Starting a business is a commitment and requires dedication, resources and sacrifice. We asked some of the rising stars in our community how they thought through the idea of starting their own businesses.

Jeff Homer | Founder, Ensemble Music Schools

Entrepreneurship was initially attractive to me because of the freedom it promised – freedom to work on something that I could make my own, under my own supervision, and to “bet on myself.” Quickly, I learned that this was actually a team sport and that I would need to grow as a leader and as a manager to be successful, but it’s been an incredibly rewarding journey. In particular, I’ve loved how starting a business afforded me the opportunity to get out from behind my computer screen and have a tangible impact on real people in my community, Read more>>

Larissa Wild | Certified Appraiser of Personal Property (Fine Art), International Society of Appraisers; Independent Art Consultant

I directed an art gallery in Beaver Creek for about 6 years. During this time I observed that many people up here in the mountains had interior designers fill their homes with art, and the majority of the time it was either high-priced decor, or the same handful of artists that everyone else had in their homes. I thought that the art should be the same level as the architecture and the interior design itself, and not an afterthought. Read more>>

Jen Dz | Adventure Elopement Photographer

Starting my own business kind of happened by accident. I never thought I would be an entrepreneur and definitely never thought I would be a photographer! I went to law school to study environmental law, took and passed the bar exam, and worked in a semi-legal position for 5 years. After my son was born I knew that I wanted more flexibility in my life to spend time with him – something that my job at that time didn’t offer. When I left that 9-5 job I assumed I would end up working for someone else again! Read more>>

Erica Leonis | Multimedia Expert

I’ve worked in media for nearly a decade now, and before that I dabbled in video as a hobby in high school and college. I love the challenging and endlessly creative aspects of it. I have also seen how media can entirely change someone’s life through working in news. There would be times they called me in for a major breaking news story. In those situations I had to edit video for our shows, video for all the major networks, log sound bites and help get content ready for our reporters and social media. Read more>>

Matt Casseday | CEO and Doctor of Physical Therapy

Coming from an entrepreneurial family, I knew that if I had my own practice, I could better deliver excellent patient results while simultaneously creating a culture where PT’s enjoyed working on a daily basis. I love doing what I’m doing as a physical therapist, and wanted to find like minded, fun and passionate therapists to expand my vision. Most importantly, I wanted to make a big impact in our community to be known as the best physical therapy practice in the area, better than the average physical therapy clinic out there. Read more>>

Mamine Doumbia | Hairstylist

My thought process behind starting my business basically I came to a realization to myself that I am a hard working employee, at the time of this thought I was employed at Chuck E. Cheese’s. I realized I was working hard to make someone else, rich I was looking around at my peers and some of them would pick the easiest task at work and I would do whatever I was asked of! And on top of that I wasn’t getting treated right by the customers! I took the next step and quit my job and told myself whatever it is that I want to do I will put my all into it. Just as I did working for other employers, from there everything took off! Read more>>

Tennille Thomas | Positive Change Activist & Founder

AUA started with an overwhelming urge to fill a void. Many have no idea how many families are truly suffering from poverty and can’t afford the simplest of things such as undergarments. Parents are working 2 jobs just to make ends meet and that leaves children unattended. So here at AUA, we have dedicated our time to finding creative ways to interact with the community and work towards a brighter future where well-being and health are at the forefront. Read more>>

Carla Aparicio | Photographer and multidisciplinary artist.

I need to transform my “flat”photography into an art object that goes into higher and different dimensions. I want to collaborate and be part of something bigger than my own expression. Read more>>

Wyatt Hersey | Illustrator, Painter, Muralist

The biggest reason I can think of is that I just wanted to spend more time making art. I figured if I could make some money making art, I could spend less time working in kitchens and more time creating stuff. I started really small, I basically created an instagram and a website, bought a laptop and started teaching myself photoshop, spent more time making paintings and got some shows at small coffee shops where I was living at the time. From there it’s just grown really slowly, first it was mostly people I knew directly that were supporting me, then it was small businesses in the town I was living in, and it just kept spreading. Read more>>

Derek DeYoung | DeYoung Studio

I have dreamt of being an artist since I was a little kid and I wanted to build a life of freedom where I could travel and be inspired. When I first got into the fly fishing world, my goal was to bring something new to the table. I have no illusions that I am the best painter out there, but I think I am one of the more creative artists. I want to bring you something fresh and new every time. That was a challenge in the beginning of my career, because fresh and new is not always welcome. Read more>>

Liz Gonzalez-Lara | Beauty on Location Studio founder/ Dos Amigas Meals co-founder

Growing up I saw my grandmother in Mexico running her own “shop” I was surrounded by entrepreneurs and small business owners and from a very young age I started dreaming big and loving the idea of creating my own business (little did I know the hard work behind it). Creating jobs and contributing to our economy is so rewarding, the possibilities are endless when you start a business and what drives me is the pride of showing other girls who look like me or may have the same background that hard work pays off and that they can also create something amazing and make an impact in their communities. Read more>>

