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.
Bobby Hoke
I was hired to be a music arranger and band leader at age 19, although I didn’t ask for either job! Thankfully the much wiser singer saw my talent, and soon was thriving in both, By age 23, my love of synths and programming grew massive, with an arsenal of keyboards around me for every show.. Read More>>
Amber Dunbar
It wasn’t until 2022 when everything began to click. I was tired of my current job and the lack of fulfillment plus purpose in my life. After seeing others make the very thing I loved to do (which is create content) their career, whether it was by posting YouTube videos, TikToks, etc.. I figured I should give it a shot. Read More>>
Niriam Martinez
Now I’m a Dallas female barber (still in school), and growing on social media. My love for creativity and the beauty industry has always been there. My desire to create a change in this world by making people feel special is what pushes me to further my journey. I now attend barbering expos, network with barbers across the world, and have barbershops looking to work with me. I seek to build a woman owned barber business in Dallas later on and look forward to building a united community with it. Read More>>
Chanel And Nicole Jones
No. Starting a business from scratch without the background took countless hours of learning, googling, and research. Since we have been open we have had struggles with hurdles of a start-up business such as funding, economic impact on sales, managing full time employment and starting a small business. In the beginning it was hard to find staff that we can trust to run the business when we were unable to be there. Last year we faced a lot of bad weather during the spring that caused us to close or have very low sales. Read More>>
Armeria Fernandez
Our journey started a few years ago when friends would constantly compliment my daughter Armeria’s outfits and suggest that we share them on social media. They thought how I style her was unique and deserved a wider audience. So, in May of 2022 I decided to start an Instagram account to showcase her fashion, and we quickly gained a supportive community. Fast forward to almost three years later, and we now have over 23k followers on Instagram. Along the way, we’ve had the opportunity to collaborate with numerous brands and are now partners with big named brands. It’s been an incredible ride, and we’re excited to see where this journey takes us next! Read More>>
Jonathan Arriaga
The journey to get here has been anything but smooth. Every milestone we reached revealed another mountain to climb. This was uncharted territory for us, and everything felt new and challenging. Along the way, we’ve learned countless lessons and reaffirmed something we’ve always believed: when you treat people with respect and a welcoming attitude, you can always find common ground. Read More>>
Bennett & Mae Oputa
Mae and Bennett Oputa founded Play N’ Learn Christian Academy in 1998. The academy provides a nurturing, faith-centered environment where children can grow academically, socially, and spiritually. Its story begins with Mae and Bennett, who recognized the need for an educational institution that combined solid academic foundations with Christian values, preparing children for success in school and a life of service, integrity, and purpose. Read More>>
Sneha Patel
I create memories for people and turn them into fun trendy videos that they can easily share on social media with their friends and family. I was a bride in 2022 and remember wishing I could just tell someone to turn all of my pictures and videos into fun content to easily share with friends and family. I received my professional photos and videos from my weddings months after the wedding celebration and spent much time looking through it. That is when I thought, this may be something people may want from their weddings or any other event like I wish I had. Read More>>
Ben Noura Soumahoro
When I first started, balancing a demanding job as an IT consultant with running a side business was overwhelming. There were countless late nights and weekends spent perfecting my skills, building my brand, and learning the ins and outs of running a business. Transitioning to full-time entrepreneurship was equally daunting; leaving the security of a steady paycheck to chase a dream required a lot of faith and determination. Read More>>
Erin Newton
Even so, during periods of my life when I thought I was wandering in the wilderness, I found that the skills I learned along the way eventually came full circle, becoming tools for my artistic journey. With further reflection, I realize I am part of a legacy of those who overcame by choice and action. My start didn’t come in a single moment but in many—each building on the last. Standing on the shoulders of giants, I’ve embraced the wisdom that the destination only comes by way of a robust journey. Through doing—showing up again and again—I’ve created opportunities and built the path that carries me forward. Read More>>
Carolyn Parrish
That’s how Maiden to Mama came to life. I combined my coaching background with my passion for motherhood to create a space where women feel seen, heard, and empowered. Since then, I’ve expanded what I offer – I’m a birth doula, I provide prenatal Reiki, and I teach mindfulness-based birth prep classes. Everything I do is about helping moms feel confident and supported as they step into this new chapter. Read More>>
Erik Richerson
I wasn’t sure if I wanted to cut hair when we moved here to Fort Worth. After praying about direction for our family I knew I had some unfinished business to do. I knew it would stretch me and pull me out of my comfort zone. I knew I had to train other barbers to learn how to cut amazing hair. That way we we as a company can insure that all of our customers are highly taken cared for by a highly qualified master barber. Hence Richerson’s Master Barber Academy trains and teaches students at a very high level. Read More>>
