The Most Inspiring Stories in Dallas

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.

Rolanda Cotton-Spell

My dedication and leadership did not go unnoticed, I was soon promoted to Education Specialist, a role I held for approximately nine and a half years. In this position, I supported teachers, ensured program quality, mentored teachers, and helped ensure the children where received quality education as well with preparation for kindergarten. Read more>>

Lisa Lennox

From the beginning of her adult life, Lisa Lennox has honed her skills in hospitality and design — concepting, building, and remodeling resort-like properties around the world. Lisa created Iron Springs Ranch, a 1,600 acre family and corporate resort property in Whitney, Texas, opening in 2025-26 for retreats, weddings, family reunions, and corporate retreats. Read more>>

Anshu Seth

As I begin my journey in US and background and education as Chef and master in catering , also taught in food Corporation in Pune and once in US after initial stint in IT started my entrepreneurial journey with my dream as opening my restaurant in Frisco. Read more>>

Shaqueena Smith

Hi my name is Shaqueena Smith-Smith I am a native of Dallas Texas. I am the daughter of a Pastor, yes a PK kid. I began ministering and speaking at my local church at age 24. I was license to be a minister and elder as well as a motivational speaker and life coach. Read more>>

Steve Steele

A Journey of Transformation My life began in the whirlwind of a military family. As a ‘military brat,’ I was raised in the unique lifestyle that came with my father’s twenty years of service in the Air Force. This meant frequent moves across the country, often from one base to another. Read more>>

Sandra Samaha

I’ve always had a deep passion for beauty and aesthetics. My journey began in 2016, when I started working as a beauty consultant for a plastic surgeon. A few years later, I moved to the United States and decided to fully commit to the aesthetic path by becoming credentialed. I spent four years studying and completing extensive advanced training in the field. Read more>>

Samantha Tisnoi

Rapha Wellness & Health was born out of both professional experience and personal necessity. I began my career in 2010, in the wellness and esthetics industry, initially focusing on corrective skin care and advanced aesthetics. While things appeared successful on the surface, I was quietly battling a growing mystery illness behind the scenes. Read more>>

Shannon Wooley

My story starts early. I was introduced to addiction at a young age, and before I even realized what was happening, it slowly began to take over my life. What started as a way to cope and fit in turned into something that cost me relationships, stability, and pieces of myself I didn’t know how to get back. Read more>>

Arinthea Haynes

Cosmetology has been a lifelong dream of mine, one that began when I was just nine years old. It started with playing in my grandmother’s rollers and when my cousin’s mom finished cosmetology school, she gifted me her mannequin heads. To most, they were practice tools. To me, they were possibility. Read more>>

Sheryl Powers

Most of us have a ‘big idea’ at some point, and in 2013 I left my 30 year DFW radio career to embark on changing the world with mine. Then came the big ‘uh oh’: we didn’t have resources or benefits and started running out of money. Out of this deficiency began our journey into the subscription-based world. Read more>>

Crystal Ramirez

My fitness journey began when I became a teen mom at 18 and I had just given birth to my daughter, not only navigating postpartum depression, also finding myself in an abusive and controlling relationship. At the time, I didn’t recognize it as abuse—I thought fear and restriction was normal. Read more>>

Josey Mayes

In 1949, my great-grandpa, Joe Nevins, started Nevins Concessions at the State Fair of Texas with 2 locations. Later, my grandpa, Gary Nevins, and uncle, Jim Conatser, took over the business and built it up to over 30 locations fair wide. Once the State Fair put a cap on the number of locations a single vendor could have, the brothers split the business. Read more>>

Abbey Hagan

In June of 2025 I was walking the Katy Trail in Dallas, feeling very frustrated with my dating life and I had this idea: what if there was a way to connect singles in Dallas by doing the thing we are all already doing, walking the trail. Read more>>

Jessica Valladares

I became a therapist because of my own experience with postpartum depression after the birth of my oldest child. That season cracked me open in ways I didn’t expect. I was functioning on the outside, but internally I felt lost, overwhelmed, and desperate for support that truly understood what I was going through. I remember thinking there had to be something better than this. Read more>>

Tammy Kling

I’m a mentor to CEOs and leaders as the Chair for a vibrant group of CEOs, in Dallas. The organization is Vistage, a prestigious leadership organization and the largest CEO think tank in the world. This is my passion, but it originated from a desire to help equip world changers to see their gifts – and navigate any stage of life. Read more>>

Yavierlis Cartagena

My journey didn’t begin with a business plan. It began with a deep desire to understand people, pain, and the invisible emotional patterns that shape our lives. I was born and raised in Puerto Rico, where I completed my academic training and began my career as a therapist. Read more>>

Mary Harper

I was born in Denver, Colorado, and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, in a deeply faith-centered household. My father pastored for more than forty years and later became a bishop, and my mother served faithfully as a First Lady and evangelist. Growing up in the Church of God in Christ shaped my spiritual foundation and instilled in me a lifelong commitment to service. Read more>>

Corina Villegas

I launched my balloon business in 2021 as a way to support myself while finishing college. As a single mother, I was determined to provide for my son, but I also needed flexibility while pursuing my career in education. Starting a traditional 9-to-5 job simply wasn’t an option at the time, so I turned my creativity into an opportunity. Read more>>

