Meet Katrina Hughes | Strategy Leader and Hospitality Enthusiast

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

Hi Katrina, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
For as long as I can remember, I knew I’d be an entrepreneur. Until a couple of years ago, I didn’t know what that would look like, and it continues to evolve. I come from a family of business owners; my grandparents owned a local print shop in Denver, Mountain States Printing, where I spent a ton of time growing up. I can still smell the fresh cut paper! My dad was also a general contractor, working for himself wherever he moved, creating works of art in the form of log cabins and beautiful homes that I always admired as creative genius.

My husband is a serial entrepreneur, having owned restaurants, coffees shops, and for the last 24 years, a successful custom integration/home automation business in the Denver area. When we met, we knew we’d work together. I spent most of my career in sales leadership and revenue growth roles across several different industries. The last several years I spent working for others consisted of strategic moves to enhance my skillset and included operational roles in marketing and business consulting. These ventures were all in preparation to one day take the leap to go out on my own.

Two years ago the time was right, and we bought a home outside of Salida, in unincorporated Chaffee County and started Katalyst Ranch. We also started a new technology company, creating a product and SAAS like platform, serving the custom integration/home automation industry.

I spent the first few years of my career in hospitality, making it near and dear to my heart. Running a short-term rental and sharing one of my favorite places with others and helping them to create memories that will last a lifetime was a major driver to creating and sharing Katalyst Ranch.

What should our readers know about your business?
Am I allowed to tell two stories here? I’d love to share about both Katalsyt Ranch, and Techology/RouterBox. They are so different, and fuel me in different ways.

As I mentioned previously, Katalyst Ranch feeds my hospitality roots. When we found this property, we knew it was something we had to share, and that it would be unlike any other short-term rental in our area. The views are incredible, and it sits on 19 very private acres and is only 2 miles from town. It’s the perfect getaway for a group that likes seclusion and also likes to go see live music and eat and drink at amazing restaurants (all in the same day!) Reviews and feedback from guests that stay often mention that it’s very much a home and you can feel the love and that it has been lived in; it’s not just a shell of a house with bare necessities. My goal for the home was to create an environment that people can enjoy, relax, and build memories that they will remember forever. Our moto is that we want it to be the Katalyst for whatever people need in life right now. Whether they are traveling with family or friends, there are plenty of spaces in the home and around the property to play games, explore and just be. As an added bonus, we installed a Guest View Guide (think of an electronic guidebook) that gives guests all the information they need about the house, as well as local attractions and hot spots to dine/enjoy in town. This has been a huge hit and makes it easy for guests to find anything they need.

The house was built in 1978 and needed a lot of updating; almost all of the cosmetic updates I did myself, including refinishing wood walls and the old kitchen (tile) countertop. We were on a budget but didn’t want it to look that way. I learned new skills and did things I never could have imagined.

Techology and RouterBox are the brainchild of John (my husband) and our business partner, Ryan. The short version is that to support my husband’s clients, they created a router and network management and monitoring software that is more powerful and easier to use than anything else offered in our channel. When they told me about the idea, I knew right away that I could help and that I could take the business and product to market. My professional career has been spent in the business-to-business world, and now I get to help other business owners grow their companies and provide better support to their clients. This has involved manufacturing, software development, GTM strategy, and so much more. We launched the business at our industry trade show (CEDIA) in 2022 with 4 prototype devices. The feedback from our industry peers was overwhelmingly positive and extremely validating. We just attended 2023 CEDIA in early September, where we debuted two new devices and our completely revamped user interface, RBxConnect. Again, the interest and excitement was exhilarating. And now, we are getting ready to launch our beta program.

As I reflect on the last two years and take both businesses into account, I happily say that none of it has been easy. But I sure have learned a lot! Most things take longer than you hope or plan for, and changes in policy (as it relates to short-term rentals), challenges with supply chain and product availability have pushed us to think outside the box on how we deliver a superior product and service to our clients in both businesses.

Starting a business requires the ability to take risks and make tough decisions, and often quickly. Learning to trust what feels right, while still using data to make decisions has been critical.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Oh this one is easy! Anyone who has been to Salida gets to experience the amazing charm of the city and the countryside at the same time.

As a lover of all things Colorado and the outdoors, we’d definitely take a rafting trip down Browns Canyon (with yours truly on the oars). There is something magical about being on the river that allows everything else to melt away. A town trip with a stop at High Side Bar & Grill is in order…we park the raft in the eddy and walk up the rock wall to enjoy a nice cold beer and if we’re lucky, some live music on their patio. Then we’re off to run the new fun surf wave that was recently added just down river.

While Katalyst Ranch has its very own indoor pool and hot tub, it’s hard not to make a trip over to Mt. Princeton hot springs for a soak (we prefer the adults only section!)

We’d hike Castle Gardens (I’m told it resembles the badland, though I’ve never been.) The sand structures and rock formations are incredible.

A night or two at The Fritz is in order, where they have the best old-fashioned in town, and a delicious menu of fun shareables. We’d follow it up with a late night at the only dive bar in town, Bensons.

Salida is full of fun shops owned by locals offering a taste of everything for everyone. Wandering around town, making stops along the way for an easy afternoon, is a regular go-to.

During the winter months, we’ll be visiting Monarch Mountain for a day on the slopes. It’s such a fun, quaint mountain with a ton of great terrain.

We also have several great breweries in town, with Elevation and Tres Litros being two of my favorites. We can’t forget to bring our furry friends!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are too many to count, but I always go back to one of my first leaders and mentors, Jackie Roby. I still joke that she had to teach me how to build rapport because I always wanted to get right down to business. We’re still great friends and she still coaches me in all things life. I’m also extremely appreciative for the time and leaders I worked with at Sprint and OpenWorks, where I really honed in on my leadership style and philosophy, giving me great exposure to so many different aspects of business, helping me to realize that each move would help me in future endeavors. Most of all, I have to give a shoutout to my honey, John. He’s never doubted that we’d make things work and knows that with enough persistence and grit, success will follow. As someone who has relied on paychecks from others my entire career, it can be daunting and at times easy to give into fear when you go out on your own. He keeps me grounded no matter what. AND, last but not least…my mom, for being the very best mom in the world; she’s encouraged and supported me my entire life and has always been my biggest cheerleader.

Website: www.katalystranch.com | www.techology.com

Instagram: @katalystranch | @rbx.tech

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katrinanhughes/ | https://www.linkedin.com/company/techology-routerbox/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katalystranch |

Image Credits
Ivy Bencheck Troy Warwick