The Schedule

"Mapping Your Resilience Journey" – Participants will identify key obstacles they've faced and resilience strategies they've implemented, fostering a shared understanding and connection among attendees. 

Jamie Billesbach, Executive Director, Central Mountain SBDC.

"Thriving Through Change: Business Strategies for Resilience & Growth"

Led by: Angelique Smith, Founder & CEO, A New Day Solutions. Dive into dynamic strategies for resilient leadership and growth in rural business landscapes, guided by Angelique’s extensive experience in leadership coaching and strategic planning. Explore practical approaches to transform challenges into opportunities through resilience and adaptability. 

Learn more about Angelique 

Break 10:15

"OurStory: Real-Life Courageous Resilience Stories" Led by: Sam Block, Business & Marketing Coach with Rob & Sarah Gartzman. Founders Sweeties Sandwich shop, Hey Sweetie and the Biker and the Baker & Pam Good of Good Skin Matters. 

Engage with moving stories from entrepreneurs who have reinvented their lives and businesses. Discover how embracing resilience can lead to profound personal and professional transformations. 

“Distilling Resilience: Leadership Lessons from Business and the Bench” P.T. Wood, Chair Board of Chaffee County Commissioners

Topic Suggestions: Commissioner P.T. Wood shares his personal journey of adaptive leadership—from pivoting his distillery to hand sanitizer production during COVID, to navigating the complexities of wildfires, zoning reforms, and federal shifts as a two-term Chaffee County Commissioner. In this brief yet powerful talk, P.T. illustrates how entrepreneurship and public service intersect to build stronger, more resilient rural communities. 

Breakout Discussion Sessions

Choose a table that speaks to where you are in your journey. Each discussion will be guided by a seasoned entrepreneur or expert. No slides, no lectures—just real talk and shared insight.

Making It Work: Manufacturing & Retail in a Shifting Landscape

Facilitator: Lane Wilson 

Explore the challenges—and creative solutions—of keeping product-based businesses resilient amid supply chain shifts, inflation, and consumer change. A space for makers and merchants to trade strategies and survival stories.

People Power: Building Teams That Grow With You

Facilitator: Angelique Smith
An open conversation on how to cultivate strong internal cultures, coach for leadership, and invest in your people in ways that pay off. What does “people-first” leadership look like when resources are tight?

Purpose-Led Leadership: Making Decisions That Matter

Facilitator: Jamie Billesbach

How do you stay rooted in your mission while making tough choices? We'll talk about keeping your values front and center, navigating ego, and staying clear on what really matters in business.

Vision-Driven Action: Seeing the Forest and the Trees

Facilitator: Lois Todd

We’ll explore how to connect your daily hustle with your long-term goals. This is for anyone who feels stuck in the weeds and wants a better map for strategic momentum.

Policy & Possibility: Business, Government, and the Road Ahead

Facilitator: Commissioner P.T. Wood (confirmed)

Pull up a chair for a candid, no-frills conversation about how local and state policy intersects with small business success.