Meet Rowan Steger | Owner/CEO

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

Hi Rowan, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I have always had a mind for entrepreneurship, ever since I was a kid doodling inventions in my “ontreprenur journal”. This has carried over to me starting many businesses, some successful, some unsuccessful. In middle school me and Colin started a business called Fidget Widgets which sold various fidget toys. So when myself, Carter, and Colin sat down one day wanting to make an impact on the community, starting a business seemed like an obvious choice! The goal with Mountainside Lifestyle was to help the local businesses that I grew up with, and that make Fort Collins special. We saw that small businesses frequently had neither the time, money, or know-how to build their own websites, and that customers wanted to buy locally without leaving the comfort of their own home. We sought to address both of these desires, and have always kept supporting the community at the center of our company.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
The three of us we’re high school students when we started this business, and now just days after graduation, we are all headed to different colleges across the country. However, we are determined to not let this be the end of our company. Instead, we will be using our new locations to grow ML into new communities. This is something we have always wanted to do, and college will let us find the opportunity to expand.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Fort Collins, Colorado is packed with things to do and see. I’d start by taking them to Old Town to wander about and eventually grab dinner at either the Rio Grande or Coopersmith’s, both completely unique local restaurants and favorites of mine. We would spend the next day driving up the canyon stopping by at the Mishawaka Amphitheater for lunch. If they’re up for it we would hike Greyrock. At some point during the visit, I know I would need to take them up to Horsetooth Rock to watch the sunrise, and we could spend the day paddleboarding and swimming in the reservoir afterwards. The nature in this area and the local stores and restaurants in Old Town are what makes Fort Collins special, and they are the most important things for somebody to see when they visit.

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?
My mother, LeAnn Sipple, has been supportive throughout our entire time at Mountainside Lifestyle! When we first launched our website our only sales came from her purchasing whatever new products we put up, and as we began to gain more traction she stepped in as an advisor who understood the more difficult things for young people like ourselves to understand. She helped with tax forms and legal issues, which allowed us to focus on the improving site and helping the community.

Website: Mountainsidelifestyle.com

Instagram: @mountainside_lifestyle