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.
George Fuller
I began my career in Manhattan, where I managed the re-development of a commercial building to residential lofts. I then moved to Roanoke, Virginia and opened an auto parts distribution business, capitalizing on the new next day delivery services of UPS and FedEx. I opened a second location in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and ultimately a third location in Dallas, which is how I ended up in North Texas. Read more>>
Catherine Carpenter Cox
I grew up with a singular dream: to bring stories to life on stage. Born and raised in Boston, I began performing professionally at just 10 years old, captivating audiences at the Boston Children’s Theater and Wheelock Family Theatre. This passion eventually led me to New York City, where I earned my BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. Read more>>
Angelica Matthews
Also, I sacrificed a long career with CPS, a steady check, and a pension to begin my journey as a therapist. I had to obtain my license, get insurance, find an affordable space, purchase furniture, figure out funding, and figure out how to start my business without a clear outline or step-by-step instructions. The days are long, and there’s rarely enough time to fit in homework and clients each day. But the struggles are worth it! Read more>>
Larrie Coleman
My journey into the notary business started with a desire to create something of my own—something that allowed me to serve my community while building a career I could take pride in. I began researching the notary industry and quickly realized how much opportunity there was, especially in helping people during important moments in their lives—whether it’s buying a home, finalizing legal documents, or simply needing a trusted professional to ensure things are done right. Read more>>
Dr. CINDY Ruelas-Tafolla
I juggled high school, dual-credit college classes, and a full-time job—often all in a single day. My efforts paid off when I earned my Bachelor of Arts with a major in Law and Society from the University of Santa Barbara, California. But rather than pursuing a legal career, I followed my heart into social work, enrolling in the prestigious Master of Social Work program at the University of Southern California (USC). Years later, during the height of the Covid pandemic, I earned my Doctorate degree at USC. Read more>>
Dr. Christian Henry
Well, my journey really starts in East Texas. I was born and raised there as a country girl and the daughter of a young, married, God-fearing couple. Growing up, I knew emotional and foundational wealth when it came to faith, family, and love, but financial wealth was something far out of reach. What’s powerful, though, is that I didn’t realize the financial barriers my parents faced until I was much older, because they made sure my big brother and I never went without. Read more>>
Thomas Hodge
Fast forward through my accounting degree at UCF, and I found myself climbing the corporate ladder for five years. I held positions ranging from audit at PwC to senior financial analyst roles at PepsiCo and FLIX Bus. Yet despite the prestigious names on my resume, that familiar feeling crept back in; the same sense of being out of place that I’d felt at the ice cream shop. As a small cog in a massive wheel, I struggled to see the direct impact of my contributions. Read more>>
Fernanda Roel
Honestly, the last thing I expected was to end up working in construction. Growing up, I spent 11 years in competitive dance and 12 years in competitive cheerleading. So how did I end up here? Why is my car covered in dirt instead of glitter? (laughs) I guess the discipline from all those years of extracurriculars built me into the entrepreneur I am today. Thank you, Mom, for driving me to practice for 13 years straight! Read more>>
Laura Camargo
I actually stumbled upon this profession. It started with me youtubing how to make a balloon column because I wanted to decorate for my babyshower. Proud of my little column, I posted it on my Instagram. Someone a few months later asked me to make one for their child’s birthday party and posted that design as well. I continued to get request and would install at a discounted rate so I could practice and get commissioned as well. Once I learned the art of balloons my perspective changed. Read more>>
Ashton Ulrich
My journey began in Los Angeles, where my family settled while I was still in school. Shortly after graduating high school, I had the opportunity to work with Disney in music. Like many 18-year-olds, I wasn’t entirely sure what direction I wanted to take, so I also began assisting a celebrity stylist. With passions for both music and fashion, I dove into both worlds—contributing to styling for the Golden Globes, Oscars, Grammys, and major music videos, while also learning the business of music behind the scenes. Ultimately, music became my true focus. Read more>>
Arun Konda
I grew up in a small village in south India, far from the film industry or big-city opportunities. From a young age, I was drawn to storytelling, whether through books, short plays, or simply observing people and imagining their lives on screen. Moving to the United States was a huge shift, but it gave me access to new resources, ideas, and communities that helped me turn my passion into a career. Read more>>
Eric Boshart
It hasn’t always been a smooth road. Hard money lending is always this push and pull of having enough capital for deals and enough deals for the capital that you’ve raised. So you’re constantly trying to find the right balance there. It’s all about investing our LPs’ capital securely and protecting their capital at all costs. With that comes a lot of pressure to deliver solid risk-adjusted returns. Because a lot of the capital is personal and/or friends and family, it becomes paramount that we maintain a good product. Read more>>
