Meet Ryan Richards | Real Estate Professional

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

Hi Ryan, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
We all possess the ability to adapt. The Great Recession affected my perception on reliability. I experienced a decade of employment at the Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor’s Gulch that created a lifestyle of stability. I worked as a ski technician, restaurant server, fitness trainer, spa manager, ski valet, and bellman. The financial crisis of 2008 was the beginning of a series of failures, that stimulated necessary adaptation. The process was to find (creative) ways to provide services that consumers needed in my community. What problem(s) could be solved, within my ability to exceed the expectation of the customer? Does this business model support long-term growth, or would it become a Blockbuster? Could the model be adapted in a worse case environment? My first (successful) business was a fitness training service-that led to an opportunity of taking a greater risk-and co-founded the Bunkhouse, Vail’s first and only hostel in 2016 that has been a great success. Now, I’m into selling the dream to others, by acquiring real-estate for clients through Keller Williams Mountain Properties.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
We’re winning, or learning-especially when we’re on the edge of our abilities. People and things break on the edge, and these failures are never easy. I was fed a steady diet of believing that if I did everything right, business (and life) would work out on my terms. The greatest lessons that I’ve learned is many people have supported my life decisions, and others haven’t. It taught me to maintain my own point of origin, my own identity, and to make my own decisions, because at the end of the day, nobody cares about what I have going on anyway. That’s not cynical, that’s enlightening. I’ve always had a reasonable work ethic, so that strength has always carried me through challenging times. The extra mile is never crowded.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I moved to the Vail Valley, Colorado in 2003 to pursue outdoor adventures. Depending on the season, I would take my best friend skiing at Beaver Creek in the winter, a great hike in the summer, and a float down the river with a cold beverage. I enjoy food, people, and entertainment and the options in our mountain community are impressive. Summer afternoons on the deck at Harvest, or E-town is great fun! Ti-Amo is still my favorite restaurant. Always exciting to enjoy the many concerts in the summer from Gypsum Daze, the Eagle Block Party, the free concert series in Vail, or many events at the Villar Performing Arts Center.

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?
One of my business partners Mike Joseph, President of Clover Management, a Buffalo based Real Estate company once said “I’d rather be lucky than smart.” My blessing in success comes from the great fortune of too many friends, mentors, family members, and organizations to name. They all know who they are! Notably, I thank God often, I couldn’t have done it without my business partner Nancy, the Sonnenalp Golf Club, the Vail Daily, and Keller Williams Mountain Properties.

Website: ryanrichards.com; Vailbunkhouse.com

Other: rwrichards79@gmail.com