Colorado Business Podcast

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349

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Oct 2026

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About the show

The Colorado Business Podcast is a community-driven podcast focused on the business scene in Colorado. Hosted by business owners Andrew Hazzlee & Marcus Alvarado, each episode features a different guest sharing insights and advice on topics such as marketing, finance, leadership, and innovation. The podcast is highly regarded for its engaging content, skilled interviewing, and emphasis on building a strong community of business leaders and entrepreneurs.

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October 22, 2026Episode 3501 hr 18 min

Growing a Business Starts With Growing Your People | Joe Marzocco

Growing a business starts with developing the people inside it. Joe Marzocco joins the Colorado Business Podcast to talk about leadership, hiring for potential and building a company that supports the life you want. Joe shares his path from working in his family's construction business in New York to leading teams in Colorado and starting LionShare Growth Partners. Through stories about employees, entrepreneurship and climbing mountains, he explains why people, process and product matter, how discipline carries you when motivation fades, and why growth sometimes requires changing the way you work. In this conversation: - Recognizing potential and giving people room to develop - Moving from corporate leadership into coaching and business advisory work - Taking action through fear and uncertainty - Finding the right roles as a company grows - Creating repeatable processes without losing the human side of business - Defining success around family, purpose and the cost of your time GUEST Joe Marzocco, LionShare Growth Partners Leadership training, coaching and business guidance: https://lionsharegrowthpartners.com/ CHAPTERS 00:00 Coming up 01:06 Meet Joe Marzocco 02:09 Growing up in a family of entrepreneurs 09:14 Faith, identity and finding purpose in Colorado 18:27 Sponsor messages 21:36 Building a business by investing in people 29:28 From corporate leadership to LionShare Growth Partners 34:46 Family entrepreneurship and Overdrive Raceway 39:02 Resilience, fear and the next step 45:31 Discipline when motivation runs out 49:28 Sponsor messages 51:51 Growth ceilings and changing how you operate 59:19 Define the business and life you actually want 1:02:34 Capability, capacity and the right roles 1:05:39 Repeatable processes and the customer promise 1:08:39 Protecting family time while building a business 1:12:31 What is next for Joe 1:17:09 Where to find Joe and closing thoughts 1:17:47 Outro THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS EXCO Advisors: https://excoadvisors.com/ LINE-X of Colorado Springs: https://linexcoloradosprings.com/ Savion HQ: https://savionhq.com/ Reveal Med Spas: https://revealmedspas.com/ Awesome Home Services: https://awesomeservice.com/ Dream Accounting Solutions: https://dreamaccountingsolutions.com/ Exponential Impact: https://exponentialimpact.com/ Bellwether Homes: https://bellwetherhomes.com/ Lightning Glassworks and Screens: https://fastglassrepair.com/ BrightLeaf Energy: https://brightleafenergy.co/ Be Our Guest Getaways: https://beourguestgetaways.com/ Planet Duct: https://planetduct.com/ FASTSIGNS: https://fastsigns.com/ Pinnacle Advanced Primary Care: https://pinnacleapc.com/ CONNECT WITH COLORADO BUSINESS PODCAST Watch more conversations and subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@coloradobusinesspodcast Visit the show: https://coloradobusinesspodcast.com/ Which leadership lesson would make the biggest difference in your business? Share your thoughts in the comments, and subscribe for more conversations with business owners and operators. Episode 350 | Joe Marzocco

