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.
Mason Marquis
Spray Tex Painting began nearly ten years ago in a college dorm room. At the time, it was a simple idea shared by a couple of kids who wanted to learn, grow, and experience business beyond the classroom. We started with virtually no capital, just curiosity, grit, and a desire to build something meaningful. Read more>>
John C
How I started Liquid Radio was kind of an evolution. I became a fan of electronic music and industrial in my younger teens thanks to a late night live broadcast from a Dallas nightclub and DJ known as ‘Wild Bill Stanley’. I was also interested in messing around with electronics. Read more>>
Krisondra Prinkey
I’ve loved photography from an early age, not just for preserving memories, but for the way light and shadow shape a moment and give it feeling. That fascination stayed with me into adulthood, though like many seasons of life, it ebbed and flowed as I focused on raising my children. Read more>>
Brian & Cat Pierce
Brian and I didn’t start out with a master plan. We started together. We’re high school sweethearts, teen parents, and have now been married for nearly 40 years. Like many families, we spent decades doing what we were “supposed” to do: building careers in management and education, raising a family, and creating stability. But about four years ago, we reached a crossroads. Read more>>
Daniela Michelle
I started Elevated Interiors with nothing more than a vision, a deep love for design, and a belief that spaces can truly change how people feel and how they live. What began as a small staging operation quickly grew into something much bigger. Read more>>
Blythe McPherson
Graduated school 2015, practiced as an associate doctor in plano x almost 4 years, then opened cold in Westlake, TX in 2020 during beautiful COVID era. We’ve continued to grow and we did an expansion 1.5 years ago. This area is a great place to practice and I love the people and community. Read more>>
Brenda Lee
My story didn’t start with a business idea—it started with a decision. I grew up in a small rural town called Las Bebelamas de Sataya, in Navolato, Sinaloa, Mexico, where hard work was a way of life and opportunity was limited. From an early age, I understood that if I wanted a different future, I had to work for it. Read more>>
Adriana (Adry) Sanders
My path into this work was shaped by both lived experience and deep curiosity about how people survive—and eventually heal—within complex systems. I’m a Licensed Professional Counselor, clinical supervisor, and founder of SanaMente Wellness, a Texas-based virtual practice grounded in culturally responsive, trauma-informed, and mind-body care. Read more>>
Heather Wesolowski
I opened Homegrown Counseling in February of 2022 after a colleague encouraged me to open my own counseling practice. So I just went for it and did it scared. Opening my own practice was always a goal after completing licensure, I was just waiting for it to be the ‘perfect’ time. I created my psychology today profile, without a office or anything at all. Read more>>
Robin Blood
My journey with starting B.Blumen Flower Farm began in 2020. I was working as the Director of Sales for an online retail gym equipment company at 22 years old but even with a dream salary and travel opportunities at the time, I always had the ambition to start my own business from the ground up. Read more>>
Kathleen Tolbert Ryan
In the words of Kathleen Tolbert Ryan: I was born in Dallas in the 1950’s. I lived in Dallas through my twenties, and in DFW my whole life.. I graduated from UNT. My dad was the well known Dallas News journalist, author, and Texas historian, the late Frank X. Tolbert. My dad chose chili as one of his topics of interest through the years. Read more>>
Joseph Upton
I started out in the hospitality industry, when Covid hit. I was out of a job. Read more>>
Sandy Nelles
I’ve always been someone who is drawn to beauty, healing, and creating experiences that make people feel taken care of. I started in the skincare world with a deep love for transformation, not just what happens on the surface, but the confidence and emotional shift that happens when someone finally feels good in their skin. Read more>>
Hannah Middleton
I started taking photos in high school, and then took on my first paid gig in 2007. Taking photos and passing them on to others has always felt like giving little gifts for me, and who wouldn’t want to spend their days passing out presents? I’ve loved this work for more than half my life, and I don’t see that ever changing. Read more>>
Erin Chupka
My career has been shaped by a long-standing commitment to supporting the growth and development of young people, especially girls. I began my professional journey in roles that allowed me to learn how strong organizations are built from the inside out; through thoughtful programming, sustainable systems, and passionate people who believe in the work. Read more>>
Jaimee Roush
I have always known that I wanted to work with children in some capacity. As a mother of six and an early childhood educator for over 20 years, caring for and guiding young children has been both my profession and my life’s work. Read more>>
Pamela Huff
As a result of COVID, many people began looking for something different—a change from the status quo. Like so many others, I found myself ready to step away from the traditional large-corporate environment. Around that time, I was invited to be part of a new business with a bold goal: to disrupt the air charter marketplace. Read more>>
Callie Miller
I joined High Profile almost 20 years ago as a recruiting coordinator, and honestly, I fell into the staffing world the way a lot of us do. A dear friend and colleague had landed at High Profile after we’d both been laid off from our previous company. Read more>>
Jim Buffington
