Are you thinking about starting a business? If so, we think you’ll enjoy reading about how these seasoned entrepreneurs thought about the question when they were in your shoes.

Nick Meyer | TikTok, Instagram, & YouTube Content Creator @nicktalksmoney

Coming out of college as a finance major, I initially pursued a pretty standard career path as a financial advisor. I helped high net worth individuals manage their personal finances, navigate their employee benefits, and prepared their tax returns. Read more>>

Dominque Robbins | Music Producer, audio engineer, artist

I’ve always wanted to have my own studio, but it all came down to when and where. So putting forth the work behind the scenes it took some years, but I finally made my dream come true. Read more>>

Nicholas Stock | Video Producer, Editor, Director

These days starting your own thing can be more forced than in years prior. What I mean is, corporate jobs are cushy. I’ve had one most of my adult life. Starting your own business or even striking out as a full time freelance can be scary. It was and still is for me despite the progress and successes along the way. Read more>>

Sara Bachman | Attorney

When I decided to start my own business, I was not happy where I was at professionally, and it was affecting me personally. I hated putting all of my energy forward for someone else to take, and I knew that I could only get free by removing myself from the situation I was in. Read more>>

Carrie Tahquechi | Jewelry designer

I love to create pieces of jewelry which make people smile and affirm their inner sparkle. This is my primary motivation for operating Carrie T. Designs (carriet.com), the online portfolio and store where I offer custom handmade beaded jewelry creations for any occasion. Read more>>

Paul Struempler | Creator with Echo-Terra LLC

We were all really looking to create something that was completely our own, allowing us the creative control to explore and showcase what we enjoy. We recognized that we didn’t have anybody doing this in our area and yet the demand was there for more collaboration with local artists, musicians and festivities in the natural environment. Read more>>

Claire Kelly | Business Owner + Lead Photographer

I had been really passionate about my photography as a hobby for many years, but when the pandemic came along, I found myself re-evaluating my career goals and viewing some things through a new lens. I have always felt that documenting our lives and loved ones was important; but seeing how quickly circumstances can change, I was motivated to take a chance on myself. Read more>>

Benu Amun-Ra | Non-Profit Co-Founder & Seed Keeper

During the pandemic, I was forced to dissolve my home health care business. While adjusting to the new ‘norm’, the tremendous losses of people in the health care business and essential workforce made an incredible impact on me. Read more>>

Kristen Morris | Health Coach, Trainer, Fitness Instructor

I’ve worked for gyms and studios since I started my career in health/fitness over 25 years ago. To be honest, it was the pandemic/covid that pushed me out of my comfort zone. Everything was shut down initially, but I knew people still needed to exercise and have that community support now more than ever. I thought, why not?! Read more>>

Josh Ball | Photographer/ Filmmaker

My thought Process was that Its the only option I have. I found an intense passion for photography after travelling around Europe. It sparked something in me which lit me up and created the passion for storytelling in photos which then led to so many enjoyable experiences and allowed me to look at the world differently. Read more>>

Travis LeRoy | Founder of That Eighties Band

I started playing bass when I was 13. Over the next several years I performed in a variety of original bands, and was a bass instructor. In my late 20’s, I contemplated “retiring” from music, but in my heart I knew I did not want to stop. That is when I first had the idea to form a band that focuses on 80’s music. Read more>>

Yemi Nicholson | Recording and Mixing Engineer

When I first had the idea of starting a recording studio, the business aspect of running it was secondary to me wanting to own and work with numerous artist in the city. Read more>>

Jessica Klain | Doctor of Physical Therapy, Yoga Instructor & Personal Trainer

It was never my goal to own or run my own business. I thought it would take away from my professional passion of being a physical therapist. I love helping people recover from injury, giving them hope and encouragement, allowing them to return to their desired activities, and helping them work towards living a healthy life free of pain. Read more>>

Lauren Buchanan & Morgan Bowles | CEOs of LoMo Social Media Co. LLC

We were inspired to start our own small business after we saw a need in the community for locally-based, personal social media management. Born and raised in Fort Collins, we both have deep roots in the Northern Colorado area and have watched our town and local businesses grow along with us. Read more>>

Erika Strassberg | Owner & Founder

I actually used to be a corporate event planner, and obviously when the pandemic hit, events changed drastically. Everything went virtual and the parts of my job I enjoyed doing (like interacting with people, etc.) was no longer a thing! And I also had eight different managers in the five years I was with my last company and that was the nail in the coffin on corporate life for me! So I decided to just take a leap and start my own business. Read more>>