Joyce Spencer
I sounded so bad my dog would howl, and my father would laugh. I continued with the clarinet through 11th grade. I switched to saxophone at the request of my band director, Carole Bergeron, because our marching band of about 40–45 members didn’t have enough saxophones. I found the saxophone to be easier and more interesting than the clarinet. Read more>>
Cinthia (Ciindiie) Espinoza
When I was younger.. probably around 11 years old I started getting into baking. I’d bake cupcakes ALL the time. I remember my dad use to take us to the dollar store and instead of buying a toy or a snack, I’d buy cake mix and the premade frosting. Then I’d go home and bake for my family. My mom would always get so mad because I’d use her oil and eggs. As I grew older I grew a passion for baking. Read more>>
Maira Thomas
My journey began in Mexico, where I worked as a PADI Master Instructor. When I moved to Dallas in 2016, it was only natural that I found myself back in that world, working with a local dive shop and connecting with the diving community there. When the pandemic upended life for everyone, I took the opportunity to step back and reassess my path. Read more>>
Catherine McLeod
I am a retired NASA engineer. I decided to retire in December of 2024 after 34 years with the agency where I had numerous jobs over time. At the time of my retirement, I was responsible for the design and development of Astronaut radiation protection hardware development. There are still numerous pieces of my hardware flying on the International Space Station. Read more>>
Ashton Hooks
In 2016, a year after college, I was studying for the ASVAB to join the Air Force—until one phone call changed everything. My former football coach, Larry “Doc,” reached out, and that conversation shifted the entire course of my life. Through him, I met Will Young, the owner of Krave Magazine and Weight to Wear. Read more>>
Ericka Pearson
Hello everyone! I’m Ericka — a proud businesswoman wearing a few amazing hats! I’ve been blessed to join Keller Williams as a licensed real estate agent, and I’m also the proud owner of Savory Souls Kitchen, my catering business. I decided to step into real estate because I noticed so many similarities between selling food and selling homes. Both take passion, presentation, and trust! Read more>>
TinaMarie Womack
I’m an Esthetician with a mission to get the best results for your skin care concerns with natural modalities, so that you get the best natural results possible. I’ve been licensed since 1982 and hold a licenses in Texas and California. Read more>>
Nikki Stillo
I’ve always been fascinated by how people navigate life’s challenges and relationships. Early in my career, I worked as a case manager in Dallas at a non-profit supporting pregnant and parenting teens. That experience taught me a lot about resilience and the power of support during transitional times, while also opening my eyes to the emotional struggles so many people face. Read more>>
Z Huynh
It’s funny because I never had a huge background in music. I’ve always learned as I went. Country music wasn’t something I grew up on, but over time it started to grow on me. I joined Hazard County about ten years ago, and the band had already been together a few years before that. Read more>>
Cathy Mosby
Second generation tax practitioner, family on black business my father taught me how to prepare taxes at the age of seventeen where I inherited the business in 1991 from a small country town in Henderson Texas East of Dallas Texas. I moved to The Colony in 2004 and open an office. Read more>>
Sarah Triplett
We decided to start this adventure with our friends and families in mind and we will make every effort to treat you like a close friend or family member. Buddy and Sarah met in 2016 through a mutual friend. They soon started dating and Buddy was very excited and eager to learn about Indian culture and Sarah’s heritage. Read more>>
jenn sharrer
Husband and I met in the restaurant industry almost 18 years ago. I was his sales rep and he was the managing partner. We have been together ever since. I have 15+ years wine industry experience, he has 30+ years in the restuarant industry. Read more>>
Shannon Hart Gonzalez
Mums and Kisses began as a Homecoming Mum E-Commerce website that catered to Texas students and parents attending their local homecoming football games and expanded quickly to offer a physical retail location. The designs, quality and low prices kept customers coming back year after year. What began in Texas, shipping city to city has now grown to now serve customers worldwide. Read more>>
Kip Yates
After I was laid off from my sales job in 2009, I decided to do something better than what I had been doing and be someone better than who I thought I was. I read that complimentary alternative medical practices were a growing industry, so I enrolled for fall classes at the Swedish Institute. Read more>>
Yashmeri Kuilan
As a mother, I never imagined I’d be on a journey to help my child with something as deeply personal as scar management. My daughter was born a preemie at just 25 weeks, and although she is now a healthy 9-year-old, her journey has been filled with challenges and many surgeries, leaving her with several scars on her body. Read more>>
Kalli Branson
Atticus Modern Goods originally opened in 2020 and changed ownership in 2024. I worked for almost two years under our prior owner learning the ins and outs of operating a boutique and building on a wide variety of past work experiences from summer camps, Americorps, and SAAS product management to a smattering of retail jobs and running a coffee roasting company. Read more>>
