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.

Jesse Taylor

My career is two-pronged, I’ve been freelancing under JesseTaylorCreative for over a decade and have worked at Marketing for Change for over 8 years where I’m currently Assoc. Creative Director. At the agency I work with research, strategy and media teams to build behavior-change campaigns for local and national organizations. In my freelance I focus on branding, typography and illustration. That prong allows me to exercise my traditional designer brain and be select on what projects I take on. Read More>>

Colby Clites

After spending years as an in-house creative for several national-level food & beverage brands, I realized there was a real gap in the market for smaller businesses who needed high-level branding and packaging support but didn’t have access to big agency resources.

I saw an opportunity to take everything I had learned—design systems, production workflows, brand storytelling, and packaging execution—and apply it in a more personal, impactful way. That’s what led me to start Clites Creative LLC in 2017: to partner directly with passionate brands, especially in the beverage and restaurant space, and help bring their ideas to life with smart, strategic design that’s built to scale, looks rad, and helps drive sales. Read More>>

Rev. Hugo Otaola

There was a clear message from GOD to me when I was almost to retire in CA. That clear message was to help elementary rural schools in the north provinces of Argentina. I almost forgot about that message, but when I retired and moved to Colorado, the Lord reminded me that message and moved my heart and mind. That was the push that I needed to start our nonprofit organization. Read More>>

Alex Tomassian

I accidentally did this wrong and answered all of the questions. I could have certainly read the directions better. Hence why it took me so long!

You are welcome to use any amount of it:

SHOUTOUT Denver
1. What was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I was born a dreamer with a relentless imagination and thirst for new and diverse experiences. This made for a path that was multifaceted, allowing me to exist as many different versions of myself. I was raised to explore my passions with ferocity, so stepping into business ownership felt like an organic extension of who I am.  Read More>>

Nate Schneider

When I started working in the wedding industry it was for the largest wedding DJ company in the US. At first I loved working for them, it game me tons of invaluable experience as a DJ but more importantly it taught me what to improve on to help make each and every wedding meet the couple’s dream expectations when I started my own business. Read More>>

Connor Lyle

I was fortunate enough to learn the trade of installing tile and stone from two brothers who I consider to be among the most talented craftsmen in the space. Not many people start their first day of training on the job in Cherry Hills, working on a 25 million dollar home. Hard work was met by an incredible attention to detail, and what we created was both inspiring and fulfilling. After many years of learning from the best and honing in on my skill, I was met with some news that has changed the trajectory of my career. Read More>>

Lilly Pérez

I was 17 years old when I planned my first wedding as a day-of coordinator. My passion for events ignited from my passion for networking and community. My creativity grew from assisting my aunt’s space design business before entering high school, but truly, the first event I ever planned was my very own quinceañera. 14-year-old me began negotiating prices and scheduling site visits. When all was said and done, I enjoyed it so much that I knew I would have so much fun getting paid to do this for other people! After a successful 8-year run in the event business and a Bachelor of Science in Event and Meeting Read More>>

Ryan Philipsborn

Hydralife Solutions recognized a huge gap in the availablity of natural solutions to combat toxic algae blooms and nuisance algae that plague our lakes and ponds across the United States. We also observed significant negative stereotypes associated with algae and a lack of positive support for the thousands of species of algae that our waters and world benefit from. We know that beneficial phytoplankton (microalgae) competes with toxic algae for nutrients and rapidly consumes these nutrients while providing food for zooplankton. Read More>>

Kendra Stewart

Entrepreneurship runs deep in my family. My grandparents launched a tool rental company in the 1960s, which later evolved into a hospital equipment rental company and then a successful party rental business that my grandma operated. Working right alongside my grandma, my mom then expanded the business further by opening a year-round costume shop—where I spent much of my childhood—before ultimately transitioning the business into emergency response equipment for the state of California. Watching the women in my family build and adapt their businesses gave me a strong foundation and a clear belief that I would one day do the same. Read More>>

