Jill of Many Trades

by Jenna Kerwin | Published April 23rd, 2021
Updated January 9th, 2023

Denette Buenrostro, Associate Degree in Nursing Graduate

Denette Buenrostro used her nursing degree as a springboard to a successful business career

Denette Buenrostro of San Antonio, Texas, is an RN and entrepreneur dedicated to improving the lives of others. She owns two medical-related businesses, Epicc Vascular and Blue Horizons Healthcare, and is in the process of growing the Buenrostro Cosmetics company and the online magazine, Epicc Magazine. She says none of her success would be possible, however, if it wasn鈥檛 for earning her Associate in Applied Science in Nursing from Excelsior College in 2007.

To start a business, one needs a strong will and determination, and for Buenrostro, these traits trace back to her time in the military. After high school, she began pursuing nursing, but at 19, she joined the Army Reserves, then enlisted in active duty and served in the Armed Forces Medical Corps, 3rd Infantry Division in Germany. After leaving the Army in 1991, she decided to follow in her sister鈥檚 footsteps and continue her nursing education. Buenrostro became an LPN and realized to increase her skills and income, she needed to move to the next level. That鈥檚 when she discovered Excelsior, then Regents College.

As a single mother of four children, Buenrostro needed to find a way to pursue her education, take care of her children, and work without sacrificing any of these. She applied and sent in her transcripts, and was accepted. 鈥淎nd so, once I got started, it was like non-stop. I didn鈥檛 look back. I set my schedule, made my own calendar, prepaid for my [CPNE] test so that I knew that I had to take it, and that鈥檚 what I did,鈥� she says. Buenrostro adds that while attending Regents, she realized distance learning is not for everyone and self-discipline was a must for success. She says, 鈥淓xcelsior prepared me a lot in that sense. I鈥檓 able to think independently, to work independently; and I run my businesses just like that, based on what I learned from going through the Excelsior program.鈥�

Epicc Vascular is a vascular access company that provides nurses to travel to place PICC lines鈥攕pecial catheters called peripherally inserted central catheters meant to stay in place for an extended period of time to deliver antibiotics and chemotherapy鈥攊n patients outside of the hospital. Nurses go to nursing and personal homes as well as to hospitals so that patients don鈥檛 have to travel for the procedure. Buenrostro and her husband, who has an extensive background in business and marketing, have franchised the model, and to date there are 60 Epicc Vascular locations throughout the United States.

Blue Horizons Healthcare operates in much the same way as Epicc Vascular, allowing nurses to hire their own hospice agents and visit patients in their homes. She says this model reduces patient stress because they don鈥檛 have to travel to and from the hospital. Blue Horizons is also using cutting-edge technology to allow providers and patients鈥� families to use Facetime to communicate with patients, making them feel more engaged. This is something no other hospice franchise is doing, says Buenrostro. So far, there are about 12 hospice franchises operating under the Blue Horizons name, and more are in the works.

For both businesses, Buenrostro is pleased to provide a positive atmosphere where her employees like to work. She is also able to pass on her knowledge and experiences and says that some employees have even gone on to nursing school. 鈥淚 feel that I played a big part in that because they can see all that we鈥檝e been able to do, all that I鈥檝e been able to do, in the business being a nurse,鈥� she says.

Buenrostro Cosmetics began a couple years ago when Buenrostro realized that even though the colors of her cosmetics were beautiful, the names left a lot to be desired. Instead of names like 鈥渃ocoa latte鈥� and 鈥渃oral,鈥� Buenrostro wanted to come up with a line of cosmetics with names that are inspirational and positive. She named her lipsticks and eyeshadow palettes things like 鈥渆mpowered,鈥� 鈥渓ike a boss,鈥� and 鈥渕assive success.鈥� It鈥檚 since proven to be a big hit. She has also received positive feedback from her customers: 鈥淎 lot of women have told me, gosh, this really helped me today. I really, really needed this.鈥�

Buenrostro hopes to empower more people with Epicc Magazine, which features inspirational stories of people who own businesses, overcame adversity, or have a teachable moment to share. She hopes with these stories鈥攁nd her own鈥攕he will motivate other people to get out and make a change. She says, 鈥淢aybe reading the story of my magazine will inspire them to go and do something great and wonderful.鈥�

Buenrostro is an inspiration to many people, especially her children, who happen to be following in her path. Both her son and daughter are nurses, and Buenrostro couldn鈥檛 be happier. She says it鈥檚 been amazing to see what they鈥檝e both been able to accomplish and is excited to see where they go from here.

Two businesses, one on the rise, and a soon-to-be magazine aren鈥檛 enough for Buenrostro. There are still so many things she wants to do; she already has an idea for a line of inspiring clothing for women. She says, 鈥淚 just want to do as much as I can, because we only get one chance; we have one lifetime and we have to fit it all in there.鈥