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.

The Salt Mine Ownership Team

Navigating partnership relationships has been an essential part of our journey. We’ve been incredibly lucky to work with such amazing previous owners, each of whom contributed to the studio’s growth in unique ways. With the current ownership team—Katie, Ann, and Mel—we prioritize open communication and trust, ensuring we show up as better for one another and the business. Read more>>

VAL ACOSTA

As a teenager, one of my deepest struggles was feeling lost, alone, and without purpose. I looked around and saw little inspiration in my peers or surroundings. Yet, something within me—a quiet curiosity and intuition—kept whispering that life had to be more than the superficial and material. I craved depth, meaning, and a sense of spirituality. In those darkest moments, my most faithful companions were music and art. Read more>>

Juanique Grover

So we dove headfirst into research, driven by love, desperation, and a relentless hope that healing was possible. We began to uncover therapies, tools, and approaches that gave Tristin not only more time—but more life in that time. Together, we built a clinic rooted in what we learned: one that gave people options, answers, and the power to become their own self-healing advocates. Read more>>

Byron & Meghan Leisek

Our story is one of two different paths converging, shaped by a shared desire to live and create with more meaning. We come from different backgrounds: Meghan from the world of ER nursing, and Byron from years of creative entrepreneurship. Though our experiences were different, we both felt the same pull: to build something tangible, grounded in beauty, creative expression, and authenticity. Read more>>

Ashley Brichter

It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. I built Birthsmarter while raising two small children and acting as their primary caregiver, which meant juggling nap schedules, curriculum development, and business growth all at once. Like so many others, we also had to navigate the uncertainty and upheaval of the COVID pandemic — taking in-person classes online overnight and supporting families through an incredibly stressful time. Read more>>

Jake Raeder

My brother Kaie started developing his installation skills and he was helping me with the projects, but for several different reasons, he decided to leave the company early on. I was on my own. Having muscular dystrophy made any physical effort, very difficult to be achieved and something that Broccato taught me is that I can do nothing on my own. I need to work with people. For quite some time, I invited a friend of mine to learn Wallpaper installation with me. Read more>>

Charis Derry

I have always loved representational art. I loved to draw and paint and make things out of paper as a kid. I think it was Disney animation and going to Disneyland and seeing all the awesome design there that made me see that art could be a career. And growing up a homeschooled kid in strange but beautiful Santa Cruz, California also probably gave me just the right amount of delusion to set my mind on pursuing art from an early age. My mom was a teacher and my dad was a graduate of MIT with a PHD, so ambition and higher learning were always big goals in our house. My parents thankfully encouraged my art and my getting a solid education in it. Read more>>

Justin Wheatley

I wanted to be an artist ever since I was a child. When I was in junior high, I decided to be an art teacher as well. After getting a fine art degree with an education certificate at Utah State University, I got a job teaching high school and started selling artwork at the Salt Lake City farmer’s market. That was nearly 20 years ago. I just kept at it gradually gained a footing in the local art scene. A couple of local galleries picked me up and I have since expanded to nine galleries across the country. Read more>>

Reza Pazooki

Over time, I realized that the most transformative moments happen when we’re challenged, seen, and surrounded by nature. That’s what led me to create Ageis Collective—a space for people to grow through immersive, active experiences that blend the natural world, vulnerability, and a reimagining of what it means to be strong. Many of our journeys return to Southern Utah, where it all began for me, and where I now get to help others find their own path to connection and self-discovery. Read more>>

Louise Stucki

About this same time my grandmother had developed breast cancer. My love for her and finding ways to help with the changes she was going through, became paramount in my mind. I did a lot of research, took small business classes, looked into my potential competition, looked at traffic patterns in my area, looked at lease options, budgets and utilities then decided to write a proposal for funding and took it to the bank! Thus, L.A.C.E. by louise, Inc. (Lingerie After Change Exits) was born, and my motto: “We Support Women”. I decided it would be beneficial to carry a range of cup and band sizes currently unavailable along the Wasatch front. At the time is was 34 – 42 bands and cup sizes A – H. We currently carry bands from 28-50 and cup sizes A – N and we can order O and P with some of our Vendors. Read more>>

