Meet Jon Hutson | Founder at TheOpenMarket.CO

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

Hi Jon, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I’d always wanted to start some sort of business, but never felt fully capable. Most of my life’s been spent in survival mode, job hopping, and looking for solid grounding. I’ve lived several different lives already, and I’ve learned a ton. I’m grateful for the path. And, I’m grateful for the opportunity to leverage so many of my passions in to building the Open Market.

I basically failed most of my classes in public schooling until dropping out at 17. I spent several years bouncing around: I worked in a mine, spent some time being homeless, tried out rehab a few times, spent several months in jail, and made a ton of music. At 23 I got a GED, and started part time college, where it took me a bit to figure things out. I finished strong as a geology major doing really well in some higher calculus and physics classes, and my senior project had several requ hests for paid access to the work, job offerings, and I wrote lesson plans for some of the professors; and the school paid my way for me to present my work at a national geology convention. And at 30, I graduated right before COVID. I had a ton of post-graduation energy and momentum I didn’t really have a place for.

As soon as I saw that small mom & pop shops were being forced to shut their doors while big box stores were allowed to do business as usual with a few restrictions, I jumped to action. I started a Facebook group to help build some community connections and some fundraisers, all centered around local shopping. I was quickly disappointed with how useful a Facebook group is for this sort of thing, but I was inspired by the regular engagement from all of our neighbors. It took me a year and a half to even consider building a website or business as a viable option that I was capable of, but I’m really grateful I pulled the trigger.

The Open Market just kind of popped out at me. I’d never tried registering or building a business, or looked at learning how to code, or even seen the backend of a website before this – but it’s all moved really naturally so far. It’s still young, and I don’t see it making much money for a few years or so, if at all. But having full control of a creative outlet that’s regularly pushing me out of my comfort zone while also serving the community has really helped me feel like I’ve found my place.

What should our readers know about your business?
The Open Market is a West Slope focused ecommerce store. The site’s been built to feel like shopping on Etsy, but sellers have the freedom to do business in whatever way works best for them.

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.
My default is always the Liberty Cap hike in Grand Junction, followed up with some food truck dining.

There’s never really any shortage of options for engaging with the community around here. And, there’s a little something for everyone.

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’m increasingly grateful to those who are honest and straightforward when they don’t want to get involved with something. It’s an important human skill that’s not so easy to cultivate and maintain but it makes a huge difference for everyone.

But, my shout-out goes to those who see an opportunity to help their neighbors and act on it. Whether someone needs a helping hand because their either struggling or building something, it has a lasting impact.

Website: https://www.theopenmarket.CO

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theopenmarket.colorado