Appreciating Those Who Make Stuff

Diving into the March-April 2018 Made in Colorado issue with Mike Taylor's Editor's Note

Mike Taylor //March 5, 2018//

Appreciating Those Who Make Stuff

Diving into the March-April 2018 Made in Colorado issue with Mike Taylor's Editor's Note

Mike Taylor //March 5, 2018//

You've got to love a story about a married couple who ran a food truck featuring a snack called Millet Tots, which became so popular the couple left their mobile kitchen to concentrate on manufacturing this unique creation described as a cross between a tater tot and a hush puppy. Millet Tots debuted at Whole Foods in 2015 and less than three years later have spread to 700 stores nationwide.

That's the story of Lindsey and Ryan Cunningham, founders of Boulder-based RollinGreens, one of 10 stories about Colorado manufacturers unearthed by writer Eric Peterson for our annual Made in Colorado issue. As Peterson explains, the 10 companies he highlights were chosen for their innovation, their uniqueness and, simple, the compelling nature of what they do and how they came to be.

Made in Colorado serves as a reminder that no matter how digitized, computer-driven and "virtual" our world becomes, we remain enamored with – and indebted to – people who make stuff.

Elsewhere in this issue, Susan Fornoff explores golf from a variety of business angles in our annual Executive Golf Guide. The veteran journalist looks at the longstanding pairing of residential real estate and golf: Real estate is booming in Colorado; golf is slumping globally. Where does that leave Colorado's golf-centered communities?

In another story, she examines whether the golf course is still the place where business deals are made. On one hand, Fornoff points out, the golf course remains one of the few places an executive can secure four or five largely uninterrupted hours with a key client; on the other hand, golf is no longer deductible as a business expense, and some top Colorado resorts are finding outdoor activities like fly fishing or guided hikes have participation numbers around the state and examines the impact of renovations and temporary closures of several Denver public courses, most notable City Park.

For sports, sunshine and other reasons, cities in Colorado routinely show up in rankings for "happiest," "fittest" and "healthiest," but in this issue's Health Care Report, writer Jamie Siebrase looks at one area where Colorado has a ways to go: mental health. The organization Mental Health America ranks Colorado 43rd among states based on high rates of mental illness and low rates of access to care. Siebrase looks at some of the obstacles to better behaviors wellness and some proposed solutions. Steps employers can take to promote mental health include educating executives, learning to recognize early signs of mental illness, and promoting work-life balance with simple measures like encouraging workers to use their vacation time.

With 300 days of sunshine and the outdoors beckoning, that's a business concept we can all get behind.

Read on for the March-April 2018 issue of ColoradoBiz.