October 15, 2026Episode 3491 hr 39 min

How to Make Content People Connect With | Spencer McKee, OutThere Colorado

What makes content feel like it could only come from you? Spencer McKee of OutThere Colorado explains why personality, firsthand experience and a connection with the audience matter, even as AI changes how content gets made. For business owners and creators, this conversation explores how to find stories worth sharing, learn from audience feedback and keep a recognizable voice. Spencer also takes us behind the outdoor reporting, travel experiences and career decisions that shaped his work. Spencer is Director of Content and Operations at OutThere Colorado. He covers Colorado news and outdoor adventures, and his team earned the 2022 Outdoor Media Summit People's Choice Blog of the Year award. In Episode 349, he shares how a loan from his dad helped him stay in Colorado long enough to pursue the job that became his career. The conversation moves from the economics of digital media to community feedback, AI and creative identity. Along the way, Spencer discusses Colorado's mountain towns and music scene, a memorable month in India, via ferrata adventures and the alligator wrestling class he took while reporting for OutThere Colorado. He closes by sharing how listeners can connect with his work and UpaDowna's outdoor community. TOPICS - Finding stories through firsthand experience and curiosity - Building a distinct voice that resonates with an audience - Website advertising, sponsored content and digital media - Separating useful criticism from online noise - AI as a creative tool and the importance of personality - Colorado adventures, travel stories and outdoor community GUEST LINKS OutThere Colorado: https://www.denvergazette.com/outtherecolorado/ Spencer McKee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencermckee UpaDowna: https://upadowna.org/ SPONSORS Thank you to the sponsors featured in this episode. Diamond read: EXCO Advisors: https://excoadvisors.com/ Bellwether Homes: https://bellwetherhomes.com/ Lightning Glassworks and Screens: https://fastglassrepair.com/ Bright Leaf Energy: https://brightleafenergy.co/ Be Our Guest Getaways: https://beourguestgetaways.com/ Planet Duct: https://planetduct.com/ FASTSIGNS: https://fastsigns.com/ Pinnacle Advanced Primary Care: https://pinnacleapc.com/ LINE-X read: LINE-X of Colorado Springs: https://linexcoloradosprings.com/ Savion HQ: https://savionhq.com/ Reveal Med Spas: https://revealmedspas.com/ Awesome Home Services: https://awesomeservice.com/ Dream Accounting Solutions: https://dreamaccountingsolutions.com/ Exponential Impact: https://exponentialimpact.com/ CHAPTERS 00:00 Cold open: career, content and adventure 00:46 Colorado Business Podcast intro 00:56 Meet Spencer McKee 02:20 Finding a new life in Colorado 07:54 Mountain towns, bears and Colorado life 13:16 The career break that led to OutThere Colorado 19:36 Diamond sponsor read 22:51 Website ads, sponsored stories and the business model 24:25 Colorado's live music and comedy scene 29:34 Finding stories your audience cares about 33:02 Reading feedback and learning from criticism 39:02 AI, authenticity and keeping your own voice 50:57 Walking, reflection and the creative process 54:22 LINE-X sponsor read 56:45 Travel, curiosity and a month in India 1:04:22 How travel creators change the way we explore 1:10:04 Via ferrata and Colorado adventures 1:14:45 Wildlife encounters and outdoor responsibility 1:22:47 Spencer's alligator wrestling story 1:36:57 Where to find Spencer and UpaDowna 1:39:06 Outro ABOUT THE COLORADO BUSINESS PODCAST Conversations with Colorado entrepreneurs, business owners and leaders about building teams, creating value and serving their communities. Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@coloradobusinesspodcast Explore more episodes: https://coloradobusinesspodcast.com/ What makes your content feel unmistakably yours? Share your perspective in the comments. #ColoradoBusinessPodcast #SpencerMcKee #OutThereColorado

