It’s more important to understand someone than to judge them. We think the first step to understanding someone is asking them the fundamental questions about who they are and how they became the person they are today. Understanding and empathy are essential building blocks for a better, more compassionate world. We’re incredibly fortunate to be able to ask these questions each week through our interview series. Below you’ll find inspiring interviews from in and around Dallas.
K.Rene Ford
I have been exploring art my entire life. I always dreamed of owning a business, made up different shops as a kid. Then, 10 years ago I started working on making something real. A buisness that could be done at home with my new baby. I tried out a few ideas and preserved botanicals were the most inspiring to me. Read more>>
Lindsay Puente
I am the founder and executive director at Ondas Cultural and Movement Arts, as well as a university professor. Both of these identities are deeply intertwined for me. I recieved my PhD in Comparative Literature, with extensive research on the Afro-Latin world, from the University of California, Irvine in 2010. Read more>>
Hiroto/Nami Ochiai
Hiro’s Kitchen is built on the idea of creating truly memorable dining experiences by incorporating Japanese ingredients, sake, and culture into our services. For many people in Texas, this is still something unfamiliar, so one of our greatest challenges—and joys—is communicating its value and inviting guests to take that first step into a new cultural experience. Read more>>
Ryan Stratton
My story has always been about teaching, leading, and helping people grow. Long before he ever stepped into a pulpit, I discovered a love for guiding others while still a teenager. I trained in TaeKwonDo and poured myself into the discipline for fifteen years – attaining the level of 5th Degree Black Belt and also teaching it to children, teenagers, and adults. Read more>>
Alan Lowman
Alan Lowman spent 11 years as a classroom teacher in the Dallas area, guided by an incredible group of mentors who helped shape his practice. With their support, Alan’s students consistently achieved success, and before long, other schools began reaching out to learn from his approach. Read more>>
Mindy Berkson
Newborn Advantage was born from the perfect blend of my personal journey through infertility and my professional background in business. After facing the emotional and physical challenges of In Vitro Fertilization firsthand, I felt deeply compelled to support others navigating the same path. Blending compassion with professionalism, Newborn Advantage Surrogacy was born in 2005. Read more>>
Herlina Sujanto
My journey in Kumon began in Florida in 2002. I first came across Kumon in 2002 when I was looking for a place to enroll my daughter, but there wasn’t a center anywhere nearby. However, the more I learned about the Kumon program, the more I was impressed by its ability to help children learn and grow academically. Read more>>
Jane Graner
From as far back as I can remember I have felt a strong sense of God’s presence in my life. Growing up in Fort Worth I was a fixture at my United Methodist church, eventually becoming very active in our youth group. When I was 13 our youth pastor told us that he was going to a school called a seminary. Read more>>
Allison Larrea
I actually started my theatre journey later than most. My background was originally in dance, I graduated college with a degree in Visual and Performing Arts and I had planned to pursue teaching dance full time—but the universe had other plans. After graduating from college, some friends convinced me to audition for a local theatre production that happened to be tap-dance heavy. Read more>>
Tiffany sneed
Tiffany Sneed’s Career Journey 
Early Career – Banking Tiffany first worked in banking, which gave her experience in finance, customer service, and money management. This sparked her passion for financial literacy and inspired her to help others gain control of their money. Education – Accounting Studies While working in banking, she decided to pursue accounting in school. Read more>>
Cristian Pina
I first got into landscaping 9 years ago working with my father in law who was in business for 20 plus years. I fell in love with landscaping the first full week I worked with him. I worked with Miguel for 3 years, learning everything I could from him! He then pushed me to start my own business and so I did. Read more>>
Ashley Agan
Originating from the small town of Blue Ridge, Texas, I am the eldest of three siblings and though it may sound cheesy, I have always dreamed of making a meaningful impact on the world. My interest in mathematics and science led me to pursue Biomedical Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin, followed by a medical degree from UT Medical Branch in Galveston. Read more>>
David Kim
Hello, my name is David Kim, and I currently serve as the lead pastor of The Cross Church. I was born in South Korea, and at the age of 18, I moved to the United States to study abroad. Read more>>
Whitney Purifoy
