Dan Murray – EforAll Longmont

Dan Murray became a Mentor for EforAll’s very first Longmont Accelerator program in January 2020.  He first heard about EforAll when he met Harris Rollinger, Executive Director for EforAll Longmont, at an impact investing conference in Denver.  According to Dan, he really clicked with EForAll’s approach of inclusive entrepreneurship and creating social impact in communities.  Dan has been a mentor to many entrepreneurs over the years and is a self-described “serial entrepreneur and investor.”

What made you want to become a Mentor with EforAll?

I feel like startups can create immense change in society and I’ve seen so many people whose lives have been improved by starting and running their own business.  Through the process of launching multiple companies of my own, I’ve learned a few things along the way and it’s really satisfying to help others who are earlier in the process.

What can you tell us about your first EforAll Mentor experience?

I’m working with a passionate husband-wife team who is designing new adaptive clothing options to make dressing easier.  I’m so inspired by the journey they are on and how committed they are to their mission to make the world better and start a great business.

Is there a specific Mentor experience you are most proud of?

When my entrepreneurs started becoming more and more proactive and realized that everything is up to them, they get to decide and they are in the driver’s seat!  It’s exhilarating to see!

What is your favorite part of being an EforAll Mentor?

Seeing a new venture come to life and being a small part of making that happen! 

What advice do you have for entrepreneurs?

Sometimes you have to dig deep and find a novel solution to a problem you are facing.  Never stop creatively thinking about solving the challenges in front of you!  I call it finding an entrepreneurial shortcut  where you use your superpower (i.e, creativity) to combine resources in a very unique and unusual way to do something better, faster or cheaper.  Or, ideally all three!  

I shared some examples with the Longmont class of times when my business partner and I solved devilishly hard technical problems using this approach and our 2-person shop could ‘run circles around’ some much larger companies in certain areas, even with their vastly superior resources, staff and budgets!  Hooray for the little guy!

What do you think makes EforAll special?  

The people are amazing and the focus on diversity, collaboration and support makes all the difference.  And the entrepreneur always comes first in everything they do!