who can handle large projects. 2% can cost us (taxpayers) $40,000 to $50,000 per project. A clause was added which allows the BoCC to remove this if a particular bid would put us at a disadvantage prior to bids going out. That flexibility swayed my vote. We do not want to get into the position where we only receive one or two bids. On Park Avenue, we received six and on the landfill, we received five. That is key to holding costs down.

13)   Piedra Road-the Forest Service will not have funding available to help with this project until 2013. However we did get this project on the ‘Senate Earmark’ list which is only one of five projects on that list. If the Federal government keeps ‘doling money out’, there is a chance we will get this project funded (CDOT is helping us also).

I hope all of you are having a good Summer. It is going by way too fast but am looking forward to Fall weather. In closing, I am very encouraged with the County’s progress heading into 2010. There are still many obstacles to overcome and bad habits to break but we continue to ‘chip away’.

Small Business Wonders by SBDC

This article was from the Southwest Colorado Small Business Development Center’s August newsletter:

How the Creative Drive of Entrepreneurial Small Businesses is Combating the Recession, Creating New Jobs & Economic Growth, Solving Energy Problems, Fighting Global Warming and protecting the Environment

Small Wonders documents how small business – the engine of the U.S. Economy – has become a powerful driver of environmental protection, a profoundly constructive and important development. The report describes a new world of green entrepreneurship teeming with fresh ideas and innovative solutions.

Until now, this world has been almost hidden from public view because it consists of countless little companies, not the Fortune 500; of budding start-ups, not national brand names. This is a  decentralized world, jam-packed with business so diverse and so dynamic they are hard even to see, let alone track.

Now, as American society struggles with devastating challenges to its business institutions and social support systems. the time has come to unveil this astonishing new world, to see it as a whole. From this perspective, green entrepreneurs can be seen as potent agents of social change, working to usher in:

• A technological revolution by generating countless green innovations in agriculture, energy, housing, and transportation – innovations creating new jobs and economic growth and laying a foundation for the post-industrial economy.
• A cultural transformation by providing millions of Americans with products and services, ranging form green cradles to green graves (literally) that make more sustainable lifestyles possible – a shift in values that younger generations of Americans are embracing as the desirable way to live. (The report lists 101 different ways that small businesses serve this huge, growing market).
• A green recovery to the recession by creating a flurry of new jobs and innovations. That’s how small businesses led recoveries in the last five recessions. This time, the report predicts, small businesses will lead the recovery by creating green jobs and clean energy innovations, leading to a green entrepreneurial boom.

Small Wonders urges the U.S. to mobilize the transformational power to the green entrepreneurial economy to pave the way to a better, more prosperous future.

Beyond this, small business – half of the economy – has a  huge impact on the nation’s energy use, consuming one-half of all energy used for commercial and industrial purposes, of which a third is wasted through inefficiency.

Small Wonders describes scores of successful models, technologies, and programs whereby small business owners are reducing energy use profitably through increased energy efficiency and use of small-scale, on-site renewable energy technologies (micropower). Most of these models are widely replicable. Actions to spur such replication are recommended.

Politically, most small green businesses are not yet organized as a group or unified in a way that gives them a lot of clout in state capitals or Washington, DC, but that’s changing. Here again small green businesses are powerful change agents. As their voices are raised, the terms of the debate that pits efficiency against inefficiency and superior new technology against outmoded technology.

Green entrepreneurs, it turns out, are especially credible advocates for the interests of the rising post-industrial economy. They’re not utopian visionaries but real business people running real risks to obtain real profits and create real jobs.

Small Wonders closes with recommendations that will smooth the path for green entrepreneurs and speed them on their way. Specifically, it recommends a plan the Obama Administration can use to mobilize small business on behalf of the clean energy economy.

by Byron Kennard and Elaine Pofeldt

For more information or to read the Small Wonders Report click on the following link: http://www.smallwondersreport.org/report.html

Fall Marketing for Smarties Course – REGISTER NOW

With today’s challenging marketplace, marketing has never been so critical. Furthermore, buyers think and research purchases quite differently than just 5 years ago. If you have not changed your own marketing mindset, embraced new social and Internet marketing strategies or simply taken the time to revise your current marketing focus, then now is the time.