Melia Mariko | Handpoke Tattoo / Hajichi Artist

I have always wanted to sustain myself by the way of art. For most of my life, I wasn’t quite sure how or what this would look like. After years of working in the service industry and juggling motherhood, my health started to suffer. I felt I had no choice but to start letting go of the jobs, relationships, and habits I had been holding onto out of fear insecurity and scarcity. I was so tired, bitter and angry at myself for not living more fully. Simply, getting older can also light a fire under ones ass. I am a hard worker. Read more>>

Zkivu | Content Creator

I never felt like I fully fit into society. The 9-5 grind of working for another man or corporation just seems like an empty means to generate money and pay bills, and nothing more. The way I’m wired, I need tangible results. Product. Substance. I’ve always been creative and artistic, so the ability to take my artistic & creative skillsets and create product/services for people is a fulfilling endeavour. Whether my ultimate means of success over the next decades lies within my own musical veantures or someone elses, or is mainstream or underground, the result is still the same: my peace of mind & happiness. Read more>>

Scott Miller | Jiu-jitsu and grappling coach

I wanted to create a unique culture and environment of my own. A different approach to teaching and learning Martial Arts. A place that was friendly yet had gritty hard training. A place where the student has some creative license on what they practice and how. A place where injury prevention and sustainability are key. And a place where everyone is friendly and helpful. Read more>>

Russ and Chris Hadley | Nature Photography

We are moving into a new phase in our life. We had a very successful film/video production company for years. We did mostly TV commercials for advertising companies. Youth and energy drive that industry and we have kind of naturally aged out of our presence in the market. COVID gave it the extra push too. We had been gradually integrating still and portrait photography into our lives and were enjoying it! So as we became empty nesters, we decided to lean on that a little more and do what we love. Read more>>

Janette King | Artist, DJ & Web Developer

From a young age, I’ve always been independent and I’ve never liked the idea that I have to abide by someone else’s schedule. I’ve always known that I am a leader and I need to carve my own way. Read more>>

Marsh Lahowetz | Artist

I’ve always had a passion for creating and I think having the opportunity to monetize my time while still doing something that I love, was just a no brainer. Most social media platforms also offer their own way of earning money and it’s been a privilege to have access to the tools that I do. Read more>>

TJ Stevenson II | Owner of Blacksheep & Culinary Professional

After getting a chance to ski and snowboard I realized if these sports would have been accessible to me as an adolescent the trajectory of my life would have been much different. That coupled with coming across individuals that look like me and come from similar backgrounds as I lead to wanting to provide opportunities for youth who are less fortunate under the brand Blacksheep. Read more>>

Jonmarc Radspinner | Business Owner & Home Services Expert

There’s never a good time to start a business, right? It’s always inconvenient, risky, and requires sacrifice. My wife and I just had our first child in March of 2022 but the timing for starting Cultivate just seemed right. Cultivate House Detailing exists for a mission outside of providing a convenient and excellent service experience at an affordable price for our customers. We are working towards training up the next generation of service and trade professionals. Read more>>

Zach McCarthy | Founder & Executive Director of Inclusive Ski Touring

Initially Inclusive Ski Touring started as a passion project. Simply myself organizing group tours from seeing a demand to meet others, learn backcountry gear, and build community. Throughout the first winter we got out over 270 participants so I organized as a non-profit organization and began the steps of filing to be a 501(c)(3) designated charity. Read more>>

Jordan Chavez | Entrepreneur

I wanted to create a positive change by doing my best to disrupt the realm of fast fashion. I understand the affordability and appeal of certain fast brands but the impact they have on the environment is an issue that cannot be ignored. Sustainability is my mission with Sephs Closet. I aim to breathe new life into pre-loved pieces by hand painting designs, tie dying them, or marrying both the painting and dying. Read more>>

Dr. Jo Shattuck | Athlete, Coach, Neuroscientist, Female Founder, Patent Holder

My thought process was more about solving a problem than ‘starting’ a business. In my former career as a professional athlete and coach, I spent a lot of time teaching another human to move in a certain way, and I realized there had to be a better way to do it. Words, verbal cues and images or video did help in the student understand what they were doing, and/or what they should be doing, but those tools didn’t help the actually make or feel the change. Read more>>

Anahita Thukral | Founder, DiWo

Where to start? Well, let’s talk about my personal experience. It took me just over 6 months to get my first job in Canada. After applying to hundreds of jobs, networking, connecting with employers all one on one, I got my first job in Canada through University’s career network where my husband was doing his MBA. The entire experience was disheartening! The fact that I had an opportunity to speak to career network where I was not even a student turned out to be the only way to get in-front of employers. Read more>>