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.
Corea Connie
It definitely has not been easy. I’ve lost a few jobs, had to change esthetician schools due to allergic reactions at my first school. Most recently I lost my nephew to suicide in Nov 2024. After that I was in a tough situation financially and mentally losing my mind, so I decided to move back home for 6 months to regroup. Then immediately after I moved back home I lost my grandma in Feb 2025. Those 2 deaths turned my entire world upside down. I was in a dark place for a really long time at the beginning of this year. Read more>>
Selena Dotson
Telling my story always makes me emotional, because little me would be incredibly proud of the woman I am becoming the values I carry, the heart I lead with, and the growth I’ve experienced over the years. My love for beauty began at just 15 years old. Makeup made me feel beautiful and confident, and it quickly became my creative outlet and safe space. Read more>>
Ali Duffy
I wanted to dance since I was a child. I didn’t start training seriously until I was 14 years old and from then on, it was full speed ahead! I have earned three degrees in dance, a BA from UNC Charlotte, MFA from UNC Greensboro, and PhD form Texas Woman’s University. I relocated to Texas in 2009 for a position at Texas Tech University. Read more>>
Debbie Anderson
Below is a brief bio as to the various opportunities I have had to lead in Mesquite …. currently my main focus is presiding over the MCPAAA (Mesquite Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association)…but I stay very busy in other functions. Read more>>
Hannah-Beth Foster
By my third year there, life began to change. Once my husband and I married, we purchased a small fixer-upper house in a charming Plano neighborhood. The long commute meant quitting my beloved job at the school. More importantly, it meant taking a much bigger step in my career – running my own private piano studio. This was my chance to finally realize my dream. However, I knew it was a feat I could never accomplish alone. Read more>>
Barbara Havard
In 2019 I took the leap into the photo booth industry. (Leap…might not be the best verbiage, as it wasn’t an all of a sudden thing.) I had been a photographer for many, many years and after attending a wedding one time that had a photo booth, I was instantly intrigued! I loved the idea of entertainment and photography mixed together at a formal event! Read more>>
Jenishia Crockett
I started preparing my own taxes in 1999, not even thinking it will turn into a business. Read more>>
Erica Norwood
I’ve always been a creative person, and that absolutely comes from my parents. Even though neither of my parents are artists as a profession, they’re both skilled at drawing and writing poetry. My dad can build anything he dreams up, and so I grew up watching him come up with ideas and then bringing them to life, and it was always so inspirational to me! Read more>>
Aundrea Collins
My path hasn’t been traditional and that’s been my advantage. As a neurodivergent creative navigating systems not designed for me, I learned early how to observe people, patterns, and the emotional undercurrent beneath behavior. I graduated from Howard University with a concentration in Marketing, pairing formal strategy with a deep, self-driven study of psychology, specifically how identity, belonging, and emotion influence decision-making. Read more>>
OLUWASEYI OYEDIRAN
We launched our online store during the Covid surge in August 2020. We had been selling items, clothing and accessories to friends, families and acquaintances in small batches, as orders come from the trunk of our car; way before Covid. As an African decent that loves her culture and heritage; our major desire has been to bring Africa to wherever we go. Either in our dressing, accessories, jewelries, earrings, the hat or merely the fan I use to reduce the humid heat condition am feeling. Read more>>
Victor Casas
I’m a transfronterizo—my life straddles that imaginary line between El Paso and Juárez. I’m a self-taught artist. I found my voice on the walls around 1993, 1995, through graffiti. But life sent me on a detour; I served in the Army. When I came back in 2010, I slowly picked up painting again. It wasn’t just about painting anymore; it was about survival. Read more>>
Arjun Srivastava and Anita Srivastava N/A
Over the past three years, my sister Anita and I have been working on FamLove, a project that grew directly out of the grief, confusion, and responsibility we experienced while caring for our grandparents in their final years. Both of us come from over a decade of experience in technology, product, and design. Read more>>
