The looming monotony of a 9-5 job behind a desk wasn’t the life these three, born and bred, Colorado adventurers aspired to live. In their senior year at Golden’s School of Mines, a simple idea to find where they belong sparked what is now fueling not only their company, but their lifestyle and livelihood.

Meet Ben, Mark and Shamus!

Manning their Belong Designs sponsor booth at the Prairie Dog Half Marathon on a foggy Louisville morning, these guys were nice enough to chat for a few minutes! There was evident enthusiasm for their apparel company and mission that was positively infectious. It’s with genuine, heartfelt passion that they shared about their journey, “There is a famous quote that says, ‘Entrepreneurship is like jumping off of a cliff and trying to build a plane on the way down.’ The experience of developing your own concept and bringing it to fruition is one of the most exciting and fulfilling experiences we have shared so far.” -Ben

Each graduated as a mechanical engineer so this venture is a stark contrast to the nature of that profession; but in the two and a half years since beginning their endeavor, Shamus tells of some 30 different athletes they already sponsor in various sports from Biking to Snowboarding to Slack-Lining. He, Mark and Ben each participate in the plethora of outdoor activities themselves and these three enterprising friends are driven to inspire individuals to do what they love… to do something authentic and help people answer the question, “Where do you belong?” The sky-is-the-limit mentality each one possesses is refreshing and proving invaluable as they watch their business grow and I believe it will continue to flourish in their capable hands.

Guys, it was an absolute pleasure to meet you! People like you, your love for Colorado and living your dreams is what makes this such an amazing place to be!

Abby Blom