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.

Summer Bringhurst

I’ve been a creative person and attracted to all things arts since a young age. I thank my mother for fostering such an appreciation for the arts in me. She would take me to see broadway plays, enroll me in dance, take me to after school painting classes, come to every night of whatever musical I was in, etc. She always followed my lead as well, not pressuring me to succeed or do anything I didn’t want to do. Rather, she made sure I wasn’t doing too many extracurriculars at once (although I wanted to try everything) so that I still had time for family, school, church, and friends. Read more>>

Jeff Furton

Our journey started with a passion for people, positive energy and community. Coffee was our way to do that. We started in a double sided drive thru in 2004 with great coffee and a commitment to building a community around it. To build the community we got into the community through events. Farmers Market Ogden, local races and charitable donates where the ways we wanted to GIVE to our town. Then in 2012 we began roasting with the goal of offering high-end quality coffee while staying true to our values of kindness, sustainability and positive energy. Over the years we have refined our craft, built relationships with like-minded customers/partners and expanded our presence. Read more>>

Annie Prebble

I cater my craft towards the Queer and Trans community, as I am one of a few Trans estheticians in Utah. My clients have been my greatest supporters through this entire journey, from me getting COVID January of 2020 and almost dying, the pandemic shutting down business for three months, caring for a spouse after a motorcycle accident, an ended marriage, soulmate dog passing away, to moving out of my home of 10 years next month – my clients have shown up for me in ways I didn’t think imaginable. Read more>>

Kate Williams

There has been some struggle in establishing my business, but I’ve had a lot of help along the way. When I first began, I didn’t know the first thing about paperwork, taxes, or registering with the state. I was lucky to turn to my friends and family who helped me set things up. I’ve also been able to connect with experts in various fields where I lack experience. I’ve found people are very kind about sharing their knowledge and experience. I’m really grateful to all the people who helped me! Read more>>

Scott Williams

It isn’t uncommon for small businesses to struggle, especially those that are based in food and beverage. We are very “boot-strapped” and therefore it took more than several years working from pre-dawn until midnight before we saw our efforts create some form of stability for the business and our team. Constantly rising rent in a tourist town, volatile food costs, seasonal flow, housing shortages for staff, political events affecting the federal lands we rely on, the pandemic (of course), and climate change affecting coffee production, all consistently serve challenges to be overcome. We have an amazing team that stays dynamic and positive with all the shifts in the industry and we’re grateful to be in business for almost 13 years. Read more>>

Ruth Horsley

Building Choose Kindness PG has certainly come with its challenges. One of the first hurdles we encountered was gaining the support of community leaders, and together envisioning a kinder future. In the beginning we involved local school officials and together started to build our program into what it is today. Funding is also a constant challenge. We are a volunteer organization and rely on donations from our city and many generous sponsors who believe in the power of kindness. Read more>>

Canaan Hagin

I started consistently posting content, hoping to combine my love for off-roading and overlanding with a deeper purpose—building something meaningful through content creation. Since then, I’ve had the opportunity to work with companies like Window Shield Defense, SuperPro, and my primary sponsor, Novsight Off-Road Lighting Read more>>

Chris Von Stierburg

So, after successfully delivering a few complex projects, we started getting referred by word of mouth and this quickly turned into an incredible high-demand business. We were able to expand our business into a full servicing remodeling company with flooring, painting, wallpaper, appliances and accessories, glass door enclosures, and interior design. Read more>>

Rhachel Stevens

Then 4 years ago someone came to me and asked me to open a shop with them and do the floral side of things and help manage it for her and I was ecstatic so I quit my good paying job to follow my dreams, Well after I had taught her what I knew about flowers, things went kinda south and she started cutting me out of it, I was devastated, but I put my big girl pants on and quit, learned from it, don’t believe everyone has good intentions and 2 months later opened my own shop, and now I’m doing what I love and what I want to do with it. I am able to show off my creativity anyway I’d like and give to whoever I want and it has been an awesome opportunity, so it was all for the better and my husband got clean and has helped me every step of the way which is another story!! Read more>>

