Working at the historic El Tovar Hotel on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon and eventually heading downhill to Phantom Ranch to work for six years was the plan Romy Murphy had for making it to the top. Now, claiming two titles, general manager of Pink Jeep Tours Grand Canyon and president of the Grand Canyon Chamber of Commerce, Murphy says working at Phantom Ranch taught her some good lessons. “Besides being an amazing place to work, I learned a lot of great stuff at Phantom Ranch as … [Read more...] about Living and Promoting Adventure
Business Woman of the Month
Momma Kneads Dough for Cinnamon Rolls
Sara Clouse’s cinnamon rolls have made the rounds. They’ve been gifts for friends, neighbors and teachers. They’ve shown up at bake sales to support youth sports. And they’ve even brought in $1,500 at a local fundraiser. Now, everyone can enjoy them from Clouse’s business, Momma Kneads Dough. “Since I was a little girl, my mom and I would bake together. It was a tradition,” said Clouse. “Everyone loved her cinnamon rolls, but she never sold them.” Clouse carried on her mother’s love for … [Read more...] about Momma Kneads Dough for Cinnamon Rolls
Former Wrangler Shares Grand Canyon Life Through Art
Although Artist Mary Lois Brown had never traveled more than 20 miles outside of her small town in Pennsylvania, a river trip at the Grand Canyon in the late 1970s swept her miles away to a new home and a new job. Not only did that trip spur a love for the canyon, but also a love for the mules. In 1981, Brown accepted a job as one of only two women wranglers at the Grand Canyon. “I wanted an outdoor job,” she said. “There was one other woman wrangler that year, Shirley Bell, but I was the … [Read more...] about Former Wrangler Shares Grand Canyon Life Through Art
Marjorie Todd Believes in Holistic Care for Senior Living
Sometimes the desires of our hearts and early life ventures can lead the way to a successful and fulfilling career. For Highgate Senior Living CEO Marjorie Todd, stepping into a hospital as a candy striper at age 14 ushered her on to a position as activity assistant at a senior living home just a few years later. “I fell in love with working with seniors and found my calling,” she said. “I worked with people who had late- to mid-state cognitive impairment and dementia.” Todd says working … [Read more...] about Marjorie Todd Believes in Holistic Care for Senior Living
Making Homes Shine with Maid to Order
Lucy Leyva has always been intent on making her mark. Ironically, the business she owns and operates gets paid for removing any marks. Leyva, a Prescott Valley resident, owns and operates Prescott Maid to Order, a cleaning business that does both residential and commercial cleaning in the Quad Cities area. In 2005, she started the business by cleaning one house and taught herself every aspect of what it took to be successful. “I didn’t know how to run a business,” Leyva said. “I didn’t … [Read more...] about Making Homes Shine with Maid to Order
Cristy Auble Designs New Business During Pandemic
Though no one to date has proclaimed a distinct haute couture for Flagstaff, Cristy Auble of Cristy Lee Designs may have pinned it on the button with her High Boho Classic Clothing. Incorporating a blend of denim, Arizona cotton, linen, corduroy, hand-painting intertwined with her memories from old classic movies, Auble says she hopes to bring back classy, loose-fitting fashions with a “hippy frill.” The term “Boho” is short for bohemian and typifies a style of dress inspired by the … [Read more...] about Cristy Auble Designs New Business During Pandemic
Promoting Businesses from the Canyon
Though the rural setting of the South Rim of Grand Canyon Village can pose a few minor setbacks for running a media consulting business, the good far outweighs the bad for Elise Burnette. “High-speed internet is the only thing I miss,” said Burnette. “Sometimes I have to head to Flagstaff in the middle of a project to upload the client’s project there in order to meet deadlines. But I knew that moving here and it’s just part of the struggles of operating your business.” Citing that smaller … [Read more...] about Promoting Businesses from the Canyon
Beyond the Exterior
Forget career assessments or personality tests to determine your professional path; sometimes our names alone can hold the key to the employment door we should open. Such is the case with Janet Sweigart of SweigART, Designs, LLC, who began her career studying fine arts at Northern Arizona University and now specializes in custom interior architectural design for commercial and residential projects as well as new construction, remodels and design. Selecting NAU as her choice of schools was … [Read more...] about Beyond the Exterior
Tusayan’s Clarinda Vale Enjoys Her Small Town Beside the Grand Canyon
Living your life in a really small town might seem limiting, unless your town borders the seemingly endless Grand Canyon and your dark skies show off the mind-boggling expanses of the universe. Clarinda Vail was born and raised in Tusayan, the smallest town in Arizona by its population of 560 residents, located about seven miles from the Grand Canyon’s south entrance. The town houses several motels and hotels, restaurants, an IMAX Theater, a general store and several eateries. Vail is the … [Read more...] about Tusayan’s Clarinda Vale Enjoys Her Small Town Beside the Grand Canyon
Herbalist Margo Burdek Finds Healing in Plants and Prescott
Arizona captivated folk herbalist and Wise Woman Traditionalist Margo Burdek from the moment she set foot on its welcoming landscape. Finding refuge after a life-threatening illness and a grueling divorce, Burdek self-healed her shattered mind, body and spirit among Prescott friends. She regained strength by inhaling nature, being around children and reflecting on her life. “I intuitively began this self-healing process for myself and noticed how deprived I was of nurturing,” Burdek said. … [Read more...] about Herbalist Margo Burdek Finds Healing in Plants and Prescott