The start of something big

Weekly Entrepreneur Lounge seeks to launch enterprising ideas

by Page Buono

Durango entrepreneurs, or people who simply love the idea of becoming one, can now get a weekly dose of inspiration, education and brainstorming.

Local businessman Eric Sirois (formerly of Rent-a-Man fame) recently launched The Entrepreneur Lounge, which meets weekly. Sirois said the lounge, which got its start about a year ago on his porch, is a gathering of like-minded folks with a range of experience and backgrounds. Every Tuesday this “tribe” meets in the back room of the Himalayan Kitchen at 6 p.m. for peer mentorship, support and education.

“We just love it. We’re a different breed,” said Sirois. “I love helping people and I believe in entrepreneurship. I believe it gives people their life back.”

And while the goal is to help others, Sirois said there was some personal motivation in starting the lounge as well. “I just really wanted to be around more entrepreneurs,” he said. “I did it for me.”

A Durango-style outdoor enthusiast, Sirois said his friends meet a lot of his needs when it comes to adventure, but he was lacking camaraderie when it came to the business side of his life. “I could never have the conversations that drove me and that I was super passionate about,” he said.

So, using the social networking site Meetup.com, Sirois created The Entrepreneur Lounge late last summer. The first meetings took place on his porch, but soon the group was forced indoors and landed at the Himalayan. “This place is awesome. They hook us up for free as long as we sometimes buy food and beverages,” Sirois said.

Each meeting starts with a speaker, and then moves into a Q & A discussion where participants can ask questions, express obstacles or struggles, and garner inspiration.

For example, at a recent meeting, Sarah Olson, a local marketing consultant, gave a presentation on branding and identity. Sirois, as the moderator, does not allow pitching or selling, and tries to ensure that no one business is the focus of the meeting. Instead, he encourages an atmosphere where multiple issues, obstacles or questions can be addressed.

“I find that entrepreneurs like to help each other; they’re creative problem solvers who aren’t interested in just scraping by,” Sirois said. “That brings me to one of my favorite quotes, ‘amateurs compete while professionals create.’”

People drawn to the lounge, which sees between two to 10 participants a week, run the gamut. “We have everyone from people who make jewelry or bake cakes to people like Michael Lofton, who used to own a private jet company,” said Sirois. “Everyone from people wanting to start a business all the way to people who are raking in millions a year.”

Harboring a love of entrepreneurship and finding himself in the throes of starting a new business, Lofton has been a regular since the beginning.

Sirois said as a small business owner, it can be a challenge to find support systems or know how to get your information out there. Fortunately for Durangoans, he said, there are a number of resources.

SCAPE, a local business accelerator program, is one of them. The program offers up to $30,000 in start-up funds in return for a percentage of equity. In addition to seed money, SCAPE offers training, support and face-time with potential investors.

Former Rent-A-Man Eric Sirois started The Entrepreneur Lounge last year on his porch. The group has drawn everyone from bakers and artisans to an owner of a private jet company./ Photo by Steve Eginoire

Region 9, the Small Business Development Center at Fort Lewis College and Jack Llewellyn at the Chamber of Commerce are some local resources suggested by Sirois.

“I believe that Durango could be an entrepreneurial hub, the way places like Seattle are,” he said. “People want to live here. Durango draws some incredibly intelligent, amazing and creative people.”

As moderator of the lounge, Sirois draws from his own personal experience both as a contractor and running Rent-A-Man, which won the Durango Chamber of Commerce’s 2013 Entrepreneur of the Year.

Sirois said he originally hoped Rent-A-Man would become a national franchise, but when this proved unfeasible, he sold his half of the business to his partner, Joe Storc, in order to pursue other interests.

One of his evolving projects, in line with The Entrepreneur Lounge, is a podcast called “Business Durango.” Sirois has been interviewing his business connections and has thus far put together six podcasts focusing on how to thrive, instead of just survive, as a business. He said the podcast will be available through the Business Durango web site (still under construction) and distributors like iTunes by summer’s end.

In regards to The Entrepreneur Lounge, Sirois said he is open to whatever the future holds – whether staying the same, going monthly or transforming into a location like a coffee shop or bar where entrepreneurs hang out.

“It’s hard to say where it’s headed,” Sirois said, “but right now it’s a lot of fun.”