No Gatekeeping: Sitting Down with Small Business Owner Danny Salzman of Men In Kilts Denver
I’m four years into running this business, and sometimes I’m still convinced we’re all just playing The Sims. Hoping our big ideas and dreams will turn into a livable income. “Building the plane as I fly it,” as they say. When I first started, I believed I was on my own to figure it all out. I thought business owners were gatekeepers, unwilling to talk about the problems behind the curtain and that problems were signs of failure. Those assumptions couldn’t be further from the truth. Over these four years, I’ve connected with countless small business owners, and every time we open up about challenges, ideas start to flow. Without fail, I walk away with solutions I never would have come up with on my own. Gatekeeping is out. Collaboration is in. So here I am, launching this series to showcase my small business owner community: their passions, processes, struggles, solutions, and secrets, all to help others who may feel lost or unsure about their own business journey!
Origin Story of Men in Kilts: This month I sat down with Danny Salzman, Owner of Men in Kilts Denver! Before becoming the man behind the bright green kilts you might spot around Denver, Danny was working a classic corporate job in medical tech. “It drained my soul,” he admitted. “I just felt like a cog in the machine.” After a "mutual separation” between him and the corporate world, he found unexpected luck through his sister, who worked with a franchising company. She introduced him to Men in Kilts, a Canadian-born brand that takes exterior cleaning and adds a splash of personality. “I looked at it and thought “THIS is brilliant. It’s fun, it’s bold, and I understand the marketing behind it.” So he packed up, left San Francisco, and moved to Colorado, right as the pandemic hit. “I literally signed the papers in March 2020,” he laughed. “But it actually worked out. Everyone was home, staring out their windows, realizing they needed them cleaned.” Danny started solo, learning as he went. “I didn’t really know what I was doing,” he said. “But that’s kind of the point. You’re not supposed to.”
The Real Talk: Next I asked the tough questions. “What are the struggles no one talks about?” Danny reported that the first year one was lonely. “You realize fast that no one’s coming to save you and no one gives a shit,” he said honestly. “If you don’t do it, it doesn’t get done.” Now in year five, the business runs smoother, but not without daily challenges. “The operations are simple. It’s the people part that is hard. Employees, clients, the human stuff — that’s the hardest.” Danny says he has worked intentionally to build a culture of respect within his company. “When I interview people, they just say they want to feel respected. That’s it. It’s wild to me that is not the norm.” I couldn't agree with him more.
The Joys: When I asked about the joys of owning his business, he didn’t mention money or milestones. “It’s the customers who come back because we did great work,” he said. “That feeling never gets old.” But beyond that, it’s the independence that fuels him. “Not answering to anyone. That’s the best part. The pressure of knowing people rely on me has turned me into a stronger, more accountable leader. I don’t take that for granted.”
Advice They Wish They Had: “Shift your mindset,” he said when I asked what he’d tell new or aspiring business owners. “Every problem is an opportunity. Don’t avoid the hard stuff. Embrace it. Figure out what went wrong, learn from it, and do it better next time. When something bad happens, it doesn’t break you. It builds you.”
That’s the kind of no-gatekeeping wisdom we need more of in business spaces. The kind that says you don’t have to have it all figured out. You just have to keep showing up! Small business owners aren’t just running companies — they’re rewriting the rulebook every day, figuring it out as they go, and finding freedom in the mess!
If you’re out there building your version of this. Still tightening bolts on your metaphorical plane mid-flight, this is for you! I want to hear your story! Reach out if you want to be featured next. No gatekeeping here! Just real talk from people doing the work.
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