06/06/2026
Who runs Southern Utah Market??
Hi everyone! My name is Jordan Verdadeiro, and I started Southern Utah Market back in 2023. Here are the cliff notes. 😉
It all started during the pandemic when I discovered candle making. It became a creative escape from my stressful career as a TV news reporter. Learning wasn’t easy at first, but I stuck with it and eventually turned my hobby into a business.
Fast forward to early 2023, and I began attending local events to sell my candles. While I loved creating, my true passion has always been connecting with people and building community. That’s what made me love journalism, and eventually led to me being named Best Utah Multimedia Journalist.
As I met more local makers, artists, and small business owners, I realized I wanted to create a space where they could connect and grow together. With a lot of encouragement from my partner, Thomas, I decided to take a leap and start hosting my own events.
In 2024, while 7½ months pregnant, I opened my first store to give local businesses and artists a platform to showcase their work.
Now here we are in 2026. Along the way, I’ve learned a lot of lessons—some of them the hard way. I’ve since condensed my store operations to focus on growing Southern Utah Market into what it is today: several monthly events, two large annual events that attract thousands of attendees, and now an expansion into Northern Utah.
Last year, Hailey joined the team and has been instrumental in helping Southern Utah Market grow. As many of you know, my 19-month-old daughter is my biggest priority, and Hailey has stepped into a larger role helping manage day-to-day operations so we can continue building something special together.
Thank you for being part of this journey. We can’t wait to show you what’s next. 🫶🏼✨ 💗