Starting Air Remedy LLC was born out of both resilience and determination. After leaving an abusive marriage while pregnant with my second child, I began a new chapter with the support of my mom and the arrival of my son, William. Read more>>
Lindsey Graham
In 2020, I was an entrepreneur in Oregon with six businesses. Due to Covid lockdowns, I lost all six of our companies, our home, and our retirement. We left Oregon for Arizona to be near family and were forced to rebuild our lives. In 2021, I wrote my first book, Targeted, a memoir, and discovered that God had a greater plan for my life. Read more>>
Meri Rule
After I became a widow, 9/9/1999, I felt lost and needed a new purpose in life, so I went back to school after many years of grieving. I’ve always been interested in helping others feel better emotionally, so going back to school for my Master’s in Mental Health Counseling was a great fit. Read more>>
LeeAnne Chenoweth Lawson
I grew up in a small Oklahoma town; Enid! Starting violin lessons at age 5, my parents knew by the time I was 12, they needed to be taking me to Tulsa for lessons with the Tulsa Symphony concertmaster. Read more>>
Erin Willbanks
I became a Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner in 2011. I worked in community mental health before transitioning to private practice in 2015. In 2022 I began to experience burnout from the fast-paced nature of the office I was working in and began feeling like I was not helping people in the way I wanted. Read more>>
Kevin McDonald
My parents started Big Sky Metals as a home school project for my brother and I. I learned welding from “Big Tommy” my dad’s old friend. Then when I graduated with my online degree I decided to go to college and learn all the fancy lingo and chase a career as a welder. Read more>>
Rodney Gatson
My story really starts with some tough moments in life. Losing my mother was a turning point for me it forced me to take a hard look at myself and the direction I was headed. I’ve taken my share of ‘nails’ in life, but those challenges shaped me and gave me perspective. Read more>>
Brittany Stilwell
I promised to do everything I could to change the mental health system for the queer community in the south. And that’s why I founded The Mind Parlor. My name is Brittany Stilwell, I am a Licensed Professional Counselor in Texas, and I founded The Mind Parlor in Dallas. Read more>>
Nicole Rolon-Caro
My Story I never set out thinking I’d become a business owner. My journey began as a special education teacher, working every day with teens who were navigating challenges no textbook ever truly prepared me for. I saw firsthand how young adults—especially those who were neurodivergent or struggling with mental health—were expected to “just figure it out” once they turned 18. Read more>>
Tevvon Hines
I’ve always loved stories in all forms. I basically grew up in front of the TV and loved to read and write. I remember creating short skits with friends for our school presentations in English class and performing them. A few of these became video projects that were uploaded for YouTube. Read more>>
Bonnie Fleming
I started in a public accounting firm out of college, worked my way to the Technical Accounting Manager and Consolidations Manager at a $6b company. I wanted to make a difference with small businesses. So I started on Upwork doing bookkeeping on the side to put my son through college and build my firm. Read more>>
Rossana Taylor
Back in high school, I dreamed of becoming a travel agent—but in my home country, that career didn’t exist yet. So I earned a degree in Business Administration and tucked that dream away… until 2011, when I was a young mom living in Rockwall, TX, searching for a flexible career I could run from home. Read more>>
Tom Foreman
When I got out of high school in Dallas, I went to work for Dallas Plumbing. While I was digging a ditch in August in 110 degrees, I thought to myself: I need to find a job with air conditioning. So I went to Tyler Junior College and randomly picked art as a major. After 2 years, I enrolled at UNT in Denton. Read more>>
Seunghyun Lee
My journey with Taekwondo started when I was a young boy in South Korea. At first, it was simply a way to stay active, but very quickly it became something much deeper. Through training, I discovered discipline, respect, and the values that would later shape who I am today. When I moved to the United States, I carried those lessons with me. Read more>>
Alex Fugatt
Eugene saw a lot of potential in the property — both as a piece of Gulf Coast history and as a canvas for something fresh. Rather than building new, he was excited by the idea of breathing new life into an existing motel. Bay St. Louis has such a vibrant, artistic, and tight-knit community, and we wanted The Driftwood to reflect that. Read more>>
Eugene Schmitt
I grew up along the Mississippi Coast, a pretty normal kid from Pass Christian and spent my summers at my grandparents’ place on the Bay of St. Louis. Some of my best memories are of fishing off the pier at night, sailing on the Bay, and enjoying the kind of freedom only a small coastal town can offer. Read more>>
Marcey Mettica