Marketing for Smarties is a series of  three workshops that gives owners the time, coaching, tools and team to adjust your existing marketing plan, alter your perspective and strategically face business and personal challenges. During the program, business owners receive personal coaching and peer feedback as they actually develop a basic, enduring marketing and sales plan tailored to their specific needs. DOWNLOAD FLYER

The Fall class will be held on October 7th, October 28th and November 18th at the Pagosa Springs Chamber of Commerce. Sponsored by the Archuleta Economic Development Association (AEDA), Pagosa Springs Chamber, and Small Business Development Center (SBDC), the Fall course will be taught by certified MFS Coach and Internet Marketing Consultant, Marcy Mitchell.

As owner of MTECH Business Development (www.mtechbd.com), Marcy has helped many local business owners “cross the digital divide” by providing web design, search engine optimization, and Internet marketing consulting services for the past 15 years. She brings her combined marketing experience and passion for helping local business owners thrive in the new economy to the class.

John Vick, Fatherhood Advocate for the Archuleta County Department of Human Services took the course last year and expressed “The Marketing for Smarties program came along at a time when the Fatherhood Initiative was swimming in circles in search of purposeful direction.  We knew very well what we wanted to be accomplishing within the program, we were simply at a loss for how to position ourselves with a consistent and clear message to reach our target audience. The skills Marcy Mitchell taught the Fatherhood team, along with the encouragement and follow-up,  helped us to discover concretely what we offer and empowered us to lay a successful marketing foundation.”

The cost of registration is $149.00 for all three sessions. In addition, The Lindblad Group is pleased to announce that they will sponsor a partial scholarship in the amount of $75 for a local entrepreneur to attend Marketing for Smarties this coming session and Shy Rabbit Contemporary Arts will sponsor a partial scholarship for  a local artist to attend.  Participants must complete all 3 courses to qualify for the scholarship. Scholarship recipients will be reimbursed at the conclusion of the course.

To register for the Marketing for Smarties Challenge, register online, contact Lynn Asano at 970-247-7009 or Email:  asano_l@fortlewis.edu

Space is limited, so registrations will be accepted on a first come, first serve basis. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Bart Mitchell, Executive Director of the AEDA, at 731-1443.

DOWNLOAD FLYER

Featured Lone Eagle/High Flier – Growing Spaces

Growing Spaces owner Puja Parsons showcasing her garden during a Colorado winter

Pagosa Springs-based Growing Spaces is proving that “going green” is not only environmentally friendly and socially responsible, but also economically profitable. This “High Flier” business has grown more than 60% over the past few years and has recently added 10 new jobs to their company. Like many Lone Eagle/High Flier businesses, these jobs pay much higher than the average wage in Archuleta County. “One of our secrets of success is hiring young professionals. They keep our company energized and fresh!” states owner Puja Parsons.  She also stated that staying true to your values is another important element of success.

One of the main reasons Puja and her husband Udgar started Growing Spaces 20 years ago was to support others who want to live sustainable, healthy lives. The company’s innovative growing domes demonstrate a solar self-sufficiency that keeps fresh food on the table, even within the challenge of environmental and economic changes.

Their Growing Dome greenhouses handle wind and weather and sustain themselves with only five hours of sun a day. They hold a carefully crafted eco-system inside one of the strongest structures in the world.  The synergy of components in their greenhouse makes it possible to have a year round indoor garden.

Puja and Udgar began their company in the Roaring Fork Valley of Colorado, but in 1995 decided to move their business to Pagosa Springs. Since that time, they have not only installed 80 domes in Archuleta County, but have expanded their business to 48 states and 13 countries. One of the reasons for their recent explosion of growth was due to the training classes and mentoring services provided by the Archuleta Economic Development Association (AEDA).

“AEDA has been a huge help to us in learning how to track, measure and plan for all our developments. We took Marketing for Smarties, as well as the Leading Edge Class on building a business plan. The process showed us our weak areas and helped us with costing and measuring our decisions. Our finished plan became an invaluable template for many different projects,” said Puja.

Puja continued “We also use the counseling attention and suggestions provided by Small Business Development Center Director Joe Keck, AEDA Executive Director Bart Mitchell, and Business Advisory Group Member John Skolund when EVER we have business questions or a problem to address. Their referrals and experience and recommendations are an invaluable part of our natural flow. They have always responded almost immediately to point to help or a direction where we can research what we need.”

