We’ve always believed that forming a strategy is impossible until you’re clear on what your values and principles are. Without values and principles to guide you, making decisions can seem impossibly difficult. Given how important setting values and principles is to decision making we asked folks we admire to tell us about the values or principles that matter most to them.

Connor Tieulie | Cinematographer & Photographer

“Knolling” is a new word that I have recently discovered that shed light on a principle I have been following for most of my career, but I never was able to really discover it until I knew what it meant. In any creative career, the organization of all moving parts is essential for being able to focus and use your full potential in any given moment. The principle of knolling is the act of keeping all of your personal belongings, tools, documents, media, etc de-cluttered, organized, and placed purposefully in your environment. I use this process of knolling to keep my media organized on hard drives, to keep my equipment accessible and clean, and above all, I use it to de clutter my life and to stay focused on what is important at the moment, so I can thrive as a creator. Read more>>

Jamie Bergren | Postpartum Doula and Pediatric Sleep Consultant

I work with a variety of family’s as a postpartum doula and a sleep consultant and the one principal I strive for above all else is empathy. I want to connect with my clients, feel what they are feeling so I can understand how to best serve them. I am a mom of two young children. I have experienced the sleepless nights, feeding struggles, anxiety, frustration and fear that I’m not good enough. When parents come to me for support I want them to know I’ve been there. I understand how they are feeling and I hope to make them feel comfortable so they can truly open up and get the support they need. Without feeling shame or fear of judgement. Too often parents feel like they are failing because their baby doesn’t sleep through the night, breastfeeding didn’t work out as planned, or all of the dozens of other things society tells them isn’t the ideal. Read more>>

Jeff Althaus | Estate Planning Attorney a/k/a Lawyer Who Doesn’t Sue People

The top values of our law firm are to provide honest services in an awesome work environment, and to give back to the community. I can’t pick a favorite between these. In my eyes, if you aren’t being honest, you aren’t worth much. If you don’t enjoy work, you won’t be motivated. If you don’t give back to the community, you won’t be helping those who need it the most. Our firm is founded on community service, honesty, and fun. We want to build up the areas around us to contribute to other’s success. The better the city around us is, the better we are. It may just be the Midwest values inside me, but being honest to others is a necessity in business and life. If you aren’t a man of your word, you aren’t a man worth talking to. Further, if you don’t relax and have fun at work everyone once in awhile, you’ll end up walking around like there’s something stuck up your rear. Read more>>

Dr. Sarah Ceschin, PT, DPT | Physical Therapist

In both my personal and professional life, I really value active listening. I grew up sitting around my kitchen table with my entire family sharing stories, having conversations, and engaging in debates about all sorts of topics from politics to whether a hot dog should be considered a sandwich. My grandma was a great conversationalist, and it was because she knew how to listen to someone’s words before reacting to chiming in with her own opinions. She would say all the time, “the art of conversation lies in listening.” To this day, her words inspire me and it is something I bring to my practice as a healthcare provider. You can learn so much about someone and provide an incredible amount of help by just listening. And by actively listening to their words, you can find the answers to their problems and the treatment they are looking for to be healed. Read more>>

Lauren and Jessica Dally | Coffee Entrepreneurs

Our big values as a business is “Community, Quality, and Care” We believe that this is what is needed across the board with the divisions happening in society, that we all need a sense of community; To love one another, if you will. Everyone deserves a quality interaction, and quality goods, which we want to provide. Whether that be an amazing cup of coffee, or supporting local Colorado brands where we can. Care is big as well, because we want to make sure our community is taken care of. Read more>>