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Possibility Abounds


It seems that “sustainability” is a sustaining theme for many of The Stasko Agency’s recent clients. We have had a unique opportunity to partner with our dear friends at FutureWave Consulting to spread the word about an exciting collaborative they are facilitating in conjunction with the Sustainable North Carolina Business Council.

This collaborative, creatively named “PossibilityNOW Collaboratory,” will bring together sustainability business leaders from across North Carolina in an effort to create a positive network which will allow organizations to work together to gain resources instead of competing against each other. They hope to come out of this all day event (held in Chapel Hill, North Carolina) with real and tangible solutions which will lead to inspired action.

FutureWave Consulting will not only be facilitating the event, with support of their highly experienced and diverse team, but they will also create large-scale visual maps which will chart the entire brainstorming process. We’ve seen their work and can’t wait to see what comes out of this all-day collaboration. Check out Janine Underhill’s portfolio to get an idea of what these 4′ x 8′ maps will look like. (Pretty impressive if you ask us!)

FutureWave is offering their services as a gift to the Sustainable NC Business Council as part of their “Pay Possibility Forward” program.

Another partner of ours, Grasp Creative Media, will be at the event to record the process and continue the momentum of this collaboration online.

This is a huge event for all parties involved and we wish everyone the best of luck as they launch their first PossibilityNOW Collaboratory in North Carolina tomorrow!

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Groundbreaking News–Solera

This past Friday, The Stasko Agency joined Zocalo Community Development to host a launch party announcing their newest project, Solera. We alluded to this new development in our last post, but we can now proudly reveal all the details. Solera will be a 120-unit, eleven-story high-rise rental development which is targeted for Gold LEED certification, placing it among only a handful of sustainable rental properties in the entire United States. Zocalo will be adapting their award-winning Solar Mortgage Program to apply to Solera’s tenants and hope to continue making new strides within the sustainable movement in Denver.


The launch party, held on the site of Solera at 1956 Lawrence Street, was quite successful and we couldn’t be happier with the turnout! We even saw quite a bit of interest from the media. (Above: Fox 31 gets footage of David Zucker and Mayor Hickenlooper). Many thanks to the Mayor for spending the afternoon with us and showing his support for all that David and Zocalo Community Development have done through their earth-concious developments.

Check out what the Westword had to say.

Solera will also be launching a blog charting the different stages they will go through to reach Gold LEED certification. Make sure to stop by www.soleraliving.blogspot.com for semimonthly updates.

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Zocalo Does it Again!

The Stasko Agency has been asked to help out with the launch of Zocalo Community Development’s newest sustainable development! The unveiling of the project name and rendering, which up to this point has remained under wraps, will take place this Friday, May 15, 2009. Mayor Hickenlooper will be at the event to address the significance of a project like this in the Denver area.

We can’t tell you all the details yet, but be certain to check back in after the unveiling for more information about how ZCD is setting new building standards in Denver.

Here’s what we CAN say:

  • Slated to be Silver-LEED Certified
  • Eco-friendly features, which promise lowered living costs
  • Located in Downtown Denver
  • Rated as a “Walker’s Paradise” according to www.walkscore.com
  • A first of its kind

We look forward to being a part of this groundbreaking event & can’t wait to spread the news.

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The Bookery Nook–Fun Name & Fantastic Place


When we first heard of “The Bookery Nook”, we could only imagine that the bookstore was as fun as its playful name. And boy was it ever. From the great corner location to the cozy vibe to the incredible decor, The Bookery Nook is just one of those places that makes you smile instantly.

Upon meeting owner Shannon Piserchio, who is just as delightful and inviting as the store itself, we fell in love with the story & the philosophy of their newly renovated bookstore. After getting laid off from her insurance job over a year ago, Shannon decided it was time for a change. She and her husband, Gary (both avid book readers and writers), decided to open a bookstore. They wanted to create a place where people (and their dogs) can wander in and feel at home. And it is certainly that.

Check out the picture timeline of The Bookery Nook from start to finish: http://www.thebookerynook.com/OurStory/

The Bookery Nook will be celebrating their Grand Opening on Saturday, May 9th & are hoping people will drop by in support of independent bookstores & small businesses.

Here are the details:

What: The Bookery Nook Grand Opening Celebration

When: Saturday, May 9 @ 11:00am

Where: The Bookery Nook, 4820 Tennyson Street, Denver, CO 80212

What to expect: Refreshments, Live Music, and a ribbon cutting and speech from André Pettigrew, Director of Economic Development

The Bookery Nook will also kick off their community outreach program called A Book in Hand in conjunction with The Colorado Coalition for the Homeless.

Follow them on twitter: @thebookerynook

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A Networking Event You’ll WANT to Attend!

