Gunnison River Partners broadening business offerings

Investing, advising, mentoring, connecting

By Mark Reaman

A local group that has helped fund several businesses in the region since 2012 is transitioning to be a more public entity that can provide broader support for businesses that want to expand and connect. The Gunnison River Partners (GRP) has acted principally as an investment group in the valley but is shifting to be a more “community centric” membership organization.

According to board member Andris Zobs, the group hopes to focus on three core areas: provide advice, connections and capital to new and existing business initiatives in the Gunnison River Valley; bring interested members of the community together to learn, network and build common understanding; and offer mentoring, strategic advice, capital and support to drive entrepreneurial success in the region and beyond.

“This community is full of energy and great ideas,” Zobs said. “The purpose of GRP is to gather the collective experience of its membership to provide support to local business, in whatever form is needed. We aim to work alongside other Gunnison County efforts, such as the Chamber, ICELab and TAPP to move the valley’s economy forward, making good jobs more available and helping motivated entrepreneurs realize their vision.”

GRP was founded as an investment vehicle for mission driven community members to invest growth capital in local businesses, particularly those that export products beyond the valley, create employment and grow wages. GRP has invested in local businesses such as ID Sculpture, Campfire Ranch, Romp Skis, Montanya Rum, Jackson’s Honest, Gunnison Valley Veterinary Clinic, First Ascent Coffee and IC Connex.

“Some of the investments were successful in the traditional sense of realized growth and financial return,” explained Zobs, a founder of ID Sculpture. “Many created jobs in the valley. Others provided valuable experience to entrepreneurs and to the group and helped us understand some of the unique challenges of growing a business in the Gunnison Valley. It was also successful in the sense that it brought together a group of experienced businesspeople who are passionate about the long-term well-being of the valley.”

But now, the group wants to play a more comprehensive role in the local business community. “The hope is to broaden our membership, make the organization more accessible and flexible so that it can adapt to the diversity of needs. Not all businesses need, or are ready for, investment,” said Zobs. “Direct equity investment is just one aspect of business success and growth. Our new structure puts more emphasis on mentorship and evaluating different growth and funding strategies. We’ve also seen that when our membership self-organizes into smaller groups, they can move faster and more efficiently to get deals done than the group as a whole. Our membership is also so diverse, it’s natural that members have affinities for specific industries and deal structures.”

In a recent press release, Bill Ronai, one of the original founders of the Gunnison River Partnership, said, “I am enthusiastic about the expanded direction GRP is taking. We want to broaden our reach, engage with the resourceful people of the valley, and make this organization a unique place for supporting local businesses—from our restaurants and retailers to tech companies and professional services.”

GRP has averaged between 30-40 members from a variety of fields and backgrounds. According to Zobs, plugging entrepreneurs into this knowledge resource gave the organization’s portfolio businesses access to the myriad skill sets required to successfully grow a business, including finance, governance, operations and marketing. “Our new membership structure really just memorializes how the organization has evolved while removing the administrative burden of having to coordinate with the entire group,” he said.

“At a high level, success looks like a more diversified, resilient Gunnison Valley economy that offers opportunities for career development, wage growth and wealth creation for our entrepreneurs,” he continued. “We are very much aligned with the efforts of TAPP and the ICELab to retain and grow local export businesses and potentially attract new entrepreneurs to the valley. Success is also defined by the strength of the community we coalesce. Business discussion and thoughtful leadership have historically not been a shared value of the valley. GRP is a way for people with experience and passion for business to connect with each other in a fun, social setting while having a positive impact on their community.”

Prospective members are welcome to attend an event free of charge to experience GRP firsthand. The intention is to gather bi-monthly around interesting presenters, social networking and pitch events.

For more information on GRP, please visit www.gunnisonriverpartners.com.