Founded in FoCo was last week and wow: what a week and what a privilege to work alongside this talented team.

We welcomed 600 entrepreneurs and 60 speakers to 50+ sessions over the three-day event at Front Range Community College.

We saw a return to the fully-fledged community spirit that Founded in FoCo is all about. We saw a return of the community, responding to elevated marketing efforts and highly-focused content. We saw a direct de-siloing of community partners being introduced to each other through the new exhibitor hall. And most of all, we empowered, educated, and engaged entrepreneurs – from the hopeful to those in the home stretch.

We heard over and over again from attendees about highlights that made their day, inspired them, or identified new things for them to try.

The event would not have been possible without our amazing volunteers, speakers, and community supporters, but also – this event was not possible without the hard work and dedication of the team:

Charles – you made the event better and more organized at every turn with relentless enthusiasm. Your efforts this year set us on the path to success, enabling each speaker to have their moment in the spotlight.

Candyce – your eye for the little details at every step of the process improved our event. Your knack for recruiting speakers with actionable advice resulted in a non-stop showcase of business expertise.

Kim – you led a fantastic cohort of nonprofit experts to the table; the impact of what they shared will have long-lasting ripples for our community and its leaders.

Phil – your support throughout the event put speakers at ease, and your marketing magic helped shape the identity of the specific tracks, and every recording folks will watch.

Peter – your idea for the exhibitor hall was inspired; what a great way to de-silo our community partners, get them all in the same room and talking, and energize the event beyond the value of the sessions.

Beth – you brought a ton of value as a speaker and also in the welcoming face of the event, bringing students and entrepreneurs alike to share in the event. Your help in spreading the word was inspiring!

Karen – your generosity of spirit to be present and available for nervous speakers, and having an eye for connecting dots, created the best possible environment for speakers to reach their potential. The freelance and creative track was spot-on and thoughtfully designed.

LeAndra – your approachable “been-there, done-that” attitude to entrepreneurship provided a sense of action and urgency for our attendees and speakers alike, energizing them into taking the next step.

Shannon – your support of this event is legendary. It’s a brave and generous thing to highlight areas where we can provide a platform for our community’s entrepreneurs to be represented, to be served, and to share what they know.

Chrysta – your efforts placed mental health resources at the fingertips of entrepreneurs and students alike, providing lifelines to the folks who desperately need them, and showcasing that there’s no better place to talk about mental health than in the open.

Ben – your non-stop “can-do” energy makes every event you’re a part of better. Not only do you help build friendships and connections, you energize the volunteer squad by setting the standard.

Greg – holy moly. Talk about last-second speed work. You dove in to organize and coordinate our volunteer team, simplifying needs so that we had the right number of people at the right times and places; it was pure magic.

Your leadership for our community’s entrepreneurs is deeply appreciated and improves our community. The best and brightest business, non-profit, and creative minds were together with us at this event – and not only did they walk away inspired, they walked away empowered. YOU did that. I’m proud of our work together.