30 OCTOBER 2025 PHOTOS COURTESY OF BRONTE JAGODZINSKI By Cliff Summerhill A Phoenix stylist is challenging the fast- fashion cycle with a business that focuses on using the clothes women already own to empower their style, confidence, and perspective. Beam by Bronte, founded by entrepreneur Bronte Jagodzinski, launched as a full-service styling company in September 2024 after she spent years informally advising friends on fashion. The business emphasizes intentional wardrobe curation over constant shopping. “I felt a deep need to approach fashion differently than how I’d consumed it growing up,” Bronte said. “So much can feel elitist or unwelcoming, while retail often encourages constant buying. It creates this narrative that we’re always missing something, that we aren’t enough unless we have something new.” Beam by Bronte is rooted in the opposite belief. “We are already enough, and clothing can be a powerful tool to express who we are, not hide or change us,” she said. While some shopping is part of the process, Bronte starts with what a client already owns, helping them build a foundation for a style they can love and appreciate. “To create a closet you love, you first have to know who you are, how you want to feel, and what vision you have for your life,” she shared. Beam’s signature offering, called “Style Reclamation,” starts with a free 15-minute consultation to identify the client’s goals and to ensure this service is the right fit. From there, Bronte holds a style discovery session to determine a client’s vision. She then reviews each piece in the client’s closet, removing what no longer fits or aligns with their goals and documenting new outfit combinations in a personalized digital style book. Shopping is only considered to fill any gaps identified during the sessions. Since launching, Beam has worked with about 25 clients, mostly through referrals. Bronte shared that some clients feel like they have an entirely new wardrobe without buying anything new. One client, Chelsea, connected with her virtually before attending a retreat in Sedona. The two collaborated on outfits that matched the event’s tone while remaining comfortable for activities and empowering Chelsea’s confidence. Afterward, Chelsea told her: “I walked into our retreat feeling magnetic, grounded, and fully expressed. Not because I was wearing ‘the right outfit,’ but because I felt more like myself. It was less about fashion and more about embodiment.” Bronte launched Beam cautiously, starting with clients she knew before expanding through online networks. “Some of my favorite clients have come from referrals by people I’ve never met,” she said. “It’s been a slow, organic growth, but incredibly meaningful.” Beam also offers one-time event styling, vacation packing services, and single-session consultations. Bronte advises clients to avoid shopping until they know exactly what they want their style to convey. “There’s nothing I love more than spending my days surrounded by clothes and helping women feel more like themselves,” Bronte said. “Long term, I’d love to open a space that blends retail and styling, where people can come not just to shop, but to discover their style in a deeper, more intentional way.” beambybronte.com Rediscover your style and reclaim your closet (left) Bronte Jagodzinski created Beam by Bronte to empower women and break traditional fashion cycles. (right) After working with Bronte, client Chelsea said she felt “fully expressed” and more like herself.

31 OCTOBER 2025 By Sherry Sklar Shannon Ortiz founded her natural food company, Shannon’s Kitchen, on the core belief that good nutrition supports healthier lives and communities. Drawing upon her 17 years as a nanny and her own personal health quest, which deepened her awareness of food ingredients and their impact on wellness, she built her business on that foundation. Eight years ago, Shannon decided to overhaul her eating habits. She began to remove all processed ingredients and refined sugars from her diet, eliminating prepared foods. She sought store-bought products that were preservative- free and had plainly stated ingredients. It became apparent throughout the grocery aisles that this was a challenge. Healthy, ready-to-eat foods were scarce. Seeking a different approach, Shannon began crafting oat granola with selective ingredients, creating inventive flavors and combinations. Guided by her mentor (natural health authority Shane Ellison) and inspired by hormone intelligence therapy, she shifted from conventional medicine to natural remedies. This path led to her first cinnamon granola, formulated with a balanced macronutrient profile. Through Arizona’s Cottage Food Program, Shannon began making and selling baked goods from home, later transitioning to a shared kitchen and eventually establishing her own operations facility. Balancing the venture with a full-time career, she officially launched Shannon’s Kitchen in 2020. Starting a business was challenging, but she remained determined. She recalled one afternoon pulling over on the side of the road, setting up a folding table, and selling granola from the back of her van to curious passersby. “Perseverance has been crucial for me. I couldn’t join farmers’ markets for two months, so I sold goods out of my van every weekend,” she said. “My first customer still buys from me. The shift in healthcare and food choices, both in the U.S. and globally, ultimately grew my business.” Today, Shannon’s Kitchen is a familiar presence at farmers’ markets, appearing at six to seven in the summer and 10 to 12 during peak season, including at the popular Uptown Phoenix and Old Town Scottsdale markets. Her granola and The Best Bar products are also sold in specialty grocery stores throughout Arizona. Bryan Ayala, a butcher at Arcadia Meat Market, shared how his business discovered and later sold The Best Bar: “It all started with a sampling at The Good Food Forum and Expo, and since then, we’ve received fantastic feedback from our staff and customers,” he said. He admits to sneaking a cacao bar or two as a treat to power his day before the store opens. The granola bar lineup features five flavors, all of which are gluten-free, including the original (or O.G.), cacao, cinnamon, and the newest additions: seeds (a gluten-free bar) and chocolate chip. New flavors being developed are spicy Mexican hot chocolate and a nut-free granola bar. Shannon’s Kitchen uses raw, unfiltered honey from the Lopez family farm in Queen Creek to sweeten its recipes, and partners with organic suppliers to source other ingredients. Almonds, quinoa, cashews, pecans, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds add crunch and texture, while the honey provides a nutritional boost. The company regularly gives back, providing halftime snacks for the Saguaro High School football team and donating a portion of the proceeds from seed bar sales to The Joy Bus. Shannon was honored with a Unicorn Award from Canyon Adventures, a startup accelerator located at Grand Canyon University. The Unicorn Award is presented to companies that are recognized as having the potential to become major industry players in the future. Reaching a milestone this year, Shannon shared that her products will soon be sold at AJ’s, with plans to expand outside Arizona by the end of 2026. “Embracing local culture is central to our brand and to me personally. I’ve called Arizona home since 1996, and seeing my bars for sale at the Grand Canyon last month was one of my biggest ‘aha’ moments.” Embodying the principle of “think globally, act locally,” she pairs her ambition for global distribution with a steadfast commitment to local culture and community growth. getthebestbar.com Health, flavor, and community shine in Shannon’s Kitchen Shannon Ortiz 7001 N Scottsdale Rd Suite C-138, Scottsdale, AZ 85253 Furniture | Lighting | Art | Accessories