Wendy in Colorado Springs

 By Taa Dixon, owner of 720MEDIA, a local Colorado Springs based website design and social media marketing firm.

Q: You started your business at the age of 33. Where did you work prior to starting? Is this the first entrepreneurial adventure for you? How has it been the past year since you’ve started?

A: My original career in Colorado Springs was in retail, both jewelry and fashion.  My son was born in 2008, and it was at that time that I started a new career from home.  I became a freelance grant writer.

Barely Escape was founded in 2010 when I realized that the array of big box chain super stores were the convenient alternative to better product and services offered by the local businesses being overshadowed by them. There a many valuable resources for the cities of Colorado Springs, but nothing that really spotlighted the locals that were truly elevating our experiences. So I began the process, my first entrepreneurial experience, of really getting to know Colorado Springs.

In the past year, I have spent countless hours working on Barely Escape, growing my Twitter following and creating a foundation for what would be my ultimate next step.  My ideas have changed, grown, and been built up over the year. I hope to really begin to engage the community in a meaningful way in the near future. I’m so very excited about the future and hope to accomplish great things. If not great things, than many small little awesome things.

I have also founded the Colorado Springs Community Alliance, a non-profit organization. Our mission is to provide the residents of Colorado Springs with opportunities  to engage with each other, support locally owned businesses, educate residents about local food and support innovative, small community projects. This is the next step. Our first project is a community dinner.  The Kickstarter fundraiser was launched at the Pikes Peak Community Cupboard. I hope to do many more smaller projects like that. I also hope to provide free grant writing services to local non profits via CSCA. We will be generating income through donations and grants, as well as working on a larger possible project of funding a community store. Both Barely Escape and the Pikes Peak Community Cupboard are part of CSCA’s initiatives.

Q: Talk a little bit about what your business specializes in…and has your vision changed any since launching? Is it challenging being a parent of a young child and running a business?
A: Barely Escape is a unique site in that it is the community that directs how it grows and what information you can find. I started it as a simple community engagement tool.  It has since grown to be a directory not only of only locally owned businesses, but of the personalities that are found in this city.  There’s a basic business directory, as well as one specific to where you can find locals selling their goods in online storefronts.  Another section is devoted to locals online, mainly bloggers, from athletes, gardeners, chefs, moms, techs, artists and more.  These are all individuals living in Colorado Springs and I haven’t nearly listed them all.  My blog also consists of interesting excerpts from local blogs with links to the original website to read the full text, reprinted with the permission of the author.  In actuality, I consider the life of Barely Escape to be on Twitter.  I never expected Twitter to be the adventure that it has become.  I’ve met so many neighbors who I consider my friends because of having reached out via this medium.

I am grateful every single day that I’m able to work at home and spend every day with my son.  The challenge is that through his youngest years, I am truly devoted to raising him as best I can. I often cannot attend really cool events in town, meet-ups and other casual evening gatherings that sound like such fun because he is asleep and I choose to be here at home with him. I think every day is important, and one day it will really matter that this was important to me.

Q: What do you like most about living and working in Colorado Springs?
A: Right now, I think that this city is ready for fresh perspectives, community involvement and meaningful experiences. I like most the fact that there are so many opportunities that are fertile and ready to be grown, there are a lot of really interesting people doing amazing things. I enjoy so much uncovering this part of Colorado Springs.

Q:  Do you belong to any local business organizations? For example, the Chamber, BBB, etc. What value have you received if you do participate, and if you don’t belong to any local groups, what other methods do you use to promote and grow your business?
A: I do not currently belong to  local business organizations, but will be considering it in the near future.

I can’t emphasize enough the value of Twitter. I follow these organizations and share their information with local followers.  I follow only people living in Colorado Springs with very few exceptions.  I have met people who work in all kinds of different occupations and industries.  I also participate in the Pikes Peak Community Cupboard, which by far has been the most enlightening and fun experience of getting to know people in the community.

Q: What local news outlets do you use to stay informed (if any)? And I know you are very active on Twitter…how would you describe the social media climate in the Springs?
A: I follow all local news outlets on Twitter.  I think social media is a niche right now.  It’s surprising to me how many local businesses don’t even have a website!  I think there is a huge opportunity being missed if you are without some kind of social media communication and are in business.

Q: What’s one of your favorite motivational quotes?
A: “Be true to your work, your word, and your friend.” Henry David Thoreau