Central Mountain Entrepreneurs

10/16/2026

Building Chaffee County's future, together!

Join us for the Chaffee County Development Showcase, bringing together local contractors, developers, trades professionals, real estate experts, planners, and workforce partners to turn connections into opportunities.

This event is focused on moving local construction projects forward, keeping more work and investment in Chaffee County, and strengthening workforce development through apprenticeships and partnerships with Colorado Mountain College.

Hear from industry leaders and representatives of local development projects, including:

• Construction in Colorado | Contractors Association of Colorado
• TheCrossing | Paul Andrews
• Cleora at Salida East | Jeff Post & Greg Kenny
• Tailwinds | John Diesslin

Whether you're looking to make valuable connections, learn about upcoming developments, or explore new business opportunities, we hope you'll join us!

📅 Thursday, December 10
⏰ 8:30–10:30 AM
📍 Chaffee County Fairgrounds | Salida, CO

Space is limited so register today! --> https://heyor.ca/uD2gXy

10/14/2026

Fall colors, mountain adventures and local businesses worth celebrating! 🍂

We love seeing Chaffee County in the spotlight! recently shared a fall getaway itinerary featuring some of our favorite local destinations, including two Chaffee County EDC Ascent Accelerator alumni: Eddyline Brewery and Elevation B**r Company! These businesses are great examples of the entrepreneurial spirit that makes our mountain communities so special.

From Salida to Buena Vista and Poncha Springs, there's no shortage of locally grown businesses and experiences worth exploring.

Head over to Now This is Colorado to see the full itinerary and discover even more reasons to love Chaffee County!

📸

09/30/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us at the Buena Vista Public Library for our September Employee Ownership workshop!

More than 20 local business owners, leaders, and community members came together to explore employee ownership as a model for business growth, succession, and long-term sustainability.

Hosted by the Chaffee County EDC and SBDC, the conversation brought together experts from the State Employee Ownership Office at OEDIT, the Employee Ownership Council, and the Rocky Mountain Employee Ownership Institute to share insight, resources, and real-world considerations for businesses exploring employee ownership.

We’re grateful to our speakers, partners, and everyone who showed up ready to learn, ask questions, and continue investing in the future of business here in Chaffee County.

Thank you for being part of the conversation!

09/22/2026

Could employee ownership be part of your business’s future? 🤝

This Wednesday, we’re bringing together experts who can help Chaffee County business owners better understand what employee ownership can actually look like, including how to finance the transition.

Meet panelist Eric Guttormson, Senior Lending Officer at First Southwest Bank and a member of the Colorado Employee Ownership Commission. Eric brings more than a decade of lending experience, with a focus on expanding access to capital in rural communities and developing financing solutions for small businesses.

Join Eric and our panel for Employee Ownership as a Business Model, an employer-focused conversation covering ESOPs, worker cooperatives, equity-based plans, transitions, financing, timing, and how employee ownership can support business continuity and long-term resilience.

📅 Wednesday, September 23
⏰ 9:00–11:00 AM
📍 Buena Vista Public Library
🎟️ Free to attend

Space is limited. Register for free here: https://heyor.ca/d5wTsO

09/15/2026

Calling all Chaffee County remote workers. 💻

Remote Workers Happy Hour is back this Thursday at Salida Distillery!

Step away from the laptop, grab a drink and connect with other locals who fully understand the highs, lows and occasional weirdness of working from home.

Thursday, September 17
5:30-7 PM
Salida Distillery

We’ll be gathering on the third Thursday of every month through December, so come meet some fellow remote workers and make a few new connections in real life.

RSVP and join us! https://www.meetup.com/chaffee_remote/

Photo Credit:

09/01/2026

This month’s Ascent Alumni Spotlight features Coleman Smith and Robin Vega, founders of Camp Coletrain Inc., and the work they’re doing to expand access to meaningful music education in rural communities.

What began in Buena Vista has grown into a nonprofit bringing students, professional musicians, educators, festivals, and community partners together through immersive camps, scholarships, workshops, and Pop-Up programs.

Now, a new partnership with the John Hartford Foundation is helping Camp Coletrain build on that momentum and create even more opportunities for people to learn, play, and make music together.

The story also recently caught the attention of The Colorado Sun. Arts & Culture reporter Parker Yamasaki came to Buena Vista and spent time at Camp Coletrain, talking with students, educators, Coleman, and John Hartford’s daughter Katie Harford Hogue about the camp, the new partnership, and the role music education can play in rural communities. The resulting feature offers a wonderful look inside what’s happening right here in Chaffee County.

Read the full Ascent Alumni Spotlight in this month’s EDC Monthly Momentum newsletter, and check out The Colorado Sun’s feature, “John Hartford was a bluegrass legend. This Buena Vista camp will carry on his legacy.”

Here --> https://coloradosun.com/2026/07/20/buena-vista-camp-coletrain-john-hartford-foundation-partnership/

John Hartford - Official Site
Photos By: Amanda Podesta Photography & Yonder Mountain String Band

08/21/2026

Thinking about the future of your business? Employee ownership might be part of the answer.

Meet one of our featured panelists, Libby Lukens, Employee Ownership Program Manager with the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade. Libby works with Colorado businesses exploring employee ownership and helps connect them with education, resources, tax incentives, and support.

Join Libby and our panel for a practical, employer-focused conversation about what employee ownership can look like for your business, from ESOPs and worker cooperatives to other equity-based models.

📅 Wednesday, September 23
⏰ 9-11 AM
📍 Buena Vista Public Library
🎟️ FREE to attend

Whether you’re thinking about succession, employee retention, or the long-term resilience of your business, come learn about the options and hear real-world perspectives.

Space is limited. Register for free --> https://heyor.ca/d5wTsO

08/20/2026

It’s the 3rd Thursday of August which means it’s time for Chaffee_Remote at The Beach Colorado! ☀️

We’ve loved spending our summer meetups riverside, and tonight is our final Summer Series gathering at The Beach. Come help us thank our amazing hosts and give a warm welcome to our new Group Leader!

📍 The Beach ~ 24070 Co Rd 301, Buena Vista, CO 81211
⏰ Today at 5:30 PM

Come raise a glass to these lingering summer evenings, new beginnings, and this awesome community.
See you tonight!

07/31/2026

In case you missed it! Salida Sunshine Botanicals to officially opens their new storefront today, July 31st at 207 F St. downtown Salida!

https://www.themountainmail.com/news/salida-sunshine-botanicals-to-open-july-31/article_73e73081-09b5-4442-bfe1-4c394d2c4d00.html?utm_campaign=blox&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&fbclid=IwY2xjawTVoshleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETFaSEFPQnE1V1M3ckRxblRJc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHo8-7oICO37RoQBdK6r1Bv_bNVpGtCV3eAlAcUXkuO2RuXNRmmE5gcxAtOu1_aem_n-QBJaFVn8FnWTmrwPq_lA

For people sensitive to the dry, windy climate of Colorado, Salida Sunshine Botanicals might be what their skin needs to “balance out,” according to owner Gena Shepherd. Salida Sunshine Botanicals