The small, independent designer juggles one of the hardest jobs in the marketplace, simply because she has to wear so many hats: artist, bookkeeper, consultant, production line and chief dreamer are just a few of them. But with the Denver Design Incubator there to show them the ropes, more designers can find solid ground as creative entrepreneurs more quickly in this sink-or-swim world. The DDI offers classes and even walk-in free studio time on Wednesdays at its new northwest Denver facility, but its primary vehicle, the Designer-in-Residence program, is a concentrated course of ongoing mentorship combined with studio time in the nonprofit's own industrial sewing shop.