While skiing at Alta Ski Area, Shasheen Shah found himself caught in a small avalanche caused by a skier-released snowslide that funneled through the chute he had just skied. “I never saw it coming. It launched over the rockface and landed on me like wet concrete. Within seconds, it felt like I was buried alive and then swept me down the slope. I was disoriented. I didn’t know which way was up or down. I didn’t have light and I couldn’t breathe. Panic.” In his new book, “The Kid and the King: … [Read more...] about Minimizing Workplace Drama in the New Year
Business
Joyce Reid Delivers Customized Surprises
Imagine getting a gift basket delivered that takes your breath away. That is Joyce Reid’s goal. Reid is a very successful businesswoman based in Flagstaff, but is somewhat of a secret because her business is online. She owns and operates Creative Gifts to Go LLC, which is a national corporate and personal gift service. Packages include holiday presents, house-warming gifts, teddy bears and Maple Ridge Farms corporate gifts. Most of the gifts are sold and delivered throughout the United … [Read more...] about Joyce Reid Delivers Customized Surprises
A New Year Focusing on Joy, Bliss, Abundance
Long-time Flagstaff State Farm Agent Melissa Cripps realizes she has been in transition for a while. The deaths of her parents and brother-in-law, her completion of the Master of Music in Cello Performance program at Northern Arizona University and a trip with her sister to Scotland are a few of the momentous events that have occurred in recent years that have taught her valuable lessons about finding bliss and creating magic. After 32 years as a community leader in business and the arts, … [Read more...] about A New Year Focusing on Joy, Bliss, Abundance
Sugar High
Making candy every day of the week, the chocolatiers and candymakers of the Sweet Shoppe Candy Store in historic downtown Flagstaff are mixing, melting and pouring 40 pounds of caramel, brittle, toffee and fudge at a time. But the 2021 holiday season had them spinning, dipping and sprinkling at a pace that would impress Santa’s elves, just to keep up with orders. “Our e-commerce site went live two weeks before Christmas and we’ve been shipping gift baskets and packages all over the country,” … [Read more...] about Sugar High
Making the Holidays Even Sweeter
Jennifer Rolley and her team of chocolatiers and candymakers at the Sweet Shoppe Candy Store in Flagstaff's historic downtown district are cooking up fudge, caramel apples, brittle and all-things peppermint the old-fashioned way to make the holiday season so sweet, memorable, personal and full of love. Meet Jennifer on Zonie Living and see just how amazing these holiday favorites are, baked with creativity, quality and some surprising ingredients. There's still time to place your order!!! Also, … [Read more...] about Making the Holidays Even Sweeter
Dutch Bros Raises $17,000+ for Local Food Banks
Dutch Bros in Flagstaff and Prescott partnered with customers to raise $17,656 for the Flagstaff Family Food Center and Yavapai Food Bank. $1 from every drink sold on Dec. 11, plus an additional contribution from the Dutch Bros Foundation, was donated to the organization to support their mission. “We’re so grateful for all of the customers who came out and supported the Flagstaff Family Food Bank and Yavapai Food Bank,” said Michael Cruz, operator of Dutch Bros Flagstaff. “We’re honored to … [Read more...] about Dutch Bros Raises $17,000+ for Local Food Banks
Mission Bank Named BEST BANK 2022 by Newsweek Magazine
Mission Bank, a locally owned community bank headquartered in Kingman, AZ with branch offices in Kingman and Bullhead City, and lending offices in Flagstaff and Lake Havasu City has been named “BEST BANK 2022 for the state of Arizona by Newsweek magazine. Mission Bank, which currently operates with $196 million in assets, was formed in mid 2000 by a group of local business persons. A locally owned and managed community bank, their primary goal is to provide their customers with the … [Read more...] about Mission Bank Named BEST BANK 2022 by Newsweek Magazine
Supply Chain Challenges Creating Unique Holiday Shopping Environment
With the holiday season upon us, many merchants and customers alike are watching the supply chain backlog at the Southern California ports. Up and down the coastline, the view includes large numbers of container ships facing delays in unloading. The Western hemisphere’s two largest shipping container ports are Los Angeles and Long Beach, each about an eight-hour drive from Flagstaff. The supply chain problems are not a new issue, according to Edmund Bushman, chair of the Yavapai Community … [Read more...] about Supply Chain Challenges Creating Unique Holiday Shopping Environment
Exploring the Potential of ‘Lived Experience’ Data
When Adam Stepanovic worked as a data scientist in big tech in Northern California, he saw a problem with the way data collected by these companies was – and wasn’t – used. On the one hand was the wealth of information collected, analyzed and segmented to target end users, insights basically aggregated for “marketing and manipulation,” as Stepanovic put it. Meanwhile, a lot of actionable data was left out – information that, with a user’s consent, could be employed to benefit both … [Read more...] about Exploring the Potential of ‘Lived Experience’ Data
Making Holiday Magic with the Polar Express
Going to work in places where he could play is what Grand Canyon Railway and Hotel General Manager Jeff D’Arpa had in mind while growing up, and that’s exactly what happened. With ski resorts, national parks, hotels and now the Polar Express and Grand Canyon Railway in his professional queue, D’Arpa has completed 25 years with the Xanterra Travel Collection. In his new position as Grand Canyon Railway and Hotel General Manager, D’Arpa oversees 280 to 340 employees and said, “The team I … [Read more...] about Making Holiday Magic with the Polar Express