Today we’d like to introduce you to Ciana Simpson.
Ciana, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
The MoCo List honestly started very organically. I’ve always loved discovering local businesses, sharing places I was excited about, and connecting people to things happening in the community. I’ve also had a need to know what is going on and pull to check out new openings and events in the area.
At the same time, I was heavily involved in organizing community events and realized how many incredible small businesses were looking for opportunities to get in front of people in a meaningful way. I started inviting vendors to pop up at events I was already hosting, and over time those experiences naturally evolved into curated markets and larger collaborations. None of it was originally part of some big business plan. It really grew from genuine support for small businesses and a love for creating experiences that brought people together.
Today, The MoCo List has become a platform that blends content creation, event curation, community building, and local business promotion. I work with boutiques, coffee shops, venues, makers, restaurants, and entrepreneurs across the area to help create visibility and connection in a way that is authentic and community-focused.
What I’m most proud of is that it still feels rooted in the same thing it started with: creating spaces, both online and in person, where people feel inspired to shop local, show up for one another, and discover businesses they genuinely fall in love with.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It definitely has not been a completely smooth road, although I think that’s true for most things built from passion and persistence rather than a traditional blueprint. A lot of what I do exists in a space that didn’t really have a clear roadmap. I wasn’t following a step-by-step business model. I was building something community-focused and creative while learning in real time.
One of the biggest challenges has been balancing growth with staying true to the original heart of The MoCo List. As the platform and events grew, there were more opportunities, more opinions, and more pressure to scale quickly or do things in ways that didn’t always align with my vision. I’ve had to learn that not every opportunity is the right opportunity, and that protecting the integrity of what you’re building matters.
There have also been practical challenges behind the scenes that people don’t always see, like navigating partnerships, contracts, scheduling issues, event logistics, financial risk, and the emotional side of running something that is so personally connected to you. When your business is rooted in community and relationships, you care deeply, and that can be both beautiful and exhausting at times.
At the same time, those challenges have taught me a lot about boundaries, leadership, trusting my instincts, and the importance of creating experiences with intention instead of just chasing growth for the sake of growth. I think the struggles are actually part of what shaped The MoCo List into what it is today.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about The MoCo List?
The MoCo List is a community-focused platform centered around supporting local businesses, creating meaningful experiences, and helping people discover the best of what our area has to offer. What started as sharing local favorites online has evolved into a blend of content creation, curated events and markets, business promotion, collaborations, and community building.
At its core, I specialize in creating connection. Whether that’s through highlighting a small business on social media, curating a market filled with thoughtfully selected vendors, organizing community-centered events, or partnering with local venues and brands, the goal is always to create experiences that are intentional, welcoming, and memorable.
I think what sets The MoCo List apart is that it has never felt transactional to me. I genuinely care about the businesses and people I work with. I’m very intentional about the vendors, brands, and spaces I align myself with because I want people to trust that when they discover something through The MoCo List, it’s something I truly believe in. That authenticity has been a huge part of building the community around the brand.
Over time, The MoCo List has become known for curated markets and events that feel elevated, community-driven, and highly intentional. People often tell me the events feel different, and I think that comes from the focus not just being on what’s being sold, but on the overall experience and the people behind the businesses. I care just as much about the atmosphere, the relationships, and the feeling people leave with as I do the aesthetics.
Brand-wise, I’m most proud that The MoCo List has grown organically through genuine connection and community support. It was never built around trying to “go viral” or become an overnight business. It grew because people connected with the heart behind it.
What I’d want readers to know most is that The MoCo List is really about celebrating local businesses and creating spaces where people feel inspired to show up for their community. It’s about making local feel exciting, elevated, and worth investing in.
How do you think about luck?
Honestly, I don’t really believe in luck in the traditional sense. I think what people often call “luck” is usually the result of consistency, relationships, intuition, timing, and being willing to keep showing up even when things are uncertain.
A lot of opportunities connected to The MoCo List came from years of building genuine relationships, supporting businesses before there was any benefit to me, staying involved in the community, and creating things because I cared about them, not because I knew they would turn into something bigger. From the outside, certain moments may have looked lucky, but most of them were built on trust, effort, and authenticity over time.
That said, I do believe there’s something powerful about being open to unexpected opportunities. Some of the biggest turning points for The MoCo List happened organically through conversations, collaborations, or people believing in what I was building before I fully realized how far it could go myself.
I’ve also learned that challenges can end up being just as valuable as successes. Some of the harder moments in business forced me to become more confident in my vision, more selective about partnerships, and more intentional about the kind of experiences and community I wanted to create.
So while I wouldn’t necessarily call it luck, I’m very grateful for the people, relationships, and opportunities that helped shape the journey along the way.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.themocolist.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themocolist/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61567890253656
