July 27-31, 2020

Small Business Week & Food Truck License to Eat!

ALL EVENTS

July 27-31, 2020

sbdc@elpasoco.com
719-667-3803

Due to the impact of COVID-19 on our community, Small Business Week is now July 26 - 31 ! The popular Food Truck Cook-Off will launch on Sunday, July 26 with a License to Eat Guide Book, with the workshops and awards banquet following on Monday (7/27), Tuesday (7/28), Wednesday (7/29), Thursday (7/30) and Friday (7/31).

2020 Small Business Week for the Pikes Peak Region is now July 27-31, 2020. Each day includes workshops and events designed to educate, celebrate, and champion small businesses in the Pikes Peak Region. From the new Food Truck License to Eat (a year long event!), a small business awards ceremony, to multiple educational events for small businesses, you will not want to miss the 8-year anniversary of the biggest small business celebration in town! (SBW Pikes Peak Region corresponds every year with the SBA’s National Small Business Week.)

Award nominations are now Finalists to be announced soon!

  • Small Business Person of the Year
  • Veteran Small Business Owner of the Year
  • Young Entrepreneur of the Year
  • Family-Owned Small Business of the Year
  • Small Business Champion of the Year

Due to the impact of COVID-19 on the community, the popular Food Truck Cook-Off is now A License to Eat, your guide to the vibrant food truck community of the Pikes Peak Region. For $25, you can support local small businesses and get a listing of 24 participating food trucks operating in our area along with special offers, including a free meal ($10 value)! Savor the local flavor and taste a variety of cuisines while supporting small businesses in our community (discount offers good through April 2021). Plus, you can vote for the People’s Choice Award via our online voting system.

If you purchased your tickets via AXS online or phone, a refund will automatically be issued to the credit card you used to purchase within 30 business days. Otherwise, refunds are available at your original point of purchase.

The Food Truck Cook-Off event will be back at Broadmoor World Arena next May, 2021.

License to Eat Food Truck Guide

$ 25
  • Take a culinary tour with A License to Eat, your guide to the vibrant food truck community of the Pikes Peak Region.
  • Support local small businesses, and get a listing of participating food trucks operating in our area along with special offers, including a free meal ($10 value)!
  • License to Eat is brought to you by the Pikes Peak Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and the Better Business Bureau of Southern Colorado (BBB.org) in celebration of the 2020 Pikes Peak Region Small Business Week.
  • Savor the local flavor and taste a variety of cuisines while supporting small businesses in our community (discount offers good through April 2021)
  • People's Choice Award Via Online Voting System
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Free Virtual Broadcast | 9:00 am – 11:00 am

Marketing drives your message, fuels your sales and communicates your purpose. With new challenges, and an ever-changing business environment, it is more important than ever that businesses get their marketing message right. These are turbulent times for businesses and the marketing messages seem to be changing weekly.

We are facing unprecedented challenges in our community and many businesses are having to change how they deliver products or services to customers. Whether your service offerings are changing, providing alternative delivery options, changing your hours or availability, or simply messaging how you support your community, you need to make that message clear across all your digital channels. Consumers are looking to digital messaging more than ever before and you need to make smart investments with clear messaging so that it makes it easier for customers to do business with you. You must also alter their expectations, so they’re less likely to be upset if you cannot deliver the experience they’ve had in the past.

Join us as we have a discussion from leaders in the marketing world as they hit the reset button on your marketing trends and expectations for 2020 and beyond.

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Panelists:

Dani Barger
Vice President of Marketing & Communications, Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC
Dani Barger is the vice president of marketing & communications at the Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC, where she oversees the communications strategies, tactics, and content to raise Colorado Springs’ business profile. Previously she worked at the Metro Denver Economic Development Corp. for more than four years in various digital marketing and communications roles. Prior to that she spent 10 years marketing a contract manufacturer headquartered in Iowa. Dani has a bachelor's degree in Marketing from Mount Mercy College.
Lauren Hug
Founder, HugSpeak
An accomplished speaker, author, and strategist, Lauren Hug has helped people reach and motivate markets and audiences for 20 years. In 2012 she founded HugSpeak, a community engagement firm that develops participatory multi-channel, multi-way communication strategies, empowering vibrant communities in both digital and physical spaces. Lauren activates horizontal, person-to-person interactions to inspire authentic dialogue, thought, and behavior change. Her academic credentials include an LL.M. with merit from the University of London, a J.D. with honors from the University of Texas School of Law, and a Bachelor of Journalism and Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from the University of Texas. She is the author of Digital Kindness: Being Human in a Hyper-Connected World, The Professional Woman’s Guide to Getting Promoted and The Manager’s Guide to Presentations.
Thomas Key
Associate Professor of Digital Strategy and Marketing, University of Colorado Springs
Thomas “Martin” Key is Associate Professor of Digital Strategy and Marketing at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. Dr. Key was originally trained as a cultural anthropologist before founding his own business in 2003. After nearly a decade, he went back to university and earned a PhD in Business Administration with emphases in marketing and strategy. His research primarily deals with digital and strategic marketing issues at the executive level and the study of marketing’s role in the firm. He is a Daniels Ethics Initiative Fellow and Cybersecurity Fellow and frequently works with new startups as well as established firms to help them create plans to grow and create value for their customers.
Shannon Tucker
Vice President of Media Relations, SSPR
Shannon Tucker is Vice President of Media Relations at SSPR, a national PR agency headquartered in Colorado Springs. Her PR commentary is regularly featured in the news, including Forbes and PR Daily.

