The Most Inspiring Stories in Utah

The heart of our mission is to find the amazing souls that breathe life into our communities. In the recent weeks, we’ve had the privilege to connect with some incredible artists, creatives, entrepreneurs and rabble rousers and we can’t begin to express how impressed we are with the incredible group below. Check out our favorite stories from across the Voyage family.

Sidni Shorter

As a transformational leader, I’ve consistently fused vision with action—acquiring and growing an accounting and finance firm for nonprofits and small businesses by 125%, then transitioning to my current role as President and CEO of the Utah Black Chamber of Commerce. In this role, I’ve led the Chamber through 275% membership growth and a 516% increase in contributions, positioning it as a catalyst for economic development and a trusted resource for Black-owned businesses across Utah. Read more>>

Archer Vazquez

I am an 18 year old photographer and I started my journey in Denver Colorado. Over the years I’ve had the opportunity to work with so many people in creating fun and engaging content, and I’ve been able to capture thousands of memories. Read more>>

Teinamarrie Scuderi

When I was in high school, I volunteered to read books to “at risk” kids. Then I learned about Ryan White who was the hemophiliac who died of AIDS. When I was a freshman at the University of Utah I volunteered for the Campus AIDS Project at the Lowell Bennion Community Center. I thought this was how I was going to change the world, by educating people how not to get infected with HIV. Well, that was my naivety because education alone didn’t work. I did however spend the next 30 plus years involved in the LGBTQ+ community as an Activist and Ally. Read more>>

Duncan Clawson

I released my EP’s Alexithymia in 2014 and Stampede in 2015, which primarily contain instrumental guitar and piano compositions I had written in high school. I would go to multiple open mics a week trying to play my music for anyone willing to listening. Between 2015 – 2020 I was writing and performing in a couple bands with some of my closest friends but was putting less time into my personal compositions. Read more>>

Matt Warnock

Meanwhile, my father and his business partner, Clyde StClair, had been building RidgeCrest Herbals, an herbal supplement company. My dad, with his MBA and business turnaround expertise, and Clyde, with his deep knowledge of the natural health industry, had created something special. But life threw a curveball—about the same time my mom was diagnosed, Clyde was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. My father needed me to step in, and with my background as an attorney and MBA-holder—but with no experience in herbal medicine—I found myself as COO, and later CEO of RidgeCrest! Read more>>

Riah Packer

Life threw me what felt like some crazy curve balls, but everything has aligned in such a way that I know I’m exactly where I need to be. Since my last interview with Voyage, I’ve earned my Associates Degree in Art & Design, I met my match and got remarried (our family doubled from 3 kids to 6 overnight), our band celebrated the release of our debut album, Lemon (which I designed and sewed all of my bandmate’s costumes for, as well as the set-pieces), I’m currently employed by UVU as a props sculptor for an upcoming production, and *thankfully* am only one year away from finally getting my bachelor’s degree in Theatre! It’s been quite the ride. Read more>>

Tiffany Holdaway

Because of my unconventional upbringing, I went to several schools for a short period up until we became completely homeless and I lost track of where my mom was. I would try to register myself multiple times at different schools through the 5th & 6th grades, quickly needing to move on so the state didn’t take me because my mother was MIA. I had conflicting emotions over this; sad because I loved school and I wanted an education and was relieved from the embarrassment of getting teased for wearing the same clothes every day and smelling of BO. Needless to say, I wasn’t able to get an education past 4th grade unless I became a ward of the state. I’d been through six foster homes already, so that idea was not appealing at all, who would take care of my mom? I felt inferior and scared to involve myself with children my age, especially girls. Read more>>

Noelle Perry

Since I was little girl, I knew wanted to be a painter, and as a homeschool child, was able to invest many hours practicing the craft in my small home town of Morro Bay, CA along the central coast. I lived on a large acreage family ranch with rolling wind-blown grassy hills and amazing views. This environment inspired and shaped me as a person and artist. Read more>>

