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.

Marisa Allen | Soapmaker

I love to serve people. It is satisfying to craft something with my own hands and give it to someone. I grew up doing all the crafts– crochet, cross stitch, sewing, scrapbooking– and still enjoy being creative and making things that are beautiful and useful. I want whatever I make to be beautiful and personal, satisfying and joy-stirring. Read more>>

Brandon Birdsong | Coach & Van Builder

Starting our own business happened organically. We were living out of the van, I was coaching online and Brittni was going back to school. It was a lifestyle that was years in the making. I joined my partner, Cory Smith, founder of Runyourpersonalbest.com in 2017. Read more>>

Tess M. Kilwein | Clinical Psychologist and Owner of Tess M. Kilwein, LLC

Starting my own business wasn’t as much of a “though process” as it was a collection of frustrating moments. I frequently observed gaps in care that I knew I could fill yet didn’t have the avenue to do so. I saw – in both my personal and professional life – so many people struggling with lack of access to gender affirming care, Read more>>

Mckay Sorenson | Antler/Horn Replication Artist- Wildlife mold making

I had always struggled finding a “career”. I attended college at SUU (southern utah university) for two years, and during that time i quickly learned that there was nothing at the college that i could major in and enjoy as a career. Read more>>

Patricia Hernandez | Vendor of cinnamon glazed almonds, pecans and cashews in events, venues and malls

We wanted to move to the US, therefore we decided to start our own business in the US. This was a requirement to obtain and investor’s visa, which we obtained and moved. Read more>>

Taiane Bozzay | Owner of a cake business

I started my cake business because I wanted to be my own boss and have more control over my career. I have always had a passion for baking, and starting my own business allowed me to turn that passion into a career. I enjoy the freedom and flexibility that comes with being an entrepreneur, and I’m excited to see where my business takes me in the future. Read more>>

Jillian Thane | Tavern Owner

Originally, I had wanted to open and run a Dungeons and Dragons Bed and Breakfast, a D&D B&B if you will, in the foothills. The idea was that guests would be surrounded by forests and beauty and feel as though they were on a real adventure. Unfortunately, the post-COVID property prices made the project a difficult investment. Read more>>

Keri Hanson | Owner and Coach

For the past few years, I have mostly been a stay-at-home and homeschooling mom, but as a former classroom teacher, my heart has always been with helping kids thrive. I knew I didn’t want to go back to the classroom again–but I still wanted to find some meaningful way to work with kids. Read more>>

Trista Gangestad | Owner & Candle Maker

During the pandemic, I was burning candles more because I, like everyone, was stuck at home. One day I noticed a black mark on the ceiling above my favorite candle. After climbing the ladder to reach the vaulted ceiling and discovering the mark wouldn’t come off, I started researching why the candle did that to my ceiling. Read more>>

Melissa Bixby | Batik Artist & Tide Pool Photographer

I’ve been creating art for a while. I’ve received my Master of Fine Arts in Sculpture but late 2019, around Christmas, I had this idea to put some of my batik images on a journal, mostly because I was about to buy a journal for the New Year and I figured why not make one with my own art on it. I really liked how they turned out so I posted about them on Instagram and they sold out within a couple days. Read more>>

Julie Capranica | Dog Groomer

Mitch and I moved to Crawford just before the pandemic. We wanted to be a part of the community and serve in a way that would be helpful. I started Jewels Senior Dog Rescue because I love Senior Dogs. Read more>>

Barbara Vaigauskaite | Owner/Baker at Flour & Berry

During quarantine, I found myself baking more than I usually did. My kids couldn’t deal with COVID, so as to help everyone out with the quick transition, I started baking more breads to cheer them up. They became my bread-testers, and in time forgot to worry. Read more>>

Kari Engen | Owner, Front Range IBN

I wish I could say there was some “lightbulb” moment where the business idea came to me, but it’s been a long journey. Prior to launching Front Range, I worked for a Fortune 500 company, on-boarding small business clients. Read more>>

Nevena Rousseva | Founder of wine brand Ladies of Leisure

I started Ladies of Leisure because there wasn’t many women-centric wine brands that really appealed to me. Wine is a $72 billion dollar industry, that does not cater to women and what we like. I never really found a brand that speaks directly to women. Read more>>

Tony Nader MD |

What was your thought process behind starting your own non-profit organization? In my study of medicine, neuroscience, and neurology, I learned that our knowledge about the mind is surprisingly limited, with crucial questions about consciousness and the brain still unanswered. Read more>>

Jaesic Wade (they/it) | Blogger, Life Coach, Accessibility & Inclusion Consultant & Coach

Honestly, it was a no-brainer after many years of failed attempts at working for others in the neurotypical, ableist society we live in (though I’ll admit, it took me some time to accept this new path). Simply put, I don’t fit the mold. Read more>>

