Community Highlights: Meet Brad Kuhn of Finding Nectar Nursery

Today we’d like to introduce you to Brad Kuhn.

Hi Brad, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Finding Nectar started as a passion project that slowly turned into a mission and then into a business.

I have spent most of my professional life in marketing and performance media, building and scaling digital campaigns for companies across the country. At the same time, I have always been drawn to the land. I grew up loving the outdoors, working with plants, and paying attention to the rhythms of seasons. Over time, that interest turned into a deep concern for pollinators, especially bees, and how modern agriculture and landscaping practices were impacting them.

What began as planting a few pesticide free flowers to help bees turned into studying native plants. That turned into growing from seed. That turned into educating friends and neighbors. And eventually, it became clear that there was a real need in our community for plants that were truly safe for pollinators.

Most people do not realize that many nursery plants are treated with systemic pesticides. These chemicals move through the entire plant and end up in the pollen and nectar. So even when someone thinks they are helping bees by planting flowers, they may unintentionally be harming them. Once I learned that, I could not unlearn it.

Finding Nectar was created to offer an alternative.

We grow Colorado native and pollinator friendly plants from seed using living soil and never treat them with systemic pesticides. Our goal is simple: create real habitat, educate the community, and make it easier for people to plant with purpose.

Over time, the nursery became more than just a place to buy plants. It became a place for education, community events, workshops, school visits, and conversations about soil health, water conservation, and responsible land stewardship here on the Front Range.

Today, Finding Nectar is a working nursery and small educational farm. We focus on plants that support bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and other pollinators, especially species adapted to Colorado’s unique climate. We also work to educate customers about drought resilient planting, fire wise spacing, and why native ecosystems matter.

What started as a side project has become one of the most meaningful parts of my life. It sits at the intersection of entrepreneurship, environmental stewardship, and community building. My hope is that every plant that leaves the nursery becomes part of a larger patchwork of habitat across Colorado.

And we are just getting started.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
t has definitely not been a smooth road.

In year one, our greenhouse collapsed. That was a punch in the gut. You put everything you have into building something from scratch, and then a structure you rely on literally falls down. There is no playbook for that moment. You either quit or you rebuild. We rebuilt.

Beyond the physical setbacks, one of the hardest parts has been finding the right people. This is not just a retail nursery. It is a mission driven business centered around pollinators, pesticide free growing, education, and doing things the right way even when it is harder. Finding employees who share that passion and care about the details has taken time. Skills can be taught. Values are much harder to teach.

Trust has also been a journey. When you are building something small and meaningful, who you work with matters deeply. I have had to learn to be slower, more intentional, and more discerning about partnerships and collaborations. The wrong fit can cost you time, energy, and momentum. The right people multiply what you are trying to do.

And then there is financing. Growing a nursery is capital intensive. You are buying soil, seed, trays, infrastructure, irrigation, and investing months into plants before you ever see revenue. Scaling while maintaining quality and staying true to our pesticide free commitment requires discipline. Cash flow in a seasonal business is not for the faint of heart.

But each of those struggles shaped the business. The greenhouse collapse made us stronger and more resilient. Hiring challenges forced me to clarify our culture. Trust issues made me more intentional. Financial pressure made us more disciplined.

None of it was smooth. But all of it was necessary.

And honestly, if it had been easy, it probably would not have meant as much.

We’ve been impressed with Finding Nectar Nursery, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Finding Nectar is a pesticide free, pollinator focused nursery and small educational farm located in the Colorado Front Range.

We specialize in Colorado native plants and high value pollinator species that are grown from seed in living soil and never treated with systemic pesticides. That last part is critical. Many nursery plants across the country are treated with systemic insecticides that move through the entire plant, including the nectar and pollen. Even when someone believes they are helping bees, they may unknowingly be harming them. We built Finding Nectar to offer a clean alternative.

What sets us apart is integrity in the growing process.

We grow from seed whenever possible. We do not buy in finished plants that may have unknown chemical histories. We focus heavily on long bloom windows, drought resilience, fire wise placement, and real ecological function. We are not just selling flowers. We are helping customers build habitat.

We are also known for education. We spend a lot of time teaching customers why native plants matter, how to plant for pollinators, how to garden responsibly in drought conditions, and how to think about their yard as part of a larger ecosystem. Whether through workshops, blog posts, social media, or in person conversations, education is at the core of what we do.

Brand wise, I am most proud that Finding Nectar feels authentic. It does not feel manufactured. It is rooted in a genuine love for bees, soil, and community. We have worked hard to build trust. Customers know what we stand for. They know we are not cutting corners. They know we care deeply about the impact of what we grow.

I also believe we have helped start bigger conversations. About systemic pesticides. About water conservation in Colorado. About planting native instead of ornamental. About supporting local ecosystems rather than importing ones that do not belong here.

What I want readers to know is this: every yard matters. Every balcony matters. Every patch of soil matters. You do not need acres of land to make a difference. You just need intention.

Finding Nectar exists to make that intention easier.

How do you think about happiness?
What makes me happiest is seeing something living respond to care.

That can be a tray of seedlings pushing through soil after weeks of tending, a customer coming back to tell us their yard is full of bees for the first time, or a kid at the nursery getting excited about a butterfly landing on a flower. There is something deeply satisfying about participating in life rather than just consuming it.

I also love building things from scratch. Whether it is a business, a greenhouse, a garden bed, or a brand, I am happiest when I am creating something tangible that did not exist before. There is a special kind of joy in watching an idea turn into something real.

Community makes me happy too. When people gather at the nursery for workshops, events, or just to talk plants, it reminds me that this is bigger than selling flowers. It is about connection. To each other and to the land.

And honestly, bees make me happy. Watching them work is grounding. They are focused, collaborative, and essential. They do not waste energy on things that do not matter. There is a lesson in that.

At the end of the day, what makes me happiest is knowing that the work we are doing is leaving a small patch of the world healthier than we found it. That feels meaningful.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://FindingNectar.com
• Instagram: @FindingNectarNursery
• Facebook: @FindingNectar