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.
Kelsey Karper
When we founded Factory Obscura in 2017, it came as a result of a conversation among a group of friends. This conversation (hypothetical at the time) was first about imagining what it would look like to build a playground for adults. As the conversation continued, and engaged more people, the idea became more real and got much bigger! Ultimately, a group of five of us came together as founders to build Factory Obscura as a business together. Our goals for the company are many, but they include: building a new economic engine that can evolve how art and artists are valued and sustained; providing a platform for artists to create on a larger, more ambitious scale than is possible on their own; and awakening wonder and joy in our community through meaningful art experiences. Read More>>
Brittney Solomon
It hasn’t always been a smooth road—like most journeys, it’s had its fair share of challenges. One of the biggest hurdles was overcoming my own fears and doubts when I started. Moving away from the beauty standards I grew up with and embracing a more natural approach wasn’t easy, especially since it required letting go of old habits, like relying on extensions, and trusting in something completely new. Read More>>
Elizabeth Blackaller
I have been a stay at home mum for about 10 years and always had the itch to build something from the ground up, plant the seed, care for it and see it grow and bloom. My husband and I started thinking about potential ideas and thought of providing a party rental service, we started our business with 15 chairs and 2 tables. Read More>>
Brittany Johns
My entire life has not been a smooth road so truthfully the struggles I’ve had with my business have seemed easy. The hardest part of my job is managing being the only employee with so many jobs to do. I’m the boss, the receptionist and the laborer, I truly love the physical work but the clerical work feels daunting at times. Finding personal time can be difficult but when you are passionate about your work it makes it feel less like work. Read More>>
Caela Collins
It was during my Editorial internship at *Taste the Style* (now *The Chill Times*) that I realized people not only enjoyed what I had to say but more importantly, their love for the taste of my homemade, crafted words—a unique recipe for how I said it. A simple thank you email acknowledgement from owner, Cyndi Ramirez-Fulton—“Caela, you’re one hell of a writer”—completely enlightened me. This recognition sparked a realization: my words matter. Read More>>
Dynay John
That realization sparked the vision for this supportive community. I wanted to create a space rooted in faith, fellowship, and empowerment where mothers could come together, not just to share their struggles and victories, but to build deep, meaningful connections that extend beyond motherhood. It started small, with casual gatherings, but quickly turned into a sisterhood for not only mothers but for ALL women. It isn’t just about meeting; it’s about creating a safe haven—a place where every woman feels valued and rejuvenated. Read More>>
Destin LaGrone
The artist path feels like a becoming for me, and it is more like a wave than a straight line. About 5 years ago I fully realized that creativity is my purpose, and I dedicated myself to continuing my artist journey for the rest of my life. Every time I make a new piece, I feel more myself than I’ve ever been. Every time I make a new piece, I learn things about existence. I feel my higher self guiding me and working through me. Earlier this year, I quit my day job and have become immersed into my growth as an artist. I know that my best work is ahead of me and I’m very excited. Read More>>
Marcos Morales
The first musical ideas came about in late 2019. Songs were being put together, but it would be another three years before the band would fully form due to lockdown. At the time I was learning to write full compositions and put together a lineup which also took some time. The first lineup lasted a few months up until auditioning for a new drummer and guitarist. I would say the main obstacle has been patience. Read More>>
Stev Chara
I grew up in a very small farming town in upstate NY and was always surrounded by the arts. My grandmother and father are artists themselves and the area I lived is rich in vibrant folk art and local indigenous art. As young as I can remember my life was immersed in the arts. My grandmother had an old house in the middle of nowhere and she had given me this back room in her home that wasn’t renovated to do whatever I wanted. I spent hours in there painting murals and scrawling bad adolescent poetry in the walls. Some of my earliest art memories are in that room. As I got older I started experimenting with styles but struggled to find a ‘home’ in my art. I admired my fathers and grandmothers art so much that for a long time I found I was just trying to replicate it rather than find myself. Read More>>
Cynthia Rojas
