Colorado Companies to Watch releases an annual list of the up-and-coming businesses in the state and six Grand Valley businesses made the list of 68 finalists for 2021.
The list doesn’t come from just one industry, either. The local businesses to make the cut include: Cloudrise, a tech security company at 730 Mesa Ave.; Aspen Technology Group, a tech consulting company at 300 Main St. Suite 103; MLS Senior Care, a home health care service at 1000 N Ninth St. No. 9; Phoenix Haus, a tiny home contractor at 2510 Foresight Cr. Building B; Timberleaf Trailers, a camper manufacturer at 507 Fruitvale Ct. Suite C; and GROWL Agency, a digital marketing company at 750 Main St.
“I mean just look at how diverse that list is,” said Greg Olson, CEO of GROWL. “What we’ve seen is a diverse group of companies setting the standard here. That’s a very different look than 10 years ago.”
When GROWL moved to Grand Junction by way of Denver in 2017, it had just a handful of employees. By 2020, that jumped to eight. And now, there are 16 employees and Olson thinks four more could be added by the end of the year.
Olson says GROWL’s growth is because of how the company utilizes local resources such as Colorado Mesa University and the Mesa County Workforce Center. The COVID-19 pandemic also played a role.
“Suddenly there were no events, so companies had to market themselves online. That’s where we came in to help them out,” Olson said. “Our revenue grew by about 70% and we’re still hiring. And I’d be willing to bet the other five companies are in similar positions.”
“BUSINESS IS EXPLODING”
Timberleaf Trailers is blossoming as well, but that growth has created some complications.
Owned and founded by Kevin Molick, the business manufactures and sells teardrop trailers. Molick believes in the quality of his trailers, and so do the people.
That’s where some issues — if you can call them that — arise.
“Business is exploding. We’re taking orders literally faster than we can build them. If you were to order one today, we’d get it to you in about 18 months,” Molick said. “I hate that, I want to get that into the single digits. And the longer it takes to fill orders, the more we have to charge to keep up with costs. Right now, we’re trying to get into a new building by the airport.”
At an owner jamboree recently, someone asked Molick if this was just a flash in the plan. He’s convinced it isn’t.
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced people to reassess what matters to them, he said. They’re going camping more and emphasizing the quality of life, and that’s why Molick thinks Timberleaf will continue to grow.
To match that growth and whittle down that wait time, he needs a second location. But constructing the building hasn’t been easy.
The costs of lumber, concrete and steel has led to a 40-50% price increase to build the new spot, Molick said. Then, he said there’s been unnecessary red tape to get the ball rolling such as paperwork and disagreements with city officials about who should pay for sufficient water pressure for the property.
Once those issues are taken care of, he’s confident that Timberleaf will match the increased demand.
A VISION OF THE FUTURE
Molick is planning to break ground on the new building within the next month and occupy it in eight months. Once that’s done, he said, he can add about 22 employees.
“We can’t add them all right away because we have to train them. But with each hire, we’ll knock that wait time down to 15 months, and then 12 months, and then nine,” he said. “Plus, I think it will keep prices from increasing for our customers.”
Olson, meanwhile, has a bright outlook over the next year for GROWL.
“We have a five-year rolling plan for the business and we’re growing faster year by year. If I had a crystal ball, I’d be really excited for the next 18 months,” Olson said. “We’re really honored to be named a finalist.”
