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Kansas City’s Most Inspiring Stories

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.

Shay Carriger

Howdy! My name is Ms. Shay, and I was a little girl who dreamed of horses! I moved many times, from Missouri to Pennsylvania, to Montana, and then back to Missouri. With a lot of grit , grace, heart and hustle, my small family of 5 built our Equine Facility, C Bar C Farms, one day at a time and one horse at a time. We committed our home and efforts to serving God & others. Read more>>

James Hargrave

Later, I took on the role of Director of Financial Planning at a newly founded firm. There, I helped shape the business from the ground up, leading day-to-day operations and working directly with 74 families on their financial planning needs. Over six years, I learned countless lessons in leadership, business, and life that I now carry into this next chapter. Read more>>

Ali Haynes

I am from the Kansas City Metro. Graduated from Olathe North in 2003. I attended K-State and received a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Women’s Studies. I am currently attending Saint Paul’s School of Theology seeking my Master of Arts in Christian Ministry. After my undergrad, I moved back to Olathe and began working at Rose Brooks Center. Read more>>

Claire V. Brisson-Banks

My story begins with faith and a deep love for family history. While living in Rhode Island, I was inspired by the Lord to move to South Jordan, Utah, in 2003. Once there, I began working for a genealogical firm when I felt inspired by the Lord to start my own business. Read more>>

Tawnya Davis

I would say Manna Mental Health was born out of both wilderness and wonder. For 14 years, I have worked across crisis respite, corrections, inpatient and outpatient therapy, and residential treatment—walking alongside people in their darkest nights. I enjoyed aspects of the work, but I also saw how many systems left both clients and clinicians spiritually starved and emotionally exhausted. Read more>>

Hillary Talken

As a young girl, I always knew I loved music. I had parents who grew up as athletes, and who were incredibly encouraging of my musical aspirations, but didn’t necessarily understand them. In the summer after my sixth grade year, my mom found a musical theater summer camp to enroll me in, and from there, I was hooked. Read more>>

Mark Taylor

My name is Mr. Mark Taylor. I started my martial arts journey with Premier Martial Arts Lawrence in August of 2006. I became an instructor shortly after that and worked my way through not only belt ranks but job positions. I became the Head Instructor, then Program Director, later on Manager and eventually bought the school in 2017! Read more>>

Essence Robinson

I’ve always had a deep love for skincare and helping others feel confident in their own skin. What started as a personal passion for self-care and wellness naturally grew into a career focused on making people feel happy, comfortable, and cared for. Over time, I pursued my esthetics license and began offering services that combine both relaxation and real results. Read more>>

Sasha Santillan

I’ve always loved retail. I worked in retail throughout high school and college, and eventually found myself drawn to the visual merchandising side of the industry, starting at American Apparel and Urban Outfitters before moving into local, independent retail. That’s where I really fell in love. Read more>>

Cody Tanner

I’ve always longed for freedom. Growing up, my family was very poor, constantly moving from city to city and state to state, never planting roots. As a teenager, I chased freedom through a reckless lifestyle. I had no respect for authority and lived by my own rules. My older brother—my hero—walked the same streets as me but saw life differently. He had discipline and vision. Read more>>

Jaclyn Kranz

I am originally from Las Vegas. My family and I moved to Missouri to be closer to family and for better opportunities. I’ve always had a dream of being an entrepreneur and a passion for starting businesses. Saddle Brand Coffee was created because in our small town we need a gathering place with good coffee and a convenient location. Read more>>

Chad Derowitsch

Growing up was a rough start. I didn’t play sports or have a natural outlet, but in middle school I discovered training, and it gave me something I’d been missing—structure, confidence, and a sense of direction. That spark eventually became my career. Read more>>

Robie Sullivan, JD, MA, LPC

If I could share one piece of wisdom and inspiration, it would be that it is never too late to pursue new adventures in life! Indeed, the older I get, the more I am convinced that taking the risk and pursuing that wild dream in your heart is key to fulfillment. Read more>>

Lisa DiOrazio

Hi, I’m Lisa.. ..the hands behind Happiness Handmade! My first memories of my grandma were of her sitting in her rocking chair crocheting with a basket full of yarn at her feet. I was always in awe of how fast she could move the hook and create beautiful things from just a piece of yarn! Read more>>

