Style - a distinctive manner or technique of expression, execution, or performance. It’s how something is done, not what is done.
Style is more than what you wear and how you showcase yourself on the outside. Style is also about who you are as an individual, what drives your passions, and how you take on the world. Different people express their unique identities through the style they bring to their personal lives and businesses, reflecting their values, passions, and personality in everything they do.
Windsor is a vibrant community that is full of passionate and diverse people. It’s not just the beautiful scenery and variety of places to explore, but the collection of people involved in the community that make Windsor such a special place. A huge part of what makes Windsor stand out is its businesses, and those businesses exist because of the people who work endlessly to make their mark in the community.
Business owners often find that their personal and professional lives overlap, with their values, goals, and drive shaping both realms. Their distinctive style, reflected by how they lead, communicate, and present themselves, sets them apart within their industries and becomes a key part of their personal and brand identity. Here are some local leaders who shared how their style reflects throughout their lives, businesses, and community.
Stacey Spykstra & Lexie McConnaughey: Capturing Blooming Moments with Purpose
Owners of MomentS Flower Business
momentsflowers.com
Intention - a clear aim or purpose behind what someone says or does. It’s the reason or motivation guiding an action. When someone is being intentional, they’re making conscious choices rather than acting accidentally or out of habit.
Stacey Spykstra and Lexie McConnaughey are more than business partners. This mother-daughter duo shares their love for floral arrangements and have built a business centered around bringing flowers and people together through their beautiful creations. “Flowers are our love language for sure,” Lexie shared. Flowers have always been their passion, and as of this last December, the pair turned what they love into a flourishing business - MomentS. Starting a business is not easy, but their strong relationship and ability to lean on one another and play to each other's strengths helps them to showcase their best work together and continue to do what they love.
Whether it’s a small bouquet to brighten someone’s day or full floral designs for weddings and events, Stacey and Lexie love working closely with clients to bring their vision to life. MomentS has become an outlet for artistic expression, and they both continue to focus on community, delivering creativity, and celebrating the beauty of flowers. They have 15 years of combined experience in the floral industry, and their craft blossoms and grows right from their own garden. Teaming up with their own supplier and grower, they harvest their flowers in season, ensuring no two bouquets are ever the same.
The two described their overall style as being purposeful, putting their passion and drive into every moment of their lives, and intention in every flower in each bouquet. When working on new projects, every client’s vision is different. “It’s a new task every single time and every flower is different too,” Stacey explained. “ And when any problem arises, there is always a way to solve it. And so I think we both approach it the same way, and it is fun to solve those problems together, and there’s always a lot of laughing.” By putting care into each design, one bloom at a time, Stacey and Lexie are eager to reach their business goals and are energized for what’s to come in the future.
With a goal to bring joy through their work, Stacey and Lexie use their critical eyes for design and their trust in one another to create stunning floral arrangements. Through MomentS, they continue to embrace creativity, and take pride in each strategic design that brings the client's wishes to life, showcasing each flowers’ meaning, and committing to producing floral art with love and intention.
Brooke Hansen: Styling Growth Through Passionate Leadership
Owner of Suite C Salon and Elevate Academy
suitecsalon.com and elevateacademy.net
Resilience - being able to bounce back from challenges and setbacks. Someone who doesn’t give up easily. Instead, they adapt and keep moving forward, while also using those moments to grow and create new opportunities.
Brooke Hansen has been the owner of Suite C Salon since 2016, transforming the space into a thriving, team-driven environment focused on collaboration, growth, and elevated service where clients' dreams become a reality. As a licensed cosmetologist for over 20 years, Brooke is passionate about the ever-evolving beauty industry and enjoys watching her team grow through hands-on experience and continued education. “I love to watch people grow and become confident in themselves and what they do,” Brooke shared.
By being not only a leader to her team, but also a leader in her industry, Brooke prides herself on her ability to push forward and make a difference, even in the face of challenges. Mistakes happen, moments of doubt arise, tough decisions need to be made, and challenges are inevitable. But Brooke doesn’t let the negative outweigh her positive impact. Every obstacle is a chance to learn, adapt, and get stronger. Pushing forward, even when it's hard, builds resilience and makes every success so much more rewarding.