October 8, 2026Episode 3481 hr 17 min

The Conductor's Secret: Why Less Is More | Devin Patrick Hughes

What can an orchestra conductor teach a business owner about leadership? Devin Patrick Hughes explains how to earn influence, raise standards, and bring skilled people together, even when everyone knows their own instrument better than you do. Devin describes the preparation, trust, shared vision, and rehearsal work that help skilled musicians perform together. For leaders of creative or highly skilled teams, the episode offers a different way to think about getting the best out of people. Devin is Music Director of Boulder Symphony & Music Academy and Artistic Director & Conductor of Symphony of the Rockies. He shares how a childhood love of music, college baseball, and a change of direction from pre-medicine led to his career on the podium. The conversation explores music education, the discipline of rehearsal, what gives creative work lasting impact, and how leaders keep growing alongside their teams. Devin also discusses building a music academy, making concerts accessible, his perspective on AI and live performance, and balancing family life with demanding creative work. TOPICS • Earning influence with experienced specialists • Shared expectations, healthy pressure, and preparation • Music education, collaboration, and community access • Mozart, Beethoven, and the context behind enduring art • Creativity, career direction, and finding your calling • AI and the human experience of live music GUEST LINKS Devin Patrick Hughes: https://devinpatrickhughes.com/ Boulder Symphony & Music Academy: https://bouldersymphony.org/ Symphony of the Rockies: https://www.symphonyrockies.org/ Find current concert dates and tickets through the orchestras' websites. SPONSORS Thank you to the sponsors featured in this episode. Diamond read: EXCO Advisors: https://excoadvisors.com/ LINE-X of Colorado Springs: https://linexcoloradosprings.com/ Savion HQ: https://savionhq.com/ Reveal Med Spas: https://revealmedspas.com/ Awesome Home Services: https://awesomeservice.com/ Dream Accounting Solutions: https://dreamaccountingsolutions.com/ Exponential Impact: https://exponentialimpact.com/ Bellwether read: Bellwether Homes: https://bellwetherhomes.com/ Lightning Glassworks and Screens: https://fastglassrepair.com/ Bright Leaf Energy: https://brightleafenergy.co/ Be Our Guest Getaways: https://beourguestgetaways.com/ Planet Duct: https://planetduct.com/ FASTSIGNS: https://fastsigns.com/ Pinnacle Advanced Primary Care: https://pinnacleapc.com/ CHAPTERS 00:00 Cold open: leadership and teamwork 00:36 Colorado Business Podcast intro 00:46 Meet Devin Patrick Hughes 01:33 From Springfield to a career in conducting 05:42 What a conductor actually does 10:04 Interpreting music and telling a story 14:24 Why music education matters 19:40 What makes a performance feel seamless 24:34 Diamond sponsor read 27:47 What makes great work last? 33:56 Raising standards without burning out the team 40:09 Preparation, trust, and empowering musicians 43:35 Creativity, passion, and finding your calling 52:00 Building the Boulder Symphony Music Academy 55:11 Bellwether sponsor read 57:37 The future of classical music 59:43 AI, artistry, and the human connection 1:07:23 What comes next for Devin 1:08:56 Family and the demands of creative work 1:14:13 Concerts and connecting with the orchestras 1:17:16 Outro ABOUT THE COLORADO BUSINESS PODCAST Conversations with Colorado entrepreneurs, business owners, and leaders about building teams, creating value, and serving their communities. Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@coloradobusinesspodcast Explore more episodes: https://coloradobusinesspodcast.com/ How do you earn trust and bring out the best in a skilled team? Share your experience in the comments. #ColoradoBusinessPodcast #DevinPatrickHughes #Leadership

