11/19/2025
“If I knew how much work it was going to be, I never would have done it… but oh well. I’m here now.”
A downtown Bozeman business owner told me that a couple weeks before I opened my hostel. You’d think it would’ve made me pause — knowing her burrito shop ended up being way more work than she expected.
…But it didn’t.
I signed the paperwork her dad (my real estate agent) helped me look over and just sent it. And honestly, even if someone had told me exactly how much work it’d be, I still would’ve done it. Not because I’m stubborn (even though… fair), but because every struggle has been worth it. There could’ve been triple the workload, tears, and breakdowns, and it still would’ve been worth it.
Every day I see dividends. Emotional dividends, specifically (because let’s be real, I’ve been a terrible capitalist this past decade). The value of our hostel is so much more than the sum of its parts. The connections between guests and staff keep this good fight worth fighting. I get to see secondhand happiness and relish in what we’ve built with the countless souls who helped along the way.
I remember walking into this space over 10 years ago and dreaming of what it could be. What it 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 be. What it’s become has blown past even my wildest hallucinations.
As we built this place, I also built the home I always longed for — a home in my hometown, and a home within myself. Seeing others finally feel “home” here has given my life a purpose I can’t fully express.
One of our first negative reviews called me a “child owner.” And he wasn’t wrong. I was 24 — petrified, inexperienced, and in over my head.
Now I’m 34. Still a little scared of everything happening in the USA, but I have support, and I know we’ll keep going. I’m still in over my head sometimes, but every day I learn to swim a little better. I still feel like a kid, but I finally see how much I needed those mistakes.
To everyone reading this: THANK YOU. I love Bozeman. I love this community. And I love every person who stood behind me when I had no clue what I was doing.
Cheers to the next 10 years 🎉🫶🏼🔟🏠 pc:
