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.
Clavon Wiggins
In 1993, I started volunteering in a prison ministry called the ACTS Program – Alcohol Chemical Treatment Series. My service there continued until that door closed for me in 2012. Around 2015, a fellow church member asked me if I was still teaching – and if not – would I be interested in teaching a substance abuse program. Read more>>
Myles Brown
I am currently a working artist that explores a variety of mediums. I explore both digital art mediums and traditional art mediums to create art compositions inspired by eastern mythology and pop culture. I took art classes during my time at an arts school called Longleaf School of the Arts, which is where I learned about acrylic paint. Read more>>
Manuel (Paco) Gonzalez
In 2017, I started Yellow Crayons as a marketing and graphic design company with a goal to help small companies grow and market their business. People started asking us about custom t-shirts and I would send them to other companies. I soon realized there wasn’t many options for smaller companies to get custom apparel at the lower quantities they needed. Read more>>
Seshu Singh
I was always the kid with a pencil and sketch pad in my hand. I loved sketching and drawing as a kid. I would doodle in the margins of my notebooks or any blank piece of paper. Art and design have always been a passion of mine. My formal education was in Nutrition, Hospitality Management and an MBA. Read more>>
Franny’s Farmacy Raleigh
Our story really begins in 1980 on a quiet street on the north side of Raleigh, where two eight-year-olds living across from each other became best friends. That friendship between Loren and Paula has been the foundation of everything we’ve built together since. Read more>>
Jordan Lee
My family moved to the Triangle area from New York when I was five years old, and I’ve now spent 40 of my 45 years here in North Carolina. For the longest time, I thought I wanted to go to law school, and I was on that track. Read more>>
LaMonique Hamilton
I’m a writer, producer, and entrepreneur from eastern North Carolina who has spent my career helping people tell stories that matter. I started in journalism and communications, working across media, advocacy, and digital storytelling before moving into large-scale content production. Read more>>
Kimberly Neal
Over 10 years ago, I started my nursing career in surgical oncology. At the time, I didn’t realize it, but my true passion was caring for seniors. As I worked with patients and families, I began to see a need for something different, a place where older adults could receive exceptional care in a home-like environment rather than an institutional setting. Read more>>
Jha’mai
I have been immersed in the arts since a child. I loved reading because I could explore so many worlds, so many stories. Eventually, I began writing my own stories to music. I was 14 years old the first time I recorded in a professional studio. Through high school, I participated in chorus, theatre, and orchestra, further expanding my artistic toolkit. Read more>>
Jerome Williams
Kingston’s Pet Service was born from personal experience and a passion for helping pet owners protect and care for the animals they love. I founded the company and remain the sole owner, building it from the ground up with a vision of creating a safer, more connected pet care community. The inspiration behind the business came from my son, Kingston, and his beloved Doxiepoo. Read more>>
Teresa Kelly
Having worked for Habitat for Humanity in Lee County as Executive Director around 8 years I stepped away from the Nonprofit world a couple of years. Read more>>
Chad Rychlewski
My career journey has really been driven by curiosity, problem solving, and a desire to make a meaningful impact. I started my career in consulting in 2009, right out of college. I did not have some perfectly mapped-out master plan, but I knew I was drawn to solving complex problems and working in environments where people, process, and technology, intersected. Read more>>
Diane Wolfe
I originally started as an author and then realized I wanted to start my own publishing company and publish other authors. Dancing Lemur Press, LLC was founded in 2008 and we have over 80 titles now. Read more>>
Georlean Woods
My story starts in Cleveland, Mississippi with my grandmother Annie Bell Sanders. She realized that I had what she called a growing hand. She always had me growing vegetables, trees, herbs and hair. Everywhere we went the both of us were giving our crops, fruit and herbs to those in need or those who were sickly. Read more>>
Radhesh Reddy Gurrala
My journey has been driven by a simple belief: success comes from creating value for others and building systems that help people thrive. I came to the United States with the same dream shared by many immigrants—to create opportunities for my family and contribute to the community around me. Read more>>
Ysabella Dulla
my name is ysabella dulla, but most people know me as ysa. i’m the founder of love, sai studios, a pilates and strength studio in high point, north carolina. my journey started with a simple love for movement and helping people. Read more>>
Ali Page
The market was started in 2014 and changed hands several times over the years. In 2024, myself and a handful of Apex residents took over. We worked to build the market back up after it was heavily impacted by Covid. Since then we’ve grown the market to three times its size and regularly give back to the community. Read more>>
