UCCS Economic Forum + PPSBDC State of Small Business

The 24th UCCS Economic Forum annual community presentation, which combined with the Pikes Peak SBDC State of Small Business event, was held October 1, 202. It consisted of a timely presentation from nationally renowned futurist, Dave Nelsen. Aikta Marcoulier, Executive Director of the Pikes Peak SBDC, provided data and best practices for local small business. Tatiana Bailey, Director of the UCCS Economic Forum, gave an overview of the national, state and local economy in the context of COVID-19. There was a short break for a local, mixology tutorial with Lee Spirits before we heard from keynote speaker Dave Nelsen, who focused on how this major disruption is shaping the “new normal” in future years.

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2020 State of Small Business:
Business Leaders

Moving Forward:
Small Business Stories

2020 UCCS Economic Forum:
Dr. Tatiana Bailey

2020 State of Small Business:
Aikta Marcoulier, Executive Director

2020 State of Small Business:
Bob Cope,
City of Colorado Springs

2020 State of Small Business:
Crystal LaTier, El Paso County Economic Development

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Thank you to our speakers!

Dave Nelson

Futurist + President, Dialog Consulting Group

Dave Nelsen is an award-winning CEO who has founded and run several companies. He has raised more than $70,000,000 in Federal, angel investor, and venture capital funding. Most importantly, as a CEO himself, he has successfully tackled in his own businesses many of the same challenges faced in all businesses, and he has done research on ways businesses can pivot to have a resilient future.

After earning a Masters degree in Operations Research at Stanford University in 1983, Dave spent twelve years at AT&T where he led marketing and product management of the firm’s high-speed InterSpan® Data Services line. Later, he helped networking start-up FORE Systems grow tenfold and become a major player in the Internet backbone.

Dave co-founded and was CEO of CoManage Corp. until selling it to Canadian firm Syndesis after seven years. During this period, he was recognized by Ernst & Young as Entrepreneur of the Year. Mr. Nelsen subsequently founded TalkShoe, which immersed him in the emerging social networking and social media phenomenon. During this period, he was recognized as CEO of the Year by the Tech Council, a leading US technology trade association.

Dave is a founding member of Vistage group CE 676, part of the world’s largest CEO network. He speaks at hundreds of corporate and industry association events.

Dave is an award-winning professional speaker who has appeared dozens of times since 1999 with radio host Ron Morris on WMNY-AM. Since 2009, he’s also been writing a monthly column for TEQ Magazine.

Dave is a mountain biker, Adventure Racer, and triathlete. In his spare time, he makes award-winning red wines.

Aikta Marcoulier, MBA

Executive Director, Pikes Peak SBDC

Aikta Marcoulier joined the SBDC team as the director of the Pikes Peak center in May 2012. Prior to the SBDC, she was the director of partnership marketing with the Professional Bull Riders (PBR).

Aikta is involved in the El Pomar Emerging Leaders Program. She is an active board member of the Pikes Peak Workforce Development Board, Pikes Peak Community College Business Advisory Board, Better Business Bureau Board of Directors, BRCA Girl, and the Colorado Business Development Foundation. She serves on numerous committees for the Colorado Springs Business Journal, is a mentor for Leadership Pikes Peak, serves as Co-Chair for the Census 2020 Business Committee and is on the Technology and Funding Committees for the Colorado SBDC Network.

Marcoulier received her MBA in global management from the University of Phoenix and undergraduate degrees in both economics and psychology from the University of Iowa. She is a 2018 Colorado Springs Leadership Institute (CSLI) Alum and 2017 Leadership Pikes Peak (LPP) Signature Program Alum.

Tatiana Bailey, Ph.D.

Director, UCCS Economic Forum

Tatiana Bailey has her master’s in applied economics and her doctorate in public health, both from the University of Michigan. In the health care arena, Dr. Bailey has focused on programs that aim to increase access and quality while reducing costs. She also presents to audiences who wish to be better informed about the general framework of the health care system in the United States. In the economic development field, Dr. Bailey presents year-round on the current national, state and local economies. She also participates in various economic development initiatives within Colorado Springs and has particularly focused on closing the skills gap.

Currently, she is the Director of the UCCS Economic Forum and serves as an economic development resource to local businesses and government. In 2016, Dr. Bailey was a “Woman of Influence,” and in 2018, was named “Business Leader of the Year.”

Agenda

1:00 pm

Welcome
1:05 pm

Pikes Peak Region Small Business Resiliency and Report to the Community
Aikta Marcoulier | Executive Director, Pikes Peak Small Business Development Center
1:45 pm - Short Break
1:50 pm

Economic Conditions in the Context of COVID-19
Tatiana Bailey, Ph.D. | Director, UCCS Economic Forum
2:35 pm - Short Break
2:40 pm

Cocktails with Lee Spirits Co.
2:45 pm

Keynote Address: National Conditions, Disruption and the “New Normal”Dave Nelsen | Futurist + President, Dialog Consulting Group
3:40 pm

Q&A + Closing Remarks