Kathleen Ketola
Health has always been a fascination and passion for me. I have very clear memories of teaching myself the bones and organs using GeoSafari (an electronic memory game) in kindergarten, and my mom photocopied images from her medical texts and put them in a Lisa Frank binder for me to use as a coloring book. Read more>>
D.D. Taylor
Over the Moon Furniture Consignment 2128 Tin Top Rd, Ste.300 Weatherford, TX 76086 817.341.6441 www.otmconsign.com Open Mon-Sat 10:00 pm – 5:30 pm Over The Moon Furniture Consignment is a hidden gem right here in Parker County. The store is located in Weatherford, Texas, nestled in-between Home Depot and Hobby Lobby. It just celebrated its 6-year anniversary in September. Read more>>
Hollie Puterbaugh
When I was in middle school, I gained a wonderful group of friends that introduced little 11-year-old me to the vast and intricate world of animation and drawing. It was love at first sight, and I quickly became hooked on drawing ever since. Flash forward to high school, I was on the school tennis team. Read more>>
Shirley Janneth
I had hired & worked with 3 different social media managers and realized that I was getting the same response from all of them & couldn’t provide the services I was looking for. I wanted to make a space (& business) that focuses on organic growth for whether a small business, brand, or ministry. Read more>>
Karen Duke
Our story is one of partnership, preparation, and purpose. My husband Bryan Duke graduated from the University of North Texas in 2013 with his Bachelor’s degree in Accounting. Right after graduating, he made a very intentional decision to learn the business the right way. Read more>>
Brittney Cardenas
My passion for health and fitness began when I started dancing at the young age of 3. I went on to become a competitive collegiate dancer, but suffered a debilitating back injury my sophomore year. That was the catalyst to me switching my major to Kinesiology in an effort to understand my body and injury better. Read more>>
Hunter Gregory
I began my career in 2013 at Crystal Clear Sound Studio, fully expecting to become a sound engineer. While working there, I started picking up a camera to photograph musicians in the studio—capturing moments between takes, the intensity of performance, and the quiet focus behind the music. That curiosity quickly turned into something bigger. Read more>>
Bri Tyler
I’ve always been drawn to art and creativity. In high school, that showed up primarily through painting, and I actually won a painting scholarship my senior year. Around that same time, my dad noticed that I was constantly taking photos and editing them on my phone, so one day he surprised me with a simple point-and-shoot camera. I took that little camera everywhere with me. Read more>>
Katrina Hawkins
My story begins in Atlanta, Georgia, where I was born and raised. I grew up in a strong family unit led by my mother, who provided stability, love, and guidance throughout my childhood. While my upbringing was largely positive, it was also shaped by difficult realities. Read more>>
Dr. Micah Bonola
I grew up in the DFW area and attended Baylor University, where I pursued the pre-med track. While in school, I began shadowing various healthcare providers, including a chiropractor who had played a tremendous role in helping my mother. I later learned that my mom had been in a car accident when I was a child and had lost sensation in her fingertips. Read more>>
Olivia Delavega
I didn’t find midwifery by accident. I found it the way many of us find the things we’re meant to do—by listening to a quiet, persistent calling and choosing to follow it, even when it led me against the current. From early on, I was drawn to women’s stories. Read more>>
Michael Jimenez
I started JMZ Farms when I was 12 years old after receiving my first baby chicken at church on Easter Sunday from one of the church moms. I showed up at home with a baby chick in my hands, and my mom was not too excited about having animals at the house. Read more>>
Dr Lauren Pitts-Bounds
My journey to founding Legacy Counseling & Life Coaching has been anything but linear it has been shaped by lived experience, faith, resilience, and a deep calling to serve. I grew up navigating significant personal, relational, and systemic challenges, which exposed me early on to the realities of trauma, inequity, and unmet mental health needs particularly in marginalized communities. Read more>>
Mikel Bell
My journey in medicine started while I was serving in the Navy as a Corpsman (combat medic) with the Marines. After serving 5 years and two deployments, I left the military to pursue my dream of becoming a physician. During my education, I had several experiences that led me to think about health and medicine in a more holistic way. Read more>>