Alexandra Falticeni | Intuitive Energy Healer, Sound Vibration, and Mind Body Energy Therapist

I came from a very abusive upbringing and when I finally was on my own, my sister took me to my first healer in the UK. The healing was so profound that it led me to seek other healers in the states to continue facing my past and letting go of all the trauma that had occurred. The work continued to be profound and it led me to study energy healing and holistic healing practices. Read more>>

Corinne Gibbons | Singer/Composer/ Founder of Discover Your Voice

I founded Discover Your Voice Teambuilding in 2007 to create an effortless pathway to joy through harmony singing and a non competitive team-building experience where every voice matters equally. Singing is your birthright and it’s as natural as smiling. Tuning corporate teams into their vision and values from both a personal and professional space to support team spirit and to firmly establish a united vision through music for the company going forward. Read more>>

Sandra Parker | Founder and CEO of Justine Haines Inc.

I’ve enjoyed a rewarding career working in Montreal’s fashion industry, specifically in sales, marketing, and PR. During the pandemic, I had time to reflect… to think about my values, lifestyle and impact on the planet. I learned a lot about sustainability. I decided then and there to NOT got back to work and launch my own company. But what was i going to sell? Well, I began to think about my 6 young nieces and the options that are available
to them when it comes to periods. Read more>>

Joslyn Doerge Scott Briggs | Joslyn Doerge: Owner/ Designer and Scott Briggs: Owner/ Project Manager

I have a scientific illustration/design background and my husband has a landscape/building background. We wanted to join forces and were interested in combining our skills. We also wanted to start a company that could be eco friendly by creating mostly recycled gardens that are drought tolerant and design conscious. Read more>>

Jennifer Vierling | Passionate about the Heck Yeah” moments and Co-Founder Tailwind Nutrition”

Like other entrepreneurs, we were trying to solve a problem. In our case, it was trying to figure out nutrition for endurance athletes. Endurance athletes suffer from unique challenges that surface when you exercise longer than 1 hour: Read more>>

Matt & Kiwi Callahan | Co-Founders & High School Sweethearts

The story goes: One night while watching TV (and after a few glasses of wine), they got hooked on laughing at how hilariously bad — and stunningly similar — all of these made-for-TV holiday movies were. In a Eureka moment, they ran to the kitchen and grabbed a notepad and two pens, and scribbled down what ended up becoming the first Bad Christmas Movie Bingo board. Read more>>

Candice Fabry | Owner, Mentor and Coach

Through my lived experiences as a woman working in sports, and through the numerous conversations with peers, I knew there had to be a more reliable and consistent way to bring support to women and minorities working and participating in sports. I have been a part of a number of groups that had always mentorship as one arm of support, but it was typically met with a lack of resources and consistency in experience. Read more>>

Michael Wilkey | CEO of Caveman LLC | Husband & Father of 4 | Narcoleptic

#1 goal for all of this was to have more freedom in two areas. First, freedom to spend time with my Family. I enjoy being actively involved in my kids’ lives and their hobbies, and working for someone else made that impossible at the level I wanted to do it at. Read more>>

Briton Sloan | Social Worker, therapist, and Owner of Reawaken Counseling

For many years, as a school social worker in Denver Public Schools, my purpose in life was built on the idea of serving others in need. Although this sounds like an honorable way to live, I did this at the expense of myself and my family. I wasn’t happy and felt like I was just surviving every day. Read more>>

Jonathan Fredette | Founder, Evolved Mushrooms, Citizen Health Scientist

Studying ways to improve my own personal health were essential for my early development. I realized that there is a massive deficiency in general understanding of individual health. When I explored the wide spectrum of different medicinal mushrooms, it became apparent to me that there was powerful medicine to be found here. Read more>>

Shurvone Wright | Author/Speaker/Coach/Publisher/Social Media Strategist

I have always had a mind of an entrepreneur and business owner. I was not always very confident in my abilities to really take myself serious. I have always tried different entrepreneur opportunities, It was not until COVID-19 happened that I knew I had an opportunity and time to step out and go for it. I also wanted to learn enough about my business and the process of running the business to help others. My goal for the business is not to just make money but to help other in the process. Read more>>