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.
Laurie Michelle Stephens
I have been a full time photographer for about 16 years. I love photography but I was feeling off like I needed more. I realized that I needed a new challenge something that would really engage my heart. I’ve always been obsessed with dogs and I have stepped in many times to help rescue dogs and help get them home or to safety… Read more>>
Jaty Edwards
I grew up in Irving, Texas. My mom’s cousins played country music and we would go watch them when I was young. That and 90’s country music inspired my desire to play guitar and sing. My grandma (Dranny) put me in guitar lessons at 4 years old. When I was a Junior in High School my family moved to Columbus, Ohio. Read more>>
Jeanie Teyechea
I started my career in property management in 1990 as a housekeeper at a class B property in receivership, but it gave me the opportunity as a single mom to live onsite with free rent. After a couple of years a company out of Utah, Wasatch Property Management purchased it from Kohlhase Bank, and the new owners kept me on as a leasing agent. Read more>>
Amber Khan
With 25 years of global experience, I merge spatial intelligence with energetic wisdom, crafting spaces that breathe, heal, and elevate your next chapter. I began my career working internationally across residential and boutique commercial design. Those early years gave me a deep fluency in form, proportion, and materiality, but more importantly, they revealed how differently people live, feel, and connect to their environments across cultures. Read more>>
Beverly Carlson-Bradshaw
I have always drawn at an early age. I started with oils then tried my hand at watercolor. I found pastels in my 20’s and fell in love with the medium. The combination of drawing and painting appealed to me and not having to mix paint. Read more>>
Taylor Brown
I’ve been working as a chef for the past 8 years, and my path really started long before that. I grew up in Louisiana around farming, where food wasn’t just something you ate, it was something you grew, preserved, and shared. That foundation stayed with me and shaped how I see ingredients and cooking to this day. Read more>>
Anna Lyons
I am originally from East Texas and my husband is from Southern California. We met in-between those two places in Arizona (the Grand Canyon to be specific). Our story is fairly classic for an elder Millennial: We moved around between Arizona, California, and Washington. Pre 2020 we had a family travel blog and podcast, which sadly did not survive covid. Read more>>
Jon E Nimetz
I’ve been making semi autobiographical work since I was about five years old and I started focusing more on it after college when I got a masters in fine art painting at the San Francisco art Institute. I went on to have shows in San Francisco and Los Angeles before moving back here to the Washington DC area. My current work focuses on. Read more>>
Shandra Bailey
My story is long and entertaining. But tragic. I would call it ‘The demise of a middle-class housewife’. But briefly I will give you the backstory. I was in a cult in North Carolina. Men dominated. Women were subservient. Needless to say, I was rebellious. I had big dreams I wanted to accomplish in life. I married a Marine who became an Engineer. Read more>>
Ellyn Schinke
I started in a lab coat. For about a decade, I was a scientist — reproductive biology, gene therapy, prostate cancer, and a handful of microbiology labs studying things most people don’t want to think about over dinner. Read more>>
Alia Merrill
I used to be a high school math teacher. And before that, I was a middle school math teacher. I loved my job, I loved the people I worked with, and I truly loved my students. But something in me just knew I wasn’t created to stay there. Read more>>
Kyria Sabin
After graduating from Duke University, I began my career in the art world, working in both New York and Los Angeles. At the time, I intended to pursue law school with the goal of representing artists and working closely with museums. While living in Los Angeles, I started studying Pilates at the Ron Fletcher Studio, where I quickly developed a deep connection to the work. Read more>>
Eric Smith
I’ve had a passion for cars for as long as I can remember—especially fast ones. I started working on cars at 17, learning mostly through trial and error. Over time, that hands-on experience turned into a deeper skill set and a dream of one day owning my own shop. For years, that dream stayed on the back burner while I worked in the industry. Read more>>
james crosby
’m a fourth-generation mint farmer and distiller, and my story started in the fields when I was about nine years old, working side by side with my family. I grew up in St. Johns, Michigan—known as “Mint City USA”—where mint farming wasn’t just a job, it was a way of life passed down through generations. There was never a manual. Read more>>
Christopher Fill
My journey to becoming an interior designer started gradually. I was born and raised in the Chicago suburbs and obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing and MBA from Northern Illinois University. I rose through the ranks of the insurance industry over 25 years. Read more>>
Mycal Anders
