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.
Ana Martin
How I Found My Path in Dallas Real Estate My journey to real estate in Dallas began long before I ever imagined entering the industry. I was born in Moscow, Russia, where discipline and perseverance were shaped early through my years as a Junior Olympic figure skater and later through my classical music studies at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory. Read more>>
Janna Johnson
Genial started as a small mobile notary service during a period where I needed stability, but it quickly became the bridge between my love for serving people and my new passion for digital consulting. What began as simple document work evolved into a premium, systems-driven experience where I guide clients through complex processes and help them feel taken care of from start to finish. Read more>>
Yulonda Norman
My Real Estate Story My name is Yulonda Norman, and real estate has been my heartbeat for nearly a decade. I stepped into this industry in 2015, earning my real estate license in Texas, and from the moment I handed over my first set of keys, I knew this work was my purpose. Read more>>
Melba Mosley
I got started on this journey 12 years ago. I was in cosmetology school and a lady came in and we were not able to work on her due to lack of training and liability to the school. She was a diabetic and I decided then that will be my targeted market. Read more>>
Valerie Mathews
I have always loved to express myself through art and being creative. I feel like that has easily translated into my work as a hairstylist. I started doing hair in 2018 and In 2020 I went independent and opened Valerie Rose Hair. I specialize in vivid/fantasy colors and alternative cuts. Read more>>
Uba Udogwu
For as long as I could remember, I’ve always been a storyteller. While life has pulled me in different directions over the years, filmmaking has always been where the heart is. From building documentaries to writing scripts, I’ve always looked at storytelling as a valve that allows me to express my creativity and passion. Read more>>
Kat Black
I approach design with a deep, personal passion for curating cohesive luxury interiors and truly thoughtful spaces. My eye for spatial harmony started early. When I was a child, you could regularly find me rearranging my room to make it more functional and cozy! Read more>>
Chester Rhines
I was born and raised in Shreveport, Louisiana, and entered Southern University without much exposure to the medical field. A conversation with a friend about his interest in physical therapy introduced me to the profession, and the combination of healthcare and working with athletes immediately appealed to me. From there, I began volunteering and working as a physical therapy tech to better understand the field. Read more>>
De’Stini Henderson
Five Star Vending LLC started while scrolling through TikTok, as a simple idea of creating passive income while I was pregnant with my baby girl. I created my business with the intention of delivering top-tier service, premium products, and an unmatched customer experience. Read more>>
Lauren McCambridge
My journey really started before I ever saw my first contract. I grew up in North East Ohio, immersed in agriculture, horses, and rural living. Values that shaped who I am long before real estate entered the picture. Read more>>
Amanda Adabah
I was posting on YouTube, but at first it was inconsistent. Once I started to get more consistent , there was a woman that emailed me about an issue she was having with her relationship. She told me that she didn’t have the finances to pay, but that she could basically exchange energy for a painting she had done. Read more>>
Janis Dockery
My name is Janis Dockery, the owner of “Jayys Esthetics.” I have been a business owner for 3 years so far & love every minute of it! I was born and raised in Fort Worth. I graduated from Everman High school 2017. Soon after, I went to trade school to obtain my Esthetician license. Read more>>
Juno Alaskah
I’ve always been an artist at heart. Growing up, I was the kid who was constantly drawing—anything I saw, I tried to recreate. I never had formal art training, and I never imagined tattooing or piercing would become my career. But in 2011, curiosity got the better of me, and I decided to give the craft a try. Read more>>
Sonia Azad
After spending 20+ years as a career television news reporter + anchor, I came to a crossroads in life: keep doing what you’re doing, which is going really well… or explore the edges of discomfort and dip into the unknown. Curiosity has been my greatest companion in life. Read more>>
Amy Mosteiro
