Why I Created GrandValli: Opportunity, Stories, and Community

Captivating stories are all around - tales of businesses, creatives, entrepreneurs, and professionals on journeys to share with the world what represents them and is their form of connection and expression. However, many stories are never told because they aren't seen as big enough or important enough. I always thought that a stories' validity should never rely on someone else's determination for what is important, interesting or attention grabbing. Everyone has a story and for me, my curiosity lies in understanding what makes someone, or a group of people pursue something that they are truly interested in creating and pursuing even if it is challenging, daunting, and intimidating.

I started GrandValli originally to create and online marketplace to showcase the products and services of the community but as I tried to build it, I lost sight of what truly inspired me.

The original inspiration came from starting Maverick Marketplace while I was at Colorado Mesa University. I thought it would be great for students and staff to showcase to t eh community what they were creating outside of the classroom. It was cool to see all the products from t-shirts to mugs to hot sauce and jewelry. I thought that there was so much happening and so many different products and services available within our community that many people didn't see and would never see. In response, I wanted to create a centralized place for everything to be so we all wouldn't have to really so much on word of mouth. As I started GrandValli I had more of a business focus which is always important, but I quickly lost what it originally meant to me - creating opportunity and sharing stories. The story part I didn't realize until now. I noticed how many people around me were doing their own thing or interested in it and so I became interested in their story and of course their success. I wanted to support them and show them off - I guess and so I circled back to GrandValli through storytelling.

So here we are back and interested in promoting businesses, creatives, and entrepreneurs in a way that not only tells their story but hopefully connects each brand with an audience that becomes their community. I think sometimes we focus more on the bigger brands that are always in the headlines and forget that they were smaller less popular stories once when they started. Their journeys mattered then, and people still care about them now - why not give the same attention to the brands around us?

Plus, story-telling is fun. I am mean after all who doesn't love a good story.

But beyond that, GrandValli believes your story matters. Whether you’re a business owner, a creative, an entrepreneur, or simply someone passionate about seeing others thrive, these stories connect us. Stories remind us that we’re not alone in our ambitions, that success is built in the small, unseen moments, and that behind every brand is a dream worth sharing.

GrandValli logo – a platform for business storytelling, opportunity and community-driven brand promotion

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