Breanna Panter Halverson

While still in high school, I became a certified nursing assistant (CNA) and started working in geriatric care. This role gave me hands-on experience assisting patients with daily needs and solidified my passion for promoting health. After high school, I earned college credits toward my nursing degree while continuing to work as a nursing assistant. I was accepted into nursing school on my first application and passed the exam to become a licensed practical nurse (LPN). Soon after, I transitioned into a registered nurse (RN) role in the medical/oncology department of a regional hospital after passing my RN exam. Read more>>

Nicole Martinez

I’ve been in Utah ever since. I got into snowboarding, climbing, backpacking, and camping. I fell in love with the desert and mountain lakes. And I watched the design community evolve into something inspiring and resourceful. Along the way, I’ve had incredible opportunities—leading campaigns as a Visual Designer at Overstock, then pushing my skills in web, mobile app and interactive projects at Super Top Secret. That experience took me far outside my comfort zone and completely changed my trajectory as a designer. Eventually, I felt the urge to build something of my own. Read more>>

Shannae Smith

Being self-taught, I became a pioneer in the first wave of UGC Creators and also co-founded Bloomie Education Division, where I manage various aspects of digital marketing and influencer tasks. You can find it at Bloomie for Creators. My journey and experience has given me the opportunity to consult for businesses, manage social media, and take on various roles in the digital marketing landscape. I’m skilled in advertising and understand both sides of being a creator and a brand. Read more>>

Jasmine Roth

The project was much bigger than we expected and two years in, I decided to leave my job and help finish our project. I always joke that I never went back to “work”. From the minute I stepped foot on our construction site, I started learning. I loved it and I was hooked! I learned and learned (I’m still learning) and started taking on design clients for free as I got my feet under me. Eventually my skills allowed me to charge my clients and the rest is history. I kept building houses, taking on interesting projects, and eventually HGTV came knocking. Now I’ve had my own HGTV show for 6 Seasons, I’ve had my own residential development company for over 12 years, and most recently our family decided we were ready for a change and moved to Utah full time. Read more>>

Larissa Paes Thackeray

In 2023, a new wave of negative events took over when I had a miscarriage, followed by the loss of a teammate to suicide and another friend to cancer. I had anxiety, couldn’t function well, got injured while trying to get back to high level training after the lost pregnancy, got my resident visa denied and was struggling to get out of a toxic relationship. In between all of the emotional swings, I got diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder, which made me terrified that I’d one day have the same fate as my grandfather. Read more>>

Bryan And Chantel Flanders

Throughout 2024, they came to realize the increased demand for circus arts within their studio and the community. They set out to create a new home for both kids and adults that’s all things circus – aerial silks, hammock, lyra, straps and trapeze, partner acrobatic classes like AcroYoga, standing acrobatics, acro dance and cheer acro, as well as flexibility, tumbling and handstands classes! They are beyond excited to now call the Salt Lake City Circus Center at Trolley Square Mall their home, and bring their dreams of this past year, and experience of the past eight years, to reality. Read more>>

Miguel Cibrian

Fast forward to mid-2022, while working on a work project, Miguel had a lightbulb moment—what if they took their passion for photography and event hosting to the next level? He decided to invest in a photo booth for a grand opening event at Delta, marking the unofficial start of what would soon become Cibrian Creative Captures. What started as a small side venture, providing fun and interactive entertainment for family events, quickly gained traction. They found joy in seeing people come together, making memories, and taking home keepsakes from their celebrations. Read more>>

Nomadic Ink

At Nomadic Ink, we go beyond just being a tattoo studio; we cultivate a collaborative creative space. We actively host guest artists and encourage them to travel and stay with us, fostering a vibrant exchange of ideas and styles. We love networking and creating connections within the artistic community, which is why we host art nights and classes to engage local talent and provide opportunities for artistic growth. Read more>>

Michael And Jillian Leonard

I was told that my management style was “too lax” and that they were choosing to let me go. In an instant, I felt my entire world fall apart. I can still remember the drive home, calling Michael, and crying uncontrollably. What were we going to do? Money was already tight, and now I had just lost my job. I could feel myself being crushed by the weight of all this. Through the tears I told him I just needed the day then I’d start looking for a new job tomorrow … Read more>>

