Buzz Magazine Phoenix

I’m an Alternative Medicine provider, meditation guide, professional musician, and collaborating Sound Healing Artist for Dragonfly Percussion. I founded Zen with Ben as the culmination of my percussion and meditation training. I’m deeply passionate about the use of sound and vibration as alternative medicine for stress-related conditions. I facilitate sound therapy using antique Himalayan singing bowls and other instruments to relieve stress, anxiety, depression, insomnia, pain, anger, addiction, and trauma.
I received my first meditation teacher certificate in 2014. In 2017, I started a program at Northern Arizona University’s Health Promotion Office (Flagstaff, AZ) teaching meditation for students with substance abuse disorders. In 2018, I went to work for a formal corporate-style meditation studio in Phoenix, where I first explored sound as a form of meditation. Coming from a classical music background this practice helped me to reconnect with my passion for music, boost my meditation practice, and find a more profound sense of peace by tuning into my own “frequency” in the silence after the “sound bath.” I’m constantly in awe of how quickly and deeply people connect with the present moment through music.
My practice took some big steps in 2019. I began a collaboration with Dragonfly Percussion in the design of their new “Resonance Line” gong mallets for sound practitioners. I opened doors in my private practice in Tempe, AZ. I obtained my Advanced Meditation Instructor certificate, and finished three levels of training at the Atma Buti® Sound & Vibrational School (Boulder, CO) under Master Suren Shrestha. I also began to explore my Lakota heritage, focusing on their wisdom in shamanic healing and drumming. I’m a descendant of Chief Solomon Iron Nation (Lower Brule Sioux tribe, 1815-1894). Iron Nation was a vital peace-keeper and education proponent throughout the 19th-century American Indian Wars; and, a signatory of the Fort Laramie treaty. In 2014, the National Park Service approved listing his gravesite along the Missouri River Bluffs on the National Register of Historic Places. The inscription reads: “We, the Lower Brule Indians / Put up this stone in memory of our / Dear Head Chief / Solomon Iron Nation / Who Died November 14, 1894 / Aged 79 years / Children, Love One Another.”
I’m excited to unify centuries of wisdom, sacred sound, mindfulness, and healing traditions from shaman around the world and share them with you in an effort to “Love one another!”
Continue Reading Meet Benjamin Irons of Zen with Ben

I was raised in a musical family. My father and older sister would work in the studio every night writing and producing songs together. My mom convinced me to join the fun. I started out by learning drums with my father. I then went on to the guitar, piano and bass. Once I felt comfortable with playing all instruments I then wanted to write songs and produce. I built out my dads studio and recorded my first album when I was in 8th grade. My first album received attention in MTV Australia and was included in Pier 39 News in San Francisco. When I entered high school I started performing around town at places like the Martini Ranch, Venue of Scottsdale, Club Red and many more places. It was then that I aligned myself with well known local producers; one in which is Otto D’Agnolo (producer of Kenny Rogers, Jordin Sparks, DMX, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Beach Boys, etc) where I worked in his studio on several projects. One of the sessions we worked on together was with Artist Sam Moore on a song that was placed into the TV Show ‘How I Met Your Mother’. I finalized my 2 degrees in College including Audio Production Technologies and Sound Design. It was at my school where I met a gentlemen who went on to sign 3 of my songs to FirstCom/Universal Music Group. My 3 songs were placed on several TV Shows (Heartland on CBC, Home And Away, American Rehab) and FM Radio Stations. After I established a presence in Arizona I then went on to travel to Los Angeles, CA where I worked with 2 well known producers (credits include: Justin Bieber, Post Malone, Fifth Harmony, Meghan Trainor, Keith Urban, Snoop Dogg, etc). I went on to develop my second album ‘Broken Alive’ with these producers and many single releases and music videos following. After developing my craft and learning from the knowledge provided in the sessions I broke ground on a professional new studio set up. I began tracking high quality vocal tracks out of my home studio and writing for several DJ’s around the world. My first DJ collaboration was with QUIX where we signed our song ‘Hero’ onto LA based label Dim Mak Records (Steve Aoki’s Label) and we published onto Warner Music. David’s hit single “Hero” (Released on Steve Aoki’s Dim Mak Records) with Quix and Vincent is growing globally with 3.3 MILLION+ streams. “Hero” and many other of David’s songs have been curated into some of the most exclusive Spotify Playlists (including: Hype, Trap Mojito, Bass Arcade, Dance Rising, Friday Cratediggers, Motivation Mix, Power House and even the legend himself – Steve Aoki’s personal playlist. David has captured the hearts of many throughout the world with his music being performed at MTV SnowGlobe 2018, Shambhala 2018, Audiotistic 2018, EDC Mexico 2019 and EDC Las Vegas 2019.

