First 90 Days: Insights, Progress, and Vision Ahead

Dear GBC Members and Community Partners,

Today marks the first 90 days of my tenure as Executive Director of the Good Business Colorado Association and Good Business Colorado! As I reflect on the past three months, I am filled with gratitude and excitement for the journey ahead. These initial weeks have provided me with invaluable insights into our community, and I am truly inspired by the passion and commitment each of you brings to our organization.

Together, we have the opportunity to continue building on the foundation you have established through your dedication to our mission. While we have come so far, I have heard directly from many of you about the future you envision for this vibrant community of entrepreneurs and employers. Your determination to ensure that businesses in our state serve as a force for good—impacting lives and protecting our planet—is truly commendable.

We recently launched a member and partner pulse survey, asking each of you to share what’s working and what’s not at GBC. Additionally, we held a virtual town hall where we discussed our initial observations about the organization and outlined a path forward for 2025 and beyond as we develop our next multi-year strategic plan. I opened my calendar for several months, making it easy for you to schedule time with me at your convenience. I also shared my Calendly link in the Scoop and via email, which allowed many of you to easily connect with me and provide valuable feedback on how we can improve our operations, systems, offerings, and refine our programming. You spoke, and we listened!

Here’s what we heard:

How We’re Doing

• Satisfaction Levels
  On a scale of 1 to 5, respondents of our survey ranked their satisfaction with their member experience as a 4 (22%) or 5 (44%), while the remaining respondents rated their experience as a 3.

• Program Performance
  84% of respondents identified our Policy and Advocacy programming as our best-performing program. However, less than 50% feel we are effectively communicating with members and providing adequate support, educational resources, and networking events.

• Community Needs
  Despite the challenges mentioned, 84% of respondents believe that GBC is meeting the needs of the community. 

• Anecdotal Insights: In my meetings with members, many expressed a genuine love for GBC and the space it creates for them to be more than just business owners. We see ourselves as change-makers, community leaders, and champions for what truly matters. GBC is a place where we can fully embrace our roles as entrepreneurs and challenge the narrative that business and social activism can’t go hand in hand!

Your Emerging Needs

• Challenges Faced
  Over 50% of respondents struggle most with navigating new regulatory landscapes, implementing sustainability practices in their businesses, promoting social equity, and addressing mental health and wellness in the workplace.

• Primary Concerns
  74% of respondents cite affordable housing as the primary concern facing their businesses and surrounding communities, alongside rising costs of living, healthcare, and sustainable development.

• Anecdotal Insights: In my meetings with members, many of you expressed the need for community. Building and running a business can be a lonely pursuit, especially when your work is grounded in ethics such as treating people well, striving to provide a living wage, and offering healthcare that honors the dignity of your staff, all while establishing operations that consider environmental and public health. You shared a desire for more organization and clarity from us as an organization, with clear pathways for participation and engagement that fit the entrepreneurial lifestyle. This doesn’t just mean Zoom events; it’s about having an events schedule that allows you to connect with other entrepreneurs and build friendships and camaraderie with fellow co-laborers in this challenging journey.

We’re still collecting responses for our Pulse Survey, and we’d love to hear from you! If you haven’t had a chance yet, please take a moment to share your thoughts today. The more feedback we gather, the better we can understand how to support our wonderful community. 

Also if you haven't scheduled a 1:1 with me please do! I’d love to meet you, connect, and connect you with others in our community.

But what does this mean, and what are we planning to do about it? Great questions!

As we move into the new year, you’ll notice the GBC team and board applying focused attention in the following key areas:

1. Operational Excellence: We are committed to achieving operational excellence that is both ethical and effective. This involves refining our core processes to better serve our members while upholding our values. To achieve this, we need to increase our capacity by hiring and building a robust team to cover essential workflows, such as membership coordination, educational programming, policy programming, and communications. This requires an intentional focus on revenue generation, increasing our donor and member base, and having honest and transparent discussions with our supporters about the true cost of running our programs and the impact we make. We have discovered that operational delays have directly impacted the member experience, affecting everything from financial management to programmatic effectiveness, resource allocation, and the quality of our communications. When our operations run smoothly, our staff can be more available and supportive to our members and community partners in pursuit of our mission.

2. Building and Nurturing Our Member-Centered Community: I am excited to announce that GBC will be launching its first Online Member Portal! This portal will launch in the new year. The portal will enhance our current website to provide access to your member data and create an intimate digital space for connecting with fellow members. This platform will facilitate community conversations and host members-only content and events. In addition, we will focus on enhancing our Lunch and Learn series and will host regularly scheduled networking events and educational tours of notable businesses that exemplify our shared values.

3. Refined Programmatic Offerings: Beyond our robust policy work, we will begin thoughtfully developing a curriculum for programs focused on educating members and broader community about creating environmentally sustainable businesses and promoting social equity through voluntary employer practices. These offerings will empower our members to implement positive changes within their organizations.

4. Streamlined Communications: We will work to improve our communication strategies to ensure you receive timely and relevant information, making it easier for you to stay engaged and informed.

5. Strengthening Our Commitment to DEI and Accessibility: We are dedicated to enhancing our focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) while prioritizing accessibility for all members of our community. This commitment means actively creating spaces where diverse perspectives are not only welcomed but also celebrated. We will ensure that all programming and resources are designed with equity and accessibility in mind, accommodating the needs of individuals from various backgrounds, paying special attention to those with differing abilities, languages, and cultural experiences. Recognizing that many entrepreneurs from underrepresented and under-resourced backgrounds face unique challenges, we are committed to providing targeted support and resources to empower them in their pursuits. By fostering an inclusive environment, we empower every member to contribute their unique insights and strengthen our community. 

6. Strategic Planning for the Future: In 2025, we will embark on our first intentional strategic planning process. This robust and collaborative initiative will shape the organization’s direction for the next 3-4 years, ensuring our mission is sustained and strengthened. This process will provide us with a crucial opportunity to establish a clear and refined theory of change, along with well-defined metrics of success that indicate our performance as a team and organization. Additionally, it will help us determine how we need our members to engage and participate to ensure we are building a true community of practice and shared learning.

As we look ahead, I want to express my deep appreciation for each of you. Your commitment to building a values-centered business landscape in Colorado inspires me every day. Together, we have the power to foster a community where businesses not only thrive but also uplift one another and the world around us. Together, we can create a thriving community that not only supports your business goals but also champions the values we hold dear. I’m excited about what we can achieve in the coming months and years. Thank you for being a vital part of this journey and for welcoming me with open arms into the community. Let’s continue to support each other, embrace our shared values, and make a meaningful impact in our state. And finally, a special thank you to our board for their unwavering support and guidance; your dedication has been instrumental in our progress this year.

I look forward to working alongside you and our greater membership as we move forward together!

In Solidarity, 

Yolanda Richard

Executive Director

Good Business Colorado Association & Good Business Colorado