Sheena Bates

I studied photography at Utah Valley University. While there we interviewed a fashion photographer. One thing she said really struck me. She said to find what you love, aside from photography and find a way to combine the two. Right away I knew that mine was food. At the time I didn’t really know that food photography was a thing, but I knew that those were the two subjects that I wanted to combine. Read more>>

Dakota Edwards

At this point, my brother had moved to North Carolina to work for the world famous YouTube channel Mr. Beast, and my sister had moved to Los Angeles to further pursue her career as an actress and singer. The more I learned in the class about 360 cameras, and how viewing a film in 360 degrees generates a very real and palpable sense of empathy, the more drawn I felt to building my life around Virtual Reality Filmmaking and 360 cameras. It was around this time I got the phone call through my brother’s network to come help film the Squid Game in Real Life Mr. Beast video that went wildly viral. Read more>>

Haygen Larsen

After a few months of research and figuring out which industry would be the best to get into, Landscaping & Lawn Maintenance was a go. Which led to starting Legend Landscapes with a good friend of mine, Bennett Gordon. With both of us having the same mindset, and faith of knowing what it would take to start and continue, made quite the difference! Huge industry to get into with many other companies already doing what we set out to do, but knowing with all the homes, subdivisions, and commercial properties being built there’s always landscaping and lawns to come with those. Read more>>

David Sullivan

I grew up in a broken home—my dad wasn’t around, and my mom was diagnosed with emphysema when I was just six or seven. She told me she only had six months to live, and from that moment, my life changed. I spiraled into drug abuse, using it as a way to numb the pain. It started with marijuana in the ‘80s, but it didn’t stop there. I became heavily involved in gangs and drug distribution, constantly chasing an escape from the reality I couldn’t face. Read more>>

Jayme Smith

Back in 2008, we produced an outdoor production of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow in Concert”, with a narrator who told the story in Washington Irving’s original language. Costumed characters would emerge from a greek chorus and pantomime the action while a foley artist provided all of the sound effects. The entire thing was underscored with music. And before the show started guests were invited to attend a pre-show festival where they could play games and eat foods from the Colonial period, as well learn more about the author of the story. Read more>>

Marcee Clark

10 years ago, my sons needed a way to earn money for Boy Scout camps. From there, the Cotton Candy business was started! Over the years, they moved on to their careers, and the youngest in the family decided to continue spinning cotton candy. We have loved spinning cotton candy at local events, rodeos, birthday parties, weddings, vow renewals, retirement homes, neighborhood parties, and local boutiques. We also offer prepackaged products. These are great party favors! Sugar on Sugar has over 25 flavors to choose from. The joy that comes from spinning cotton candy and handing the product to a customer who giggles with excitement is why we love this business! Read more>>

Jennie Harwood

Starting my own business was one of the scariest yet most rewarding decisions I’ve ever made. I had no idea what I was doing at first, but I took a leap of faith, and six years later, I couldn’t be prouder of what I’ve built. Vera Luna Co. continues to grow, and I’m committed to giving it everything I have to see where it flourishes in the years to come. Read more>>

Kelly Whitaker

Life hasn’t been easy. I grew up with an abusive father, dealt with depression and PTSD. Lost my second husband in an accident and my daughter was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2020. The road has been anything but smooth, but every challenge has only made me stronger. Through it all, the salon has been my constant—even when I had to step away for a bit, it was always there waiting for me. Read more>>

Carly Caudle

For me, the biggest challenge has been building a social media presence and marketing. When I was 18, I swore off social media for good and refused to use it in any capacity – being a part of it had become a moral dilemma for me and I could see how destructive it was becoming for our society and future generations. However, I reluctantly made the heavy decision of downloading Instagram and Facebook in order to promote my business. After years of preaching how evil social media is, I felt like the biggest hypocrite… but I slowly realized that there is an inspiring and uplifting side to it. After patiently working through feelings of shame, I surrendered to the path my business needed to take in order to thrive. Read more>>