Manvitha/Nuzhat Argula/Nasser
Me (Manvitha) and my best friend and business partner, Nuzhat started our photography business in November 2019. Nuzhat had always loved photography, and our very first shoot was when she took photos of me. For the first time, I actually liked how I looked in pictures, and that moment led me to suggest that we start a photography business on the side. Read more>>
Shelly Bates
My path has always been one of service, even generationally. My mother was a social worker by position and no degree, and she was the best, winning awards for her contributions in service to those in need. If I’m honest, it started as a teenager. Other people naturally found their way to me, asking for advice, or an ear to hear their story and situation. Read more>>
Jilleian Sessions-Stackhouse
A Journey to loving myself ‘ When my mother passed away from multiple sclerosis in 2019, something inside me broke open. Grief has a way of forcing you to look at everything differently, and as I watched her slip away, I realized I had been slipping away from myself too. Read more>>
Zariah L. Banks
I started off as a book coach and editor. Even though I’d been writing since I was 9 years old, I still hadn’t taken the leap to publish my first novel. Finally, after having a dream that my husband was cheating on me, I got the idea for my upcoming novel, Beauty Betrayed. Read more>>
Cami Hobbs Riley
Cami Hobbs is a real estate agent with Keller Williams North Country and has been in the real estate business for over 25 years. Cami’s coverage area includes North Texas and Southern Oklahoma. Home Light ranks Cami as one of the top 1% of agents. Cami handles single family homes, ranches, commercial and raw land. Everything Cami touches turns to SOLD! Read more>>
chijioke nwadike
My story is one of evolution—from the center of the stage to the architect behind it. I began my career as a professional dancer, fueled by the rhythms of my Nigerian heritage and the high-energy stages of icons like Burna Boy and Tiwa Savage. Read more>>
Unoma Okoroafor
I founded the Working to Advance STEM Education for African Women (WAAW) Foundation back in 2007, right in the middle of my PhD studies in Computer Engineering at Texas A&M University. My reasons for starting it were deeply personal and driven by a desire for change. First, I experienced profound personal isolation. Being the only woman of color in my graduate program was incredibly lonely. Read more>>
Jeremiah Havok
Professional tattoo artist, fine art commission artist, employer, tattoo mentor to several dallas custom artists. Father, Husband, dog enthusiast, cat dad. Knew i was going to be an artist my whole life. Was held back in kindergarten for always drawing on the back of my school work sheets. Never tries to pursue any profession outside of music and art. Read more>>
Hannah Steven
Aeon was formed in 2017 by a group of friends who shared a passion for K-pop, Korean culture, and dancing. Our goal was to showcase our talent and appreciation for this vibrant culture to a wider audience. Since we already had a close friendship, we were able to create a unique style of performance that reflects our strong connection. Read more>>
Janet Morrison-Lane
I have been with Vickery Meadow Youth Development Foundation for fourteen years. I was hired to run the EAGLE Scholars college readiness program, a five-week summer program that worked with students from Tasby middle school to prepare them for college. My passion is education and I had run afterschool and summer programs for 17 years while I was working at another nonprofit (CitySquare). Read more>>
Jeanelle Dugue
My journey has been anything but linear, and I think that’s what makes it meaningful. I come from a family of business owners, so entrepreneurship and independence were always around me, even before I fully understood it. I was also deeply inspired by my Godmother, who worked in real estate during the market crash in the early 2000s. Read more>>
Bondie Metchore
When I first started my business, it was all about finding my feet in a new country and figuring out how to support myself and my kids. I needed to reinvent myself, to create something solid that could grow and give us more than just a survival mode. I wanted to build a life where we could truly thrive, not just get by. Read more>>
Chandler Milliken
