Your Business in 2026: Mastering Labor Market Changes Before They Hit

Hosted by WBEC-West | Colorado Forum

Date: November 13, 2025
Time: 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM MST
Location: Epic Campus, 190 E Littleton Blvd, Littleton, CO 80121 (In-Person Event)

Event Overview

Erin Dougan, from the WBEC-West Colorado Forum and TalenTrust, alongside, Ale Spray, President and CEO of Hispanic Contractors of Colorado, will lead an engaging conversation breaking down the latest labor market and economic trends for business leaders. We will also hear from Beth Best of the EPIC Campus team and learn about their exciting Entrepreneurship program.

This event creates a space for open discussion and collaboration among local business owners and community leaders who are shaping Colorado’s economic future.

The Challenges This Event Helps Solve:

• Gain insights to help business owners and organizational leaders navigate a radically changing labor market and economic climate.
• Hear from experts and peers on actionable strategies to succeed in 2026.
• Creating a forum for collaborating and shared learnings among our business community.

Attendees will leave with:

• A better understanding of labor market shifts and what they mean for 2026

• Tools for making informed workforce and growth decisions

• New relationships and ideas to strengthen their business strategies

Who This Event Is For

• All Business Owners

• Supplier Diversity Partners

• Entrepreneurs and community-based organization (CBO) leaders

• Business professionals focused on recruitment, retention, and workforce development

Agenda

4:00 PM – 4:10 PM | Arrival, Refreshments & Networking

4:10 PM – 4:30 PM | Welcome and Introductions (Heather)

• Welcome from WBEC-West Colorado Forum (Whitney, Erin, Nicole, Loree)
• Brief overview of the purpose of this session and upcoming forum activities **Heather can you include upcoming HCC events on your slides for this too please?
• Introduce Beth Best of EPIC campus

4:30 PM – 4:45 PM | EPIC Campus Welcome and showcase of Entrepreneurship Program (Beth)

4:45 PM – 5:30 PM | The Changing Landscape of Business and Workforce and Strategies for Adapting and Thriving (Erin & Ale) *Attendees are welcome to ask questions throughout

• Heather introduces speakers (Erin and Ale)
• Overall Economic Indicators and Forecasts
• CEO Confidence Index
• Jobs Market Trends & Unemployment
• Small Business Hiring
• Edelman Trust Barometer
• Gallup State of the Global Workplace
• World Economic Forum Future of Jobs
• State of Women in the Workplace
• Effects of Immigration on Colorado Businesses
• Regulation & Compliance Factors that affect Colorado Businesses

5:30 PM – 5:45 PM | Collaborative Discussion and Peer Exchange (Heather)

• Attendees share challenges, observations, and strategies
• Building collective understanding and identifying opportunities for collaboration

5:45 PM – 6:00 PM | Wrap-Up and Networking

• Key takeaways from the discussion
• Upcoming Colorado Forum programs and events
• Informal networking and connections

Event Participants

• Erin Dougan, WBEC-West Colorado Forum

• Alejandra “Ale” Spray, CEO & President, Hispanic Contractors of Colorado

For questions about this event, contact [email protected]