I started Prosper Counseling about 15 years ago as a solo practitioner. Since then, the practice has grown to 22 counselors serving children, teens, families, adults, and couples. Collectively, we have more than 110 years of counseling experience and average over 1000 appointments a month. We stay busy and are in demand because our counselors really care and are great at what they do! Read more>>
Priya Kothapalli
I’m Priya Rao Kothapalli, MD — a quadruple board-certified interventional cardiologist and the founder of Open Heart, a podcast and storytelling platform at the intersection of medicine, creativity, and healing. For years, I lived at the extremes of high-stakes medicine, performing emergency procedures for patients in life-threatening moments. That work taught me precision, presence, and the value of every heartbeat. Read more>>
Gail Spann
I joined a national woman’s shooting group and found it lacking in instruction of safety and decided, with another woman, to create Ladies of Caliber. There are now 4 NRA certified instructors in our leadership team. We teach 2 evening classes a week and offer group classes for those wishing to join us. We also host gun cleaning classes. Read more>>
michelle leblanc-sedtal
Cornerstone Pilates was born out of a passion for purposeful movement and a desire to bring high-quality, personalized Pilates instruction to the Richardson, Texas community. The studio began with a clear vision: to create a welcoming space where people of all backgrounds and abilities could experience the transformative power of Pilates. Read more>>
Desiree Peoples
I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. I have been working in the mental health field since 2018, and in the counseling field since 2022. My passion has always been helping individuals and couples strengthen their foundations, whether through premarital counseling, marital counseling, or navigating life transitions. Read more>>
Kirk Oldham
For 20 years I battled addiction, and it nearly took everything from me. When my dad passed away two years ago, I finally hit the point where I knew I had to change. Getting sober was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but it gave me my life back and lit a fire in me to do something meaningful with my second chance. Read more>>
Jismy Sebastian
I grew up in India where baking was always part of my life because my parents ran a small home bakery. I remember helping them and watching them create cakes, and those early memories stayed with me over the years. Baking always felt like something I was connected to, even if it wasn’t my main focus at first. Read more>>
Scott Marcus
I moved to Texas looking for warmer weather and to be closer to my family. With over 28 years of experience working with pets, I’ve truly done a little bit of everything in the animal care world. My journey started when I was just 13 years old, working at a pet store. Read more>>
Roland (Alright Slash) Turner
Alright Slash – Bounce Producer | Culture Preserver | Sound Innovator I’m Alright Slash, a bounce music producer born and raised in New Orleans — the city that gave bounce its heartbeat. For me, this isn’t just music; it’s culture, community, and energy all rolled into one. Read more>>
DeAnna Arnold
I got started in the mortgage industry back in 2005. I started as a jr Loan Officer, then went into processing before getting my license & started originating loans for myself. I believe that my time as a processor has made me a better loan officer knowing exactly how underwriting looks at loans & evaluates them. Read more>>
Lorraine Birabil
Élan and I met as students at Texas A&M University School of Law and quickly became law school besties! The seed that grew into our law firm began when we were paired together as moot court partners in law school. We competed on behalf of our TAMU Black Law Students Association Chapter regionally and nationally. Read more>>https://voyagedallas.com/interview/exploring-life-business-with-lorraine-birabil-of-elaine-law-group
Pedro Correa
Pedro Correa’s Story: From Rio to Choice Architecture: The Science of Selling the Nearly Impossible **Pedro**, born in Rio de Janeiro in 1954, carrying his family’s Amazon DNA, discovered his gift for teaching complex concepts while still in high school, serving as a Physics Lab Assistant. Read more>>
Mark Purifoy
I graduated college with no idea of what I was going to do with a business management. The idea of working as a low level manager anywhere was not appealing so I bounced around from job to job trying to keep my spirits up. I went through several trials and bouts of depression and substance abuse. Read more>>
NABEEL LOUIS NASR
I was born into the jewelry world. My father, Louis George Nasr, opened his first jewelry store in Dallas back in 1978, and over the years he grew Nasr Jewelers into one of the most recognized names in the area. Read more>>
Tremayne Myles
Skatt’s BBQ logo Get to know us My journey into the world of barbecue started quite unexpectedly, on our first Thanksgiving in a new home. With the excitement and promise of our new beginning, I took it upon myself to make a memorable feast for my family. Read more>>