I built Next Level the same way many high-performing leaders build their lives: through discipline, structure, and an unrelenting commitment to results. From the outside, everything looked aligned. But internally, there was a disconnect. I experienced firsthand what many executives and entrepreneurs quietly carry; success on paper paired with a sense that something was off. That realization became the inflection point. Read more>>
Susan Pisano
I started my career in accounting at the ground level in an accounts payable role, where I quickly realized I had a passion for understanding how businesses operate through their numbers. That curiosity and drive led to rapid growth—I moved into accounts receivable and then into a financial analyst role with J. Walter Thompson, one of the largest advertising agencies in the world. Read more>>
Justin Clarke
We created The Honey Foundation, a kind company, following the tragic passing of my identical, twin brother, Scott. Scot was a benevolent man, enjoying giving random acts of kindness to others in our communities. Read more>>
Kristina Johnston
Our story really began with our son, Luke. A few years ago, Luke was diagnosed with Bardet-Biedl Syndrome (BBS), a rare genetic disorder that, among other things, leads to progressive vision loss and, in many cases, eventual blindness. Read more>>
Rollin Jewett
I started out as an actor and model in the 1980’s doing stage plays, commercials, print, television, and film. I had parts in ‘Miami Vice’, ‘Unsolved Mysteries’, ‘The Bodyguard’ and other films and shows. I also hosted many shows and infomercials. Read more>>
Terrie Ashbaugh
I grew up in a military family and moved to a different country every 2 years. Music has always been my passion, accompanying choirs and playing piano in church since I was 14. My Bachelor’s degree is in piano performance but it wasn’t until I started directing choirs that I found my real passion. Read more>>
Colleen McGowan
I launched my online jewelry shop about six months ago, but it already feels like a natural extension of something I’ve been working toward for a long time. The chain of events went something like this – I had my ‘yes I am really going to do this’ moment last summer. Read more>>
Banjo Joe and Danielle
Banjo Joe and Danielle is Joe McCamish on banjo and lead vocals and Danielle Hartline on upright bass and vocal harmonies. We are a touring act with 18 years combined experience as professional musicians, songwriters, and players of mountain music. Our instrumentation and style produce an impressively full sound for a duo. Read more>>
Megan Murphy
In 2020, I became a first-time mom. I wanted so badly to breastfeed my son, but my body wasn’t listening to me. I was doing everything I thought I was supposed to do to be healthy. I was drinking water…a lot of water. Read more>>
Bei Zhang
I started off as a Chanel sales associate for four years and started my resale business in Chicago. It started as work studio then eventually opened up a store in Scottsdale, Arizona. Read more>>
Sharon Mccabe
My name is Sharon McCabe, and in 2016 I opened Rogue Salon on East Main Street in Oceanport with my oldest daughter, Brittani Hauter. We started in a 1,200-square-foot salon with eight chairs, three sinks, and one bathroom — but we always dreamed of creating something bigger, more luxurious, and completely different from any other salon around. Read more>>
Lynette Carrington
I now wear many professional hats, but you could say that I accidentally fell into media over two decades ago when I was unexpectedly published in Vogue Magazine. Twice. Thinking it was a weird fluke, I was then published in Entertainment Weekly, W Magazine, Time Magazine and multiple times in People Magazine. Read more>>
Eboni Johnson
I am Eboni Jenelle, a Chicago native, author, educator, and creative storyteller whose work transforms personal grief into powerful artistic expression. After losing my mother on the last day of high school, I channeled my experience into visual art and poetry, ultimately self-publishing her debut collection From a Cocoon to a Butterfly in 2021. Read more>>
Zoe Bibbes
This whole journey has been an exercise in timing and trusting the process. My background is broad, and I feel grateful that my skillsets and the paths I’ve taken all led me here. For a long time, I was in a relationship where I didn’t feel safe being myself. I didn’t dance. I didn’t sing. Read more>>
Nicole Moran
I was born and raised in Guanajuato Capital, Mexico, and since I was younger, I’ve always been drawn to photography and creativity. I loved documenting things, experimenting with light, movement, emotion! I was and still am the type of person constantly carrying a camera around just because I never wanted to miss the feeling of a moment. Read more>>
Dasha Buchanan
Hi Voyage Magazine, My name is Dasha Buchanan. I am originally from Seattle Washington, I moved to Arizona for college and stayed post pandemic since the weather was better. Thankfully graduated from GCU with a BA in Theatre Arts right before the lock down in December 2019. With no jobs in sight and no companies hiring I had to get creative. Read more>>
Mila Cruz
Growing up, my father owned several small businesses. Restaurants, martial arts studios, private caterings, food trucks, etc. As the world grew through the pandemic, so did the need for digital marketing, especially pertaining to social media. He came to me, asking for help navigating the world that was entirely new to him. Read more>>
Josh Hoganson