Edward Manoukian

I am a first-generation American, born in Brooklyn, New York. My family immigrated here in 1992 from the Republic of Georgia, and I am also Armenian. My family moved to North Kansas City when I was 5 years old. I received my Bachelor’s degree from the University of Missouri – Columbia in International Studies. I was intrigued by the future of innovative technology and geopolitics. Read more>>

Jennifer (Jenn) Vogt

I’ve had a camera in my hands for as long as I can remember. My love for photography started when I was just eight years old and got my very first wind-up Vivitar camera for Christmas. I spent hours taking pictures of everything around me — and plenty of selfies before selfies were even a thing. Read more>>

Samantha Raasch

I started my doula business a little over a year and a half ago after noticing a need for services for local families in the area. After helping a friend with her twin premature boys, I had found something that I was good at…nurturing moms and supporting them through a super hard time. Read more>>

Ashley Miller

​My start in mental health was in 2016 at Crawford County Mental Health. It was truly meaningful to begin by serving the community I grew up in, but I was eager for new professional challenges. ​I moved to the Kansas City area in 2018 and took a leadership role as the Manager of Crisis & Access Services at Wyandot Center. Read more>>

Cole Sales

After more than a decade working in marketing roles across local businesses, startups, and corporate teams, I started to notice a pattern: brands often had talented people, great ideas, and ambitious goals—but they were still stuck. Stuck in strategy. Stuck in execution. Stuck trying to bridge the gap between what they wanted to say and how they were actually showing up. Read more>>

Michaela Malotte

I stumbled into doing nails right before the pandemic in 2020. I had a friend that I went to cosmetology school with who did nails and I always saw her work on instagram and it looked like so much fun, and I wanted to learn. She started to teach me what she knew and then the world shut down. Read more>>

ERIN ROSENTHAL

My story lies in my ascent to becoming the first female president of PMA Engineering, a structural consulting firm founded in 1976. PMA Engineering boasts an impressive portfolio of projects over its nearly 50-year history in Kansas City, including landmarks like One Kansas City Place, Oak Park Mall, Hollywood Casino, Boulevard Brewery, Plaza Colonnade, Cascade and Aloft Hotels, among others. Read more>>

Pastor Roman and Lady Erika Harris

We launched our ministry on October 4, 2020, right in the middle of the pandemic. We began online and quickly built an online ministry that touched people not just in the Kansas City area, but also in other states, including Washington, New York, Texas, Georgia, Kansas, and Oklahoma. Alive Church was birthed out of prayer and vision. Read more>>

Brittney West

We are a buy, sell, trade clothing exchange. We opened our doors in June of 2016- coming up on our 10th year of business! Wooohooo! We started back in June with the excitement and hope of bringing name-brand, fashionable clothing to the community of St. Joe at great prices. We love offering the city an affordable and sustainable way to shop. Read more>>

Brenda Busch

I decided to leave corporate American, and go to hair school with the Paul Mitchel Schools sign opened in Lincoln NE. I left Lincoln and moved to Maryville, pulling my tool kit from school. I found my guests by gorilla marketing. I constantly networked in the area. Read more>>

Melissa Chaney

Art restoration is a specialized practice of repairing and conserving artworks to preserve their appearance and structural integrity. A conservator-restorer performs this work, which can include stabilizing damaged materials, cleaning surfaces, inpainting or retouching missing paint, and reconstructing lost elements, using scientific and artistic knowledge to ensure minimal impact on the original work. Read more>>

Maricela Spratt

I come from a proud Ecuadorian background where hard work, perseverance, and family values were always at the center of everything. My journey hasn’t been a straight line it’s been full of challenges, lessons, and growth. I started with a simple dream: to create opportunities not only for myself but also for others who come from communities like mine. Read more>>

Meagan Cox

I started my career in Corporate America, but quickly realized it wasn’t filling my cup. I wanted something more meaningful—something that allowed me to connect with people on a deeper level. That led me to launch my first business venture, delivering home-cooked meals and helping with meal prepping. During that season, I also worked alongside my husband on several home-flipping projects. Read more>>

Vincent DeMarco

I started Keys Health DPC with a simple but urgent conviction: patients deserve better. After years of witnessing how insurance bureaucracy and corporate healthcare models erode the doctor-patient relationship, I knew I had to build something different—something principled, personal, and free from the barriers that keep people from getting the care they need. Read more>>

Michael Hall

I fell into bartending by accident. After finishing school, I briefly pursued a career in audio engineering, but I hated the constant travel. What I thought would be a temporary bartending job turned into a passion, and five years later, I’m still loving every second of it. Read more>>