Lindsay White

I specialize in marketing, graphic design and making my brand stand apart from other competitors. I am the most proud of developing a business that helps empower women, to use their voice and to know their rights. The Little Milk Bar is more then just a brand, but a community where women can come and feel heard and seen during their breastfeeding journey. Read more>>

Simon Quinn

Gavin and Simon (lead singers) started as coworkers at Jersey Mike’s, and then Gavin invited Ginger and she joined on drums. Eventually Simon met Thomas at a music jam and invited him to join. We were all friends with Merakaii, who already has their own solo project, and they eventually joined the group Read more>>

Jess Anderson

We love interacting well with the western world! We enjoy being at the rodeo’s! We sell American and Warbonnet Hats. We take pride in the quality of hats we sell. We sell quality not quanity. My husband, Tod, is a well known hat shaper and a number of people will only let him touch their hats. Read more>>

Eleni Saltas

It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. Putting together my first book as a self-published author was overwhelming — I was doing everything myself, from the writing to the photography and there were many moments I nearly gave up. It was the encouragement from my family that really kept me going. In the early days of blogging, I also had pretty thin skin. Negative comments online would get to me more than I’d like to admit, and I’ve gone through plenty of burnouts and creative ruts along the way. But I’ve learned to keep showing up, even when it’s hard, because I truly love the work I do and believe in the stories I get to share. Read more>>

Kalli Obray

I film weddings and elopements all over the world. It’s an incredible honor and privilege that will never fail to humble me. I’m most proud of my ability to love and serve my couples. By doing so, I’m able to deliver beautifully crafted, personal films every time. On top of being an artist, I highly prioritize my client’s experience, which is just as important as the end product I am sending. Recently, I’ve been able to brand out and begin mentoring and teaching other wedding vendors as well, which has become a whole new passion for me. Read more>>

Jessica Thompson

If I hadn’t struggled as a teenager, I wouldn’t fully understand how life-changing a good therapist can be. If I hadn’t experienced a traumatic birth, a miscarriage, or the push-and-pull of being a working mom, I wouldn’t grasp the emotional depth of what so many mothers carry. And if I hadn’t taken a leap of faith to bet on myself, I wouldn’t know just how complex, stretching, and sacred it is to build something from the ground up while raising a family. Read more>>

Connor & Emily Lorrigan

Fast forward a few years my husband and I decided to start going to our local Technical Collage to get licensed. After six months of learning everything but exactly how to do the job, we passed our tests and found what I can say with full acknowledgement of the bias, THEE best brokerage. We hung our licenses with RealtyPath CV and have been fully engulfed in the business ever since. The RealtyPath team is amazing and they’ve helped so much throughout our Real Estate journey—from education, to assisting in transactions, the brokerage really knows how to cultivate a vibe. Read more>>

Jasmin Te

It’s definitely been a journey with its fair share of bumps along the way. Life is definitely not always picture-perfect behind the scenes. I’ve always been someone who hustles hard—I’m currently juggling three jobs, and life can get a little chaotic. Balancing everything isn’t always easy, but the hustle has taught me resilience, and it’s pushed me to keep growing, even when things feel overwhelming. Read more>>

Madison Pinkerto

Nature photography is the name of the game for Melodic Mountain Arts. Growing up in the outdoors with an even larger appreciation for it in this phase of life, it only felt natural to capture the moments that shape our life and adventures. As someone that seeks out the beauty of nature, it’s guaranteed that the photos taken come from a genuine love of the experience. The photos capture merely a glimpse of the joy and beauty that was experienced and witnessed. Every photo seen can be met with a story to share of the moment. We’re so proud to offer moments captured that people can enjoy, connect to, or remember their own experiences by. Read more>>

Kim And Jamie Walters

Unparalleled Travel started a little over ten years ago when we – Kim and Jamie – met online and started our whirlwind romance. Although we differ in opinion on many of life’s essentials, like tucking in the top sheet of the bed and what an appropriate beverage for breakfast is, we do agree that life is one big adventure, even when things don’t go as planned. We both have specific and varying skillsets that compliment each other and that’s one of the things that make us so charmingly powerful. Or that’s what we tell ourselves, anyway. Read more>>