My husband and I were having patio screens installed at our house by the previous owner of Cool Screens Texas. My husband had been traveling the world doing PDR the past 27 years and we were trying to find him something else to do and be able to stay closer to home. Read more>>
Jack Hein
I came here as a refugee kid back in 2015. Took Art class and got into Ceramics. Thought it was just a hobby, but I changed my major to art and got my bachelor in Studio Art with Ceramics emphasis. Decided to pursue a Master’s degree in art. And I am getting my terminal degree in ceramics. Read more>>
Marlena McKnight
My journey began with the awareness that God had given me a unique gift for healing, but it wasn’t until I fully surrendered my life to Jesus that I truly understood the purpose behind it. Once I aligned my life with Him, my desire shifted from simply having a skill to wanting to use that gift to change people’s lives. Read more>>
Brian Albiter
I’ve always been drawn to spaces where strategy, aesthetics, and culture intersect. My professional journey began in luxury multifamily operations, where I spent over seven years managing high-rise lease-ups and large portfolios across Houston, Dallas, and Austin. Through this work, I honed my ability to analyze data, monitor performance metrics, and translate insights into actionable strategies that optimize occupancy, retention, and overall asset performance. Read more>>
Sil Azevedo
I have seen the world through a camera lens since my childhood. I got my first camera for Christmas when I was 7 — a Kodak Instamatic 133. It was love at first sight, I was hooked. Life made sense through the viewfinder. Read more>>
Maliek Yuseef Powell
I’m Maliek Yuseef Powell, a Birmingham-raised and Atlanta-shaped creative producer whose work sits at the intersection of storytelling, community, and culture. As the oldest sibling, leadership found me early, and those responsibilities became the foundation of everything I’ve built. Upward Bound also shaped me. Every spring break, we traveled to a new place — New York my first year, Baltimore the next, then Las Vegas. Read more>>
Shawn Gann
I’m a bit of a semi-immigrant to this country as I was born in the Philippines (Clark Air Force Base) and lived my young life wholly overseas before coming to the U.S. for university. My family were part of the evacuees from the Mount Pinatubo eruption of 1991, so we moved from the Philippines to Germany then, eventually, to South Korea. Read more>>
Candace Brown
I was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. I knew fairly early that I wanted to be a Dentist. It started in the 9th grade after our School Principal challenged our class to start investing in our future career choices. I took advantage of programs that allowed me to volunteer and shadow in dental spaces and found reassurance that Dentistry was for me. Read more>>
Douglas Rice
My family and I have been going to Broken Bow Oklahoma for about 15 years. Mostly to go fishing and camping at Beavers Bend State park. In 2019 be purchased two cabins in the area and rented them out on the weekends to cover expenses. Read more>>
Macaiah Campbell
My name is Caiah — a singer, a storyteller, a worship leader, and a woman learning how to grow gracefully in every season God walks me through. I was raised in a big, blended family full of love, laughter, sharp honesty, and deep faith. Read more>>
Tiffany Freeman-Scott
I started my nursing career in 2006, long before I ever imagined I’d be running my own psychiatry practice. I was born in Wisconsin and eventually made my way to Texas, where both my career and my family really began to take shape. Read more>>
Ana Espino
My journey has been anything but easy, but it has shaped the professional I am today. I studied a Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition in Mexico, and right after graduating I started my own business. In the beginning, it was tough — I had no clients, no recognition, and very little income. Read more>>
Darlisa Diltz
The magical question, where did it all start? If I am being honest, it feels like a blur at times because so much has happened in-between. However, St. Louis Missouri is where I initially got my induction. I, like many, wanted to climb the corporate ladder and live the American dream, but shortly realized that the dream was literally just that…….a dream. Read more>>
Cheryl Polote-Williamson
My journey has never been a straight line; rather, it is a beautifully orchestrated weaving of disparate experiences that ultimately converged into my core ministry: empowering women to intentionally define and live their purpose through the transformative power of their words. The Starting Point: Affirming My Voice Like many women seeking genuine fulfillment, I spent my early career navigating various roles. Read more>>
Alali Olaegbe
