We asked some of the city’s hidden gems to tell us about what they feel is the most important factor behind their success.

Stephanie Herlory

The success of the International Design Collection lies in the people who run their business here everyday. The IDC Building is client-focused which means every sales associate prioritizes the needs, expectations, and satisfaction of the client in every aspect of our operations. The goal is to build strong, long-term relationships by delivering value, excellent service, and tailored solutions. None of our clients’ projects are alike so we must remain flexible and as as creative as our clientele. Read More>> 

Abhi Thane Bhargava

Operating any niche local business successfully, especially a startup, such as Thane’s Table – a Tavern completely themed around tabletop gaming, requires demonstrable company morals over a rigid business plan in my opinion.

Our values are the cornerstone in all our business decisions, business partnerships, reflect in our engagement with our local community, and ultimately drive our success as a business – Thane’s mission since its inception is to be an inclusive space for one and all, promoting Colorado sourced products, and serving our growing community better each day! Read More>> 

Melodie Polidori Harris

At the heart of our success is staying true to my great‑grandmother Anna’s heirloom recipe and the way she believed sausage should be made — simple, honest, and full of flavor. Nearly 100 years later, we still use the same quality ingredients and uphold the values she built this company on: quality, service, teamwork, ethics, consistency, and price. My brother Steve and I are proud to carry that legacy forward — keeping her traditions alive while striving to make Polidori Sausage a household name, not just in Colorado but across the country. Whether serving foodservice partners or retail customers, we remain committed to providing the same level of personal, excellent service Anna herself would have given. Read More>> 

Tanya Pratkelis

I feel like there were 2 important factors: passion and compassion. The passion I have for the work I do has always allowed me to be completely successful within my business. Passion moved me forward during the more difficult times, it always kept me learning and growing within my business and it always kept me absolutely loving what I do. I believe that if you do what you truly love you will be successful. Read More>> 

Alex Sage

Connection! I wanted to become a graphic designer to be able to give brands a voice. For me this means really getting to know who I am working with, what their story is and how I can help elevate the impact they want to leave. Read More>>

Laura Fessenden

After 24 years in the hospitality industry, it’s become very clear that success is only attained when you have a strong team behind you. The last few years of my career have proven that; Our team went through a tragic event together in 2022 when we lost the owner/founder of the bakery I was managing. The morning after the event, we got together as a team of leaders and decided we’d push through together to keep the ship afloat and to keep his vision alive. Now, nearly three years later, we’re still a solid team and there’s no way we would have gotten through it without each other’s support. I will forever be grateful, and have a huge amount of respect for my team. Read More>>