Raleigh’s Most Inspiring Stories

The heart of our mission is to find the amazing souls that breathe life into our communities. In the recent weeks, we’ve had the privilege to connect with some incredible artists, creatives, entrepreneurs and rabble rousers and we can’t begin to express how impressed we are with the incredible group below. Check out our favorite stories from across the Voyage family.

Julie Anderson

After a few years of dabbling in every type of photography imaginable, I realized my true calling was in wedding photography. I love the emotion, the story telling, and the energy that comes from the celebration. After photographing my first international wedding in Iceland in 2023, I knew that the possibilities were endless and that this was my true calling. It is the most fulling work and I am literally giddy the entire time shooting a wedding day. Read more>>

Cydney English

Now we are facing tariffs that have driven our every day flower prices up 10-15% overnight with forecasts that our hard goods (predominantly made in China and Southeast Asia) will skyrocket 50-80%. More than 80% of flowers and related hard goods needed in the florist industry are manufactured outside of the US. And before you ask, why not buy local? Well, we do. We buy 30-35% of our product locally during NC’s growing season but it will take years if not decades to see all flower, vase, and supply production return to the US (if that happens) and it will potentially limit the type of flowers available. It’s a big conversation and we want to meet it head on, but it is definitely frightening. Read more>>

Kyle Sullivan

2019 was a summer of learning. We kept the camp numbers small and only 7 weeks were offered. 2020, the Covid summer, was insane!!! We couldn’t keep people away! We did 10 weeks of camp with 25-35 campers per week! That was a learning curve in the opposite direction. The summers of ‘21-‘22 saw the same volume but we were much better prepared. Summer ‘23 was calmer as students began attending other summer camps & taking vacations elsewhere. ‘24 was chill & the challenge came because so many other surf camps started up during Covid. Competition is not a bad thing it’s just others are better at marketing than I am – lol. Read more>>

Jay Langlois

Originally from the scenic state of New Hampshire, I made the exciting move to North Carolina in 2020. What started as a fresh chapter quickly became home, as I found myself drawn to the energy, diversity, and sense of community in the Triangle. Since then, I’ve had the privilege of building meaningful connections across the region — both personally and professionally. Read more>>

Jessica Boone

There was a time I stepped away from designing altogether. I had convinced myself it was just a side hustle and only offered consultations here and there. But everything changed when a client unexpectedly paid a long-forgotten invoice and texted me saying, ‘I’m ready.’ I was tempted to refund her, but that project reignited a fire I thought I lost. Since then, every client has felt like divine alignment—and I haven’t looked back. Read more>>

Kea Rivera

When I was guided to Raleigh, I didn’t fully know why I just knew my spirit was ready for something new. I was in the midst of deep healing, shedding old layers, and learning myself through my transformation. Raleigh offered me stillness, space, peace, and a gentle reminder to trust the journey. Read more>>

Nikki A Lamers

No, it has definitely not been a smooth road. The biggest struggle is marketing and finding your audience. Being an author is definitely a road filled with challenges, especially for the self-published novels. I found that my audience is absolutely out there but it’s a constant struggle to be able to share your books and stories. It’s hard to know what companies to trust because there is so much out there, good and bad. I found that there is an amazing community of authors, writers, and readers that are happy to help and I’m grateful for it. We’ve all been there and those friendships and that support mean so much. Read more>>

Ebony James

So I took what I knew—executive assistance, operations management, and strategic support—and created The Empire Effect Agency. Today, I help mission-minded CEOs master their time, streamline operations, and scale without burnout. I’ve supported everyone from nonprofit founders to 7-figure service providers and agencies. And what fuels me most isn’t just seeing a business run smoother, it’s knowing I’m creating space for impact, peace, and legacy. Read more>>

Tiayonna Liska

I absolutely fell in love with the joy it brought me to guide my students through the process of filtering out the things they like and didn’t like about school. I encouraged them to take deep dives into things that sparked a little interest. Through this I realized that being a teacher could be a highly impactful and satisfying role. So I sought to set my career path towards that. I enrolled in the Agricultural Education and Extension graduate program at North Carolina State University and work extremely have to obtain my degree while working full time. Read more>>

Beth Tacular

I am currently living my dream life, as an artist and massage therapist in private practice, and spending time with my wonderful kid, and my other loved ones in a community I love. It has been a winding path to get here, but I find a lot of joy and meaning in what I do. I grew up in Raleigh and have lived in North Carolina my whole life, attending UNC-Chapel Hill and NCSU for undergrad and grad school. I studied graphic design, and visual art and social change, and I have been making art my whole life. For a while, I homesteaded, hand-building a log home and permaculture subsistence garden in Chatham County, while making a living as a performing artist in the indie-folk band Bowerbirds. Read more>>