Ever since I was a child, I have always loved all things beauty, I always wanted to make the world a better place, one beautiful human at time. Read more>>
Fasicka and Patrick Hicks
I was born and raised in Ethiopia, where food is part of every celebration, every memory, and every expression of love. When I first moved to the US 1996 and met my husband Patrick Hicks 1997, a native Texan, I never imagined one day we will build a restaurant that express both our childhood memories and the love we share. Read more>>
Angelo Gonzalez
My name is Angelo Gonzalez, a Fort Worth–based artist who’s been creating since I was a kid. I work across all mediums — photography, digital art, physical artwork, design, and now video — pretty much anything that helps me bring an idea to life. Read more>>
Samuel Hawkins
Hey ,I’m Samuel Hawkins I’m from Mississippi but based in Fort Worth. I own @Goim on instagram. I built a very engaged audience of over 122k followers and partners with other’s business and brands like, Rockem , Ariat also do forex trading Read more>>
Armando Ochoa
y I started DFW Dog Houses on May 15th, 2020, during one of the toughest seasons of my life. At the time, I was working 10–13 hour days in construction, and I was the only provider while my wife was still in school. We had one daughter at home, and my wife was pregnant with our second. Read more>>
Humphry
My story starts in a rough place. I was born to a young mother who had me at 15, and because life was already hitting her hard, I ended up being adopted by a relative. She was a God-fearing woman who raised me on faith, discipline, and love, but poverty has a way of shaping you in ways even good intentions can’t block. Read more>>
DeArtae Comanche
My journey as a videographer didn’t start with a camera — it started with music. Long before I ever pressed record, I was an artist first. Music taught me how to feel, how to translate emotion, and how to build worlds out of nothing but sound. Eventually, I realized I didn’t just want people to hear my stories — I wanted them to see them. Read more>>
Jori Bowman
Geeky Girls Dallas started out as an idea on Shamonica Wiggins-Mayes’ heart. Longing for friends who loved anime, cosplaying, and geek culture as she did. She thought about creating a space for women to join her in exploring local events, concert, and other festivals. Read more>>
Morenike Olorunnisomo
I knew I wanted to be a therapist after taking my first psychology class in high school–I was fascinated by how the mind worked and the impact external factors could have on how a person functioned in the world. Later, in graduate school, I learned about the impact of trauma on a person and how it was basically the root of most issues. Read more>>
S. Journey
My name is Adrienne Crawford, and although I now thrive in a world far bigger than where I started, I still carry the heart of that small-town girl from Nebraska. Music has been woven into my life for as long as I can remember. Read more>>
ARIEF NAEN
I started this creative fashion business in early 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. I have a passion for photography, focusing on natural landscapes. From my personal photo collection, I had a strong desire to use them to promote regional tourism. This sparked the idea of selling these photos on clothing, specifically printed jerseys and screen-printed t-shirts. Read more>>
Holly Gaske
Our organization, The Gaske Cat Foundation, really began with a simple observation. During her travels, our founder, Holly Gaske, was a long-time volunteer for various animal shelters throughout the US. Read more>>
David De Leon
Early Inspiration / Where It All Began I’ve always believed creativity is in my bones. Growing up, I was drawn to art in its many forms — painting, sculpture, design — but it wasn’t until I started playing with different media that I realized art could be more than just a hobby; it could be a calling. Read more>>
Rosemary Osondu
I am a proud Nigerian-American from Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria, and the founder and owner of Rose Style Studio, a luxury hair salon in the heart of Dallas, Texas. I graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington before fully stepping into my passion for the beauty industry. My mission has always been to bridge the gap between healthy hair care and high-quality extensions. Read more>>
Valencia Gibson
My real estate journey began in 2008, managing conventional and public housing properties. After relocating from Houston to Dallas in 2015, I continued serving in the industry by supporting a beautiful agent and her family’s business in 2016—an opportunity that came as an answered prayer and a supernatural selection. Those years taught me the foundation of real estate through service, systems, and people. Read more>>
Jordan Fountain
