Is Your Stress Harming You?

We already know stress is a daily occurrence, whether it is trying to get your kids out of the house on time, being productive at work, or trying to uphold the house. We all go through it. But what if that daily stress was actually causing your health issues? Stress releases complex hormones like cortisol that stay acute in your body for hours. This is called the fight-fright-freeze response and in many situations is needed for our body to deal with what’s at hand. However, when we live in a chronic state of stress, our body lacks the ability to return to a normal state. This causes dysregulation of our parasympathetic nervous system and leads to the development of chronic health conditions.

Once enacted, this acute phase will turn itself off if you are able to regulate your stress level. The following methods are alternative and cost-effective ways to reduce stress.

The Future of Homeownership is Female

In a departure from tradition, the long-held notion of women as solely homemakers is being turned on its head as the number of women homebuyers has surged in recent years. Traditionally, the narrative surrounding homebuyers has revolved around married couples or single men, leaving women’s purchasing influence primarily overlooked and undervalued. But today’s data paints a different picture, with single women being surpassed only by married couples as the leading purchasers of homes. In 2024, single females are taking control and realizing their dreams of homeownership.

‘A Satisfying Experience’

“Why would you not make it beautiful?” she said during a recent interview. “You want to enjoy the experience.”

Since she launched her business, Mac Daddy Macarons, two and a half years ago, its offerings have expanded to include other baked goods and charcuterie boards, grazing tables, and full catered meals (for 20 to 30 people).

“It always starts with the macarons,” she said, adding that her business growth started when people began ordering add-ons. “Once people find out you do something with food, they want all the food.”

The Necessary Tools for Educator and Student Success

For Cathy Moody, ensuring the seamless procurement of necessary items requested by educators to enhance their roles for supporting the students is a vital component to the district’s operations. Cathy, Director of Purchasing and Procurement at the Prescott Unified School District (PUSD) since 2021, explained, “Anything purchased for PUSD, including trade services for plumbing and HVAC, comes through purchasing department. The most fulfilling aspect of my position is making sure that our staff and students have the necessary goods and services to succeed.”

Working with vendors like Amazon, Walmart, security and fire systems, and printing companies, just to name a few, Cathy recognizes the importance of maintaining those positive vendor relationships and connections. “The most challenging part of my role is ensuring that we are purchasing responsibly and getting the most out of our money while ensuring staff and students have precisely what they need. We have so many needs in the district, so keeping vendor communication lines open can make a big difference in the cost savings of an item. Since taking on this role, I have helped the district save close to a million dollars by negotiating with vendors or finding better deals.”

he NOAH Foundation—a thrift store benefitting Neglected, Orphaned, Abused, Homeless animals—is celebrating 25 years.

Although Billie Herrick and her daughter Lauren originally opened NOAH on Montezuma Street in 1993, it closed and reopened in 1999 in its current location on the corner of Walker Road and Granite Street.

During the move, female volunteers including Julie Awen could be seen moving items from the original store to the current facility, where today it remains after 25 years. In early spring of 2009 when the building next to NOAH became available for rent, NOAH TOO was born.

Both stores offer slightly used second-hand items from donations … and feature a mature, mostly retired, all-female volunteer group of smiling faces as cashiers. Their primary goal: to raise money to donate to local animal organizations. How they love to tell tales of where some of the items came from or what they would do with them if they bought them.

A Slice of Home

Born in New Jersey, Wendy Razo lived around the world before settling in northern Arizona in 1982. Three decades later, after raising her seven daughters, one son, and two beloved dogs in Flagstaff and Cottonwood before moving to Prescott, she launched Jersey Girl Cheesecakes in 2022.

The idea for Jersey Girl Cheesecakes blossomed in 2019, as Wendy and her daughters began trying different cheesecake recipes. It wasn’t until the summer of 2022 that their passion transformed into a thriving business. Starting at weekend markets while Wendy managed her full-time teaching job, the business gained momentum, culminating in the purchase of a food truck in 2023.

Now, Jersey Girl Cheesecakes can be found at the Prescott Farmers Market every Saturday, as well as at various private events, including weddings and birthday parties.

Bigger and Better than Ever

Celebrating its 20th year on Sunday, March 2, 2025, the Prescott Wedding Expo will continue to showcase the latest ceremonial trends to its attendees at the Sam Hill Warehouse in Downtown Prescott. Nothing short of a complete array of wedding vendors, culinary samples and delights from local food trucks and bakeries—and so much more—the annual event produced by StarStruck Event Planning and co-hosted by Sam Hill Warehouse and Moore Events and Rents, promises to deliver bigger and better than ever this year.