Rebekah Nelson
My family moved to North Carolina 5 years ago amidst the pandemic and needing a change from the cold, bitter winters of the Midwest. When we moved here we noticed quickly the lack of local, handmade donuts in the area and were missing our favorite local joint from our hometown. Read more>>
Jessica Woodall
Pictures mean everything to me because I know how quickly life can change. In 2015, my grandmother, my best friend, biggest cheerleader, and the cornerstone of our family, was diagnosed with brain cancer. I remember sitting beside her hospital bed, singing and playing guitar while her toes danced to the rhythm. Read more>>
Debra Southern
My journey into short-term rentals grew naturally from my background in real estate. I saw an opportunity to combine real estate investing with hospitality by creating comfortable, well-designed vacation homes for travelers and families. What started with one property has grown into multiple successful short-term rentals through a focus on quality, guest experience, and attention to detail. Read more>>
Tonya Cross
My brand Accented Glory started from a need! When I started wearing my hair natural, I was unable to find natural hair friendly hair accessories. A friend suggested that I make my own, so I did. I met other women that had the same need and they asked me to make designs for them too. Eventually, my hobby snowballed into a business. Read more>>
Richard Bowdon
Richard Bowdon and Jim Amsden met at a local weekly folky/bluegrassy jam session in about 2005. Jim had been in bands since high school, and Richard’s performing experience was mostly accompanying himself on acoustic guitar as a singer/songwriter. At that time Jim was playing mostly mandolin. They recruited a bass player and lead guitarist and started playing gigs as an acoustic trio. Read more>>
Matthew McLeod
I began my martial arts journey in 2011 at age 9. I began training at Greensboro Taekwondo America under the expert guidance of esteemed grandmasters Mr. and Mrs. Warren and Elizabeth Davis, and later under Master Instructor Mr. Chris Penn, who was a student of the Davises. My instructors are close personal mentors of mine who I aspired to be like when I grew up. Read more>>
Amanda Brana
I originally attended Ramapo College of New Jersey as a Business major, but I quickly realized that path was not the right fit for me. I switched to Communications with a concentration in Journalism, which ultimately became the foundation for my career. During that time, I took a course called Writing for the Web, where I was first introduced to Search Engine Optimization. Read more>>
Mary Boudreault
I am a professional orchestral musician, and when my family and I moved to Oak Ridge in 2019, I became involved as a volunteer in local music programs, including those at Oak Ridge Presbyterian Church. Read more>>
David Marron
My story of creating Magical Meerkat Games started with falling in love with tabletop board games. I had always enjoyed classic board games such as Scrabble, Clue, and Risk when I was younger. When I became an adult and discovered modern board games like Splendor, Azul, and Wingspan I was really hooked, and I started going to board game meetups around North Carolina. Read more>>
Michael Jenkins
I started working in the entertainment business in LA where I ran across a master herbalist who started educating me on plants and herbs. At that time , I was working out and trying different supplements to improve my health and performance. Unfortunately nothing was working which lead me on my journey to create my own . Read more>>
Niki Cooper
Honestly, my story starts with a deep desire to serve. Even before I finished my bachelor’s degree, I was requested as an early-release intern, spending my final months employed in a local classroom with high-needs students. That experience confirmed everything. I knew this was exactly what I was meant to do. Graduate school deepened that calling. Read more>>
Lia Miller
The concept for Creative Aging Network-NC (CAN-NC) began in 2003 when co-founder Lia Miller was working in a Greensboro nursing home and helped develop the Evergreens Renaissance Program, an initiative designed to improve quality of life for its residents through creative engagement and lifelong learning. Read more>>
Elizabeth Baltazar Soria
I’ am originally from Dudley, North Carolina, and my journey has been built on faith, resilience, kindness, and learning how to keep going even during uncertain seasons of life. My story is not one of overnight success or having everything figured out it’s the story of someone who keeps showing up, keep believing, and keeps building anyway. Read more>>
Robin Beard Kirkman
Before real estate, I spent years working in education, which taught me how to connect with people from all walks of life, communicate clearly, and function in chaos–all which turned out to be a great preparation for real estate. Read more>>
Trinity Smith
Some of my earliest and best childhood memories are of picking blueberries with my grandmother, who was an avid gardener. I think she was also the one who really introduced me to foraging – although I didn’t take an avid interest in it until much later in life – by showing me how to collect dandelion greens for her salads. Read more>>
Olga Borovikova
