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.

Tucker Doak

I started playing music as a kid and a hobby has grown into more than a hobby. Read more>>

BRADEN RICKENBACH

Jorgensen’s story began in 1958, when Richfield’s Western Auto Associate Store opened as a one-stop destination for automotive supplies, sporting goods, appliances, bicycles, and more. It was also the first Honda Motorcycle dealership in the state of Utah, helping transform the business into one of Utah’s earliest Honda powersports dealerships. Read more>>

Lloyd Mcintosh

LAM — OFFICIAL PRESS KIT BIO Executive Producer • Multi‑Platinum Media Architect • Utah Hip Hop Gatekeeper Lloyd A. McIntosh Jr., professionally known as LAM, stands as one of the most influential figures in Utah’s Hip Hop and broadcast landscape. Read more>>

Shane Larson

This was taken from my website thegametimeguru.com/about Where It Started Back in 2017, I was 27 years old, sitting in a class at Boise State taught by Kevin Skidmore. Bob Behler, the voice of the Boise State Broncos, was in that class answering questions from students. I asked him what advice he had for someone like me. I hadn’t gone to journalism school. Read more>>

jamie buttars

I didn’t take the traditional path to becoming a business owner. I grew up with a single mom, dropped out of high school during my sophomore year, and spent years learning most things the hard way. I played semi-pro and arena football, coached for more than a decade, raised my kids, went through personal struggles, and had three businesses fail before Cache Coffee ever existed. Read more>>

Kenzie Moon

I originally started Wefts & Waves as a hair extension source for my own salon clients. At the time, I never imagined it would grow into what it is today. Read more>>

Jo Schaffer Layton

Operation Literacy Origin Story Every movement begins with a story. Operation Literacy’s began around a deli table in the back of a 24-hour grocery store. In 2009, five aspiring authors— Jo Schaffer Layton, Jennifer Jenkins, Lois Brown, Margie Jordan, and Tahsha Wilson—came together as members of a writers group that would become known as Writers Cubed. Inspired by writing instructor J. Read more>>

Justin Harnish

I started as a chemical engineer — B.S. from Montana State — and spent two decades in semiconductor manufacturing at Micron and IM Flash Technologies (Intel–Micron), moving from R&D into engineering management and technology strategy. That factory-floor machine-learning and big-data work became the bridge into product and AI. Read more>>

Fernando Gomez

It is a More than thirty years ago our spirits were unexpectedly awakened. We began to understand what our God given mission was to be on this earth. We had lived in the Philippine Islands for more than fifteen years carrying out our earthly undertaking. Read more>>

Aspen Peterson

Our story at Soldier Hollow Stables began in 2021, when we purchased the business just before we got married. In a lot of ways, it felt like a natural fit for both of us. Aspen grew up on a cattle ranch in eastern Wyoming, and Brandon grew up here in the Heber Valley and spent much of his life rodeoing. Read more>>

Jamison Strong

Since I was a young child, I have really enjoyed dressing myself differently from those around me. Suits have always been a particular item of clothing that has fascinated me. I even told my mom when I was just a few years old that I wanted to wear suits for work when I grew up. Read more>>

Kala Keener

My story really began during one of the hardest seasons of my life. I was going through a time of deep personal loss and having a hard time sleeping. The nighttime hours were long, and I needed something to occupy my hands and quiet my mind—something that would help clear my head and soothe my nerves. Read more>>

Aatmica Ojha

My journey as an artist has evolved through many different chapters of my life. I studied Fashion & Apparel Design, which gave me an early foundation in color, composition, creativity, and visual storytelling. After working in fashion for a few years, I gradually found myself drawn more deeply toward painting, and in 2016, I decided to pursue art seriously. Read more>>

Mariah Mann Mellus

What began over two decades ago as a modest initiative bringing independent movies to the Salt Lake City downtown public library has transformed into a vital, statewide cultural hub. The Utah Film Center (UtFC) has always operated on a core belief: storytelling has an unparalleled power to unite us. Read more>>

Camille Walker

I’m Camille Walker, a mom, entrepreneur, business coach, and storyteller. For the past 15 years, I’ve built businesses and created content centered around motherhood, family, entrepreneurship, and intentional living. I’m the owner of MyMommyStyle.com, a longtime resource for moms, and the co-host of 5 Minute Meditations for Kids, a podcast that gives families simple tools to find calm and build resilience. Read more>>

Matthew Dippel

Well, I’ll start from the beginning I suppose. My name is Matthew Dippel, from Grand Rapids, MI. I moved to Utah roughly 5 years ago, but before I get to that I’ll tell you how I started. My interest for photography sparked in High School. Read more>>

