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.

Kyle Merritt

For the most part, the process has been pretty smooth. I’ve learned that understanding your market and the community you’re serving is essential to building a successful business. Over the past few years, I spent countless hours visiting other establishments—not just as a guest, but as a student of the craft. I drew inspiration from each experience, collecting ideas and fine-tuning my vision for what I wanted in a bar. Those moments shaped everything—the atmosphere, the menu, and the overall experience I hoped to create. Read more>>

Alisha Reid

What’s up? I’m Alisha Reid, an independent vocal recording artist who specializes in R&B, Soul, Theatre, and Gospel. I love what I do because I create heartfelt, soulful, and relatable music. With my range and diversity, you’ll hear pieces that teleport you to legendary eras while others highlight the beauty of contemporary R&B. When I look myself in the mirror, I take pride in my persistence, adaptability, and always betting on myself. I hope my music teaches others to break barriers, put 100% effort behind their craft, and rise above every no until the only answer left is yes. Read more>>

Daniel Coston

No. Life by nature is not a smooth road. There were many years that I did this despite financial, physical and emotional obstacles. Plus, what drives you to create something doesn’t always give you happiness. The human emotion of creative drive and pushing oneself to do something better can be a complex monster. That said, it is a road I know well, and I believe that its the only road I ever wanted to travel, despite its dips and curves. Read more>>

Morgan Dreese

Getting out and being vocal about who I was as an artist was the first step. Since people connect with people, when they buy art, they are also buying you. After showing them my art, I would convince them to join my social media. Thus, they will be able to see what you are painting all the time, and I then started contacting galleries in my area. Now I have my work shown here in the Grandover Gallery here in Greensboro. I am still making my way, stroke by stroke. Read more>>

Domonique Mills

Most things come with some type of challenge. My main struggles have been dealing with times when sales are slow, and being able to consistently and effectively market the brand. I never want to feel like I’m flooding someone’s timeline or spamming their inbox asking them to buy something…but I also want them to shop. Read more>>

Nia Ruschxl

From the moment I entered this world, I knew I was meant to sing. I started writing songs in high school, pouring my thoughts into journals and building a world inside myself. After graduating, I focused more seriously on my writing and began posting pieces of my creative journey on Instagram. In 2018, I started releasing music. Read more>>

Katlin McFadden

When speaking about my love for portraits, I often say: “Many people appreciate the beauty of their loved ones and familiar faces — the contrast between cool ocean blues and warm fiery sunsets, or the texture and shade of a favorite sweater. I have a passion for capturing someone exactly as they are, with their unique demeanor and presence. Ultimately, my work is about portraying the human spirit and preserving the unique energy each person carries.” Read more>>

Marvin Thomas

We are a marketing company that host events inside of malls where we offer a platform for smaller businesses, crafters getting started, artists and authors reach a larger crowd and showcase their brand, products and or services and grow to a larger scale. We have been a part of a few vendors that have now moved onto kiosk and even storefronts and we are honored to see them be so successful knowing that we were a part of that. Read more>>

Gena Stephens

The turning point came when our daughter decided to have her wedding right here on the property. We poured our hearts into making the barn and grounds ready for her big day — every detail filled with love and intention. When her wedding photos hit social media, something unexpected happened. People fell in love with the charm of the barn, the sweeping views, and the warm, welcoming feel of the space. Messages began pouring in asking if we hosted weddings, and in that moment, Carlee Farm was truly born. Read more>>

Terri Howell

So, we are not new to the beauty world…over 30 years of experience, however, we are to the business world, at this capacity. Having staff, other than ourselves, building a brand, social media, networking….being and doing all the things, wearing all the hats, has been and continues to be a learning experience. But, we have a passion like no other and drive to reach as many as we can to share with them their beauty. You never stop learning, you never stop growing, and we won’t to always be able to bring and give the best to our clients. Read more>>

James Govier

Eventually, I decided that I wanted to do something completely different. Cooking had always been a passion of mine and my house had become the go to spot for friends and family gatherings, so I set my sights on becoming a chef. An aunt and uncle of mine who have a coffee farm in Kona Hawaii heard that I wanted to become a chef and invited me to visit the culinary school near where they live in Hawaii. After visiting the school, I made the move to Kona, enrolled in culinary school, and lived in my aunt and uncle’s guest house while I trained. Read more>>

John Zannis

I’m a board-certified plastic surgeon with a passion for blending science and art. My path began at Stanford University, where I studied Human Biology and Studio Art, and took shape during my M.D. training at the University of Cincinnati and surgical residency at Wake Forest under world-renowned mentor Dr. Louis Argenta. Read more>>

Daniel Janssen

It’s been anything but smooth—more like a trial by fire… and ice. My first workshop was an unheated garage deep in the woods with an electrical panel so weak I had to choose between running a tool or running a heater. I chose the tools, which meant freezing through winter nights. One morning my coffee literally froze in the cup. Read more>>

