ST. GEORGE — Much has been written about the beauty of the Southern Utah landscape. Much has also been documented about the dangers of the more remote areas. Although these areas help people feel connected to nature, some acknowledge there’s a trend of increasing isolation.

Entrepreneur Ian Foster saw this play out during the COVID-19 pandemic as a therapist at the time. All of his sessions went online, which meant he only saw his clients on a screen.

The person on the other end is traditionally in a box on the screen, while the camera itself is above the device. With both parties looking at the box, eye contact never happens. Foster said this led him to create the Center Cam, which he hopes will make video chatting more personal.

Foster has always felt like people open up to him quickly, he told St. George News. He wanted a way to connect with people better.

Foster’s ability to connect with others on a deep level is another notable aspect of his character. He even goes so far as to say that the meaning of life comes from relationships and connections with other people.

“I’ve always wanted to help people, and I’ve found that people talk to me about really personal stuff really quickly,” he said.

Foster is a self-described introvert and said he has an aversion to cities. That part of his personality led him to return to Alaska, where he currently resides. He said that he has an appreciation for quiet places that allow him to recharge.

“I get alone in nature, and I just have kind of a process that I allow my mind to wander,” he said.

Foster’s introversion contrasts with his ability to perform and engage with others when necessary. Besides being a licensed therapist, he described his experiences playing music at small shows, preferring to rest before and after performances, while his bandmates would be out socializing.

Others seem to “let their walls down” around him, yet he said he likes that where he lives in Alaska is so remote that he can’t see his neighbors’ houses. He’s an entrepreneur for a company that is solving the problem of human connection, yet socializing for too long exhausts him.

Foster recognizes the irony but says everybody reenergizes in their own way.

Born in Auburn, California, and raised in Washington State, Foster moved to Utah in 2001 and lived there for eight years before going to Alaska to mine for gold.

“I call it the ‘one summer lie’ because I came up only to make money in gold and then go back to grad school in the fall to pursue a master’s in social work,” he said.

However, he quickly fell in love with Alaska and decided to stay.

“I love the town, especially in the summer,” he said. “It’s just muddy and dusty … but it just felt genuine and authentic.”

He now goes back and forth between Alaska and Utah and spends his winters traveling through the desert regions of Southern Utah, Arizona, California and Nevada.

Though currently residing in Alaska, Foster’s ties to Utah remain strong, as he has many contacts and friends in the state. Four years ago, Foster married a woman from Provo and they now have two children.

“There are certain places you get to, and it just feels like home,” he said.

When he’s home, he spends much of his time planning the future of Center Cam.

“We’re looking for businesses that want to improve the quality of their video conferences and remote work connections,” he said.

Center Cam aims to collaborate with banks, therapeutic organizations, human services and native tribes to enhance their remote connectivity tools.

Center Cam’s development has recently faced challenges, including a sudden price increase from their supplier.

Despite these setbacks, the company is moving forward with version two of its product, featuring a smaller camera body and improved lighting capabilities.

“The new one is 15% smaller in the camera body. And then the big one is the flex tube, which is a 33% smaller coat, reducing from 6 millimeters to 4 millimeters,” he said.

The new camera’s capabilities are advertised to be better than those of major webcam manufacturers, including MacBook and Logitech.

This determination to overcome adversity and pursue his dreams is a recurring theme in his life. Foster said he had an epiphany while working on a shop he built in Alaska, where he decided to keep his property despite financial difficulties following his father’s passing.

“I was massively in debt … but I knew that I just needed to figure it out,” he said.

He retreated into nature to recharge, eventually paying off his debt and starting over. Foster shared insights on the importance of embracing one’s unique path in life.

“If you can see the end from the beginning of your path, it’s not your path,” he said.

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