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US founder moves from Los Angeles to town of 6,000, says her kids are growing up like it's the '80s
A US founder left Los Angeles after 20 years for a small Arizona town, saying the move helped her business grow.
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A US entrepreneur who spent 20 years in Los Angeles has relocated with her family to a small town in Arizona, saying the move has brought greater peace, improved her well-being and helped her business grow.
Jen Podany, founder of Bluestone Sunshields, moved with her husband and three children from Burbank, Los Angeles, to Snowflake, Arizona, a town with approximately 6,000 residents.
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Speaking to Business Insider, Podany explained how years of visiting the town for short breaks eventually convinced the family to leave city life behind.
From Los Angeles to a quieter life
Podany said her family had regularly travelled to Snowflake to escape the noise and congestion of Los Angeles. What initially began as a stopover during visits to her husband's relatives in New Mexico eventually became their favourite retreat.
In Burbank, the family lived in a two-bedroom apartment within a duplex, while Podany and her husband operated separate businesses from the adjoining apartment.
With three homeschooled children and growing businesses, space had become increasingly limited. Heavy traffic near their home also meant the children could not play outdoors without supervision.
The turning point came when the couple discovered a four-bedroom property in Snowflake. They purchased the house for approximately $500,000 and visited in January 2025.
After experiencing life in their new home, the family decided to relocate permanently.
How the move changed her business and family life
Podany said their daily routine remained largely unchanged, involving work, homeschooling and visits to a local coffee shop.
However, the quieter surroundings made a significant difference to her mental well-being. She explained that Los Angeles had often left her feeling overwhelmed, while Snowflake provided the mental space needed to think creatively and expand her business.
The move also gave her children greater independence, allowing them to cycle around the neighbourhood, meet friends and spend more time outdoors.
"It's like going back to being a kid in the '80s, and I love that for them," she told the publication.
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A stronger sense of community
Beyond the lifestyle changes, Podany said the family developed stronger community connections in Snowflake than during their two decades in Los Angeles.
She described residents as friendly and unhurried, embracing a slower pace of life known locally as "mountain time".
Although the couple still occasionally travel to Los Angeles for business, Podany said returning to Snowflake continues to reassure her that relocating was the right decision.