Everything changed when my husband and I decided to take on a full gut renovation of our first home. That’s when I realized interior design was not just something designers do on HGTV and could actually be a real possibility for me. I enrolled back in college for interior design and began sharing design content on social media in 2018. At the time, I would decorate friends’ and family members’ spaces for free in exchange for practice working with “clients” and the chance to share progress and reveal photos on Instagram. By 2019, I landed my first real client. Read More>>
Michele Hembree
It hasn’t been a smooth road, but it’s definitely been an exciting one. Since opening, I’ve relocated twice, which brought its own set of challenges. The most significant shift was moving from the bustling art scene of NYC to rural East Texas. As you can imagine, transitioning from a city known for its vibrant art and design community to a quieter market has been an adjustment. Finding my audience here has been a slow process, but it’s pushed me to think outside the box and explore new ways to reach potential clients. Read More>>
Josel Guzman
The way it all started was in a curious funny way. I’m a firm believer that every happens for a reason. Seven years ago I used to work in a battery factory, I got fired from that job. At the moment a thought came to my mind of stop working for other people and start building something with what I used to do with my spare time, which is art, I contacted the amazing family of 23 Tattoo Shop, where Omar Lacott gave me the opportunity to teach me everything in this industry. Read More>>
Sabrina Webster
My business began with a mother’s love and a desire to help my children. When my third child was born, we faced a challenge eczema. His case was the very severe, as he was born with it, and from infancy, I struggled to keep his skin moisturized and soothed. I searched high and low for a solution, buying countless lotions and creams from store shelves, but nothing seemed to work. Read More>>
Gemma Hernandez
Makeup has always been my favorite “hobby”. It was my escape from reality, a way to express myself. Growing up, I didn’t really enjoy playing sports or joined any clubs at school. I felt like I didn’t fit into any group, always second guessing myself wether I should join or not. I started experimenting with makeup at 13 years old, which, coming from a super traditional Mexican family, was not really allowed. My dad didn’t really like the idea of me wearing makeup, but he quickly realized how much joy it brought me and he put his beliefs aside and fully supported me. Read More>>
Andy Pham
Music, specifically EDM, and going to music festivals with my friends is definitely a release with me and where I drew inspiration from to start my artist journey. Eventually, I started DJing during the pandemic, a time when the world felt like it had pressed pause. With everything shut down and life eerily quiet, music became my sanctuary. It was the one thing that kept me grounded, a constant rhythm that helped me navigate an otherwise still and uncertain time. I poured myself into learning how to DJ, spending countless hours mixing tracks and perfecting transitions in my room, where the walls felt like the only audience. Read More>>
Lee Allen
When you understand what the common person cannot comprehend, you are Ologized. I released my first solo album “One Way Trip” last year and will be following up with my 2nd album “The Ologized One”, under my new stage name of ILoveMasterBruce. I changed my name after discovering BatMan also goes by the name of Master Bruce which caused difficulties when searching for name on site a like Google and YouTube. Now days I still love music but have also been branching out into modeling and acting as well. I hope to some day change the music scene of Dallas to a brighter, more positive light on the city known primarily for the success of gangster rap, (outside of Post Malone.) Speaking of Post, it would be a dream come true to collaborate with him some day, and it would do wonders for the unity of the city. I guess only time will tell. Read More>>
Manira Camara
Baking is my passion. So I chose to continue in entrepreneurship by creating ‘Le Vieux Lyon French Bakery Dallas’. At first I wanted to call my business ‘Le palais des tartes’, because I wanted to cut all ties with my past. But I remembered that ‘Le Vieux Lyon’ was part of my history. Read More>>
Débora Spradling
Being an immigrant has shaped my perspective and motivated me to create warm, supportive environments where others, especially those in seasons of transition, can feel valued and empowered. From the start, my goal has been to provide warm, human-centered care that connects with clients on a personal level. Relationships are at the heart of my practice, and I find immense fulfillment in guiding people through their journeys, whether in therapy or as they navigate life’s challenges. Read More>>
Marisa Jean
Social media, for example, has been a double-edged sword. It’s a valuable tool for sharing my work, but creating engaging content consistently while staying true to my craft can feel overwhelming at times.