BuzzHerd Spring Business Networking Party

Who: You and over 400 business owners & vendors

When: May 7, 2009, 6:00-8:00pm

Where: 1405 Curtis Street, Denver, CO 80202

Cost: $10 RSVP / $15 at the door

As a network-centered business, we are continually looking for opportunities to meet people (anyone and everyone). You never know when you might meet that missing link or start a conversation with a potential partner.

Our clients often ask about ways to build their network and create a buzz around their companies, so we seek out events that will help make those much needed introductions.

If you’re in the same boat, you won’t want to miss this upcoming event!

We are closely linked with an amazing Denver Web-Based start-up called BuzzHerd. BuzzHerd is a business networking web site offering marketing and communication tools that enable small businesses to reach and develop relationships with new business leads, client contacts, key enterprise partners, and other stakeholders.

Last November, BuzzHerd held an extremely successful networking event, attracting over 300 attendees, with 20 vendors from around the Denver area showcasing their businesses by reserving a BuzzHerd booth.

Well, BuzzHerd is at it again, with hopes of an even bigger and better networking event on May 7th.

Here are the details:


Bigger, Better, and Healthier Business in 2009!

We are pleased to announce that our annual Spring networking event will be held in the fabulous Marco Polo Ballroom at The Curtis Hotel, in downtown Denver. With such a wonderful venue serving as our backdrop, the event should prove to be a great place for networking and meeting some great business minds from in and around our wonderful city.

Our Spring Networking event is going to be even bigger and better than the last; this time around we are expecting over 400 business owners and even more vendors!

Once again there will be plenty of delicious free appetizers (and we promise – even more sushi this time!) So come network, eat, drink, and say ‘Cheers’ to growing your healthy business in 2009!

The Curtis Hotel is conveniently located downtown just 2 blocks from 16th Street Mall on Curtis St. Parking is available in the lot below the hotel or on the street.

For booth opportunities, contact events@buzzherd.com or call 970 672 0280

We look forward to seeing you there!

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Lullaby For Columbine

Yesterday marked two years since the Virginia Tech Tragedy and this upcoming Monday will be the 10-year anniversary of Colorado’s own tragedy at Columbine. Our hearts and thoughts go out to all those profoundly affected by these events.

During times like these, we are reminded of the great unity and love that comes out of such dark moments, and are thankful for those who have given their time and talents to aid the healing process.

We’ve recently had the privilege of sharing the unique and touching story about a group created specifically in response to Columbine, The Lullaby for Columbine Project.

The Lullaby for Columbine Project was launched a day after the tragedy by Michael Tamburello, producer of the CD and executive director for the project, and his daughter, Nina—who was then in eighth grade. Together they wanted to dedicate a song he had written for her years earlier and produce a single of it with a name change from its original title, “Nina’s Lullaby”, to help the victims of the Columbine tragedy. Within days, other music artists learned of the endeavor and news of the project spread that attracted talent nationally and garnered over a quarter of a million dollars of in-kind donations. By midsummer of 1999, the project mushroomed into a full CD consisting of 17 songs written and recorded by both local and national artists including Adrian Belew – (King Crimson, Frank Zappa, David Bowie, Talking Heads), and Christian artists Rick Altizer, Danny Oertli, and Rachael Lampa, whose singing career achieved great heights shortly thereafter. Sales from the CD helped fund several non-profit organizations founded by Columbine families whose lost loved-ones in the tragedy and the Columbine Memorial in Littleton, Colorado, that opened in 2007.

The Lullaby for Columbine Project honors the tenth anniversary of the Columbine tragedy with special edition of their webzine, LFCNews.com, that features an exclusive story by Beth Nimmo, mother of slain Columbine student, Rachel Scott, and provides free music from their nationally released CD.

We are honored to work with Michael Tamburello to spread the word about this incredible project and have no doubt that many more lives will be touched as a result of the love and work they’ve put into this CD.

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A Site to See!

Well, it’s finally happened! The Stasko Agency has launched a new and improved website and we couldn’t be more excited. Check it out at www.staskoagency.com!

For those of you who have just discovered The Stasko Blog, we encourage you to browse our past posts & see what we’ve been up to. Read about Bye Bye Blue Mustang, the Renegade hockey players who were kicked out of their rink, and all our incredible clients who are doing exciting things in 2009.

Be sure to subscribe to email updates so you’ll be up to date with all the Stasko Agency happenings. Just type in your email address to the right & you’ll be set!

And if you like what you read, please leave a comment! We’d love to hear from you.

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Food for Thought

This past Wednesday, The Stasko Agency had the privilege of attending the IACP (International Association of Culinary Professionals) Conference in Denver. What a great opportunity to network with talented writers, chefs, and foodies from all around the world!

