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.
Victoria Beal
In 2019 I found a school in Lawrence,KS and began classes in 2020. I graduated with my license in September of 2020 and began my own business- Victorias Beauty and Skin at Salon 708. I later got my instructors license in esthetics in 2021 and my manicuring license in 2022. I always had a dream to work for myself and found a salon in Lawrence to call home. I celebrate my 5 years in the salon this October! I do anything from facials, lashes, brows, bridal makeup, body waxing to manicures and pedicures! Read more>>
Chelsea Jerabek
I knew I wanted to be a physical therapist at 10 years old when I was a physical therapy patient for the first time. I then got sick when I was 12 years old and it took three years to get a diagnosis of Lyme disease. I suffered from many symptoms, including asthma, acid reflux, neurologic dysfunction, and severe chronic pain (to name a few) for the next 20 years. Being a patient of physical therapy helped me to go from barely being able to walk to playing college soccer in an 8-month period and that solidified my passion to become a physical therapist. Read more>>
Comfy Stennis
We are the power to influence through fashion. We specialize in customizing hats, bags, clothing and other personal fashion wear. We are proud to create a sense of community with our fashion finds. We also take pride in influencing people to create art in any space they are in as it can be therapeutic. We don’t gatekeep information when asked about building a brand. We want to provide a helping hand in getting them to their desired destinations. I have extended my platform to young creatives in my family and community like Tyree Nassir of Surreal Styles Xi’Leah Jennings of Bliss by Xi and Zaniya Mcgaugh of Zaza Styles. Read more>>
Shelee Brim
In 1998, we moved to Shawnee, KS. My husband had been working at the Shawnee Police Department since he graduated from Kansas State University and we felt that it was time to be closer to his work. Upon our move, I spent two years teaching and coaching in the Basehor-Linwood School District before moving to the De Soto School District where I worked until I retired from teaching in 2016. During my time in USD 287, I was selected as Teacher of the Year and was named as the FOX 4 Crystal Apple Teacher. Read more>>
William Pinto
The name “Aris” holds a very special value, as it was the name of my late father. The work is entirely family run; the father handles the mechanics, the mother the menu, the daughter runs the social media, and even friends brought in ideas and contributed in many aspects. From the beginning, our purpose has been clear: for every person that tries our dishes to feel like they are traveling to Venezuela with every bite. Read more>>
Corrie McLean
I opened Northside Social in late august 2023, but the vision began long before. We are nestled in North Lawrence, as a local neighborhood bar where the craft cocktail scene meets the quaint charm of your favorite dive bar. We aimed to create a welcoming space for everyone, whether they’re in the mood for a delicious cocktail, a refreshing mocktail, or a simple can of beer. Read more>>
Jackie Waechter
COVID – that was a very rough year. Travel advisors are not paid until our clients travel. I spent the entire year canceling and rebooking clients and not bringing in any income. I watched years of work disappear and wondered if I my company would survive. I spend that year rebranding and building a new website with the hopes that people would come back…and they did! Read more>>
Carolyn Kumpe
COOKshop on 8th is our commercial kitchen and event space for cooking classes and private parties. It includes a captivating kitchen studio for classes led by locally and nationally celebrated chefs plus food/beverage experts. A thoughtfully curated selection of culinary equipment and ingredients will soon be offered in our retail shop. Cookshop on 8th is also available to rent to host your own private parties. Read more>>
Kayla Rodgers
Around the same time, I adopted a precious little kitten named Scout, so naturally, he became the first inspiration for my projects. Scout sadly passed away in 2023 but his memory lives on through Scout & Friends. My love for animals has only grown since then. Today I share life with a house full of rescue animals: my cat Nibs, box turtle Terry, and dog, Root Beer. Read more>>
Christina Kolnyang
I started with just a passion and a skill working with friends and family back in 2015. At first, it was just something I loved doing, but I quickly realized how powerful it could be to make people feel confident and beautiful. When Covid happened, it changed a lot of things. We all went our separate ways. I decided to look into salon suits. I found a location in Leawood area but it was too far. So I decided to relocate my business to North Kansas City area. This location has helped me build clients. I began taking clients, building relationships, and learning how to run a business along the way. Read more>>
David Rodriguez
Hi, I’m David Rodriguez. I was born and raised in Kansas City. I currently live in the Waldo neighborhood with my husband Brandon and our two dogs Peaches and Zelda. I’m the owner/founder of Full Circle Fitness in Kansas City, KS. I’m also a group fitness instructor and am licensed to teach Strong Nation and Circl Mobility. Read more>>
Aisha Imani
When I moved to Kansas at the age of 10, I continued to pursue my love for creating by taking every art class available in my schools. After high school, I moved back to Oakland and earned my BFA in Interior Design from the California College of the Arts. There, I developed a socially conscious, critically engaged approach to art and design. Shortly after, I had my first child and decided to work as a stay-at-home mother and wife. I continued to work on freelance art commissions to maintain my passion. Read more>>