Another struggle has been finding my niche. Early on, I experimented with various techniques and styles before discovering my passion for textured, multidimensional art. The process of refining my unique voice took time, trial, and error. Read More>>
Jonathan Niziol
In 2005, my dedication to lacrosse led to being drafted 31st overall by the Arizona Sting in the NLL Entry Draft. I played professionally for three years in Canada before shifting to a new chapter as an international model. Over the past 15 years, I’ve worked with global brands like Men’s Health Editorial and Hugo Boss, while also building a career as a certified personal trainer and a real estate investor in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Read More>>
Roshun & Timothy Davis
We started as a T-shirt company. We liked shirts with funny saying on them from Walmart. This inspired us to put our own funny sayings on shirts. Then one Valentine’s Day we made a custom jacket and pants set with MiiFashion on it . Everywhere we went everyone were asking us where did we get our outfits from. From that day MiiFashion Dallas was born. Read More>>
Billi Rogers
One of our team’s recent notable achievements was leading the design for the Texas Blockchain Council’s annual North American Blockchain Summit. Despite the constraints of a tight timeline and lack of existing brand guidelines, my team and I developed a reusable and impactful design system that not only met but exceeded expectations, delivering ahead of schedule. This project exemplified our ability to rapidly assess and act on design needs to maximize impact, a skill I’ve applied to numerous other brands, guiding them through significant growth phases by revamping their design systems. Read More>>
Jennifer Andresen
When I was in college in 1999, my sophomore year at Texas A&M, I was introduced to a style of music called electronic dance music. At the time it had such a gathering and such a unique perspective on how the world leaves some people to the wayside for being different and unique. This was an all inclusive community that encouraged an atmosphere of taking care of one another and was very tight nit socially, so much so, that we called our friends family. After about half a year of being at events I wanted to learn how to dj myself and set upon that quest. Read More>>
Rita Stevens
I’m Rita Stevens—Author of Unexpected Patterns of Purpose, Transformational Speaker, and Founder of Silent Voyces. My journey into advocacy and empowerment began with my youngest son’s traumatic brain injury, which resulted in cerebral palsy and visual impairments. Navigating this life-altering experience, our family faced years of uncertainty, feeling silenced and often lost as we struggled to find the resources and guidance we desperately needed. Read More>>
Ananya Singh
Today, as a faculty member and researcher, at University of Texas Arlington. I am passionate about fostering creativity and innovation in my students. My work focuses on the intersection of visual communication, media arts, and cultural narratives. Whether I’m crafting a curriculum, collaborating with clients, or working on research that explores the ethical implications of emerging technologies, my goal remains the same: to inspire and create. Read More>>
Edward Brown
I focused on making Vanilla candles and spent so many nights doing it. It was hard but I figured it out. I gave them to friends and family and slowly grew into where I am now getting to create more fragrance products and having fun mixing things together. The best part of it is seeing the smile it has on others faces when they get them knowing its all natural and healthier for them. Even facing hard times like cancer, being hospitalized, and having everything crumble and fall apart around me I never have given up. The joy and relaxation of making the soaps and candles is so therapeutic, but the smiles I get to enjoy with others always outweighs the worst of days. Read More>>
Amber Gaige
Absolutely not! Life’s journey is full of twists, turns, heartaches and challenges. But hey, that’s what builds character. “Hard is what makes it great. If it were easy, everyone would do it.” has been a motto I’ve carried with me for years. I’ve been crippled with guilt, fear and intimidation. But in recent years, I’ve come to understand those thoughts only lead to disappointment. It’s much better to cast aside one’s fears, set big hair audacious goals, and march forward with faith, hope, love, and confidence. Read More>>
99 Athletix
Today, 99 Athletix stands as a growing brand, committed to empowering athletes of all levels to pursue their goals, all while reflecting their faith in every step. We’re excited about where God has brought us, and we’re looking forward to what’s ahead as we continue to grow and inspire others through our clothing. Read More>>
Angel Shaw
Making the leap into business ownership, however, did not come without challenges. There was so much I didn’t know about building a practice: how to market my services, how to find my niche, and how to attract clients who would truly benefit from what I had to offer. That’s when I sought out a mentor, someone who could guide me through the unfamiliar territory of entrepreneurship. With the help of many mentors and colleagues, I’ve learned how to better navigate everything and most importantly, I learned how to trust myself as both a clinician and a business owner. Read More>>
Brad Namdar
While I was playing club soccer in High School, I also played high school football. I was ranked as one of the top Place Kickers/Punters in the country while playing football for Plano West Senior High School. After Plano West, I attended and played college football at Texas Tech University, where I played under the late-great legendary Head Coach – Mike Leach, and later, transferred to SMU where I played for another NCAA legend, June Jones. Read More>>
Kristen Montoya
