CU Professional Mentorship Program
Charles Phanumphai • November 7, 2025
Paying It Forward: From CU Mentor to Local Business Growth
At the University of Colorado Boulder, mentorship has always been a cornerstone of growth — for students and alumni alike. For me, that journey began over two decades ago.
I graduated from CU Boulder’s Leeds School of Business in 2002, majoring in Management Information Systems (MIS). While still in school, I purchased my first rental property as a junior and my second as a senior — experiences that shaped my lifelong passion for real estate and entrepreneurship.
In 2012, I returned to campus in a new role — as a mentor in the Professional Mentorship Program (PMP). Since then, I’ve had the privilege of mentoring many talented students who’ve gone on to do amazing things in their careers.
One of those students was Garrison Gates, whom I was paired with in 2021, during his junior year. What began as a mentor-mentee connection soon evolved into something even more meaningful. After Garrison’s graduation in 2023, Snow Capped Properties — the company my wife and I own and operate in Grand County — was at a pivotal point. We were deciding whether to keep things small at around 35 managed properties (“doors”) or take the leap and grow.
With Garrison’s passion, work ethic, and curiosity for real estate, we saw an incredible opportunity to expand together. He officially joined Snow Capped Properties, and with his help and our team’s dedication (couldn't have done all this without Chloe's help, too!), we’ve grown to manage over 100+ properties today — a milestone we’re proud of, and one that reflects both teamwork and mentorship in action.
Thirteen years after joining the PMP program, I still mentor through CU. Most recently, I’ve been working with Andrew De Lisa (on the far left in our photo), who will graduate in May 2026. In a full-circle moment, Garrison now mentors his own mentee, Beshal Malla, both of whom share a deep interest in real estate and entrepreneurship.
We’ve always appreciated the mentors, professors, and peers who offered us guidance when we were young and still finding our way. Now, standing on the other side, it feels truly rewarding to give back — helping shape the next generation of leaders, thinkers, and builders.
The CU Boulder PMP program has been an incredible bridge between business education and real-world opportunity. It’s proof that mentorship doesn’t just build careers — it builds relationships, communities, and in our case, even businesses.
🔗 Learn more about CU’s Professional Mentorship Program here: CU Boulder PMP Program
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Charles Phanumphai, owner of Snow Capped Properties in Grand County, Colorado, recently shared insights on burnout, entrepreneurship, and long-term success in real estate. Charles explained that avoiding burnout starts with finding work you genuinely enjoy, while also intentionally creating balance through family time, travel, fitness, and experiences outside of work. As a business owner and father, he prioritizes being present with his children and setting healthy boundaries around work in the evenings. Charles’ journey into real estate began in 2000 when he purchased his first “house hack” while attending college. At the same time, he built a 20+ year career in IT and workforce management. Over the years, he combined those two backgrounds to create Snow Capped Properties — a vertically integrated company focused on long-term and seasonal rentals, property management, and real estate sales throughout Grand County. He credits much of his success to three key principles: analyzing data, taking calculated risks, and trusting the process. His IT background helped shape a data-driven mindset that allows him to make strategic decisions based on market trends, rental performance, and long-term investment fundamentals rather than emotion. He also emphasized that success did not happen overnight, but instead came through years of consistent, disciplined progress. Charles also discussed the importance of adaptability in today’s evolving real estate market and the value of building long-term relationships rooted in professionalism, transparency, and trust. For those interested in reading the full interview/article with Bold Journey, click HERE