Adelle Thomas

I was raised in a small community ran by cult leaders nestled in the beautiful bitterroot valley of northern Montana. I was surrounded by forests, streams and mountains . This was a haven for me that I would run to for a break from stressors in life. I felt like a little wood sprite or pixie- barefoot and feral; at home among the trees. My grandmother was my primary caregiver and would scold me for having pine sap in my hair. She could always tell when I had been sitting in her Tigerlily garden because the brown pollen would stain my clothing. In many ways this setting was ideal and dream like. In other ways it was like a terrible nightmare that I couldn’t wake up from. I got to experience both extremes. Read more>>

Jessica Sunderland

Mostly smooth, with some annoying bumps in the road. All our chocolates are hand-dipped. Hand-dipping chocolates is an art. So being able to keep up with demand has been challenging. We’ve upgraded our equipment to make the process smoother. Same with our espresso. Getting the right equipment that can keep up with demand. We started very small and are now trying to upgrade. We are a family run business. Our business requires a lot of passion and time. So juggling family life and a growing business, and making sure our quality is the best at the same time requires constant care. Read more>>

Marcy Chicas

My view on the world is simple: to create art in everything I can touch — whether that’s painting, music, dance, acting, modeling, and more. I’m proud of my flexibility as an artist because it allows me to create based on how I feel in the moment. Read more>>

Collyn Thur

One day, I texted my friend William Smith with the concept of launching a mobile vehicle maintenance business—and I didn’t just pitch the idea, I sent a full plan of attack. Without hesitation, we got to work, and we haven’t looked back since. What started as a spark of frustration turned into a mission: to help people save time and stress while giving our team a place where they’re respected and appreciated. Read more>>

Bobby Shah

I’ve also served on boards like NiN Healthcare, Trout & Partners Mexico, and the Counter Threat Institute (CTI). In addition, I’ve volunteered as Chief Strategy Officer to the chairman of a major healthcare institution in India, where I focused on advancing innovation and improving access to critical care across the region. Each of these roles reflects my belief that leadership is about building platforms that others can stand on. Read more>>

Nicole McMahan

I think overall I am so privileged and lucky to get to do what I love that it feels a little odd to say there’s been struggles. I have an amazing husband who is my producer and the most talented musician I know so I’m constantly getting new tips and help from him. And he is ridiculously supportive of my music career and produces my music and we have a recording studio in our house that I use. Ridiculously privileged compared to every other independent artist. Read more>>

Ashlee Fackrell

I started photography when I was just a kid. I took a photo class in 7th grade and needed a camera, my parents got me a canon rebel 2000 film camera and I was hooked. I fell in love with developing my own film and the magic behind it and from there I fell in love with capturing moments in time and preserving them forever. One of my favorite things to do has always been to look at old photographs and imagine the story. Read more>>

Ellie Wilson

I have always been an artist. I think a lot of people sort of grow out of it as the get older, but I never did. My subject matter has changes from princesses, to donuts, to portraits, and finally to Landscapes and that’s where I’ve stuck. Growing up I was always drawing and I had amazing teachers through my years in public school who were very influential to me. I also had a grandpa who was a hobbyist landscape painter, and I used to sneak up into his art studio with my siblings and try and scare him while he was painting (he always saw us coming, but played along). Read more>>

Jill Savage

My journey into floral design started almost 27 years ago, almost by accident but also entirely meant to be. What began as a full-time job when I found myself pregnant as a junior in high school quickly turned into a deep passion. I was drawn to the creativity, the emotion, and the storytelling that flowers can convey. Over the years, I worked in various facets of the floral industry…gaining hands-on experience and eventually realizing that I wanted to create something that felt entirely my own. Read more>>

Molli Baker

I was pretty sick for several years and he was an absolute lifesaver to me during that time. Eventually I found a health coach that was able to help me figure out exactly what my triggers were and helped me figure out different dietary things to help me manage my illness. I became functional enough that I was able to retire Basil from service work. This really sparked my love of owner training service animals. The focus of my small business is now assisting other disabled individuals to owner train their own service dogs (Molli’s Service Dog Academy). Read more>>

Venice Scorzato

Despite having less than a year of experience, I’ve quickly made waves in the industry—thanks in part to my 5’10” frame, my performance background, and my natural confidence in front of the camera and on the runway. Since starting, I’ve already booked multiple shows and editorial photo shoots, one of which was a major project during New York Fashion Week in February 2025. While I can’t share details about that shoot just yet, I can say this journey has been a fast-paced, surreal leap into a new chapter—and I’m just getting started. Read more>>

