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.
DiEma Hicks
My journey in Dallas began in August 2009 when I relocated from Denver, Colorado, to complete my nursing degree at the University of Texas at Arlington. Unfortunately, my plans took an unexpected turn. I applied for the nursing program and was not accepted. This denial completely deterred me. Read more>>
Jonathan Taylor
My journey into entrepreneurship and technology consulting began with a simple, recurring pattern: people consistently coming to me for help solving complex problems. Whether it involved technology, operations, branding, or business strategy, I was drawn to breaking challenges down, building practical solutions, and helping others move forward. As that skill developed into a career, I spent years consulting across a range of industries. Read more>>
Jim Ayres
My father, Lt. Col James H. Ayres, was declared Missing in Action in Vietnam in 1971, when I was eight years old. Fast forward 36 years to 2007, when his remains were repatriated. During the process of planning the military funeral for him, I became intrigued with the funeral industry by watching the work of the civilian mortuary affairs specialist. Read more>>
Dr. Jesse Jacobs
My name is Dr. Jesse Jacobs. I started my medical career intially pre-med, looking to go to medical school and become an orthopedic surgeon. I played sports at high levels throughtout my life and experienced my fair share of injuries along the way. Read more>>
Tracey Honea
I started my journey at 21 years old, fresh in the industry and searching for a place where I truly belonged. I worked at a commission-based salon that never felt like the right fit, and every high-end salon I applied to felt too exclusive, too polished, or too restrictive. They did not hire me, and honestly, I did not see myself reflected there either. Read more>>
Isaac & Shameka Collins
Collins & Collins Counseling Services began as more than a practice — it started as a response to seeing how deeply people are hurting, often silently. As husband and wife, and as licensed therapists, we’ve both witnessed the weight individuals, couples, and families carry when life, trauma, and broken relationships go unaddressed. Read more>>
Lindsay Whitman
I began my professional career in 2014, entering the mental health field with a strong commitment to serving some of the most vulnerable members of our community. I worked with the local mental health authority as an intake specialist, supporting individuals experiencing homelessness and providing care within nursing facilities for those living with mental illness. Read more>>
Cliff Sparks
My journey started with a simple desire: to bring people together and make a difference in my community. Growing up, I saw firsthand the power of unity, support, and showing up for one another. As I got older, that passion turned into action. I began organizing small community events, cookouts, and gatherings—just trying to create safe, positive spaces where people could connect. Read more>>
Gary Black
This March marks my 30th anniversary in eyewear, and my career has always been driven by a deep appreciation for design, craftsmanship, and education. When I founded Black Optical, the goal was simple: curate eyewear from the world’s best independent designers, made from exceptional materials, and to deliver a true 5-star experience built on hospitality and expertise. Read more>>
Dennis Walthers
My path here wasn’t linear, and in hindsight, that’s what shaped it the most. I started my career on the business and sales side of technology, working with large global brands where performance, scale, and results mattered every day. Read more>>
Alisha & Juhee
The idea really started with a text message. Juhee was at a winery eating a charcuterie board when it hit her, and she texted me and said, “We should start a charcuterie business.” At the time, it sounded fun but not something we seriously thought we’d do. For a while, we were just the people who always brought charcuterie to parties. Read more>>
Angel L. Reyes III, Founder and Managing Partner of Angel Reyes & Associates
I was born and raised in Puerto Rico, and in the 1970s, I relocated to Kansas City. Moving between two worlds—two cultures, two languages—shaped the way I see people, community, and fairness. Even after leaving the island, Puerto Rico never stopped feeling like home. I returned often, and during summers I worked construction. Read more>>
Norbelys Torres de Rengifo
I am a teacher with more than 20 years of experience in education. I worked 10 years at a Spanish school in Keller and 3 years in Forth Worth ISD as a Spanish teacher. I am from Venezuela and came to the United States seeking better opportunities for my children. Read more>>
Jackie Romanies
My path into wellness was shaped by both curiosity and lived experience. I’ve always been drawn to understanding how the body works—not just structurally, but emotionally and energetically as well. Early in my career, I realized that many people were seeking care that felt more human, more thoughtful, and more empowering than what they were used to receiving. Read more>>
Phoenix Marcón
After serving in the U.S. Air Force, I transitioned into technology in the early days of the internet. In 1993, I studied Computer Information Systems at DeVry, and by 1997 I was building websites at scale—hundreds of them—at a time when most businesses didn’t fully understand what the internet was yet, only that they needed to be on it. Read more>>
