In honor of National Small Business Week, the Colorado Chamber is celebrating Colorado small businesses and recognizing the contributions of small business owners, entrepreneurs, and their employees to our local communities. Learn more about Small Business Week here!
Today’s feature is Travis Bahnsen with A1 Organics
A1 Organics was originally founded in Eaton, Colorado, by the Wilson family in 1974, providing Coloradans with organic soils, composts, mulches and recycling services. It has since grown to be the state’s largest organics recycler, preventing over 550,000 tons of waste each year from reaching Colorado landfills.
Travis Bahnsen, president of A1 Organics, first joined the business as chief financial officer and controller in March 2015. He was quickly brought up to speed by an experienced management team and became president of the company in June 2016. Since then, he has led the company for the Wilson family alongside chief operating officer Kent Pendley, chief technology officer Bob Yost, and a close-knit management team and staff.
Bahnsen grew up on a farm in Western Iowa, raising corn, soybeans, cattle and hogs. After graduating from Wayne State College and a five-year stint as a practicing CPA he joined a large food supply company in Omaha. Later, he became international controller for the beef division of the company based in Greeley, Colorado. After the company divested from the protein business, Bahnsen explored franchise opportunities before stepping into a CFO role, eventually leading him to A1 Organics.
When describing the challenges of running a small business, Bahnsen outlined the concept of “doing more with less.” Unlike the corporate world, smaller companies often lack specialized staff and analytical resources, making it essential to hire well, trust employees and empower them to think and act like business owners. Bahnsen has accomplished this at A1 Organics by “giving people the autonomy to make sound decisions aligned with our long-term vision.” He also emphasizes the overarching importance of a strong understanding of a business’s financials.
Under Bahnsen’s leadership, the company has seen continued financial security and has been able to pursue well-assessed opportunities. For Bahnsen, one of his biggest accomplishments has been ensuring the company not only produces high-quality products from organic materials, but also delivers reliable, around-the-clock service to large customers who depend on A1 Organics to keep their operations running smoothly.
For those looking to start a business, Bahnsen advice is to prioritize staff and practice financial responsibility “Be honest, hire good people, empower them to excel, and stay on top of your financials. Grow in a measured, intentional way so you never lose sight of your original purpose or get overextended.”
Today, A1 Organics remains family owned and has a strong commitment to environmental stewardship. They have been recognized as a Certified Gold Member in the Colorado Environmental Leadership program for 15 years and was the 2007 U.S. Composting Council Large Composter of the Year. To date, they have recycled over 11 million tons of organic materials and prevented hundreds of thousands of tons of methane emissions, all while returning nutrients back to Colorado soils.
Learn more about A1 Organics here!
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