Brittiany Keith

What began as a simple passion quickly grew into something deeper. When I was diagnosed with lupus, I found that creating beautiful spaces became a form of therapy. Designing brought me joy, even on the hardest days. But in 2020, my life changed forever when I lost my sister. Her passing left a pain that words can’t describe, but it also lit a fire in me to carry forward something we started together. Read more>>

TG The Mogul

Over time, that gift led me through different seasons from photography, branding, web design, event production and now managing talent. Each chapter taught me something new about leadership, creativity, and faith. Honestly, there were a lot of times it didn’t make sense to others why I was doing so many things at once. But I knew deep down that all of it was preparing me for something greater. Read more>>

B.J. Baize

Early obstacles as a full time artist were maintaining and paying all of my bills, living expenses, from the sales of my personal artwork. That can be pretty difficult living in a major city. Finding that balance while remaining inspired and focused on creating over chasing money is one of the biggest challenges to seperate as an artist. My advice is to keep making great art as your focus, and the money will follow. Read more>>

Jamie Slye

But, I wasn’t done there. I realized that I wanted everyone, not just women who had a special occasion, to feel themselves and to exude confidence every day of their lives. I knew I was setting a big goal for myself, but I was committed to it. While I was “figuring it out,” I was excelling in my other career. I was managing a customer service team for a fast and growing global fashion and tech company. On the side, I was working with one of the oldest hat makers in the US to have my hat designs produced. It was a crazy amount of years doing both, but that’s all part of the journey. Read more>>

Susanne Ordonez

In college I studied history and literature – then I met my husband and we were stationed in Hawaii. After our time there, we moved to Portland, Oregon, where I completed my degree in art history and planned on getting a master’s in fine art. It never occurred to me that interior design could be a profession until a relative casually suggested that summer, “Why don’t you become an interior designer?” – and just like that, a light bulb went off. I enrolled that week and, four years later, graduated with a bachelor’s in interior design. Read more>>

Sincerely Chic Events

I believe every company faces struggles along the way. Our road hasn’t been smooth but we have conquered every obstacle whether it was something happening in our personal lives or in relation to the company itself. From the start there were struggles, we opened in 2019 and 2020 the world shut down but it made us stronger. We pivoted and came up with a plan to help those during that time. We know struggles are always going to come its how we respond that confirms who we are. Read more>>

Penelope Morgan

We are currently working on a Mild & Hot Strawberry and a Mango that will be bottled very soon. We have won 1st place in the “Best in Taste” competition in both 2022 and 2024 with our Hot Apricot and our Mild Apricot. The Mild won 2nd place in 2022 as well. We have an online store and ship across the US and Canada. We also offer Free Local Delivery. My husband and I run the business together and love our jobs. As we did night markets, we noticed that people loved humor. My husband started laser engraving funny cutting boards and coasters that we also sell with our jellies. Read more>>

Joette Turner

Over the next 30 plus I had made the toffee so many times for friends and family, that today I know the recipe by heart. Here is where I will tell you this recipe is of course a secret that I promised not to share! I have had many people tell me that there is something different about this toffee and I can only say, there sure is! After years of people saying “this is so good” “you should sell it” I for years struggled with the idea of selling it. In fact when my kids asked when I was ever going to sell it, my answer was, “When Pigs Fly”. Read more>>

Will Lin

Starting Green Rabbit from scratch required us to wear every hat imaginable – working weekends when others are relaxing, figuring out how to grow a business through trial and error, and handling tasks between the two of us that would typically require a team, all while wondering if going for our dream was ‘worth it’ at times. Those long hours and unpredictable days put our commitment to the test, especially in the early months after opening our brick-and-mortar in April 2024 when foot traffic was low. Read more>>

Uyi Idahor

Their first Coco Drip event, planned for Women’s History Month 2020, was postponed due to the pandemic. Undeterred, they relaunched in October 2020, adjusting for safety while staying true to their mission. The event was well received, with several of the original vendors still participating five years later. Today, The Coco Drip continues to grow—expanding from Durham into Virginia, Maryland, and Georgia—empowering Black women to start, grow, and thrive in business. Read more>>

Jessica & Gabe Jessica Yackley And Gabe Dickens

Funny story, but our business, Lighthouse, actually started in a tent at a Farmers Market on a farm in Franklinton, NC. Truly humble beginnings! We started off by setting up there and seeing patients for several hours on Saturday mornings. We harshed the summer elements surrounded by open air, plants, wandering chickens, cows, occasional yelling goats; all while usually being barefoot, helping patients get well. Read more>>

