Readers often email us asking us for advice about new businesses they are thinking about starting and we often find that many of them don’t have a framework for thinking about a more fundamental question: why should or shouldn’t you start a business?

Below, you’ll find how successful entrepreneurs from across the city thought about this very question when they were considering whether to start their businesses.

Brianna Freda-reed | Aerial Silks, Body Function and Mobility Coach

I loved training and coaching aerial silks but there wasn’t anything in my town for it. I decided if I was going to set something up local, I was going to make it accessible to everyone as well. Read more>>

Mayra Avina | Social Worker and Watercolor Artist

When I started Cempaxochilt Arts, it felt like I was stepping into a new world, one brushstroke at a time. The business began during one of the most difficult periods of my life: the sudden loss of my aunt and grandmother just before the pandemic struck. Creating art became my refuge, a way to process my grief and find peace in an uncertain world. Read more>>

Laila Zohav | Owner and Operator of The Perk Up Truck

I’ve always been a hard worker and like to commit fully to whatever I’m working on. I realized I’d like to try to use that energy to create something that benefits both me and my community instead of just whichever company I happened to be working for at the time. I started working young, around 14 years old, and felt it was time to see what I could create with the skills I had built. I was inspired by seeing people’s stories of building businesses that fit what they wanted to see in the world. A majority of the jobs I had held were in some version of customer service or hospitality and I really wanted to chose a business that would use the skills I had gained in those areas. I also wanted to create a business that was a happy place, something that would bring joy wherever it was. That’s how I came up with The Perk Up Truck. Read more>>

Carly Swan | Photographer & Twin Mama

When I started my own photography business, I kind of went in head first, but with blinders on. I had never created my own website, I didn’t know how to handle my money, and I didn’t know how to get more clients and keep them coming. Luckily, I had a few photography friends who were more than willing to give me some advice on how to get my business up and running. Once I had a list of items and had a better idea of where to start, I had to think of how I could make my business stand out from others. At the time, I was photographing my friends and their growing families and noticed that most kids (and dads!) could really only last so long during a photo session without being bribed by snacks or ice cream. Read more>>

Tanya Rabinowitz | Co-Owner

The decision to start a business wasn’t just about owning a salon & spa – it was about realizing a shared dream and creating something meaningful. My business partner, Christina Critchell, and I had worked side by side for over a decade, managing other salons and spas, and seeing firsthand the challenges and opportunities in the industry. We both shared a vision of what a salon and spa could be: a place that not only delivers incredible beauty and wellness services but also fosters a culture of care, community, and connection. Read more>>

Taylorann, Brianna Cantwell, Pierce | Co-Owners of Roots Local Goods LLC

Brianna’s response~ Tay and I had started talking about wanting to do a farmers market together in 2022, but then she came up with the idea of doing something that could be utilized year-round, rather than just in the summertime. That’s how Roots was born! I was so nervous about the idea of being a business owner, but we jumped in with both feet and things just started to fall into place. Read more>>

Jay Bryant | Gallery Owner | SP_CE 13

Art has always been my first love. I’ve been drawing and painting for as long as I can remember. Even when I went on to study advertising and graphic design, life had other plans—I ended up in the finance world instead. It didn’t stop my creativity. Read more>>

Abd-rahman Saad | Mental Performance Coach & Performance Enhancement Coach

Many people have blessed me with good health, knowledge, and experience. My previous experience as a Director of Performance opened my eyes to the gaps in the profession of youth performance. While pursuing my education at the University of Denver, I actively initiated changes in team culture and individual performance. I strive to work with teams and performers who are looking to refine and enhance their skills, regardless of the level they are currently at. This was a lesson I learned from a great coach Scott Krall, may he rest in peace. He was my throwing coach; however, he taught every athlete the skills of imagery, goal-setting, and mental resilience training. Read more>> 

Jennifer Wilson | Retreat Facilitator / Yoga Teacher / Reiki Master

I started my business Senseful Wellness & Yoga in 2020 as a way to start sharing mind, body, spirit connection techniques with others. I had been on a personal journey of healing childhood wounds and learning to accommodate for my Autism/ADHD through yoga, sensory exploration, somatic body work and energy healing. I wanted to integrate all these healing modalities into my business to create a safe space for others to unapologetically explore their body. Read more>>

Cathy Lauderbaugh | Speech-Language Pathologist, M.A., CCC-SLP, and Founder of Dynamic Therapy Services, 501(c)(3)

I founded Dynamic Therapy Services (DTS) with the passionate belief that families and children of all backgrounds and abilities deserve the best therapies available. After working as a speech therapist in the Boulder-Denver community for a decade, I grew frustrated with the limited amount of resources available to families who were seeking high quality therapy services for their children. There is a significant body of research that shows movement-based approaches and family coaching are critical components for a child’s success in therapy. Unfortunately, insurance often does not pay for models that emphasize movement and the family! I started DTS to be a part of systemic change with what our society understands effective therapy to be: children learn through play and movement, and the family matters. DTS supports families-in-need and the local, small business providers who are passionate and highly skilled at their work. Read more>>

Matt Foster | K9/pet dog trainer and Equipment manufacturer

I have always loved working with dogs and I have always been a business oriented person. I was a K9 handler in the Marines and worked two explosives detection dogs in Afghanistan before coming home and becoming a police officer. I then worked a dual purpose K9 for my agency and SWAT team. Finding my passion for working with dogs then got me thinking about the different things I could provide the industry from a business standpoint and it became a no brainer. Between training equipment, training K9’s and decoys, and now training pet dogs in my area, it just made sense for me to apply what I love to a business and put myself out there. Read more>>