Meet Kelli Jones | Multi-Business Owner

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

Hi Kelli, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I went to business school and have always had a dream of owning my own business. When I graduated college I took a few different corporate jobs and I just couldn’t stand how they treated their employees. I knew the corporate world wasn’t for me. So I started my own businesses! I have 4 now. I wanted to be able to provide exceptional service to my clients, treat my employees well and make my own hours and schedule. I wanted to be at my kids practices, games and school events. And even be able to take and pick them up from school. I also wanted to be the one in charge of how far I could push myself and go.

What should our readers know about your business?
I run 4 different businesses. KDJones Photography, Rad Rentals, Badunkajunk Junk Removal and Life is Sweet. I fell in love with photography in high school. I made my own camera, shot in film and learned how to develop images in a dark room. I experimented with motion and different styles and I loved it. As I finished college and began working I didn’t have the opportunity to do as much photography. But when we started our family, I bought a new camera. When Covid hit in early 2020, our family had lots of extra free time and that’s when I really got back into it and decided to make it a business. I taught my husband how to use a camera and he started joining me at sessions. It’s so fun to work together and he’s great at making people laugh and feel comfortable, so we make a great team in that business. We also own Rad Rentals, an event rental company. This business started because of our kids. We were constantly renting bounce houses for their birthdays or summer get togethers, so we thought, hey we can do this! We purchased our first bounce houses in 2021 and since then have grown into so much more. We now have 11 inflatables, tables and chairs and we do balloon decor. Everything from balloon garlands, to photo ops and backdrops. It’s been such a fun business to run, and we’ve had amazing growth. It’s made us feel very connected to our community as well. Our third business is our newest. We started Badunkajunk Junk Removal at the beginning of 2025. We saw a need for junk removal in our area, and we know so many people through our other businesses that it just made sense. It is our least glamorous business, but it is still nice to help those who can’t move things or just don’t have the time. My final business is my in-home bakery, Life is Sweet. I started this one back during Covid as well. I have always made cakes for our family events and when we had all that extra time pop up during Covid I started experimenting with other things. I make cakes, cupcakes, cake pops, brownies, breads and even boozy treats! It is another great creative outlet and I love the challenge of bringing someone’s vision to life. In all of our businesses we truly get satisfaction over helping people and making them smile. Whether it’s moving a couch for an elderly couple, or dropping off a cake or a bounce house for a child’s birthday party, it truly makes us smile when they smile. We pride ourselves on our customer service and always being honest and fair in all of our businesses. We love our community and giving back when we can. We also love meeting all the awesome people we have met along the way. Running your own businesses is never easy. We have had high highs and low lows. I’ve had many moments where I’ve thought, why am I doing this? I could just work a 9-5 and leave it all at the office before I go home. But the easy road has never really been my style. I love a challenge. When someone tells me I can’t do something, it only makes me want to figure out how to accomplish it more. The connection we get to our community and the flexibility it gives us in our family life are the reasons I get up and keep doing it everyday. Helping people and the satisfaction of growing something from and idea and making it real, are two great benefits that outweigh the struggles. A few lessons I have learned along the way are 1. It’s okay to say no sometimes. 2. Life isn’t always fair. 3. When you find something you truly love, it doesn’t feel like work. And 4. You have to constantly put in the effort to make it happen. If there were one thing I’d want to share about my story, it’d be, don’t wait for the perfect time. Just do it. If you have an idea and a support system around you, start today. Yes, it’s scary leaving something stable to jump into something where you have no idea how it’s going to go. Yes, it’s scary that it’s all on you, if you mess up, you have to fix it. But do it! You won’t regret it. I also hope all my clients know that I truly care and their business means so much to me and my family!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Pourhouse in Loveland – amazing food and drinks
Cocina and Cantina in Berthoud – more amazing food and drinks
All the local breweries are awesome! City Star and Berthoud Brewing are in our town, but there are great choices in Loveland too.
Paddle boarding at Pinewood Reservoir or Boyd Lake.
Hiking at Devil’s Back Bone or around Mountain Trail.
Shopping and ice cream in Estes Park.
Henry’s Pub in Loveland – more amazing food!
Paint and sip at Pinots Pallet.
A concert at Red Rocks or the Mishawaka.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I have to shout out my husband, Derrick. Without him I would not have been able to start any of our businesses. He has always cheered me on, never thought any of my goals were too crazy and worked hard at his own job everyday which allowed me to quit my 9-5 and run our businesses. My family has also always been there to help and lend a hand which I truly appreciate as well!

Website: KDJonesphotography.mypixieset.com and www.radrentalsnoco.com

Instagram: @radrentalsllc @kdjonesphotography_ @badunkajunk_junk_removal @lifeissweet0221

Image Credits
KDJones Photography