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

Hi Mandy, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I was born in Denver but lived most of my younger years in Kansas. My background & upbringing greatly influenced my current business & where I am today. My family loved to shop at garage sales & discount stores. Both sets of my grandparents were business owners & serial entrepreneurs. Both of my grandmothers and my mom were avid makers/crafters and taught me many of the skills that I know. I have many fond memories of creating items with both of my grandmothers. I inherited a lot of their crafting & sewing items over the years. I feel like I’m leaving a contribution to my family’s legacy and what a bonus it feels like it was what I was born to do!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I started my business as a maker, after being laid off from a local nonprofit. I decided to take the risk & begin making handmade and upcycled creations that I could sell online. I wanted my primary focus to be items that other people deemed as worthless or unusable, so I could educate people on how to reuse and repurpose items that they might have otherwise thrown away. One of the things I am most proud of is a viral TikTok video about custom made shoes that converted into over a year’s worth of sales and significant growth of my business. With some of the challenges over the past couple of years, I have learned the art of the pivot is necessary. But I truly feel my biggest achievement was turning my layoff into my legacy!

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?
If my best friend was visiting the area I would start in downtown Denver. I would show them the RINO Art District and 16th street. I’d probably take them to dinner at Olinger which is one of my favorite places to eat in Denver! I would definitely make a stop at a thrift store or two because Denver has some of the best thrift stores! I’d spend another day up in the mountains just outside of Denver, perhaps going to a casino if they feel like gambling. Or maybe we’d go to Golden for a brewery tour of Coors. I’d want to spend a day in Boulder and show them around Pearl Street and do a little shopping. I would love to grab lunch at Flower Child in Boulder before taking a scenic drive from Boulder through the mountains to Estes and RMNP. We’d spend 2 days up there, doing a hike or RMNP drive tour, and then touring the Stanley Hotel. We’d eat at Poppy’s Pizza and Twin Owl steakhouse.
Whe would wrap up the trip in Fort Collins. We would inevitably have to take a brewery tour, as well as spend some time in old town Fort Collins enjoying the shops there, which are some of my favorite to spend time in. If the weather was. warm enough we would head to Horsetooth. Reservoir and stand up paddle board. We would eat somewhere in Old Town, and have a drink at Social and play games at the Yeti. Last day we’d order Krazy Karls Pizza because it is unmatched and we’d be tired!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d love to give a shoutout to a local plant shop, Horsetooth Stem & Roots. We began our working relationship because I purchased plants from them off of Instagram. They now have their own store & it has a community focus. They showcase & sell products from local makers/artists in their store! They graciously have allowed me to showcase several of my upcycled creations in their store & even commissioned me to create their staff aprons. I feel like they have been an incredible local support to me & I’m grateful for them!

Website: www.brickroadco.com

Instagram: @brickroadco

Facebook: @brickroadco

Youtube: @brickroadco

Other: TikTok @brickroadco

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutColorado is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.