We recently connected with Ann Marlin and have shared our conversation below.

Ann, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Owning a business isn’t always glamorous and so most business owners we’ve connected with have shared that on tough days they sometimes wonder what it would have been like to have just had a regular job instead of all the responsibility of running a business. Have you ever felt that way?

I love being an business owner! I have owned my own companies since 2005 and what a ride it has been! Currently I own and manage a boutique cowork space in Englewood called Broadway Collective. This is in conjunction with being a team lead and part owner of my husband’s business ELEVATION which is a real estate investing company as well as owning an out of state short term rental property and being a mom of 3 teenagers. So I wear tons of different hats on any given day.

With all this being said, there are absolutely days (especially the challenging days) where my mind wanders and thinks about what my day would be like if I had a regular 8-5 job. What it would feel like to show up at 8am and get work done before I go to an hour lunch and then pack my bags and head home at 5pm knowing that I can most likely leave all the work, issues, and projects on hold until I arrive back the next morning? Imagine being able to shelve it all and not give it another thought until the next work day!

I felt this recently as we were going on a trip with our family to the West Coast. We had a couple of building issues – roof leaking due to the monster snow storm that came through, a bathroom door that broke, transitions with members needing different office spaces, events that the Collective was hosting while we were gone, issues with the out of state short term rental property, designing our ELEVATION flips and overseeing the operations of our agent team. LOTS going on!

However, I LOVE problem solving, I LOVE planning the next steps, I LOVE developing and testing ideas, and I LOVE working with our team, Collective members and outside businesses. Having the flexibility and opportunity to make everyday my own and to see a vision come to fruition is the ultimate achievement that fills my soul. To know that I am at the helm of my own ship all while working and collaborating with amazing entrepreneurs and local businesses is incredibly rewarding. My mind may wander however the journey I am on, the people I have met, and the experiences I have had as an entrepreneur have been absolutely profound every step of the way.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I am from Montana and have been in Denver since 2002. I became a wedding planner in 2002 and started my entrepreneurial journey in 2005 when I bought the planning business and a stationery company and merged them into Cloud 9. I worked with the most amazing couples and families and had the honor of planning and designing their incredible weddings. After almost 20 years of planning I ended up selling these business right before covid hit the nation.

One day my husband came home and asked, what would you think about getting your real estate license? I thought – well, never? But I love learning and wanted to join him at ELEVATION and pursue a new endeavor. In building our real estate agent team, this lead to outgrowing our office space. In 2022 we found the most amazing mid-mod office building on Broadway. Knowing that it was too big for us, we thought – why not make this into a cowork space? We champion small business and solopreneurs and want to offer a home for all bad-ass businesses! This is how the Broadway Collective was born.

The Collective offers fully furnished private office spaces and 6 dedicated desks for businesses to grow and thrive. Perfect for solopreneurs, small businesses, and satellite offices. The design-forward environment cultivates creativity and productivity. We have an amazing member community that is truly one-of-a-kind and who are downright just cool people. We believe our brand and story are what attract like-minded and forward-thinking businesses and entrepreneurs who are looking for a collaborative work environment.

We’d appreciate any insights you can share with us about selling a business.

I built and ran my wedding planning and design company that was coupled with a stationery company for almost 20 years. I had incredible clients and an outstanding staff that was top-notch in terms of customer service. After years of thinking about exiting the industry, I finally meet with a business coach that was absolutely INSTRUMENTAL in helping me seperate myself from my business and what I thought was my identity.

After being in a job/role for so long, I had to unlearn the myths and notions that I had built in my head about who I was and how I was viewed that I perceived as my main identity. This took quite a bit of unraveling and unpacking as to why I thought this way. Once I was able to open my mind and depart with what I thought was an all-encompassing entity, the freedom and opportunities made themselves known. I could not have done this without the business coach. I really do credit that transition in my life to him.

I was also VERY luck that I was able to sell the business to an amazing woman who worked with me for several years before buying Cloud 9. The transition was seamless and I knew that what I had built would be in the best hands. I have loved seeing how the business has grown and the fabulous events that are planned!

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

I know my strengths and social media is not one of them!!! In the past I have done what I felt was needed in terms of putting out news, staying relevant, and hopefully posting either visually interesting or helpful posts. I really do not know much about algorithms, what is trending, etc. I just recently learned about reels/music and why they are so important! Because I know my lane, we work with the most amazing social media company Next Steps Social Communications. They have really upped or game in our businesses.

My advice would be to stay true to your brand, be authentic and if you are able, hire a company that reflects and upholds your business values!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.broadwaycollectiveco.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/broadwaycollectiveco/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BroadwayCollectiveCo
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/89969234/admin/feed/posts/