Ashley Montes

“I am more comfortable with failure than regret” -Ashley Montes

I am an Entrepreneur, Emergency Medical Technician, and athlete on a mission to help and impact others as much as possible.

At age 14 I began competing around the world in international olympic sparring events for taekwondo. I saw how my parents started up their own small business and saved up as much as they could for all my competitions. Before a competition, my father would remind me to do my very best and never regret my outcome. So that is who I became; someone who was more comfortable with failure than regret.

I ended up going to CU Boulder and was part of their taekwondo team. Covid significantly impacted my life by realizing that I had a need to help others and how essential our family’s small business was to us. With the death of my grandfather it felt as if our world was coming down. We had lost our motivation. As an older sister I have had to step in. I took the administration role for SMG Plumbing, which is how my entrepreneurial journey began.

One goal I have is to create my own wellness center, a space where we treat mental health with good habits and provide various resources for our community to deal with stress. I’ve realized that it doesn’t matter what career you are in; you are faced with challenges and need to prioritize your mental health. Building a space like this is essential; it’s a space where small business owners and people who I see constantly in the ambulance with mental health issues can come and feel safe. A space to motivate and innovate so others may have a better, healthier lifestyle. Valves that stick with me through this journey are perseverance, courage, and curiosity. As an entrepreneur, these are the values that are needed to create and hustle towards your goals.

I’m a graduate of DSST Public Schools: GVR. DSST impacted my life by having a community that follows me and cares even though I´m no longer a student there. I remember DSST using empowering phrases like “ it takes a village,” which stuck with me the most throughout my career. Without my community and the great support system I had in school, I wouldn’t have made it this far. Having an Advisor and teachers who worried about me and my mental health I felt unstoppable to pursue my dreams. I’m calling out to schools to speak on mental health and prioritize students finding their way to manage pressure.