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.
Jezz Villanueva
In 2019, while living in Florida, I frequently visited a plant nursery. One day, I stumbled upon a Monstera Thai Constellation priced at around $650. Curious, I confirmed the price with the cashier. After researching, I discovered a thriving community of rare plant collectors worldwide. This motivated me to explore local nurseries, find rare plants, propagate them, and resell them — it was like thrifting for plants! I also worked part-time at a floral company, where arranging flowers brought me joy and immersed me in their delightful scents. This experience deepened my love for the floral industry and inspired me to blend rare plants and flowers into one business idea. Read more>>
Deanna Lariz
The most important factor in my success is my Faith and Resilience. I’ve overcome poverty, domestic abuse, numerous sexual assaults’ and health scares. In 2015 my 18-year marriage ended. The marriage had become toxic and abusive because my spouse struggled with mental illness. I felt discarded and abandoned with 2 children. I now had to support and feed them. I had no income and hadn’t had any substantial work history, but I knew music. I’d played piano since I was 4 years old and started singing at age 13. I was given the opportunity to teach group piano at the Salvation Army Homeschool Fine Arts Academy. It was a huge success. Read more>>
Aarti Pasupathy
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road—and honestly, I didn’t expect it to be. One of the biggest challenges early on was simply finding healthier alternatives. When I started this journey about five years ago, there were very few clean-label options available, especially from mainstream food brands. I’ve always believed in offering solutions—not just pointing out problems—so I made it a point to share healthier swaps whenever I called out a concerning ingredient. But that was difficult when the market wasn’t offering much. Read more>>
Jennifer Bowden
I grew up in DFW and was a secondary fine arts and geography teacher for a decade in two DFW districts. I now serve as director of education at the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth. I hold a BFA and my master’s degree is in international education. My favorite pastimes are travel (35 countries and counting), my artwork (RoundRootStudio), and spending time with my children. Read more>>
Jack Spiritas
My father is in Marketing & PR for restaurants. Growing up, I naturally always tried the best, hottest, and classic restaurants. I found that I really enjoyed filming foods that were “crazy” and “over the top”. I remember one of my first videos as being me smashing a 7 layer cake in the middle of a local Dallas restaurant. I have always had an interest in food, it’s in my blood, and the journey I’ve had along the past years has been such a honor. Read more>>
Dr. Christal George
The pivot felt natural. I’ve always believed in the power of both science and self-care, and aesthetics allowed me to merge the two. I became a licensed esthetician and opened The Skin Design Studio, a luxury boutique spa in Arlington, Texas. We specialize in results-driven, multicultural skincare. Our services include customized facials, chemical peels, LED light therapy, and SkinPen microneedling—all designed with melanin-rich skin in mind. Read more>>
Chelsea Jacobs
And then one day, it hit me! I know the stories that are rich in content and impactful in their messages. I love rescuing these books from being thrown out and love building home libraries full of these treasures. And, as my kids were graduating and heading to college, I had more time to help younger families do this important work. Before I knew it, I was traveling to gather inventory, creating a logo, hosting a grand opening pop-up shop in my living room—and just seeing what would happen with this little bookshop idea! Read more>>
Amanda Hoyle
Bloomhouse Flowers & Coffee is a floral and coffee brand rooted in a deep desire to create beauty beyond aesthetics—beauty that restores peace invites people to slow down, and reminds them that they matter. While we sell flowers and coffee, our heart has never been centered on just being a retail space. From the beginning, Bloomhouse was meant to be a refuge—a place where people walk in and feel something shift, a place where people feel seen. Read more>>
Yeni Tahuilan
My biggest challenge was more mental, and thinking about “what people will say.” Since I started, I’ve always enjoyed being a therapist, but honestly, I was more used to being an executive, before sales, I worked in auditing for a bank in Mexico and then in sales in the US. Making a 180-degree shift to become a holistic therapist, which wasn’t a common profession, was very difficult. Read more>>
Jessica Marion
That song spoke volume to my soul and helped get me out of being stuck. I ended up getting married years later. As I was going through life, I was trying to find my career path and low and behold childcare was were I needed to be. My ex husband and I moved to California and this is where I found out I had a learning disability called Dyscalculia. I see numbers backwards. As I started researching the different types of learning disabilities I was impressed not only how many, but a lot of famous people struggled as well. Read more>>
Michelle Larson
My business would host many national and international competitions. I sold the business and started teaching lower elementary school. I taught for over 15 years and had always had a passion for flowers. My husband and I moved to Dallas 7 years ago. My daughter got married and to help with the budget I did all her wedding flowers. The joy I had designing and building her floral vision touched my heart. I knew I had to help other brides with their vision but keep their budget in mind. My mission is to help my clients with a stress free and budget friendly design process for their event. Flowers bring happiness and joy to all kinds of events. Read more>>
