Inspired Entrepreneurs Week

Katie Ferrigno, Social Media

During Inspired Entrepreneurs Week at MSU Denver, I had the privilege of interviewing Katie Ferrigno, a dynamic leader in social media and brand innovation. Struggling to find work in a tight job market after graduating college, Katie started her own business. She later worked at major agencies with brands like Neutrogena, Verizon Business, Mastercard, Ulta Beauty, and Dos Equis. Her story is a reminder that entrepreneurship isn’t linear. It’s a spiral.

She embodies both the entrepreneur and the intrapreneur—someone who builds from scratch and innovates within complex systems. Her early entrepreneurial experience helped her see the interconnectedness of all business systems and in a siloed work place, this is a superpower.

Key takeaways from our conversation:
• You don’t have to choose one identity forever.
• Creativity is strategy.
• Evolution is part of the path.

If you’re navigating your next chapter, I think you’ll find this conversation inspiring.

Sun Ghee, Farnosh Family

During Inspired Entrepreneurs Week at MSU Denver, I had the pleasure of interviewing Farnosh Family, founder of Sun Ghee. Farnosh started Sun Ghee in her own kitchen as part of her personal healing journey. After having children, she was searching for deeply nourishing whole foods—and ghee became an essential part of her postpartum recovery. In her first year alone, she made over 1,000 jars by hand.

Since then, Sun Ghee has moved into a commercial kitchen, but remains committed to small-batch integrity—using USDA organic, non-GMO, grass-fed dairy and infusing herbs for added depth and nourishment. What I loved about her story was the honesty. She shared the real entrepreneurial pivots:
• Rebranding along the way
• Transitioning from home kitchen to commercial production
• Learning hard lessons (like the realities of shipping glass jars)

And here’s my favorite part—I realized during the interview that I already had her product in my refrigerator. When she described her signature herb-infused ghee, it clicked and I used it to whip up a nice dinner afterwards.

That moment was an important reminder: when you build something authentic and rooted in care, it reaches people who resonate with your product and believe like you do.

If you’re interested in entrepreneurship grounded in healing, integrity, and persistence, you’ll enjoy this conversation. Watch the full interview here:

Caroline de Bono, Non-Profit

During Inspired Entrepreneurs Week at MSU Denver, I had the privilege of speaking with Caroline de Bono, founder of #BrighterPathFoundation. Caroline spent years volunteering in an orphanage in Sri Lanka, teaching and running workshops for staff. During that time, she noticed something deeply troubling, when young people turn 18 (sometimes as young as 16), they are required to leave institutional care with no family, no financial support, no housing and no safety net. They are expected to step into adulthood completely alone.

Caroline started the Brighter Path Foundation to change that. This UK-based charity supports young people as they transition out of orphanages in Sri Lanka. They offer guidance, resources, and stability during one of the most vulnerable moments of these young people’s lives.

What struck me most about Caroline was her unwavering commitment. She saw a gap that most people overlook, the space between “care” and true independence and chose to do something to help. Her foundation now runs several homes that house these precious souls while they get their feet under them.

If you care about purpose-driven ventures and social impact, this conversation is one to watch. Watch the full interview here:

Louis Lazo, Apartment Finders

The most successful entrepreneurs I talk to don’t separate personal growth from business growth. Louis Lazo, founder of 5280 Living Luxury Apartment Brokers, is a perfect example.

In our Inspired Entrepreneurs Week conversation at Metropolitan State University of Denver, Louis shared how his dedication to fitness, discipline, and self-development isn’t separate from his business strategy—it is his business strategy.

After leaving corporate real estate, Louis built 5280 Living with an intentional structure: his team operates as 1099 contractors earning commission, giving them the freedom to build their own businesses while leveraging the systems and partnerships he’s created. It’s not a traditional “employee” model—it’s an empowerment model.