Cheryl Dangerfield

I didn’t plan on starting a business. My story began when I went to work for a doctor and his wife in their home. He was still working, and she needed extra help with the things she couldn’t do anymore. I became their house manager and did a little bit of everything inside and outside the home. Read more>>

HEATHER MUSICK

Back in 2018, I went through a big life reset. Coming out of that, I knew I wanted a career that gave me both independence and purpose. I’ve always loved numbers and solving problems, and mortgages ended up being the perfect fit. Read more>>

Olivia English

I’ve always cared for the planet through gardening while having a heart for the trash problems. I use to run a regenerative landscaping company for many years and half my job was usually picking up trash so I began researching better ways to use waste. There’s a hidden history of using waste into road infrastructure so I began talking with experts in this arena. Read more>>

Caitlin Jordan

I come from a family of helpers and caregivers, so I always knew that I wanted to have a meaningful career where I was able to have a direct impact on the lives and well-being of others. I’ve always had a really profound and existential interest in people- why we do what we do and how our experiences shape our thoughts, actions, beliefs, and emotions. Read more>>

Danielle Nash

At the very beginning of my counseling career I worked primarily with adolescent and adult individuals at a local non-profit private practice with a few couples sprinkled in between. I became interested in learning more about a particular type of couples therapy that was based in attachment theory called Emotion Focused Couples Therapy. Read more>>

Julie Gorenc

I have been a midwife since 2000. I was an attorney but loved my maternity experience so much that I went back to nursing school and then midwifery school to become a Certified Nurse-Midwife. For many years, I worked for physician-owned and later hospital-owned practices and attended deliveries in the hospital setting.. Read more>>

ShaNae Nelson-Murphy

My mom is my role model and my hero. My mom is a nurse and every since I was a little girl I knew I wanted to be just like her. The compassion she had for people and her desire to help other I always admired. When I graduated high school I majored in pre-med and got my first job as a pharmacy technician. Read more>>

Nikki O’Neill

After a long career in Operations and Human Resources, I came to realize that the corporate environment wasn’t the right fit for me. I was craving more creativity and purpose- something that not only sparked joy but also allowed me to help others in a meaningful way. Read more>>

Kate O’Keefe

After graduating college, I began my professional career with Teach For America, an organization focused on addressing educational inequity. I was placed in Kansas City, where I taught early childhood education at Operation Breakthrough, a nonprofit supporting children and families facing poverty and trauma. Read more>>

Jill Smith

Early in my career, I supported individuals experiencing domestic violence and saw firsthand how education can be a key to financial independence. At the same time, I noticed how young children—especially early elementary age children showing behavioral concerns—could quickly develop a negative relationship with school, putting their long-term success at risk. Their behaviors were a way of communicating what they could not with words. Read more>>

Rocki Mitchell

I started out as a dancer/gymnast at the age of 4, and once I hit middle school I started playing volleyball, basketball, and ran track until I graduated high school. I didn’t play sports college but I knew athletics and fitness were my passion. I graduated with a Bachelor’s in Wellness and decided I wanted to become a fitness instructor. Read more>>

Liz Wagner

I was born into the restaurant business in 1967. My parents opened the original Jerrys Restaurant in 1964 and ran it until 1995. I hated the restaurant business, or so I thought, until about 2 weeks after they sold it and I realized I actually loved it. I truly believe you have to “have it in your blood” in order to be successful. Read more>>

Andrea Metcalf

I fell in love with horses before I was old enough for kindergarten. My own mom (who I share my Birthday with!) introduced me to horses and serving families with special needs. She introduced me to volunteering at Heartland Therapeutic Riding, inc. (in 2000) when I was 14 years old! Read more>>

Blake Desselle

At the age of 18, I started to work part time for a company called Boost Sports Performance and Physical therapy. This was the same place that I trained at as an athlete and also went to physical therapy for when I was injured. Read more>>

Theresa Jones

Plaza Heights Christian Academy was born out of the desire for students to have a safe place to learn, to feel loved, and to develop a relationship with Christ rooted in Biblical truth. Read more>>

Abbi Lee

My journey as a writer started long before my first book ever came out. For nearly a decade, I was a stay-at-home mom, which meant lots of time reading children’s books and coming up with bedtime/naptime stories. This season of life gave me the gift of time to immerse myself in children’s books and study the publishing industry. Read more>>