Cynthia Eve Cosplay
My cosplay journey began in 2017 at a small library convention in Springfield, MO. I’d only heard bits and pieces about cosplay before, but I was excited to see what it was all about. Even though the convention was small, the energy and enthusiasm of the community made it feel alive. I met so many new friends that day and got to nerd out over books and movies we all loved. That experience completely hooked me and I knew from that day on I wanted to dive deeper into cosplay. Read more>>
Kim Hawley
In fact, the group—that I named Strength Through Story (www.strengththroughstory.com)—started in March 2020, right when the pandemic hit. Instead of an in-person group in Kansas City, I pivoted to a virtual one and offered it to moms across the country. And I couldn’t believe it: the moms came. They came from all over the country, from California to New York, to talk through their wins and challenges and to hear validation. Read more>>
Steven Campbell
I first discovered tattoo magazines in High school and was immediately drawn to the imagery. I knew I wanted to be covered. So I saved money and started getting tattooed my senior year of high school. Before the end of the year I almost had my sleeves done. Which helped me develop a relationship with a shop and a group of artists. I started out helping the front and drawing stencils while focusing on learning everything it took to run a shop. Eventually I started tattooing in 1999. Read more>>
Luca Dawson
During this time, I realized that the skills I was learning on these film sets transferred to the live production industry. It led me to work for the Chiefs, where I would help set up the gigantic line of fiber that held up their sky cam, or I would help make sure that the wiring connected to cameras on the football field stayed untangled. Read more>>
Brandy Stephenson
I had to resign or be fired because this company would not keep my job or accommodate me until my shot to see if it would allow me to work without excruciating pain in my back and radiating down my leg. I resigned from a job that I really needed financially. I am also 3 years into my recovery and understand now that people don’t have your best intentions in mind. I was “hotel” homeless for about a year and a half before moving back to KC area in 2023. Read more>>
Kristen Christian
We originally created Bee Organized to help our friends and neighbors locally. Little did we know that we were building a road map for organizing enthusiasts around the country to build a business for themselves, but not by themselves. Scott Sjoberg, Kristen’s big brother and an entrepreneur and franchise owner himself, saw something in Bee Organized and put a little BUZZ in their ear to help create Bee Organized as a franchise model. And just like that, Bee Organized Enterprises was born! Read more>>
Andrea Alexander
I started out it into hair naturally and perfecting my craft and the instruction of Theresa Miller.. after several years of doing hair, I collaborated with Aisha Ogletree. She definitely is a household name. I was so happy to be able to work with her. She showed me so many different avenues on how to hone in to my craft. Under the instruction of Aisha Ogletree, I was able to work the stellar awards in Las Vegas, where I was able to meet several gospel celebrities and also made my own connections. I also had the pleasure of working the Kansas City draft doing make up for models during the chief draft season. Read more>>
Crystal Ellison
After high school, I knew I wanted to become a lawyer, but I had little guidance on the path forward. I started my higher education at a community college, Donnelly College in Kansas City, Kansas, where I earned a two-year full scholarship and was inducted into Phi Theta Kappa. My academic journey included time at several institutions—KCKCC, UMKC, and Clark Atlanta University—before ultimately earning my Bachelor of Arts in Legal Studies with a minor in Political Science from Park University, graduating Cum Laude. Read more>>
Lana Dorsey
So instead I decided to take a year off. I had been working at my leasing office where I stayed for student housing. Believe it or not, I actually liked my job. Leasing on commission and making content for the complex catered to the creative and competitive nature that I have always had. That brought me into property management, looking more into real estate. I got my licenses in February 2023 and the rest was history. Read more>>
Mark Thies
I am a musician as well as a recording artist as well as an engineer and studio owner. My love of music sent me down this path. I am the youngest of seven children and most all of them are musicians and some form. Both of my parents were musicians. One of my parents supported my path. The other one did not. I set out to help people Achieve their dreams in regards to Music. That goal has never changed. I believe that if you set out to help people, you will be successful. Read more>>
Theodora Parsons
Certain scenes, characters, music had an extreme effect on me and I started questioning what that character smelled like, what I felt when I saw that film. The two became intertwined, eventually this spread to books and other media. Anything that moved me to build a world beyond sight and emotion into a fragrance. Hex Mundi started as a candle company, my first scent was Chinatown named after one of my favorite films. The notes were jasmine tea, gunsmoke and salty ocean air. After making candles for about 5ish years and expanding my catalog I realized that I would love to smell like these fragrances. Thus my candle company became a tiny perfume house. Read more>>
Tatym Barnett
