Many books on startups and business talk about how there are right and wrong reasons for starting a business. So, we asked a handful of successful founders about their reasons and the thought-process behind starting their business.

Dianne Rensink

When the current owner moved out of state she realized that she didn’t want to run the spa from another state. She originally thought she could do it, but it proved to be too much. She came to me and asked me if I wanted to buy it, and I immediately said, “no way”. But as time went on I started thinking, “why not me?”. The more I thought about it the more excited I became, and it was my original intent when I started school to be an aestethician. Read More>>

Emily & Luke Kunselman

Emily and I had visited our first bar & arcade in Denver back in 2012. As we wandered through, checking the place out, I said to her, “We need one of these in Longmont.” Over the next 5 years, we talked constantly about if we opened a bar & arcade of our own, what would it be like? Every trip we went on we made sure to find any bar and arcade we could. We would then talk about what we liked and didn’t like at each place. Read More>>

Stacy Webb

Starting Sesen Skin Body Wellness was really about bringing together everything I’m passionate about-skin health, internal wellness, and the connection between the two. As an integrative nutritionist and esthetician, I kept seeing how much skin reflects what’s happening inside the body. I wanted to create a space where people could get support from both angles, not just a quick facial or a surface-level solution. Read More>>

 Jessica Burridge

I was about fourteen when I knew I wanted to be a tattoo artist; and with that I always knew I wanted to run my own shop.
I’ve tattooed in a few different shops around Denver over the years, traveled to other states to work in shops and at conventions, and tattooed internationally. Ive been checking things off my goal list and the one I have been dancing around for a little while… opening my own shop- well it became extremely obvious what was to come next for me. Read More>>

 Shannon Weber

So, I’ve spent pretty much my whole adult life working for big companies, and honestly, it’s been a grind. It always felt like it was pulling me away from my family and the stuff I actually wanted to spend my time on. Then, after getting laid off—for the second time, no less—it hit me: I’m never going to be the top priority for any business or employer. That’s when I decided I’d rather call the shots myself. I started looking into all sorts of business ideas, and this one just clicked. I’m crazy about animals, and I love being outdoors, so it felt like the perfect fit for me. Read More>>

 Rosa Arreola

Starting my own business was a decision deeply rooted in my lifelong passion for working with children. As the oldest sister of three, with a 20-year age gap between my youngest sister and me, I had the privilege of witnessing her early years of growth, which reinforced my love for childcare. This, combined with my experience caring for my cousins, naturally led me to pursue a career dedicated to nurturing young minds. Read More>>

Hamilton Pevec

I wanted to combine my two passions, Mycology and Filmmaking. I was already working as a consultant for some of the largest mushroom extract brands on the planet and decided to launch my own DTC brand that would finance my filmmaking. There was a quality shaped hole in the market and i intended to fill it. Five years later we are cruising and my organic mushroom extracts support mycological efforts all around the world: mushroom clubs, mushroom festivals, scholarships, even science. Read More>>

Ashley Cunningham

Starting Thoughtfully Curated Events felt like the most natural next step in my career. I had just wrapped up one of the biggest events of my professional journey—the National Aviation Hall of Fame Enshrinement Dinner—when my client looked at me and said, “Why don’t you have your own company? You were made for this.” That comment stuck with me. The very next day, I sat down and started putting everything into motion. Launching my own business had always been a dream of mine, and that moment gave me the final push I needed to make it real. Read More>>

 Erin Teague

I had always been afraid to be a professional artist. I had bought the starving artist concept hook, line, and sinker. But as I was approaching my 20th wedding anniversary and my son’s entrance into high school, I thought, “Life is flying by.” And while I was mostly happy with my life, I had a deep ache for something more. Read More>>

Melody Crump

After graduating college, I found myself doing what most people would, getting married and starting a family. After spending a few years working for others, including a partnership in a local frozen yogurt chain in Texas, my husband and I decided that the life we wanted was to work for ourselves and we knew Lake City would help us achieve that goal. We moved knowing that we would have to be patient and wait for the right opportunity. During this time, we leased and operated a local coffee shop and grew a catering business from the ground up.  Read More>>

Louise Keaton

Starting my own social media marketing business wasn’t something I planned from day one—it was something I felt. I’ve been working for years as a Sr. Account Manager in the chemical industry, managing markets across the US, Canada, and LATAM. But deep down, I knew there was something more aligned with my purpose.

I discovered digital marketing almost by accident, but once I got into it, I was hooked. I felt this strong calling to help small and medium-sized businesses show up online, tell their stories, and grow. It became clear that this wasn’t just a side interest—it was my mission. Read More>>

 Nick Pearson

Starting Sober Outdoors was deeply personal for me. I had worked in the outdoor industry for years and loved everything about being outside—but when I got sober, I realized there weren’t many spaces that combined recovery with outdoor adventure. I craved a community that supported sobriety without relying on traditional recovery settings, which often didn’t feel like the right fit for me. Read More>>

Nico Galto

When Breanna and I (Nico) started Laporte Outdoor Living, our main goal was to make outdoor living accessible to everyone. We didn’t want to be just another landscaping company, we wanted to be more than that. We wanted to be a part of this community, your neighbors, and a business you can rely on.

For me, it’s all about integrity. We pour a lot of hard work into what we do because we want to create something lasting, not just in the work we do but in the relationships we build. I also love that we’re able to give back and partner with nonprofits. It’s incredibly rewarding to know that we’re not just improving people’s outdoor spaces but also helping out in any way we can. Read More>>