At the age of 12, my mother was found murdered in the back seat of her car. The devastation to our family was indescribable. A year later, while still working through my grief, my father and two other men were arrested, then convicted, and incarcerated for the conspiracy of my mother’s murder. Read more>>
BRENDA JACKSON
Answering Screams in the Night Help, it’s a cry seldom voiced, and heard even less. Women cover their black eyes, and bruised lips, with a belief that somehow, things will get better. Thinking tomorrow can’t be as bad as today, they hang on until all their strength is gone and they have to let go. What happens after that? Read more>>
Madison Davis
I started my business as a leap of faith, led completely by the grace of God. In 2022, while working at JCPenney, I kept having visions of myself stepping fully into my craft. I trusted that calling, quit my job, invested in a hair class, and never looked back. Read more>>
Madi McBride
I formed my LLC July of 2024, but my photography journey started years before. I grew up going to my grandparents and great- grandparents homes, always looking for ways to entertain myself. I ended up finding a treasure box of memories each time- their photo albums. From 1950’s selfies to the most beautiful scenic views around the world… I was hooked. Read more>>
Heather Galvan. CEO, LMT, LMTI, RDA
I spent 24 years in dentistry, working across nearly every facet of the field—from hospital dental assisting to ultimately serving as Chief Operating Officer for a dental corporation. Dentistry shaped my work ethic, leadership skills, and understanding of patient care, but after more than two decades, I experienced profound professional burnout. Read more>>
LaToya Holley-Scruggs
Hello, I am the proud founder and owner of Eye Love Lucy’s Lashes & Brows, LLC, a luxury beauty brand built on faith, purpose, passion, and empowerment. My mission is simple yet powerful: to enhance natural beauty while inspiring confidence, self-love, and inner strength in every woman I serve. Read more>>
Ginger Curtis
At Urbanology Designs, we’ve spent years helping clients create interiors that feel effortlessly elevated, warm, and approachable. We absolutely love being able to bring meaningful, soulful luxury to our interior design clients and we thought what if we could bring that same feeling and experience to people in a short term vacation rental? Read more>>
Demond and Ashley Wilson
The idea of Cone Heads started in 2022. We noticed that there were not a lot of options for snow cones/shaved ice in the area we lived in. We were going to Bahama Bucks and realized there was a need for a shaved ice vendor in our area. Read more>>
Sumedha Gokhale
Originally from Mumbai, India, Dallas has been my home for almost 20 years now. I have transitioned from running a design firm in Mumbai to embracing the dynamic world of real estate in the DFW area. I take great pride in helping buyers navigate their first home purchase and have worked hard to become a trusted resource for homeowners looking to sell. Read more>>
Alicia Bush
My story begins long before TVF ever existed — it begins with a growing awareness that something was terribly wrong right here in our own backyard. For years, I had this unsettling tug on my heart, a sense that the headlines weren’t telling the full story and that the crisis of human trafficking wasn’t some distant problem happening overseas or in movies. Read more>>
Elya Coleman
I own A Time to Dance Studio, where family, faith and mission matter! I first walked into A Time to Dance Studio as a six-year-old, simply excited for my first dance class. Read more>>
Schalee Sanchez
What got me where I am today hasn’t been a glamorous journey. I graduated from high school with a class of sixteen in a town of three hundred people. Growing up there gave me a deep appreciation for just how much has unfolded since then. Read more>>
Thomas Gary
Tattooing started between 16 and 17 years old as a hobbie. Doing designs on my friends. I got really interested when I went to college in 1995. My roommate and I tattooed out of our dorm room and it went great. During college I got called a bootleg artist, meaning I’m cheap and not professional. Read more>>
Dora Caro
Belleza Colombiana Spa was born from my personal journey and a genuine desire to help people look and feel better — efficiently, safely, and with lasting results. To deepen my knowledge and perfect my craft, I spent much of my life studying and working closely with plastic surgeons, gaining a strong understanding of the body, skin, and advanced techniques. Read more>>
Joseph Corley
My story really begins with trauma, resilience, and learning how to survive long before I ever learned how to heal. I grew up navigating parental separation, domestic violence in the home, and the absence of my father, but the defining moment of my life came when I lost my mother suddenly to a brain aneurysm when I was just fifteen years old. Read more>>
Jenni Bailey
My story began with me telling myself “I can’t do that!”, “No way would that work.” My friends and family had been telling me for several years that I should sell my cakes, but I just didn’t think it was realistic. I saw the flaws in my cakes where they saw potential. Read more>>
Alex Shauger
I grew up in New Jersey, where I earned both my bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Rutgers University. After graduating, I relocated to Texas and initially settled in Dallas, where I began my career as a social worker on the orthopedic and trauma floor at Methodist Dallas. Read more>>
Kimberly Cerio
I began my professional dog training career in 1999 at a boarding and training facility north of Chicago. There, I honed my skills by working with a wide variety of dogs from basic obedince, minor to severe behavioral issues, police and personal protection dogs. Read more>>
Dr.Cheryl Edinbyrd
My work is rooted in lived experience, faith, and calling. I witnessed the suicide of my father and later survived domestic violence—experiences that awakened my understanding of grief, trauma, and the sacred resilience of the human spirit. These moments did not define me, but they clarified my purpose. I was called to create spaces where healing is whole, compassionate, and accessible. Read more>>
