Gunnar Harris
Founder, SMB Strategic Advisor, FPAP
Adventure Traveler, Practical Philosopher
Notable Achievements
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Became manager of a Fortune 500 company
Founded multiple small businesses
Created YouTube channel teaching Small Business Accounting that has helped over 300,000 Small Business Owners
Obtained FPAP Certification
QuickBooks Online Advanced ProAdvisor
Became Fractional Controller & CFO
Became Strategic Advisor to SMEs
Interviewed by “VoyageDenver” magazine, featured in their “Denver’s Most Inspiring Stories” series
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Built, lived in, traveled, and worked from a camper van with my dog for 2 years
Traveled to all 50 states
Traveled to 5/7 continents
International City Exploration: Tokyo, Paris, Zurich, Istanbul, Copenhagen, Oslo, Reykjavik, Quito, Guatemala City, Medellin, Mexico City, Glasgow, London, Marrakesh, and more.
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BJJ Purple Belt
Co-Founded a BJJ & MMA Gym
Hosted seminars in gym for Rodrigo Gracie Jr and Renzo Gracie
Trained Jiu Jitsu in 22 different states
Trained Jiu Jitsu in 14 different countries
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Climbed to the highest point on Earth: Mount Chimborazo in Ecuador (20,549’)
9 Colorado 14ers (some summited more than once and a few during winter months)
Mount Toubkal, Africa (13,671’) in winter
Mount Fuji, Japan (12,388’)
Cumbre Ruco Pichincha, Ecuador (15,407’)
Mount Cayambe, Ecuador (18,966’)
Mount Whitney, California (14,505’)
Humphreys Peak (Highest point in Arizona)
Mount Bachelor, Oregon, in winter
Mount Adams, Washington, in winter
South Sister, Oregon, in winter
and more…
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Avid self-studier and reader. Since tracking, I have read over 200 books spanning business/strategy, philosophy, history, adventure/leadership, & literature
See full tracked list of books read in full accomplishments page
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Wilderness First Responder Certified
Poudre Wilderness Volunteer
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Trekked 100 miles through the Scottish Highlands
Walked down, across, back, and then back up the Grand Canyon
Walked across the country of Liechtenstein
Completed the Art Loeb Trail in North Carolina
Completed many backpacking trips in Colorado and all across the United States: Arizona, Wyoming, Montana, New Hampshire, Vermont, North & South Carolina, and more…
Work
Founder of Essentially Intentional, LLC and Strategic Advisor to Fort Collins businesses.
My work sits at the intersection of strategy, operations, and financial systems.
Outside of business, I spend time in physical training, travel, and long-term pursuits that require discipline, adaptability, and judgment.
I work directly within businesses to bring clarity, alignment, and better decision-making into how the businesses operate—connecting strategy, operations, and financial systems into a cohesive whole.
My goal is simple:
Help organizations become more human, aligned, intentional, adaptable, and effective.
Community & Philosophy
How I think about living, working, and organizing my life.
This is the framework I use to guide how I live, make decisions, and choose how to spend my time.
It is not theoretical—it is something I try to apply in practice across work, relationships, and personal pursuits.
This shows up through:
My local SMB Strategic Advisory
Involvement in local organizations and community
My family and relationships
Physical training, reading, and long-term development
Adventure travel & exploration
The focus is not just on outcomes, but on how those outcomes are achieved—and the kind of person, community, and organization that develops in the process.
Adventure Travel & Exploration
Travel and outdoor pursuits have been a consistent part of how I live and develop.
This includes everything from multi-day backpacking trips and mountaineering to living on the road and training in and exploring different countries.
It’s less about checking boxes and more about putting myself in environments that require effort, attention, judgment, and adaptability.
My goal is to expand my capabilities and perspective of the world.
Integration
The same ideas show up across how I work, how I think, and how I spend my time.
In business, that means helping organizations operate with clarity, alignment, and better decision-making.
In adventure travel, it shows up in more uncertain environments—where adaptability, resource management, risk awareness, and decision-making under pressure matter.
My natural inclinations toward adaptability, resilience, efficiency, decision-making, and resource and risk management are shaped and tested in both environments.
Whether in the business world or in the field, the challenge is similar:
navigating uncertainty and complexity
navigating ambiguity and trade-offs
making decisions by applying principles with judgment based on the reality of the situation
balancing planning and focus with adaptability
It’s not separate tracks—it’s one way of operating applied in different environments.
Proper strategy—both in business and in life—involves balancing:
thinking and acting
control and learning
order and chaos
principles and context
preparation and openness
Credentials & Certifications
Business & Professional
B.S. in Accounting, minor in Communications Studies — West Virginia University
FPAP (Financial Planning & Analysis Professional) from CFI
Advanced Certified QuickBooks Online ProAdvisor
Corporate & Business Strategy (CFI)
Risk Management for FP&A (CFI)
Making Effective Business Decisions (CFI)
Operations & Supply Chain Certifications (CSCMP)
Sherwin-Williams Advanced Branch Operations & Audit Pro
Outdoor Certificates
Wilderness First Responder (WMA)
Leave No Trace
Avalanche Awareness (Colorado Mountain School)
Intro to Mountaineering (Colorado Mountain School)
Backcountry Cooking & Nutrition
Epinephrine Certification (California EMS)
Organizations
Delta Sigma Pi Business Fraternity
Fort Collins Chamber of Commerce / Red Carpet Committee
Poudre Wilderness Volunteers
Corporate Finance Institute (CFI)
BNI (Business Network International)
Explore
Work
Experience, case studies, and business work
Writing & Story
Personal Narrative & Work Essays
Travel & Adventure
Outdoor experiences and exploration
Archive
A collection of work, writing, systems, and projects across business and life.
