Women's Business Center of Utah Blog

We just talk about the good stuff.

Recipe for Success: Buzzed Coffee Truck, Trina Perez

We sat down with Trina Perez, owner of Buzzed Coffee Truck, about her business journey. Meet Trina in person at our Recipe for Success Kick Off.

DID YOU ALWAYS THINK YOU WOULD BECOME A BUSINESS OWNER?

It came about for two reasons. I moved to the Rose Park neighborhood 7 years ago, was working in the community and got fed up about not having any place to get a decent cup of coffee. I was also burnt out and unhappy in my current career and I didn’t see myself being able to do it for much longer. I always thought having a coffee shop would be so much fun, but I think everyone thinks that. I wanted to open a coffee shop in the Rose Park neighborhood, and started to explore that option and quickly realized there was not a chance. I did not have the capital and no one was going to give me the money to open a brick and mortar. I thought…I never have seen a coffee truck around Salt Lake, and the food truck scene is healthy and happy. So I bought a FedEx truck and did it. Read More

Recipe for Success: Local Enthusiast SLC

We sat down with Sara Day, the face behind @local_enthusiast_SLC on Instagram. Meet Sara in person at our Recipe for Success Kick Off.

HOW DID YOU TURN YOUR LOVE FOR FOOD, TRAVELING AND CAMPING INTO A BRAND?

I started Local Enthusiast when I was a poor college student. I knew eventually that I wanted to start a business and I knew if I was out there supporting others it would eventually come back to me when it was time for my business to blossom. I didn’t have any money and so I was like…‘well there are other ways to support people.’ I focused on showing cool things to do in Utah, architecture, local businesses and seasons…things I could afford at the time. Like Ruby Snap Cookies; my and my friends still talk about how we would splurge on three cookies and that was our thing for the week haha.Read More

Loved Foodtrepreneur? Meet Recipe for Success!

Foodtrepreneur Festival, Reimagined

For four years the Women’s Business Center of Utah organized the Foodtrepreneur Festival to celebrate food entrepreneurs and foodies. The festival comprised of a combination of local food vendors, live music, a panel discussion and the opportunity to sample delicious food while talking to entrepreneurs who created the delectable bites.Read More

Spotlight on Women Business Owners: Julia Stolworthy, Sweet & Knotty Bakery

Spotlight on Women Business Owners: D Sarver, Perfect Curve

Spotlight on Women Business Owners: Liz Butcher, Butcher’s Bunches Handcrafted Preserves

Love for the Land

Liz Butcher has always felt a strong connection to the land. Her grandparents immigrated to the United States from Italy and became farmers on the East Coast. Her husband grew up in a farming community in Northern California. When they got married, he told her he wanted a garden. They began growing produce together and selling it a local farmer’s market. When the recession hit, they noticed all of their neighbors began growing produce on small plots and flooding the market with cheaper produce.
Read More

Spotlight on Women Business Owners: Darlene Fuhst, Prohibition Ink Custom Tattoo

Moving to Utah to Open a Tattoo Parlor

Darlene Fuhst and her husband JJ Ohlinger moved to Salt Lake City two years ago to open their tattoo parlor, Prohibition Ink Custom Tattoo. Both trained artists, they eventually realized tattooing was a way to pursue art while making a living. JJ has built a very successful tattoo career and travels to conventions around the world. Darlene handles the day-to-day operations of running the business.
Read More

Spotlight on Women Business Owners: Maria Cortes, Strappy Couture

Necessity is the Mother of Invention

Maria Cortes quit her Human Resources job in 2015 after getting sick from all the stress. She started her own business from one simple idea.

Maria has always worn heels and noticed her feet would often slip out. She tried a few products meant to solve the problem but they didn’t work. She fashioned her own solution from a ribbon and some velcro, and her friends kept telling her she needed to do something with it.
Read More

Spotlight on Women Business Owners: Heidi Dunfield, Fear Factory

Opening Night Mayhem

When Heidi Dunfield opened Fear Factory in 2011 with her family, they were immediately thrown in the deep end. After receiving a lot of press anticipating the new haunted house in town, they finally opened their doors to the public on October 25, at the very end of haunted house season. What they didn’t expect was that everybody would read about them and show up all at once. They closed the first night with many negative reviews and a huge line through the haunted house. She felt like it had been such a disaster, she was worried the business wouldn’t be able to recover.
Read More

Spotlight on Women Business Owners: Zara and Abby, Raclette Machine

Zara Ahmed and Abby Pfunder, owners of Raclette Machine, met in a cheese shop in 2011. They first served Raclette together at their wedding. Raclette is a popular dish in Switzerland and France where a wheel of cheese is heated and the melty cheese is scraped off and served.

12 3 4 5 6 7

STAY IN TOUCH

Our newsletter features spotlights, announcements, upcoming events and a bunch of cool stuff.

Sign.Me.Up.