Thinking through whether to start a business – whether to take the risk, whether to go out on your own – isn’t easy. So we asked some entrepreneurs we admire to tell us about how they thought through the process of starting a business.

Carson Pipher

It was 2022 and I was in my third year working as a strength coach at Colorado Mesa University. After years of training in the weight room with me, athletes would message me after graduation and ask for workouts; and that is how Alchemy Training was born.

The company now serves athletes as well as stay at home parents, ranchers, marathon runners, and nurses. In other words, I make workout programs for people who are looking to enhance their workout routine.. Read More>>

Rachel Doherty

Why did I start Beautifully You Boutique? Honestly, it all comes down to passion—my passion for helping women feel as amazing on the inside as they look on the outside, without ever having to sacrifice comfort. As a busy mom myself, I remember all too well the hunt for pieces that were both effortlessly chic and comfy enough to chase after little ones (or grab that extra cup of coffee!). I dreamed of a place where every piece feels like a gentle hug, yet makes you stand a little taller—and that’s exactly why I opened my doors. Read More>>

Kelly Graffin

I’ve always known I wanted to be an entrepreneur—my mother owned her own business, and she was a huge inspiration to me. That drive led me to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Business with a focus on entrepreneurship. From the beginning, it was important to me that whatever I built was not only something I was passionate about, but also something that could genuinely help people. Read More>>

Bean Shindell

I noticed a real need for more effective ballet training after teaching at different schools across the country. I saw that the level of teaching that I was lucky enough to experience growing up is unfortunately lacking. While there are outstanding schools and talented teachers out there, I often saw students struggling with incorrect techniques and not getting the personalized attention they deserved. This sparked a strong desire in me to create a space where everyone could enjoy tailored classes and coaching.  Read More>>

Blair Mueller

I began The-Ever-Ticking-Heart in May of 2024 when I realized that my critical congenital heart disease (CCHD) and all the complications in my life that came along with it were something I could no longer evade, try as I might. Despite this illness, I successfully lived, studied, worked, and traveled abroad in Europe and Asia, earning two Bachelor’s degrees, two minor degrees, five certifications, and a Master’s degree. Yet, I recently came to understand that I spent my life reluctantly adhering to the requirements of my illness purely in the interest of survival. All that effort was spent actively avoiding facing the one thing I should not be ashamed of.  Read More>>

Lauren Schwab

I had a hard time fitting in growing up. I felt like I wasn’t part of any “group,” and confidence was not a word in my vocabulary. A boudoir shoot I did 11 years ago changed my life and the way that I look at myself today. That photoshoot started to rewire my confidence and help me look in the mirror with kinder eyes. I finally started to feel worthy and beautiful, and that is why I am behind the lens today. I feel like it is a gift to be able to help other women reclaim their confidence through boudoir because of the impact that it personally had on me. Read More>>

Colleen Loga

Starting my own business was a decision rooted in both personal and professional goals. I was beginning to grow my family and realized that the traditional 9–5 structure didn’t offer the flexibility I needed. On top of that, I wasn’t being compensated fairly for my skills and efforts.

I also had a strong creative drive—I wanted the freedom to pursue design and photography in my own way, without limitations. Launching my business gave me the opportunity to take ownership of my time, express my creativity more fully, and build a career that supports both my passion and my personal life. Read More>>

Cassie Constanzo

My business started from something a lot less glamorous than passion—it started with survival. I had just accepted a marketing role in Denver that promised a steady base salary and quarterly bonuses. On paper, it looked like a smart move. But reality hit hard.

I had maxed out my credit cards just to move back to Denver, and after that first quarter, it was clear I wasn’t going to be getting those quarterly bonuses. I was going deeper into debt with each passing week, and I was so broke that I began losing weight rapidly—because I was feeding my dogs instead of myself. That’s how tight things were. Read More>>

Lindsey Gillette

Starting Petals + Bloom Designs was something I have dreamt and talked about for years, and is a story rooted in years of hands on experience. From working in greenhouses to designing, I’ve always been drawn to plants and love adding nature into the spaces we all love and gather in. Read More>>

Kimber Dempsey

I grew up watching my mother sell real estate, so I learned early on what it meant to build relationships and help people find home. In 2017, I took a leap of my own and opened a barbershop with my fiancé. Going off on my own path never felt daunting, truly it felt natural.
When I transitioned into real estate myself, I knew I wanted to carve out a niche that felt true to me. I didn’t want to help people find just any house; I wanted to help them find the house, the special one that truly felt like home, not a cookie-cutter copy.  Read More>>

