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.
hanna rain krueger
Photography has been a part of my life for years, but my path to building Hanna Rain Photo & Film wasn’t completely linear. I originally studied wildlife rehabilitation and veterinary medicine before realizing that storytelling and creating meaningful imagery were what I felt most drawn to. Read more>>
kenna ehman
I’ve loved hair since I was little. I moved from Michigan to Charlotte in 2009 to attend cosmetology school, and I’ve been incredibly fortunate to learn from some amazing mentors along the way. Today, I’m proud to co-own an 18-chair salon in Charlotte with hair, spa, and wellness services all under one roof. Read more>>
Lindsey Umstead
To start, I was born and raised in Durham and I am a proud native North Carolinian. I only left the state for four years to go to James Madison University (Go Dukes!) for my undergraduate work. I returned and lived in Greensboro for a few years. Read more>>
Cassandra Green
My passion for hair styling began at just 12 years old. Growing up, I watched my mother and godmother work their magic, and the craft naturally called to me. I started out practicing different braiding techniques on a Bratz doll my mom gave me for Christmas, using any spare braiding hair I could find. Read more>>
Destiny Musick
My story is one that is still very much being written and one that I am thankful hasn’t ended. I am a 29 year old self taught artist who focuses mainly in abstract but I have been slowly moving into the space of doing commissions involving painterly styled architecture and different aspects of realism. Read more>>
Ducee’ DropTop
I’ve been around music my whole life. I played instruments growing up, so music was always something that was naturally a part of my life. After I graduated, I started hanging out with some of my good friends who were already rapping. We would take trips to Atlanta and LA, network with producers, meet different people, and just try to expand our circle. Read more>>
Michael McCray
My relationship with food began long before Occasions By M became a business. I have spent more than 25 years developing as a chef, learning that great hospitality is not simply about what is served—it is about how people feel while they are being served. Read more>>
Tim Edwards
I don’t know how to paint. I never took an art class after 9th grade. I thought it would be fun to try throwing paint at a big canvas, but I didn’t want to hang up tarps in my apartment and get paint all over the place. I built a wall out of plywood and put it in my friend’s backyard. Read more>>
Sarah Carlson
I moved to North Carolina in 2022 after completing a 10 month long solo roadtrip around the states. After settling here I gained some experience with housecleaning and realized my passion for not only the task of cleaning, but the fulfillment and joy of connecting with families and providing them with relief in their household. So I decided to start my own business, SparkleUp LLC. Read more>>
Heather Strickland
My path to theatre has been anything but linear. I grew up on a small farm in upstate New York, surrounded by animals, nature, and a family that valued curiosity and adventure. When I was nine, we moved to Florida, where weekends often meant sailing, traveling, and exploring. Read more>>
Alexander Kimbrough
I actually started my career in NYC. I graduated college with basically no money and this need to get out into the world. I knew I wanted to get to New York because that’s where things were happening… Read more>>
Meg McInerney
I have been creating for longer than I knew to call myself a creative. For years, I thought creativity meant making something beautiful. A photograph. A set. A campaign. A room. An event. A moment people wanted to step inside. But somewhere along the way, I realized that what I actually do is create feeling. I gather people. I notice what others overlook. Read more>>
Shayla Khalife
I have never been someone who simply plans an event, I want to build an entire little world people can step into. My story has unfolded through weddings, elaborate themed parties, community celebrations, endless vision boards, DJing as BooShayLee, and creating joyful spaces for events like Haywood County Pride. At the center of everything I do are creative thinking, problem-solving, and sheer hustle. Read more>>
Lizbeth Burgos De Peña
My story really started with curiosity. I’ve always been a creative person, and I’ve never been someone who could stick to just one creative outlet. I’m basically Libby La Exploradora, always exploring, learning, creating, and figuring out what’s next. Read more>>
Marissa Madonna
My name is Marissa Madonna, and I am a professional illustrator. I received my BFA in Illustration from Hartford Art School in 2012, and since then have had the opportunity to work on various projects including children’s book illustration, sports illustration for television appearances with ESPN, and most recently creating illustrations for the annual concert production ‘Tales of Halloween’ performed by Hartford Symphony Orchestra. Read more>>
Amy Chirico
My studio ownership journey began as an aerial student. One day my teacher walked out, quit in the middle of a class. I was her most senior student and also happened to have a degree in (music) education. I said I would take on the classes temporarily. Read more>>
Tombstone Gurl
I got my start as a young as ten years old when I started becoming very faun of fashion, dancing, and music. My first taste of art was watching new boyz on YouTube and California jerk groups dancing and skating to popular west and southern classics. My taste in music and the beginnings of shaping myself was very volatile during this period of my life. Read more>>
Angelo Longo
In bullets: -Born and raised in New Jersey and refused to put a pencil down from the time I could hold one -My middle school art teacher had put me through adult art classes in 5th grade with her own paycheck. She told me I needed to pursue art. Read more>>
Kim Sparks
My journey with Mr. Brushable began with believing in my husband David’s vision. He had an idea to combine a product and its applicator into one convenient bottle—making everyday jobs faster, easier, and less messy. Read more>>
Irina Panchenko
My journey to Stitch & Story began long before I ever thought of myself as a textile maker. I studied architecture and the design of architectural environments in Russia, followed by interior design in California, and I have always been drawn to the relationship between color, pattern, texture, and the way beautiful objects become part of everyday life. Read more>>
Withdrew tha design
There is every struggle imaginable from losing loved ones , mental turmoil, financial hardships,other artists hating on the craft it’s always a battle but focus and perseverance concures all Read more>>