Tia Barnett

Life is never a smooth road. My mom was a single parent and I had 2 siblings. She worked and went to nursing school trying to make a better life for us kids. I helped raise my siblings. I even learned to cut hair when I was 12 to save money for our whole family. I didn’t mind, but I think I grew up a bit too fast. When my mom graduated nursing school she was home a lot more. It was a hard adjustment to go from listening to me to listening to my mom for direction. Ultimately she decided it would be best if I left and moved in with my dad. Read more>>

J.r. Jackson

A big part of our success is how we treat our customers: any order placed before 2 p.m. (Mountain Time) from Monday to Saturday ships out the same day. That commitment has earned us a loyal following and proven that when you pair a unique product with top-tier service, people keep coming back. I’m excited to see where we can go next as we continue to expand our designs and uphold the fast, reliable shipping that sets us apart. Read more>>

Nash Houskeeper

A few years later while attending Weber State University I decided I would give accounting another shot since I was interested in the business program there and got my Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting. I enjoyed the program there so much I decided to do a Master of Taxation (MTAX) degree at Weber as well. Which I highly recommend to anyone who is interested in going that route. The program up there is amazing. Read more>>

Jeremy Eveland

Professionally, after law school I was honored to work with Justice Mark W. Gibbons at the Nevada Supreme Court. Afterwards I started my own private practice. I am licensed to practice law in Utah, Nevada, and California. I serve as general counsel to businesses, focusing on areas such as estate planning, real estate law, contract law, HR compliance, business succession, intellectual property, and related laws. My clientele ranges from medium businesses to large corporations, and I am dedicated to helping them navigate the complexities of the legal system to achieve their goals. Read more>>

Sarah Lund

We are a plant and home goods shop located inside Church & State. The plant offerings are at the heart of what we do: Cactus, Succulents, andTropicals, including hoys and syngoniums. We have plants that meet every price point but we specialize in rare plants that are hard to find or that you cant find any where else locally. In addition, it is important to offer everything that one needs to grow and maintain happy, thriving plants. We offer tips and tricks, soils and nutrients. Pots and lights are on the way! Read more>>

Arian Lewis

One of the biggest misconceptions is underestimating the power of community; remote work may offer flexibility, but it limits the organic connections that drive collaboration and innovation. In an increasingly competitive world, proximity is more valuable than ever—being in the right environment fosters relationships, sparks ideas, and fuels growth. Additionally, the way people consume office space is evolving, especially among younger professionals, who prioritize flexibility, engagement, and culture over traditional models. At Kiln, we believe that rethinking the workplace isn’t just about providing a desk—it’s about creating an ecosystem where people and businesses thrive. Read more>>

Hayden Effler

By running this business on the weekends, I’ve been able to learn and grow in my trade while making my weekends more productive. It’s a win-win that allows me to invest in my future and help others keep their windshields in top shape. I plan to continue growing both my skills and my business, knowing that every repair brings me one step closer to building the life I’ve always dreamed of. Read more>>

Annie Topham

In 2020 during covid I realized that I needed to pivot quickly in order to keep my business running. During that time I had virtual classes up and running within two weeks of getting the official notice in our state of closing down. At that time I also realized that if I was serious about growing my businesses I needed to go back to school and get my MBA. So I did just that! In the fall of 2020 I went to UVU and started getting my MBA in Finance. I graduated the following August in their accelerated MBA program. It has given me the skills I’ve needed and since that time my studio went from a small 40 student base, to the 150+ and growing community that it is. Read more>>

Chris Bryce

Our group offers care and support to our community in a perinatal context: supporting individuals and families in areas including fertility, contraception, abortion, pregnancy, live birth, miscarriage, and through postpartum. We support families with young children by offering in-home childcare, a community playgroup, and by redistributing resources. We offer post-op support to folks who have undergone gender affirming surgeries, We offer meal preparation services to families who may need that extra support around birth. Read more>>