My wife, Tabatha, and I had both been in the insurance restoration and construction industry for about nine years. Before that, we were just like a lot of people — working nine-to-five jobs, living paycheck to paycheck, trying to make ends meet. At one point in our lives, we were deep in addiction and barely surviving. Read more>>
Kristen Perello
We are a female owned permanent lighting company that started in April 2024. My husband and I always wanted to start a business together and provide a service in a niche area that wasn’t saturated. We started having conversations with friends and about our interests and LUMI Outdoor was born. Read more>>
Nallely Miranda
We began by listening. In April 2021, we conducted focus groups in Pleasant Grove to ask families what they felt was the most urgent public health need they were facing. Again and again, parents shared that they felt helpless when it came to supporting their children’s mental health. Read more>>
Laura Hogan
I’m Laura Hogan, the founder of The Shattered Ceiling. The idea for my company began long before I ever owned a business. As a student at Texas A&M I attended a career fair and needed something professional to wear. Read more>>
Cleopatra Morgan
I’ll be 49 in February and I’m from Bastrop, Louisiana. I was raised by a teen mom until the age of 14 alongside my sisters. I was the middle child. My mother got married when I was 14. My mother raised her daughters in the fear of the Lord and we were faithful members of a local COGIC church. Read more>>
Tony Machi
Back in 2021, kids were still struggling with the aftereffects of the COVID lockdown. My household was no different. My girlfriend’s son is a big basketball fan, She decided to sign Ethan up for the YMCA basketball program. The team did not have a coach, and the YMCA asked me if I would volunteer. Read more>>
Brandi and Mario Nickerson
Nature’s Edge Wildlife and Reptile Rescue was officially formed in 2012 by Brandi and Mario Nickerson and achieved 501(c)(3) nonprofit status in 2014. While the organization itself was formally established in 2012, its foundation is built on decades of hands-on wildlife rehabilitation experience. Brandi has been involved in wildlife rehabilitation since 2000, serving in numerous roles including permitted wildlife rehabilitator, volunteer, transporter, and hands-on caregiver. Read more>>
Duane Patrick
Sunset Hill Tree Farm is a working farm offering fresh-cut and choose-and-cut Christmas trees, a pumpkin patch in October, and educational tours for schools, church groups, and families. It also hosts events such as birthday parties, anniversaries, and family reunions in a scenic setting. Visitors appreciate the friendly staff, family-friendly atmosphere, and the creation of lasting traditions, with many highlighting it as a delightful experience. Read more>>
Brieanna Lightfoot Smith
I didn’t have any close friends, I struggled to fit in and because of this life often felt overwhelming and honestly pointless. But my mom’s words felt like light at the end of a long tunnel. I repeated them to myself whenever the weight of the day pressed too hard and I wanted to give in to the lies that the best way to process my life was to end it. Read more>>
Shannon Marrs
If you asked me if I ever thought I would own my own company, I would have laughed at the question. Thinking about it now, however, I can see that from a young age, I found ways to solve problems. When my parents refused to buy me designer jeans, I started a car wash to make my own money to buy them. From the time I was 12, I was always working and that leads to problem-solving, which often opens up new opportunities and ideas. Read more>>
Nancy Diamond
My work has always lived at the intersection of beauty, intention, and meaning. Six years ago, I founded GLO Styles, a fashion and bridal styling business created to help women show up confidently during some of the most meaningful moments of their lives. Read more>>
Nasir Zahir
My name is Nasir Zahir, and I am a passionate hotelier with a lifelong commitment to excellence in the hospitality industry. Happily married and the proud father of three, my journey has been shaped by diverse experiences and a relentless pursuit of knowledge. Born in Pakistan to a diplomat father, I had the unique opportunity to live in various countries, absorbing different cultures and perspectives. Read more>>
Ovet Martinez
I was born and raised in Pleasant Grove in Southeast Dallas, and growing up there shaped a lot of who I am today. I’ve always cared about fairness and integrity, but I didn’t truly step into leadership until high school. During my freshman year, I started paying close attention to issues that affected my community—especially civic engagement, immigration, and youth empowerment. Read more>>
Dr. Mary Davis Cross, D.C.
