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.

Tangye Middleton

My work is so diverse. I work in Higher Education at a Community College but I’m also a Public Theologian. However, my passion and expertise is as a Ministry Consultant. As a consultant, I provide ministry training, on-going monitoring and assessment, structural and procedural supports, and a litany of other services. I am also an Itinerant Preacher where I travel preaching, teaching and providing workshops on various subject matters. I currently work alongside of BCBS as a partner within their Faith Based initiatives and provide Grant Writing workshops to the Nonprofit sector. Through all of these various avenues of work, I find find pleasure in them all because ultimately I’m helping people and shaping the world around me. I’m able to do this because the lens in which I view everything is MINISTRY! Read more>>

Kevin Pugh

I have enjoyed and pursued photography my whole life. I’ve had a camera since I was very young and could always be found taking pictures of everything in my path. I started with a Polaroid One-Step instant camera and from there I was hooked. Currently, I use Sony Alpha series mirrorless cameras for extremely clear and crisp photos. I love taking unique photos through different angles, forced perspective, etc. that reflect an alternative point of view. Read more>>

Ian Burris

Some obstacles i’ve faced were having minimal resources through every stage of the business. starting out there’s little opportunity to get access to capital. with no credit history or proof of concept banks don’t like to work with you. when you do raise the funds they evaporate quickly because you have to reinvest back into the business in order to grow. often just staying in business has felt like a victory. Read more>>

Susan Adams

During my last semester of grad school in 2012 I was introduced into modeling and photography groups, and participated as a means of creative expression. I was especially drawn to the Steampunk genre and being unable to afford the more elaborate, inspiring costume pieces, I decided to start making my own. It started very small, but soon I was making larger, more challenging pieces and learning a lot through my mistakes. The more I made, the more I wanted to make and over time my interests and aesthetics started to branch out into less conventional and more unusual pieces. I originally chose “The Odd Cog” because of the Steampunk background, and decided to keep it because even if it’s not gears and gadgets, I like to still my brand reflects the unusual. Read more>>

Beth Johnson

When most people are thinking about retirement, Tim & I got an invitation to open a coffee shop. It had been a dream in a previous season of life but did not happen. It was a bit of a surprise to have this opportunity come our way when it did, but, we said ‘YES” to birthing Our Coffee Shop. Our character was being shaped as the shop was being built. What was to be a 2-3 month project ended up being a 9+ month project  Today, you will find us daily in the shop wanting to bring people a GREAT experience over delicious coffee…we see it as serving up cups of courage, comfort, or JOY…depending on the need of the person for that day. The motto on our wall declares “We love to make coffee for the city that loves to drink it.” Read more>>

Crissy Fishbane And Cindi Michaelson

With everyone stuck at home, we had to adapt quickly. We pivoted to hosting five virtual events every week in those early months, creating spaces for moms to connect despite the isolation. Our journey in that first year required constant reassessment and flexibility, but that was also part of the beauty. The evolution of HER Health Collective wasn’t just driven by us, the founders—it was shaped by the voices of our community. With a village of moms and experts offering insight into what was truly needed, our role was simply to listen and find ways to make the magic happen. Read more>>

Palayah Yisrael

Coming back home to the heart of Raleigh, North Carolina I had to figure life out. Both my parents being deceased I knew that I had me to fall back on every time. This started the biggest part of my journey to entrepreneurship. Once I officially landed back in Raleigh I studied Natural Hair Care (Loc Specialty) from my sister. I’ve been passionate ever since, and recently enrolled into the Wake Technical Community College- Natural Hair Care Specialist program. I would say being passionate and true to myself and what I love has played a major role in where I am today. Read more>>

Juan Nunez

That passion ultimately led me to North Carolina, where I found my true calling in real estate. Now based in Cary, I help individuals and families navigate one of the most important decisions of their lives—buying or selling a home. My diverse background has given me a unique perspective and skill set. From my legal expertise in negotiations to my hands-on problem-solving experience, I bring a well-rounded approach to every transaction. Read more>>

Adrienne Duterte

I decided to go out on my own so I could be myself and be able to fully embrace the diversity that can come from working in the beauty field. I love weddings and getting to be a part of someone’s love story, but I also love the creative freedom with high fashion and editorial work (which is how I started in beauty but no longer had the time for it as a bridal contractor). I love a classic bridal beauty look, but I also want to cater to those who aren’t your conventional bride and want something unique and alternative. I love getting to work at and discover such beautiful wedding venues regularly, but I also love hanging out with the tattoo artists I’ve known for years at Oak City when I have a brow tattoo client. Read more>>

