Meet Trailblazer Darien Wilson

Today we’d like to introduce you to Darien Wilson.

Darien, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
My husband and I opened our software consultancy, Volare Systems, in 2009, so we just celebrated ten years in business this June. Also, in June, I completed Emerge Colorado’s six-month candidate training and filed to run for Douglas County commissioner.

Joe and I met in college and have been married 23 years. We have three kids, we’ve started two businesses together, and we have one rescue dog. Our company is 100% remote; we work from our home in Highlands Ranch, which means you might see us walking our dog at 2 PM, but we also often end up working several hours after dinner.

I got involved in local politics after my kids and their teachers were hurt by decisions made by our local school board. I met many amazing people in my community through our work in flipping our school board, which we did successfully in 2015 and 2017. I decided to run for county commissioner because the decisions made at the local level impact our daily lives more than much state and federal legislation. I am passionate about real representation and servant leadership.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I’m fairly risk-averse, so it’s a little contrary to my nature to start businesses and run for office. It’s important to me to have a safety net, a plan B, to make that dream happen with lots of hard work, and to keep in mind that I’ll never reap big rewards without taking risks. I’m a hardworking optimist, and that combination has served me well. Do your homework, have a detailed plan that maps out the path from where you are to where you want to be, stay focused, and when you hit a road bump, keep the long game in mind. If you take risks, you WILL hit bumps in the road and detours. Sometimes they are learning experiences, and sometimes they’re out of your control. What you CAN control is your attitude and your reaction to them. Just. Keep. Moving.

Please tell us about Darien4Commish and Volare Systems – what should we know?
Volare is an award-winning custom software provider. We write enterprise software – web and mobile web apps – that solve problems for businesses, typically websites that are internal to companies. Some of our biggest clients have been a fortune 10 telecommunications company and the second largest school district in Colorado, but we also do small projects. We work using Agile methodology, so as we are building the project, we are working with the customer to determine the top priorities that week. Our customers always have working software.

As a first time candidate, I spend my days fundraising, networking, and familiarizing myself with all aspects of the job I’m running for.

Finding a mentor and building a network are often cited in studies as a major factor impacting one’s success. Do you have any advice or lessons to share regarding finding a mentor or networking in general?
I find that the more coffees I attend, the more I learn about other people I need to meet for coffee! Join your local chamber of commerce or other business networking group (meetup can be good for finding folks in your niche), attend their meetings regularly. Resist the urge to sit with the people you know. Support others by attending ribbon cuttings and the like. If you really need to build a network quickly, set a minimum goal, say, two coffees a week. When you meet someone new, ask them who else you should be talking to. Next thing you know, you’ll be over-caffeinated like me!

Joining a professional organization or completing a training is a great way to find a mentor. One if the best things about  Emerge Colorado is the connections we forge. I was lucky to be paired with a mentor, the brilliant Colorado State Representative Meg Froelich. Rep. Froelich advises me, makes me laugh, and holds me accountable.

Contact Info:

• Address: 9457 S University Blvd, #214
  Highlands Ranch, CO 80126
• Website: Darien4Commish.com and VolareSystems.com
• Phone: 720-509-1565
• Email: Darien@Darien4Commish.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/darien4commish/
• Facebook: http://facebook.com/darien4commish/
  https://www.facebook.com/volaresystems
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/Darien4Commish
  https://twitter.com/volaresystems

Image Credit:
Headshots – Robert Seale Photography

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