About
Eric Bakken
Short answer: I’m Eric Bakken. I own Village Roaster Coffee and Tea and Rim Tours Mountain Bike Adventures, and I run First Bell, which gives owners of family and small businesses in-person AI consulting and training.
Teaching taught me to assume nothing and go at the other person’s pace. Running businesses taught me what an owner actually has to carry in their head. This is where both show up.
Today
Guided mountain bike trips in Moab, Utah. About 20 employees.
A coffee and tea business. About 30 employees.
At both companies the owner’s job is everything: business, strategy, operations and all other duties as needed.
Before that
Teacher
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Saudi Arabia.
Founder, Basic Needs Pizza
A food truck and catering business in Denver.
Professional photographer
Self-employed.
Public school teacher
Denver Public Schools.
Bachelor’s degree, political science
The College of Wooster, Ohio.
See a timeline of what I’ve built →
How I work
The work starts with you saying how you think, out loud, once. From there we put your data in one place, ask it real questions, and decide together what AI is allowed to do. I explain the principles on the method page, and I show what I’ve built, and why, in the case studies.
I’m also plain about the limits. If you already have an IT team, they should lead, and I’m glad to help your leadership and your IT team talk it through. I can’t promise a result. The case studies page says more.
Where I work
I’m based near Denver, Colorado, and I work in person. I travel to you. There is no travel charge within about half an hour of my home. Beyond that, travel is billed at cost and estimated before you commit.
Get in touch
The easiest first step is the short form. It leads to a free 15-minute call, and I’ll tell you honestly whether I think I can help.