We had the good fortune of connecting with Devika Kamboh CFP, MBA and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Devika, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I have had an entrepreneurial mind set since I was a teenager in India. My profession as a Certified Financial Planner in the financial industry also required a business oriented thought process and being self-motivated, as I built my client base over more than 20 years in New York City, before I moved to southern Colorado and bought this property that I named Sohum Mountain Ranch. I have always been an independent thinker with a vision to contribute to the local communities through any professional work I did. A regulated corporate structure with a defined salaried culture did not work for me and I realized that early on with some great mentors, when I started originally in the banking side of the industry. So the thought process was that its okay to take the daily risks of a business owner because it was also very rewarding in terms of unlimited income potential, control over your work hours and creating a work-life balance customized to my needs, goals and ambitions. You have the ability to directly drive results and your actions count towards that end goal where you see the tangible impact of your efforts. This in turn leads to a productive cycle and the learning curve helps one grow as an individual at both a professional and personal level.

What should our readers know about your business?
I founded and manage three different types of businesses, all which compliment each other and help me manifest the vision I have for a holistic lifestyle. Two of my business are for profit – the Sohum Mountain Ranch (SMR) and Sohum Financial Planning (SFP).

Sohum Global Foundation (SGF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit focused on providing information, aid and custom programs geared towards uplifting women and children at risk; supporting veterans with PTSD and building awareness about nature conservation, sustainability and climate change.

What sets me and my work apart is the unique vision driving these three lines of work. Also a key advantage is my attitude of persistence and staying focussed on the big picture despite initial set backs. I view all obstacles, challenges and hardships as learning opportunities that help add to my confidence and experience as a business person. All these efforts are geared towards bringing a sense of well being- whether its financially, physically, mentally or spiritually and always having an element pf community give back. For example, I aways donate a percentage of revenues from Sohum Financial Planning and Sohum Mountain Ranch to support the work being done through the Sohum Global Foundation. Since inception, we have fund raised and supported digital inclusion programs for women and children in India; created awareness and sent aid for covid relief efforts; and, donated to, advised and collaborated with other non profits working towards these same goals. For example, SGF has donated to domestic violence shelters, helped local at-risk families with special needs children; and, continue to partner with different veterans groups to provide access to the outdoors here at the Sohum Mountain Ranch to help treat their PTSD and try and reduce suicide rates amongst veterans.

When I made the move from Manhattan, NY to Chromo, CO in July 2019, I reset my professional clock and kicked off these three lines of work with the same first name – Sohum. In Sanskrit, it means to be one with the universe in complete balance- from inside and outside. When you chant this word daily, it creates a very positive vibration and sense of well being as you aspire towards your personal goals of leading a balanced, holistic and energetic lifestyle. Living to your full potential and bringing the best version of yourself to everything you do. My vision is to bring this sense of well being to all lives I touch and it starts with the sound of your intention – Sohummm!

The work I do as a Certified Financial Planner & Financial advisor is meaningful as I get to see the financial security and stability that is accomplished with my guidance and the commitment from my clients to be disciplined in order to accomplish their financial and non financial goals. My work impacts generations in any one family and allows me to instill a positive relationship with money. Money is the means for accomplishing many tangible things (the means to the ends) on this planet and can be a force of both good work and also harm your community when not handled correctly. So being a fiduciary to my clients and looking out for their best interests is very important and while it has its challenges when you deal with all kinds of personalities and mind sets, it’s also very rewarding.

My 20+ years of expertise as a financial planner and volunteering on the Boards of various non profits and supporting financial literacy efforts helped lead me to starting this non profit in 2019 and also led to my purchase of this ranch property. They provided the other two kegs of my balanced wheel of life. SGF is benefiting from my financial expertise and experience working with various non profits in NYC and allows me to give back to my local and extended communities. The Sohum Mountain Ranch provides a physical venue to help realize the work life balance of being in nature and also providing access to those who may not have the means to afford such an experience.

I am very excited and proud of the projects that have been accomplished here on the ranch as a culmination of all efforts. The long term mission is to create a model of sustainability, conservation and community give back, by creating a venue that is accessible to people with disabilities and special needs and use the principles of Ayurveda, Yoga and Equine Therapy to guide programs that help our guests and all visitors. Currently, the Main Lodge and the guest wing of the River House are open for short term vacation rentals, as I develop the property into an organic farm with an onsite food program and donate any excess produce to the local food banks to reduce food insecurity. The Ayurvedic chef that will be hired here will cook food according to a guest’s constitution and work in synch with daily yoga and meditation sessions surrounded with this natural beauty of the mountains and river to create healing, better health and relaxation. Community days will open this venue to at-risk children and low income families so everyone can enjoy the natural space and find a moment to rest and enjoy as a community. The veterans invited here are benefitting from the access to fly fishing and other outdoor activities that allows them to slowly integrate back into society and help reduce suicide rates amongst them. I am currently doing a pilot program with another non profit that allows veterans to stay here over weekends as they do some conservation work around the ranch thus giving them a physical outlet and be in nature.