I love the art of telling a story through visuals and connecting with people in that way. My job is always exciting because for weddings it’s the best day of their lives, every time. You’ll never have a mundane day filming a wedding. And for promotional work I always get to learn something new about a career I had no previous knowledge about, but I also get to be apart of telling their story in a way that really resonates with people. Being able to create an emotional response from a viewer is my favorite challenge in being a videographer. Read more>>
Justis (Juice4ver) Stone
Feeling the need to grow creatively and seeing the way things were going with this era of content creation about a couple of years ago i bought a camera and started experimenting with the visual side then I decided to launch my media company this year called treehouse productions that is focused towards shooting content for creatives around the city in which majority of them are artists that I produce music for but am open to work with any brand or businesses. Read more>>
Alex Campbell
My journey started in late 2008 after I was diagnosed with PTSD from finding my mom dead. I was at the lowest point in my life and music was the only thing that made me feel whole again. (as cheesy as that sounds). I tried to run from my grief by attending as many concerts and shows as possible but when I was at home I needed something to do on my restless nights alone when I would feel lost. My friend Jen HA steered me into the underground dj world and it was zero to 100 after that. Thus “Requiem” was born as a dedication to my mother and all of my pain. Read more>>
Janie Schumaker
We took in our first dog in 2019 and since then have had over 7500 dogs, cats and small mammals in our care. We take in animals from our community who need to be rehomed or are homeless. We give them their second chance. We have approximately 360 foster families that help care for our animals, work through challenges, rehabilitate and provide much needed support and love while they wait for their new homes. Because of our dedicated shelter team, our board of directors, fosters and volunteers, who go above and beyond for every single animal, Melissa’s has a 99% save rate. Read more>>
Emily Blanks
That endless sensation has been present for me since the 2020 Covid era. It left me with a constant desire to create change and bring a positive impact to life. How does one do that exactly? Sometimes I think we tend to get lost in a world of mindless social media and zero follow-through beyond posting. Bringing a visible, positive impact to the world feels challenging, but it’s possible if you start with what’s in front of you: your own community. You can’t possibly fix the world’s problems, but you can try to help locally. Read more>>
Samuel Imair
Eventually we start throwing small DJ sets at minibar and form a DJ crew called “Inner Sanctum” Inner Sanctum starts picking up some steam and we start making connections with rappers in the local area that really like our stuff. Me and Vertigon decide that we should make an upgrade to upstairs of minibar and have an awesome party to celebrate all the rich talent in KC! That would eventually become Sammy Sheets and Friends. Read more>>
Summer Love The Dare To Be Different Foundation
The Dare to Be Different Foundation, established in 2020 by Summer Love Minor, aims to enrich the lives of young people, particularly those in underserved communities. Starting as a way to improve children’s behavior at home, we focus on providing access to character development and skill-building opportunities. Our programs engage both children and parents, teaching behavioral health skills and ensuring positive changes in the home environment. We empower children with the tools and techniques they need to thrive as young adults, express their emotions to their parents, and equip parents with the skills to understand their child’s behavior and emotions.” Read more>>
Kelsey
As a young adult I was incredibly angry and went to therapy for years to help me work through my hurt and become a person I enjoyed spending time with. However, I quickly realized that just speaking about my hurt wasn’t enough to heal. Traumas are stored in the cells of our beings, and I needed to move my body in new ways. I began practicing yoga with videos on YouTube, and then hired a teacher to help me refine my practice. Read more>>
Kristi Hite
Launching my business was both terrifying and exciting, but it quickly became the best decision I ever made for myself and my kids. It gave me purpose, independence, and a platform to share my passion for barbering and grooming in a way that truly reflects who I am. It has also been incredibly rewarding to see my daughter follow in my footsteps-she earned her own cosmetology license and is making her mark in the industry on her own terms. Knowing that my passion helped inspire her career is one of the things I’m most proud of. Read more>>
Lai Xu
I grew up in China and moved to the U.S. in my junior year of high school, a big leap that taught me to adapt quickly and embrace new opportunities. I started my design career at Cerner Corporation, building it from the ground up over 15 years. Along the way, I learned not just about creating products, but about understanding people, solving problems, and telling stories that make an impact. Read more>>
Spencer White
I started building guitars in 2017 or so. I had started doing some woodworking a couple years before and had a friend who was doing some guitar builds as well, so I figured why not give it a shot? I started out building just the bodies, buying necks and asking for help from friends all the time. Since then I’ve continued to hone my craft and I am growing a bit more confident with each build. Read more>>
Stacy Braiuca
