Economic times require adaptation, new direction

Business start-ups have long provided ignition for the Northern Colorado economy.

So it’s a sign of the times that one the most notable start-ups in 2003 is not a company, but a networking alliance of former high-technology workers.

The story of the High-Tech Network, featured in this special issue — “Shifting Lanes” — is reflective of how the local economy has struggled since 1990s, but also of the promise for Northern Colorado in the near future.

Dozens of talented individuals, most of whom could easily leave the region for jobs elsewhere, are making a stand here.

The future may not seem as plump and pink as it once appeared in the 1990s, when corporations and individuals — both the old guard and newcomers — prospered in an era of entrepreneurial success, employment growth and the intangible sense that this was “the place to be.”

The factors that nurtured the economy over the last decade have shown signs of cracking.

Manufacturing jobs, particularly in the high-technology sector, have disappeared as corporations cut back and moved production overseas.

Major employers once considered the collective backbone of the regional economy are now struggling for survival in a global economy.

State institutions, subject to the whims of economic fortune, are slicing budgets.

Individuals, staggered by job losses and stock market declines, are more cautious about the future.

The all-out optimism which characterized Northern Colorado has lost some of its luster. We’ve realized we’re not — as some have insisted — immune to the impact of economic cycles.

In this issue, The Northern Colorado Business Report trains a journalistic lens on the problems faced by the Northern Colorado economy, but also at some of the positive prospects for the future.

Like the members of the High-Tech Network, Northern Colorado forges ahead, even if it’s not in the fast lane. It’s time to shift lanes, but there’s no need to come to a stop.

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