Contributors Opinion Bold worry predictions for 2015 Don’t about today’s headline, Longevity onBusiness the job it’ll A new year affords Briefs change ... repeats more like tomorrow not-so-bold has its opportunity advantages a new Business People Almanac to meet local needs THE he BUSINESS usiness T T Times IMES
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I count among my many blessings the opportunity to work in one job in one place for so long. More than 22 years, for those keeping track.While others change jobs — and by one estimate, nearly a third of the work force changes jobs ever year — I happily stick to the business of telling stories about business. Longevity hasan itsopportunity advantages.for It’saarguable whether A new year almost always brings fresh start and I bring to my duties 22 years of experience or one year of renewed ambition to do things better. repeated times. Regardless, I’ve developed In business, thatexperience usually boils down 22 to providing customers better products some Moreover, I don’tPart spend a lot of timemust with and services faster and at efficiencies. lower cost than competitors. of the process backgroundtoresearch. Chances are actually good I’ve written about include listening to customers determine what they need and then it before. I need to review previous story,and it awaits justifa meeting that need. After all, itIfdoes little good toaoffer the latest greatest few keystrokes away. I’d like to believe my lengthy tenure nobody actually wants what you’re selling. also hasthat improved quality of my as wellArea as the Just like the businesses belongthe to the group, the reporting Grand Junction overall contentstarts of theout Business But aI’ll let readers of Chamber of Commerce invariably the newTimes. year with reassessment judge that for themselves. the services and resources it provides and how well they match with members The very best part of chamber working board in oneof jobdirectors, in one place needs. Jeff Franklin, the new chairman of the Phil Castle for so long is the relationships it’s been my privilege to personifies this approach in describing what he considers his role for the coming develop over the years, especially remarkable year: listen to members, determine their needs and thenthose meetwith thosethe needs. It’s a entrepreneurs who start and run ventures in thepresident Grand Valley. I’ve to watch role with which Franklin is familiar as market of Bank ofgot Colorado. themThe andprocess their businesses In a couple of notable cases, I’vethe been able to will take grow. on a more structured approach in what chamber follow the entire evolution of a business — from startup to the sale that plans as the resumption of a program aptly called Listening to Business. enabled Under the the founders to exitowners and find even higher proverbial mountains to climb.barriers to program, business participate in in-depth interviews to identify This very issue of the Business Times illustrates my point in the cover story growth and other problems they encounter. aboutThe thenew saleyear of Grande in Palisade. offers aRiver goodVineyards time to join the proverbial club. Oneanofadvertiser the first people I interviewed shortly to theTimes? Grand As or reader, what do you needafter frommoving the Business Valley was Stephen Smith, the wine industry pioneer who founded Grande River While business journals traditionally gather and report the relevant news to Vineyards and at one time operated the largest wine street. grape That’s growing operation readers, communication isn’t necessarily a one-way especially true as in Colorado. wrote about 2007convenient in which Smith sold part of his Web sites andI e-mail make the the auction dialogueinmore than ever. property Richard anddon’t Jean exist Tallyinsoathey couldThey construct theto Wine Country Goodtopublications vacuum. respond the needs of Inn. Fast forward to readers. 2019, and I satprovide down once with Smith to talk about his plans advertisers and They what’sagain needed. to sell Vineyards and retire. Fast foward again to the present, and SoGrande what doRiver you need? I’m sitting the Wine news Country Inn and talking — this time Is thereinadditional coverage that wouldagain help with keepthe youTallys informed about aboutbusiness their purchase from Smith Grande Riverthat Vineyards. local developments? Areofthere features would be interesting or Don’t thingsadvice have athat waywould of coming fun to watch it unfold? useful? Is there makefull yourcircle? jobs aIsn’t littleit easier? It’s been equally rewarding over the past 22 years to work with Robert It’s equally important to ask what you don’t need. With limited time toBray and his family at Bray Real Estate in Grand Junction. Robert has long a go-to produce content and limited space in which to publish it, would time been and space be sourcedevoted for information about else? the real estate market not only because of his insights, better to something but also his invariably gracious willingess to share them with me. So I was delighted What’s good? What isn’t? What’s needed? What isn’t? to talk with Robert, and Lynn Thompson — Business the president of Web the Letagain us know. Send ushis an children e-mail. Comment online on the Times firm — about the 75th anniversary of the founding of Bray Real Estate. site at www.thebusinesstimes.com. You could even write an old-fashioned letter to Whenifityou’d comeslike. to longevity and company culture,and Robert Brayisbelieves the editor Your feedback, both positive negative, valued one and thingbehas everything to do with the other. One reason his company has been in will carefully considered. business long is its long-standing to customers community. Goodsopublications are the resultcommitment of not only the efforts of and theirthe staffs, but also I can’t claim for involving a second toadvertisers match thatand kind of effort. I doubt I could reach that collaborative efforts readers. kind Like of milestone. forbusiness, now, I’m we content in one job in oneout place. any otherBut good wanttotokeep listenworking to our customers, find what they need and then meet those needs. Phil It’s Castle is editor the Business Reach him at phil@thebusinesstimes.com a new year. of Please help us Times. to do so. or 424-5133. ✦ F
THE BUSINESS TIMES
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Publisher/Owner: Craig R. Hall
Editor: Phil Castle
Reach advertising at: publisher@thebusinesstimes.com Reach the editor at: phil@thebusinesstimes.com.