Their next stage of business is to expand their focus from the “back yard gardener” to offering their Growing Domes as the center piece for community projects around the world.  They plan on offering instruction in local food sustainability and to empower many segments of the population in the skills needed for growing a green business as well as enhancing and sustaining their local food production.

In fact, they are developing a Geothermal-heated Growing Dome for the Pagosa Geothermal Greenhouse Partnership, as well as finding a sister city in a northern country who would like to duplicate this effort where there is less sun and therefore less passive-solar potential.

“We are also refining our sales program to up-level Sales Associates in this focus and offer more training for staff and installers as we grow.  Our hope is to double our business in the next few years and to increase our capacity for production and training,” Puja explains.

Other new projects include a new office near Colorado Dream Homes, which provides conference and classroom space as well as a place for new inventory control and web-work.  At their shop on 1868 Majestic Drive, they are building a recreation area for breaks and setting up an outdoor lunch area as well as providing a home-cooked staff lunch on Wednesdays. They also hope to have a dome grown green diet club for staff members who wish to increase their health.

Growing Spaces also just launched a new Cold Frame called “Junior” for those who can’t afford a Growing Dome and live within a 150 mile radius of Pagosa Springs.  In addition, the company donated a greenhouse to the Navajo Nation for the TV segment on American Cuisine, by renowned chef Jamie Oliver.  In the spring, they started a Lean Manufacturing focus with Monty Rutherford , a consultant from CAMT.

Puja expressed, “We appreciate the respect AEDA, our instructors and local business team has shown us and their encouragement for “doing what we love,” even when we haven’t felt familiar with basic business models. They are “beyond the call” and definitely NOT “business as usual.”

For more information on Growing Spaces, visit their website at www.growingspaces.com.

Secrets of High Achievers

Excerpts of this article have been taken from Colorado Biz magazine, Five secrets of high achievers by Scott Halford, July 6, 2009:

Let everyone sweep in front of their own door. Then the whole world will be clean. —Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

“…We had no experience with the crime world, and our naiveté was showing. I had not been in an environment where most people didn’t take responsibility for their actions.

That is until I started consulting in the corporate world.

Of course, there are some amazing corporate cultures out there. But I’ve been stunned to see how many employees, from the top down, refuse to take responsibility for the mood and morale of their workplaces or for the way things are going for their companies in general or even for the wellbeing of their own careers. In my conversations with individuals, I find something that parallels my conversations with the inmates at the prison: It is always somebody else’s fault — they made a stupid decision, they did the wrong thing, they didn’t treat people fairly, they didn’t care about anyone. They didn’t work hard because they weren’t inspired. The implication being, “So why should I: Do the right thing, treat people fairly or care about others? THEY don’t.”

It’s like putting on ugly clothes in the morning and then blaming everyone else for how bad you look. It simply doesn’t make sense. It’s your life (your wardrobe); make choices that lead you to fulfillment and success (and compliments).

The world you live and work in is driven by a series of choices. Sometimes you have to make very difficult choices to get out of very difficult pickles. Bad leadership is often complicated to overcome and shortsighted decisions from on high can wreak havoc on the unsuspecting. And that’s when it’s most important to take responsibility instead of acting trapped like you’re in a prison from which you cannot find release.

So, do what high achievers do. High achievers — or shortcuts as I call them — take responsibility for their actions and behavior. Perhaps that’s why they are the people we want to be around; why we want to help them succeed and why they garner so much influence. They create their own reality, one that works for them and others, and above all, they take responsibility. You can take on the attributes of high achievers by doing a few things better than their victim counterparts:

1. Take responsibility for the good and bad in your life and do something about it if you don’t like it.

2. Make sure that your world is humming along in a productive and effective manner before you dispense advice to others.

3. Keep on going and don’t let the cynicism get you. Don’t let the victims drag you into their drama. It’s easy to become mired in the gloom and doom. It takes work especially when you want to give in to the rumor mill.

4. When others start down a negative path, turn the conversation around by suggesting things you do have a choice about.

5. Be aware that the energy-suckers want you to stoop into the trenches with them and when you don’t, they might resent you. That’s life. That’s the way of the high achiever. Sometimes it sucks to be at the top. Do it anyway.” READ FULL ARTICLE