Alexis Vinique

Nothing is ever a smooth road. As a black woman that is smart and stands up for herself there are always going to be some adversity, trying to minimize my existence, but I believe that the struggle starts in the mind and if you have a clear mind and clear vision on what it is, you are trying to achieve the adversity isn’t so hard to deal with. Read more>>

Lisa Pham

I felt strongly about the need to decolonize our diets and to see cultural foods not as unhealthy or “less than,” but as deeply nourishing and medicinal. That passion led me to earn my Master of Public Health (MPH) in Nutrition and become a Research Assistant for UNC. Eventually, I crossed paths with my now-business partner, Celeste Goodwin during my MPH program, who said, “I know you know how to cook, so want to be a personal chef for my company?” Of course I said yes! That opportunity blossomed into a partnership, and now I’m proud to be one of the co-owners of Camellia Culinary Consultation LLC, alongside Celeste and Hannah Malian (our amazing baker). Read more>>

Hayley Ellis

I had lost a concerning amount of weight in a. short time. I remember how my classmates would look at me and my teachers were pulling me to the side to ask me if I was okay. Watching all of my friends go back to start their 2nd year without me while I was in a hospital doing group therapy was soul crushing. Then seeing them go off to do cool internships and jumpstart their careers while I was living at home and in therapy twice a week made me feel so alone. I wouldn’t change it though, those 2 years were important and I continued to take photos and make connections with others in my community. Read more>>

Erika Boutwell

However, at the last minute I decided to take a career path that lead me into the medical field working as a clinical social worker. Having a family full of medical professionals, I knew there was job security in the medical world. Doesn’t really make sense does it? I didn’t follow my heart. I went into a job knowing there would be financial security. So I guess you could say I did what was safe. After 10 years, I was miserable. This job did not fulfill me. It left me drained, pouring from an empty cup. My husband and I decided it was time for me to take a break, and stay home with our two boys. This was of course a time in my life that I was extremely grateful for, as those days with my little ones were special and full of cherished memories. Read more>>

Waddell Richardson

Oh No Not At All. I Can Honestly Say There Have Been Challenges. Such As Finding My Niche, Dealing With Personal Issues Such As Health & Grief & Other Obstacles. Nevertheless Thanks To God & Some Close Friends & Family Along With Some Positive Influences I Never Lost The Focus Of My Dream. & Goals Although Some Days I Definitely Didn’t Think I’d Make It This Far But I Still Have Further To Go Read more>>

Gabrielle Taylor

I got into motorcycles in 2021, even though it had been something I was interested in for a long time. It wasn’t until then that I finally bought my first bike. After getting it, I started watching YouTube videos and joined Facebook groups to connect with fellow riders. What started as a hobby quickly turned into something bigger and more important to me. Today, I’m a Content Creator, documenting my journey and sharing it with the motorcycle community. I love exploring new places on my Harley Davidson and connecting with people along the way. Read more>>

Brittany Laxton

I began diving in head first with all things dealing with the nervous system and trauma and realized that this is what was missing in my quest to heal myself. The thing that no one talks about but is integral to every experience I have had and will ever have. I studied with teachers of somatic therapy, embodied processing and became a trauma informed somatic coach. So, all this to say, I traveled down many roads to get to where I am today and feel it in my bones that this is where I am supposed to be right now, this is truly life changing stuff that is backed my science and has been the only thing that has made this big of an impact on my life and my client’s lives. This is the stuff that changes the world. Read more>>

Kathryn Bost

My family first moved to Raleigh, NC in the late 1800’s from Germany and eventually left the big city to move to Charlotte, NC for more land as they were sweet potato and cattle farmers. All of this is to say, my roots and love for North Carolina run deeply. After graduating from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, I was quite confused on where to go from there. Taking up odd jobs to pay the bills, I eventually found my knack for graphic design and embroidery. In the past 2 years, I’ve worked extremely hard to combine my two passions into my own business, Larva Lamp Creates. While my company is still fledgling, I feel a large sense of pride knowing I’m building something special in this great state, just as my ancestors did – just in very different ways! Read more>>

Tana Lee

No, I don’t think it ever will be. From the outside it might look like a much smoother road than what I’ve truly been down. I had to try a million different styles and things to find out what I was best at. I had to listen to myself and trust myself when it seemed no one else did. I think the hardest part of doing something like this is allowing yourself to fail. I’m not going to be a perfect fit for everyone and I’m not going to get every job, but that doesn’t mean I’m not perfect for some jobs. It takes a bit but learning that not everything is personal and not everyone is going to like you or your style is what makes someone successful. Having resilience makes the hard roads look much smoother than they really are. Read more>>