Stephen Turk

My journey with photography and videography began with music. I initially purchased a camera to help build more content around the music I was creating to help with the budget cost of videos. What began as a budget cut later became a passion and a talent that I didn’t know existed. My camera allowed me to be introduced to another side of music, networking, and business opportunities; before you knew it I was being inquired for services. Its now has been a little under 10 years of me learning and perfecting my craft and skill with in this artistry. Read more>>

Nesha Pai

In 2011, as a single mom, I pulled a “Jerry Maguire” (referencing the Tom Cruise movie) and walked out with one big client to start my own firm, Pai CPA. I was under the leadership of a mediocre boss who didn’t want to give me a raise (after having been there for 5 years) because of the mom-gap in my resume. I had decided to stay at home to raise my son for 6 years prior to re-joining the workforce and he used that as a reason I did not deserve a raise, because “I was not where my peers were”. I decided that I would start a remote-based accounting business and hire stay at home moms, the largest untapped labor force. This was genius back in 2011, as remote-based WFH environments were very rare if any. Read more>>

Pat Haggard

Organizational meetings began in early 2010 with the Cupboard receiving incorporation from the state of North Carolina in June 2010. Food distributions to neighbors needing assistance began in September 2010 in space borrowed from the Holly Springs United Methodist Church. In 2011 the permanent home for the Cupboard at 621 W. Holly Springs Road was purchased and remodeled and food distributions from that location began in December 2011. Three other remodeling projects expanded warehouse space and enclosed a carport to better meet distribution needs. An onsite community garden began in 2012 and currently yields more than a ton of fresh healthy produce for distributions each year. Read more>>

Allison Jones

I’d been hesitant to reduce my hours in a safe career and dependable income but God urged me to move telling me to open a coffee shop and bakery. Now, more than ever people are looking for kindness, love, joy and togetherness. I saw my opportunity to bring old fashioned one-on-one service back to the community. Read more>>

Kayola King

Art has always peaked my interest. It was something I was just natural good at. As long as I could remember I was pretty good at drawing. I would draw on paper , shoes, clothing…anything I could get my hands on lol. Never in a million years did I think to draw on skin , let alone did I think it would take me this far. At the age of 17 I got my first tattoo. At the moment I didn’t think this was a career path at all, the only thing I thought was “oh this is cool, I feel cool with this fresh tattoo on my arm” lol. It wasn’t until a few years later when I thought I’d try my hand at it.  Read more>>

Trulyyourz

So I wouldn’t say my road has been very smooth but it’s been pretty Good. One of the challenges I was facing was that once I started to really start taking music seriously my Dad (the one that adopted me) passed away and then that same month my sister passed away as well so I had to pretty much put the music hold and step up for the family Read more>>

Ja’quan R. Phillips

Entrepreneurship isn’t a smooth road for anyone. It’s been a rough but rewarding ride. Finding funding for my nonprofit organization, building a community, and building my personal brand with Ja’Quan R. Phillips Enterprise LLC has produced its own unique challenges. It is also a hard balancing act working full time while trying to build and establish an empire. Read more>>

Daria Loi

While the gallery started as (and still is) a small, humble place, its community has grown substantially since its opening in November 2023. Today, the gallery includes 40 artists – from North, Central and South America as well as Europe – and continues its mission to showcase and support primarily women artists and minority creatives. In 2024 I curated and ran ten exhibitions and seven community events and I was delighted to track a substantial growth in our social media followers and, actually, a consistent increase in our sales. Read more>>

Dom And Bianca Harris

We are a North Carolina-based, Black-owned business dedicated to curating unique fragrances that’ll enhance your space.

I’m Dom Harris, the founder of Glow. fragrances. Originally launched in 2021 as Luna Luxe Custom Candles, I took time to refine my vision and I was excited to relaunch in 2024 with my sister, Bianca Harris, as my partner and curator of our men’s collection. Read More>>

Ashley Quinn

Coffee for the Quinns began as a habit of hospitality when friends and family came to our home. We loved the environment that coffee helped to create as much as the coffee, itself. Eventually, Ashley began to dream about owning her own shop. But her vision included both a drive-thru option and an inside space. For over a decade, Ashley was in what we called “car seat season” with our littles, making inside-only coffee shops a chore. But, as the kids grew older, we longed for a locally owned shop with both drive-thru and inside seating. Read More>>