Jameson Mohammadi

I am a personal trainer and human nutrition specialist. My entire practice is rooted in our understanding of our evolutionary past. How were we adapted to move optimally? Are we built to run? To lift heavy things? Why are the leading causes of early mortality the consequences of lifestyle choices? What foods produce the best health for us and why? Why do we require 1/3 of our day to be spent in sleep? Is it wrong to share a bottle of wine with a group of friends during a celebration? Are some foods “good” and some “bad?” Human health is nuanced, and TWOFOOT Training is designed to build a toolkit for people to help answer these questions in a place and time that make these answers difficult to find. Read more>>

Julie Newbry

I became fascinated with the human body and began to study and learn all I could. My relationship with exercise and food healed and became a source of joy in my life for the first time ever, and I wanted to help others find that same joyful relationship. So I decided to become a personal trainer. I found a mentor who helped me get started and guided me the first couple of years. I couldn’t believe how much I loved my job and how happy it made me. After a couple years of working at private gym I branched out on my own and started my own business. Read more>>

Michael Kunde

In this business, photographers can go days, weeks, and unfortunately, sometimes months without work. When the jobs slow down and the paychecks stop coming in, it can really mess with your head. That’s why it’s so important to keep a level head, maintain mental clarity, and continue creating—even when no one is paying you to. Shooting for fun, doing test shoots, and diving into photo books always help me stay inspired during those slower times. Read more>>

Meg Brown

There were many booth rental salons for independent stylists that could afford the overhead and had their own established clientele. And there were several suite rental businesses which were also targeted towards established stylists who could afford the costs and wanted the sole responsibility for their business. I noticed a need for a salon that was high end, specializing in advanced techniques like coloring and hair extension services, that supported young building stylists, but also had a growth structure where more established stylists also had a place to be successful. I had found similar luxury commission salons in other areas of the US and world that seemed to have a similar vision to me, and thought it must be possible! So I set out to create a type of hair salon structure in Utah that didn’t quite exist. Read more>>

Whitney Swinyard

That’s when I discovered knitting. During those long afternoons, when the kids were napping, I’d steal away for a quiet moment and work on a row—or maybe two, or ten. I began with simpler projects, and soon I was tackling complex cabling, lacework, short row shaping, and even socks. I set small, achievable goals—five rows, a set number of pattern repeats—giving myself something tangible to work towards each day. Read more>>

Jenna Wright

emember that scene from Beauty and the Beast where Belle decides to reread her favorite book with far off places, daring sword fights, magic spells, and a prince in disguise? For a lot of us book lovers, Belle embodies what we feel for a certain book or a certain series that we go back to time and time again to read. Many of us have a “go to” feel good book. What if I told you that you and I could collaborate on making a special cover for your favorite books? Read more>>

Emily Bond

In 2020 I saw my first bit of armored combat at Utah Ren Fest in Ogden and I was there just taking pictures. I had no interest in fighting, which is pretty funny now. In 2022 my partner at the time and I went back to Utah Ren fest and saw the same group fighting and he really wanted to get involved so I said, “go for it.” I really had no intention of fighting still. The plan was just to support him. I ended up going with him to another renaissance faire in Montana and one of the female fighters told me that I ‘had a good body for the sport,’ I was sold, I wanted to be a fighter. Read more>>

Clara Lieu

Art always felt really serious to me, even at such a young age. Which is why it was incredibly disappointing to me in middle and school and high school that everyone treated art as a lame activity that garnered no respect, while athletes and straight A students were constantly celebrated. I felt like I was the “only” artist in my school, and remember, this was pre-internet! There were no opportunities for me to connect with other artists who were like minded. I took classes at the Museum of Fine Arts on the weekends, but they still didn’t completely fulfill my desires as an artist. Read more>>

Marci Welcker

Honestly, being a small business owner isn’t easy. You wear all the hats—social media manager, accountant, tax preparer, cleaning crew, marketing director, purchaser, website manager—and, of course, the esthetician. Finding your ideal clientele takes time, and in today’s economy, that can feel even more challenging. If I had to pay rent for a commercial space, I’m not sure I’d still be open. Having my own space and the ability to be patient has been key to keeping my business going. Read more>>