Planted is GROWING!

Cue the TikTok audio:

“Hey thereeeeee. How y’all doinnnnnnn”

Wow. Long time no chat, huh?

Every time I write a blog post, I think, “Man, this feels good. I need to do this more often.” And while I’m semi-protesting New Year’s resolutions this year (another topic for another time. Or DM me and we’ll chat ), I do want to be more intentional about writing here.

Well… we’re officially one month into 2026, and I’m just now sitting down to write my first blog post of the year. But trust me, I’ve had good reason to be a little MIA.

You see, since my last post, there has been a LOT happening behind the scenes.

But before we get into all that, I want to talk about manifesting.

I am a firm believer in manifesting.

And honestly? I think I’m getting pretty good at it.

I like to think that’s something I inherited from my mom. Anyone who knows her knows she is the QUEEN of manifesting. Her parking-spot energy? Unmatched. I swear, she could look at a parking cone and it would apologize for being in her way. Freebies just find her. People give her things simply because she has “good energy.” Call it a skill, a talent, or maybe just a gift, but she truly is the Queen of Manifestation.

Lately, though, I’ve been feeling like manifestation might be more layered than I originally thought.

Last week, I had the privilege of shooting a work event in Salt Lake. One of the activities there was aura photos. I didn’t go in with many expectations but wow. My mind was blown.

A photo of my aura reading

As I read through the colors and shapes, I felt both surprised and deeply affirmed. Yellow signified joy, and the arches represented “a strong, consistent, and balanced energy”. Which honestly felt like a miracle compliment coming from a seven-month postpartum mom who’s not convinced she’ll ever truly know the word "balance" again.

But my favorite part? See that little orb floating above my chest? Here’s what the reading said:

“We like to think this is the presence of spirit in your aura — a loved one or ancestor visiting to say hello.”

My heart.

I’ve always felt a strong connection to my Grandma Kern. She’s a huge reason why I started this business, and over the years I’ve felt her - and other family members on my mom’s side - nudging me forward, guiding me into this work. I’ve loved that closeness and felt deeply supported by it.

But here’s the thing: while I’ve always felt connected to my maternal ancestors, I haven’t really felt that same pull from my dad’s side.

Until a few weeks ago.

It was an ordinary afternoon. I was home with my son. Probably cleaning up after a late lunch, changing diapers, trying to be present with my baby while also knowing how much work I needed to get done. Counting down the minutes until my husband got home from work.

Postpartum work life has been… interesting.

In many ways, I’ve felt stuck. Trying to find balance, questioning my ability to be both a present mom and a business owner (plus wife, daughter, sister, friend, church-goer, hobbyist… you get it). A lot of following impressions. A lot of trial and error.

In October, we had a BIG win.

I worked on a video for Lisa Wilson, a Utah influencer, and it helped Planted grow exponentially. We were booked and rolling. But like most entrepreneurial brains, mine immediately jumped to How do we sustain this? And what’s next?

Then I got a text.

It was from a number I didn’t recognize. A long message. The first sentence introduced herself: Erin Olson, and she said we were related.

I skimmed it.

Then read it again

.…and again.

A new phrase jumping out every time.

“Grow your business”

“Arizona”

“Growing outside Utah”

“Let's grow Planted”

My heart soared.

And suddenly my thoughts on manifestation grew.

To me, manifesting means intentionally pulling in good energy and just as intentionally putting it back into the world.

It’s active. It’s work. And some days? It’s exhausting.

Some days I genuinely think, I do not have the energy to put these rose-colored glasses on one more time.

And that’s where our spirit guides come in.

Our orbs.

Our ancestors.

After Cody was born, I was doing everything I could to manifest good things. For him, for my husband, and for this business.

I was putting in the work to. Reaching out to influencers I’d been too nervous to contact for years, searching for mentors, showing up online more consistently than I had in a long time.

But I was also freshly postpartum. And I was tired. Honestly, I still am.

So thank goodness for the people on the other side who stepped in and helped pull the pieces together.

In this case, my great-grandma Norma.

Norma is my dad’s mom’s mom aka my paternal great grandmother.

