Every overnight success we’ve seen has been years in the making. And those overnight successes are rarely because of an amazing idea or a stroke of luck. We asked some of our favorite folks from the community about what characteristics are at the heart of their success story?

David Hobart | Colorado Native Small Business Owner

The most important factor behind my success is caring about what I put out in the market. I care about the product that I put out, and I care about how my customers feel after buying with me. A lot of sneaker resellers buy shoes in every condition and sell them in the same condition they get them in. There can be a wide range of conditions for your products if that’s a clean, dirty, box, no box, etc. Read more>>

Jeri Lech | Owner & Nurse Practitioner

The most important factor behind the success of Intentional Aesthetics and Wellness lies within the culture and relationship we build with our patients. I opened my aesthetics and wellness business with 22 years of acute care nursing experience and in the aftermath of COVID. The importance of personalized care and patient connection was given a renewed sense of value and appreciation. Therefore, the time and attention to building patient relationships was intentionally engrained in the culture and remains one of many factors to our success. Read more>>

Cassie Boyd | Stylist and Trainer

Besides my skills and passion for hairdressing, the most important factor behind my success and the success of my brand has been a commitment to giving back to the community. Early on, I recognized the value of building meaningful relationships, not only by working with three major sports teams, which helped elevate my brand, but also by donating my time and expertise to local causes. This focus on community engagement has been instrumental in growing my business. Read more>>

Melanie Donohoue | Business Coach, Speaker & Digital Marketing Mentor

President Theodore Roosevelt said, “Comparison is the thief of joy”. All too often as entrepreneurs we compare ourselves, our journey, the rate of our success, or even our processes to others. The most important factor behind my success has been being authentically myself. Entrepreneurship is hard and you’re required to wear many hats on a daily basis. Additionally, it is significantly more difficult if you’re trying to be like someone else. Read more>>

Olivia Large | Shuffle Dancer & Influencer

I originally decided to start posting videos of my dance journey to help inspire others to push for something new. Before starting to learn how to shuffle, I was in a place in life where I just really didn’t feel connected to myself. I was adjusting to being a mom of 2 at a young age, and had found myself so focused on just being a mom that I lacked something to push for to stay connected to my individuality as well. Read more>>

Chelsea Forero | Creative

As it was time to start planning our wedding, we found ourselves frustrated by the monotony of standard templates and uninspired designs. The lack of creativity and personal touch left us yearning for something more. After years of working in the corporate world, we thought this would be the perfect opportunity to jumpstart our path to working for ourselves. With this idea, we wanted to elevate event design –bringing a fresh, personalized approach to special moments. Read more>>

Timothy Veldhuizen | Cheese Maker and General Contractor

After 32 years working as a chef and owner in the restaurant business, I was anxious to make a change and slow down a bit. I have a second cousin that started a cheese business in Texas 20 years ago and after visiting him thought cheese making might be for me. I have had several brushes with cheese making over the years; befriending an Italian cheese maker and making cheese in Switzerland with a friend. Read more>>

Lisa Isinghood | Thrift Girlie

The journey of starting Thrift Girlie began during a transformative period in my life. I made a conscious decision to cut out toxic routines and embrace a more positive lifestyle, which led me to discover my passion for thrifting. As I immersed myself in the thrifting world, I found tremendous joy in curating thrifted outfits that sparked creativity within me. Read more>>

Brandon Bishop | Co – Owner of SRYBB

When we set out to create SRYBB we wanted to find a way to bring people of various eating habits – those who love meat, vegetarians, and vegans – together to enjoy shared meals. Our hope was to show those that eat meat that it is easy to eat plant-based and that it is delicious while also giving vegans and vegetarians delicious meals that they often do not get when going to restaurants that do not specialize in plant-based meals. We believe that food is one of the easiest ways to bring people together and we wanted our food to give people a space to share joy with people. Read more>>

Shaeleigh Olive | Luxury Extension Specialist

I wanted to create a salon space people have not experienced in the Lone Tree area. I created a completely custom luxurious experience for my clients. I made a space that can be tailored to the individual client and their needs. Read more>>

Torie Power | Cottage Baker

Losing my dad- who was also my boss, and getting divorced within a very short period of time left me a single mom with no job. With my youngest daughter not in school it really wasn’t an option for me to not start my own business. I needed the freedom of flexibility. Beyond that I wanted to show my daughters that hard work pays off and you can create the life you want doing what you love if you put your mind to it. Read more>>

Dylan And Stephanie Caudle | Owners of Zorbo

We’ve always been entrepreneurs and have loved the freedom we’ve had to make our own decisions and the flexibility it has given us in our everyday schedules. We never pictured ourselves owning an inflatable hamster ball company until we helped our daughter’s school with their after-prom party. The school contracted out an inflatable company for a few Zorb balls and a track. Read more>>

Colleen Howell | Women’s Hormone Coach & Somatic Healing Practitioner

The creation of my business was sparked from my experience getting off hormonal birth control and being met with seemingly endless adverse symptoms (cystic acne, irregular and heavy, painful periods, trouble sleeping, anxiety, intense cravings, headaches and mood swings), then being gaslit and dismissed by a handful of doctors telling me my only option was to get back on hormonal birth control and that what I was experiencing is just part of being a woman. Read more>>

Jennifer Koriath | Licensed Professional Counselor

When I was in grad school I had a “plan” for my career after graduation. I wanted to work at an insurance company as a behavioral health case manager and have a small private practice on the side. I never envisioned that the private practice would become something full time. After COVID hit, the insurance company I worked for went out of business and it was at that time that I decided to make my private practice my full time job. Read more>>

Marc Lohse | MDH Owner

I’ve been building homes for around 25 years now. I started in Indiana as a high-volume production builder, then moved on to building custom homes a few years later in Colorado. Home has always had a special meaning for me, and I’ve loved connecting with homeowners, subcontractors, and vendor partners, and have always loved the creativity and the process of home building. Read more>>

Luke Hiotis | ISA Board Certified Master Arborist & ASCA Registered Consulting Arborist

I have always had a passion for spending time in and working with trees, forests, and the complex ecosystems found in them. After more than 10 years of working for forestry companies, I wanted to expand my scope of work. So I dedicated myself to a study of trees and forests, the cellular make-up of an individual tree, and the best way to care for them. After being trained by several pioneers of the arboricultural and forestry fields, I decided the best way to put this newfound knowledge to use was to start my own business and try to push the limits of what seemed possible for me at the time. Read more>>