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.

James Riley

We started in 2015 we were a house cleaning company me my wife and my brother almost at the same time as we started we were asked if we did window cleaning we were doing a bunch of Denny’s which is a post construction account we had at the time and we would go in there and clean everything up when all the contractors were done And we were like yeah Windex and paper towel of course we cleaned the windows but they said no they want it professionally done I reached out to some of the big industry suppliers and found some really good mentors across the country and started learning from their advice I watched a lot of videos a lot of Google and hours upon hours practicing where I rented at the time there was a commercial space behind my house they had extremely dirty windows but they had a lot of windows and I would go there every day after work and I would practice window cleaning honing my technique Read more>>

Annie DiMartino

From the Stage to the Statehouse: The Story of Annie DiMartino Annie DiMartino, Executive Director, Utah Cultural Alliance & Utah Cultural Alliance Foundation Annie DiMartino’s career in the arts has never followed a straight line and that may be exactly what has made it so interesting. Read more>>

Elizabeth Faye

I was a troubled teenager. From twelve to sixteen, I attended a different school and lived with a different family every year. Hoping to get kicked out of school, I dyed my hair a wild color with a stolen box of hair color. My plan worked and I was expelled. Read more>>

Aubrey Williams

I started photography at 16 years old, taking senior and creative portraits for my friends for free! As time went on, I starting charging $50, then $100 and so on doing portraits. The summer after graduating high school I shot my first wedding, and I fell in love with it! I photographed everything throughout college, seniors, engagements, families, babies, weddings, etc. Read more>>

Katie Bunnell

In 2005, my life changed in a way I never expected. My husband, Byron, passed away unexpectedly, leaving me a stay at home mom with a three month old daughter. I had no income, no life insurance, and no job to fall back on. I eventually had to sell our home and figure out what came next. Becoming a single mom meant starting over. Read more>>

Michael Maturin-DiDomizio

After graduating Penn State with a degree in Meteorology, my career led me to live in multiple states across the country. Having little to no knowledge about these new places ignited an interest to explore what was unknown to me. Read more>>

Brooklynn Wandry-Huff

A lot of people ask me if I had always wanted to be a hairstylist and a lot of them are shocked when I say “ Actually no”. I grew up most of my life wanting to be in and teach musical dance theatre, and my goal was to one day open up a community theatre. Read more>>

Gabby Olsen

Gabby Olsen’s roots in Utah’s outdoors run deep. Growing up in Salt Lake City where she started rock climbing at 17, she has spent most her life exploring the outdoors. Today, she stands out in Southern Utah’s outdoor industry as the owner of Rock Odysseys—the only woman-owned rock climbing and canyoneering guide service in the Zion National Park region. Read more>>

Omar Dominguez

I started 30 years ago in the food industry working in the first Arby’s in my hometown, Veracruz México. Read more>>

Nanette Amis

In May 1994, Nanette Amis founded the Utah Art Market, the first art show of its kind in Utah. Surrounded by creative friends who needed a place to share and sell their work, she created one. The first show took place in her own backyard, with her kids emptying their bedrooms so artists could set up shop throughout the house. Read more>>

Günter Almberger

Growing up in the Austrian Alps, I got hooked on climbing and mountaineering pretty early on. What started as a fascination quickly turned into a full-on passion—and eventually into a way of life. Climbing became the number one thing in my life, right alongside music. Read more>>

Janica Schmuck

I never set out to own a medical practice. I simply kept following where my passion for patient care took me. I started in healthcare more than 17 years ago as a CNA, then became an RN and eventually a Family Nurse Practitioner. Read more>>

Glenn Morris

A Journey That Fell Into My Lap This entire journey seems to have fallen into my lap. In 2016, a friend mentioned that he had a sawmill in Arizona that needed to be picked up. I was excited about the possibility, but what initially sounded like a straightforward opportunity ended up taking nearly three years to come to fruition. Read more>>

Christy Kane

I’ve spent more than 20 years working in mental health, but my career has never followed just one path. I’ve worked in clinical settings, led residential treatment programs, served in leadership roles across different industries, built businesses, written books, and spent hundreds of hours teaching and speaking about mental health. Read more>>

Jillian Vogtli

I am two time Olympian in the sport of Freestyle Mogul skiing who spent 13 years on the US Ski Team. I was also a member of the US Cycling Team. Since retirement, I have been working with people to help them to discover where they are holding themselves back and to help them step into their place. of becoming. Read more>>

Lovepreet Singh Romana

Honestly, my journey started in 2020 as a way to step back and find space during a difficult time. Travel became my outlet and brought a real sense of happiness back into my life. I wanted to capture that feeling and inspire others to get out there, so I bought a camera and started photographing landscapes. Read more>>

Avalon Grey

Creativity has been a thread through my life for as long as I can remember, although for many years I didn’t understand where that thread was leading me. I started writing when I was very young. It became a way for me to process life and to put words around feelings and experiences I didn’t always know how to express otherwise. Read more>>

Kevin Bright

This is our (my) 1st business. We (me and two brother in-laws) purchased the lube business in June of 2019. The business was originally established (built in 1991 – it’s been through a number of owners) and we thought we could own it but not need to be present to physically run it. Read more>>

Rian Kasner

I started painting murals in college kind of by accident. I played on the Southern Utah University soccer team and was studying graphic design at the time. Travis, our weight training coach, let me know that he was looking to paint a mural on a huge blank wall in the athletic weight room, and he asked me if I would be interested in designing it. Read more>>

Kyle Myrick

I started Hurricane Theatrical with my High School music teacher when I was 19 years old. It was a theatre company built on the love of the art form. That is the legacy of Hurricane Theatrical–the love of the art form. It is our mission to create excellence on stage through the hard work and dedication of all of those involved. Read more>>

Paul Cook

My story has never really been a straight line, and looking back, I think that’s one of the things I’m most grateful for. I started my career in the financial industry, which eventually led me into public speaking and teaching others about money, investing, and the importance of taking control of their own financial future. Read more>>

Pakiza Munir and the Catalyst Business Development Consulting LLC Pakiza Munir

Gandum really started with a simple idea: we wanted to create a table where everyone feels welcome. Food has always been a big part of our lives and our cultures. For us, food is not just about eating; it’s about hospitality, family, celebration, and connection. Some of our most meaningful memories are around a table, sharing food with people we care about. Read more>>

Katie Manhart

Lucky Ones Coffee’s story began long before there was coffee involved. I grew up with three younger cousins who have Down syndrome and another cousin on the autism spectrum. They are some of my favorite humans on the planet. Because of them, I learned early that disability comes with both challenges and incredible strengths. Read more>>