Ashley Bolding
Absolutely! I started working in coffee back in 2014 with humble beginnings at a Starbucks inside the DFW Airport. It was an intense introduction to the coffee world. My shifts started at 5 a.m., which meant showing up by 4 a.m. to catch the shuttle, go through the single open security checkpoint, and walk across terminals just to clock in. Read more>>
Dr. Jalen Ferguson
My name is Dr. Jalen Ferguson, fondly known as Dr. Jalen. I’m a dedicated Doctor of Chiropractic who graduated from Life University in September 2022. Before embarking on my chiropractic journey, I earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Grambling State University. In short, I’m very passionate about providing holistic healing options to patients, empowering the body to heal from within through spinal adjustments. ead mor
Hunter Newsom
The atmosphere and quality of a small hometown eating place has always been an attraction for our family. The Newsom family established roots in Richardson in 1955 when Richardson Heights was being built. It has since been the home where children, grand children and great grandchildren have all left their marks on this great city. Read more>>
Teneisha Crane-Street
Back in 2019, I started AccuGeeks with one goal — to make a little extra money on the side doing bookkeeping for small businesses while still working full-time. It was supposed to be something small and manageable, just a supplemental hustle. But, like most things God puts His hands on, it evolved into something much bigger. Read more>>
Beverly Kelley
Hello! I’m Beverly Kelley, the proud owner of Market 76082, a boutique dedicated to supporting small businesses by bringing together local artists, makers, and entrepreneurs. My journey into the world of small business ownership has been a rewarding adventure filled with growth, passion, and an incredible community. Read more>>
Jazmine Angkiangco
Social Legacy Consulting began with one simple goal: to help small business owners, nonprofits, and creative entrepreneurs show up confidently and consistently online—without burning out in the process. As a working mom and business owner, I saw firsthand how overwhelming marketing, branding, and digital management could be—especially when you’re wearing all the hats. Read more>>
Micah McBay
My story in theatre began when I was eight years old, standing onstage as a Munchkin in The Wizard of Oz at a local high school. I didn’t have a single line, but I had one moment that got a big laugh every night. From then on, I was hooked. Read more>>
Myriah Sanders
Honestly, my journey started with my own skin issues. I struggled with breakouts and texture for years, and that’s what really sparked my interest in skincare. I wanted to understand how to take care of my skin — and eventually, how to help other people do the same. Read more>>
Silvana Jim
My name is Silvana Jim, and I’m a proud Mexican creator, beauty influencer, and community builder based in Dallas, Texas. When I first arrived in the U.S., I faced a reality many immigrants know too well – no friends, no family, and navigating a completely new culture. Read more>>
Angie Seekamp
I’m a fourth-generation seamstress and needleworker. I sewed on my first button when I was about five years old and just never stopped. I come from a very creative, hands-on family on both sides. Quilting, sewing, embroidery, knitting, crochet, painting, drawing — making things has always been part of my life. I’ve always joked that I’m kind of a Jane-of-all-trades. Read more>>
Sally Daniels
I have worked in the field of domestic violence for 28 years as a therapist and also Program Director, Executive Director, and currently as founder, ED and therapist. When I left the city and moved to the country there were no services for victims of domestic violence in my rural area and God told me I would be opening an agency to serve victims. Read more>>
Kim Brown
We’re Kim Brown and Abigail Hoover, founders of Story and Strategy, a boutique public relations firm based in Fort Worth. We didn’t set out to start our own business, rather our partnership developed over a period of years as colleagues at Cook Children’s Health Care System. Read more>>
Matt Ward
My journey started when i began working with my dad at his heating and air-conditioning business he started in the 80s. I learned from him how to run a business, how to deal with customers and all the ins and outs of owning a small business. I worked with him for 15 years and the last 5 i was pretty much running it myself. Read more>>
Keri Kendall
After navigating a major life transition and I was now a single parent, I reached a turning point in my life. At the time, I began working as a nanny for a family with a child who had special needs, and that experience inspired me to pursue nursing. Read more>>
Ashli Mathis
As a Marketing graduate from Grambling State University, I always knew I had more to offer than just a typical sales role. I was driven by a passion to help people and organizations, which led me to the GSU recruitment department while I pursued my Master’s degree in Public Administration with a focus on Human Resources Management. Read more>>
Tylecia Smith
I have been doing hair for many years in different cities but once I hopped off the porch in Dallas I finally felt like I was in the right place at the right time. Read more>>
Angie Munsey