October 1, 2026Episode 3471 hr 7 min

Why Mike Kinner Created Air O Sport for Every Generation

Mike Kinner created Air O Sport around a simple challenge: how could he play a sport he loved with his daughter, his aging father, and friends who did not see themselves as athletic? In this conversation, he explains how a family-business upbringing and a difficult stretch as a founder shaped a game intended to bring different generations together. The Colorado Springs founder and inventor also shares how play has informed his work with families and business teams, why he values screen-free creativity, and what he hopes to build through the Air O Sport Foundation. In the episode, Mike talks about growing up around the Donut Mill, learning from his parents, the value he found in reading, and the product-design challenge that helped shape Air O Sport. He describes using play in corporate team experiences, the lonely stretch when the business felt difficult to sustain, parenting and screen-free play, and his hope to create more opportunities for people to play together. GUEST LINKS: Air O Sport: https://playairosport.com/ | Air O Sport Foundation: https://airosportfoundation.org/ | Peak Play Performance: https://peakplaypro.com/ GUEST Mike Kinner Founder and Inventor Air O Sport CHAPTERS 00:00 Cold open: play across generations 00:50 Colorado Business Podcast intro 01:00 Meet Mike Kinner and Air O Sport 02:44 The Donut Mill and family business 08:00 From basketball to self-development 15:55 Reading, focus, and flow 19:49 Diamond sponsor read 23:51 Why Mike created a multigenerational sport 26:52 Product design and the patent challenge 28:59 Play, confidence, and corporate teams 35:19 The setback that nearly stopped the dream 37:15 Relationships, trust, and team building 44:03 What pushed Mike past the setback? 45:06 Parenting and screen-free play 49:59 Creativity and the gift of boredom 51:29 LINE-X sponsor read 54:33 A sport that makes room for more people 56:52 Breaking loneliness through play 59:47 Where Air O Sport is going 1:02:27 Family, community, and the mission 1:05:09 The next million play moments 1:07:59 Outro SPONSORS Diamond sponsor read: EXCO Advisors: https://excoadvisors.com/ Bellwether Homes: https://bellwetherhomes.com/ Pioneer Rodeo: https://pioneerrodeo.com/tickets/ Lightning Glassworks and Screens: https://fastglassrepair.com/ Bright Leaf Energy: https://brightleafenergy.co/ Junk-N-Haul: https://junknhaul.com/ Be Our Guest Getaways: https://beourguestgetaways.com/ Planet Duct: https://planetduct.com/ FASTSIGNS: https://fastsigns.com/ Pinnacle Advanced Primary Care: https://pinnacleapc.com/ LINE-X sponsor read: LINE-X of Colorado Springs: https://linexcoloradosprings.com/ RAIN: https://rain.tech/ Savion HQ: https://savionhq.com/ Data Hubz: https://datahubz.com/ Reveal Med Spas: https://revealmedspas.com/ Awesome Home Services: https://awesomeservice.com/ Dream Accounting Solutions: https://dreamaccountingsolutions.com/ Exponential Impact: https://exponentialimpact.com/ Review note: The recorded Diamond read includes Pioneer Rodeo event copy for dates that have passed. Confirm an updated read or approved use before episode lock. ABOUT THE COLORADO BUSINESS PODCAST The Colorado Business Podcast features entrepreneurs, founders, builders, and leaders shaping Colorado’s business community. Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@coloradobusinesspodcast Explore more episodes: https://coloradobusinesspodcast.com/ What should Colorado protect as it grows, and what should it be willing to build? Share your perspective in the comments. #ColoradoBusinessPodcast #AirOSport #ColoradoSprings #Play

September 24, 2026Episode 3461 hr 24 min

Your Employer Picks Your Health Plan. Mike Markland Wants to Change That

Most employees never choose the health plan their employer buys for them. Mike Markland believes that model is ready for a rethink. In this episode of the Colorado Business Podcast, Mike shares the personal healthcare experience that pushed him into employee benefits, the numbers that convinced him to leave a traditional brokerage, and why employer-funded individual coverage may give workers more control over how they use their benefits. Mike and the hosts unpack ICHRA, now discussed in the episode as CHOICE Arrangements, the incentives built into group health insurance, direct primary care, the role of consumer choice, and the pressure rising costs place on employers and employees. The conversation also moves into building ATMA PMF, hiring people who default to action, systems over goals, personal responsibility, and the standards Mike learned through sports and family. Specific savings figures and healthcare-system claims discussed in the episode reflect the guest's experience and perspective. Results and plan suitability vary by employer, employee, market, and coverage design. FEATURED GUEST Mike Markland Founder, ATMA PMF Website: https://atmapmf.com/ CHAPTERS 00:00 The health plan choice most employees never get 00:52 Colorado Business Podcast intro 01:01 Meet Mike Markland of ATMA PMF 07:19 Climbing Kilimanjaro and pushing through the summit 12:16 The health experience that changed Mike's direction 16:18 How employer-funded individual coverage works 19:02 Diamond sponsor read 22:56 Why Mike left to build ATMA PMF 25:44 Who carries the rising cost of health insurance 32:20 What healthcare can learn from unbundling cable 36:20 Direct primary care and access beyond insurance 40:38 What changes for employers and employees 43:15 Opting out of the traditional group model 45:19 The pressure building across American healthcare 48:14 Why the policy has bipartisan momentum 49:17 Bellwether sponsor read 52:29 Industry pushback and employee responsibility 57:29 Using AI to help employees choose coverage 58:10 Building the company and hiring for action 64:30 Books, mentors, and systems over goals 73:20 Responsibility, agency, and changing yourself first 79:45 What football taught Mike about standards 83:24 Where to find Mike and ATMA PMF 83:54 Outro SPONSORS Diamond sponsor read: EXCO Advisors: https://excoadvisors.com/ LINE-X of Colorado Springs: https://linexcoloradosprings.com/ RAIN: https://rain.tech/ Savion HQ: https://savionhq.com/ Data Hubz: https://datahubz.com/ Reveal Med Spas: https://revealmedspas.com/ Awesome Home Services: https://awesomeservice.com/ Dream Accounting Solutions: https://dreamaccountingsolutions.com/ Exponential Impact: https://exponentialimpact.com/ Standard sponsor read: Bellwether Homes: https://bellwetherhomes.com/ Pioneer Rodeo: https://pioneerrodeo.com/tickets/ Lightning Glassworks and Screens: https://fastglassrepair.com/ Bright Leaf Energy: https://brightleafenergy.co/ Junk-N-Haul: https://junknhaul.com/ Be Our Guest Getaways: https://beourguestgetaways.com/ Planet Duct: https://planetduct.com/ FASTSIGNS: https://fastsigns.com/ Pinnacle Advanced Primary Care: https://pinnacleapc.com/ ABOUT THE COLORADO BUSINESS PODCAST The Colorado Business Podcast features entrepreneurs, founders, builders, and leaders shaping Colorado's business community. Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@coloradobusinesspodcast Explore more episodes: https://coloradobusinesspodcast.com/ If your employer gave you a benefits budget instead of one group plan, what would matter most in your choice? Share your answer in the comments. #ColoradoBusinessPodcast #MikeMarkland #EmployeeBenefits

