We reached out to some of our favorite entrepreneurs and asked them to think back and tell us about how they decided to start a business. Check out their responses below.

Kristine Novinskie

Starting my own business came from a deeply personal place. After losing my husband, I found myself in a season of rediscovery—trying to figure out who I was, what brought me joy, and how I could turn pain into purpose. I’ve always been a creative soul, and I knew I needed to build something that allowed me (and others) to heal, connect, and express ourselves through art. Read More>>

Jeanne Pucci

I began my career in the staging business in Denver, working for over 15 years while relying on rented furnishings from a local supplier. During that time, my husband—whose career in high-tech was beginning to wind down—was always my sounding board. I often shared my frustrations about the challenges of growing my business without direct access to my own inventory. Read More>>

Shelley Siman

While I am generally an overthinker and can research things to death before taking action, my business started very differently. There was not a lot of thought behind it initially. My business launched when I was laid off in 2021 from what was perceived to be a very stable, secure government job. I was 50 years old, and have been a single mother and the only household income for my family since my children were born 15 years ago. I was devastated; the career that I had been in for almost 30 years was my identity and I had catastrophic visions of losing our house and not being able to support my kids and the lifestyle I was working so hard to maintain for them. Read More>>

Kelsey Deboard

My husband and I want to be doing something that makes our kids proud. At the same time be showing them how important it is to work hard for what you want. Read More>>

Alli

The loss of my father in April 2019 was a turning point that reshaped my outlook on life and career. Determined to honor his memory and make him proud, I set my sights on achieving notable success in the commercial real estate (CRE) industry. I believed that climbing the corporate ladder and securing prestigious roles would serve as a tribute to his legacy, given that at one point, he was number one across the nation. Over the next several years—even as the world grappled with the upheaval of COVID-19—I worked tirelessly, often juggling multiple jobs to gain experience and prove my worth. Read More>>

Jesse Borrell

I was lucky to grow up in a home where creativity was always encouraged. My parents never pushed me toward a conventional path—they supported every creative endeavor I pursued. My dad ran his own design-and-build construction business for over 35 years back in NY/CT, and watching him build something from the ground up – literally- left a big impression. He showed me that being your own boss isn’t just about independence; it’s about taking responsibility for your time, your craft, and the way you move through the world. Read More>>

Madeline Pappas

When I started my business, I was working a job that wasn’t fulfilling me. Being a nail tech gave me a way to express my creativity and connect with like minded women. Im passionate about helping women feel beautiful about themselves and Nails is my avenue to do that. I figured I didn’t want to be in a job that drained me for the rest of my life so I decided to do something about it. I now live every day for myself and for my clients. I’ve dedicated countless hours and tears to create a room and environment that reflects my heart for others Read More>>

Sohary Ouk

The idea for Flying Lotus Apparel came from a daily frustration—feeling physically restricted by traditional clothing, especially anything tight around the ribcage. I’ve always been an advocate for comfort and confidence, especially when it comes to body autonomy. While I fully support “nipple confidence,” I was raised in a conservative household and didn’t always feel comfortable having my nipples exposed, especially at home with four sons and their friends constantly around. Read More>>

Jessica Wilkerson

I started my upcycled jewelry business because I’ve always loved one-of-a-kind clothing and accessories. Growing up, my mom had a drawer full of unfinished jewelry projects made from broken pieces—an overwhelming collection of projects left incomplete. This inspired me, and I realized I enjoyed taking things apart and creatively transforming discarded pieces into something new and unique. Read More>>

Laura Nelson

When I was creating my own business plan, I was talking with a lot of other small businesses and realized there was a real need for accessible marketing and SEO (Search Engine Optimization) support. Most new small business owners will build their own website, or get help from a friend or family member who knows how. But they eventually reach a point where their business is growing, and they recognize they need a better website or SEO and have reached their limit on what YouTube or business classes can teach them. Read More>>

Cree Carrico

When I was 13, a doctor called me “fat”. That word followed me for years in my personal life, struggling to see my worth or find a romantic partner, and even in my professional life as an opera singer, where my look didn’t always match the characters I was fit to play.

Fueled by the desire to have a successful career, I lost 100lbs naturally through diet and exercise. Read More>>

Sylvie Van Helden

I moved to the Denver area 3 years ago from Baltimore where I taught photography and studio art for over 15 years. I knew that the move out here provided an opportunity to try something else. While in Baltimore, I explored making a living as a studio artist and regularly exhibited and sold some works through shows, studio sales, and public art opportunities but couldn’t generate enough income. I knew that I still wanted to be creative, but be an area that was more commercial, with a more predictable income.  Read More>>

Ceaonnda Ware

At first I didn’t even know where to begin. I was giving up on something I didn’t even start. Until one day my mom shared with me words of encouragement and said “Ceaonnda it’s time for you to come up and start your business”. From that day forward I knew that I was ready to turn my visions into reality. Read More>>

Caroline Peters

My story is unique because I never once thought I’d become a business owner. I did, however, know I always wanted to be a news and sports reporter. But once I felt satisfied in that profession, and got married, I knew what I didn’t want any longer. I didn’t want to stay on the path I was. I didn’t want to work in a coporate setting. Read More>>