Chris Reale
I’m a lifelong Fort Worth native, raised in kitchens filled with the smells of scratch-cooking and big family gatherings. From the start, I knew food was my passion—I landed my first kitchen job as a teenager at Del Frisco’s, then really grew under the guidance of chef Lou Lambert, who became my mentor and later business partner. Read more>>
Melody Brainin Cokel
Hello, My name is Melody Brainin Cokel, and I am an entrepreneur driven by growth, innovation, and the belief that success is built through resilience, vision, and execution. I began my journey in the beauty industry with less than $10,000 in 2004 turning that first venture into thriving salons and online boutique and brick-and-mortar business. Read more>>
Kari-Ann Melendez
As a disabled Navy veteran and a retired Air Traffic Controller who has navigated being a minority in challenging career fields, I’ve faced barriers first-hand. Those experiences, along with a natural curiosity about what’s possible have instilled in me a determination to find ways over/under obstacles rather than be stopped by them. Read more>>
Renee Stewart
We moved out to East Texas (Tyler) in Fall of 2020 as Northern California transplants with our non profit organizations Central California Youth Academy (CCYA)- that provides vocational services for at risk youth 15 – 21 years old and Grassroots Childcare Cooperative- providing holistic 360 degree family wrap services from Stockton, Ca. Read more>>
Clarissa Hyneman
In December 2023, I turned an ordinary closet into something sacred. It became a quiet space where I could escape the noise of daily life and meet with God. I covered the walls with scriptures, slipped my prayers into an envelope, and sat in a donated chair that became my sanctuary. Read more>>
Kyle Davis
So I started out working for my mom and dad when we tried to start a real estate investing company very quickly realize that we were jumping on board when everyone else wanted to get into real estate investing, they went back to retiring and I had to look into what was my next step. I decided to continue in construction. Read more>>
Chuck Ebert
I picked up my Mom’s old acoustic guitar and started teaching myself to play music around twelve years old in Bossier City, Louisiana. I was a military brat as they say. Dad was stationed at Barksdale Air Force Base. I heard “Lala” by Derek (Eric Clapton) and the Dominoes on the radio one night and knew I had to learn how to play electric guitar! Read more>>
Jessica Johnson
I grew up in Southlake, Texas in the 80’s when it was mostly farmland. I graduated from Southlake Carroll and attended the University of Arkansas as a scholarship track and field athlete. I retired from athletics after the 2004 Olympic Trials and enrolled at Texas A&M’s College of Veterinary Medicine. Read more>>
Jessica Cooper
Jessica Cooper is the Owner of Diesel Signs and Displays, bringing more than two decades of experience in visual branding and signage to every project. With a degree in graphic design, and an advertising background in radio, newspaper and photography, she combines creative expertise with technical precision to help businesses stand out in competitive markets. Read more>>
KJ Sandlin
My mother retired from the Medical Examiner’s office and would talk incessantly about the importance of avoiding prescription medication. She often talks about prescription meds solving one problem and creating five more. I agree. When I started as a massage therapist, it was to make pain management and restorative care accessible to my core family: my husband, my children, and my immediate family. Read more>>
Anndean Charles
My passion is to help people have a healthy life using natural care. My journey began at the age of 15, when I watched my father rely on insulin to manage his diabetes. That experience inspired me to learn how to care for my body naturally and focus on preventing disease rather than simply treating it. Read more>>
Tron Sutton
My name is Tron Sutton and I have been involved in theater in North Texas for 40 years. A circle of families built a deep connection through the performing arts — sharing meals, cheering for each other’s kids, and discovering the confidence that comes from being surrounded by people who believe in you. In 2024, the theatre space they had been part of closed. Read more>>
Rhonda Hutchison
My journey into mortgage brokerage was not a straight line — it was a calling that unfolded over time. Early in my career, I spent years in corporate finance with FedEx Corporation, working in various financial roles that sharpened my analytical mindset, discipline, and leadership skills. Read more>>
Lisa Harrington
When I was very young, I would sit at my grandfather‘s desk and I knew that I somehow wanted to be in business. After getting my management degree at ball State University, I worked in the P&C insurance industry for about three decades. Read more>>
Tracy German
I started baking out of my house, selling cake slices after being laid off. The business grew through word of mouth. I was in 2014 selected to go into Trinity Groves in the incubator program, I begin by selling 16 different made from scratch cake flavors, which I stayed in Trinity Groves for 10 years. Read more>>
Angela Fitzpatrick
