Challenge: The Independent Bakers of Colorado (IBC) represent community banks across the state. These institutions not only provide financial services, they also serve as the backbone of their communities. As economic engines, community banks provide financial services and critical funding to industries, particularly in rural areas. Community bankers are also philanthropic drivers often leading volunteer and donation efforts across the regions they serve.

As a longtime client of The Capstone Group, IBC has faced a myriad of challenges ranging from the 2020 pandemic to negotiating new regulatory structures to general business issues. Most recent, however, IBC faced one of the biggest threats in their 50-year history when their position in the marketplace was challenged. The Capstone Group’s goal was clear, preserve Colorado’s main streets and maintain IBC’s competitive market position.

Strategy: The Capstone Group employed a multi-pronged strategy to preserve community banks and save “main street” in communities across Colorado. Our team’s strategy centered on creating key message points that highlighted the benefits of community banks across Colorado. The second part of the strategy relied on a robust message distribution across multiple communications platforms including traditional media outlets, social media, customer outreach and community engagement. Finally, The Capstone Group amplified messages and media by leveraging our relationship with elected officials, trade associations and business organizations to bring a loud chorus of voices to the halls and hearing rooms of the State Capitol.

Outcome: Late one evening in the middle of the legislative session, The Capstone Group made their report to IBC, “Mission accomplished.” The defeat of a single piece of legislation was cause to celebrate, The Capstone Group had worked around the clock to secure the vote count during the first critical committee of reference hearing. By generating a diverse list of supporters with an impactful message, we not only extinguished the threat, but created a long-term strategy and built a lasting network to support community banks well beyond that single vote.