It’s more important to understand someone than to judge them. We think the first step to understanding someone is asking them the fundamental questions about who they are and how they became the person they are today. Understanding and empathy are essential building blocks for a better, more compassionate world. We’re incredibly fortunate to be able to ask these questions each week through our interview series. Below you’ll find inspiring interviews from in and around Denver.
Amber Davis
I’m a portrait photographer based in Castle Rock, Colorado. I was born and raised in Wyoming and moved to Colorado in 2014 with my husband and three children. That’s also the year I entered the photography world. I bought my first DSLR camera not long before our move with the clear intention of making it a professional career. Read more>>
Tim Flanagan
I started my horticultural career at the age of 14, long before I had any idea it would become my life’s work. A family friend owned nine nursing homes, and I was given the opportunity to work alongside an older gentleman who became my first true mentor. He taught me the fundamentals of designing, building, and maintaining hanging baskets, flower beds, and the surrounding landscapes. Read more>>
Heidi Boehm
Part of my story started around the Covid times. My son was on-line learning, so I needed to shift my working hours. I was working for someone else and felt uncomfortable not having control over my exposure. So, I was able to pivot and offer some of my clients, mobile massage in the comfort of their own home. Read more>>
Ali Black
I have a deep-rooted love and respect for the arts. I grew up taking dance lessons, visiting art museums, and participating in theatre throughout high school. Unfortunately, when I was getting ready to go to college, I was discouraged from pursuing the arts – my parents feared that I would grow up to be a poor starving artist living in their basement. Read more>>
Jennifer Andrade
My story really began in college. My boyfriend at the time and I were in a car accident, and he sustained his eighth concussion. After that, his life changed overnight. He dealt with debilitating migraines, struggled to focus, and his memory was so impacted that he couldn’t remember what he had for breakfast by lunchtime. Read more>>
Widian Jubair
I’ve always believed that our lives are a collection of chapters—some written in peace, and others in the eye of a storm. My journey began as an immigrant doctor who survived a war zone. Read more>>
Erik Senescu
I’ve always been interested in entrepreneurship. I started diving into small side businesses as far back as middle school, experimenting with whatever ideas I could find. That early curiosity eventually led me to major in Entrepreneurship at the University of Wisconsin, where I got exposed to brilliant professors, mentors, and real-world startup thinking. Read more>>
Brittany Maracine
I have been with my firm, Edward Jones, for nine years. Prior to opening my financial practice, I spent over ten years on the business side of the long term care housing industry, in the Denver Metro area and frankly, I saw how few people plan well for the later years – to be able to live retirement by design. Read more>>
Alex Kandalaft
In 2022, I began struggling with anorexia and bulimia, and my illness quickly spiraled out of control. By 2023, my life was completely consumed by my eating disorder. I became disconnected from my family, missed work frequently, and developed severe anxiety and depression. My substance use increased significantly, and I found myself in and out of the emergency room. My world became very small. Read more>>
Beverly Boyer
Bev Boyer, as a seasoned massage therapist, teacher and a curiosity to learn is how the Colorado Learning Center of Human Anatomy first began. Read more>>
Jessica Hackney
I started my career as a registered nurse, a role that shaped how I lead, communicate, and care for people. After years in healthcare, I felt ready for a new challenge and was drawn to entrepreneurship. Three years ago, I purchased a franchise, taking a leap that allowed me to combine my clinical background with business ownership. Read more>>
Dana Lerman MD
I am a graduate of the Mount Sinai School of Medicine and completed a competitive internal medicine residency at The Mount Sinai Hospital, followed by a fellowship in infectious diseases at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I founded a national COVID consulting company focused on at-home testing, clinical support, and business risk mitigation for organizations across the United States. Read more>>
Kyle Stiebeling
My story begins at the University of Colorado Boulder. As an undergrad, I switched my major numerous times in my first 2 years. The sentiment that no one really knows what they want to commit their life to remains true in college. I tried everything from environmental studies, evolutionary biology, and international affairs. Read more>>
Justina Baker
As a Colorado native from Colorado Springs and the oldest of four, by just two and a half minutes. Growing up as a quadruplet meant life was equal parts chaos and joy, an experience that shaped my perspective and approach to everything I do. Raised in an alcohol-free household, I was always drawn to the ritual of gathering, where drinks feel celebratory and intentional. Read more>>
