Backyard Soda Company

The beauty of small businesses is their ability to listen to their customers, quickly pivot and reassess. Backyard Soda Company started with a vision of a modern version of a soda shop, but after trying to bootstrap the business with a food cart in 2011, they realized they might be going about selling their product from the wrong angle. Co-owners and founders Patrick Creager and Ari Murdock officially started Backyard Soda Company in 2012, and in the last three years have seen their business boom.

It all started when Patrick was a general manager for a restaurant. He began making custom simple syrups for use in signature cocktails, and realized he had a passion for it. The syrups could be used in many different ways, and the idea for a soda shop started brewing. After the trial and error with the food cart, they decided to focus solely on the syrups. Their customers gave them feedback and new ideas of how they used the syrups, energizing their decision. “As soon as we realized we were filling a niche, it was like ‘ding’!” said Ari.

In 2013, they began selling the syrups wholesale to local retailers while gaining confidence, and they lined up 15 accounts in the first year. By 2014, they hired Libby, a former co-worker of Patrick’s at the restaurant, to help expand their sales reach. Within another year, Backyard Soda Company had 75 accounts, including regional distribution with Whole Foods. The same week they landed the Whole Foods distribution, they were named a finalist in the Martha Stewart “American Made” competition. “It was a long shot, but we figured ‘why not?” said Patrick. Ultimately they did not win, but the visibility from the contest helped them increase their online sales.

With their business growing so quickly, they sought out the assistance of the SBDC and enrolled in the Leading Edge Program through North Metro Denver. “Sometimes teaching is the best way to learn,” said Ari, and the course helped them prioritize the possibilities for their product. They also met with several consultants who helped them with learning about how to add a partner to the business, contract negotiation and figuring out how to make their business go where they want it to go.

“This is something I enjoy doing, taking a craft and turning it into a business,” says Patrick. Backyard Soda Company is excited for future growth and the potential for opening a bottling line, but they recognize one of the elements of their success is their ability to hand sell their product directly to their customers. They’ll continue to sell their cocktail, soda and coffee syrups at farmer’s markets, and continue their Sunday tradition of donating 20% of their sales to local charities in support of their local community. “We have a following now!” says Ari. “There’s a lot of enthusiasm and we feel so welcome in the community. We are very fortunate to be in Denver at this time.”

http://www.backyardsodas.com/

Old School Heros

Tom Concannon, owner of Old School Heros, had the business plans set, loans lined up, and was even doing walk throughs to lease a space for his brick and mortar sandwich shop in Thornton, a dream that had been in the making for more than 25 years and one he had been actively pursuing for the past four years. But suddenly all those plans fell away. Sound familiar? As restaurants shuttered across the country, grappling

Black Hound Design Company

Black Hound…a name one would at first think was associated to a dog training business or a hunting operation; however, the reality is that it belongs to a custom furniture design and manufacturing business…Black Hound Custom Furniture and Design. In 2013, the owners, James and Kate Hixson, had an idea…a vision that would expand and enhance James’s college education in sculpturing. What started as a wood sculpture for a friend, evolved into a prosperous and

CEU / Consulting & Education Unlimited

Kristie Ashby – Owner/Founder
A Strategic Path to Growth

Kristie Ashby had been running her business, Consulting & Education Unlimited (CEU), for years, but she lacked a clear strategy to consistently attract clients. While she knew she had a bigger vision for her business, she struggled with how to gain clarity, structure her growth, and develop a plan that aligned with her long-term goals.

Gaining Clarity and Structure

Kristie joined the Strategic Business Planning Program – LEADING EDGE for Entrepreneurs through the North Metro SBDC, seeking the tools and guidance to elevate her business to new heights. Through the program, she gained essential knowledge on strategic planning, client acquisition, and long-term business growth.

Alongside the structured curriculum, Kristie took advantage of one-on-one free advising, where she worked step by step to develop a clear, actionable strategy. She focused first on capturing the low-hanging fruit—immediate client opportunities—before scaling toward her larger vision. Throughout this process, her confidence and belief in her business flourished…

Timberleaf Trailers

Kevin Molick is a custom cabinet contractor and outdoorsman. The idea of building a teardrop trailer for his camping adventures intrigued him so he built one to suit his needs. It wasn’t long before he was getting inquires on social media about how one of these trailers could be purchased which moved him to start building more trailers. By the end of 2016 he had built and sold 12 of these custom made trailers. “We

Frolic Play Space

Pilar Johnson owner of Frolic Play Space re-imagined an indoor play space for children under seven after visiting an indoor play area with her young daughter. Pilar states, “There really was not a lot of places that I felt like I could take her, be free for a little bit and get a little break which was back when I first said I should really do this”. At that moment, Pilar came up with the

JCS Cleaning Services

A strong online presence is crucial to a business’s success, especially in our ever-increasing digital world reliant on technology. For many business owners, the skills needed to create and manage a professional website are daunting and ultimately a barrier to their business’s growth. To address the gap in digital skills, especially among minority business owners, the North Metro SBDC started a website program led by Diego Leyes, Bilingual Digital Marketing Specialist and Spanish Programs Outreach Consultant. The selected client for the first round of the website program was Jorge Torres, owner of JCS Cleaning Services.