But here’s what I found most compelling: Louis is obsessed with building systems not so he can work less, but so he can work on what matters. He’s public about his journey, his discipline practices, and his belief that betting on yourself requires building yourself.

Key takeaways from our conversation:
Structure your business to create opportunity for others, not just yourself
Personal discipline and business discipline are interconnected
Transparency about your journey helps others take the leap

Watch the full conversation:

Mark Ludy, Author and Illustrator

This week during Inspired Entrepreneurs Week at MSU Denver, we had the absolute gift of welcoming Mark Ludy as a speaker.

To say this man radiates joy would be an understatement. Mark is the most wonderfully joyful human I have witnessed. When I am in his presence, he radiates love. Not performative positivity. Not hype. But grounded, embodied joy. And it came through so clearly in his presentation.

For 27 years, Mark has been helping people reconnect with imagination through his beautifully illustrated children’s books including The Flower Man, The Farmer, and The Grump. He reminds us that imagination isn’t childish. It shapes how we see ourselves, how we communicate, and how we build culture. He threw down a statistic that I know to be true, school teaches according to how 30% of the population learns. This supports the work that I do in my Creativity, Innovation and Business Venturing classes where we spend the semester strengthening our creative muscles to prepare ourselves for the entrepreneurial journey. Creativity is essential in our lives and business. It helps us expand what is possible.

During his time with our students, he shared how his father’s creativity shaped his own path, the winding journey to becoming an author, illustrator, and speaker, the real challenges of marketing and publishing books and and his recent pivot toward speaking as a primary focus. He shared that people are using his The Flower Man book to teach about leadership.

But what struck me most wasn’t just his entrepreneurial journey.
It was his coherence. Mark embodies what he teaches. He invites leaders, educators, and entrepreneurs to notice the quiet choices that shape culture — and to lead with intention. He reminds us that hope, courage, and creative expression create ripple effects far beyond what we can measure. In a world that often rewards performance, he calls us back to imagination as truth. He talked a lot about asking, “How am I serving? How am I giving?”

We didn’t just hear a talk on entrepreneurship. We felt what it looks like to build a life aligned with who you truly are. Mark, thank you for reminding our community that business can be human, joyful, and deeply imaginative.
And thank you for modeling that success does not require abandoning wonder.

This session felt like a shot of vitamin B12. If you want to feel really good about life . . . Listen to this conversation:

Samantha Donen, Designer

Our last session of Inspired Entrepreneurs Week at Metropolitan State University of Denver, was with Samantha Donen of Donen Designs. Samantha is an Industrial Designer specializing in soft goods… but that description barely scratches the surface. She is also a gifted bass player, an artist, and an entertainer. A creator in every sense of the word. She is an expert in all things eco-materials.

After graduating from MSU Denver with a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Design, she went on to build an extraordinary career — beginning as a master mannequin artist at NOA Fusion Brands, creating for companies like Nike, National Basketball Association, Old Navy, Under Armour, Target, and Michael Kors. She went on to serve as Design Project Manager and Industrial Soft Goods Designer for WAG Harness, IFuzion, and Angel Armor — winning multiple design awards along the way.

In 2024, she launched her own consultancy: Donen Designs LLC.
Samantha shared her path from industrial designer to founder — and what stood out most was her commitment to sustainability. Her consultancy specializes in eco-sourced materials for soft goods, and she works with international manufacturers to help startups and growing brands build sustainable product lines from the ground up.
She spoke about:
• Navigating global manufacturing relationships
• Designing with intention and environmental responsibility
• Supporting smaller brands who want to do it differently

What I loved most was how seamlessly she blends creativity and systems thinking. Samantha embodies what we teach: innovation rooted in purpose.
Her story reminds us that entrepreneurship isn’t just about starting something, it’s about shaping industries, rethinking materials, reimagining supply chains, and choosing responsibility alongside profitability.

Samantha, thank you for showing our students what it looks like to build boldly, sustainably, and creatively.