Luke Bushek

When I started Radica I did it out of a passion for manufacturing and the spirit of taking risk to make a living. I have always wanted to own my own business and I have been preparing most of my life to do so. I never went to college and always found creative ways to make money. Side hustles, restraints, and overall just working hard to learn and grow my understanding of how money works. Before Radica I had a small landscaping business.  Read More>>

Kelly Babcock Tagan Hawker

Tagan Hawker and I were both stay-at-home moms and friends, looking for a creative outlet. Our children were beginning to leave the house, and I think we both were looking for another direction to focus our energy and talents. When my daughter got married, I found that florals are one of the biggest expenses of a wedding. I decided to try and do the flowers myself with some help from friends. Tagan was the obvious choice in helping me bring my vision to reality. We had a lot of fun together, and we thought it would be fun to put our talents to work. Read More>>

Danielle Tolson

My thought process behind starting my own business really started with my education. I earned my BFA in Fine Art Photography and was always drawn to people, portraiture, and telling stories through images. Right after college, I had the opportunity to second shoot a wedding. That’s when it clicked. Documenting people in love, on one of the most meaningful days of their lives? I was all in. It brought me so much joy and felt like a natural extension of what I already loved doing. Read More>>

Tara Booze

I started State of Flow and my signature offering “Beats, Bass, and Breath: EDM Yoga Flow” because I wanted to create something totally unique—something that honored both my love for yoga and the deep sense of connection I’ve always felt in EDM culture.I had taught at studios before, but often felt boxed in—like I had to fit into this mold of what a “traditional” yoga teacher should be. I craved more creativity, more music, more movement that reflected the way I actually experience life. Read More>>

Matt Liparulo

I started Haul of the Wild because I saw a real need in my community. Over the years, I’ve worked for both solid companies and some that, honestly, didn’t treat people right, whether it was customers or employees. That stuck with me.

I first went full-time with my own business back in January 2020 as a videographer. But when the world shut down a few months later, every gig I had was suddenly gone. That kind of hit reset on everything. Years later, when I had another shot at being my own boss, I realized I didn’t have the same passion for video work, but I still had the drive to build something of my own. Read More>>

Meredith Anderson

The idea for Another Cup started with my family. My mom always used Tervis tumblers for her evening cocktails, not because they were beautiful, but because they didn’t sweat and kept her drink cold. I remember thinking, there has to be a better version of this, something that works just as well but looks beautiful too. That really stuck with me. Read More>>

Callm Earth

My thought process behind starting CALLM EARTH LLC, first started with a passion of creating poetry, sound healing and visuals. CALLM EARTH LLC is a combination of poetry, sound healing and connecting with community. I believe gathering in community can help with healing and provide encouragement to overcome life’s obstacles. Read More>>

Dan Gustad

I’ve never been the type to want to go to the same place every day, work the same hours, and then clock out. I’ve always found that life to be – boring isn’t the right word – methodical. The excitement over starting a new job (and I’ve had many over the years), would always fade rather quickly once I had gotten through the initial learning phase. Read More>>

Janice Evert

My thought process behind starting FIT4MOM Boulder came from personal experience. I have two kids, and when they were born, we didn’t live close to family. Navigating early motherhood without that built-in support system was incredibly challenging, and it made me realize just how important it is to have a village during such a transformative time. I wanted to create a space where moms could find connection, support, and strength—physically and emotionally. FIT4MOM felt like the perfect way to build that village for others while combining my passion for fitness and community. Read More>>

ELIJAH DEMPSEY

Honestly, I always disliked working for someone else and seeing my hard work end up benefitting them more than myself. I figured that the only way to get out of that cycle, would be to start my own business. Read More>>

Carolyn Oros

Honestly, I realized I’m just not wired to be an employee — let me explain.

Early on, my father instilled in me a strong work ethic: “Work hard, go above and beyond, and make your employer look good.” He believed that if I focused on those things, success would follow, and for a long time, that made perfect sense to me.

Throughout my career — whether as a Senior Sculptor at Mattel Toys, a Technical Director at Sony Imageworks, or now as a Principal Software Engineer — I’ve always had a vision for how things could run more smoothly. I naturally gravitate toward building efficient, streamlined workflows. In many cases, those improvements saved my employers hundreds of thousands of dollars, and in Mattel’s case, millions. Read More>>

Emily Allen

Since our high school days, my husband and I have always worked hard and prioritized saving. We knew early on that starting our own business was a lifelong goal—even if we didn’t always know what that business would be. It wasn’t about chasing a specific idea at first, but about building something of our own. After years of saving and waiting for the right opportunity, we began exploring franchises and were drawn to Ultimate Ninjas Read More>>