Meet Ethan Mentzer | Coach & Creative Entrepreneur

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ethan Mentzer and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ethan, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I think we’re all born artists with a creative spark. It’s part of who we are, but somewhere along the way, society tells us it’s not enough—so we lose that connection to our inner child, to the thing that makes us feel alive. For me, the creative path became a way to heal. I was stuck in self-destructive patterns, battling substance misuse, and in 2020, I made a very important choice to get sober, stop self-destructing and start creating. That decision has sent me on an incredible journey I couldn’t have planned or predicted, and it’s been the most transformative experience of my life.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Whether you’ve been following me for awhile or recently discovered me, I’ve had quite the journey from addiction to taking healthy aligned action. I completely stopped using alcohol and substances in 2020 and learned how to start using my energy creatively and constructively. It has been an honor to grow through those challenges & get to help others do the same.

In those 4 years, I have been a paid professional photographer, social media manager, content creator (Tiktok + Reel Editing services) for many brands and companies that inspire people worldwide. I have invested a lot of money into coaches and trainings to learn valuable skills & tools to further enrich my offerings to the world, and now I give back by coaching others with their creative businesses. I also help people get & stay sober. I really am just here to help people however I can.

I share all of this to let you know that I get it. I know what it’s like to struggle and experience hardship, but there’s untapped potential in all of us. If you’re here to create something, you feel it too. It’s not always easy to walk the unconventional path but I promise it is worth it. I’m grateful I can be a source of inspiration for those out there who have gone through similar things.

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.
I would take them to Crested Butte to ride mountain bikes, camp at Washington Gulch and enjoy some of the best single track trails in the world. We would definitely eat at Secret Stash Pizza and go catch some bluegrass in the park afterward. More local to Boulder, I would take them to do a creek dip at Lefthand Canyon and jet up to Ward for some fresh spring water. A nice hike to a lake up there is always a good idea before heading back to catch a show at Red Rocks. Would definitely have to cruise up Flagstaff to see the northern lights or get an elevated perspective of the city.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I wouldn’t be where I’m at today without the unconditional love from my Mom & girlfriend Nicole when things were really rough. I have a lot of gratitude for those in my circle who believed in me, even when I could not believe in myself. In the recovery world, Joel Johnson has been a positive male influence in my life, acting as a saving grace and mentor. I’d like to thank my talented friends Jasper Gibson and Will Saunders who have inspired me creatively and helped early on in the journey.

Website: https://stan.store/ethanmentzer

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ethanmentzercreative/

Image Credits
Hailey Jane Schnieders took 1 of the images. Ryan McBoyle. I took the rest