TJ Stone

My story starts with being an athlete who needed to stay active. I played college baseball, and afterward started riding bikes as a way to stay active. That grew into racing — crits and road first, then gravel and mountain biking too. I just wanted to be on two wheels. Read more>>

Miriam Sabir

When I was 16 I bought a hand-carved Scandinavian bed made by my neighbor’s pioneer ancestor, thus began my love of objects with history. Later I managed a local family-owned antique shop which taught me about higher-end collectibles and the people who search for them. Read more>>

Mykelle Scott

I started Kelles Rings somewhat unexpectedly. I’ve always loved working with my hands and creating things, but when I first discovered silversmithing, I immediately fell in love with the process. There was something so rewarding about taking a piece of metal and a stone and turning them into something that someone could wear and keep forever. Read more>>

Britnei Artz

At 27, I made the terrifying decision to pivot toward medicine. At the time, I was running a home daycare to stay with my two toddlers, ages one and three. Though I already held a Master’s degree, my background was entirely in the humanities. Entering medicine meant starting from absolute zero. Read more>>

Deveren Schultz

-Grew up in Wisconsin -Some medical Troubles -Severed a Mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 2017-2019. Life int he Church blah blah. -2019 College at the University of Utah. Same as my Dad. -Try to program video games at age 14. Raven Software tour. My Demo. -2024 Deveren LLC Started. Life as computer Scientist in 2026 and such. Read more>>

Sheri Brown

The Midway Art Association Gallery opened its doors in 2018 as a place for members to display their art. We have seven new members every two months for a total of 42 artists a year manning and selling their art. Norma Burgner was the member of the board of directors that was able to get the gallery opened. Read more>>

Cindy Clyde

CinDWood Crafts is a home business that I started with my family 25 years ago in my garage, first in West Jordan for 5 years and then here in Eagle Mountain for the past 20 years. We make quality knitting looms for customers around the world who love to knit but find using needles difficult, or just like variety in their knitting tools. Read more>>

Ryann Doria

I started working in theatre and theatre design, and happened to fall into the wedding industry. A friend was looking for assistants around the time I was looking for work after having my first child. The first wedding I worked with her was so busy and I absolutely loved it. Read more>>

Monica Wilkinson

I have wanted to be involved with childbirth in one way or another for as long as I can remember. I’ve just always been drawn to birth. I got married, had 6 children and put my dreams on the back burner as I dedicated my life to my family. Read more>>

Viktoria Haack

I picked up a camera when I lived on a small 500 acre island nature reserve in the UK and began recording my life there. Because I lived on the island with little chance to go ashore, I used the internet to connect with other photographers and share my work. In 2007 my family and I moved to Salmon Arm in BC, Canada. Read more>>

Cameron Devey

We opened Jan. 2nd of 2007. I was introduced to what slow smoked classic Barbecue tasted like and was truly taken back by how incredible it tasted. I finally understood what real Barbecue was. Read more>>

Krista Derington

I started dancing as a little girl, thanks to my mom. That love eventually carried me to BYU, where I received a dance scholarship and earned a degree in Dance Education. As a freshman, I was hand-selected for BYU’s Showcase Ballroom Team, the university’s second touring ballroom team, before later dancing with both the BYU Ballroom Touring Team and Contemporary Touring Company. Read more>>

HADA VERONICA

My passion for music began at the age of 12 in Tamaulipas, Mexico, and for more than 20 years I’ve been fortunate to build a career doing what I truly love. Read more>>

Charles Davis

I grew up right here in Vernon & Eureka. My journey started in the shop behind my childhood home, where my father taught me mechanics and fabrication at a very young age. By 14, I was already working down the road at Randles Service, doing odd jobs and learning the ropes. Read more>>

Catrin Atonka Zambella

Atonka is the soulful heart behind Nama-Stay, a compass of boundless love who believes that all things should be done with sincerity, devotion, and reverence. Originally from the Swiss Alps, she was drawn to the sacred waters in the valley of Zion, where she now lives with her beloved family, Jonathan and Massimo. Read more>>

Bret Gash

Music and radio have honestly been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. When I was a kid, I used to make cassette tapes and pretend I was running my own radio station. I called it WBFG. Read more>>

Mary Ann Jensen

I’ve always loved stories. When I was a kid, I would enter writing contests, but I often struggled with the word limits because I always had so much more I wanted to say. Eventually, I decided to write my own book so I could tell the entire story the way I wanted to. Read more>>