Through her own collection of bumps along the way, Brooke has risen above, and her most recent example of using her passion to drive herself and others forward is with the opening of Elevate, a new beauty academy providing more than just the basics. “I want to help the next generation of beauty professionals learn the technical skills they need to be successful, but also grow in their confidence and passion.”
Brooke is deeply invested in the encouragement of future students, her clients’ confidence, and her Suite C team's growth. Her leadership style is rooted in creativity, mentorship, and a deep commitment to helping her team succeed. Whether she's behind the chair or expanding her leadership to new heights, Brooke leads with purpose, resilience, and a passion for what's next.
Leah Vuko and Taylor Cipriani: Two Partners Designing One Voice
Owners of Nero Boutique Interiors
neroboutiqueinteriors.com
Authentic - real, genuine, and true to its nature; when something is not fake, copied, or forced. When something or someone is authentic, it’s original.
Leah Vuko and Taylor Cipriani are the co-owners of Nero Boutique Interiors, an interior design business that combines luxury and functionality. As the principal designer, Leah blends beauty and strategic design to reflect each client’s lifestyle and vision. As the operations manager, Taylor oversees purchasing, handling of merchandise, vendor relations and accounting, ensuring each project is executed with precision and reflects the client’s style.
The duo worked together previously at a few companies before finally taking the leap, applying the skills they had developed, and creating a business themselves. Thinking on their feet and being adaptable, the pair proved themselves more than capable to start their own business with their own voice. As partners in both business and life, Leah and Taylor strive to be collaborative and innovative in their unique designs.
“I am definitely the extroverted one; Taylor is the more introverted one, but that is not a reflection of how we run our business. We are very 50/50,“ Leah explained, “We both develop our own strengths independently and then bring them together in our work.” Equally sharing their unique voices in the look and feel of the company, Leah and Taylor are both reflected in the business through their teamwork, brand tone, and overall style.
“We like to break away from traditional designs,” Taylor started. Leah expanded on this by sharing, “We really love to be unique and authentic to who we are as individuals, which reflects into our designs. We live in a time oversaturated with safe, predictable design. We like to keep ourselves on trend in the sense of being current but not in the way of replicating someone else’s work. Our hope is that our work will stand apart because it’s a reflection of our carefully curated design, our clients' unique lifestyle and priorities, and our values as a team.”
Nero Boutique Interiors showcases a recognizable look in both style and client collaboration. The couple has created a voice that reflects their personal style in the community, and remains true to who they are as business professionals and as people by authentically creating something that feels true to them and their clients, not just what’s expected.
Misty Dockins: Leading Connection Through Community
Owner/Publisher of Windsor City Lifestyle Magazine
citylifestyle.com/windsor
Tenacity - the quality of being determined and persistent. It's the ability to keep going, even when the road gets tough. Misty Dockins embodies this trait not just as the owner and publisher of Windsor City Lifestyle magazine, but as a woman deeply committed to personal growth and the betterment of her community.
Driven by a genuine love for people and connection, Misty has built more than just a business—she’s created a platform that brings people together and encourages them to grow alongside her. Through Windsor City Lifestyle, she found a powerful way to pour into the community—while helping Windsor celebrate the people and places that make it shine.
“I care about people and how I can help them,” Misty said simply. Her passion for Windsor shines through in everything she does. Alongside her growing team, she works to highlight the stories and strengths that make Windsor such a special place.
“I’ve truly been put on this earth to connect others and be a cheerleader for them,” she shared. It’s not always easy, but Misty believes showing up, staying committed, and working hard proves that you care—and that’s what real leadership is all about.
Running a business is no small feat, but Misty meets challenges head-on. She trusts her intuition and describes her style as “black and white,” valuing decisiveness and clarity. “I’m not scared to fail,” she said. “I’ve failed many times, but I’d rather try and fail than never try at all.”
That mindset—fueled by curiosity, courage, and heart—has allowed Misty to form deep community relationships and become an essential part of Windsor’s vibrant energy. Her love for what she does and her belief in Windsor hopefully inspire those around her.
“Community fuels me,” she said. “I want to lead well—and that means learning from other strong-minded leaders.”
