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Contact UsFrom Access to Impact: Stephen Lease’s Roadrunner Path to Building Goodr
Stephen Lease, CEO goodr Sunglasses
Stephen Lease | 2016 | Marketing
2024 Distinguished Alumni of the Year Award Winner
Stephen Lease never set out to disrupt the eyewear industry. He just wanted sunglasses that didn’t slide, didn’t cost a fortune — and didn’t make him “look like a tool bag.”
That moment of self-reflection, sparked during a run, would eventually lead to the creation of Goodr, a global active eyewear brand known for its irreverent voice, intentional culture and accessible price point. In 2024, Lease’s entrepreneurial journey, marked by persistence, creativity and a willingness to challenge the status quo, earned him recognition as MSU Denver’s Distinguished Alumnus of the Year.
For Lease, a Colorado native and proud Roadrunner, the honor is deeply personal and inseparable from the university that met him where he was and helped him move forward.
A Nontraditional Start and a University That Opened Doors
Lease enrolled at what was then Metropolitan State College of Denver after struggling academically in high school. Traditional, selective institutions weren’t an option. MSU Denver was.
“That accessibility is probably the only reason I have a degree,” Lease said. “It’s not lost on me.”
Like many MSU Denver students, Lease worked full time while completing his coursework, navigating a schedule built around real life rather than an idealized college experience. He gravitated toward the College of Business, where hands-on projects replaced test-heavy instruction and where he discovered his talent for marketing and brand storytelling.
“I remember standing in front of a class doing an advertising analysis and thinking, ‘This is what I’m meant to do,’” Lease said. “Not taking tests but building ideas.”
That moment still stands as his defining MSU Denver memory.
A Zigzag Path with a Second Chance at the Finish Line
Lease walked in the 2005 commencement ceremony believing he had earned his degree. A decade later, MSU Denver reached out with unexpected news: he was one credit short.
Instead of closing the door, the university opened it again.
Working with faculty in the marketing department, Lease completed an independent study, earned his final credit and officially graduated in 2016.
“I wouldn’t be here without that call,” Lease said. “That commitment to seek people out and to say, ‘You’re close, let’s finish this,’ that’s special.”
Building Goodr: Accessibility as a Business Strategy
Launched in 2015, Goodr was built on a simple idea: stylish, high-performance sunglasses priced at $25. What began as a running brand quickly evolved into a full-scale active eyewear company spanning golf, cycling, baseball, outdoor recreation and beyond.
Today, Goodr employs more than 140 people and has been featured in outlets including Inc. and Yahoo Finance.
“If you imagine a Venn diagram of fashion, performance and affordability, we own the middle,” Lease said. “When you create accessibility and make people feel connected, that’s powerful.”
Leading With Culture, Accountability and Safe Friction
Lease’s leadership style is shaped by trial, error and a refusal to settle for “average.” After several failed ventures, he built Goodr intentionally by designing everything from flexible work schedules to monthly “Fix It” meetings dedicated to solving problems head-on.
Lease credits his education and the mentors who challenged him for shaping that mindset.
“I learned more by doing, failing and reworking than I ever did by trying to be perfect,” he said.
Proud to Be a Roadrunner
Lease doesn’t shy away from telling people where he went to school, especially in rooms where they expect a different answer.
“I’ll say, ‘I went to MSU Denver. I’m a Roadrunner,’” he said. “And people don’t know how to react.”
“I take pride in coming from a place that isn’t elitist,” Lease said. “A place that believes in access, affordability and excellence — all at the same time.”
As MSU Denver continues to define itself by who it includes, Lease’s story stands as proof of what’s possible when opportunity meets determination.
“If you want to create real change,” Lease said, “you have to be willing to challenge the status quo.”
At MSU Denver, that’s exactly the point.