I started my fitness journey later than most at 28 years old after avoiding the weight room for nearly a decade following a serious athletic injury in college. For years, I chased different careers like acting and film editing, but none of it felt aligned with who I was meant to be. Read more>>
Heather Gothard
I grew up in Texas as the kid who ran toward challenge – the girl who somehow became the quarterback of her football team, sprinted into life, and breathed grit like oxygen. Athletics became my first language: directing my energy, uniting people, and staying calm under pressure long before I knew those were leadership skills. Running evolved into both medicine and compass. Read more>>
1903 Design Studio
Our story actually begins long before 1903 existed, back when the two of us were on completely different paths. Junior was an animal scientist running a microbiology lab, while Michela was transitioning from freelance creative work into a senior design role. We met through mutual friends, bonded through humor, and quickly discovered that we shared the same curiosity for digital design, especially UI/UX. Read more>>
Deborah Fessenden
I started my local business, Apples & Oranges Jewelry and Apothecary, in April 2024 after vending at my first farmer’s market in Pilot Point. Before becoming an official business owner, I foraged and pressed my own flowers for years, creating an array of artwork and later jewelry, with organic materials found on walks with my sweet dog, Dutch. Read more>>
Lucia Macias
I started this dream six years ago, and it has been growing little by little. The journey hasn’t been easy, but I’ve stayed committed to sharing the beauty of Mexican artisan work. I work closely with artisans from Chiapas and Oaxaca, building strong connections and supporting their craft. Read more>>
Kinsie Wright
I grew up in a holistic household where caring for your mental, emotional, and physical health was encouraged. I learned early on that healing begins from within, and that belief shaped so much of who I am today. Like most young adults, I went through seasons of uncertainty. I questioned my path, my relationships, and the kind of person I wanted to become. Read more>>
Amber Spence
I started dancing long before I understood that it was saving me. As a child, dance became the one place where I could breathe, feel, and express what I didn’t have words for. I experienced sexual assault at a young age, and I carried those emotions alone. Read more>>
Tiffany Beaudine
My background was in communications and public relations, but my heart has always been with serving children. I wanted to be somewhere professionally that I knew I was making a difference. So, I sought began seeking out opportunities with local nonprofit organizations who were serving children where I could use my strengths and background in communications. I found my perfect match with Rainbow Days. Read more>>
Stephen ‘Sambaza’ Batti
I am an immigrant from Kenya and have lived in the DFW area for over 20 years. I’m the proud co-founder of a family with two kids, aged 16 and 13. I was born in the coastal town of Mombasa, located on the eastern side of Africa, where I attended a predominantly Asian school for 15 years, covering my pre-K years through 8th grade. Read more>>
Shane Hamilton
Music has always been a passion of mine, growing up my family traveled playing bluegrass music so I was always around it, at 18 I began leading our worship team and did that for a little over 15 years. Read more>>
Meaghan Cody
I joined Sweet Pea Events in 2010 and immediately knew I’d found my place in the wedding world. I spent years learning the business from the inside out and fell in love with creating events that feel intentional, personal, and beautifully executed. Read more>>
Jamie Smith
Being an athlete in High School, I had some serious muscular injuries. one of our team Moms was a massage therapist and she single handedly nursed me back to health and I was able to finish out the season. I knew then that I wanted to help people how she helped me. Read more>>
Caleb Rains
I got my start playing music in Dallas back in 2009 with some friends I met in college at DBU. That was my first real exposure to the industry and I gained valuable insight into Dallas music culture, how to conduct myself in the space, and how to balance the joy of playing with my friends versus the grind of doing business. Read more>>
Jacquelyn Jackson
Jacquelyn Jackson started her career as a loan broker with significant experience in commercial lending, real estate investment, and credit repair, building expertise over more than 18 years. She owns and operates TDJ Equity Funding in Frisco, Texas, leveraging over 25 years of experience in business ownership, project management, and business coaching. Read more>>
Dr. Darian A Moseley, DC
