Running a business in Colorado has never been easy. It takes grit, vision, and long days that stretch into longer weeks. For many, it’s a calling as much as it is a career. And yet, too often, those of us who champion small business find ourselves wondering if our businesses are being taxed, regulated, and “improved” into oblivion… all with the best of intentions.

There’s a phrase that’s been in my mind lately: “death by a thousand cuts.” Not because any one policy or decision is fatal on its own, but because the cumulative weight of overreach, overregulation, and inconsistent taxation is slowly choking the life out of our entrepreneurial spirit.

Let me be clear: most government action starts with good intent. Protecting the environment? Necessary. Supporting affordable housing? Absolutely. Promoting worker rights? Of course. But intent and impact are two very different things. When policy after policy piles on without coordination, without clarity, and without regard to unintended consequences, we create a climate where running a business becomes a gauntlet instead of a goal.

One example is state regulations. Colorado is the sixth most regulated state. The growing patchwork of regulations makes it challenging for businesses to stay up-to-speed and to follow the latest regulations. A Colorado Chamber report found that 45% of Colorado’s nearly 200,000 regulations are excessive or duplicative. That doesn’t even include things that haven’t made it out of the state legislature in recent years, such as predictive scheduling rules or inequitable taxation proposals. On top of the litany of state regulations, we have local zoning updates, signage fees, product bans, design approval delays, permitting, licensing, etc.

On their own, each of these regulations may seem small or well-intentioned. But collectively? It’s exhausting, expensive, and overwhelming for small businesses already stretched thin.

Here’s the irony: most small business owners want to do the right thing. They want to pay fair wages, be environmentally responsible, and contribute to the community. But they need clarity. They want fairness. And they need to trust that the rules won’t keep changing mid-game because a policymaker thinks something “sounds good.”

What’s too often missing from these discussions is the voice of the people most affected. Business owners are rarely invited to the table. When they are, it can feel like a box-checking exercise rather than meaningful engagement. That needs to change.

We need policies that are coordinated, clear, and equitable. Processes that reflect the realities of running a business, not just theory, but practice. We need state government to view the private sector not as a revenue stream to tap, but as a partner in building resilient, thriving communities.

Because here’s the thing: strong businesses build strong communities. If businesses keep getting cut through taxes, fees, reporting burdens, and red tape, they’ll eventually bleed out. Not dramatically, but quietly. A favorite shop will close. A restaurant won’t reopen next season. A local family will decide it’s just not worth it anymore. That’s the real cost of death by a thousand cuts.

So, what can we do?

First, we need to elevate the conversation. Every state policy should include an economic impact analysis before it is passed. Second, we need more collaboration, not less, between policymakers and the business community. Finally, we must embrace a simple truth. That truth is that good governance is about balance; balancing ambition with practicality, intent with impact, and regulation with opportunity.

Let’s aim for a state that doesn’t just survive but thrives. That starts by listening. It grows through partnership. And it succeeds when we stop overwhelming business and start building together.