Josh “Tater” Hoganson of Tater and the Tokers didn’t set out to start a band again. In fact, music had been sitting quietly in the background of his life for years. Back in the 90s, Josh was deeply involved in music. Like a lot of musicians chasing songs and stages during that era, music was part of who he was. But life shifted. Read more>>
Abigail Ashton
I started planning events at a golf course in 2023 and quickly fell in love with the industry. I currently still work at golf courses and plan events full-time at one of the six locations I’m able to assist with. In October 2025, I officially launched my own business, and I’m so excited to continue growing and pursuing this journey! Read more>>
Jackie Kelley
My husband and I got married in 2014 at the ages of 21 and 23, and we were absolutely clueless about how hard marriage actually was. Read more>>
Kalet Budge
From the moment I started my career at 18, I knew this path was more than just a job; it was my calling. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside some of the most talented and compassionate people in the industry, which has shaped Enlight Collective into more than just a salon—it’s a space where beauty meets authenticity. Read more>>
Jake & Holly Kilian
We started out with a general curiosity for coffee back when we were just college kids. We really wanted to know more about coffee, where it is grown and how it is roasted. We bought some green coffee beans from a local food co-op and took them home to roast with a cast iron skillet. Read more>>
Anthony Miller
I moved to Arizona with nothing. No job, no income, living off unemployment, and figuring out my next move. Most people would call that rock bottom. I called it an opportunity. My father spent his career in telecommunications, so I grew up around the industry. I understood how it worked, what it took, and more importantly, what it was missing. Read more>>
Braydon Dennis
Born and raised in Scottsdale, Arizona, Braydon Dennis built his career around relationships, community, and entrepreneurship. A graduate of Arizona State University with a background in communications, Braydon entered the real estate industry early, beginning in mortgage before transitioning into title and escrow — where he found his passion for business development, marketing, and helping professionals grow their businesses. Read more>>
Codi Stonehouse
I began my career in the events industry in 2013 as a freshman in college, working as a Promotions Tech for local radio stations through iHeartRadio. While being full time in college, I immersed myself in every opportunity I could find within the events world. Read more>>
Hillary Lim
I grew up in a small town in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, where life felt simple, grounded, and close to nature. From an early age, I knew I wanted to be a doctor. It wasn’t just about the title—I was drawn to helping people, to understanding the body, and to making a meaningful difference in others’ lives. Read more>>
Roxy Szigat
Hi, I’m Roxy of ROX INK Calligraphy – a Phoenix-based left-handed calligrapher, engraver, painter, illustrator, and live event artist. In 2026, I celebrate forty-four years since beginning my calligraphic journey. It all began when I received an Osmiroid pen set as a teenager, opening up an entirely new world of creative possibilities. Read more>>
Jenna Colossio
I started Let’s Stroll a few years ago during a season of life when my kids were little and I was looking for connection with other moms. What began as simple stroller walks at local parks quickly turned into something bigger, more moms started joining, friendships formed, and it became a consistent space for community and support. Read more>>
Tara Dunn
There was a version of me that second-guessed everything. Every decision. Every idea. Every time I had a nudge toward something bigger, I would talk myself out of it before anyone else got the chance to. I didn’t build my coaching business because I had it all figured out. Read more>>
Meghann Hanvey
My career has been rooted in people and talent from the very beginning. Over 15 years, I built my expertise in recruiting and talent acquisition across a range of industries — tech, biotech, consumer brands, social impact — holding leadership roles at companies like Sprinklr and Clari, where I helped scale sales and go-to-market teams through some of their most pivotal growth phases. Read more>>
Jonathan Romero
I came up with the idea in 2019 after my brother bought me a fidget spinner. One day, after playing with it, he asked me for a lighter. When I pulled one out of my pocket, my first thought was, “Why hasn’t anyone turned a lighter into a fidget spinner?” I couldn’t stop thinking about the concept. Read more>>
Candy Chambers
I started Top Scholars Microschool from a place of love, frustration, and determination. Over the years, I cared for my grandchildren, foster children, and other children who struggled in traditional school environments. I saw how children of various abilities began to feel overlooked, misunderstood, unsafe, or discouraged in classrooms that simply were not built for the way they learned. Read more>>
Ibrahim Kromah
When I was 16, I remember watching the great Gatsby. It’s one of those things where you see something it freezes you in your tracks . And from there, you know exactly what you want to do for the rest of your life. I almost wanted to re-create everything I saw. The Suits, the people, the atmosphere, the ambience, all of it. Read more>>