Justin Langhill

Golf is unique: it’s one of the only mainstream sports you can play alone, outdoors, and at almost any age. As people age out of other sports, many turn to golf. But I’ve noticed a common trend — many people go from 0 to 100. They buy a set of clubs, start swinging away, and expect immediate results without any understanding of how their body moves. They often turn to YouTube to self-diagnose, falling into rabbit holes of misconceptions and bad habits. Read more>>

David Phillips

In 2024, designer and plant enthusiast Lacy Hendrix joined Challenging Forces, bringing a fresh perspective and aesthetic refinement to the Climate Garden. With a lifelong passion for rare and captivating indoor plants, Lacy recognized the product’s potential as a sculptural centerpiece for modern living spaces. Under her leadership, the company expanded into the exotic indoor plant market, offering elegant, space-saving solutions for plant lovers of all lifestyles. Read more>>

Kenny Gomez

My journey in auto detailing started in Puerto Rico, way before it ever looked like a business. I was just a young kid trying to make a little extra money, charging $5 to $10 for a simple car wash in my neighborhood. I didn’t have the best equipment or products just a bucket, some soap, and a strong work ethic. But even then, I took pride in every car I touched. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I was laying the foundation for something much bigger. Read more>>

Melanie Bacheler

My mother was diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer when she was 54 years old and she passed away 2 years later. My mother and I were very close, and I decided to plan a walk as a way to channel my grief, honor her memory, and to give back to Duke for the amazing care she had received. That was 23 years ago and over the past 23 years 5.6 million dollars has been raised all of which goes directly to the Duke Cancer Institute specifically for ovarian cancer research. 15,000+ people have attended in person and thousands have participated virtually. This event has become like a holiday in my family and with many others as well. Last year a participant told me that their family gets together every year for Christmas, Thanksgiving, and the walk since they are scattered around the U.S. Read more>>

Amya Janine

Honestly, growing up I dibbed my fingers in any industry I could think of, I would always pick up on a hobby and then once I mastered that I moved onto the next. Even though I loved all the industries— I always knew I wanted more. More freedom, more creativity, and more purpose. I’ve always had that natural hustle in me, and I knew early on that working a regular 9-to-5 just wasn’t going to cut it. I wanted to build something of my own. Read more>>

Heather Noll

After working for corporate med spas for several years, and witnessing first-hand the areas that needed improvement, I decided it was time to advance my career by opening my own practice. Ensuring an exceptional patient experience from start to finish became one of my top priorities. My ultimate goal was to achieve this while pursuing my professional dreams and maintaining a healthy work-life balance for my family. This vision is what helped bring The Skinnovation Studio to life. Read more>>

Becky Vanderwoude

It’s challenging to build a clientele without experience. After working with a trainer, I shadowed him at the gym while getting my certifications. That was a financially challenging period. I’m neurodivergent and would become exhausted while working with my clients; I had to learn to separate myself from the workouts and create internal boundaries, if that makes sense. I love helping my clients create a life that enables them to be and do so much more; the work itself hasn’t been difficult because my passion drives me. Read more>>

Jasmine Gibson

It’s not when the numbers match up with the energy I’ve placed in my work. Its when I write a piece and perform it in front of small rooms and I look over and see a woman double my age with tears in her eyes. It’s when I get a call from my dad, my mom or even my grandmother telling me they love a piece of work I was afraid to release. It’s when I can let go of fear and release something into the world that honors all parts of myself. Read more>>

Bernard Taylor

I can’t say it’s been a smooth road. I grew up in a time when liking makeup wasn’t popular, and being a makeup artist wasn’t the norm. I had nothing but books and a handful of YouTubers even talking about it. The career itself didn’t make sense unless you lived in a major city—and I didn’t. Coming from a small town like Mebane, the dream felt far away. But I stayed true to my craft, spent five years locked in, and grounded myself in artistry and product knowledge. I studied everything, undertones, color theory, and the techniques needed for different skin types—until I fully understood how it all worked. Read more>>

Michelle Vincent

The road has been relatively smooth thanks to inheriting a great storefront in Wake Forest and having a team of super employees come on board to make a great customer experience. Our biggest challenge has been in cleaning up some business practices and software we inherited from the old business, and improving on some of the candle-making techniques to produce a higher quality and more consistent product. We’ve experimented with different sizes and vessels for our pre-made candles and room sprays, for example, and with our 3rd version just launched in spring we think we really have a winner on our hands! Read more>>