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

Hi Kristina, as a parent, what have you done for you children that you feel has had the most significant impact?
When I first became a parent back in 1993, I ruminated over what my role as a parent was, and what I realized was my role was simply to ensure that they become successfully independent. Knowing this, I made a list of all the things my children need to know before they were 18 and it was a long list!
They needed to know how to do laundry, grocery shop on a budget, drive a car including a stick shift, change a tire, fix an appliance, start a campfire, home repairs, taxes….the list went on. Now that my children are older and out of college and in their own homes, they have confided in me that learning such skills was in fact the most impactful lessons in their lives.

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?
After 20+ years as a Registered Nurse, and finding employment in strange and wonderful places; from working with mentally ill individuals on the streets of Seattle to trauma & emergency nursing in Reno, NV to forensics within jails and California’s Department of Prisons over to forensic collection within SART (Suspected Assault Response Team), I had finally decided to step it up and obtain my Master’s Degree in Nursing and a license as a Family Nurse Practitioner. As a Nurse Practitioner, my background is in urgent care, but my passion is in family medicine. With urgent care, you unfortunately rarely learn the outcome of the disease or disaster. People often come in for a band-aid: a quick fix-only to later return to their primary care providers for follow up. With family medicine, you have the ability to follow up, to monitor, to celebrate milestones with your patients-and this is the part I love the most. You watch children grow, you watch mothers and fathers heal, you notice bravery, and kindness, and boundless love, and I am lucky enough to witness it. But getting to this place was a definite challenge. I had to learn all the facets of business: a foreign feat for someone with an education in medicine. Family support and following the advice of other business owners was key. I’ve learned perseverance and a great deal of patience, but the work isn’t over and Half Moon Health & Wellness will always be a work in progress. I’m still fairly new, having just recently opened my doors so I still need help getting the news out there and bringing in new patients. Having to compete with big names like Boulder Health, Intermountain Health, and UC Health is definitely a challenge, however what sets Half Moon apart is that we don’t place time constraints on your appointments. Patients are given the time they need to discuss their story and concerns in order to find answers. We are also unique in that we stay open on Saturdays and Sundays because we all know that health isn’t limited to a Monday through Friday schedule. And if those times don’t work, give us a call and we will work with you to find a solution. Lastly, we accept most insurance plans, however if that isn’t the case, we will work with you to ensure you get the care you need. Money is not our priority. You are.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
What a fun question! I definitely have my go to spots for visiting friends and family and that usually starts with Meow Wolf.
Sun. Day 1 – Meow Wolf followed by 16th street mall for some shopping and people watching. Then Union station for some good food. Rent ebikes and ride the Cherry Creek trail stopping at one of the beautiful parks for a picnic.

Mon. Day 2- Tangerine in Lafayette for breakfast followed by Rabbit Hole for an excellent escape room experience. Wander throughout the quaint town of Lafayette and Louisville downtown. Head to the Melting Pot for a night of Fondue.

Tues. Day 3- Sandbox in Denver for some VR Zombie shooting then take your team to to the Handlebar Factory for Trivia night.

Wed. Day 4- 100 Nikel in Broomfield for a few games of laser tag followed by a hike at Anne White trail. End the night at Louisville Underground for great comedy or Game Show Night!

Thurs. Day 5- Coffee at Laughing Goat in Boulder then spend the day roaming Pearl street, more coffee at Trident Bookstore. Then tea time at Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse followed by dinner at River and Woods.

Fri. Day 6-Spend the day in Idaho Springs. 1/2 day White water rafting then make your way to Indian Springs for an amazing soak followed by Tommy Knockers for some killer pizza.

Sat. Day 7- Brunch and music at Ophelias Eclectic Soapbox. Go to the Museum of Illusions then grab tickets for a tour through Denvers Botanical Gardens.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My immediate family, 100%. My husband, Matt is the one who gave me the encouragement and much needed “nudges” to persevere through my first year with a new business. My daughters Lany & Jazmin who provided me the inspiration for building something relatable and appealing to the community as well as adding the expertise in all things “social media” related. Lastly, my brother Dave and mother Bev who believed in me enough to blindly provide financial backing and ongoing support at every turn.

Website: http://www.halfmoonhealth.net

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/halfmoonhw/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/halfmoonhw

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560598139867

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