I started Moseley Chiropractic & Wellness Center with a clear vision: to create a clinic that combined expert chiropractic care with a patient-centered, whole-person approach. My passion for healthcare was shaped early in life after losing my father at a young age, which gave me a deep appreciation for the importance of health and inspired me to help others live healthier, fuller lives. Read more>>
Kay Barney
I was that kid that cut all her Barbies’ hair and everyone in my coloring books had highlights and lowlights. I moved from Wisconsin in 2011 to go to hair school. I never took my ACTs or SATs because I knew cosmetology school didn’t care- hair was always the plan. Read more>>
Maggie Dodson
I’ve always been drawn to stories and creativity, since I was a kid. Read more>>
Ashley Portier
Sound Ideas began more than 35 years ago with a simple love for sound. Founder Doug Thompson started the company in the 1980s as a small recording studio in his garage, helping churches and local musicians bring their audio projects to life. Read more>>
Samantha Robles
My career began with a simple but powerful intention: to create a better future for my family. As a mother of two, I was determined to build something meaningful, and with the unwavering support of my parents, I was able to complete my education and enter the beauty industry. Read more>>
Kennith Thomas
Absolutely. My story really began long before I ever became a speaker, pastor, or content creator. It started as a father just trying to save his son’s life. Seven years ago, my son Kristian—who was born with Down Syndrome—was diagnosed with leukemia. Overnight, my wife Josie and I went from being young parents with big dreams to living in a hospital room, praying for miracles. Read more>>
Zach Kidwell
I’m a third-generation artist based in Dallas, but I took the long way around to get here. I grew up in and around studios—my grandfather was a prolific artist who’s work hung in the Met and collections all over the world, and my dad is an assemblage sculptor with work in the Smithsonian and high end retail stores across the country. Read more>>
Will Carter
I started Carter Elite when I was a senior in college my second semester at TCU in Fort Worth, Texas. I have been coaching basketball since I was 17 years old but never had my own organization. I coached for a few different organizations, learned a lot from them but realized I could create my own. Read more>>
Frederick Sirls
I’ve been a massage therapist for 9 years and it’s been a dream come true. For 8 to 9 years prior, I was reading meters(electric at first, then gas). It was at the gas company, after moving to construction fixing gas lines, that I realized I wanted and needed to find a new path. Read more>>
CrashedOut Productions
I started as a kid who enjoys the sound of music. Always having my headphones on during the bus ride, getting in trouble at school for wearing headphones, wanting the music loud when I’m in the car just to hear the bass. Read more>>
CL Stevenson
Scott Powell founded New Leaf Custom Homes, a Dallas based luxury home builder, in 2006. As the company grew and enjoyed success, he eventually brought architecture and interior design in-house by starting the sister company Design Shop. In 2022, Scott realized that this group was nearly perfect but missing exterior design to make the group of services complete. Read more>>
Jamila Tyson
My story starts long before I ever knew I’d become a wellness coach. From my mom cooking homemade meals almost every day to my dad keeping me active in sports, wellness was naturally built into my childhood. Without even realizing it, they were laying the foundation for the way I would value nutrition and physical activity as an adult. Read more>>
Victoria Beard
I first started out as a kid with a wild imagination who liked to draw them out and was always in LaLa land but my art business is Fís Victoria Art. I started it up back in 2019 after my sister told me I should make an art page on social media. Fís is Irish Gaelic for ‘vision’, so basically my business is ‘my vision’. Read more>>
Radicubs Robotics
In 2018, Sahil Jain and Caitlin Fukumoto founded our team as a club at Rick Reedy High School in Frisco. However, the school administration severely restricted us financially, so we established ourselves as a community team the next year. We serve as an outlet for students to explore engineering, programming, and business through the FIRST Robotics Competition. Read more>>
Girls in STEM Board
In 2015, our founder, Alice Hou, was attending junior high school when she realized the lack of representation for women wanting to pursue STEM careers. At the time, many STEM organizations were not focused on the issue of gender gaps, which Alice strove to bridge. Read more>>