September 17, 2026Episode 3451 hr 22 min

The Business Was Running Him: Logan Bryson on Hiring, Burnout and Growth

What happens when the business you bought starts running your life? Logan Bryson, owner of LINE-X of Colorado Springs, joins the Colorado Business Podcast to share how he went from installing truck accessories to owning the operation, working 68-hour weeks, and learning to lead beyond the day-to-day work. Logan explains how his father's truck sparked an interest that eventually led him to LINE-X, how his mother helped him acquire the business in 2020, and why the transition from skilled employee to owner was harder than he expected. He also breaks down the systems, scorecards, hiring decisions, community relationships, and outside guidance that helped him step out of the weeds. The conversation covers burnout, cash flow, hiring for drive, the franchise model, practical uses of AI, family responsibility, and Logan's definition of success. It closes with the story of Charlie, the 2008 F-150 that connects his father, his business, and the legacy he hopes to pass to his children. GUEST Logan Bryson Owner, LINE-X of Colorado Springs LINE-X of Colorado Springs: https://www.linex.com/us/line-x-of-colorado-springs-f1367 Logan Bryson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/logan-bryson-1194303b2 CHAPTERS 00:00 Cold open: the cost, the turn and the hard part 00:37 Colorado Business Podcast intro 00:46 The truck that started Logan's story 04:18 Buying LINE-X in his mid-20s 06:32 Learning the owner side of the business 10:58 When the business is running you 13:09 Systems, delegation and hiring the right people 14:40 Sponsor: Diamond 18:42 Would Logan choose entrepreneurship again? 24:57 Revenue, profit and business scorecards 32:00 Hiring for drive and accountability 37:39 Community over competition 41:45 Defining success and the life you want 46:48 How Logan uses AI in the business 48:34 Sponsor: LINE-X 51:38 The strengths and limits of a franchise 1:00:30 Pressure, identity and family responsibility 1:09:16 The support behind the entrepreneur 1:19:07 Charlie, the truck and his father's legacy 1:22:36 Outro SPONSORS Diamond sponsor read: EXCO Advisors: https://excoadvisors.com/ Bellwether Homes: https://bellwetherhomes.com/ Pioneer Rodeo: https://pioneerrodeo.com/tickets/ Lightning Glassworks and Screens: https://fastglassrepair.com/ Bright Leaf Energy: https://brightleafenergy.co/ Junk-N-Haul: https://junknhaul.com/ Be Our Guest Getaways: https://beourguestgetaways.com/ Planet Duct: https://planetduct.com/ FASTSIGNS: https://fastsigns.com/ Pinnacle Advanced Primary Care: https://pinnacleapc.com/ LINE-X sponsor read: LINE-X of Colorado Springs: https://www.linex.com/us/line-x-of-colorado-springs-f1367 RAIN: https://rain.tech/ Savion HQ: https://savionhq.com/ Data Hubz: https://datahubz.com/ Reveal Med Spas: https://revealmedspas.com/ Awesome Home Services: https://awesomeservice.com/ Dream Accounting Solutions: https://dreamaccountingsolutions.com/ Exponential Impact: https://exponentialimpact.com/ ABOUT THE COLORADO BUSINESS PODCAST The Colorado Business Podcast features entrepreneurs, founders, builders, and leaders shaping Colorado's business community. Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@coloradobusinesspodcast Explore more episodes: https://coloradobusinesspodcast.com/ What lesson helped you stop working only in the business and start leading it? Share it in the comments. #ColoradoBusinessPodcast #ColoradoBusiness #ColoradoSprings #Entrepreneurship