Women Who Lead

Powering progress and inspiring change, Prescott’s women in business are making their mark. In our Women Who Lead section, Prescott Woman Magazine spotlights entrepreneurs, executives, and innovators who are breaking barriers and building legacies. Discover their journeys, their successes, and their passion for leading with purpose in every industry and corner of our community.

Brewing Up a Future in Prescott’s Craft Beer Community

Since opening in September 2019, LazyG Brewhouse continues to check all the boxes as a “Prescott go-to” for locals and newcomers alike. From the outdoor pet-friendly patio park with entertainment stage, to subtle nods to family and brewery location history scattered throughout the venue, owners Jean-Marie Bellington and her husband Jim have redefined the brewing industry in Prescott and continue to pave the way to increase the level of awareness of the brewing profession.

‘Welcoming, Warm, Fun, and Friendly’

Prescott Woman Magazine interviewed Cori King, Human Resource & Recruiting Manager for Findlay Automotive Group – Prescott Campus, and member of the Prescott Chamber of Commerce. We learned about how much she values personal connections.

The Synergy of Women Coming Together

Local business owners Cecilia Lookingback and Candace Devine believe that when women come together, authentically, they can achieve powerful results.

Since the two met, they have cross collaborated on many projects, sponsoring and promoting each other’s brands. The latest example of that: their brands will work together during the Pure Imagination Festival on May 20 in Prescott, alongside a lineup of other local businesses and partners.

The relationship Cecilia and Candace have developed is about an even bigger movement: women empowering women. Candace said she’d love to see businesses cross collaborate on a larger scale, choosing female-led partners to support one another.

‘I Show People How Powerful They Are’

Leanne Shearer believes she’s exactly where she is supposed to be, doing what she’s supposed to do: helping people change the trajectory of their lives.

“I show people how powerful they are,” said the lifestyle coach, who owns Anytime Fitness with her husband, “and how much information they have in their own bodies to find answers to perplexing challenges.”

To deliver her message to a broader audience, this past fall Leanne launched Undone + Uncensored, “a no-BS podcast that unravels life’s most complex issues.”

Creating Generations of Memories

Prescott Woman Magazine chatted with Rebecca Horniman, the Operations Officer for Talking Glass Media, a Fain Signature Group, and a member of the Prescott Downtown Partnership, to find out what makes her enjoy Prescott and everything it has to offer.

Nurturing the Lifeblood of the Community

Prescott Woman Magazine interviewed Linda Thein, Integrated Media Consultant at Great Circle Media and member of the Prescott Chamber of Commerce. We learned about how much she values family, freedom, and opportunities to grow.

‘It’s Been Amazing’

Fallon’s Down Home Vintage, which opened on Gurley Street in 2021 and moved to a new location this month, at the corner of Granite and Willis Streets downtown (at 225 W. Willis). This spot, which Fallon called the store’s “forever home,” offers 4,000 square feet of space (almost doubling the store’s size). Through Fallon’s Down Home Vintage, Fallon and 10 other local women offer a collection of new, repurposed, and handmade items.

It’s All About Balance

Prescott Woman Magazine chatted with Ariana Bennett, a Media Consultant with Sparklight Advertising, and a member of the Prescott Downtown Partnership, to find out what makes her enjoy Prescott and everything it has to offer.

Keep Moving Forward

Faye Humphrey is a font of truisms, passed down in the Deep South from her Irish immigrant mother who was illiterate yet full of common-sense quotations.

“I grew up hearing, ‘You can choose to be part of the problem or part of the solution,'” Faye related during a recent interview.

You Are Their 9-1-1

esa West is on a mission to teach people that learning CPR is important.

“When we understand how simple it is, and explain what happens to the body when we ‘push’ on the chest,” she said, “it is easier for people to comprehend because it makes sense.”

A Perfect Place to Learn, Grow, and Thrive

Prescott Woman Magazine interviewed Linda Killough, Operations Compliance Administrator for Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe and Yavapai Gaming Agency, Bucky’s and Yavapai Casinos and member of the Prescott Chamber of Commerce. We learned about how much she values family, freedom, and opportunities to grow.

Helping Prescott Families Thrive

I joined Prescott Downtown Partnership (PDP) earlier this year after talking to Audra Yamamoto, who told me I absolutely had to be on her board, and that I would just love it!

If you know Audra, you know she has an infectious zest for life. I worked with her on Party in the Pines, a Prescott beer festival, years ago when she had Granite Mountain Brewing. She was telling me all about PDP, its amazing Board of Directors, and the great things the group does for our Prescott community to improve business in the downtown sector since she has taken over as Executive Director.

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