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

Hi Morgan, what’s the most important thing you’ve done for your children?
That’s a very big question and one I’m still actively doing, or trying to do, every day. You see, not only am I a parent, I’m a girl mom. It’s a title I absolutely love, but also one that I have always felt comes with added pressures. Because when you have girls, you also have future women. And when you are raising the world’s future women, you also have to instill the knowledge that they are not less than in any way shape or form. Their dreams, talents, and opinions are valid and important. They are capable and deserving of whatever it is they want to achieve in their lives. It’s my responsibility to model that they can do just as much as their male counterparts and they are allowed to take up space. So, when I chose to stay home with them, there was also this nagging voice in the back of my head questioning whether I was setting the correct example for them.

I grew up with an understanding that success meant climbing the corporate ladder and making lots of money. What I’m realizing now is that success can look different for everyone. Today, my definition of success has more to do with listening to my heart and being a good person. It has less to do with the number of dollars in my accounts and more to do with making a positive impact in the world of those I serve. As Maya Angelou said: “success is liking yourself, liking what you do and liking how you do it.”

My girls are too young to really understand any of those things yet, but the opportunity of starting my own business and letting them see the good, the bad, and the ugly that goes along with it has been so impactful – for me in the here and now, and hopefully for them as they get older. I hope one day they can look at me as an example when defining their own version of success.

Whether my girls want to stay home with their future children, become CEO of a Fortune 500 company, turn their own visions into a real-life business of their own – or do a combination of all of those – I pray every day that I am showing them they are capable and deserving of it.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I started Loved Beyond Measure Gifts in November 2023. I had been gifting care packages for my own friends and their children when they would bring a new baby home for a couple years at that point. I felt so strongly about still giving gifts for their big life events but didn’t want to bombard them with things they didn’t need. I had searched for gift baskets and couldn’t find exactly what I was looking for. Everything I found seemed to focus solely on things like self-care OR “mama” schwag; toddler type-activities OR big sibling gear. I wanted a mix of both so, after many people telling me to start selling what I was gifting, I decided to do it on my own.

As of today, I have three gift box offerings:

1. The Mama gift box – the perfect gift for both new and seasoned moms; moms experiencing major life events or just needing a reminder that they are worthy out of the blue. It’s a combination of beloved “mama” items and general self-care items to help spoil the woman in her.

2. The Big Brother or Big Sister gift box – a life saver for growing families! These boxes include open-ended activities to keep littles busy, items to embrace and love their new title, and a few snacks.

3. The Pregnancy Loss gift box – a thoughtful and caring gesture to help support and love on women experiencing miscarriage. I’ve noticed so many want to support their friends during this really difficult time in life, but don’t always know what to say or give in these circumstances. These boxes include items to encourage physical and mental healing, along with mementos to remember their angel baby. It’s a great first gesture to let your loved one know you’re there for her.

In a month or so I’ll be launching another gift box for tween girls entering the confusing and emotional time of puberty. It’s something completely different from what I’ve done before but is most certainly a need within the “loving on kids” umbrella and I’m excited to fill that gap.

I think the piece that really sets Loved Beyond Measure Gifts apart is that we are solely focused on loving moms and kids. I’m really focusing all my energy on the people and things I’m most passionate about so that it comes out in each gift box. Boxes are also compiled with items that are either homemade by me or are from other small, local, or woman-owned businesses. And on top of all of that, I also offer tons of flexibility and personalization options within each gift box. From selecting a tumbler versus an iced coffee glass, to getting to include your own personal message to your recipient, I want every gift to feel like you hand-selected each of these items just for your loved one.

This is an incredibly personal journey for me, and I want that to come out in every product I offer. I never want Loved Beyond Measure Gifts to feel like an impersonal, big-box-store experience. I want every customer to feel some form of connection to me and my business. I want every small business I partner with to feel my belief in their business. Every individual item and full gift box has been inspired by my own personal experiences or someone close in my life. These boxes don’t exist just to make money, they exist to solve a problem and love on women and children who need a little extra loving.

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.
Well, this is a little embarrassing because I’m a pretty big homebody and most of my outings involve small children these days. I won’t even pretend to be on top of the latest and greatest in the area but I’m happy to share some of my go to’s.

I will always be a huge fan of the brewery scene in Northern Colorado so I’d definitely incorporate some form of brewery hopping. I love the atmosphere and relaxed vibe that comes with each different brewery, and I also love sampling the different options that are out there. It’s less about the actual beer and more about the creativity these brewers put into their crafts.

We’d also spend some time hiking – likely up at Horsetooth Mountain or in Rocky Mountain National Park. I always like bringing people up to Estes Park for a quick day trip because you sort of get the sense of a mountain town but it’s just a short drive, plus I dream about the Avocado Margaritas at Ed’s Cantina.

If there was time for a big excursion, dog sledding in Breckenridge is currently top of my bucket list. But in the summer, I’d love to do a road trip to Telluride and Ouray. They are the most stunning towns and I feel like everyone needs to experience their beauty in person.

In terms of food, The Urban Egg and Snooze are always my breakfast staples. Blue Agave, Explorado, the Exchange in Old Town Fort Collins, the Windsor Mill, Jax Fish House…there are so many amazing places to eat in Northern Colorado!

I realize this may sound lame, but I’m in that phase of life right now where I don’t get out a ton. And I’m ok with that. So when I do have friends or family come in to town to visit, I certainly plan a few outings to create a memorable trip, but my main focus is just getting to spend intentional time together.

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?
Gosh there are so many people who have been such major influences in my journey. I know you asked for one person or group, but I can’t narrow it down to just one. It has really taken a village to get this business off the ground. I’m so grateful to every single person that has had a part in it.

Bonny, Cristina, Erin, Emily, Nikola, Leah and Kathy – these women have been the world’s biggest cheerleaders. They talked me into the inception of the business itself. They’ve offered their own personal business services to support my own. They answer my text messages when I’m feeling indecisive and need a second opinion. They talk Loved Beyond Measure Gifts up just as much as I do. I am so incredibly grateful to have these women in my life.

My husband, Daryll, who could very well have told me that holding hundreds and hundreds of dollars’ worth of inventory for gift boxes wasn’t in our budget (because it’s not), but instead he told me to go for it. This business venture was a major leap of faith in our household and I’m very fortunate to have a partner who is supportive of me taking the risk.

My fellow small business partners – especially those I’ve worked with from the beginning. I’m so excited to get to support other small, local, and women-owned businesses and know they work so incredibly hard to provide high quality products for my gift boxes.

And finally, my daughters, for pushing me to want to be the best version of myself and set the best example I can for them.

Website: www.lovedbeyondmeasuregifts.com

Instagram: instagram.com/lovedbeyondmeasuregifts

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552568971581

Image Credits
My Roots Photography

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