September 10, 2026Episode 3441 hr 24 min

Lauri Armstrong on Building a Business That Does Not Depend on You

What does it take to build a business that can thrive beyond its owner? Lauri Armstrong, Founder & Owner of Little Fins Swim School, joins the Colorado Business Podcast to share the water-safety mission, one-on-one teaching model, and team culture behind the Colorado Springs business.Lauri explains how Little Fins grew from a small swim-lesson idea into a larger operation, why water safety matters for Colorado families, and how a difficult family season forced the business to develop stronger leadership systems. The conversation also covers community involvement, training young team members, and the communication skills that help a service-driven organization grow.Lauri Armstrong is the Founder & Owner of Little Fins Swim School in Colorado Springs. Little Fins provides one-on-one swimming lessons and water-safety programs for children, adults, and families.TOPICS IN THIS EPISODEWater safety and survival-swim foundationsWhy one-on-one lessons are central to the Little Fins modelScaling a service business without losing cultureBuilding a team that can operate beyond the ownerCommunity involvement and Hope on the RocksTraining young employees to communicate, serve, and leadLINKSLittle Fins Swim School: https://littlefinsswimschool.com/Hope on the Rocks tickets and donations: https://givebutter.com/hopeontherocks2026GUESTLauri ArmstrongFounder & OwnerLittle Fins Swim SchoolCHAPTERS00:00 Water safety, growth, and building the team00:44 Colorado Business Podcast intro00:54 From lifeguard to Little Fins03:50 Why one-on-one swim lessons matter05:50 Water safety for Colorado families11:55 Scaling Little Fins without losing the mission15:25 Sponsor: Diamond19:18 Building a team beyond the owner35:15 Hope on the Rocks and community impact50:38 Sponsor: Bellwether53:50 Culture, service, and developing young leaders1:07:45 The call-a-thon and teaching communication skills1:24:34 OutroABOUT THE COLORADO BUSINESS PODCASTThe Colorado Business Podcast features entrepreneurs, founders, builders, and leaders shaping Colorado’s business community.Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@coloradobusinesspodcastExplore more episodes: https://coloradobusinesspodcast.com/What would change in your business if the team could run it without you? Share your perspective in the comments.#ColoradoBusinessPodcast #LauriArmstrong #LittleFins #ColoradoSpringsBusiness

