Photo: Jen Podany/ Instagram
After 20 years in Los Angeles, Jen Podany decided it was time for a slower life. The founder of Bluestone Sunshields packed up her family and moved from Burbank, in the Los Angeles area, to a small town of about 6,000 people. 5 Oct 2026 | 12:06 So some people pack up, choose a quieter life, and decide to begin a new life altogether.
She says the move has given her more peace, better well-being, and room for her business to grow. Cities give us a lot of opportunities like jobs, food, culture, the thrill of always having somewhere to go. But they also ask for a lot back in time, money, and calm of the mind. Over the years, many people quietly begin to wonder what they would gain by trading all that noise for something simpler.
Jen Podany, founder of Bluestone Sunshields, lived in Los Angeles for 20 years before moving her family to Snowflake, Arizona, a town of about 6,000 people. They bought it for about $500,000, and when they first stayed in it in January 2025, they didn’t want to leave the home surrounded by land and animals. The difference is that Snowflake has one coffee shop instead of 20 to choose from. Podany adds that, despite 20 years in Los Angeles, the family never found the friendship and community they have found in just over a year in Snowflake.
She revealed that a busy street nearby made her cautious about letting the kids play outside, and that they felt more confined as the children and businesses grew. She revealed to the outlet that it is “like going back to being a kid in the ’80s.
The decision left her calmer, helped her business, and gave her kids a childhood that feels like it belongs to another era, according to Business Insider. Podany says the family discovered Snowflake as a stopover on trips to see her husband’s relatives in New Mexico. Podany says their routines look much the same: coffee in the morning, work, homeschooling, and meals. Still, she says she feels calmer. Podany says they can be outdoors without worrying about cars and crime, and other children live a short bike ride away. Everyone here is on “mountain time”, slowing down. No one is rushing around, head down, looking at their phones, too hurried to have a conversation”, she says.
They fell for the town and kept returning whenever Los Angeles felt too busy. At home in Burbank, the family of five, with three homeschooled children, lived in a two-bedroom, one-bathroom duplex, and the couple ran two separate businesses from the other apartment. The turning point came when the couple found a four-bedroom house for sale in Snowflake. That visit made the decision easy, and the family chose to move there for good. In Los Angeles, she felt bombarded by the world, but in Snowflake she feels she is in the driver’s seat with a clear head. She also credits the move for her business, saying it gave her the mental space to think bigger, which led to more creativity and growth. She believes kids grow up quickly in cities, while here they get to simply be kids. “We can’t leave the house without seeing someone who wants to stop and talk. She and her husband still travel to Los Angeles occasionally for work, and each time they return home, she feels sure they made the right call. You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test Get the latest Lifestyle News and more. Download the TOI app.