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.

A. Tempest Young

Over the past four years, I’ve expanded our offerings to include specialized services such as Pet Taxi, extended overnights, in-home boarding, and my most meaningful addition – Animal Reiki. I’ve also partnered with other pet care providers, including Alta Dog Rehab, to support clients’ pets with post-surgical or therapeutic rehabilitation at home. Read more>>

Nancy Taylor

Today, as a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD), Board Certified Patient Advocate (BCPA), and Certified Senior Advisor (CSA), I combine clinical expertise with advocacy — designing personalized healthcare action plans, attending appointments alongside clients, and educating families on how to take charge of their care. Read more>>

Rachel Clapham

With the help of Krista and three very talented women who agreed to board this crazy shop train with me, we were able to bring these services in relatively quickly. Amy Cox(@prizmpiercing), Jessie McBrayer (@pierced.by.jessie) and Kyrsten Talley (@kk_pierces) now all run their own piercing businesses within Anthem and it is great to be a part of their journeys and watch them grow. Read more>>

Mckenna Whaley

I think a lot of hairstylist can relate to the origin story starting as a little girl who always just knew this is what she wanted to do. To a degree that was true for me except it wasn’t hair it was makeup and nails. Something in my soul just knew that I wanted to make others feel beautiful. Read more>>

Salim Heyaime

My journey started with a personal mission to improve my own health and well-being, mentally, emotionally and physically. I’ve never been a physically active person or an athletic type. I did like to ride bikes, I was more of an adventurous kid/teen. Read more>>

Brady Miller

I grew up in southern Utah with a pretty normal childhood. I was a kid who liked taking things apart just to see how they worked — phones, radios, computers — and sometimes even putting them back together correctly. I was always drawn to communication technology even before I realized it could become a real career. Read more>>

Gabriel Alonso

Last year I decided it was finally time to start a company. Like most founders, my early ideas were all over the map: junk-hauling franchises, street-food stalls, even a few “fancy” SaaS concepts that sounded brilliant at 2 a.m. Read more>>

Valerie Jewkes

I started my massage career in 2004 when I was 18 years young. I received a massage from my Tia (aunt) and knew that i wanted to assist people in felling relaxed, destress, peaceful and calm just as i did from my first massage. Read more>>

Pastor Alex (P-Thizzle) Segura

Pastor Alex “P-Thizzle” Segura – Testimony & Bio My name is Alex (P-Thizzle) Segura. I was born in 1983 and raised in West Valley City, Utah. Growing up, I loved martial arts and was heavily inspired by Michael Jackson. In 1990, at just seven years old, I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes — a challenge that would shape much of my life. Read more>>

Ryan Bircher

I had a really great high school shop teacher who made a big impression on me. She cared a lot about doing things right — not just how a weld looked, but the importance of a clean, finished project and keeping the workspace organized. That environment made sense to me right away. Read more>>

Don Eggert

As a pioneer in the global Microfinance and FinTech industries, I built and grew Kredits, the first banking software to natively support every microfinance methodology. Microfinance is an industry designed to help alleviate poverty by providing financial services to the poor. Kredits is a portfolio management software I programmed from the ground up and a company I cofounded to implement and support it. Read more>>

Ali Sumsion

I didn’t set out to become a photographer. It happened slowly and very naturally. I’ve always been the person with a camera in my hand, documenting my kids, our everyday moments, and the people around me. I loved the way a photo could hold a feeling, especially those small, in-between moments most people overlook. Read more>>

Kellie Johnson

I’ve always been naturally good at massage and was fortunate enough to have a family who encouraged me to attend massage school. I graduated when I was 19 and started working right away. The more clients I worked on the more I realized people seemed to just accept that chronic pain was part of their life. Read more>>

Michelle Fatovic

I began woodworking when I was in college. I went to art school and was taught how to build my own canvases. I enjoyed the building part more than the painting part. Over the years I lost tools and a space to continue creating or exploring my new passion for woodworking. Read more>>