I spent over a year in traditional therapy and went through rounds of cortisone shots, but nothing truly changed. I knew I needed to try something different — so I started researching what else was out there. That’s when I found a sports chiropractor. And within six sessions, everything shifted. I regained strength, mobility, range of motion, and most importantly, the ability to take care of myself and feel like *me* again. Read more>>
Rose and Heather
Later, I worked in boutique spas and in a major franchise, and seeing the contrast shaped the therapist I wanted to become. I learned what made people feel held, what made them feel rushed, and how deeply someone relaxes when they feel genuinely listened to. Read more>>
Dion Adala
After three interviews, I somehow got accepted. I still remember how nervous I was during training, but that’s also where I met my first mentor, Christa Stephens. She believed in me at a time when I didn’t really believe in myself. I didn’t have a background or a polished resume, just willingness. But she trusted me, and that trust became the starting point of everything I know today. Read more>>
Rupali and Kapil Apshankar
Blissvana grew out of our own lived experience. For many years, our lives looked very different on the surface. We were deeply immersed in the corporate world, leading complex technology and transformation initiatives for global organizations. On the inside though, we were always drawn to the inner world: emotional healing, intuition, and helping people navigate life’s transitions with compassion and clarity. Read more>>
Kaya Park
Hello! First of all, I want to thank Voyage Dallas for the opportunity to share my story. It truly means a lot to be featured among so many inspiring creatives and entrepreneurs in the DFW community. I was originally an education major, just a student who loved anything related to beauty and aesthetics. Read more>>
AMIR KAMALI
I am originally Persian, and before I came to the United States, I first moved from Iran to the Philippines on 2009. There, I immersed myself in both dentistry and music, learning and growing in those fields from 2013 to 2015. In 2016, I made the big move to the U.S., landing in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Read more>>
darkEntity
We met while attending the University of North Texas (UNT), where we were both enrolled in the electronic music concentration. At the time, we were individually pursuing careers in film scoring—Andrew as a trombone concentration and Michael as a percussion concentration. Read more>>
Meagan Jackson Katie Franklin
Katie and I studies together at University of North Texas completing our Master’s in Community Mental Health. We each went on our own way working with children and families in community agencies, schools, hospitals and private practice. After a decade on our own paths we reunited to work together in a private practice. Read more>>
Noemy Sarmiento
I found my way into wedding planning while planning my own wedding in 2022, and that experience truly changed my life. As I went through the process, I fell in love with the industry, not just the design or logistics, but the heart behind it. Read more>>
Reginald Foreman
My name is Reginald Foreman, and I am a former offender who overcame gangs, a life of abuse, and past mistakes through faith in God. Today, I am an entrepreneur, keynote speaker, certified life coach, and author, committed to impacting others and changing lives. I grew up in the Chicago projects and later became entrenched in Miami street life. Read more>>
ANTONIO CHAVEZ
Financially, I had also several challenges, coming to a break even point is taking much longer than what I anticipated and managing personnel has also being too complex. I have managed people all my life, but I was dealing with professionals and executives, now I need lo manage people that is fighting check to check to survive, with a complete different reality. Recruiting and retaining is very complex in this new world. Every day is something new to deal with, and now, I’m responsible for everything! there is no boss to go for help or guidance, Read more>>
Jennifer Simmons
I come from well-educated immigrant parents from West Africa, Ghana, and was raised with a deep respect for education, discipline, and entrepreneurship. From an early age, I understood that my life was meant for more than simply getting by. Read more>>
Yuel Neal
I started Chevalier Life as an Instagram account, originally focused on reviewing local restaurants and bars around the Dallas area. During COVID, that content naturally evolved into cigars. I began smoking cigars, talking about them, and sharing photos and experiences online. What started as curiosity quickly turned into passion. Read more>>
Tanishia Richmond
My journey began in survival and evolved into purpose. I was once diagnosed with Sarcoidosis and placed on sixteen medications a day while my body was shutting down. After months of hospitalizations and surgeries, I reached a point where I had to make a decision to either accept decline or fight for my life. I chose to fight. Read more>>
gary neal jr
I’m a veteran of both the US Army and the Marines. After leaving the military I became a government contractor and spent almost eight years in Afghanistan. Once that part of my life was over, I decided to create my brand Pride and Egoos, as a way to leave a legacy for my kids. Read more>>
Jose Arriaga
All that work eventually paid off. I was offered the opportunity I’d been chasing: a position at Renaissance Tattoo in downtown Fort Worth— one of the top shops in the DFW area. I’m proud to be there now, while also working at a shop in my hometown of Cleburne, where I get to tattoo many of the clients who supported me back when I was working from home. Read more>>