Jenasia Chavez
February 2nd was the last time I saw my brother after our dad’s birthday celebration. I was struggling and told him I wanted to give up tattooing because it felt so hard. He wouldn’t let me—he believed in me, showed me his tattoo ideas, and made me promise to let him be my first model. Read more>>
Kanthi Raju
Thank you for this honor of being included in VoyageDallas’s series of inspiring stories! I grew up in Mississippi, where my parents settled in the small town of Kosciusko after my father completed his education at Mississippi State University. As the only ethnic family in the area, our arrival was initially met with some hesitation from neighbors. Read more>>
Abel Velasco
So when I came into the US from El Salvador my first competitive team was Footy Factory, so I’ve been knowing Sean and part of the Footy family for 10 years now. I decided to coach with them because for one I love the sport and I want to pass the love I have with this sport to other people and enjoy teaching people. Read more>>
Arlene Green
My career has really been driven by a deep curiosity about how people grow, perform, lead, and live well — especially when leading inside complex organizations or contexts. I trained as an industrial-organizational psychologist, and early in my career I had the opportunity to work inside large, fast-moving companies where I could see the true impact that leadership made. Read more>>
Nicole Hernandez
My professional journey began at an early age. At just 19, I felt a clear calling from God to serve children and women, a calling that would shape the course of my life. This led me to spend several years volunteering both internationally and locally in human trafficking rehabilitation centers, domestic violence shelters, and orphanages. Read more>>
George Escobar
Braxton Construction Co. LLC — Our Story I became a young parent at just 15 years old. Like many first-generation entrepreneurs, responsibility came early, and failure was not an option. While still in high school, I secured a job in logistics and stayed in that industry until about age 19, when I was laid off. Read more>>
Brennan Palmiter
My life has been a series of chapters that didn’t always make sense at the time. I’ve shifted gears more than once and each season taught me something different. Looking back, it’s clear those chapters were all pointing me in the same direction, even when I didn’t realize it. I, like a lot of veterans, struggled with the transition to civilian life. Read more>>
Timothy Beckett, MD
I grew up in Dallas and knew early on that I wanted to pursue medicine. I attended the High School for Health Professions, earned my BA in Biology from The University of Texas at Austin, and went on to medical school at the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio. Read more>>
Gunner / Allison / TJ / Justin J. Hardy / Owens / Novak / Hoard
Curl started in 2024 in Dallas, TX with Gunner J. Hardy and TJ Novak. After a year with two other members that left for various reasons they were able to bring in Allison Owens and Justin Hoard into the group. Read more>>
Desmond Williams
My name is Desmond Williams, also known as Tru Def, and my journey is one rooted in faith, resilience, purpose, and an unwavering belief that God can transform humble beginnings into something meaningful. I was born in Dallas, Texas, and raised in Pleasant Grove, a community that shaped my character long before I understood its impact. Read more>>
Eric Lindh
Born and raised in Dallas, I’ve always been drawn to helping professions. While my original plan was to pursue a career in medicine, I ultimately found my sense of call and purpose in nonprofit leadership. After college, I spent a year living in South London, working with children and youth from under-resourced communities, an experience that deeply shaped my professional direction. Read more>>
Martin Schmidt
It all started while playing hockey as a kid and wondering why some people were faster than others or had a better shot even if they weren’t apparently stronger; this movement and biomechanical curiosity has always been present. Then at 15 years old, I had my first orthopedic injury which required multiple surgeries and lots of physical therapy over a two year period. Read more>>
Theresa Lam & Ean Tillet
The National Vietnam War Museum was founded in 1998 originally by the Fort Wolters chapter of the VHPA (Vietnam helicopter pilots association). A decision was made by this group that it was time to develop a venue in which the story of the Vietnam War and Vietnam War veterans could be told in an unbiased way. Read more>>
Yasmine Nabors
I had alot of trial & errors from servicing clients out my house, to six months contracts with salon owners that had too many policies, to salon owners stealing my content & tips, to salon owners just breaking contract for no reason. I’ve definitely been through a Rollercoaster for a few years but I didn’t give up, I kept my faith & stayed optimistic until my opportunity presented itself & when it did, I thrived, opened my heart & put my all into my craft & I dont regret not one thing about it. Read more>>
Tyrone Singleton
I’m a Texas native—born on Galveston Island and raised in Fort Worth, which has been home for more than twenty years. I attended Southwest High School during the transition when the school changed from the Rebels to the Raiders, a period of adjustment that, in hindsight, mirrors much of my own path. My logistics journey began in 1994 when I joined the U.S. Read more>>
Kim Nguyen
I am a mother first. Everything else comes after that. I came to this country many years ago with my family, like many immigrants, looking for stability and opportunity for my children. I worked hard, saved carefully, and focused on one thing… making sure my children had a chance to build a better life than I did. Read more>>
