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

Hi Kari, maybe we can start at the very start – the idea – how did you come up with the idea for your business?
Pink Umbrella was inspired the last image I had when walking out the door to our condo before I left for the office. We have a balcony that gets a lot of afternoon Colorado sun so we have a Pink Umbrella to help with the heat. I would turn to lock the door, say goodbye to our pugs and think to myself how I wish that I was going to my “office” under the Pink Umbrella.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I have been an Air Force wife for most of my adult life so I have always had to learn to adapt. I have a Criminal Justice BS from UTSA and had inspirations of being a FBI agent. The USAF took precedent so my professional life became a jigsaw puzzle. It morphed from being a Probation Officer Intern, Retail Manager, Personal Assistant, Real Estate Agent, Flight Attendant, Real Estate Appraiser, Executive Administrative Assistant, Personal Concierge, Chief Of Staff…. I’m proud of never being afraid of a new challenge or a new experience. I’m an extrovert and a people person who appreciates helping people and connecting people more than anything else. I have always been put in situations that are outside of my comfort zone. It goes to show that nobody fits in one box and that different experiences lead you to your best self. I look back and wish I would have realized where my passion lived earlier in life, listened to my inner self that knew that helping people, being there for people, being discrete, being accountable, being available, was worth something. There are so many individuals, families, businesses that look for a “Pink Umbrella”. The hardest part of my business is explaining what I do. That is my next challenge to tackle. The Personal Conceirge business is unique and special and my goal is to make sure it doesn’t need to be explained.

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.
Easy. All my BFFs have visited and its a similar itinerary. Arrive on the morning flight from X Destination to DIA (Denver). Head north to Fort Collins CO and try and catch brunch, with a mimosa of course, at one of the many breakfast locations in Fort Collins. Choice City, Lucilles or Silver Grille. After brunch head to Horsetooth Reservoir to hike the easy trail or hang out in one of the coves. If my guest arrives later in the day, skip the brunch, pack a cooler and camping chairs and we head up the Poudre River to enjoy some snacks on the water, lose service and catch up. Afterwards we head back to Old Town and grab a quick beer at Odells Brewery. Home to hydrate and a disco nap then cocktails at Ginger & Baker, dinner at The Rio, after dinner cocktails at Social. Itinerary definitely includes no driving so the next day we head to The Exchange to listen to live music, eat from one of the restaurants and hopefully head to The Lyric for an outdoor movie or if it’s winter to Washingtons for a concert. There are so many other restaurants, shops, hotels, bars etc. to showcase. This was difficult!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
A loud, proud, Pink shoutout to my former colleagues who were my biggest supporters when I made the decision to start my own business. I was employed by a company for almost 10 years who became family. When my boss and mentor decided to retire and I had a personal life event that made me rethink where I could really make an impact, those colleagues, along with my family and friends, told me to “Just Jump”. #VanHalen But I never would have done this or been brave enough without the support of my husband who believes in me before I think about believing in myself.

Website: www.yourpinkumbrella.com

Instagram: yourpinkumbrella.com

Linkedin: Kari Sanders

Facebook: yourpinkumbrella.com

Image Credits
Clayton Jenkins Studio

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