What’s on the minds of businesspeople in the greater Fort Collins area?
We hired a consultant this summer to personally interview some business and community leaders to find out what they were thinking about the economy and several key issues. The interviews were strictly confidential, meaning that information would not be attributed to the interviewees unless they explicitly gave permission. The interviews are part of a feasibility process by Chamber leaders to determine whether to conduct a multi-year fund raising campaign to tackle what they believe are big challenges.
Altogether, in about a 3 week period, 59 people shared their thoughts. Following are the key findings.
Question: How would you characterize the state of the economy in the Fort Collins area?
Excellent 78%
Good 20%
Fair 2%
Poor 0%
Question: Is the economy better, worse or about the same compared to two years ago?
Better 85%
Worse 2%
Same 13%
Question: Does Northern Colorado face challenges with regard to North I-25?
Yes 96%
Somewhat 4%
No 0%
Question: Does the Fort Collins area face challenges with regard to workforce availability and skills?
Yes 78%
Somewhat 11%
No 11%
Question: Does the Fort Collins area face challenges in ensuring a supportive business environment?
Yes 93%
Somewhat 6%
No 1%
The interviewers then shared a ‘case statement’ document with interviewees that included specific strategic initiatives for addressing these problems. There was significant support for the Chamber moving forward to tackle these issues.
The Chamber Board has voted to do just that. They have authorized me to negotiate with an advisor to develop a detailed plan and raise the money to carry it out. We’ll share more information later in the year as the plan takes shape.