Aldarylro Williams
it’s great to be back with VoyageDallas! When I was first interviewed, The Link Ag3ncy was still in its early stages, born out of my passion for blending creative storytelling, branding, and digital strategy. I had a vision of building an agency that understood culture, not just marketing — and that’s what set the foundation. Since that time, we’ve experienced tremendous growth. Read more>>
Diane Reeve Kirby
I began taking Karate because I heard it was good for stress relief. I was in nursing administration and I was not helping people, just getting frustrated. I began with one class per week, but the longer I trained the more excited about it I became.. Read more>>
Sheila Strickland
I have been a photo consultant and project advisor since 2002. I have completed over 100 memory albums for family and clients. I have been a seamstress since I was a child, but began quilting in 2016 when I needed to cover the 29 beds in Welcome Home Retreat quickly. Read more>>
Hal Gomez
At age 20 I found myself at a crossroads with life. I didn’t like where I was, what I was doing for a living or the direction my life was taking so I sat down & asked myself some tough questions. Since I was young I was told I should go into barbering but I never really understood why. Read more>>
Elizabeth Mason
I’ve always had a love for all things handmade. My excitement for art came at a young age at my grandmother’s art desk. She’d leave little trinkets and craft things out for me to create whatever came to my little 7 year old mind. As I grew, I knew art would always be something that stuck! Read more>>
Ryan Flaherty
Early Inspiration & Starting Out From an early age, I was fascinated by business and the way ideas could spread. While studying at Texas State University, I began experimenting with social media marketing, helping local restaurants, shops, and small businesses grow their presence online. Read more>>
Mike Moore
I’ve been making videos for over seven years now, but the real turning point came when I decided to stop hiding behind the camera and start sharing more of my own story with the world. That shift changed everything for me as a storyteller. I wear a lot of hats. Read more>>
Derek Cafferata
I started in franchising and brand strategy, industries built on structure, scale, and predictability. But over time, I felt a deeper pull: to build something that didn’t just operate efficiently, but resonated emotionally. I wanted to create platforms that felt human, intuitive, and alive. That desire led to Travel Advances. Read more>>
Angie Still
I published my first book last year, but I have been writing since I was little. I often say that ‘books saved my life’ and it really isn’t an exaggeration. I grew up in and out of foster care and in poverty. Between daydreams and libraries, I wouldn’t be here—not as the person I am today–without the library. Read more>>
Holly Lauck
I’ve always been very creative and loved fashion and eclectic design, flowers, plants, and nature. My ultimate dream was to be an art teacher or own a flower shop,! Life had other plans for me, I had my first daughter when I was just 19 years old and had to get a big girl job and give up my creative dreams. Read more>>
Leslie Padron
I have enjoyed serving in the service industry for the past ten years. I love meeting people of all backgrounds and growing through the experiences we share. I enjoy serving people, physically and spiritually. I love celebrating people and making them feel loved. I love being a part of someone’s process and milestones in life, supporting and celebrating. Read more>>
Anton Chaikovsky
I began my career in software engineering and taught myself marketing, building over 20 years of experience in the field. When I discovered SEO, I was hooked. It turned out everyone was doing SEO so poorly that I wanted to offer true, honest, and correct SEO services. Read more>>
John Taylor
GNJ was started after I became addicted to pickleball. Looking for a new social activity, I (the J) found out about pickleball on a cruise ship. My wife, Natalie, (the N) and I started playing as soon as we returned from the cruise, and we haven’t stopped since. Read more>>
Tomekia Hunt
I am a Christian woman, a proud spouse of a retired Army veteran, a mother of two incredible young men, and a dedicated homeowner. For nearly two decades, I have been blessed to serve as a Mortgage Loan Originator, and to me, this profession is more than just securing home loans, it’s my ministry. Read more>>
Esther Amonor
By the grace of God, after graduation I moved to Dallas, Texas, to work full-time at an architecture firm. But I quickly realized that studio life and real life were very different. I needed more than what my 9-to-5 was giving me to fully express my creativity. One day, a church friend asked for my thoughts on his next drop for his clothing brand. Read more>>
Dr. Korrin Taylor
I was born and raised in Plano, and my journey into chiropractic began through my own health struggles. At 19, just before starting college basketball, I experienced my first epileptic seizure. Over the next six years I faced frequent episodes that left me feeling powerless over my health. Everything changed when I enrolled in the chiropractic program at Parker University and began receiving consistent adjustments. Read more>>
