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.
Shawn and Mel Frazier
Melissa and I have been married for 18 beautiful years. We first met through a mutual friend at church in New Jersey. After the service, I walked over and introduced myself and, according to my version of the story, she fell in love with me right then and there! (Though she might tell you it took a little longer.) We dated for two years and got married in 2007. Read more>>
Ashley Fermo
Ever since I can remember, I have always found peace in a creative flow. However, figuring out how to channel that artistic energy into something that could also support my family was a path I was constantly chasing after. Deep down, I always knew in my bones that a corporate 9-to-5 job would never bring me true joy or fulfillment. Read more>>
Annie Velez
I was born in San Diego then raised in Tijuana, Mexico as a child before moving back to the States. Music was part of my life from the start. My Puerto Rican family is very deeply rooted in the dance/music culture, from parrandas, playing instruments and singing with my cousins during the holidays and at church. Read more>>
Cecilia Wang
I am Cecilia Wang. I was born and raised in China, and at the age of 23, I immigrated to the United States. For the first thirty years of my life, I followed the path my parents had planned for me: attend business school, earn a graduate degree, work a 9-to-5 corporate job, get married by thirty, and have children. Read more>>
Ashley Manning
Watch Love Grow began in 2021 with a simple idea: to make sure widows in our community felt remembered on Valentine’s Day. What started as a small effort to deliver flowers and a little love to women who might otherwise be facing a difficult day quickly became something much bigger than I ever imagined. Read more>>
Patricia & Katlheen Hernandez & Urias
Everything started in January of 2020 with two friends, a box of strawberries, a bag of chocolates and the desire of creating an extra source of income during a challenging time. we started with no experience or knowledge of what we were doing, learning everything through YouTube tutorials and a lot of trial and error. As we grew, so did our ideas. Read more>>
Harriet Burnette
I was born in Whitakers, North Carolina, and some of my fondest childhood memories are of my mother and grandmother singing around the house. Those moments planted a love of music and singing in my heart that has remained with me throughout my life. By the time I reached high school, singing had become an important part of who I was. Read more>>
Don and Belinda Carringer
Our Story Don and Belinda Carringer both grew up in Western North Carolina, where farming has long been part of their family heritage. Don has farmed his entire life, learning firsthand from both of his grandparents on their family farms. Read more>>
Joanna Nisbet
I spent most of my years going through the mundane, work-home, repeat. Until 2020 came along. And what most people consider the worst year of their lives, I think it was one of my best. I found my faith in the Lord and with that it changed my perspective on life. I feel that the change in my focus was His will in my routines. Read more>>
Shelby Powell
My love for food began in high school, inspired by the Food Network, family gatherings, and the way food brought people together. In college, I started cooking and baking for friends, using the kitchen to recreate that sense of community. After moving to Raleigh in 2023, I spent about a year building connections in a new city. Read more>>
Blanca Ortiz
I found Reiki in 2014, after the local wellness center’s group meditation teacher told me it was something you had to experience to understand. Well, he was right, and that one session put me on the most purposeful path of my life. The real turning point started some years before that. Read more>>
Leonid Gladilin
My path into entrepreneurship was far from linear. Before founding HQ Portraits, I spent years managing large-scale e-commerce platforms and digital retail operations. Naturally, I’ve always been drawn to system automation and software-driven frameworks. But the true spark for HQ Portraits came from a much deeper, psychological realization about how we perceive ourselves. Read more>>
Dionne Selby
My journey started with a passion for banking, leadership, and helping others succeed. After more than 20 years in the financial industry, I founded the Black Chamber of Raleigh to create greater opportunities, resources, connections, and advocacy for Black-owned businesses. Today, we’ve grown to more than 300 business members and continue building partnerships that strengthen businesses and our community. Read more>>
Ranier Agustin
In 2020, COVID essentially forced my back against the wall. I lost my job, and because of a paperwork error, I didn’t receive any government assistance. I found myself in a position where I had to figure something out, and starting a business became my only real option. Fortunately, I had something to build from. Read more>>