Christine Nickerson

I fell in love with the field of mental health when I began to truly understand how interconnected our lives, identities, and experiences are. I became especially drawn to the role cultural identity plays in shaping who we are and how we navigate challenges. Read more>>

Hanyia Fadhil

My name is Hanyia, a proud mom of three young adults and the owner of Unwind Beauty Lounge in Frisco. What started as a passion for skincare and helping others feel their best has grown into a space where beauty meets relaxation. I specialize in personalized facials and rejuvenating massages designed to enhance natural radiance while nurturing the mind and spirit. Read more>>

Big Husky

I started doing comedy 30 years ago. I’m from Johnstown Pennsylvania and moved back to Arlington 16 years ago. Begin to get back into the movie and tv industry while also gaining sponsors such as Huckleberry’s,Ron & Sons,Look Cinema and Smoothie King. I also do radio and podcast like The of Life Talk Show with Elma,Dfwiradio.com,UCC and so much more. Read more>>

Steven Wright

I grew up with a single mother most of my life. When I was young, we moved around a lot. We moved to a new place every year or two. Sometimes multiple moves in the same year. When I was 16, we had a falling out and I moved in with my Father. Read more>>

Norma Belcher

My husband was in a horrible boating accident that left him severely injured and out of work. He was the main income source for our family. We needed help with food and utility assistance, so we came to Manna House. Manna House helped us meet our immediate need all while maintaining our dignity and hope. Read more>>

Angela Poen

Community Garden Kitchen of Collin County (CGK) was formed to address food insecurity in the community. In late 2014, a group of citizens, educators and business professionals, concerned about hunger in our community, joined together to raise funds to build a permanent dining facility that would serve freshly prepared, free meals to anyone struggling with food insecurity. Read more>>

Sheridan Wendt

I’ve been drawn to technology and building things for as long as I can remember. Even in elementary school I gravitated toward computers, figuring out how use them, experimenting, and creating. That curiosity stayed with me and ultimately shaped the direction of my career. Read more>>

Christine Miller

With years of experience working at corporate jewelry stores, I started using social media to build a jewelry business without a brick and mortar location. I used $1000 to make my first investment, a 1.35 ct round diamond set in 14k with .75 carats in setting. Read more>>

Jose Lomeli Perez

I came to the USA when I was 14 years old, Didnt know any english, went to high school, Graduate with honors, started working at a car wash, then in a KFC restaurant as a cook, got promoted to shift supervisor, assistant manager, then general manager, bought the remodeling business to one of my uncles, and started our business with 100000 2 silent investors and I then been doing it since 2013 our revenue now is about 10mil yearly, in 4 regions, also own airbbs Read more>>

Leanne/Ashton Tison

Our story is defined by a single word: Faith. Five and a half years ago, I stood at a crossroads. As a single mother, I made the decision to walk away from a life of domestic violence and fully surrender my future to the Lord. The years that followed weren’t always easy, but we were never alone. Read more>>

Brennan Wilkins

Dance wasn’t popular in my corner of Fort Worth (My beloved Saginaw Texas). I’d never seen myself as a dancer, at the time I was marching Saxophone, but my mom was obsessed with this show called ‘World of Dance,’ and truthfully, I liked it too. Read more>>

Jonathon Yarbrough

In 2018, I started this business. Began making a name for myself and was doing quite well independently. Once Covid hit in 2020, a lot of uncertainty hit every industry including mine. So, I decided to start working for a business and helped it grow. Read more>>

Jamal Robinson

For over 25 years, Isra Robinson has been a Registered Pediatric Nurse, as well as a health, wellness, nutrition and culinary expert. A former gym owner, Jamal Robinson also has 25 years of expertise in the world of health, nutrition and wellness. A versatile professional, he has worked with a broad spectrum of clients, from fitness and bodybuilding competitors to seniors with initial health challenges. Read more>>

Fatima Bawaney

I started H & I Artisans as a luxury gifting concierge, and over time, I wanted to create something truly unique—something that would be instantly recognizable as H & I Artisans. That led me to invent our signature artisanal chocolates. It took months to perfect the techniques, and the response was incredible. Read more>>

Mustafa Hameed

From a very young age, I have always dreamed of building companies. In third grade, I even attempted to start a car company with my close friend Mekyle Alam. While ambitious for that age, it revealed how naturally business thinking came to me. I was always fascinated by how ideas could turn into systems, brands, and real impact. Read more>>

Liz Confiliano

Goodwill North Central Texas is a nonprofit organization focused on helping people achieve independence through education, training and employment. While many people know us for our retail stores and donation centers, those operations support our broader mission of removing barriers to opportunity. Read more>>

Mason Ho

Yume Foods is a joint effort between 2 chefs trying to make a name for themselves in the growing Dallas foodscene. Ikki Wu and I(Mason Ho) started our catering company about a year ago, doing private events, weddings, and whatever small pop-ups we could get booked while both working full time jobs. Read more>>

Christina Brooke

Mindful Brooke Therapy grew out of a very real need I saw again and again in my work as a therapist. Too many people were reaching out for help and either couldn’t get a call back, couldn’t find the right fit, or felt lost in the process when they were already overwhelmed. I knew I wanted to create something different. Read more>>

Michael Magnus

I’ve spent the last two decades of my career working at the intersection of storytelling, teaching, and supporting traditional crafts. Early on, my work focused on marketing and eCommerce, helping niche businesses figure out how to reach the right audience without losing the character and care that made their work special. Read more>>