Embracing the Unexpected
Rhonda Brose has a lot of experience being one of the guys. That experience has served her well, both professionally and personally. As chief executive officer of Four Corners Environmental, Brose has a background of digging in the dirt. “Basically, I love being in nature and geology. I call it the natural sciences. I was >> Read More…
Divine Calling Serves Inmates and Artists
“I just want to say thank you for this good life!” This is how Jill Divine finished her acceptance speech after winning the Literature Award on March 2 in the Flagstaff Cultural Partners Fifth Annual Viola Awards. “I have lots of loves – I love art, poetry, wine and people.” In fact, it is the >> Read More…
Nourishing Skin in the High Desert
Most people believe the desert is a hot, rough, tough, indestructible environment, but Connie Birkland knows better. She knows that the high desert environment has cryptobiotic soils that are very fragile and are made largely of micro living organisms. “You don’t want to step on and destroy these fragile biological soils. You want to keep >> Read More…
Solar, Music and Marriage
When Hadassah and Matt Ziegler sit down at the end of the day, they rarely talk business. Each has one and both are diametrically different. She runs Rooftop Solar and he is a concert promoter with Greenhouse Productions. Come to think of it, their Flagstaff businesses have more in common than at first glance. She >> Read More…
Discovering Sustainability on the Vine
Sit down and enjoy a glass of Kind Vines wine. And relax. You’re actually reducing your own carbon footprint. This is a sustainable wine for eco-imbibers because of its zero waste reusable bottles and reduced transportation costs to get that glass into your hand. If it sounds too good to be true, it isn’t. Flagstaff >> Read More…
Entrepreneur Garnering Accolades
There are few things more annoying – come to think of it, more ridiculous – than being on terminal hold with a computer. Aaron Dragushan was having that experience while waiting for a service provider. His wife, Evgenya, had already been on hold for so long that she handed the phone over to him and >> Read More…
A Born Entrepreneur
Mike Funk, owner of Fire Creek Coffee, has had a lot of careers. “I was that kid who banged his head against the wall wanting to be an entrepreneur,” he said. “I had many different companies, like futon stores. I built and sold futons. I built coffee carts. I had a promotional company that had >> Read More…
The Business of Beauty
At least half of the due diligence is complete when you have been a happy client of a business you decide to buy. That is how it happened for Leona Bix, the owner of Flagstaff Face & Body. “I had been a client of the company,” Bix said. “I told them if they ever considered >> Read More…
Sharing Fresh Food and a Strong Work Ethic
For Jon Schulman, relaxing is overrated. He would rather be overseeing operations at his restaurant, Buster’s, or along the water’s edge at Oak Creek, fly fishing rod in hand. His choices seem to be working out well. It has been 30 years since Schulman and several partners started Buster’s Restaurant and Bar. The partners have >> Read More…
Family Owned Business Earning Loyalty
Many of the customers who return year after year to Garland’s Oak Creek Lodge consider it upscale camping. Nestled in the gorgeous Oak Creek Canyon, it’s just the place to unplug from civilization and just relax in a homey little log cabin. And summer is one of the best times to go to the lodge. “The >> Read More…