She passed away when I was four, so I don’t have many conscious memories of her. But I do now.

Norma had a sister named Zola.

Zola is Erin’s grandma.

Norma doing Zola's hair

As Erin and I continued talking, it became clear we weren’t the only ones communicating.

Norma and Zola were working overtime. Pulling strings, aligning paths, manifesting a relationship between their granddaughters.

And that relationship has turned into something really special.

After weeks of talking, planning, dreaming, and manifesting, I am so excited to share:

Planted is growing.

Thanks to Erin, we are officially opening our second office in ARIZONA!

I asked Erin to send over a little introduction and her thoughts on this partnership, and here’s what she shared:

“I’m so excited to be extending Planted Media to Arizona!! As soon as I heard what Ashtyn was doing, I knew I needed to reach out and see if there was a way I could help expand her dream—and hopefully bring some of my own ideas to an already thriving family history business. Family history has always been important to me. My mom and aunt started semi-annual family reunions before I was born for my grandma’s family of 11 siblings. Even though my grandma passed away young, those reunions created a lasting closeness that has been passed down to me. Photos, home videos, scrapbooks, reunions—I’ve loved it all for as long as I can remember. I force people to take photos even when they don’t want to because I know they’ll thank me later (lol). Ashtyn has helped me see just how important recorded stories truly are. I’ve had too many moments wishing I could ask loved ones who’ve passed questions only they could answer. I’m beyond excited to help give families the gift of having their loved ones’ stories preserved—not just as memories, but as tools for understanding where they come from and even understanding themselves better.” 🤍

So many times during this process, my cheeks have genuinely hurt from smiling so much.

This business is my baby. For over four years, I’ve nurtured it into something I’m deeply proud of.

That’s why it means so much to grow alongside someone like Erin. Someone who will care for it with the same intention and heart.

In four years, Planted has:

• Told the stories of 100+ people

• Created lifelong friendships

• Opened doors we never imagined

• Partnered with well-known names in the family history space

• Grown our own family

• And now… expanded permanently into new states

I’ve come to realize that manifesting, at least for me, isn’t just positive thinking or putting something out into the universe and hoping it sticks.

It’s a partnership.

It’s doing the work here. Showing up with intention, choosing hope when it would be easier to choose fear, and putting energy into the things you want to grow and believing that there is help on the other side meeting you halfway.

I truly believe our ancestors are involved. That the people who lived before us, who loved deeply, built lives, and made sacrifices, still care about what we’re creating. That they guide us, nudge us, and sometimes step in when our energy runs low.

Norma in the middle, Zola on the end

Especially in seasons when we’re exhausted.

Manifesting, to me, is trusting that when I’m doing my part, they’re doing theirs too. Connecting dots I can’t see yet and placing the right people in my path at exactly the right moment.

And in recent weeks, that help showed up for me in the form of a text message.

People talk about heavenly smiles. This entire experience feels like the biggest grin heaven could send.

So here's to manifesting and working with our ancestors to make dreams a reality.

Here's to the next chapter of Planted Media and all that's to come!

***

Now, I'm sure there are bound to be some questions!

Here is a brief Q&A off the top of my head. If you have any other questions, feel free to email hello@plantedmediaco.com!

Question: Will Planted still be in Utah?

Answer: Absolutely. Planted will always be rooted in Utah. Expanding into Arizona doesn’t change that; it simply means we’re able to extend the same care, heart, and storytelling to families in another place we love.

Question: Why expand into Arizona?

Answer: Arizona has an incredible sense of community and family, and we’ve felt a strong pull to serve families there in a more intentional way. By opening a dedicated office in Arizona, we’re able to reduce travel fees for clients, build deeper local connections, and ultimately help more people preserve their histories in a way that feels accessible and personal.

Question: Where is the Arizona office located?

Answer: Our Arizona office is based in Mesa. From there, we’re happy to travel throughout the state to serve families wherever they are.

Question: How do I book a Planted interview in Arizona?

Answer: Booking is easy! You can email us at hello@plantedmediaco.com or send us a DM here on Instagram. As a little thank-you for welcoming us to Arizona, the first five interviews booked will receive a special discounted rate.