A great idea is a great place to start. However, you need to have motivation, ambition, talent and a good work ethic to make that idea happen. And those are exactly the qualities the 2007 Vail Valley Success Award nominees for Entrepreneur of the Year have. After witling the long list of nominees down to three finalists, the winner of the brand new Entrepreneur of the Year award was announced at the Vail Valley Partnership's Fifth Annual Gala on Friday, January 25, 2008 at The Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch. All three finalists were in attendance as the exciting news came. Anita Denboske is the owner and operator of seven Active Communication stores in the Rocky Mountains. She is responsible for starting and growing the company from the ground up resulting in $2.3 million in revenue in 2006. Her profits have a lot to do with her continual reinvestment in her sales team – using innovative strategies to keep them motivated – motivating her business to continue to grow. Joe Tomasic's business background is extensive in the Vail Valley. Beginning as a ski instructor and eventually opening All Mountain Sports in 1997, Joe knows the ins and outs of the community. Now Joe applies his vast knowledge of the resort life in his newest business venture – Business World Brokers, LLC – which provides strategic, personalized counsel to individuals and companies in areas of business sales and acquisitions, private debt and equity financing, and succession planning, as well as negotiate highly challenging and sensitive business mergers. No doubt, the entrepreneur’s of tomorrow are using Joe’s tried and true advice today. Despite the great accomplishments of Anita and Joe, it was Phoebe Amidon, owner of three Simply Massage locations, Avon, Vail and Breckenridge that took home the award. Phoebe’s mission is to provide access to massage therapy at reasonable prices in a relaxed and professional environment in resort communities. Every detail of Simply Massage’s infrastructure was designed with the lowest cost and highest efficiency in mind in order to secure the decisive strategic advantage of ongoing price leadership. It is this great business plan and truly original idea that makes Phoebe a true entrepreneur. For full criteria for all of the 2007 Vail Valley Success Awards please see our website or call me, Cameron, with questions at (970) 477-4001 or via e-mail at clowe@visitvailvalley.com. Congrats go out to all of the 2007 nominees, finalists and winners! | 
