Meet Kody Wilson | Business Owner | Free lance Meteorologist

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

Hi Kody, how do you define success?
The best definition of success that I have ever heard is when preparation meets opportunity. If you are a believer, success is when preparation meets opportunity that meets with God’s timing. Of course, I’m not asking anybody to be a believer. Anyone can live and think however they choose. That’s the beauty and consequence of free will.

Success isn’t strictly defined by how big your bank account is, how big your house is, or how fancy the car is you’re driving.

To me, the biggest and most important metric of success is how many people you’re helping.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
In 2017, after years of disappointment and constantly complaining about my circumstances, I made the decision to take responsibility for my life experience. As a Meteorologist with a passion to help and serve, I decided through divine inspiration, and the support of my brother & friends, that I needed to create my own opportunity. So, I took to the platform I was most familiar with, social media.

From age 22-27, I spent a lot of money on professional/personal development that prepared me for this moment. Remember, success is when preparation meets opportunity. I spent my whole life being critical about how others forecasted the weather, and communicated that information to the public. Rooted in my criticism was a deep desire to not only help others, but a recognition that I myself was being a hypocrite, because I wasn’t doing anything about it.

I grew up near Boise, Idaho and lived there until the age of 19. During one of the worst winters that Boise, Idaho and the surrounding Treasure Valley of Eastern Oregon & Southwest Idaho had experienced in the last 40 years, I saw an opportunity to help. Deep in my soul, I knew this was the moment in time where my mindset needed to change from critic to creator. From critic to constructionist.

I started a weather page on Facebook and named it Treasure Valley Weather Headquarters. I started inviting my family and friends who lived in the area to like/follow it. Then, I harnessed my college education, forecasting experience, understanding & knowledge of the local climatology, and the skills I had acquired from years of professional/personal development, and I got to work. This was January 2nd, 2017. Before I knew it, thousands of people were following my page in just a few short weeks, and my weather page took on a life of its own.

Since then, my page has swelled to over 47,000 followers and nearly 40 local businesses have sponsored my page over the last 5 years. I also built my own website to list sponsor information as well as my forecasts for those who aren’t on social media as frequently. I spent no money to advertise my page. I simply allowed the viral nature of social media, and my understanding & knowledge of how to build trust and credibility on social media to do it’s thing.

In the Spring of 2017, Taylor Holland encouraged me to start another weather page for Denver, Colorado and the front range where I currently live, and have resided since 2008. I reluctantly started one, and named it Denver & Front Range Weather. It did not get off to the fast start that my other page did. However, success is when preparation meets opportunity, right? My opportunity with Boise came during one of the worst winters they had seen in 40 years. I just needed to be patient enough with Denver, and continue to be consistent until the opportunity came. It did. March of 2019, we experienced a storm, commonly referred to as the “Bomb Cyclone.” My page went viral. It took two years, but it finally went viral. Since then, the Denver & Front Range Weather page is approaching 92,000 followers now. All organic growth. Over 40 businesses have sponsored my Denver page, and I have a website for it as well.

With the success and sponsorship of both pages, I created an LLC, and listed both pages as trade names underneath KBW, LLC which has been in officially in operation since February, 2020.

What the World sees now is success, and a large social media following. What the World sees now is a guy who grew up on a small farm in eastern Oregon outside of Boise and turned himself into a successful business owner, and Free lance Meteorologist. What they don’t see is the years of turmoil, heartache, disappointment, trauma, uncertainty, and heartbreak that preceded this success. This is why I also include God’s timing in my equation for success. Everything I went through and endured in the years leading up to the genesis of my weather pages were stepping stones. Learning experiences. Opportunities to grow and mature. Gain valuable life skills. By the time the opportunities arrived, the preparation was done. The timing was perfect.

Nobody will make it through this mortal existence unscathed. The only way through is through. You will fall down. You will get punched in the gut. You will be sad, angry, confused, frustrated, and impatient more times than you can count. It’s all apart of the learning and growing process. You can’t avoid it. I suffered more in 7 years than most people should in an entire lifetime, and it’s truly because of that suffering that I am where I’m at today.

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.
Some of the best that Colorado has to offer is what we find outside. I love the mountains. The first thing I’d probably do is take them into the mountains. To my favorite ski towns in the winter time, or if in the summer, to my favorite hiking trails. What would we eat? Anything and everything we wanted. I’m not much of a drinker, so I would probably stick with water (Ha!) OH, and coffee. Don’t you dare try and make me suffer through the day without coffee.

If we’re in Denver, of course I have to treat you to a Broncos or Avs game. Take you downtown to the 16th street mall. Take you over the Palmer Divide and down into Manitou Springs to hike the Manitou Incline. Go see the Garden of the Gods. You see a theme here? Most of what we’re doing is going to be outside. Or, if we’re feeling lazy, take him to my favorite brunch spots (Snooze Eatery) or a great coffee shop (Alleycat Cafe in Fort Collins) and catch some good vibes.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
The first person I have to thank is God. It seems so cliche, but with the amount of adversity I’ve faced in my life, He was there with me through all of it. I also have to thank my parents who made many sacrifices of their own to give me the shot to pursue my dreams. To Taylor Holland, who has always been the voice of reason, and biggest supporter/friend in my life, even when I didn’t deserve it. To Kurt Ziebis II, who saved my life during the darkest time period I’ve ever experienced. To my twin brother, Kris, who knows and understands me better than anybody. To Anna & Jeff Maldonado, the family that chose me. To the Delta Sigma Phi Fraternity that has introduced me to one of the biggest support systems I love and cherish every day. I didn’t get to where I am today alone, that’s for sure.

Website: tvwhq.com, denverandfrontrangeweather.com,

Instagram: @kodywilson_stormchaser

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kody-wilson-67a7682a

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kody.wilson.16906/, https://www.facebook.com/TVWHQ, https://www.facebook.com/DenverFrontRangeWX/

Other: TikTok: @kodytheweatherguy