Local Entrepreneurs Share What They Love About Living in Great Falls, MT

Courtesy of Keely Baker

Great Falls, MT, offers a rare environment where families and business owners alike can truly thrive. For local entrepreneurs Keely Baker and Lani Watson, it is the ideal place to call home.

Finding a Sense of Community

Both women credit the town’s unique atmosphere for their success. Lani Watson, owner of Rise Athletics, describes her all-star cheerleading program as more of a family than a business.

“Our program is built on values of teamwork, perseverance, discipline and confidence,” she says. “We’re intentional about empowering our athletes to overcome challenges both on and off the mat. ‘Together We RISE’ isn’t just a slogan for us or just something we say, it’s the foundation of everything we do.”

Keely Baker, who opened Barre3 eight years ago while working as a full-time teacher, has cultivated a similar sense of belonging. Her studio serves as a hub for both physical wellness and camaraderie.

Courtesy of Keely Baker

“The biggest thing we do for the community is to physically and mentally create positive impacts on people’s lives,” she says. “We have grandmas, moms and teens – everyone is at a different phase of life. When they come in our doors, they are truly at their happy place.”

Small Town, Big Support

One of the aspects both women love most about Great Falls is the genuine small-town feel. “Families and businesses support one another,” Watson says. “I love that everyone looks out for each other.”

Baker agrees, saying she finds the town’s atmosphere comforting. “It’s not super small, but it feels that way because of the people,” she says. “The community does a great job of supporting local businesses.”

A True Family Affair

For both owners, business and family are inextricably linked.

Watson describes her husband, Justin, as Rise Athletics’ steady force. Daughters Emma, Ava, Grace and daughter-in-law Cassie are all coaches, and they are active in other roles as well.

“Everyone grew up on the cheer mat,” she says.

Matt Ehnes of Jared’s Detours

Barre3 is also a family affair for Baker, who has a 5-year-old son and 2-year-old twins (a boy and girl). Her husband outfitted the wellness studio with cabinetry thanks to his family’s custom-cabinet business, and even though her children are still small, they love to go to the studio and participate in Mommy & Me classes.

Perks of Great Falls

Both Watson and Baker could have opted to run their successful businesses in much larger cities, but they were intentional when choosing Great Falls as the right place to settle down and raise their families.

A self-described “small-town girl,” Watson wanted a place where she could put down roots and “everyone helps water them.”

She prefers the familiar faces of Great Falls over the traffic and crowds of a metropolis.

Returning to Great Falls after college to be closer to her family, Baker highlights the practical benefits of living here, such as affordability and quality of life.

“In big cities, it can be really expensive to raise kids and run a business,” she says. “In Great Falls, I can afford for my kids to do what they want to do while maintaining a healthy lifestyle.”

Baker adds that she appreciates local resources like top-tier schools, local camps and swim lessons.

“Great Falls is just a really great place to raise a family,” she says.

Matt Ehnes

Watson finds that same supportive spirit in the town’s culture.

“People take care of and rally for one another,” Watson says. “I love the friendly people that are like extended family. Downtown businesses feel like Cheers, where you walk in and everyone knows your name.”

Whether through a shared workout or a dynamic cheer routine, Baker and Watson prove that in Great Falls, the strongest businesses are those built alongside friends, neighbors and family.

Whether through a shared workout or a dynamic cheer routine, Baker and Watson prove that in Great Falls, the strongest businesses are those built alongside friends, neighbors and family.