Meet Stephen Barela | Entrepreneur

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

Hi Stephen, how do you think about risk?
Personally I don’t consider myself much of a risk taker. I’ve never been one to travel, go outside my comfort zone, or experience new things. Even on the extreme end of the spectrum such as engaging in criminal activity, extreme sports, or driving dangerously has never appealed to me and/or has never been part of my character. While everyone’s out partying, I’m inside studying for a test or watching an interesting documentary. Granted, this may have affected my social life or interpersonal skills, but these values have been with me my entire life. It’s these moral principles that have allowed me to receive a college education, which therefore has opened doors for me along the way. That’s not to say I have never taken risks in my life, but I think having an educated background has allowed me to take risks with a stronger foundation with less concern for failure. Making sure my ducks are in a row before taking the leap of faith.

What should our readers know about your business?
My business is Valet Ski Storage. We are a resort storage and delivery service based out of Vail, Colorado. We pickup, store, deliver, and warehouse personal belongings & gear for repeat visitors to the mountains, this includes but not limited to, ski bags, suitcases, duffles, mountain bikes, etc. I have been a part of this business for 10 years, owner for the last 3 years.

I started working for Valet Ski Storage in 2013, back then it was called “Why-Fly-With-It? Storage”, as a favor to my cousin who worked in the same office as the owner. She and her husband needed help on the busy weekends in the winter and I was a junior in high school looking for some spending cash. Fast-forward 6 years, it’s just me doing the deliveries and pickups, the owner lives in Denver full-time and my dad helps me on the busy weekends. But persistence eventually paid off when the owner no longer had the time or energy to continue running the business. I had shown interest in taking over the company for a couple years, but what does a kid know about running a huge business right? After many negotiations back and forth we finally came to an agreement and the business was officially mine on January 1st, 2020 just before my 24th birthday. However, 3 months later, COVID-19 hit and the world shut down, mid ski season.

During that time I was nervous and scared about the future of my new business, this was uncharted territory. Luckily, I had the support of my family & the loyalty of my clients who helped me through the next two years.. Today, business is much better. The 2021-22 season was still shadowed by masks and social distancing but I’ve learned that with my reliability and their trust, I have the confidence to continue to push through whatever life throws at me and my business. I want people to know that my brand and my company is deeply rooted in the Vail Valley, 100% family owned and operated by 60+ year locals with even more combined years experience in the hospitality industry, this is what separates us from the competition.
If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my best friend was visiting the Vail area for the week we would probably first eat at my favorite places. Breakfast at The Little DIner is always a must. Lunch at The Red Lion or Pazzo’s. Dinner at Lancelot for prime rib or just about anything at Elway’s. Some cool spots to check out are the hike up Booth Falls or riding the gondola to the top of Vail Mountain. Activities we would enjoy around the area would be fishing up Piney Lake or Black Lakes. ATV rides & mountain biking on the hundreds of miles of trails.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My loving parents, grandparents & little sister, my amazing wife, and beautiful baby girl.

Website: www.ValetSkiStorage.com

Instagram: @ValetSkiStorage.USA

Facebook: FB.com/ValetSkiStorage