Abbey Weeks
Before launching The All In Haus, I built a strong foundation in corporate branding, where I learned firsthand how successful companies strategically market themselves, build brand awareness, and drive sales growth. I started to recognize that many small businesses didn’t have access to those same tailored, out-of-the-box strategies, and I saw an opportunity to change that. Read more>>
Madison Fulford
My love for photography actually started long before I ever thought about making it a business. Growing up, I always loved being in front of the camera. I was constantly posing for my mom’s camera, and as I got older, I started working with friends who were photographers on creative shoots. Read more>>
Ebony Tate
I grew up in a humble upbringing in Willard, North Carolina, on a farm. Growing up in a small community and being surrounded by hard work, family, and a simple way of life really shaped who I am today. It taught me the value of perseverance, creativity, humility, and serving others. I attended James Sprunt Community College, where I earned my Associate’s degree in Pre-Psychology. Read more>>
Jahad Zenith
My story is one of growth, perseverance, and purpose. I did not begin with a perfect roadmap or every resource I needed. Much of what I have learned came through real-life experiences, making mistakes, overcoming obstacles, and becoming determined to build something meaningful. Over time, I developed a strong interest in business, financial education, and helping people navigate situations that can sometimes feel overwhelming. Read more>>
Joe Richichi
I started my art career in Glens Falls, NY having an ability to draw from an early age that developed throughout high school. Early art-college days put up several road-blocks in creativity so I sought off on a new life journey to become a veterinarian. After 9 more years of school, the title of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine was official. Read more>>
Autumn Cohen
I am a mom of three, but I don’t look like it. In my day-to-day life, I take my two daughters to school and activities. But in March of 2020, I delivered my stillborn son. It was just a few days after a normal 37-week prenatal check up. Baby Bash is my why. Read more>>
Megan Chorman
I definitely didn’t start with some big, perfectly thought-out business plan. I started because I needed to figure out how to provide for myself and my daughter during one of the hardest seasons of my life. I had gone through a messy divorce, then bankruptcy, and was essentially rebuilding my life from the ground up. Read more>>
Adama Jay
My path to floral design wasn’t necessarily a straight one, but looking back, every chapter has influenced the way I approach my work today. I studied Interior Design at Drexel University, where I developed an understanding of composition, scale, color, architecture, and how the details within a space can completely shape the way it feels. Read more>>
Frankie B
I started making music when I was in my preteens. At first, it was just something I genuinely enjoyed, uploading songs to SoundCloud, experimenting, and enjoying the way music made me feel. Over time, that enjoyment grew into something much deeper and became a real passion of mine. Read more>>
Jensen Nichol
I was born and raised in Charlotte, so my love for the Carolinas really started long before social media. Growing up, my dad was always taking me on little adventures, day trips, and showing me new places, and I think that’s where my love for exploring really came from. Read more>>
Ruth Garfinkel
Like many kids growing up in the 90s, I heard a lot about world hunger. In high school, while watching the Super Bowl halftime show with my family, I was shocked when they announced how much the costumes for the show cost, thinking about how many families that money could have fed instead. Read more>>
Candace Marek
I have been a business owner for most of my adult life, starting my first business at 24 years old. Over the years I have owned multiple franchise locations, worked as an Area Developer, invested in real estate and eventually found my way back to something that had always been a big part of my life: fitness. Read more>>
Christon Halkiotis
I’ve been practicing law for more than two decades, but my career has evolved quite a bit from where I started. I began as a prosecutor and spent 15 years on that side of the courtroom. Read more>>
Bob Snead
I was speaking to my friend one day, who owned The Dancing Moon Earthway Bookstore, and she said she was going to sell the store and move. I heard a voice say ‘buy the Moon’and although I wasn’t sure how it would work out, it did. Karen, my wife, and I bought it in 1998 and have loved running it ever since. Read more>>
Cristal Ortiz