September 3, 2026Episode 3431 hr 32 min

Colorado’s Growth Fight: AI, Housing, Buc-ee’s and the Future of Business

Colorado is growing, but the bigger question is whether its communities are prepared to handle the projects, infrastructure, housing pressures, and business consequences that come with it.In Episode 343 of the Colorado Business Podcast, Andrew, Marcus, and Chris sit down for a candid roundtable on several of Colorado’s biggest business and development debates. They examine Project Taurus and the proposed AI data center near Colorado Springs, the One Vela high-rise, the planned Buc-ee’s north of Monument, Denver’s housing slowdown, crime, politics, and the growing friction between development and resistance to change.The conversation also moves beyond individual projects. The team discusses regulation, water and energy infrastructure, public-private collaboration, what healthy businesses owe their communities, and why owners must move from survival mode into a position where they can serve, invest, and create opportunity.ROUNDTABLE PARTICIPANTSAndrew HazzleeMarcus AlvaradoChris SeegersCHAPTERS00:00 Cold open: growth, business and Colorado’s future00:58 Colorado Business Podcast intro01:08 The roundtable and the stakes03:19 Project Taurus and the AI data center fight16:22 Diamond sponsor read20:24 AI infrastructure, water and regulation35:06 One Vela and downtown Colorado Springs51:51 LINE-X sponsor read54:55 The cost of blocking growth57:24 Buc-ee’s and economic opportunity1:10:29 Denver housing, crime and the business climate1:21:34 Colorado politics and the governor’s race1:24:44 Business owners, government and opportunity1:26:11 Why successful businesses serve more1:29:56 Survive to thrive1:31:29 Big projects and Colorado Springs’ future1:32:57 If you’re not growing, you’re dying1:33:42 OutroSPONSORSDiamond sponsor read:EXCO Advisors: https://excoadvisors.com/Bellwether Homes: https://bellwetherhomes.com/Pioneer Rodeo: https://pioneerrodeo.com/tickets/Lightning Glassworks and Screens: https://fastglassrepair.com/Bright Leaf Energy: https://brightleafenergy.co/Junk-N-Haul: https://junknhaul.com/Be Our Guest Getaways: https://beourguestgetaways.com/Planet Duct: https://planetduct.com/FASTSIGNS: https://fastsigns.com/Pinnacle Advanced Primary Care: https://pinnacleapc.com/LINE-X sponsor read:LINE-X of Colorado Springs: https://linexcoloradosprings.com/RAIN: https://rain.tech/Savion HQ: https://savionhq.com/Data Hubz: https://datahubz.com/Reveal Med Spas: https://revealmedspas.com/Awesome Home Services: https://awesomeservice.com/Dream Accounting Solutions: https://dreamaccountingsolutions.com/Exponential Impact: https://exponentialimpact.com/ABOUT THE COLORADO BUSINESS PODCASTThe Colorado Business Podcast features entrepreneurs, founders, builders, and leaders shaping Colorado’s business community.Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@coloradobusinesspodcastExplore more episodes: https://coloradobusinesspodcast.com/What should Colorado protect as it grows, and what should it be willing to build? Share your perspective in the comments.#ColoradoBusinessPodcast #ColoradoBusiness #ColoradoSprings #EconomicDevelopment