The nervous system transmits signals of emotion, stress, responds to environmental stimulus and chemical toxins and transmits the signal for every thought, movement, and automatic function of our body. We want all of the body’s signals to be unimpeded and as fully expressive as possible. When the body is in a state of defense, it downsizes the expression of the nervous system and, really, it downsizes you and your ability to make progress in life. I use a specialized technique called NetworkSpinal, applying very precise and gentle contacts along the spine and surrounding musculature. Personally, I have received NetworkSpinal care for years and have found it so impactful to my state of being. Read up on the research- it is compelling cutting edge science! Read More>>
Alicia Quijano
As far as developing my body of work, it takes a lot of perseverance because I have to make time to create. Daily life and a full time job (plus a couple of part time teaching responsibilities) doesn’t leave a lot of time to create; when I make the time, it’s valued and not taken for granted. When I apply to exhibitions or opportunities, I try to apply to as many as I can, even if it’s just one every other month or an online exhibition as a way to try to stay active in the art world. Read More>>
M. Mason
Art was just a hobby to me after a while, it didn’t seem like a feasible career path for me. But I somehow always found my way back to it, and I got tired of pretending it didn’t matter that much to me, because it did. In 2024, I challenged myself to take art seriously and apply to everything I came across. My goal was to be accepted into at least one art show, and so far I’ve been a part of four. While I definitely can’t say the journey here has been easy, I’d certainly say it’s worth it. Read More>>
John Consignado
I’m incredibly proud of being part of such a wholesome and positive community, and we always say in the show that we take no credit at building it, we just happen to be catalyst that brought our listeners together and the WikiManiacs made it to something special. Our listener base are loyal, empathetic, but also quick to give us constructive feedback when we don’t things right at times and I feel like we built equity with them that they feel that they are heard and their voices matter. Lastly, I would like to credit our listeners for being such caring people and with their efforts, we were able to raise funds to support causes all over the world. Read More>>
Taylor Kunkel
As for my floral business it has been fairly bump free. I got inspiration from several other florals makers like myself. I watched them for about two years before I really decided to take it on myself. The biggest challenge I find is making sure the arrangement matches the style of their weddings, personality’s, and style. It is also my most favorite part of the process. I have made several different styles and designs and I just love how they always turn out unique. Read More>>
Melissa Preece
At 18, I met a man who, in retrospect, was not a good choice. For the next 3-4 years, he became a significant part of my life, pulling me into a world I wasn’t prepared for. He had ongoing legal issues that I wasn’t aware of, and a deep involvement in the drug scene that I couldn’t see until it was too late. He came into my life at a time when I let my guard down, and I didn’t realize how much that would alter everything. Read More>>
Sequoyah Branham
I had gotten my own edits applied after that and was ready to turn it into my line editor when she told me she was down with Covid and it might be a week or two before she could get started. I didn’t have time for another delay and scrambled to find another line editor to jump on it right away. The Lord was gracious and a friend of mine was able to start editing right away. She did a fantastic job and challenged my writing to be better. Read More>>
Natalie Weakly
After 10 years in corporate America, I launched Signature Style to help individuals and small businesses project their best selves. 12 years and more than 300 clients later, I’ve honed my approach to help business professionals master their personal brand, body language, presentation, and executive presence. My goal is to show others how aligning your inner confidence with your outward appearance creates a powerful personal brand that opens doors. Read More>>
Adeeba Hafeez
In the beginning i had some issues finding clients and marketing our business. But once we started marketing on tiktok and instagram more we started growing in the community and getting more known! There are always going to be times were we are overwhelmed with either not having enough events because wedding season is done or having to many, but as we grow our team we are so grateful for having the amazing opportunity to be apart of everyones weddings Read More>>
Taylor Jordan
My name is Taylor, and I sing and play guitar for A Dangerous Affair. We’re a pop punk band out of Dfw. When I first started the band, my vision of the band’s trajectory was vastly different than it’s grown to become. I first started playing music as I was getting ready to graduate high school, so I was a bit of a late bloomer. It started off innocently enough as a few friends jamming in my mom’s garage, but it quickly grew into something more serious that, I didn’t realize at the time, would greatly shape the man that I’ve grown up to be. Read more>>
Nani Castillo
My purpose with the clothing brand is to have a percentage of profits go towards a Non Profit that will help with raising Scholarships/ sponsorships/ donate to teams/organizations for the youth that wanna pursue sports professionally, specifically for the underprivileged kids which I fall under and know what it’s like to not have enough financial support or resources to take you to the next level. I am currently growing my network to help with more exposure for the upcoming talent. Read More>>
