POCATELLO — Packed into the Idaho State University Alumni Center, the best of local entrepreneurs, business owners and professionals donned their sharp and elegant attire for the Idaho State Journal’s annual Readers’ Choice Awards on Wednesday.

With over 450 individuals in attendance, the annual prestigious award ceremony highlights the best businesses, as voted on by area residents across over 85 categories.

Including the best of the automotive industry, beauty, food and restaurants, health, people and places, professional services, shopping and retail and numerous others, the ISJ Readers’ Choice Awards serves as a way for local residents to express gratitude and appreciation for their favorite people and places in town.

Multi-award and returning winners included the likes of 5th Street Bagelry, Pocatello Electric, Denny’s Wrecker, Mandarin House, The Kingsman, El Herradero and Jeri’s Jumbo’s Cafe. These industry leaders have proven time and time again that quality customer service and products paired with high quality standards are a recipe for success and longevity in the Gate City.

Surrounded by their loved ones and the dedicated employees that make their businesses thrive — each winner was invited up to the stage to receive a special certificate before a photo opportunity with their team.

But a few new winners and ascending businesses shook up the awards event with organizations like the new Friends of the Children winning best nonprofit, Gate City Coffee winning best coffee shop, Pioneer Hearing and Tinnitus winning best hearing aid provider and Keetch Made Natural Skin Products winning best new business.

Keetch Made is a skincare business created and founded by Shyann Keetch with a focus on utilizing all-natural skincare products made out of beef tallow and she hopes to soon expand into goat milk soap for a complete homestead experience.

“We’ve been in business coming up on one year,” Keetch said. “What started my love for tallow was me and my daughter have super sensitive skin and my daughter was breaking out in tons of rashes all the time. We went to all sorts of specialist dermatologists and (purchased) all the fancy stuff. Nothing was working. I ran into someone who made tallow and fell in love with it.”

Keetch’s husband Stetson is a fifth-generation cattle rancher and Keetch decided she wanted to be self-sufficient and utilize their families’ cattle and goats for her business.

“I believe that everyone deserves access to quality skincare,” Keetch said. “I just decided to try to make something that could make a difference and mean something to other people. We’re starting to create our own life, and that’s the homestead, (but my focus is) creating things from what we can provide from nature. I really think that going back into the basics of nature, being able to provide everything that our bodies and our skin need is great.”

When Keetch first started her skincare career, she networked with others in the area, specifically women-owned businesses around town. When they notified her that she was nominated, Keetch was very excited but wasn’t sure if she would win because of all the other businesses involved that she highly loved and respected.

Despite being fresh on the scene, Keetch Made Natural Skin Care obviously made an impact with area residents and their families, winning best new business, an incredible feat in its own right.

Keetch expressed gratitude and thanks to God, her husband Stetson and all of her outstanding customers that made her dream possible.

“I’m just absolutely excited and floored and just excited to make a name for myself,” Keetch said. “I also started this because I’m a stay-at-home mom and I wanted something to give my own life meaning and show other moms and other people too that they can do awesome things if they just put their mind to it. It’s just a really big statement on how cool that is and that it’s possible that I’m building something from the ground up.”

The Idaho State Journal Readers’ Choice Awards aren’t only a way to recognize all the great industries and hard workers in the area but also serve as an opportunity for new businesses and organizations to shine. These jewels of the Gem State continue to break the mold and show that anything is possible if you follow your passions and dreams.

This year’s event was sponsored by Pony Express Car Wash, L & K Carpet One Floor & Home, ICCU and Merlin’s TV.