August 28, 2026Episode 3421 hr 3 min

From Wiping Counters to CEO of Luisa Graff Jewelers | Andrew Graff

Andrew Graff did not step into his family’s jewelry business at the top. After serving in the Navy and building a corporate retail career, he joined Luisa Graff Jewelers by applying through HR, interviewing with his mother, and starting at the bottom wiping counters. In this episode of the Colorado Business Podcast, Andrew explains how he earned his way into ownership, built role-specific training systems, helped his mother retire, and became CEO of the Colorado Springs jewelry store his family built. He also shares the leadership rule he returns to under pressure: when you want to react, don’t. The conversation covers family-business succession, military discipline, people management, customer feedback, authentic advertising, custom jewelry, parenting, faith, work-life balance, and Andrew’s plan to train the next generation of bench jewelers. FEATURED GUEST Andrew Graff CEO, Luisa Graff Jewelers Website: https://www.luisagraffjewelers.com/ Team: https://www.luisagraffjewelers.com/about/luisa-graff-team/ CHAPTERS 00:00 The rule, the legacy, and the system 01:03 Colorado Business Podcast intro 01:13 Andrew Graff and Luisa Graff Jewelers 03:52 A Colorado family legacy in gold 07:12 Learning jewelry at six and joining the Navy 13:47 Starting from the bottom in the family business 14:46 Diamond sponsor and sponsor read 18:39 From corporate retail to a family business 22:10 Becoming a partner and building training systems 27:21 Helping his mother retire and taking ownership 31:26 Customer feedback and a service-first team 33:19 Building custom jewelry in-house 37:21 Authenticity and fun in advertising 43:58 Family legacy, faith, and parenting 46:47 Balancing business and family 52:47 Bellwether sponsor read 55:59 Leadership lessons from business and family 58:19 Presence, execution, and Navy values 60:32 The next generation of bench jewelers 63:42 Outro SPONSORS Diamond sponsor read: EXCO Advisors: https://excoadvisors.com/ LINE-X of Colorado Springs: https://linexcoloradosprings.com/ RAIN: https://rain.tech/ Savion HQ: https://savionhq.com/ Data Hubz: https://datahubz.com/ Reveal Med Spas: https://revealmedspas.com/ Awesome Home Services: https://awesomeservice.com/ Dream Accounting Solutions: https://dreamaccountingsolutions.com/ Exponential Impact: https://exponentialimpact.com/ Standard sponsor read: Bellwether Homes: https://bellwetherhomes.com/ Pioneer Rodeo: https://pioneerrodeo.com/tickets/ Lightning Glassworks and Screens: https://fastglassrepair.com/ Bright Leaf Energy: https://brightleafenergy.co/ Junk-N-Haul: https://junknhaul.com/ Be Our Guest Getaways: https://beourguestgetaways.com/ Planet Duct: https://planetduct.com/ FASTSIGNS: https://fastsigns.com/ Pinnacle Advanced Primary Care: https://pinnacleapc.com/ ABOUT THE COLORADO BUSINESS PODCAST The Colorado Business Podcast features entrepreneurs, founders, builders, and leaders shaping Colorado’s business community. Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@coloradobusinesspodcast Explore more episodes: https://coloradobusinesspodcast.com/ What is one responsibility you had to earn before you were ready to lead? Share it in the comments. #ColoradoBusinessPodcast #AndrewGraff #FamilyBusiness

August 20, 2026Episode 3411 hr 21 min

How Colorado Springs Became Olympic City USA | Doug Price

Doug Price remembers arriving in Colorado Springs in 2011 when streetlights were dark, parks were not being watered and the city was struggling to pay its utility bill. Fifteen years later, Colorado Springs has built a national identity as Olympic City USA and the Pikes Peak region welcomes more than 25 million visitors a year. In this episode of the Colorado Business Podcast, Visit COS President & CEO Doug Price explains how tourism, civic leadership and coordinated investment helped transform Colorado Springs. Doug shares lessons from a 52-year hospitality career, the creation of City for Champions, the development of the Olympic City USA identity and the business impact of attracting visitors throughout the year. The conversation also explores destination marketing, downtown and regional growth, the local sports and live-music ecosystems, Labor Day Lift Off, Fountain Creek, smart growth and the leadership required to keep building a city where people want to visit, work and raise a family. FEATURED GUEST Doug Price President & CEO, Visit Colorado Springs https://www.visitcos.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/doug-price-889aba34/ CHAPTERS 00:00 Colorado Springs: Then, Now and Next 01:06 Colorado Business Podcast Intro 01:16 Doug Price's 52-Year Tourism Career 03:24 Arriving in Colorado Springs in 2011 06:03 What Visit COS Actually Does 08:33 Building City for Champions 17:59 Diamond Sponsor and Sponsor Read 22:02 Creating Olympic City USA 27:54 More Than 25 Million Visitors 33:22 Growing Tourism Beyond Summer 36:18 Conventions, Downtown and Regional Growth 41:14 The Economic Impact of Tourism 44:18 Live Music, Neighborhoods and Local Pride 51:51 Sponsor Read 54:55 Andrew's Tiny House Festival Story 57:22 Sports and Labor Day Lift Off 59:23 Planning a Colorado Springs Visit 1:02:17 The Next 10 Years and Fountain Creek 1:04:28 Leadership, Government and Smart Growth 1:09:42 Community Collaboration and Legacy 1:14:02 Doug's Plans for Retirement 1:19:33 Visit COS and Closing Thoughts 1:21:39 Outro ABOUT THE COLORADO BUSINESS PODCAST The Colorado Business Podcast features entrepreneurs, founders, builders and leaders shaping Colorado's business community. Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@coloradobusinesspodcast Explore more episodes: https://coloradobusinesspodcast.com/

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