For more than a decade, the Chaffee County Economic Development Corporation (Chaffee County EDC) has led efforts on behalf of primary employers to create an economy that rivals our unsurpassed mountain lifestyle. Two hours from the Denver metro area and nestled along the Continental Divide, the County is home to 12 14,000-foot peaks (the most of any U.S. county) and the headwaters of the Arkansas River, making it a global hotspot for knowledge workers. Renowned as the “banana belt of Colorado,” the region boasts a mild climate year round that attracts an educated, active, and healthy workforce. The EDC, by supporting business growth and workforce development efforts, serves industry by acting as a singular point of contact for businesses interested in starting or expanding their enterprise in a few of the best small towns in America: Salida, Buena Vista, and Poncha Springs, Colorado. The region, known for more than a century for its grit, entrepreneurship, and Western ethos, now supports a lively and burgeoning startup community focused on social entrepreneurship, lifestyle brands, and outdoor recreation.