Julie Fischer

While we (Jana Mayer and Julie Fischer) started up HERizon Adventures in 2025, our origin story dates back to 2021. In February of that year, Jana posted in a Colorado Springs hiking group looking to connect with a few women around age 50 to hike with on a regular basis. That post blew up, with over 100 comments from women in the same age group who were all interested in getting together for hikes.  Read More>>

Shane Ellis

I didn’t have a plan to start my own business, and I don’t really know if I’d call it a business yet or not, more like a hobby, that breaks even. The whole reason I started any of this was to spend time with my uncle. He ended up receiving a plasma cutter about 4 years ago, and we’re still trying to get it to cut properly, but the experience of setting it up and actually creating things with him allowed me to do something I hadn’t done since before my accident. I loved the idea and feeling of learning the software and designing stuff, but our end results weren’t what we wanted, so I started researching new plasma cutters and software to see if we could fix our struggles.  Read More>>

Jaclyn Baer

I’ve actually started several businesses over the years – from wedding photography that evolved into elopement photography, to a YouTube channel that eventually led me into selling outdoor gear for artists. My approach has always been about what I call ‘business stacking.’ I focus on building solid systems in each venture so they can run smoothly without requiring constant hands-on management. Read More>>

Antonella Willete

The main thought about starting my own business is bringing a part of home, in my case Argentina. It is the feeling you get when you first try this food, and it just takes you to parts of your life you might have forgotten while being far.
Gaucha Bakery exists to gift that moment of joy while enjoying with friends, family, or by your own. Read More>> 

Anya Chang-DePuy

I’ve been very fortunate in my life to follow certain threads or passions that organically grow and unfold into being. That is true of my metalsmithing business: WabiSabi Silver. When I first started smithing I was already working a job that brought me a lot of joy- I was leading experiential educational programs around the world and in the wilderness for youth and young adults. Pretty cool job, I know! But I’ve always been a crafter at heart and love the tangibility of creating something beautiful with my own two hands.  Read More>>

Rio Burton

I never intended to start my own business; in fact, my dream when I started out was to work for a studio as part of a team in the gaming industry. Long story short, that didn’t end up happening. I was getting more and more commission work, specifically in comics, until it made more sense for me to quit my other job at the time and start my own business. Read More>>

Amber Harris

Starting Mahogany Dreams was deeply personal. I have always believed in the power of ritual, those small, intentional moments that help us reconnect with ourselves. As a busy woman juggling family, career, and the expectations of life, I realized how easy it is to put self-care on the back burner. I wanted to create something that reminded people, especially women, that they deserve to feel nourished, seen, and celebrated every single day. Read More>>

Andy Hartman

After years in the nonprofit outdoor education space, I witnessed a troubling pattern: young people would have incredible outdoor experiences in our programs, only to lose that connection once they returned home. Despite our success, we were treating symptoms rather than addressing the root cause.
The reality hit me hard – these youth lacked the family support system to continue their outdoor journey independently. Without parents or guardians who shared their newfound passion, their outdoor adventures ended when our programs did.  Read More>>

Varun Bindal

When we set out to launch our Indian food truck, we knew we wanted to offer more than just delicious food — we wanted to bring a piece of Indian culture to the streets of Colorado Springs. That idea started with a simple question: What do we miss the most about home? Read More>>

Kathleen Kershisnik Sieg

My husband, Baylor, and I first envisioned creating a collaborative healthcare clinic during our college years. Our shared goal was to integrate Physical Therapy and Chiropractic care to reduce pain more efficiently and help patients return to the activities they love—faster and with more comprehensive support. Historically, these two professions have often been at odds due to overlapping scopes of practice and similar treatment techniques. We recognized, however, that this divide could compromise patient care. So, we chose a different path—one rooted in collaboration, open communication, and patient centered care. Read More>>

Dani Cunningham

chant cooperative began as a brainstorm between the co-founder, Laura Beacom, and me. We saw many artist friends struggling with motivation and having difficulty navigating the administrative side of being a working artist – especially those who had recently graduated – and we wanted to support them. Also, we both loathe the inherently capitalistic gallery system that often pigeon-holes artists into singular styles decided by fickle public opinion while gallery owners take 50% of sales.  Read More>>

Victoria Hunter

With the two partners having started their work serving the community as a public defender and prosecutor, we both have a passion for helping outr clients. We aim to provide personalized and effective representative for our clients. By starting our own firm we have the flexibility to represent clients in the best way we can which includes personalized plans for each client based on their needs and working with clients to understand their goals. We wanted to work in an environment that gave us the flexibility to meet our clients needs and still have a work/life balance. Read More>>

Dianne Reitan

During the first summer of Covid, I was laid off as the Major Gifts Officer of the Colorado Springs Philharmonic. No one was going to symphonies and the world seemed to come to a halt. With more time on my hands than I was used to, I started thinking about growing a garden. There is a community garden at Bear Creek Regional Park close to where I live with my husband, Dave. For several years we had walked our schnauzers by this garden mesmerized by this concept of over 100 gardeners coming together and sharing a space to grow vegetables and flowers.  Read More>>