Marjorie Dodd

Marjorie Fisher Art’ has been a work in progress since 2007. I’ve loved creating art for myself and for others since high school, propelling that love into a career in art education until I chose to stay home with my 1 year old daughter. Read more>>

Ren Knott and Leah Schwarz

Hope Roots Collective is a wellness collective in Olathe, KS, founded by Leah Schwarz, LSCSW, RPT, PMH-C, and Ren Knott, LCMFT. We created it to help private practice therapists and wellness professionals build businesses that are sustainable and life-giving. When providers are supported, they stay in the field longer and the whole community benefits. Read more>>

Ashlie Collins

AshandAudrey.com started with a simple idea — to mix all the things I love most: cute clothes, cozy home decor, good books, and animals. I’ve always loved supporting small local businesses and wanted to create something that gave others that same feeling of connection. I’ve found that the right outfit can totally change how I feel — more confident, more myself. Read more>>

Lola b. Bunny

My name is Lola B. Bunny aka The Baddest Honey, I am a Kansas City native. I was not born here but I’ve been raised here my entire life as long as I can remember. I have a large family, one son, and many loved ones. When growing up I always had a passion for entertainment, whether it was cheerleading, dancing, or doing talent shows. Read more>>

Anna Bannister

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always been a Creative person with an Entrepreneurial spirit. And if there was anything I ever wanted to do, I’d learn everything I could and would dive right in, even if I didn’t know the outcome. After college I worked the proverbial Corporate Sales job in the Publishing industry. Read more>>

Lory Lacy

I started playing flute and saxophone in Fairbanks, Alaska. I knew right away that I wanted to be a professional musician. I eventually went to three conservatories (Oberlin, Peabody, and San Francisco), earning a master’s degree in flute performance. I lived in the Los Angeles area for 12 years where I performed and did studio work for television and recording artists. Read more>>

Stephenie Klotzbach

My relationship with feelings started at a young age, as both of my parents are psychologists. I knew I always wanted to be in the helping field, but just was not sure how. I started out as a case manager for a head start program in central Kansas, and moved to Kansas City shortly after. Read more>>

Abreanna Parker

i am born and raised in Topeka KS i went to Shawnee Heights High School here in town. i am a single mother of soon to be 7-year-old this month. i went to college on a trach and volleyball scholarship but wasn’t feeling it school at that time so came back to Topeka and started working. Read more>>

Olliea Jarrett

My name is olliea Jarrett I am the site director for the Jerry Lee Jarrett life Center in Bonner Springs! The center started in the basement in Christ first ministries . Under the leadership of pastor Jerry and Melva . The center started in 2018 and in 2023 project moved into the life center. The center serves as an educational resource for the community. Read more>>

Gabby Moore

Growing up I was creative in every aspect. Drawing, music, poetry, dance, etc. I focused on art in my early childhood and switched to music in my teen years. After graduating high school I decided to try out the military. After realizing it wasn’t for me, I went to an HBCU in Mississippi called Alcorn State University and played the drums. Read more>>

Seth Allen

What started as a love for craft cocktails and live music slowly became a dream of creating something truly special in downtown Lee’s Summit. We wanted more than just a bar or a music venue — we wanted a place where artistry and hospitality could meet under one roof. Read more>>

Kelley Terlip

Mike and I have very similar stories- we both went to college for things we were passionate about that were not cooking, I always tell people Mike was a musician in a past life, he plays guitar and piano. I graduated from Kansas State with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology and Horticulture with a focus on food and agriculture. Read more>>

Sara Jean Warnow

I’ve been baking with my mom since I was too young to even turn on the oven and then when I had kids of my own I loved creating delicious cakes for their birthday’s, though they were not very fancy or detailed. Once they all grew up and started adulting I suddenly had more free time on my hands and needed a hobby. Read more>>

Julie Cortés

Like many self-employed folks, I lost my job. It was unexpected … and terrible timing. While I searched for my next full-time job, I started freelancing to help pay the bills. What I didn’t know at the time was what would come of it. Read more>>

Jeffrey Tiller

I started Omni Entertainment in 1987. We book bands, DJ’s, Emcees, Magicians, National acts Etc all over the region and nationwide. I have Had the company for 38 years. The pandemic completely shut the music business down in 2020 for over 2 years. During that time I started Notary Now where I notarize all types of documents, real estate, Auto, POA etc. Read more>>

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