Eclipse
I’m born and raised in Denver Colorado. I first started with poetry before fully doing Hip Hop. And the love just grew as I continue and it helped me grow and meet new people. Music also gave me the confidence to start my own brand. New Effort Every Day is a brand that promotes growth and displays consistency. Read more>>
Farah Stern
I was born in France, where I was raised until I came to spend a year as an adjunct in the French department of a small liberal college (Go Scotts!), in Ohio of all places! A year before, I had met my husband who was traveling post Law School in Europe. We met in the street: I spoke English and he needed directions…. Read more>>
Stacey Yates
Volleyball has always been a central part of my life. I grew up court-side watching my parents play, and that early exposure sparked a passion that stayed with me for decades. I played competitively throughout middle and high school, and continued to stay active in adult leagues until I made the transition to coaching in 2013. Read more>>
Michael White
Luxe Precision Media was born from more than just a love for photography—it was born from resilience, reinvention, and finally having the courage to bet on myself. I’ve been a photographer for over 11 years, originally focused on nature and wildlife photography. Photography has always been more than a hobby for me; it’s been my passion and my creative outlet. Read more>>
Jen Gold
Mixing music has been a constant in my life since I was young. Growing up in Denver, I was glued to my stereo, tuning into KS107.5 and creating mixtapes to share with friends. In high school, I burned CDs for pre-game warmups, then hosted a radio show in college and ran the AUX at parties. My passion for music grew throughout the years. Read more>>
Suni Freeman
After spending nearly 20 years in the banking industry, I reached a point of complete burnout. I loved serving people, but I knew deep down that I wasn’t living my purpose. Read more>>
Lisa Shanken
I started my career focused on nutrition, fitness, and yoga, with a specific focus on gut health and how it impacts a person’s immune system. I always struggled with my own anxiety and also have multiple family members that are neurodivergent. Read more>>
Jennifer Hughes
I taught myself photography when I was 13. I did not start it as a profession until 2020. At first, photography was a way for me to gain a sense of autonomy back. I walked away from my career and dreams to be a stay-at-home mom. My family moved to North Dakota. I didn’t know anyone, and my marriage was becoming abusive. Read more>>
Tomina LaCore
I joined Brothers Grimm Seeds in August of 2025 as a sales executive, and through hard work and determination, became Laura (Mrs. Soul) Campanella’s assistant, but my path to this role was shaped long before that. Before entering the cannabis industry, starting at age 19, I was a single mother working three jobs to support my family. Read more>>
Chad Bryant
I began working in the fitness industry in 2009. Feeling good, having energy, and being around goal oriented people who value self improvement had always been important to me. I started as a personal trainer and eventually transitioned into sales and management. Over time, I became the Executive Director of five privately owned health clubs in Northern Colorado. Read more>>
Amy Beckley
I am a scientist, and I was doing my post-graduate work. My husband and I tried to conceive, and it was not easy. We were faced with lots of closed doors. Doctors kept telling us we weren’t old enough, we hadn’t tried long enough, and that eventually we hadn’t had enough miscarriages. Read more>>
Sonja Calhoun
Art has always been my sanctuary and my sense of purpose. I grew up dreaming of becoming a painter, but I fell victim to the “artists can’t make money” narrative. So I compromised by pursuing a career in graphic design as a way to blend creativity with a sustainable career. But my painting practice has remained at the forefront. Read more>>
Rebecca Todd
I have been doing commercial photography for over 15 years. I first picked up a camera in high school, a small Nikon Coolpix. I took a few photography classes and fell in love with documenting the world around me. I then decided to go to college for photography at Louisiana State University. Read more>>
Ginny Craig
I started in the accounting field when I was 18. Once I moved to Colorado in 2017 I worked for a couple of companies as a CFO. During covid I realized I could help more people bby staarting my own business. After the 1st year I realized there was a need for honest and fair tax returns. So got the schooling and started those. Read more>>
Dr. Dale Rellas
My path into medicine was always driven by people, not just diagnoses. I trained in Family Medicine and later completed fellowship training with additional board certification in Sports Medicine. I love the full spectrum of care—being able to take care of entire families, from newborns to grandparents, and also help people stay active and recover from injuries. Read more>>
Uma Sitaula