Every business has its unique challenges and its never easy when you first start out. You have to demonstrate credibility by being professional, honest and consistent and believe in your own vision before others believe in you. Financing is another major challenge to implement your business strategy as you work your way towards profitability. There will be a learning curve always despite your previous experience and good work ethic, so your attitude defines how well you will overcome these challenges and progress towards developing a great business legacy. Labor shortages and high industry turnover and recovering from two years of the Covid pandemic have tested both my will and faith in the larger vision but I have persevered on. As a woman in business, in addition to being a person of color in this country, you have to also fend off discrimination, closet-racism, patronizing behavior from male vendors, workers and contractors and learn to navigate through the different personalities by staying even tempered. One can either choose to look at these difficult points in the business lifecycle to be blocks or points of learning by getting out of your comfort zone and challenging yourself to be more resourceful.

My hope and wish is for all of you to visit this special place that I call the Sohum Mountain Ranch, enjoy the beautiful nature and its abundance around us, and help my efforts in creating a model of good stewardship. Sohum! Sohum! Sohum!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
This part of southwestern CO has a lot to offer. The Sohum Mountain Ranch is located in Chromo which is about 30 minutes from Chama and the Apache Jiccoria reservation in Dulce, NM. You can enjoy the casino and restaurant there, and go on scenic hikes and horse-riding with trail outfitters. Santa Fe and Albuquerque are just a couple of hours away for those of you flying in to those airports. You drive past the famous Ghost ranch where you can attend special events and retreats also or go to the famous Japanese spa of 10,000 waves with yummy Sushi. Paper Dosa is the South Indian restaurant featured in Guy Fieri’s Diner’s ,Drive-Ins and Dives. So a day trip to Santa Fe is a must for its culture and food scene plus the drive is beautiful too with lakes and canyons along the way. Winter through Summer this whole area is full of festivals, events and rodeos all year around. The balloon festival in the fall season is also well known in Albuquerque. On the CO side , Pagosa Springs is just a 40 minute scenic drive away to enjoy the beautiful hot springs, the local farmers markets on weekends with the food trucks and great food in eateries like Meander (farm to table), Alley house, Sage for great burgers, Two chicks and a Hippie for pastries and brunch, and local bars hosting live music like Motel Soco, Tall & Riff Raff. Plenty of local brews at the Pagosa Diner and great bbq at Smoken Moe’s BBQ. There is the wildlife park on route 84 that is open 7 days a week with live feeding at 3pm and also offer trail rides for horse lovers. In the summer season there are many festivals, the antique car show and live concerts all through June and July with the July 4th weekend famous rodeo. Fall season kicks off with PagosaFest and hunting season gets busy with outfitters taking tourists to scenic mountain spots to hunt deer, elk and turkey between September through April. Winter and summer time has to kick off with visits to the Wolf Creek pass overlook from where you get scenic views of the entire valley including hiking spots like Treasure Falls, Silver Falls, Piedra Falls and Lobo’s outlook to name a few. The Pagosa Visitor center has all the trail maps for the avid hikers and water fall lovers. You can rent Pontoons for Navajo Lake and Vallecito reservoir and visit other spots like Heron lake and Opal lake. You can go paddle boarding, rafting or tubing down the San Juan river in Pagosa Springs or enjoy tubing here on Navajo River at Sohum Mountain Ranch. Flyfishing – catch n release- is very enjoyable here and around the lakes in Pagosa for the enthusiast looking for trophy trouts like rainbows, cutthroats and browns. The art galleries and performance center have famous productions through the fall season. Winter brings in the snow lovers and you can enjoy skiing, snowboarding and Husky rides at Wolf Creek pass from November through April as we get some of the highest snowfall in CO here. End your evenings in the hot tub at the SMR ranch or the hot springs as you narrate your day’s fun activities. The San Juan Mountain Trails are accessible from multiple county roads and one of the most scenic roads is right here a mile from the ranch which lets you drive up to the Price Lakes names after the famous William Price whose family was one of the first to homestead this area and named this valley Chromo after the Greek word meaning colorful. SMR has 360 degree views of the Navajo Peaks to the North and the Banded Peaks and Continental Divide to the East. Durango airport is less than two hours away and the beautiful railroad ride from Durango to Silverton is a must do during the Christmas and new years time. in The summer months the single gauge railroad ride from Chama, NM is a memorable experience too. With gorgeous mountain drives to the great outdoors, this is a place for your entire family and for special events like destination weddings at the SMR, corporate retreats or the perfect reunions with your friends. Your travel journal will be full of memorable moments and blazing sunsets as you witness the dramatic clouds and double rainbows in the summer and the alpine halos over the snow covered peaks in the winter months. Star gazing, bird watching and wild life sightings add even more to this paradise on earth! We look forward to welcoming you at the Sohum Mountain Ranch!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I have been blessed with teachers and mentors from all walks of life in my journey thus far. My family and parents get the first shoutout for supporting my vision and always being encouraging even when things got difficult! My aunts, uncles and cousins have been great role models and taught me much about family and work-life balance. I am self- made in every sense of the definition and my extended family of well wishers is too big to capture in this space but they all know who they are and I love them all loads. My cousins here in the USA, in India and in Botswana are very close to me and have always given sage advise and unconditional love through all phases of my life. I owe many milestones to them and appreciate them all tremendously! It does take a village to bring things to full manifestation.

Website: www.SohumMountainRanch.com

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/sohummountainranch

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SohumMountainRanch/

Image Credits
All photos shred are taken by me – please check out our facebook page and the listings on VRBO for River house guest wing (1675937) and Main Lodge (1675263 ) for some great photos of the property and two buildings to get a sense of the venue and its natural surroundings.

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutColorado is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.