We had the good fortune of connecting with Richard and Kristy Esquibel and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Richard and Kristy, maybe we can start at the very start – the idea – how did you come up with the idea for your business?
The idea for our business came about while attending a family wedding outside in mid-July. The outside reception had minimal coverage and had people seeking shade. My husband and I quickly noticed the need for party tents and supplies in our area. Together we wanted to provide outdoor venue space that would allow people to gather comfortably and enjoy the beautiful scenery of the San Luis Valley. There was nothing like this available, and we love to host gatherings so why not do it for people in our community!

What should our readers know about your business?
We are most proud of the fact that we have brought a new service to a rural area that didn’t completely exist before, at least to the extent of service we provide. Starting a party rental service during COVID wasn’t the most ideal situation. however, providing outdoor venues to support people in our community to continue gathering was meaningful to us, Lessons we’ve learned along the way…. • Enjoy the journey and love what you do! All the hours and hard work are manageable if you love what you do,
everything else will fall into place.
• Show appreciation to those people and organizations that support you!
• Adapt, be fluid, and learn from day-to-day challenges to improve processes. Experience is the best teacher! You
don’t know all aspects of the industry and how to create efficiencies until you run into challenges and learn how to
overcome them.

What we want people to know about our brand is that we are dedicated to creating superior outdoor events to encourage community and allow people to take advantage of the beauty that surrounds us!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
The San Luis Valley is a unique location with lots of surrounding beauty to take advantage of. If we had friends visiting for a week, we would take them to the Great Sand Dunes National Park. There is so much to do at this national park, and it’s also designated as an International Dark Sky Park, making it possible to see thousands of stars at night.

We would enjoy all wonderful tastes of San Luis Valley including Ninos’s del Sol Mexican Restaurant, Woody’s BBQ Shack, San Luis Valley Brewing CO., Campus Cafe, Three Barrels Pizza, and 1874 Food Truck. Tasting local craft beers is also a must, so visiting Colorado Farm Brewery and Square Peg Brewerks is always a good time!

We would also rent paddle boards from SLV Sports and Wellness and mountain bikes from Kristy Mountain Sports to enjoy the local recreational areas. To wind down we would go to the local hot springs including Sand Dunes Recreation greenhouse and enjoy their Mile Deep Grille.

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?
Both, my husband and I have had the opportunity to do many different things in our careers which prepared us to start this business. For my husband, Richard, his experience in the United States Marine Corps taught him leadership, logistical skills, and resourcefulness! Additionally, his career in sales has helped grow our business far above what we expected in the first year. As for me, my experience in Banking and education in Finance prepared me for all the aspects of owning a commercial business. I would like to recognize my husband Richard for his full support and willingness to jump right into this business venture. I had the idea of renting large party tents for venues, but I didn’t really understand all the logistics and manual labor required. From conception of the idea to multiple events every weekend, he was all in and has made this business what it is today. Without his support of my ideas, we wouldn’t have taken the risk to do this!

We also owe a huge shoutout to Richard’s brother, Ryan Esquibel and father, Rick Esquibel. Without them this business wouldn’t be possible. Their support has contributed to our success as a small business. These two individuals deserve recognition in our story, the growth of the business would not be possible without them.

Last but not least our family and local community for embracing our business. Their support and referrals made this a reality for us!

Website: https://highpeakevent.com/

Instagram: Highpeakeventco

Facebook: High Peak Event Company

Image Credits
Photo credit for personal photo: Francesca McConnell

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.