Olga Borovikova Professional Biography Olga Borovikova Educator, Entrepreneur, Cultural Advocate, and Founder of LAMA (Language Art Music Academy) For Olga Borovikova, education has never simply been a profession — it has been a family tradition, a creative mission, and a lifelong passion. Born and raised in the former USSR, Olga grew up in a family deeply devoted to education. Read more>>
Lis Tyroler
.Photography chose me before I fully chose it. While I learned how to develop film at the Carrboro Artscenter in middle school, I have been a professional photographer in Durham for fifteen years. The ethos behind Little Wild Light grew deeply out of my own life experiences. Read more>>
Jay Nichols
In 1975, I began my journey as a professional dog trainer. The following year, I attended sound engineering school and later enrolled at East Carolina University. After graduating, I opened a kennel and started working with therapy dogs. Interestingly, I began receiving many requests from hearing-impaired individuals, so I trained the dogs to serve as their ears. Read more>>
Arlena Strode
Chef Arlena is also the author of a series of children’s books focused on influential figures in culinary history, including The Emperor of Chefs: The Story of G. Auguste Escoffier and Food Bridges: The Story of Leah Chase. Her work combines storytelling, food history, STEM learning, and cooking activities to make culinary education engaging and accessible for children and families. Read more>>
Chloe Dixon
Started in NY as a cosmetologist , moved to N.C. Started my salon business was very successful. I’m super proud to say that after leaving my salon cosmetologist that worked with me have become some of the best hairstylist/salon owners I got hired for a hair care company , traveled all across the USA educating other professionals on how to use the products. Read more>>
Tess Mangum
I, like so many other entrepreneurs, founded Sonic Pie Productions after a lay off from a full time job in the same industry. I had two young children at home and no option not to earn an income or use my undergraduate and graduate degrees. That was 13 years and a pandemic ago! Read more>>
BRYANT EDWARDS
I am Bryant S. Edwards, a retired U.S. Army officer and board certified anesthesiologist, and the founder of Edwards Periprocedural Solutions PLLC, Iconic Infusions PLLC, Edwards Toys and Games LLC, and the DinoFam Foundation. Originally from the Mississippi Delta, I spent 27 years in the U.S. Army serving in roles ranging from Combat Medic/EMT and Licensed Practical Nurse to Registered Nurse and, ultimately, Anesthesiologist. Read more>>
Rhythm Fadia
I was born in family of doctors, my dad is internist and my mother is OB/gyn, I watched my parents serve an underserved community in India on the outskirts of Bombay and the joy it brought them despite all the hard work. Read more>>
Jason Cline
Featherpocket began when I was living in Portland Oregon in 2016. I was walking to Jazz Fest at Cathedral Park and found some feathers, which I picked up and put in my pocket. Later that night, I was at a show wearing the same shirt. Read more>>
JC Richards
I fell in love with massage after a personal experience showed me how powerful hands-on care can be for recovery and well-being. After years teaching at the College of Wilmington and 16 years practicing massage, I opened our spa four years ago to bring a thoughtful, results-driven approach to my hometown. Our focus is simple: elevate wellness in Wilmington—one personalized session at a time. Read more>>
Roger Way
I have always nurtured a passion for protecting and entertaining children. I discovered in high school that humor held a secret key to disarming bullies and attracting friends. My defender side led me to a law enforcement career with the U.S. Air Force. I excelled at planning and presenting positive school pro grams such as Officer Friendly, D.A.R.E., and Law Enforcement Explorers. Read more>>
Dr. Jennifer Moore
My story has been shaped by service, faith, growth, and a lot of learning along the way. I’ve spent much of my career working in public education, higher education, and mental health, supporting individuals and families through challenges, transitions, and personal growth. Helping people has always been at the core of what I do. My journey hasn’t been a straight line. Read more>>
Brittany DeCristofaro
I’ve been a professional singer, performer, musician, and teacher for over a decade. My primary background is in classical voice, though I’ve performed across multiple genres throughout my career. I’ve sung throughout the United States and Canada in operas, musicals, concerts, and as a featured soloist in various oratorio works. Read more>>
Jennifer Michalski
My name is Jennifer Michalski and my story sort of all fell together , I love gardening and playing in the dirt. Growing herbs and making teas was a passion of mine for most of my adult life and serving a warm beverage for friends and family always felt comforting and appreciated. Read more>>
Jennie Wenk
I created Mini Monets after being told by my school district that art teachers are only hired when an art teacher retires. Mini Monets debuted in 2009 with 3 locations and 12 students and since then I have taught more than 1000 students in over 50 locations within Brunswick, Columbus, New Hanover and Pender counties. Read more>>
Dodi Kessler
I’ve basically always been a performer at heart. As a kid I was involved in drama and loved anything that made people laugh, smile, or feel seen. Life took me down a lot of different roads over the years, but that creative spark never really left me. Read more>>
