Thinking through the whether to start something new

Starting a business can be terrifying. Weighing the pros and cons, the risks, and other considerations can be so overwhelming that often promising entrepreneurs stop before they even start. We asked some phenomenal entrepreneurs about their thought process behind starting their own businesses. Our hope is that by making the thought-process less intimidating we can help more folks think through whether they should take an entrepreneurial leap.

Adina (DEE) Colon | Braider/Loctician/Future Barber

Honestly I got tired of being a time slave for others companies. Seeing myself in constant struggle while working a 9-5 while others got richer. Having to miss valuable time away from my kids, special moments, travel, etc. I knew that with my skill set I’d be able to make what I was making biweekly in a few days. Read more>>

Gregg Delaney | entrepreneur, Public Personality, Public speaker, Inspirational speaker, poet &Host

I wanted to create a path that lead to happiness, which for me is a healthy work/ life balance. Read more>>

Terry Rubin | Public Speaking and Strategic Storytelling expert

I never in my wildest dreams thought I would ever start a business on my own. I was a journalist, Speech and Debate Coach, and teacher but that all changed one summer. I was asked by a parent of one of my students to come to his office and run some public speaking workshops for his staff. Read more>>

Desirae Newell | Founder of Fisherman’s Pride Wild Alaskan Seafood

My family been in the business of commercial salmon fishing my entire life so I grew up with top-grade salmon as a staple in our diet. I have lived in Colorado for over 15 years and have always been acutely aware of the lacking quality of fresh fish in our landlocked state. Read more>>

Sami Heller | Owner of New Moon Refillery

I wanted to offer a way for refillable and plastic-free products to be more accessible and convenient in Denver and the surrounding area. While Denver has several refill shops, there aren’t enough for it to be a convenient option for a lot of neighborhoods and suburbs. We decided to start with delivery so that people could order online and their eco-friendly products would just show up on their doorstep! Read more>>

Kate Willecke | Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Private Practice Therapist

When I chose to become a social worker, I was told that I’d need to work hard, obtain a Master’s degree, ‘do my time’ working in challenging environments, and I wouldn’t make much. For the last 8 years, I’ve worked in school settings, inpatient psychiatric hospitals, and community mental health centers learning as much as I could about what it means to do this work well. Read more>>

Corinthiah Brown | BA ,CAS ,Acu-Detox Specialist

My thoughts were , ” I want to have a community center that is trauma informed and offer all the services I needed when I released from prison – a place that offered everything I would need in one place and staff that had lived experience who I could relate too and were culturally inclusive. Read more>>

Lisa Culey | Artist & Registered Nurse

I’ve always been artistic and crafty, but I’ve never really had any formal training. I took a couple art classes in high school and one in college, other than that, I am self-taught. At the age of 50, I went back to school and became an RN. Going to college the same time as my two kids was kinda fun, but the schooling was grueling to say the least. Read more>>

Donte Singleton | Welder

Growing up in New Orleans I was not around too many people that owned their own business. All I really knew was working for other people. When I came to a South Dakota in 2012 I started out jumping from job to job, never really finding something I truly enjoyed. In 2015 I went to welding school with my brother and ended up falling in love with the craft. Read more>>

Jeremy Platt | Chef & Owner

My thought process behind starting my own business was I really wanted to connect everyone to what I do and for them to be invested in what I do. There’s a lot of good food out there, but to connect the food with our story and their experiences has been a beautiful thing to see. Read more>>

Edie Dafoe | Artist and Art Instructor

In 2018 my husband and I were in our seventh year of operating two lodging properties. I was hit by a DUI driver doing 90-100 mph and received bodily injuries and a severe concussion. I was unable to do my share of the work and trying left me bedridden with back pain and suffering from headaches. Read more>>

Morgane Burke | Certified Personal Trainer & Nutrition Specialist

I always knew that my passion for fitness & nutrition will led me to, one day, start my own business. The opportunity presented itself after I had my second baby as I realized that going back to my previous career would no longer fit my lifestyle and be aligned with my vision of professional accomplishment. Read more>>

Damon Brooks | CEO & Founder

Starting GreenDoor came from my own experiences with buying cannabis. I used to spend a lot of time driving around, looking for the best products. When I discovered delivery services, it sparked the idea that there could be an easier way to get cannabis. Inspired, I explored what Denver had to offer and found out about opportunities for social equity. Read more>>

Anastasiya Tkachenko | Copywriter – Anachenko Copywriting Studio

Prior to launching my Copywriting business, I worked in the world of non-profits for nearly 10 years. I started when I was 14, volunteering at various organizations, and then accepted an incredible job while in college at the University of Colorado Denver for the Colorado “I Have A Dream” Foundation. Read more>>

Kasia Katza | Polish writer, Tech girl and Farm enthusiast

I am Polish who moved to Colorado less than 2 years ago. The move has been supported in a many ways by my company Google, where I work more than 8 years. Colorado is beautiful, nature is amazing, people are the most genuine and inspirational I have ever met, but it all is not enough to be fully happy when you are far away from your home country, when you speak your native language maybe 10-20 % in day usage. Read more>>

Kelly Bonnez | Photographer

I was laid off from my job and then shortly after I discovered I was pregnant in June 2022. Once we had our daughter in the Bay Area we decided to move to Boulder in November 2023 and then that following January I started to job hunt again. Read more>>

Alex Drost | Guitarist in Amaryllis

Like many Colorado bands, Amaryllis started with friends jamming and writing songs in the mountains. The music we were making helped us through tough times, and we wanted to share that healing power and spread messages of hope, love, and community. It’s funny to think about how we handle “business stuff” now, like social media, ticket sales, and interviews like this one. Read more>>

ellen mills | Learning Disabilities Teacher Consultant/Advocate

Starting my own business as an advocate for special education and related services stemmed from a deep-seated passion for empowering students with learning disabilities and their families. My extensive background in special education, both as a Learning Disabilities Teacher Consultant (LDTC) in New Jersey public schools and as the President of Arvada Learning & Coaching, laid the foundation for this endeavor. Here is a summary of my thought process: Read more>>