Some of David’s other songs (‘You’re Not Alone’ and ‘ Feel the Love’) have been hand selected by DJ Hardwell (#1 DJ in the world in 2013/2014) and added to more than 5 prestigious Revealed Radar compilations and chosen for Hardwell On Air best of February and best of July 2019. David’s music has also been graced with worldwide recognition airing on several FM Stations such as KissFM and SiriusXM and many A-List DJ shows including the likes of Cheat Codes, Chainsmokers, Afrojack, Nicky Romero, Tritonal, Hardwell, Steve Aoki and many more. David has no plans of slowing down, as he is now partnering with several talented artists and major labels for many upcoming releases on his Spotify (700,000 + monthly listeners) in the Pop, EDM and Progressive/Future House genre.

The Arizona native has also been busy writing songs for such well-known publishing companies as Universal Music Group/FirstCom, Warner Music Group and Sony/ATV.

Shane, who sings and plays several instruments on his releases, is known for the breadth and depth of his songwriting that covers many different moods and emotions, which resonate with Mainstream Pop/EDM Music fans of all ages. With recent collaborations with Olly James, Manse, ANG, QUIX and Billboard Top 40 Charting Artists VESSBROZ; David is on the path to becoming the next big thing in Pop/EDM Music in 2020.

To start 2020 out with a bang, David Shane released ‘Escape’ with DJTop100 Worldwide Thomas Gold (#89) on Revealed Recordings. David and his team are now setting the path forward for Top100 DJ collaborations and Top 40 Pop Acts in Los Angeles. Continue Reading Meet David Shane

I’m a native of Arizona, born and raised in the valley. I had a incredible career as a Arizona Department of Public Safety Officer (Trooper) for 25 years. Although my career was in law enforcement my true passion was baking. When I retired in 2016 I attempted to be retired but after a year I realized I was still too young to live the retired life. I went back to work in the law enforcement field and then into a private security position.

In the beginning of 2020 I decided it was time for me to move forward with my dream of baking for more than just family and squad mates. It was time for me to jump into entrepreneurship with both feet. After talking to my family about it and making sure I had their support I started the process of starting what is now Stuffed AF Cookies.

I purchased an e-book on starting a small business “Hustle Smarter” from a friend of mine. That little nugget of information really helped me with the stuff I didn’t think about; the LLC, the business name, the licenses… So many things I didn’t think of when I decided I wanted to start a at home business baking cookies.

I knew I wanted to have a website but where to start? I was definitely a fish out of water in the realm of branding, logo and website. I reached out for suggestions and was turned on to Tiny Fox Creative, graphic designer. That entire process was my favorite part of starting my business. Being educated on how my brand and logo speaks my products language was fascinating. I couldn’t be more pleased with the final product. It’s 100% me!

Fast forward a few months and lots of learning along the way, here I am taking orders for my cookies. Continue Reading Meet Kristi Johnson of Stuffed AF Cookies

Christmas 2014, I unboxed my new Nikon Coolpix. Little did I know I was holding my future job! I took pictures of everything around me, eventually discovering Adobe Lightroom. Through process of trial and error, I discovered what I thought looked good. I really got interested in photographing people, so using my sister as a model I posted picture after picture on social media. Eventually people started asking me to take pictures of them, which led to senior portraits, then to couples, then to weddings. Continue Reading Meet Brooke Locklin of Pics By Brookie

I started voluntarily taking pictures for family & friends. Then I started receiving compliments about how good my photos were & was actually being requested to take pictures.

I kept being told I should consider getting into photography, so I decided to buy a decent camera & started watching you tube videos after you tube videos to teach myself. I learned a lot, but I also realized how much knowledge I already had which gave me confidence in taking the next step.

I decided to go for it & made a photography page on social media sites. I started to advertise my photos, offer great deals on mini shoots & gaining followers. It started slow but I kept getting more & more people booking with me. I am so grateful to how far I’ve come with each session giving me new insight, knowledge & skills that I can continue to use moving forward.

If you would have told me 3 years ago when I was starting if I would be where I am today in this business, I would have never believed you. Sometimes its so surreal that this is my life. I truly feel blessed and am so thankful I made that leap of faith. Continue Reading Meet Amanda Lambert of Mandy Rae Photography

I found a love for graphic design at 24 when I decided to make my own wedding invites (2009). I honestly had no idea that what I was doing was graphic design and over the course of the year (2010), I found myself becoming more interested in it.

I graduated from Glendale Community College in the spring of 2011, and by the fall I was enrolled in the design program at the Herberger Institute of the Design and Arts at Arizona State University (ASU). I immersed myself in the program finding out that graphic design was, and is, more than just putting pretty pictures together, but that design could literally create change in the world.

My third year in the design program was when this all became clear to me. Our class was assigned a rebranding project for an Arizona local nonprofit; Circle the City – a homeless respite center that addresses all facets of homelessness through medical and holistic care. They had a wonderful mission, but a very minimal budget, which is why they requested the help of the design students from ASU. My team and I became so connected to the mission and purpose of Circle the City. We learned that by assisting them in their design work and rebranding, that donors, doctors, and volunteers would be more likely to trust Circle the City, believe in their mission, and aid the nonprofit in connecting with other volunteers who held the same vision.