Subscribe or submit press releases online at www.thebusinesstimes.com The Grand Valley Business Times, a subsidiary of Hall Media Group LLC, is published twice monthly and distributed throughout Grand Junction, Fruita and Palisade. Advertising rates and deadlines are available upon request. Opinions expressed in this publication are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, editor, staff or advertisers. Copyright © 2015 — AllCopyright rights reserved. © 2021 — All rights reserved.
And chances are, the change will be to theIt’sadvantage writer of said that timeof ofboth yearthe when headline andand theprognostications source. There is abound. no better resolutions PR to relate this toto than allYear’s the My example favorite saying applied New COVID-19 stories we read every day. a resolutions is in saying they’re basically The bunch of one promises to break the first week consistent of January.COVID And while I won’t predict a thread I keep hearing whole lot, I can pretty much accurately is “COVID did this nail a few things thattowithout question you” or “COVID didYou will see these are will make the news. that to well, your business” pretty, predictable: or “COVID took one: ■ Prediction away There our willnormal.” be some Of thoseevent, are sortcourse, of weather always followedorby, natural disaster “And here’s the only heinous occurrence Craig Hall way get those whereyou someone will things back.” and say be interviewed That, my friend, the following: “I’ve is the new PR. And it’s a load crap. never seenof anything Why? like that in The my premise. To put it bluntly, COVID lifetime.”took It’s nothing as if thisfrom any of us. Our Craig Hall government and leaders did. And they person is a required used COVID to take away every decisionattendee at every news making thought have.I understand And after they reporting event.we While most did that, they allowedcan but indeed one choice to get people’s perspective be limited the of freedom they stole. And by, crumbs or contained within,back their own personal here comes the freight train oncetoagain experiences, it PR is too much to ask because, “It’s our shot.” Get it? Oh, I before get it. consult some historical perspective If such COVID is doing that, it mustcan saying a thing? Yes,all this response be theto magic ButBut thewhen real danger of apply somevirus. events. it comes COVID is right before disasters, our eyes and to weather and natural I’m most pretty can’t andiswon’t seehistory it. It’s repeating called arbitrary sure this simply itself. government rule. Same as it has for millions and millions of Before go into that,the letplanet me domade my it! years. MoreI important, disclaimer only to be overlooked: What didn’t were certain species.COVID How’s is real. love to know where it actually that forI’d perspective? came■from — although I kindaitknow. Prediction two: When comesWe to a should treat the sick,that protect the between vulnerable crime or something occurs and help the public go on with its business humans, other required attendee at all and And yes, there’s a vaccine ad from newslives. reporting events is the person who Mesa County Public Health in the paper. says this: “They we’re just the nicest Allow to give that people, andme in no way two did Iheadlines see something came outcoming.” this week: 99 percent of alldoes new like this Exactly. No one COVID infections withitthe Deltatovariant in most of the time when comes the U.S. areand in unvaccinated neighbors acquaintances.people. PeopleNearly should 60 percent ofatnew, Delta cases be surprised what goesvariant on from time to in Israel are inneighborhoods, vaccinated people. Logic time in their towns and dictates onlythey one thing: It’s a statistical with people know because people are impossibility. two things. Someone good. And forOK, the times that they shouldn’t isn’t getting — thelike whole truth. And doesn’t be shocked with politicians, repeat that describe entire past year andthe a half? offenders andthe terrorists — where’s Everythat daysays, with “This COVID headline after interview doesn’t surprise COVID me in theheadline, least.” within 24 hours or so there’d be anotherthree: COVID headline good with a ■ Prediction Something 180-degree take. It’s will happenopposite economically, andreally the not hard to find. All one a computer, Internet government willneeds take is credit for it. The most access and the ability powerwhere one’s people way recent example is gas to prices, through bothIthe Google for your for ask me why won’t creditfill-in the president search 20 pages of agenda-driven, low gasand prices. My answer is simple: algorithm-based results to the findprice them.of Government never makes There’s other For most something gothe down andproblem. simply takes credit of past yearGas andpricing a half, ispeople aretoonly forthe good news. subject seeing one side of the COVID many global factors. Now there PR are coin. The next problem when trying government answerscomes to addressing sometoof get side ofstable the coin to the people, themthe toother keep prices for Americans, there’s checking” on theofInternet but our “fact government has none them in to stop opinion place.any Thediffering only things it hasorininformation place in the
