One of the most rewarding things about getting to know so many entrepreneurs is seeing first-hand how many of them are focused on so much more than just financial results. So many of the folks we connect with are focused on having a positive social impact on their community or the world at large. Check out some of these amazing folks below.

Chris Davis

Engaging in party politics is difficult for anyone, but young people face obstacles unique to our community. Between school, taking first steps into political careers, starting families, navigating the bureaucracy of party politics can feel like a waste of time to many young people who want to immediately impact elections and legislative policy processes. Read More>>

Anise Aiello

As an artist, my primary goal has always been to develop a platform for health advocacy within the creative industry. Stemming from my time working in the reproductive health field, science, social justice, and public practice are critical motives to my making. This work has always translated into my career as an educator. From teaching in rural Wyoming to Los Angeles with NASA McREL, I believe each young learner should be granted the equal opportunity to learn about the symbiotic relationship between art and science.  Read More>>

Alexiss Benoit Gioielli

Our nonprofit is deeply committed to making a lasting impact on our local community by supporting families of children with developmental delays and disabilities. We believe that no family should have to navigate this journey alone. Through our early intervention playgroups, we provide children with enriching experiences that support their growth in gross motor skills, speech, and feeding—giving them the foundation they need to thrive. Read More>>

Alex ‘AJ’ Johnson

At the core of my business is a commitment to empowering artists—helping them transform their dreams from inception to reality as performing and touring musicians. I take on the greater financial risk by minimizing upfront costs, allowing artists to retain more of their earnings and reinvest in their craft. My focus is not just on building a business but on fostering sustainable careers for independent musicians, ensuring they have the resources and support to succeed. I believe that when artists thrive, the entire music community benefits, creating a ripple effect of inspiration, opportunity, and cultural enrichment. Read More>>

Stephen Hornbeck

One of the primary goals of the Native Plant Nursery is not just to conserve regional flora, but also to help people reconnect to Colorado’s natural systems. We, as individuals, play into ecology as much as anything! One of the standards I try to apply to every nursery strategy is that people won’t protect what they don’t love, and they can’t love what they don’t know. We try to offer these plants for whatever planting project is being accomplished, but we also use the nursery as a way to introduce people to plants that otherwise might be overlooked by Horticulture at large. It’s all as much for the human gardener as it is the meadowlark! Read More>>

Elizabeth Wallace

Honestly? The hill I’ll die on is that most of the problems we’re seeing in the world right now stem from the fact that we were never taught how to navigate our internal world—our emotions, bodily sensations, and thoughts. Society has conditioned us to prioritize intellect over emotion, treating feelings as annoying obstacles rather than essential information. But emotions aren’t liabilities; they’re our built-in guidance and communication system, signaling when we’re aligned with our values, when our boundaries are crossed, or when something needs attention. Read More>>

Daisy Fodness-McGowan

For me, the arts have always been a way of making sense of the world—of finding meaning and an outlet to express and process this human experience. I was born in Italy to artist parents and grew up moving across different cultures and countries, eventually emigrating to Canada and studying in Eastern Europe before making my home in Colorado. My global background has played a large part in shaping my outlook on the world and the importance of the arts for me personally. They have been woven through my life in such a way that I feel strongly everyone should have similar access. Read More>>