I quickly realized that I could make a difference for other nonprofits and small businesses in the same position as Circle the City. Most small businesses and nonprofits leave graphic design as the last thing on their budgetary priority list or even off of it completely. I started Tiny Fox Creative to give those small businesses and nonprofits a helping hand to launch their passion and have a great visual brand from the beginning setting them up for success. I partner with them to cultivate a well designed brand (not just a logo) that will be genuine, organic, and one of a kind that establishes an identity that stands the test of time.
Continue Reading Meet Amy Robinson of Tiny Fox Creative

About a year ago, I started a company whose goal was to help women learn how to challenge toxic elements of their relationship with themselves and with other women. It was about a year and a half of writing, interviewing, and building before the launch in January of 2019.

As I studied and gathered information and stories about wounded warrior women, it became very clear to me how many different narratives were out there that no one would ever hear. What was even more frustrating was the realization that the reason these stories wouldn’t get told was not just because people were afraid to tell them, but because the right platform either didn’t exist or was not accessible to an “every-day” person. As soon as I started publishing content, the response was somewhat overwhelming: women were coming out of every corner of my life wanting to be a part of the project, and even more were coming forward simply to thank me for putting this particular brand of content out into the world.

It was a very short two months after the launch that I started to feel claustrophobic because the platform I had created was not wide enough to fit everyone who needed it. Even my own ideas and soapboxes were starting to outgrow the original mission statement. I needed to regroup. So I put the project on hold, and started a different one. It was a dating podcast – just something to help me use my creative energy and endless opinions, while simply entertaining myself and whoever wanted to listen. My co-host and I had the show up and running in four days. Four months later, we were once again outgrowing the original idea.

We decided to make the podcast an official company, but I had learned from my previous experience, and I saw an opportunity. So, we created a brand called RealTalk Productions. And let me tell you, I had plans for this platform. Continue Reading Meet Emma of RealTalk Productions

In my previous job I had an amazing boss who allotted me the freedom and flexibility to branch out into areas of personal passion. So, even though I was a marketing director for a construction company, I also spoke at conferences and ran a mentorship program for four years. That eventually led to coaching individuals and strategic consulting with small businesses. Fast forward to November of 2018 and after a season of personal transition and reflection, I decided to resign from my job and pursue coaching full time.

In 2019 I created Beauty & the Boss, LLC, a career coaching and professional development company for women in male-dominated industries. As the owner and head coach, my mission is to help women learn strategic soft-skills and strategically position themselves for career growth.
At the individual level, I provide quality content and one-on-one coaching, but I also partner with companies and professional associations that have Diversity and Inclusion initiatives.
Continue Reading Meet Maisha Hagan of Beauty & the Boss, LLC

I grew up as the baby of eight kids in rural New Mexico on a hobby farm full of goats and horses. My mom was a jack of all trades. She plumbed. She was a woodworker. She gardened. She cooked. She ran her own law practice, and she did all of this while raising us by herself. She died when I was 15, but her independent nature, doer attitude, and affinity for learning practical skills had a lasting impression on me.

After graduating high school, I attended engineering school in New Mexico where I obtained my Environmental Engineering degree. It was the most practical degree I could think of. Engineering, as an area of study, is intricate and challenging and the creative problem-solving aspect is what I was so looking forward to in the workplace. That wasn’t exactly what I found immediately in my industry, so after two years, I realized that I hadn’t found my purpose. I felt lost and like I was wading through knee-deep mud every day. This led to a lot of introspection and trying to understand who I was at my core, which inevitably led me back to the 13-year old watching my mother tinker away on old, battered furniture in her workshop.

I had always been a hands-on type of learner, and my family will tell you that I have always chosen the path of greatest resistance. I learn best through doing (and sometimes failing) rather than listening to someone who might already know the answer. It’s something that used to frustrate me about myself, but that I’ve grown to value and I think it’s what makes the world of home renovation and DIY such a passion for me.

Shortly after arriving in Arizona, I purchased my first home and the projects started. I started documenting my DIY home renovation projects on Instagram and people from all over the world started sharing their own projects with me, asking me for pointers, sharing what they had learned, and others began letting me know that they couldn’t wait to start their own projects or buy their first home after seeing that they could do it too. It felt really amazing knowing that I was showing young adults that being self-sufficient was completely achievable. Whether you’re a single woman fixing up her first house like me, or a married father of three, or a couple of twenty-something roommates, you can build and invest and accomplish more than you ever thought you could. Through Instagram, I found a community of doers that understood why every paint drop and sawdust pile felt like gold to me and I am so grateful for that. Continue Reading Meet Madeline of Engineering A Home

I got started in the industry knowing that I loved working with people and with my hands, and I’ve always had a passion for the fashion/beauty industry. After finding that I loved it, I worked hard to learn techniques, verbiage, and overall knowledge of the industry to grow my business. Lots of practice, classes and mentoring has been so helpful to who and where I am today! Continue Reading Meet Charly Wilson of Charly’s Chair