July15-28, 1-14, 2015 2021 JANUARY
from seeing the light of day. Does that sound healthy you? And evenAnother here in long run alwaystohurt consumers. River there’s only one source and fact is City, that unemployment reaches a certain one theAnd narrative. levelmedia based outlet on thedriving economy. while the And if you question it (well, them, iscause government might brag the number low, there’s running the it’s morereally than three likely people the government did county) notoRFP winning bids for you.low something cause that number being Need We had days to slow — and notmore? in a good way.15 Conversely, when the spread, and up, it’s it’s onlybecause taken athe year and business picks people awho halfneed to show some folks who that lie. Masks to buy widgets were not aren’t wait, masks work. Oh buyingneeded. widgetsOh because the economy was wait again, wear masks. causes contracting due totwo natural (orHCQ unnatural, heart problems in spite of being used inwe government caused) reasons, decided patients forsome over widgets. half a century. Worse, better buy The government HCQ didn’t work a study had nothing to do in with this. in Europe — only that study four: was withdrawn less ■ Prediction In keepinginwith than a month. All whiledoes, several studiesthe things the government I predict proclaimed HCQ works on folksto governmenthow will great manipulate the numbers who COVID positive early on. We maketested the claim the economy is getting need start vaccinating kids. Well, no, to bettertobecause of how hard it is working kids to be —Americans.” from the World help don’t all of need us “working Now Health Organization. And of the you might say, “Craig, youspeaking always say this WHO and its partner in crime, Centers about President Obama becausetheyou don’t for Control, theinexamples likeDisease him.” You’re right a sense. Iofdon’t diametrically storylines arehim myriad know the man,opposed but what I know of and and daily. AndI don’t my favorite: really his thinking, like it orThere’s him one iota. nothing for America to fear about COVID. Before you go off, however, I didn’t like Dr. Anthony Frauci that whopper. President Bush and told his bailouts, stimulus Well, Craig, thethe science changed. Yes. and his abandoning free market to save It does. But a virus, really thealways free market. Andwith I don’t know ithim doesn’t. Viruses arrive, viruses infect, either. What the government does, and the viruses peak anddo, viruses while only thing it can is hurtmutate the economy. declining. They’ll always becriminals here in some Unless it does nothing or put in form or another. Except with with them, COVID. jail instead of partnering nothing Arbitrary science is now in theAlways hands of the government does will help. look people arbitrary power. Soon at it thisexercising way, whatever the government says enough, COVID willthe bename used of again to it it is doing, whatever the law shut us down. And watch local leaders is passing, or whatever the our name or goal of cave, only to come with more the bureaucracy it isback presenting to the arbitrary rules the for polar us to opposite be allowed entry people, expect to occur. into their members-only clubs. I guess what I’m saying is that Listen. I’m not against theour local perhaps it’s time to get out of ownnews unless it’s agendized. I’m not against perspective. There’s plenty of history local groupsresearch unless they maketo booksbusiness and historical out there arbitrary rules to benefit begin to understand that one all ofbusiness this hasover another. I’m not happenedAnd before. Andagainst it will local again,health, unless to deny liberty whetherit’sthebeing topicused is people or life, government. and the of happiness. is to find Thepursuit best recommendation in discussing the other someI was books or try that COVID whole Google day with someone health field.on One thing. There’s a lotinoftheinformation the thing out. He said was Greatstood Depression. The Country truth is itJam wasn’t going be a super spreader event according even atogood one until the government got to local health and also civicplenty leaders.ofYet, the involved. There’s research three mentioned above promoted, on theentities medieval warm period when the reported on much and allowed Country Jam to go planet was warmer than today with on as planned. Not one PR release as towell the a whole lot less people (and warmer danger. Ask yourself: before man was here“Why?” at all). And yep, Hehave then been said Ikilling didn’t other understand. No. people surprised Ipeople understand fine.was As first I’m sure you do. since just history written. We see bothsome sides research of every will governmentMaybe help stop issued coin. trends. Like seeing the irony of be all of these Otherwise, we’ll needing an IDnever for a seen vaccine, yet not to it in saying we’ve anything like vote. Arbitrary indeed. our lives. And not in a good way. Craig Craig Hall Hall isis owner ownerand andpublisher publisherofofthe the Business Business Times. Times. Reach Reachhim himatat424-5133 424-5133or publisher@thebusinesstimes.com. or publisher@thebusinesstimes.com. F ✦