My story begins not unlike many others, with roots deeply entwined in the rich soil of curiosity and wonder. From a young age, I found solace and fascination in the learning, technology, and interconnection with other humans, drawn to all of the intricate dance of life that unfolded around me. This connection grew stronger as life maneuvered my original chosen path of technology, into studies of human behavior and consciousness, earning credentials in social work and public health. Read more>>
ICE Williams
In 2008, ICE Studios became an official nonprofit organization. With the support of parents, local grants, and a growing team of teachers and volunteers, we’ve expanded to offer ballet, hip-hop, contemporary, jazz, tumbling, and more to students ages 3 to 18. Our annual recitals, competition teams, and community showcases are now celebrated events that spotlight our dancers’ growth and talent. Read more>>
Kelly Raines
I co-founded Birdsall House in 2015. Before that, I had spent 20 years working in early childhood education and had studied both Early Childhood Education and Social Psychology. While I loved teaching—especially working with pre-K students—I often found that traditional teaching methods conflicted with what I knew about child development. Read more>>
Amanda Doyon
Growing up in the Suburbs of South Kansas City there wasn’t much that had happened in my life to really give me much perspective. When I turned 15, I got a car and when I got married in 2009 my parents did everything to make it the dream wedding, I had planned for two years. It wasn’t until infidelity and verbal and financial abuse that really made everything I had put in my bullseye seem so unimportant. I attended UMKC-Conservatory of Music and Dance to get my Bachelor of Music Education. Read more>>
Remy Styrk
Being able to play and write music, along with creatively processing and reimaging the world around, really gave voice to the voicelessness of losing my mom so young. By about 7 or 8, I had taught myself piano, bass, other percussion, and was really forming my approach to songwriting and producing. This was also about the same time I had learned language around knowing that I was trans and began to transition. I went on hormone blockers really young – for other medical reasons that fortunately lined up with what I was feeling on the inside. I also loved to draw, paint, and scuplt, so the mediums I could communicate what was going on inside were almost endless. Read more>>
Triny Beckman
Our program is centered around the 3 and 4 year old children who’s parents need a healthy outlet for them to learn playground readiness, basic social interaction behaviors, listening to an adult that isn’t their parent as well as some gymnastics skills, balance, coordination, overcoming challenges and working together with classmates/ friends. Read more>>
Nicole Green-Singer
When Bryan and I started Lavender Springs Behavioral Health,(2018) it came from a simple but powerful belief: people deserve access to highly trained professionals, no matter where they live. We had both seen how hard it can be for someone—especially in rural areas or underserved communities—to find the right support. Too often, people go without care, not because they don’t want it, but because the system makes it difficult to reach. Read more>>
Carrie Eldridge
After losing my husband, Brad Eldridge, to cancer in late 2023, I was faced with an incredibly difficult decision: should I close the diesel shop that had been serving the community for over 12 years, or should I step up and take the reins? The thought of seeing everything Brad and I had worked so hard to build come to an end wasn’t something I could accept. This business had always been more than just a job—it was our dream, our legacy, and I wasn’t ready to let go. Read more>>
Emerson Gingrich
I am a press on nail artist who specializes in abstract designs! A solid color set is always a good break in the mix, but I can never turn down a freestyle or complex set! No two sets are ever the same, which makes the job that much more fun! I am most proud of my creativity and talents because I am capable of looking at an inspiration picture and recreating it, but also designing my own sets! What sets me apart from others is my range of designs while still keeping my prices under $30 per set. Read more>>
Koreyon Robinson
it has not been a smooth ride at all plenty of dark days plenty of trying days plenty of blood sweat and tears behind this journey.. I’ve had people doubt me. I’ve had people try to sabotage me, and I’ve even doubted myself sometimes along the way or question my purpose along this journey. I wouldn’t say I’ve ever lost my faith because I’ve always had my faith if I had nothing else, but I will say my faith has been tested definitely. My business has tanked several times and a lot of the times not even from my own faults, but from people I’ve actually hired. Nonetheless has not been a smooth road, but I’ve always persevered. Read more>>
Ashlyn Quinly
I joined the Naturelles my freshman year at the University of Missouri – Columbia. I was walking through speaker’s circle when I saw a girl, who later turned into one of my really good friends, handing out posters for an a cappella group on campus. I have been involved in choir since 6th grade, so this peaked my interest and I decided to try out. I went and auditioned against about 40 other girls and was one of 5 selected that year to join The Naturelles. I have had an amazing experience and being a part of this organization has truly given so many cherished friendships and some of my favorite memories throughout college. During sophomore year, I was elected to be Vice President and held that role until the end of junior year when I was elected to be Co-Presidents with my amazing friend Emma for our senior year. Read more>>