Christina Koder: Guiding Each Step with Passion
Realtor at RE/MAX Alliance
koderknowsrealestate.com
Integrity – being honest, ethical, and having strong moral principles even when no one is watching. It’s about doing the right thing, staying true to your values, and being trustworthy.
Christina Koder is a real estate professional with over 20 years of experience working in Northern Colorado. She aims to help buyers and sellers navigate all angles of the real estate market. Being raised on a small farm, Christina has grown up knowing the value of working hard, committing to her craft, and showcasing her best work. “I’ve lived every side of real estate. Buying, selling, fixing, managing, and starting over. It’s not just my job; it’s the foundation of my life,” shared Christina.
"I've spent two decades as a Realtor in Northern Colorado, a career built on relationships, transparency, and doing right by my clients. That longevity in one market, and my ongoing success, only happens when people know they can trust me. Integrity is the cornerstone of real estate, and I've earned my clients' loyalty as shown by my repeat and referral business.” By utilizing her diverse experience to help people at every level achieve their goals, Christina is passionate about advocating for her clients and supporting others in the community.
"I'm constantly learning and staying up to date with industry trends so I can grow professionally and provide the best guidance to my clients,” stated Christina.
“I'm known for showing up and doing the right thing, even when no one is watching. I will do whatever it takes to help my clients achieve their goals and make the transaction as smooth as possible, even if it involves a set of tools and a little dirt under my finger nails. That’s what I strive to bring to the table every day,” stated Christina.
Christina has a vast collection of skills that enable her to be a powerful business woman in her industry, and she hopes to inspire others by showing that with hard work, any goal can be achieved. When you are passionate about something, you excel at being the best you can be. Christina has used her passion and drive to build a career and establish herself in the industry, while also remaining authentic to herself and to others.
Mandy Mullen: Turning Ambition into Opportunity
Owner of run.Windsor Race Series and Founder of Windsor Gives
runwindsorco.com and windsorgives.org
Grit - having the strength, courage, and determination to keep going. It’s about sticking with your goals, working hard, and pushing through challenges.
Mandy Mullen is the founder and race director at run.Windsor, a locally operated organization with a dedication to improving the health of Northern Colorado through a shared love of community and running. As a first generation college graduate, Mandy has always worked to be the best version of herself and accomplish any goal she sets her mind to.
Through hosting a variety of different events, run.Windsor celebrates community, supports local businesses, and promotes community wellness. Before becoming an athlete and business owner, Mandy paved her own path with running - inspired by seeing her husband race and motivated by her own drive to better her health and reach her new goals.
Mandy shared, “At first it was just a means of exercise, I didn’t have a community. I didn’t feel like a real runner.” By working hard and expanding outside of her comfort zone, new opportunities began to blossom and Mandy took on the chance to create something meaningful. Inspired by her family and a desire to create an inclusive group of people who shared the same passion, Mandy began her journey as a runner, and with time and connection, a community was formed.
Mandy uses her business as a way to give back by promoting the community’s mental, emotional, and physical wellness through movement, while also donating a portion of each event’s proceeds to local non-profits. “I just fell in love, I was like ‘I love all parts of this. I love the planning, the marketing, the community engagement, connecting businesses and runners, the entire thing,'” Mandy shared. By being a runner herself, she has obtained a unique perspective that has allowed her to create events that other runners would enjoy as well.
By continuing to pursue her own ultra-running career on top of maintaining her own businesses, Mandy has become a motivational figure in the running community. It's hard work; running events are taxing and messy. But in the end it is the joy of loving what you do and sharing it with like minded individuals. Mandy's hard work has inspired many, including her 12-year-old son Carter, who ran 34 miles at her Weld Your Mettle Ultra event. Through her drive and grit, a commitment to community, and turning new passion into big purpose, what began as a personal goal grew into a thriving, impactful business.
"Flowers are our love language." - Lexie
"I want to grow confident, passionate beauty professionals." - Brooke
“We like to break away from traditional designs." - Taylor
"Community fuels me." - Misty
"It’s not just my job; it’s the foundation of my life." - Christina
"I love connecting runners, businesses, and everyone." - Mandy