January 2020

Leatherneck Precision Machine

Leatherneck Precision Machine is a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business that specializes in precision machined components for the aerospace, defense, medical, dental, injection molding and other commercial industries that need precision machined parts for their product lines. Sometimes people’s lives depend on special machine parts, such as aircraft structures, automobiles, and human-rated spacecrafts, and Leatherneck is an AS9100D- and ISO9001-certified company able to do that technical work. He also has SDVOSB and SDVBE certifications (for small disadvantaged veteran-owned small business).

Anthony Marshall, Owner and President, is a US Marine Veteran who served in Somalia in 1994. After leaving the Service he became a CNC Machinist working at companies such as Lockheed Martin, Space X and several other tier 2 aerospace suppliers. He has worked on several high-profile projects like the Dragon 1 & 2 spacecrafts, Falcon 9 and Falcon heavy rockets, The Orion Spacecraft, Mars 2020 spacecraft, F35, F22, C130, 767, Delta and Atlas rockets. Anthony started Leatherneck Precision Machine in October 2017 to help Veterans transition from the military and learn a valuable skill set that will lead to significant employment for the rest of their lives.

Leatherneck’s first CNC milling machine was delivered in late July 2018 to their facility in Englewood. Anthony worked with a local nonprofit lender to fund a second CNC milling machine added in November 2019. This machine allows the company to do twice the work. “The SBDC has helped with my business education from the beginning, including, small business events, half-day workshops and one-on-one consulting. The Aurora-South Metro SBDC are Rock Stars for the aspiring entrepreneur, a very valuable resource for the business community.” The Small Manufacturers AdvantEDGE program proved valuable to help get his space ready for business. In fact, Leatherneck Precision Machine was host to the City of Englewood’s Manufacturing Day celebration in 2019. The industries that are integral to the company’s success are booming. As a result, expansion plans are to add a CNC lathe and a Coordinate Measuring Machine in 2020, inspection equipment as needed, as well as hire one or two employees to help with the work load. Eventually, Anthony would like to grow large enough, doubling or tripling in size in the next year, by buying his own building and hiring wounded veterans—and yet stay small enough to stay in touch with his customers and employees.

Trunk Nouveau | Squadron

Success Stories / By saraeknudsen

Trunk Nouveau /t^nk/ ‘nju:’veo/ noun: A curated monthly showing and sale from an independent maker who offers handcrafted wares. Trunk Nouveau in Aurora started with a remarkable dream: a busy aviation studio, industrial in nature, doused in the smell of engine oil and creativity. In the back, a room with steam trunks and suitcases filled with forgotten treasures–the kind that people hold on to, handcrafted and meaningful.

A trunk showroom was created at Aurora’s Stanley Marketplace–packed full of love and local, a curious place to discover and explore. Suitcases are packed with jewelry, cards, charms, gemstones, wooden toys, and other unique gifts from talented local and regional artists.

Although their businesses Pandora on the Hill and Soul Haus have been in operation for over 20 years in Denver, Trunk Nouveau is young, celebrating its third year, and Squadron Co is celebrating its first anniversary at Stanley Marketplace. Who knew that a business in the middle of a field with no major intersections could succeed, along with 50 other businesses, in the local economy. In fact, Trunk Nouveau has now exceeded sales over their businesses in Denver. When a second space became available at Stanley just before the holidays last year, owner Chris Bacorn jumped on it, and opened Squadron Co, a men’s gift and clothing boutique.

Owner Stephanie Shearer recalls, “Before Trunk even had a name, we met with Aurora-South Metro
SBDC to review our finances to make sure that we were liquid enough to open this new venture in a location with zero financial history. The SBDC helped us trim and tuck, with reserves in place for growth.”

The SBDC gave advice on traffic patterns and location quirks and suggested a rolling suitcase feature filled with products geared toward men. “It’s that brainchild of Aurora-South Metro SBDC that proved to us that we needed a men’s shop.” In the Fall of 2018, Squadron Co was born and now has the fastest growth pattern of all four shops.

Trunk Nouveau started with the owners plus two staff on a bootstrapped budget. Today, the two businesses employ seven full-time, three part-time and several seasonal positions. Since opening, sales have increased 12% (nearly tripling the national retail growth of 4.6% for the same period), and gross profits increased 11.5%. Net worth has increased, also.

Stephanie and Chris have community heart in hand demonstrated by their donations to local nonprofit organizations and being an environmentally aware business. They are both proud children of Veterans, and they built Squadron Co as a tribute to their fathers, grandfathers and Chris’s grandmother, who served our country. They proudly hire veterans at Squadron and offer military discounts.

Trunk Nouveau and Squadron Co have one mission: to do business honestly and ethically, while serving the community. “As we say in our ‘Stanifesto’, we’re here for good.”