Scott Blount
After growing plants as a young child, I later in life took a different route and became interested in stage and screen performances and traveled for thirty two years. As an entertainer. When my mother became ill, I felt I needed to come home to help take care of her. Read more>>
Matthew Stewart
My path to starting Stewart Solutions definitely wasn’t a straight line, but looking back, a lot of the things I’ve done throughout my life have led me here. I’ve always enjoyed working with my hands and taking on projects. Read more>>
Erica Mayes-Gordon
When CoVID came I was a School Social Worker full time and part time Medical Social Worker. We were sent home during the pandemic from the school and during that time everything health related was being thrown at all of us. It was then that I got my first taste of loose leaf tea. Read more>>
Bobby & Nicole Bodford Adventures in Theatre & Bobby’s Plays
I’ve been acting and directing professionally for over 50 years, and my journey has taken me through just about every corner of the entertainment world. I started in the dinner theatre circuit, where I developed my comedy chops and built a successful directing career that took me across the country. Read more>>
Hannah Cutts
Reserving Royalty started with a little bit of pixie dust, a lot of imagination, and a simple goal: to create the kind of magical childhood memories that families would talk about long after the party was over. What began as a small, family-run character entertainment company has grown over the years into something we could have only dreamed of in the beginning. Read more>>
Vanesa Reeves
Well, I never stopped creating art. Growing up I always knew I wanted a career that involved creating, whether it was through painting, drawing or another medium. By the time I reached community college, I knew I wanted to go to art school and get a degree in painting or illustration. Read more>>
0so Verde
Bear Naked Herbals really grew out of a much earlier chapter of my life. Before it was Bear Naked Herbals, it was called Moor Life. When I first started working with herbs, I wasn’t coming into it with the idea that I was going to build an apothecary. I was trying to understand plants because I was experiencing firsthand what they could do for me. Read more>>
Tuuba Tuncer
My story with photography began long before I ever imagined it would become my career. I studied art with a focus on photography and oil painting, and later earned my master’s degree in visual arts. I have always been drawn to the way light, color, composition, and emotion can tell a story without words. Read more>>
Andrew Snorton
There are starts that are intentional and others that come through happenstance and circumstance. My start is somewhere in the middle so to speak. After years of working in the corporate sector and transitioning to education, I made another transition regarding the work I do. Read more>>
Jessica Montiel
I started Luz de mi Tierra Folklorico Academy in 2023. I was 18 when i started the Academy. We Travel through NC to showcase Mexican Folklore dances from different regions in Mexico. Read more>>
Alexis Cullen
I’ve always been a storyteller, but I didn’t always understand that storytelling could become part of my purpose. My journey really began with writing about the things we’re often taught to keep boxed up—the complicated parts of womanhood, motherhood, identity, relationships, survival, starting over, and becoming someone new after life has completely rearranged you. Read more>>
Ally Noel
Sports and movement have always been a huge part of my life. I grew up swimming, played Division I water polo in college, and eventually found triathlon, where I’ve completed two Ironmans and many other endurance races. Professionally, my path has been much less linear. Read more>>
Grant Cain
Hi, my name is Grant Cain and my journey into specializing in dance strength & conditioning and the dance world in general has been anything but ordinary. Read more>>
Keenan Maxwell
Starting at the age of two, I’ve been singing and playing instruments. I was raised in the church by a family of musicians who wrote and sung original music my whole life. At the age of eleven I was diagnosed with Acute Myloid Leukemia and whilst going through chemo and radiation, music was the only thing that was consistent and my only escape. Read more>>
Jamil Metcalf
I was born and raised in the city of Charlotte, NC. It’s funny to say but people consider me as unicorn still living in the city that I am from. Throughout the years people always considered Charlotte as Nascar country so there was no avoiding the automotive world. Read more>>
Dawn Tillery
Wow, where do I begin with my story and what parts do I share? Since the age of 6 or 7, my siblings and I would play school and I was the teacher. I’ve enjoyed doing that my entire life-being able to share information and educate others. However, you probably wouldn’t know it from my career path. My father was employed with N.C. Read more>>
Shaniqua Rice
My journey in modeling began at the age of 12, when I first discovered my passion for fashion and being in front of the camera. Although I started modeling at a young age, I didn’t seriously pursue it until 2016, when I had the opportunity to work with Alexis_Jadore (Tiffany Roach) during the launch of her clothing and accessories brand. Read more>>
MaKayla Yeates
For as long as I can remember, content creation has always been a dream of mine. Growing up, I loved being the center of attention, making people laugh, and connecting with people. This wasn’t something I started “out of boredom” and just happened to realize was for me. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for years. Read more>>
Oakwood Garden Club
The Oakwood Garden Club was formed in 1950 and has the distinguished honor of being one of Raleigh’s oldest garden clubs. The founder, Vallie Henderson, was an avid gardener who was passionate about beautifying her surroundings. Our mission is to increase the knowledge of gardening and beautification of the community through study and experience. Read more>>
Sandra Gutierrez
My food writing career began in 1994, when I was hired as the food columnist for The Cary News. I became the first Latina to have her own food column in an American newspaper. After 8 years, I moved on to write for national magazines and newspapers. Read more>>
Danzel Lor
I started my media journey with just a old iPhone 8 back in 2018, didn’t have any equipment or have the knowledge about anything in photography but I somehow knew how to capture the angles of a photo just naturally. Over time I kept learning, practicing, and pushing myself to get better. Read more>>