Hi, I am Cristal Ortiz, a Duke Alum, graduated from Duke in Spring 2025 with a Neuroscience Bachelor of Science degree and a Chemistry minor. I have an Associate’s in Arts from Sampson Community College (2021) and graduated from Clinton High School in 2021. Read more>>
Fontashia Johnson
My journey to where I am today has been shaped by purpose, education, personal experiences, and a deep desire to help people live healthier, more empowered, and fulfilling lives. During my years as an educator, I saw firsthand how much people needed support beyond traditional education. It was during that time that I founded FACTS—Financial Awareness Counseling & Teaching Services, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Read more>>
George Smart
I grew up in Raleigh, son of an architect dad and a radio announcer and amateur actress mom. I sold computers, got a Duke MBA, consulted for thirty years. One night in 2007 I went looking for Eduardo Catalano’s 1954 house — that hyperbolic paraboloid roof, Frank Lloyd Wright called it the house of the century, then I learned it was demolished in 2001. Read more>>
michee zodulua
For me, it all started in the early 2010s when I got my first smartphone, an iPhone 3, and discovered Tumblr, the Pinterest of the time. What began as taking sunset photos from my window turned into climbing onto my church rooftop, waking up at dusk, traveling on foot, etc. just to find the “right” shot. Read more>>
Kelly Maxey
After a decade+ career in advertising in Chicago, I found myself craving a more meaningful and fulfilling career. After the birth of my son, I knew it was time for a change. I wanted to strike a better balance between family life and work, and when the idea of Mom League came about, I was ALL IN! I knew this was my new calling. Read more>>
Tirzah Villegas
There’s never been a time in my life when I wasn’t creating. I found that as a person who has a lot of big feelings, art is the best way for me to move some of that energy through and to let it be expressed, mainly through oil painting and ceramics. I was born in Colorado and moved to NC when I was ten. Read more>>
PATRICK DOMINGUEZ
I am a semi-professional artist based in Clayton, North Carolina, specializing in vibrant, expressive watercolor paintings. Using a loose style, I strive to capture the emotional essence of my subjects. Having grown up across the United States, Egypt, and Venezuela, my work reflects a rich blend of global cultures and landscapes. Read more>>
Jennifer O’Donoghue
My love of all things art started in pre-school where I was introduced to the wonderful world of finger paints. My Dad proudly plastered the inside of the family van and his semi-truck with all my paintings. At 14, my Mom was able to scrape together enough to afford me weekly art lessons with a local artist. Read more>>
Angela Harvey
If you had told me years ago that people would one day call me a GROWTHologist, I probably would have laughed and then asked, ‘Now what in the world is that?’ But looking back, it makes perfect sense. I’ve always been fascinated by people … and their behavior. Not just what they do, but why they do it. Read more>>
Mary Grams
My journey with ALS began in 1995 when my mother was diagnosed at the age of 58. She passed away in 1997. At the time, my husband I were living in MN. In 2003 we took a leap of faith and moved to North Carolina. We both pursued our career in sports but I always had a connection with ALS. Read more>>
Ally Ingold
I started my career in property management in 2016, working with Section 8 and Rural Development housing in Greensboro, North Carolina. I quickly realized how much I connected with the work and the people I was serving, and in my first year, I was fortunate enough to receive the President’s Award with Partnership Property Management. Read more>>
Richelle Dill
After graduating from UNC Charlotte with my Psychology degree with a minor in Early Childhood Education, I really didn’t have a plan for what I wanted to do with my life. I knew I wanted to work with children but not to what capacity. I moved to Morgantown, West Virginia in 2013. There I participated in a program call AmeriCorps. Read more>>
Shailyn Ramsey
Growing up, I have always wanted to have my own business. I worked in the beauty industry for a few years and I loved it! I loved how people would feel once their service was complete. It helped people boost their confidence and how they felt overall. I wanted a place that would really tailor to the needs of people. Read more>>
Dustin Douglas
I have always had passion for the outdoors, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, camping and much more. I grew up on the New River. I initially got started working in the outdoor recreation and tourism business during summers between my semesters at Appalachian State University. I worked for an outfitter on the New River for 4 or 5 summers. Read more>>