Raquel Harris
Growing up with parents from Louisiana meant our kitchen was always the heart of our home. My dad would often task me with prepping garlic or taking meat out of the freezer so when he got home from work, he could dive right into making dinner. He intentionally brought my brother and me into the kitchen—not just to help, but to learn and witness the care that went into creating our family meals. Read more>>
Bria Jordan
Thank God I hung on! Once I sold my first dress, it kept going! I genuinely loved talking to brides about their special day, and everything started to click. But while my professional life was on the rise, my personal life was struggling. I went through a very hard breakup, and it left me feeling hopeless. It also meant it was time to leave the bridal shop and head back to Texas. Here I was, helping brides find their perfect dress for their forever person, yet I was dealing with heartbreak myself. There were days when I struggled and wondered why this was happening at such a tough time in my life. Read more>>
Jezebel
At the same time, I was also getting my first real look at the behind-the-scenes of the industry. Since I prefer to move alone and feel out different frequencies for myself, I started noticing things quickly. I saw the double standards for women almost immediately. In Dallas, it felt like as a woman, you had to “get in bed” just to get anything accomplished. That realization made me start questioning everyone’s intentions—who was really here for the music, and who was here for something else? It was frustrating, but it also sharpened my perspective. I had to learn how to move strategically, protect my vision, and demand my respect. Read more>>
Lesslie Caro
What sets us apart is the atmosphere—we create warm, welcoming environments where strangers become friends over thoughtful conversation, beautiful experiences, and shared inspiration. One of our proudest moments so far was the pre-launch figure drawing event, where guests had the opportunity to unleash their creativity as a stunning live model brought each pose to life. While sketching, attendees savored fine wine and enjoyed delightful aperitifs, making it a truly memorable experience. Read more>>
Catharina Foster
Four years ago, Catharina sold everything she had, packed up her life, and moved to Dallas with one goal in mind: to create a better future for her son. After relocating to Texas, she built a career in medical device sales with no roadmap but unwavering determination, she rebuilt from the ground up — pouring herself into a career that would not only provide for them, but position her among the best in the medical device industry. After years of consistent hard work and discipline, she earned national recognition in 2024— including being named the #12 Territory Manager in 2024 along with joining the elite Chairman’s Club and Wall of Excellence. Read more>>
Carson Gibbons
I’m a lifelong networker that always used the 501C3 space as a way to give back and further my career. I always found it advantageous to have a second hat to wear when approaching professionals, as it made me more helpful to them. Networking always augmented by day-job, leading go-to-market teams scaling agencies and startups. Read more>>
Aline Mercado
In 2020, after surviving a life-threatening experience (kidnapping and rapping) that changed my perspective, I made the courageous decision to leave the corporate world, I felt a deep calling to create a business rooted in purpose – one that empowers women to reclaim their confidence, build self-esteem, and rise into their full potential, while giving back to the community that shaped me . Read more>>
Sarah Cha
We didn’t want to offer just relaxation. We wanted to offer transformation. We combined head spa with CO₂ therapy — something we were already using at home to treat our daughter’s skin sensitivities like eczema and psoriasis. CO₂-infused water isn’t just safe — it’s rich in minerals, deeply cleansing, and firming. The CO₂ solution we use has over 7x the minerals of typical hot spring water, and it helps detoxify the scalp and stimulate healthy hair growth. And beyond the ingredients, we believe in the power of human touch — our technique and “golden hands” are unmatched. Read more>>
Laketress Jones
I’ve always loved finance — and I’m damn good at it. But over the years, I noticed a pattern: so many young women entered accounting simply because it was considered “a good job.” And it is. But what I do goes beyond that — I blend finance, strategy, project management, and analytics to drive real business decisions. I wanted to show future business leaders that there’s more to finance than just accounting — there’s strategy. Read more>>
Niquo (NiquoInk) Smith
Being self-taught also came with challenges. In the beginning, it was hard to find solid information—especially outside the traditional tattoo world. But over time, I came to understand why the knowledge wasn’t always handed out. You have to respect the craft and truly earn your place through passion and consistency. Now that I’m well established, I try to pass that mindset on to the next generation of artists. I want them to appreciate the art form while also having access to the guidance I didn’t have coming up. Read more>>
Mary Elisabeth Denmon
It does not matter how crazy my ideas are, they always are on board to figure out the best way to achieve our goals. Most recently, I have written a book title, “The Princess and The RV: Finding peace in Life’s Detour’s.” This book was inspired by the last move we did before moving into our house we live in now. We went on an unexpected journey and lived in an RV while doing said journey. The plan was to live in our RV for about 3 months to figure out where we wanted to live. The reality was we lived in our RV for 17 months and it was one of the most challenging times in both my husband’s and I’s life. You will have to get the book when it release mid September 2025. Read more>>