Caroline Kalicki

When I became a mom for the first time, I thought that once the baby arrived, things would just fall into place — that I’d figure it out as I went. I had prepared for pregnancy and birth, but nothing prepared me for the changes that came after birth — not just physically, but emotionally and mentally too. I was surprised by how much I didn’t know or expect about the postpartum experience. Read More>>

Kaitlyn Ratliff

For years, I found myself naturally drawn to planning events for friends and family — whether it was weddings, birthdays, or special celebrations, I loved bringing people’s visions to life and creating meaningful, memorable experiences. Over time, I realized how much joy I found in not only the creative aspects, but also in problem-solving, organization, and the relationships I built with my clients. Eventually, I felt a strong pull to turn that passion into something more. I wanted to build a business where I could offer personalized, intentional event planning services, while also bringing my own creative style and attention to detail to each event.  Read More>>

Mona Qureshi-Hart

Mona Hart LLC is the second business I started. I started my first in 2010, a boutique IP law firm, with my first husband, Brian, who is no longer with us. With this business, it came from me launching my second career as a legal recruiter. While I was in law school, I had aspirations to be a literary agent, interned at an agency in Boston, and even had a job offer at a major global entertainment agency in NYC managing foreign rights of authors and screenwriters. However, I moved to California after school and began a role as a traditional trademark and IP litigation lawyer. Read More>>

Whitney

It honestly started out of necessity and a desire for connection. I had just moved to Denver in 2021 and didn’t know anyone. I was craving queer community but didn’t see a lot of spaces that felt casual, inclusive, or easy to access, especially for someone new to the city. So I started meeting up with people one-on-one through dating apps, just looking for friends. Read More>>

Scotty Crow

I couldn’t find a job working anywhere else where I lived. Living in small town, Sebring, FL, I got met with a idea of being over qualified for the jobs I interviewed for. I guess me having military experience in GIS and a BS in Music Business was too much for that town. So I gave myself a job and am still going strong with Swamp Rats and other artistic endeavors. Read More>>

Austin Battaglia

For the last eight years, I’ve been absorbed in pendant-making, patiently refining my skills through diligent experimentation. The learning curve has been steep, yet I’ve finally arrived at a place where I can truly stand behind my creations. As the year turned, I resolved to test the waters, showcasing my work beyond my immediate circle. It’s time to see where these artistic explorations might lead.
My primary ambition is to share these wearable works of art with a wider audience and forge connections with kindred spirits. I hope my pendants will resonate, kindling moments of joy, provoking thought, or even just inspiring a little wonder. Or even a new Perception. Read More>>

Diana LaMorris

I wanted to have an artist run gallery. It was important to me and the two women who were by my side at the time to be represented in our own voice. To gather other artists with like minds, to create a community that shared talent and ideas with a love for getting the word out that “we” were here. And to honor the work that was being created by talented people in the area. Read More>>

Jana Angelo

Starting FortyONE Creatives came from a place of reflection, purpose, and a desire to build something meaningful.

It all began during a challenging season where a lot in my life felt uncertain. Instead of rushing into the next thing, I paused. I took time to listen, to think deeply about what mattered, not just to me, but to the people and brands I wanted to serve. That’s when the idea for FortyONE Creatives started taking shape. Read More>>

Brigette Moore

I started Dazzle Kids because of my daughters. Before becoming a mom, I was working full-time as a high school math teacher and thought I had everything figured out. But after my first daughter was born, my perspective shifted. Holidays and summers just didn’t feel like enough anymore. I wanted more time, more connection, and to be more present. That desire is what sparked the beginning of Dazzle Kids Read More>>

Carlee Clark

I’ve always been incredibly craft oriented and had seen a few videos of dicemakers online. My partner, sister, other family and friends all played Dungeons and Dragons regularly and I had played a few times. Thinking it would be a fun adventure, I set out to make dice for these people in my life as gifts. Quickly after, it spiraled into what it is now; a quickly growing renaissance faire circuit across the country and an online shop. Read More>>