Aaron Hendon | Managing Broker, eXp Realty

My dad left his corporate VP job to pursue his passion when I was very young. He poured everything into it and became very successful. It was a demonstration of never settling, giving everything to what you love, and building a life you love based on doing what you love. So it was never really much of a stretch for me to think about starting my own business. Read more>>

Asante Madrigal | Content Creator/Entrepreneur

I have always wanted to put my creativity, talent, and education to use in a form of content online! Starting a small business of mine has really helped me expand my ideas and what I want to do. Read more>>

Lauren Adams | Chief Experience Officer (CEO) and Creative Director

I loved performing – my entire life, I was found on some kind of stage whether it was from dance, cheerleading, music, etc. When I was 18, I discovered the Flow Arts (hula hooping, predominantly), and practiced for years following. Then, I realized I can make money doing this! Read more>>

Lauren Bragassa | Wellness Coach & Clinical Herbalist

My business sol medicine originated from a desire to support people on their wellness journeys in a way I had always wanted to be supported. For as long as I can remember, I wanted to pursue a career in medicine. After deciding that the Western framework didn’t align with the values of care that I believed in, I decided to pursue an education in herbalism as a way to support folks in a more gentle and holistic way. Read more>>

Jim Peters | Art Director/Artist – River Street Art

My career focus on television created a lot of stress in my life. Being an Art Director making six figures in the News business made me focus on many things wrong with our world rather than the things that could be good. An example might be taking a tragic situation and creating television art to give it a brand and a creative title. Read more>>

Lindsey Scot Ernst | Jewelry Artist

When I started my business in 2014, my mindset was that there was no other option. I had been taking custom work during my last year of school and as it began to pick up, the possibility of going full time felt more and more real. After I graduated, I decided to quit my job as a server in Downtown Denver and work in my studio. Read more>>

Susan Jeansonne-Hadden | Jewelry Designer and owner of Jeansonne’s Fine Designs

i had just been notified my son’s father had died and we would be receiving Death benefits. I did not want to waste the money renting an apartment so I bought a house. Good decision but left me with little money and i had a 10 year old son who was looking forward to Christmas and i had very little extra money. I was 44 years old at the time. Read more>>

Mary Giacomini | Fine artist & instructor

I earned a BFA in fine art in 1983. I always wanted to be an artist although the university I attended taught us nothing on how to go about that. When I moved to Loveland, CO in 1997 I decided to ‘Go for it’ and become a professional artist. I started taking some art classes at our local art academy, joined the Ft Collins and Loveland art leagues and galleries, volunteered to paint a huge mural and met artists in the area. Read more>>

Karissa Taylor |

What was your thought process behind starting your own business? I always knew I would rather struggle for money doing something I was passionate about than wallowing in shallow riches. For me, being a full-time artist meant I would be following my purpose in this world and living my life to the fullest. This was easier said than done. Read more>>

Sara Robbins | Co-Founder, Producer & Director at The Road West Traveled

I have always wanted to be an entrepreneur, however, I initially started The Road West Traveled with my business partners because we wanted to produce an independent ski film and needed a business entity to make that happen. At the time, I wasn’t sure if this could be a sustainable business. Read more>>

Brian Benjamin | Physical Therapist and owner

My business partner, Andy, and I had worked together for several years for another company. He was in charge of the gym portion of our clinic and I was in charge of the physical therapy portion. We had reached the top of our “ladder” and we decided that we wanted to branch off and do our own thing. Read more>>

Marriah Tarango-Higgins | Small Business Owner

I’ve only ever worked small retail jobs since college and I’ve never enjoyed working for other people. I’ve always been very ambitious and working towards someone else’s dream was never my goal. When I realized this, I started my own design and photography business and was able to employ myself full time in just under a year from starting. Read more>>

Clare Mix | Owner Wings and Whiskers LLC/ Wildlife Biologist/Retired C.P.A.

I took quite a circuitous route to becoming a business owner. First I was a C.P.A. (tax) working for one of the wealthiest people in the U.S. Then I went back to school and got a 2nd Master’s degree and became a wildlife biologist studying endangered birds. Read more>>

Amy Zunzunegui | Founder / CEO WLDKAT

There wasn’t much thought put into starting a business before I entered into this. LOL. In all seriousness, I never had a calling to start my own business as I had a bit of insight into how hard it was during the early years at Urban Decay. But the stars aligned and here we are. Read more>>

Dylan Beeson | CEO and founder Travel-Well Enterprises

My Thought process in starting my business was to disrupt the continuum between travel agent trip planning and individual computer based(Online Travel Agency) travel planning. Our idea was to distill the overabundance and noise of information on the net and the older paradigm of travel agency planning, into a curated, multi-media platform of travel design. Read more>>