When I was a little girl, I wanted to be a ballerina, a figure skater, an author, a rock star, and a clinical psychologist. Fast forward to today, and I’ve managed to live a little piece of each dream. I wrote and performed music for many years, and now I’m a Licensed Professional Counselor-Associate helping people rediscover clarity and balance. Read more>>
Sergej Marojevic
After helping various companies to venture into the EV charging space, I decided that I would like to try to solve the problems that I was able to understand in the past decade or so, what the main issues are, and how to approach them without executives’ obstructions due to their lack of vision and technological knowledge. So it led to the birth of Qcharge. Read more>>
Josh Jaccard
Well, I was born in to a musical family. Both my father and step father were professional musicans and both played in bands. My father is a singer and piano player. I started playing guitar pretty young, eleven or twelve. My step father gave me a few lessons, but I am self taught otherwise. Read more>>
Molly Bornstad
The story of Mold Dog USA is a testament to the power of a personal crisis that ignited a professional purpose. The company was founded by three individuals with a unique blend of passion and expertise: Molly & Ken Bornstad and Lane Simmons. Their journey began about three years ago when Molly and Ken were living their dream, traveling the country in their renovated van. Read more>>
Aleaya Bradley
My journey started long before I ever stepped into a classroom or newsroom. I’ve always been passionate about storytelling — the kind that informs, uplifts, and connects people. I began my career as a news producer and writer, driven by a love for sharing stories that matter and giving a voice to communities that are often overlooked. Read more>>
Erin Duvall
Hi everyone! My name is Erin Duvall, and I am a singer/songwriter/mother and entrepreneur. I grew up in a large family in Dallas, TX, as the fourth of five children. I have two very wonderful parents who taught us at an early age the importance of hard work and giving back. Read more>>
Lauren Tallman
Right out of high school, I moved to Denver to go to Johnson and Wales University to get my degree in communication design. I was pursuing graphic design because I thought it was the only way to make a livable wage as an artist. After two semesters landed me an impressive 1.9 GPA, I realized I hated graphic design. Read more>>
Flo Elkins
I’ve always been a pretty athletic person— competitive, curious, and driven by purpose. I believe my true calling revealed itself through a deeper mission: helping girls and women, especially those over 40 and from underrepresented communities, discover their strength, wellness, and flow — in sport, wellness and in life. Read more>>
Roman Da’Fro
Back when I went to South Garland High school I use to love AP English Literature (Shout out my teachers Ms Mack). Something about being able to convey your words in a vast array of elegant ways was so cool to me. This was at a point I wasn’t event doing music yet but writing poems and short stories . Read more>>
Dr. Slavoski Wright Sr.
My story is about calling and service. I grew up in Dallas and learned early that faith is not a Sunday activity. It is a way of life. I sensed a call to ministry in my twenties and began preaching, teaching, and serving wherever I was needed. At the same time, I felt drawn to protect and serve my community through law enforcement. Read more>>
Angela Sims
I’m a Licensed Professional Counselor and I began my journey in the mental health field in 2018 after graduating from Texas Tech University. Since then, I have been fortunate to gain experience in a variety of roles. Read more>>
Jennifer Loyd
I decided to become a therapist when I was 12. I started my journey by joining the US Navy and then going to college to get my two degrees. I have been a therapist now for over 20 years. It’s the coolest job ever! I began my private practice after being part of corporate workforce and have now been up and running for two years. Read more>>
David Galvan Cruz
Honestly, I’ve always been an artsy kid, so it’s somewhat challenging to pinpoint exactly where it all started. Growing up with a dad who liked to sketch and doodle is what I believe actually jump-started my love for art. Read more>>
Christine Umanzor
Back in 2004, while working long hours in the corporate world, I adopted a dog who desperately needed training, socialization, and someone to watch her during the day. A friend suggested doggy daycare, and I thought, “What is that?” After doing some research, I enrolled her in one of the very few daycares around at that time—and I was instantly hooked. Read more>>
carolyn benavides
I’m from Carrollton, and my husband is from Farmers Branch. We met in 9th-grade Algebra class and have been together ever since—high school sweethearts from the CFBISD R.L. Turner Class of 1983. We’re blessed with four sons and two grandsons. Our family’s passion for giving back began in the early 1980s. Read more>>
Shelly Combs
The vision grew stronger as I looked around our little town of Valley View. I saw the need for a place that wasn’t just a restaurant, but a gathering spot. A place with fresh, homemade food, a coffee bar for early risers and late workers alike, and even a full bar for winding down. I wanted to build something that reflected both my roots and the heart of this community. Read more>>
Sierra Preston
After several years working on my skills I took the leap to start my own business. It was one of the greatest risk I’ve ever taken. but oh wow, is it worth it. So worth it. I now co-own a suite with my bestie and work for myself. It has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Truly building something that started as ideas in you’r head and then bringing them to life is such a special feeling. Read more>>