David Fennell
It wasn’t until my late twenties, after exploring other paths and working through my own ups and downs with fitness, that it finally clicked. I realized I didn’t just enjoy training—I loved helping people feel stronger, move better, and rediscover what their bodies are capable of. What started as something casual among friends became a calling, and eventually, the foundation for RE|DEFINE. Read more>>
Dee Mo
Well I’ve loved comedy and acting all my life just never felt confident enough to go for it but when my grandma passed it gave fuel to my fire because she was a actress she played various roles the colored girls play, and Walker, Texas Ranger so it was like she’s with me on that stage and I just love making people laugh and things have been falling in place Read more>>
Dr. Desiree’ Stephens
Walking alongside my mom in her grief deepened our bond, and being there for each other became a source of strength. I’m also a wife and a mom to three little ones, and balancing motherhood with running a private practice and teaching has brought its own set of challenges. Some days feel like I’m being pulled in every direction—trying to be emotionally present for my kids, steady for my clients, nurturing to my students, and intentional in my relationship. That tension is very real. But it’s also what makes me human, and helps me connect more deeply with the women, parents, and caregivers I work with. Read more>>
Aaja Pathak
Not at all! Finding consistency has been a big challenge, especially while balancing this with a full-time job. Managing time, staying motivated, and keeping up with content creation takes more effort than it seems. But staying intentional, learning to adapt, and focusing on what truly matters has helped us push through. Read more>>
Celeste Salanon
We have run across a few obstacles since the creation of our non-profit. The main one is finding more eager volunteers to join us and expanding our base into all parts of the metroplex. As we’ve started hosting our volunteer opportunities, it would be fantastic to have a higher turnout. Another challenge is internally, as a board of co-founders, continuing the evolving process of slightly changing our mission and trying to find, with experience, what’ll work best and what inspires us. Read more>>
Clyde Parrish
Susan comes from a medical background and I come from a construction background. We didn’t have any idea about running an event center. Which may have been a blessing. We wanted to offer an affordable place to celebrate an event. We wanted to it be fun, enjoyable and stress free. By most part we’ve accomplished that. Our biggest challenge was establishing rules for the venue. Being said, it seemed like every time we had an event we had to create a new rule. Growth was another challenge, we didn’t expect to become so popular so quick. We’ve had to adjust as we grew. A vendor once told me that we were too nice and that we’d change. I told them I didn’t think that would happen. I’ve always been told if you like what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life. Currently we love what we do! Read more>>
Altrim Vinca
It’s been a fun journey, but there have definitely been a lot of challenges. Starting a business means you’re constantly running into obstacles—whether it’s figuring out how to make the kitchen more efficient, making sure the bagels are always consistent, or handling all the other moving parts of the business. We’ve had to learn a ton along the way, and we’re always reading, listening to podcasts, and trying new things to keep improving. Our motto is “try to be a little bit better every day,” and we really try to live by that. Read more>>
Justin Murphy
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road—and honestly, I don’t think it’s supposed to be. The challenges I’ve faced have shaped me into the husband, father, and Nutritionist I am today. One of the biggest struggles early on was balancing everything—school, coaching, building a business, and starting a family. There were many long nights, moments of doubt, and times when it felt like I was pouring everything in without seeing immediate returns. Read more>>
Brittney Samford
When COVID hit in 2020, we used that time to completely revamp our team, processes, and offerings. That season was a major turning point—we started attracting luxury clients and aligning the brand with my long-term vision. Since then, we’ve grown our team, expanded into destination weddings, and now take on a limited number of high-end events while our associate team serves couples with different needs. It’s been such a rewarding journey. Read more>>
Fatima Tai
I have more than 15 years of experience working with patients for various nutritional challenges related to diabetes, PCOS, hypertension, cholesterol, cancer, weight gain, etc. I accept Medicare, Medicaid and many other major insurances. I offer telehealth appointments so the patients can see a dietitian from the comfort of their home. Read more>>
Shalene Roberts
More than 20 years ago, I graduated from TCU and immediately went to work in magazine publishing for a small, women’s ministry publication. Not long after my tenure there, I landed a job as an editor at Fort Worth, Texas magazine, where I was also eventually tapped for the role as editor of the company’s home and garden magazines. I served in this role for several years and was the founding editor for the launch of Innovative Home magazine. Read more>>
Kara Barker
I hold a BA in Psychology, a Master’s in Organizational Leadership, and a few powerful letters behind my name (CLU, CPCU)—but more than anything, I’m committed to showing up fully. As a wife, a mother of three amazing kids, and a woman of faith, I bring all of me to every space I walk into. Read more>>