Alisha Dancy
I’ve always understood fashion as language. Not trend, not aesthetic but communication. Before a word is spoken, your image has already told a story. It announces presence, intention, and power. I learned that early, and it shaped the way I moved through the world. Read more>>
Bud Farmer
My dad passed away in 2005, when I was 20 years old. He was a successful home builder, and in the wake of his passing, I stepped in and took over the business at a young age. I felt an immense amount of pressure and quickly realized I wasn’t ready to be locked into a lifelong career. Read more>>
Chris Cunningham
Born in Dallas and raised in Forney, Texas, my first guitar came as a gift from my Cousin at Christmas, around age 12. By 15, I’d written my first song and by 16 I began to play bars all over East Texas. Read more>>
Ramona Ross-Bacon
A Journey Rooted in Service and Sustained by Mission My journey to where I am today began in 2018 while I was working at the Cedar Hill Recreation Center. During that time, my supervisors, BJ Stevenson and Melissa Valadez-Cummings, provided me with the opportunity to host monthly Veterans Claims Clinics at the facility. Read more>>
Alysha Washington
I started back in 2020 with my business. I wanted something that would celebrate women’s bodies and allow them to feel sensual in their skin while also helping with weight loss. Being able to meet different women, educate them on the history of waistbeads, and help them feel confident in their skin is amazing. Our bodies go through so many changes with hormones and children. Read more>>
Dirk Smith
EEM’s story began in 1961 when Gwen and Gayle Hensley, a young couple in their mid-twenties, and six other couples, set out with little more than faith and a vision to bring God’s Word to millions trapped behind the Iron Curtain. Read more>>
Sarah Inamdar
Mama.llama.cooks was never created with the intention of being a business page. It all started during the lockdown when I was trying out new recipes and sharing them with my two sisters who then suggested I start a food photography page on Instagram. When I told my husband about it, he was thrilled and said he would love to see me start it. Read more>>
Bryce Mckinley
Gosh, like many others, my journey into the real estate space started with a few online searches that led to a few more YouTube videos of trying to understand the missing pieces. You always hear of the “get rich using no money out of pocket,” I, too, fell into that trap, but only for approx. 5 min. Read more>>
Tony Johnson
i started in the golf cart industry back in 2002 worked in the industry for several years then went down a different career path! When my wife and i moved back to Texas from colorado we ended up in Athens tx which lead me back in to golf cart industry! Read more>>
Chad Thomas
My entrepreneurial journey began well before my work in fashion. My first full-scale business was a white-glove moving service that I launched just before the 2008 recession. Starting and sustaining a business during that period gave me a foundational understanding of operations, financial discipline, customer service, and resilience. More importantly, it gave me confidence that only comes from building something real under challenging conditions. Read more>>
Shay Trendy
CTD—Connecting The Dots—started as more than an idea. It started as a mindset. I realized early on that everything in life is connected: the struggles, the wins, the setbacks, the lessons, the people I met along the way. Nothing I went through was wasted—it was all preparing me for what I’m doing now. At first, CTD was just me sharing real moments. Real conversations. Read more>>
Israel Reyna III
That run lasted from 2016 – 2021 I would I say. After that I became a family man and then ran into issues with my now divorced wife in 2023 and ever since then I’ve been traveling the world performing, producing, even filming and helping other artist & business’s reach their goals and potential as well. Solo at times or even with a group I have been connected with since 2024 “High Vibe Tribe” Read more>>
Jon Pattie
Today, I’m releasing the final recordings from my time in Nashville, with the last song coming out on Friday, January 9, 2026. It’s a way of honoring where I started while stepping fully into what’s next. My path hasn’t been linear, but it’s been authentic — driven by a willingness to take risks, reinvent myself, and build something meaningful. Read more>>
Emily Shea Cartusciello
“You have to be able to visualize the arc of your career.” In retrospect, the road feels relatively smooth, but in real time, it was difficult to know when—or whether—to take the leap and leave a corporate job I genuinely cared about. There were certainly moments when I could not see how the path would unfold, but that perspective helped to give me direction, even when the timing felt uncertain. Read more>>
Danielle Schwartz
Starting any new venture comes with its share of struggles and challenges. For me, it’s been about finding the right balance, and I’m still learning! It’s easy to get caught up in taking on too many orders and trying to serve as many people as possible, but eventually, it can catch up with you. That can jeopardize the initial passion that got you started. I definitely don’t want to burn out from something I love, like making people happy with my food. Read more>>
Ann Parnes
After Hello was built at the intersection of two very different but deeply complementary professional paths. I spent 14 years practicing law , including seven years as an Assistant District Attorney, before becoming a certified life and relationship coach in 2014. Through the lens of my professional background, I saw firsthand how many singles were overwhelmed by today’s dating landscape. Read more>>