My name is Uma Sitaula. I was born and raised in Nepal. I came to the United States in 2007 when i was just 19 years old, on a student visa, with the dream of furthering my education. I initially took some ESL (english as second language classes)at Red Rocks Communit College from where I graduated with Associate in Applied Science. Read more>>
Andrea Kazindra
I grew up in Denver in a loving, values-driven family where faith, service, and hard work were central. On the outside, my life followed a pretty traditional path… I went to good schools, studied business in college, and was surrounded by opportunity. But even early on, I felt restless. Read more>>
Daniel McGuire
17 years ago as a freshman in college, I met a balloon man while I was out to brunch with my family and he offered me a job working for him. I was skeptical, but gave it a go. It’s a good thing I did, because now I’m 34 and can’t imagine doing anything else as a career. Read more>>
Jake & Jubilee
We’re Jake & Jubilee, and our story together started even before we knew we’d make music together. We met in 2018 working at a shop in Five Points called Coffee at the Point and started dating shortly after. Read more>>
Isabel Ranney
My path into this work began as a way of caring for others in order to feel needed, accepted, and worthy, and over time evolved into an empowered, intentional practice of walking alongside people as they reconnect with themselves and find their way back to their own hearts. As a child, I rarely felt like I fit in. Read more>>
Nathan Luce
Nathan Luce Didn’t Just Build a Fitness Business — He Built a Way of Living For Nathan Luce, fitness was never about chasing aesthetics, clout, or the loudest version of hustle culture. It was always about something quieter—and harder to build: sustainability, presence, and real life strength. Read more>>
Michelle Hobbins Maher
My Story & The Story of Mountain Juniper Montessori Mountain Juniper Montessori was born out of both lived experience and a shared dream. My co-founder, Martha Briggs, and I met through our involvement with Wildflower Montessori Public Schools of Colorado, and from our very first conversations, it was clear that we were deeply aligned in both values and vision. Read more>>
Kevin Kenny
I started at 14 years old as a dishwasher and pizza delivery guy. Became more involved with the kitchen as time went on due to necessity. I decided to make a career out of restaurant work at 21 when my brother and I bought into our family’s pizzeria. Read more>>
Emily Johnson
I am an Integrative Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner providing accessible, comprehensive mental health care rooted in connection, collaboration, and whole-person healing. My practice blends psychotherapy, medication management, and nutrition-informed care to support patients in a way that feels individualized, respectful, and sustainable. Read more>>
Alice Ngo
I was 22 when I took over a small, struggling boba shop that most people had already forgotten about. At the time, it was just another milk tea place — long menu, lots of powders, super sweet drinks. It didn’t really have an identity, and honestly, neither did I yet. Read more>>
alan johnson
In 2000, I moved to Colorado from Montana I got. job with a local painting company and soon after I was running the company’s production operations. My boss at the time told me that if I ever wanted to start my own paint company in Colorado, it would take at least ten years. I did it in one — but I’ll get to that. Read more>>
Kathia Garcia
This is the story of becoming who I needed. My name is Kathia Garcia, I am an abortion rights activist, community organizer, proud immigrant, and most importantly, mom of 2 toddlers. I was born in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico, and immigrated to the United States with my family when I was 10 years old. Read more>>
Zhenghua Yang
When I was eighteen, I was told I had 3 hours left to live. My life was abruptly derailed by a severe and chronic illness. What started as a seemingly minor medical issue escalated into a life-threatening crisis. I spent nearly two years in and out of hospitals, going through chemotherapy, often confined to bed and living with the constant risk of death. Read more>>
Jeremy Parks
As a third-generation artist, I began fine art instruction in grade school. In my early teens, I started experimenting with a graphic design program my art teacher had in her office, CorelDraw. I became instantly hooked on how quickly ideas could be created compared vs. the traditional route. In 1994 I started building websites on GeoCities and haven’t touched paint or pastels since. Read more>>
Tim Ingersoll
I graduated college with a degree (MFA ) in graphic design from Moorhead State in Minnesota. I moved to the Denver area in 1993 and got a job at a design agency (Lundwall Creative) in 1994. While there I reunited with my first girl friend, Michelle, and we married in 2001. Read more>>
Madi McClure
My story is rooted in curiosity and play. I have always loved making things with my hands and creating whimsical spaces where my imagination feels free. As I grew older, life became more serious. Responsibilities, heartbreak, and change slowly pulled me away from that playful part of myself. Read more>>