Becoming a counselor was a deeply personal decision for me. My path was shaped by a desire to better understand and support someone very close to me who was living with chronic mental illness. Read more>>
Claudia Ocampo
I just 18 years old I began working alongside my father in his subcontracting business. What started as learning the ropes quickly turned into leadership, I stepped in, expanded the operations and grew it to work with multiple contractors. Along the way I built strong, lasting relationships, one of which became especially pivotal. Read more>>
Mario Scroggins
Big Moe’s Custom Catering, LLC is a business that began as a hobby, grew into a huge impossible dream and ultimately became a reality. I, Mario J. Scroggins, owner of Big Moe’s Custom Catering, LLC, have a Bachelors and a Masters in Music Education. I am a 14-year educator. Read more>>
Dr. Tricia Seymour-Barrier, PhD, EdD
Life is art, full of texture. I was blessed to grow up with parents who encouraged both my creativity and intellectual curiosity. From an early age, I was immersed in music lessons, art classes, museums, theater, opera, fashion shows, and extensive travel. I was always encouraged to be creative, curious, and uniquely myself. Creativity has been a constant thread throughout my life. Read more>>
Dawn Redig
I didn’t start out with a grand plan to build a media company — I started with a love for people, stories, and this community. And I’ve always been a writer. Storytelling and journalism have been part of who I am for as long as I can remember. Read more>>
Kelli Christina
With over three decades of leadership across hospitality, corporate recruitment, and healthcare staffing, Kelli Christina has become a respected voice in business leadership and a driving force in permanent medical placement. As the founder and CEO of KD-Staffing, she has built a nationally recognized contingency firm specializing in hard-to-fill positions for hospitals and medical practices across the United States. Read more>>
Megan Waldo
I came into real estate after spending years in pharmaceutical sales. While I was successful, I realized I was missing too much time with my babies. I started asking myself where I could still earn at a high level, use my sales experience, and be present for all the moments that matter most. Real estate was the answer. Read more>>
Pam Henry
I started my coaching journey right out of college on the east coast in NJ. My love for lacrosse and basketball made it easy to fall into coaching. I have always loved kids and sports so this was right for me. Once moving to Texas in 2009 I realized that the lacrosse community was lacking knowledgable and experienced coaches. Read more>>
Alberto Martinez
I started my career on the ground as a construction supervisor, which gave me a deep, hands-on understanding of project management and site operations. I quickly realized I had a passion for the business side of the industry, which led me to launch my first fencing company and, subsequently, a general contracting firm. Read more>>https://voyagedallas.com/interview/inspiring-conversations-with-alberto-martinez-of-kodiak-fence-company
Jason Gilmore
My journey behind the lens began 19 years ago with a simple mission: delivering high-caliber imagery that respects a client’s bottom line. I spent my first seven years capturing the fast-paced, emotional world of weddings before pivoting my focus toward the corporate and commercial sectors. Today, that evolution has taken me nationwide. Read more>>
Ashley Adams
I learned a lot in the early years through trial and error. The only business experience I had was my previous role as an operational manager at UPS, which ultimately ended in me being fired. At the time, it felt like a setback, but it became a pivotal moment. Losing that job forced me to rely on my creativity, resilience, and ambition and pushed me fully into the beauty industry and entrepreneurship. Read more>>
Md Tariquzzaman
RentYard was built with a simple but powerful goal: to help international tenants get approved for apartments using alternative documentation instead of traditional credit and rental history. I shared the idea with investors in the Dallas–Fort Worth area, California, and New York, and in March 2025, we successfully raised funding at a $1 million valuation. Read more>>
Derrick Frohne
As project complexity increased, AeroFrohne’s focus shifted toward orthomosaic mapping, volumetric analysis, and 3D modeling. I refined the processing pipeline for speed and accuracy, laying the groundwork for large scale aerial mapping and analytics work across Texas and New Mexico, particularly in the oil & gas sector with more than 10,000 acres mapped. Read more>>
Gary Wilkerson
I spent more than 20 years chasing my entrepreneurial spirit. I knew how to work hard, I knew how to build, and I tasted both success and failure along the way. But nothing prepared me for what happened when my last business collapsed just before the mortgage crisis of 2008. My wife and I lost almost everything—our home, our cars, our belongings. Read more>>
Rachael Watson
I was reading an article in a business journal in January of 2023 that sparked my interest. It stated that hybrid work spaces were a $1.3 billion a year business with low overhead and minimal staffing needs. Since the space next door to my coffee shop, Major Perk, was still empty, I decided to give this a try. Read more>>