Nick Miller

My whole life I have been interested in cameras and photography. Over the years I have dabbled in other subject matters, things like landscape or wildlife, but nothing ever really clicked for me. I was never happy with what I was creating, so I shelved the camera for a while to pursue other interests. Read more>>

Ashley Hoogveldt

Hi, I’m Ashley, the owner of Holistique Beauty Spa! For as long as I can remember, I’ve been passionate about all things beauty. I was always the friend doing everyone’s hair and makeup for school dances and weddings. After graduating high school in 2012, I followed that passion into Cosmetology school. Read more>>

Golden Harper

I started working at Runner’s Corner when my dad Hawk and his buddes first opened in 1991—I was 9 years old. I also ran my first Marathon later that year as a 10 year old, setting the Utah Record at 3:08:05, I set a U.S. Read more>>

William McMillan

After spending some time in the IT field, I became disillusioned with that type of work. I wanted to do something with my hands again, and feel like I was helping people and making a difference. Difference. Even to just my small community. I’ve always been interested, and fascinated with everything mid century, so of course part of that was also barbering. Read more>>

Wendy Hooton

I’m an author, mentor, speaker, and Down syndrome advocate—basically, a professional juggler of chaos and compassion. I venture through this wild ride of life with heart and humor, and a mission to help others find strength and purpose in their own journey. I am mom to an incredible human, who surprised me with his Down syndrome diagnosis three hours after his birth. Read more>>

Karin McLean

In 1991, my family and I were taken on an unexpected journey following a life-altering accident that claimed the life of my nine-year-old little brother Brian, and nearly my own. I was born and raised in Utah, living in Cottonwood Heights with my mom and three younger siblings. When I was 18 years old, we planned a trip to St. Read more>>

Brian Draudt

This is my side of the story(Brian Draudt) You may need to have my Wife Rachel share her side  ********** I honestly don’t know where to begin—I’ve been training in martial arts since I was 15 years old. I started in the 10th grade, and at that time I was a very shy kid. Read more>>

Destiny S. Lake

I graduated from the University of Utah in Dance & Education in 2009. When I started my business in 2011 I was teaching somatic movement (including yoga), performing tea ceremonies and running after school programs for children in the K-12 school system. Read more>>

Phil Bubnis

I start the sports card hobby about 20 years ago (2005) when I inherited my older brothers two sports cards he collected when he was young. (He passed away in 2002). I stopped at a sports card store in Orem Utah and met the owner Rodney Eastman. Read more>>

Andrea Aguilar

Hello I’m Andrea Aguilar from Andreaguilarbeauty I started 20 years ago studying cosmetology and then specializing on hairstyling and makeup. I grown on the border of Mexico and Rio Grande Valley starting on high school with my first professional photo shoots, runways , celebrities and beauty queens. I always had on my hand my diary with my business plan of a beauty brand. Read more>>

Fred Openshaw

Our family farm was started by my Great-Great Grandfather Eli Openshaw who had agricultural background in his youth and then later became a medical doctor. He then moved back to Santaquin, UT from Arizona and set up his medical office there in town where he had family members living. Read more>>

Rachel Tobler

Pain can challenge status quo, and I wanted to keep walking with my friend. When she suggested that I make an appointment with her contact who could ‘Pick up muscles and move them back where they belong,’ I decided it was worth a try because the morning walks were so much fun I did not want ankle and knee pain to get in my way. Read more>>

Eric Holtrop

I started my medical career 25 years ago in the Lake Tahoe area providing critical care/internal medicine to the population between Tahoe and Sacramento. 5 years ago we decided to move to a location where we could ride our bikes more and enjoy being outside; St George is a pretty good fit. Read more>>

Bracken Barker

Honeybees saved my life. In 2013, my father and I started beekeeping. We run a 120 acer farm and we decided that we needed some bees. We kept bees for 2-3 years and was lucky enough to get a couple swarms and keep a few during the winters. however we didn’t know what we were doing at all. Read more>>

Shawn Blymiller

My son Theo was diagnosed with autism in 2018 and PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune NeuroPsychiatric Disorder) in 2019. I was in denial for about a year before I finally accepted that this was not just a stage but a real challenge that we had as a family. Read more>>

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>>