Holly Hill

We both felt miserable and faced what felt like every challenge: she lost more than 10% of her birth weight in the hospital, struggled to latch, needed formula supplementation, and I had to figure out a nipple shield and learn to use a pump. By the time my second baby arrived, I felt more prepared for latching. I was able to have a vaginal delivery with her, but then she spent a few days in the NICU. I relied on the hospital-grade breast pump until she could coordinate latching and breathing. But then, she lost too much weight, developed severe jaundice, and had to be in an incubator, which made bonding even harder. Eventually, we got the hang of nursing—but not without plenty of ups and downs along the way. Read more>>

Just Zero

I never waited for the perfect setup—I built it myself. My journey was forged in the craft, shaped by a relentless drive to create. I started out working in print production, making my own clothes, and honing my skills—design, lettering, typography—piece by piece. Late nights weren’t for waiting; they were for working, sharpening the sword, and refining the craft. What started as a passion for making became an obsession with mastering every detail. Read more>>

Rodrigo Juarez

I said to myself “now what?” I had some savings so I started looking for a commercial building and eventually found a place. I signed the lease December 31st 2024 and opened the doors to my business January 31st 2025. Now we’re still doing business with private buyers, resellers, and now our community. We are open Friday and Saturday and during the week are those private appointments. Apart from vintage clothing we’re also selling trendy mall brands, shoes, bags, and accessories. We also donate a lot of clothing to local non profit donations. Our main goal is to give our clothing a second chance. Read more>>

Kattia Aguilar Marcelo

I started this beautiful career in October 2023. My growth was too fast and it is something I didn’t expect. Starting to tattoo saved me from a lot of depression that I was going through at that time and I am very grateful to the people who trusted and continue to trust my work, seeing my clients or people say that they love my work is my motivation to keep going and here I am moving forward because I never gave up, perseverance takes you where you want to go. Read more>>

Ashley Kipps

After being in Utah for a few months I decided to restart sharing little bits of my life on social media (previously I had a lifestyle blog + Instagram throughout college), and all it took was one TikTok video to change my life. I realized quickly that amongst all the Amazon Hauls, stunning LA influencers living in insane condos, & constant trends – there were people who just wanted to find ways to romanticize and feel passionately about their everyday lives. Because in all honesty, everyone deserves to find joy in the mundane, the things we will experience the most. Read more>>

Lexx Larsen

I also pride myself in price transparency with my clients. Tattooing feels like an enigma, and I want to take the guessing out of it so my clients are more comfortable during the tattoo. They’ll always know how much they’ll pay before the ink hits their skin, so they aren’t focused on price shock during the tattoo and can relax more. Read more>>

Brandy Strand

It hasn’t always been a smooth road. I married at the age of 18, and things didn’t work out as I hoped. Three years later, I left that marriage after experiencing domestic violence. It was a pivotal moment in my life, one that pushed me to make a change and focus on improving myself. But I quickly realized that no one in my family or community had the experience of going to college or knew how to navigate paying for it. I had to figure it out on my own. Read more>>

Rocky Donati

As she began envisioning what it would take to expand beyond four walls, she met her soon-to-be business partner and co-founder, Rocky Donati. A recent transplant from California, Rocky had left behind the high-intensity corporate world in search of something more fulfilling. She found refuge through Pilates, where she and Tessa crossed paths. Tessa knew immediately that Rocky had the business background, talent, and tenacity necessary to get this bold idea out of her head and into real life. In turn, Rocky recognized the transformative potential of Tessa’s vision and how vital it was for SLC to have a more sustainable micro-economy, while also providing locals with a stronger sense of neighborhood. Read more>>

Brittani Martin

That week we were presented with this business idea from a mutual friend! It was totally meant to be! We started with about 15 clients, and are currently close to 40. My second daughter was only 3 months old when we started delivering fresh fruit to office break rooms. As I have taken both of my girls into these offices, many of our clients have watched them grow up! We now have an awesome friend who works with us as well. And of course her newborn daughter has gone with her every day! Read more>>