In the morning we sat in on two sessions to learn more about marketing and pitching within and about the food industry. Our first table was with Virginia Willis, author of the fabulous cookbook Bon Appétit, Y’all! Three Generations of Southern Cooking (Ten Speed Press, 2008). Virginia shared her experiences in promoting her latest cookbook, offered marketing strategies for authors and publishers, and revealed ways to get your name heard and remembered. Charming & southern, both Virginia and her recipes proved to be quite a treat. We wish her the best as she continues to travel around the country doing what she knows best!

Our second table was just as delightful, with a discussion lead by Better Homes & Gardens food editor Nancy Wall Hopkins. Nancy offered a refreshing (and completely approachable) perspective on pitching to large magazines. She’s proof that editors are truly as passionate about good stories as we are! By laying out some to-do (and to NOT do’s), Nancy explained that magazine pitching should be about a dialogue, not a rigid “Here’s my story and that’s that.” By looking at the bigger picture and seeking the story behind the story, we can begin to offer editors the kind of information they can run with. If only we could all have the vision that Nancy has! We look forward to getting in touch with her (hopefully with all the right methods in place) to see if we might have a story that she’ll be gaga over.

We finished out the day at the opening reception, held in the Denver Art Museum. Root Down was one of the restaurants featured at the event, and had quite the buzz around their station. Thanks to all the IACPers we met who showed up to say hello! We were excited to hear all the positive feedback! A special thanks to Virginia, who posted a Root Down shout out on her facebook page.

Kudos to all the amazing cuisine provided by Denver’s top restaurants–we couldn’t get enough of the great dishes we sampled. Overall, it was a great event and we were honored to be a part of it all.

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Revisiting the Renegades

Following a story from start to finish is always a rewarding process, especially when it ends on a positive note. Some of you might recall the hockey team we worked with back in January after they were kicked out of their ice rink in Greeley due to Carbon Monoxide. Once their story was told, the team got a huge response from the community, raising the $6000 needed to update the system. Even Channel 4 “Paid it 4ward” by giving the team a check for $1000.

Last night, the team hosted a thank you to all those that offered their support. Former NHL player Alain Lemieux, who is running a clinic for the players this week, was at the event for a meet and greet with the guests.

We were more than happy to get the story out to the media & were thrilled to see some coverage up in Greeley, even from the Denver news stations! Check out what Channel 9 had to say.

We’re glad to see that a bad situation can be turned around to tell a positive story. Best wishes to all the players of the Renegade Hockey Team!

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Best of the Best

We’re always thrilled to see the places we love receive the accolades they deserve! Westword just released their picks for Best of Denver 2009, recognizing some of Denver’s top people, places, and things.

Among the many winners, two made us particularly proud:

Best Restaurant Neighborhood– Berkeley/Highland.

“This year’s hot restaurant neighborhood news is a northwest-side story. In 2008, three new restaurants sprang up at the corner of 44th Avenue and Lowell Boulevard long held down by Cafe Brazil: Billy’s Inn, Tocabe and Shazz. From there, it’s a quick trip to Tennyson Street, where you can have breakfast at DJ’s Berkeley Cafe, lunch at Brasserie Felix, then drinks at the Berkeley Inn, the recovered dive bar where you can still have a couple of cigarettes with your beer and shot. Then it’s down to 32nd Avenue for happy hour at Venue, dinner at Duo, a quick after-dinner glass of wine at Z Cuisine À Côté, and a final nightcap at another newcomer, Root Down. In between, there’s Big Hoss Bar-B-Q (fried cheese and whiskey floats), Bang, Taquería Patzcuaro (chicharrones), Masterpiece Deli and about a hundred other spots that range from a few of Denver’s worst to some of its very, very best.” –Westword Best of 2009

Best Contemporary Cocktail–Root Down

“Root Down’s bar may be located in an old service station, but Justin Cucci’s new restaurant is completely contemporary, from its “field-to-fork” mentality reflected in a menu full of locally sourced ingredients to its streamlined dining room (with amazing views of downtown). But we keep returning to the bar, where Root Down’s adventurous spirit is reflected in original cocktails featuring those same fresh ingredients, from the Thyme Gin Rickey (fresh muddled thyme, lemon and lime juices and gin) to the Pepper Blossom (St. Germain elderflower liqueur, Prairie organic vodka, muddled fresh basil, lemon, jalapeño and agave nectar). Happy hour runs from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, but this bar is hopping at all hours. And if you don’t spot something you like on the specialty cocktail list, the resident mixologists are always happy to create something for you. We can’t wait to see what they come up with after the first harvest of Root Down’s two gardens.” –Westword Best of 2009

Exciting to know we live & work in the heart of Denver’s new restaurant hot spot! Congratulations to the winners, who make the Mile High City such a great place to be.

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