Free Virtual Broadcast from the New United States Olympic & Paralympic Museum with Panel and Tour | 9:00 – 11:00 am

The Olympic rings remain one of the world’s most widely recognized symbols and as Olympic City USA completes its goal of building the soon-to-be iconic United States Olympic & Paralympic Museum, many local businesses are excited! The museum, along with the power of the Olympic brand, will attract more business, tourists and young talent and will enhance a sports-ecosystem that will help our economy rebuild. Come take a look behind the scenes of the new museum and learn about the economic impact that this one-of-a-kind building and universal brand will have on our local economy.

There will not be another chance to catch this, so join us for this exciting and exclusive event as we go inside the third most anticipated building in the world!

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Free Virtual Broadcast from 3 E’s Comedy Club | 9:00-11:00 am

Employers and employees are experiencing increasingly stressful environments due to the recent pandemic. As they strive to keep up with increasing business demands of working longer hours, worrying about income, balancing work with family and poor lifestyle choices, this can increase the risk of chronic conditions. Stress can have a negative effect on your employees’ lives and make it harder to be productive, lead to more sick days, and can increase workers’ compensation costs. The good news is that business owners are uniquely positioned to influence their employees and lead the charge of being healthier.

Join us for how health can be a business strategy and how you can avoid burnout. You don’t want to miss this session! Join us for a sneak peak of the brand new 3E’s Comedy Club. Join us for comedians who will keep us healthy by teaching us why Laughter is the Best Medicine, and hear from Tom Carter, Vice President of Kaiser Permanente’s Workforce Health Consulting Group and Kaiser Permanente On-the-Job®.

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Virtual Location Host

Free Virtual Broadcast | 1:00-2:00 pm

U.S. Bank panelists, Brian Lipp, Business Banking Manager; Joanna Abrot, Business Banking Relationship Manager; and Joe Hemmel, SBA Business Development Officer, will give a 15-minute presentation on these COVID-19 relief programs available to small businesses then open up the platform to answer your questions about them.

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Free Virtual Broadcast | 9:00 am – 11:00 am

Minority business owners are critical to the success of American businesses. 72,132 businesses in Colorado are owned by self-employed minorities contributing much-needed diversity to the business landscape.

This panel will discuss:

How you as a consumer can:

  • Support these businesses in your local community
  • Contribute through supplier diversity initiatives

How you as a minority-owned business can:

  • Learn about the opportunities to grow your business through certifications
  • Find the opportunities utilizing the Minority Business Office of Colorado

Be a part of the conversation! There are a host of ways for you to get involved, support minority-owned businesses, and grow your minority-owned business.

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Sponsored By

Free Virtual Broadcast | 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Join our thriving business community on Friday, July 31 for the VIRTUAL Small Business Week Celebration and Awards Banquet, where the winners in the following five categories will be announced:

  • Small Business Person of the Year
  • Small Business Champion of the Year
  • Young Entrepreneur of the Year
  • Family-Owned Business of the Year
  • Veteran Small Business Owner of the Year

Best Food Truck of the Year – People’s Choice, will be announced during the banquet.

Expect great entertainment, special guests, and networking at this highly anticipated annual event.

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Awards:

Best Food Truck of the Year (People's Choice)

Based on popular vote from attendees at the annual Food Truck Cook-Off (winner to be announced during the awards banquet)

Young Entrepreneur of the Year​

Honors an entrepreneur 35 years of age or younger with at least a one-year track record demonstrating innovativeness, commitment to the community and potential for long-term business success

Family-Owned Business of the Year

Honors a family-owned and operated business with multiple generationsrepresented with at least a ten-year track record demonstrating commitment to the community and other
family-owned businesses, prioritizing family and having potential for long-term business success

Veteran Small Business Owner of the Year​

Honors a U.S. Armed Forces veteran who has owned and operated a business with at least a two-year track record demonstrating commitment to the community and other veteran-owned businesses, incorporating their experience as a veteran into their business model and having potential for long-term business success

Sponsored By:
Small Business Champion of the Year

Honors an individual who has fulfilled a commitment to the advancement of small business opportunities, dedicating time and effort to advocating for, promoting and serving small businesses

Sponsored By:
Small Business Person of the Year​

Honors a business owner/operator (or team) with at least a three-year track record who meets multiple criteria defining a successful entrepreneur – criteria includes demonstrating exceptional increase in sales, net profit and net worth; sustained growth in number of employees; staying power; innovativeness in product or service; overcoming adversity; and community contributions.

Sponsored By:

Attendee Registration

$ TBD
  • TBD
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Exhibitor Registration

$ TBD
  • TBD
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TO OUR SPONSORS!

Presenting Sponsor

Corporate Sponsors

Supporting Sponsor

Food Truck Cook-Off Presenting Sponsor and Beverage Sponsor

Award Sponsors

Media Sponsor

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559 East Pikes Peak Avenue, Suite 101
@ Catalyst Campus
Colorado Springs, CO 80903

719-667-3803
sbdc@elpasoco.com

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The Colorado Small Business Development Center Network (SBDC) is funded through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). The SBDC Network is a partnership between the State of Colorado, Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade, the Small Business Administration (SBA), Colorado’s institutions of higher education, local economic development organizations and local chambers of commerce.

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