Jaime D’Agord

Moving to the U.S. from the Bahamas was one of the hardest transitions I’ve ever made. Being away from my family and friends was tough, and I leaned into what I thought was the right path, I studied IT, got my degree, and started a corporate job in analytics. It was safe and logical, but over time, I realized it didn’t light me up. It made sense on paper, but deep down, I knew there was more meant for me. Read more>>

Parris Solomon

I think back to when I became a published author of writing inspirational books and during that time that I received the revelation to write, I was experiencing a season of pain, rejection and defamation of character in the workplace. One day–I heard the voice of God tell me to write to encourage others to walk in their purpose. I thought to myself–why would you ask this of me during the dark place that I was in? I later realized that it was the perfect time because nothing great comes from not having to experience periods of grief. In my obedience to accepting the gift of writing, it has afforded many opportunities of exposure–some of which I didn’t see coming. Today–you can find all my work available on Amazon, some of the local libraries throughout NC, Barnes & Nobles and local book stores. Read more>>

Malini Goel

I grew up in a big, bustling joint family of nearly 18 people, where creativity wasn’t something we did—it was just how we lived. I was always surrounded by art. I remember doing hand embroidery on bed sheets, sarees, table covers, even on greeting cards, weaving baskets from jute, doing macramé, origami, paper crafts, and painting, sketching, sewing, crochet or what not! All those simple hobbies shaped me, quietly, in the background. Creativity just became second nature to me. Read more>>

Melanie Whitten

It hasn’t always been an easy road. When my husband and I first took over the greenhouse, I had recently lost my dad. We also had three young kids while building up our business, so making sure we prioritized family time as well as continuing to grow our business wasn’t always easy. Recently, my husband had surgery this year, and that brought on its own struggles as well. Read more>>

Alison Katschkowsky

The 2020 pandemic really forced me to pivot more than I ever had in the past–but it taught me a lot of lessons too. I have always had grit and a tenacity to stick with things–I have been told it’s one of my most redeeming qualities–but that year tested all of what I had. It was probably the toughest most challenging year–but I can say now–it was the catalyst to move me in the direction of all I do today. Today I have the business I have always wanted but didn’t really know how to build. I want every single entrepreneur out there to know they can have what they want too–if they believe in themselves and get the support they need and want. Don’t do it alone. Read more>>

Joe Lopez

During this period, I quickly learned that hiring is a delicate challenge. The demand for architects was so high that large firms were offering generous salaries and benefits, making it harder for a small, newly established firm like mine to attract top talent. At the same time, rising rent and overhead costs made it a constant balancing act to maintain steady cash flow. Today, we’re holding steady, but another wave of uncertainty looms—material tariffs are a moving target, directly influencing whether clients feel confident enough to move forward with projects. Predicting which projects will proceed and which will stall remains my biggest challenge. Read more>>

Flavi Huff

I believe entrepreneurship is never the easiest road—it demands hard work and, most importantly, belief in yourself. These are skills you build over time. In many ways, it’s a mental game: you must believe you’re capable long before anyone else does. It’s like the saying, “fake it till you make it”—not because you’re being untrue, but because you need to project confidence even when the results haven’t come yet. Along the journey, you’ll hear many “no’s” before you hear a “yes,” but when that “yes” comes, be ready to seize it and run with it! Read more>>

Will Armstrong

I was born an entrepreneur. In high school, I spent my summers landscaping and eventually built a small business with one of my friends. When we weren’t mowing lawns, we were sweeping houses for his dad’s custom home building company or helping on job sites. I also spent time working with my uncle, who was a union carpenter. So from early on, I got to see how things were built, both in business and on the job.

Steve Horowitz

Delivered a toasted corn bread muffin & regular coffee to the most beautiful girl I’d ever seen @ Plato’s Retreat in NYC, she tipped me $50, been in the biz ever since. Tried to get out the family biz and went to Binghamton University to get into advertising, hated corporate America and got right back in the family biz. Truth be told my sister married an incredibly talented Chef, named Richard Hege. He kidnapped me to Raleigh in 1992 to open Mgx’s & i’ve never left. Been here for 33 years now. Read more>>

Tracy Alford

We spent our days planning events, always with one goal in mind: making Zebulon a little more magical. In the midst of our many conversations, we discovered a surprising connection — we had both worked in bridal boutiques during high school. One glance, one knowing smile, and the words slipped out almost at the same time: “We could open our own bridal boutique.” Read more>>

Alice Bosley

That question led me to co-found Five One Labs (https://fiveonelabs.org/), a startup incubator supporting overlooked entrepreneurs in conflict-affected communities, starting in Iraq. Since then, we’ve supported thousands of entrepreneurs, both local and displaced, in Iraq, Colombia, and the US, and have created a growing community of resilient, talented founders. I’ve always been most energized by building things that help people unlock their potential, especially in complex or under-resourced environments. My work has made me feel deeply connected to people around the world, and I carry that perspective into everything I do. Read more>>

The Ashleys

But where did the idea come from? Honestly, it was a pretty natural progression for us. With the amount of conversations we’d have with our vacation rental guests of where to go in the city, what to see, something alcohol free, and something family friendly, we knew there was a huge gap missing in this field, and our team saw it too. Read more>>