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.

Jake Albrecht

I grew up in a tiny farm town called Minersville. I grew up feral and it was awesome! I was working on the farm and ranch with my dad and brothers from an early age and that taught me the value of an honest days work. After returning home from my LDS mission I attended Dixie State College pursuing a degree in visual technologies. Read more>>

Jason Mayo

In my formative years, I spent most of my time on a motocross track. I didn’t have a clear plan for my future back then and, like many teenagers, I lost my way for a while. A good friend offered me a job as a laborer on a construction site — and that opportunity changed everything. I immediately fell in love with the work. Read more>>

Andria Stubbs

Growing up, my family wasn’t poor, but we didn’t have a lot of money. I distinctly remember having to hide the Taco Bell trash in a neighbor’s trash can if my mom took us out for a treat, so my dad wouldn’t find out. Money and finances weren’t a common conversation, and in fact it was a taboo topic to say the least. Read more>>

Sarah Peterson

2020 had me a little stir crazy – like the rest of the country. To keep myself occupied, I came up with the brilliant idea of creating a landscaped tunnel for my father’s G-scale Christmas train display. Included in the design were some portals that I wanted cut and engraved from wood. Read more>>

Brooke Hadlock

I started my photography journey back in 2012. I’ve always loved photography, it runs in the family! My sister is a travel photographer, so I guess you could say it’s in our blood. What began as a way to capture better photos of my own kids quickly grew into a career, that I LOVE. Read more>>

SaQuoyah Boxx

I did my recreational therapy internship at CGOA in 2018. After that, I was the activity coordinator, left for 9 months during Covid then came back Feb 2021 as the Program Manager and became the Program Director in Spring 2023. Read more>>

Hanna Bowen

I had my first ceramics class in my freshman year of high school. Funny enough, it was a second choice elective that effectively changed my whole life. I found myself being completely immersed when working with clay. Quickly falling in love with every facet. Read more>>

Tina Slade

My journey started over 14 years ago when I began learning the fundamentals of firearms and personal defense. What began as a personal pursuit quickly became a passion — not just for shooting, but for empowering others, especially women, to feel confident, capable, and safe in any situation. Over the years, I trained extensively in tactical firearm use, self-defense, and situational awareness. Read more>>

Mike Pelo

I ran into an internship opportunity with northwestern mutual in college and that has developed over the last ten years to become my personal firm called Peak Wealth Management. I still use Northwestern as my primary broker and have team of ten employees, multiple CFP’s and extremely qualified individuals who have helped me scale. Read more>>

Melissa Jenco

I was a stay-at-home mom, living off one income. We were living in someone else’s house. It was small for a family of 4, and the landlord wasn’t the best about fixing things. I got fed up to the point that I decided it was time to move. But we couldn’t move with just income. I did some research and made my own business. Read more>>

Kurt Francom

Leading Saints started as a hobby blog back in 2010. Then, in 2014, I launched the podcast, and that’s when things really took off. By 2016, we became a nonprofit, and that’s when I went full-time with Leading Saints. Since then, my work has focused on helping Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead, mainly through the podcast and other online content. Read more>>

Carson Hardman

Xcite MMA really started from a simple idea. I just wanted to build a place where people could train hard, feel supported, and be part of something real. When we first opened, it was small. Read more>>

Ahmad Kareh

Ahmad Kareh is the founder and CEO of Twist Lab, an award-winning strategic consulting and communications agency based in Salt Lake City. For over two decades, Ahmad has advised organizations ranging from startups to multinational corporations, helping them compete and grow in complex markets through clear strategy, compelling brand messaging, and integrated communications. Ahmad’s leadership philosophy is rooted in aligning strategy with purpose. Read more>>

Damia Gordon

LaMia Beauty Lounge was created by LaTonya and Damia — two passionate stylists who started as client and stylist and ended up business partners. What began as a dream quickly became reality when LaTonya found a space and asked me (Damia) to join her, and she said yes without hesitation. Together, they built a salon where people can feel beautiful, confident, and cared for. Read more>>

Kira Wilde

Mental health has been the driving force behind my yoga journey. A pivotal moment came when I had been working in the career of my dreams for six years as an elementary school teacher, and had driven myself to the end-game of complete burn out. Read more>>

Oliver Young

I was born into our family’s established dealership business: the Young Automotive Group. From a young age, I worked with my father, grandfather and siblings at our location on Main Street in Layton, where I pulled weeds in the building’s garden. As I grew older, my experience spanned into new areas of the company, and I earned new responsibilities as a professional. Read more>>

Jarron Tawzer

Founder of Tawzer Dental | Dental Implant Instructor | Cosmetic Dentist From the time I was in kindergarten, I knew I wanted to be a dentist. There has never been a moment in my life when my career goals wavered. Read more>>

Dean Pierose

I got my degree in hospitality from Washington State University and work for several different restaurant groups after that. I bought Cucina in 2000 and here 25 years later through a lot of luck and a lot of loyalty from Guest. We are still moving along.. Read more>>

Micah Olson

Micah Olson: Enriching Lives Through Real Estate — A Modern Origin Story Most people discover real estate by buying their first home or following a family tradition. But for Micah Olson, the spark ignited much earlier—on a dusty 2.5-acre patch of rural Las Vegas that few outsiders even realized existed. As a teenager, Micah watched custom homes rise, subdivisions expand, and values climb. Read more>>

Randi Gardner

Harvest Home Market is a family-run, porch-pickup bakery and shop in southern Utah. Inspired by our English-American heritage, our shop feels like a piece of our hearts and history. Harvest Home exists to celebrate beauty, simplicity, and family through seasonal living and handmade goods. Read more>>

Stephen Olson

In 2019 I realized that my health wasn’t where I wanted it to be. Despite being active, going to the gym, playing basketball every week, and trying to eat well, I felt sluggish and below my potential. Read more>>