Brittanie Williams
I am the owner of Luxe Beauty Bar x Britt. I am a business owner, Wife, Mother and follower of Christ. I have a faith based business built on my relationship with God! I am a Licensed Esthetician & Manicurist. I have been in the industry for about 2 years. I provide luxury services with affordable pricing. The services I provide are Nails & Pedicures. Brow Lamination, Shaping & Tinting. I also provide facial services as well. Read More>>
Csre
So senior year of highschool, I went by CSRE (“ceasar”), a alter ego as you would say. I came out here for college with a plan to start from the ground up in a new city. First week of classes, I tweeted out that i was the best in the area an woke up to my twitter FLOODED. To me, the goal is to make myself a constant noise, to where you can’t ignore me. I dropped music, ALOT of music to be exact, hit every open mic that would let a 18 year old into there club or lounge, and would do song after song. And slowly, but surely, I made a grounded fan base of fans who I call “5CM’ers”, cause all the 5 is family. And now we’re here, 5 years later loving what I’m doing. Read More>>
Cambry Payton
My journey began in The Woodlands, Texas, an amazing community where I spent my first 20 years. The Woodlands was not just my hometown; it was the backdrop of my early dreams and aspirations. However, the path I chose was anything but conventional, filled with challenges that tested my resolve and ultimately led me to a fulfilling career in cosmetology. The first major decision in my journey came when I resolved to pursue my GED. This was not merely a step toward a diploma, but a leap of faith into a world of possibilities—specifically, a career in cosmetology, which had always fascinated me. However, this decision did not come without its trials. Read More>>
Kenyon Glover
I worked and believed my way all the way to the NBA. Sure, it was a very tough journey with a lot of doubt, bumps in the road, Discouragement, and disappointments. But I didn’t give up. I kept working. I made it to the NBA and was given a shot by the Milwaukee Bucks franchise. And shortly after that, I was hit with a career ending injury that destroyed my dream within a years time. Read More>>
Bonnie Phillips
I am a plant lover and I was looking for a way to get more space to have more plants so I looked up space saving ways to display your plants on Pinterest and discovered Kokedama and I researched it and taught myself how to do it and got better at it! One of my longtime friends, Skye Mcdaniel owns La bodega a grab and go chicken rotisserie in Oak Cliff and she had some shelves and she had some artisan friends that had their wares displayed there so I asked her if could display some of my Kokedama. She loved the aesthetics that they brought to her restaurant, and I began selling plants. It really caught on, and there were a lot of people that were really loving what I was doing, so I thought outside the box and looked up outdoor markets and I jumped in Read More>>
James Arsin
My journey started with a transformative internship in Uzbekistan. During my time there, I learned everything there was to know about rugs, from their intricate designs to the craftsmanship that goes into making them. It was in Uzbekistan that I found my passion for the design process and realized how much creativity goes into this craft. Read More>>
Janine Jeffries
Now, I’m excited to pursue my true passion: fashion and design. I’ve always loved these fields, and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to merge my sales expertise with my passion through home staging. I see home staging as a creative art that helps sellers present their homes in a way that allows potential buyers to envision themselves living there. Read More>>
Victor “Mac-K
At the core of his current fight is his love for his two sons. Mac-K is engaged in a bitter battle for full custody of his autistic son, a legal struggle that has tested his limits. His ex-partner, who has been accused of neglecting their son’s special needs, has created obstacles that threaten his son’s future and well-being. Despite facing false, damaging accusations—including heinous claims against his character—Mac-K has stayed focused on what matters most: protecting his son. His determination to give his son the love, care, and attention he deserves remains unshakable. Read More>>
Brandon Kerr
As a child my father, Scott Kerr, would pick me up from school and I’d help him prime canvases since he was an artist. Eventually I worked for him full-time helping with shipping/ delivery , keeping the studio organized, pretty much anything he needed help with. I’d help him set up shows and I would be amazed with all the different artists that were around me. I gravitated to that kind of world . Read More>>
Maggie Hall
It has not always been easy, starting a business and trying to break out in the artist world is an uphill battle and requires determination, hard work, and a village of support behind you. In 2021 I lost my dad to lung cancer, this was by far my hardest struggle so far in my career, I faced months-long artist’s block and found it hard to paint without him, however, I one day realized maybe painting would be the only way through my grief. I painted his cowboy boots, it was comforting. I soon realized boots were something I was familiar with, they were nostalgic to me. It helped me develop my current art style while also getting me through the process of grieving. Read More>>
Narecia Estes
A brief story about the brand and my educational background. I started Tan & Chocolate beauty and extensions around my senior year of college. From middle school to high school and then to college. I had been taking entrepreneurship courses. Overtime, I felt I did not understand the financial side and ended up getting a degree in accounting. I have been dedicated to the brands success since its inception.” Read More>>
