Billings Founder, Keith Lauver, launching ideas into orbit with Space Monkey Partners
Keith started his entrepreneurial journey while still in high school. Before starting his most recent company, Space Monkey Partners, he founded a food company called Cooksimple that made its way into 6,000 stores in 4 countries. Throughout his entrepreneurial journey Keith has learned a bundle of lessons. Continuing with the space metaphor, there have been blown up rockets, an exhausted fuel supply, and some ships that have successfully launched into orbit. The goal of Space Monkey Partners is to safely help launch those ideas and their entrepreneurs into new orbits.
Keith originally believed that capital was the #1 obstacle in starting a business, but quickly realized that the key to a successful business is a good strategy. When someone starts a new business, they often don’t know what they don’t know. Having a good strategy for testing and validating a startup will help the business to grow. Throughout his experiences overcoming obstacles, and testing, validating, and growing his businesses, Keith has been driven by two major factors: (1) His love for innovation and knowing there is always a better way of doing something; and (2) curiosity in finding new strategies and ways of doing things. Keith considers his God-given superpower to be pattern recognition and he uses that superpower to find patterns in other entrepreneurial situations. Another important source of motivation throughout Keith’s entrepreneurial journey has been his wife Theresa, who has stuck with him through every mountain and valley he has encountered.
Space Monkey Partners is a business that could exist anywhere, but Keith continues to stay in Montana because of its beauty and community. Montana is a great place to raise a family and Red Lodge is in close proximity to endless outdoor recreation opportunities. Keith also knows the business community in the greater Billings area is full of opportunity. Other founders, business owners, and their customers form a close-knit community with endless support and encouragement. Being in this area allows Keith to have connections and provide guidance to new and existing businesses, and he enjoys “the serendipity of serving others.”
Keith’s advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is “Ready. Go. Get Set.” Don’t be afraid to jump in and get started with your idea. Every day of your entrepreneurial journey presents a new learning opportunity. Keith advises every entrepreneur to start making their idea come to life and make adjustments as needed along the way.
For more information on Space Monkey Partners, visit: www.spacemonkey.partners