From livestream storefronts in TikTok to high-growth tech startups, Vietnamese business leaders are not waiting for permission to build. In the first half of 2025 alone, TikTok Shop’s gross merchandise value in Vietnam surged by 148% year-over-year, supported by more than 266,000 revenue-generating sellers. Many of them are young adults launching fashion, beauty, and lifestyle brands with no more than a smartphone, consistency, and high digital literacy.  Read more

Where do blushes and brushes transition from hobby to career? Dribbling a soccer ball, journaling, crafting a coffee, and solving puzzles. Many pastimes remain just that. A threshold, or rather a starting point, exists at which a person’s next step becomes intentional. That next step is rarely discussed. It is common to hear, “follow your passion,” but rare to consider what passion requests in return: discipline, structure, and the willingness to learn the parts that don’t come naturally.  Read more

Clinton Hughey MBA ’25 grew up in Nashville, Tennessee. ‘Music City’ left him with a fundamental love of music and nature. Nights spent camping beneath open skies lead Hughey to a revelation. “I realized at a very young age that this world is precious, and we need to protect it.” Food also found its way into his heart. Hughey worked in many restaurants, but even before that, he saw food as a unique art form.  Read more

Reinvention is one of life’s quiet constants. It keeps showing up and invites us to grow or imagine something different. The beauty of it lies in our ability to answer that invitation when we’re bold enough to do so, to move forward not because we have to, but because we choose to. ​For Brittany Guzmán Taylor, reinvention has long been a way of moving through the world.  Read more

Higher education is often the vehicle to pursue a dream job and a brighter future. College also provides key networking and personal development opportunities rarely found elsewhere. However, rising costs can make college less accessible. The CU Denver Business School is proud to support students from diverse backgrounds, alleviating financial burdens through scholarships.  Read more

International bestselling author Ernie Zelinski once wrote, “Trust not what inspires other members of society to choose as a career. Trust what inspires you.” Feeling impassioned and inspired about one’s work is a dream that many strive for, but it is easier said than done. Going where curiosity leads takes tenacity and a willingness to jump off the deep end. Ariana Lily Nikmanesh ‘18 has made that leap and uses her interests and enthusiasm to forge her path.   Read more

Coloradans love cracking open a craft beer while camping, skiing, or just hanging out. With over 400 craft breweries across the state, it’s safe to say that beer is a significant part of Colorado’s culture. As a Colorado native, Karen Hertz, MBA ’05, grew up immersed in beer culture. The Business School alumna identifies herself as a craft beer lover and spent several years working for Coors, one of the biggest beer brands in America.   Read more