Cathy Baldwin
I have been writing songs for years and decided to study Music at UNT. After graduating I started teaching and performing. I eventually took a day time job which gave me more freedom to travel and promote my songs. Read more>>
Michelle Mathew
I’ve always had a deep fascination with nature and the outdoors. Some of my fondest childhood memories are from my backyard in Long Island, NY—pretending to forage and making “medicines” and broths from plants I’d find. Being first-generation Indian-American, I also grew up with a front-row seat to healing traditions outside the conventional medical paradigm. Read more>>
Dr. stephanie omotayo
I started my nursing career from Texas Tech University with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2012. Over the years, I have gained meaningful experience across diverse settings—including medical-surgical, pediatrics, corrections, and addiction treatment and more—which gave me a well-rounded, holistic foundation and allowed me to see firsthand the gaps patients often face in accessing timely, comprehensive care. Read more>>
Kris Hayden
I began my journey in the military, where I developed discipline, leadership, and a strong foundation in safety. After my service, I launched Shooting Aces LLC to provide firearms and security training in my community. While running my business, I pursued my Associate’s in Criminal Justice, which strengthened my knowledge and credibility in the field. Read more>>
Celia Velazquez
I came to the United States at 16 with a child, pregnant with my second, not knowing English and working factory and nursing home jobs. Determined to build a better life, I studied English, computers, and medical billing while raising my children. In 1993, after the heartbreaking loss of my son Octavio, I drew strength from my other two children and pressed forward. Read more>>
Iñaki Betran
I’ve always been a cook by vocation. I started training and working in kitchens when I was just 14, in my hometown of San Sebastián, in the Basque Country. My career has taken me around the world — from Spain to Mexico, then back to Madrid and Valencia, where I met Paco, one of the co-founders of Sketches of Spain. Read more>>
Beau Black
I left my first career as an English professor in 2019 not knowing exactly what I would do next, but pretty sure travel would be part of it. Turns out, travel is all of it. A friend connected me with someone in the industry, and I signed on as an agent with the company he worked with. Read more>>
Nabile Chahine
After getting several requests from relatives and friends to video their weddings, and all of them indicted the cost of hiring a professional videographer is the reason for asking, I realized that those who do not want to, or cannot, spend the market prices for a video of their wedding have few options available to them. Read more>>
RACHEL SPENCER
Our Journey: From Surviving to Thriving My why has always been clear: to become the person I needed as a kid. Someone with purpose. Someone with goals. Someone who could rise above hardship and create the life they wanted. Read more>>
Danielle Carter-Gardener
My name is Danielle Carter Gardener, and I am a Licensed Professional Counselor and the heart behind Fountain of Life Mental Health Counseling. As a Black female, I feel deeply called to help fill a gap in mental health care. My goal is to make therapy a welcoming, safe, and affirming space for everyone. Read more>>
Johnny Five
My spiritual awakening happened in middle 2019 when I got back from Sydney, Australia. I felt this sick feeling inside my stomach and the feeling was always linked to “not doing my life purpose,” and that is when I began the inner engineering to see if I would be able to figure it out. Read more>>
David Beck
Since the last interview 8 years ago, there have been a number of changes with Beck Martial Arts. I’m in a different location, in Plano rather than Richardson, now teaching from inside Elite Performance Academy, a volleyball gym in a dedicated room with a fully matted floor. Read more>>
Rosy Cruz
I did a little bit of everything trom owning my house cleaning business to being a Certified Medical Assistant at Texas Health hospitals. I am the type of person that dreams of something today and makes it happen tomorrow. My parents who have always been a huge impact in my lite always taught me to tight for my dreams and never give up, and here lam, doing what Ilove the most, helping people achieve their American Dream. Read more>>
Tyran Bolton
For 18 years, my corporate journey took me to incredible places, but deep down, I knew something was missing. I asked myself: What will I do with everything I’ve learned? The answer was clear — create something for myself. That’s when I designed a 25-year retirement plan to merge my love for travel and art with my passion for photography. My ultimate goal? To become an editorial travel photographer, capturing the beauty of the world as I see it. Read more>>
