Jay Dial spent years pursuing an idea he could never get off the ground. Six years into building the Pioneer Rodeo, he opens up about the disastrous decisions, hard earned lessons, and deeper purpose that kept him moving forward. Jay joins Marcus and Chris on the Colorado Business Podcast for an honest conversation about what it takes to turn passion into a sustainable business. They break down event marketing, budgeting, cash flow, business systems, leadership, community partnerships, and why many entrepreneurs quit before momentum finally begins working in their favor. Jay also previews the Pioneer Rodeo experience, including bull riding, barrel racing, mutton busting, family entertainment, and scheduled appearances from Denver football legends Terrell Davis and Ed McCaffrey and Yellowstone actor Forrie Smith. CURRENT EVENT SCHEDULE Pioneer Rodeo performances: August 14 and 15, 2026 Location: Norris Penrose Event Center in Colorado Springs Pioneer Demolition Derby Crash or Treat: October 17, 2026 Pioneer Rodeo tickets and information: https://www.pioneerrodeo.com/tickets/ Updated Demolition Derby information: https://norrispenrose.ticketspice.com/the-pioneer-demolition-derby-august-16-2026 CHAPTERS 00:00 Jay Dial and the Pioneer Rodeo 02:09 The pressure of producing live events 03:28 Why loving the work matters 08:18 What makes the Pioneer different 14:30 Bringing new audiences into rodeo 22:58 Why people crave real experiences 30:25 The business behind major events 35:09 Expensive lessons and smarter marketing 38:34 Passion, profit, and sustainable systems 45:37 The hard truth about entrepreneurship 51:23 Why success can take ten years 57:39 Ideas are common, execution is rare 1:01:17 Creating value in the marketplace 1:06:55 Jay’s vision for the future 1:11:05 Collaboration across Colorado rodeo 1:18:31 What the Pioneer means to Jay 1:23:51 The Ride and Raise nonprofit program Subscribe for more conversations with Colorado business owners, entrepreneurs, and community leaders. The Colorado Business Podcast is the show where Colorado business owners go to see who’s winning and how they can win too. #ColoradoBusinessPodcast #PioneerRodeo #ColoradoSprings