Colorado Leading Edge Entrepreneur and Start Up Business Training Program
Sara Knudsen
1625 Broadway, Suite 2700
Denver, CO 80202
(T) 303-892-3840
(F) 303-892-3848
e-mail: sara.knudsen@state.co.us
The Colorado Leading Edge program began in 1989 by offering business training to small business owners across the state. Governor Ritter and the Colorado Legislature determined that assistance to small business is an important priority. Today, the Leading Edge program offers business plan courses throughout the state for start-up businesses as well as existing businesses. These programs are offered through the Colorado Small Business Development Center (SBDC) network which includes free follow-up one-on-one counseling and assistance from their local center after completion of the formal Leading Edge training.
The goal of these courses is to deliver comprehensive training to small businesses which show potential for growth by providing entrepreneurs with a better understanding of finance and marketing aspects as they relate to the successful management of their business, in their industry. In addition, the program has courses geared to help the start-up business by providing them with the skills necessary to execute a viable, marketable business plan.
This program has been offered all across the State of Colorado and nearly 3,000 businesses have participated in this intensive, specialized training. The Entrepreneur and Start-up courses involve approximately 35 hours of intensive training facilitated by a State Certified Instructor. Instructors are chosen for their ability to counsel small businesses effectively, the ability to manage and operate their own business, and for their individual areas of expertise. Instruction is normally provided over a 10 to 14 week period dependent upon the local format. The program is highly interactive, which ensures the flow of information not just from the instructor, but between the participants as well.
The principal requirements for graduation are regular attendance and participation in each session, in addition to completion of a formal business plan or feasibility study for each business. Participants are also expected to make a presentation to the class at the end of the course. Graduates are honored each year at a statewide graduation. Each course is asked to submit a business plan to the statewide "Best Business Plan Competition".
Leading Edge Entrepreneur and Start-up courses many times use the NxLeveL materials prepared by NxLeveL Education. The NxLeveL programs are now offered in more than 35 states nationwide. Materials are customized by each instructor to best meet the needs of the local market and to incorporate "real-life" experience into the class. Guest speakers are encouraged to share their areas of expertise on a variety of topics. Participants also receive four hours of individualized one-on-one counseling with the instructor and/or with a local SBDC counselor to address the specific needs of each individual business.
Please contact your local SBDC for specific details about Leading Edge course dates and tuition. Leading Edge courses are currently being offered at various times throughout the year at the following centers: