Today we’d like to introduce you to Shawnee Boswell.
Hi Shawnee, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I’ve always had an entrepreneurial mindset and a passion for working with people and building businesses that serve the community. Earlier in my journey, I owned Mom’s Café, which gave me my first real experience running a restaurant and connecting with customers on a daily basis. Through that experience, I learned a lot about business operations, customer service, and how special local cafés can be in bringing people together.
After some time away from the restaurant industry, I realized how much I missed it—the interaction with local people, meeting tourists passing through town, and being part of the community’s daily routine. That’s what ultimately led me back into the business and inspired me to open Mountain Peak Café in Sanpete County, Utah.
With Mountain Peak Café, my goal was to create a welcoming space where people could gather, enjoy great coffee and food, and feel connected. Since opening, I’ve been deeply involved in every aspect of the business—from developing the menu and seasonal specials to marketing, operations, and building a strong brand in the community.
For me, it’s about more than just running a café. It’s about creating a place where people feel comfortable stopping in, catching up with friends, and becoming part of something local. That sense of community is really what motivates me and keeps me passionate about what I do.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It definitely hasn’t been a completely smooth road. Like many small business owners, I’ve faced a lot of challenges along the way. I’m also balancing being a mom and working a full-time job while building and running the café, so there have definitely been long days and a lot of hard work.
One of the most difficult moments in my journey was during COVID when I had to shut down Mom’s Café, a business I had put my heart into. Shutting Mom’s Cafe’ down for a few months was incredibly hard and honestly left me feeling a little lost for a while. It wasn’t just a business—it was a place where I connected with people in the community every day.
But that experience also changed my perspective. COVID taught me how important human connection really is. Something as simple as a friendly face, a warm cup of coffee, or a welcoming place to stop can mean so much to someone. I realized how much I missed that connection with local people, tourists passing through town, and the sense of community that a café can create.
That realization is what eventually brought me back into the restaurant business and inspired me to buy Mountain Peak Café. I wanted to create a place where people feel welcome, where they can connect, and where even a small moment of kindness can brighten someone’s day.
The journey hasn’t always been easy, but those experiences have helped shape the way I run the business today and have made it even more meaningful to be part of the community again.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I wear a few different hats professionally, and each one reflects something I’m really passionate about. I work as the Office Manager at Nielsen’s Arc Service, where I help oversee the administrative and operational side of a welding and fabrication company. My role involves everything from financial management and bookkeeping to HR, payroll, and helping keep the business running smoothly behind the scenes. That experience has given me a strong background in organization, operations, and understanding the financial side of running a successful company.
I also own Mountain Peak Café, which is where my entrepreneurial and creative side really comes out. At the café, I’m involved in everything—from developing menu items and seasonal specials to marketing, branding, and daily operations. What I love most is creating a welcoming place where people in the community and travelers passing through can stop, relax, and feel connected.
In addition, I run Boswell Bookkeeping, where I help small businesses stay organized financially. One of the most rewarding parts of that work is helping people start their dreams. Many business owners have great ideas but feel overwhelmed by the financial side of starting or running a business. I love being able to help them understand their numbers, set up good systems, and give them the confidence to move forward with something they’re passionate about.
What I specialize in is really the combination of operations, financial organization, and customer-focused business building. I’m known for being someone who can take a lot of moving parts and turn them into systems that work well together.
What I’m most proud of is being able to balance these roles while also being a mom and staying connected to my community. Whether it’s helping a company operate efficiently, supporting entrepreneurs through bookkeeping, or creating a café where people feel welcome, I love being part of building something meaningful.
I think what sets me apart is that I approach business from both sides—the analytical side of finances and operations, and the human side of community and connection. That balance has really shaped the way I run my businesses and support others along the way.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I’ve never really been someone who believes in luck. I believe much more in hard work, perseverance, and treating people well. In my experience, when you focus on being a good person, doing the right thing, and continuing to move forward even when things are difficult, things tend to work out the way they’re meant to over time.
In business and in life, there will always be ups and downs. I’ve had moments that were very challenging but those experiences also taught me resilience and helped shape where I am today.
Rather than thinking of things as luck, I see them as lessons and opportunities. Every challenge has helped me grow, become more resourceful, and appreciate the relationships and community around me even more.
So for me, success hasn’t come from luck. It’s come from working hard, staying positive, treating people with kindness, and trusting that if you keep moving forward with good intentions, things will eventually fall into place.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://mountainpeakcafe.toast.site/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mountainpeakcafellc
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551616851491