Sean Cortese

Grew up in Provo, attended UVU, started working in finance, had some mental health & addiction struggles, went through therapy & learned how to best deal with my mental health. Read more>>

Manuel Gonzalez Romero

Driven by that experience, I began teaching myself photography by watching videos on YouTube after work. It was challenging—most tutorials used technical language I hadn’t yet understood. I had limited time during the day, so I often stayed up late, watching and rewatching videos, then going out at night to practice. It wasn’t easy, and there were times I considered giving up. But the more I learned, the more passionate I became—especially about night landscape photography. Read more>>

Kiley Steed

Before launching Wild Lotus, I spent years in the corporate world, where I often felt burnt out and disconnected from the kind of work I truly wanted to be doing. That experience, combined with my desire to create a more flexible, values-driven lifestyle, led me to start something of my own—something that would allow me to support women in building strong, sustainable businesses without compromising who they are. Read more>>

Amelia Larson

I wish! Covid was a really challenging time for us, as less people were wanting to move. We also have had the challenge of more competition coming into the space with lower ethics bars, which has made it challegning to keep people doing the right things for the right reasons. We have also expanded into Texas, Ohio, and Missouri which all have challenges of getting established in new markets! Read more>>

Marina Russell

I started working with families and over a few years I was confident enough in my style and skill to take on weddings and event photography. I participated in many courses and workshops, many hours was spent playing around and figuring out my style so I can create that timeless look I wanted to bring to my photos. I always liked studio photography and after many years of exploring great outdoors (which I still love!) I joined a photography studio with some very talented photographers who eventually became by besties for life. During many collaborations and hours of shooting together, I felt confident to branch out on my own and open up my own home studio. It is small and cozy and I absolutely love it! Read more>>

Ryan Guest

Being an artist in an oversaturated market has been challenging. I’ve had to find creative ways to get my artwork seen, especially on social media. My big break has actually been with the rise of AI, which you would think would be the opposite for an artist. I took the opportunity to raise awareness on how AI is harmful to artists, which has helped my accounts grow. Despite some virality, it’s been a struggle overcoming negative comments and trying to come up with ways the algorithm will show my work to others. Read more>>

Bryan Mark Taylor

I earned my MFA from the Academy of Art University from 2002 to 2005 and appreciate the training I received during my years in San Francisco. During that time, I became deeply interested in the history of the California Impressionists and the plein air school of painting and began entering plein air competitions across the country. The daily practice of painting from life helped me develop the skills and expertise to capture light, color, and mood in the landscape. Read more>>

Brent Holmes

The challenges didn’t stop there. Unforeseen weather conditions caused frozen pipes and tanks during an exceptionally cold February, which disrupted operations significantly. On top of that, staffing issues added another layer of complexity. Despite these numerous obstacles, from the outside, it may have appeared that everything went off without a hitch, but behind the scenes, it was a rigorous test of resilience and adaptability Read more>>

Shawn Stubbs

It definitely hasn’t been a completely smooth road—like any small business, we’ve had our share of challenges. Weather, remote logistics, and the learning curve of running a hospitality business all tested us in the beginning. There were times when things didn’t go as planned, but each hurdle taught us something and helped us improve. What’s kept us going is our passion for the experience we’re creating and the incredible feedback from our guests—it makes it all worth it. Read more>>

Natalie Hopes

I’ve always been drawn to visuals—my brain naturally thinks in pictures. That love for imagery led me to earn my bachelor’s degree in photography from the University of Utah. Since then, I’ve been building a career around what I love most: creating frozen moments in time. I’m passionate about setting scenes, designing sets, and telling stories through a single frame. My style blends fashion, editorial, and fitness photography—bringing high-energy, powerful subjects into a visually creative space. Whether it’s an emotion, a vibe, or a look, I aim to capture it in a way that feels bold, intentional, and visually striking. Read more>>

Tom Checketts

About 15 years ago, I became good friends with a coworker, Jim Grace, who had recently moved to Utah from Iowa. In Iowa he owned a small farm that he had purchased years ago as an investment and Jim’s focus with his farm was to manage the hardwood trees growing on the property. Each year, Jim would take multiple trips to Iowa, to plant, thin, trim or harvest trees. On his return trips to Utah, he would bring some lumber back with him. Jim would sell this lumber to help cover his travel cost. During this time I had purchased lumber from Jim for personal projects and even went to Iowa with him on a couple occasions. Read more>>