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.
Selene soto
I am Artista Selene♡ pronouns: She/They I am a immigrant artist. Juárez mexico-born ☆ but Strawberry Hill kck-raised. I am a Queer Latine artist who pulls from all my worlds mexican roots,Body postivity and turns it into bilingual tracks and stories that hit you in the chest. I perform with my bandmates ‘ The chingona band’ together our sound is a ragey latin pop alt. Read More>>
Anthony Plogger
Nclusion Plus was born out of a challenge that many in the entertainment industry faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to 2020, a group of friends and community members regularly gathered at a local drag venue in Columbia, Missouri. Read More>>
Elizabeth Darcel
I started off singing in church. First in the choir, then doing specials for Easter Sunday or Christmas. I moved into school performances and eventually theatrical productions. Then came GarageBand. I began creating simple backing tracks and recording low quality samples of ideas that I had for covers on an old MacBook Pro that I got from a Pawn Shop. Read More>>
Antonio (L-Moe) Wesley
My passion for the craft of music started when I was 13 years old. After school every day I’d walk to a store by the name of Quigley Music Studios located at 7800 Troost ave In Kansas City, Mo. After saving I would be able to purchase my first Drum Machine. Read More>>
Kimberly Marks
Hi, I’m Kim, owner, designer, customer service representative, decorator, and delivery person known as KcCakelady, with some help from my husband, who had no idea this was going to be part of our journey. Read More>>
Carlton Rashad
Thank you for this opportunity to share my story. Music has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Growing up, I was surrounded by it. One of my earliest memories of realizing my passion for music was winning my first talent show at 12 years old. Read More>>
Tina Rojas
My life started in the suburbs of Chicago (1991), with a mother from Kansas City and a father from Costa Rica. I moved to Kansas in my early teens, completed my undergrad at the University of Kansas (2013), and eventually moved to Kansas City at 24 (2016). Read More>>
Kiki Life Jasmine Johnson
Already being great friends, we balance each other so well, that it seemed to be a no brainer that we went into this venture together! Jasmine was already growing in the wine industry and I (Kiki) joined her to support but ended up finding myself as well. The idea for our show literally came from an impromptu tasting on Jasmines porch. Read More>>
Olivia Huffaker-Smith
Growing up in a small town in Missouri, I was always the kid flipping through home plan magazines and rearranging the furniture in our house. I just had this deep love for design and making spaces my own from a really early age. Read More>>
Kaityana Villines
I’ve been in the beauty industry for over 20 years, starting back at the old Mario Tricoci on the Plaza. It was the career change I didn’t know I needed, getting me out of a corporate sales job and into a career that has never really felt like work. I genuinely love what I do. Read More>>
Sheila Ellis-Glasper
Everything that has happened in my career has built on the last chapter, even when I didn’t realize it at the time. I started as a journalism student at Kansas State University and quickly fell in love with storytelling. I worked my way through the student newspaper and eventually became the first Black editor-in-chief in its history. Read More>>
Ashley Cooper
1. I was raised in a household with my grandfather who had a large collection of old albums. My mother was a Jehovah’s Witness and very religious so I was encouraged to listen to my grandfather’s music instead of the music of my peers (gangster rap) in the hopes that it would protect me from bad influences. Read More>>
Emily Bordner
EB and Co. started in 2012 when I was searching for the perfect handbag—something modern, simple, affordable, and high quality—but couldn’t find exactly what I wanted. So, I decided to create it myself. At the time, I was in my twenties and constantly experimenting with different business ideas. I had sold everything from perfume and vegan donuts to kids’ toys and gym equipment. Read More>>
Hunter Frescoln
<p data-pm-slice=’0 0 []’>I have always had a passion for creating beautiful, fully functional spaces. Before Trendy Gardener, that passion begun with my career in kitchen and bath design, spacial planning, custom cabinetry, natural stone, material selections, and the details that make a space feel both elevated and livable.</p><p></p><p>During COVID, that passion began to take on a new direction. Read More>>
Alisha Hargis
When I got married in 2019, I had followed my photographer on social media for awhile and knew I wanted to book her. We ended up hitting it off really well and I was able to shadow her at a Wedding she did not long after mine. Read More>>
Janet Gutierrez
I started my Soap/Body Care Business our of my kitchen about 30 years ago.. I had so many skin allergies and I want to explore making my own soap.. I was a military wife and we traveled the world. I also grew up in a very Slavic eastern European home and my mother and grandparents made everything from scratch. I grew up in NE Ohio. Read More>>
MEGAN REED
I have been an avid solo-traveler since college and I love planning trips. I realized there was a way for me to help others who maybe love the adventure but hate the planning, so I started the journey to being a travel advisor! Read more>>
Liz Bean
My journey has been anything but traditional. Before becoming a hairstylist, I spent years working in the service industry and navigating some difficult seasons of life. Recovery became the foundation for everything that followed, and this year I celebrated ten years of sobriety, a milestone that continues to shape both my personal life and my business. Read more>>
Lauren Schmidt, CLU, QPFC
I started my practice in June 2015 and my main driver was to help others become confident in protecting their finances as well as building their finances. I did not grow up in a household that was ‘fluent’ in money, so I wanted to change the narrative. The first five years of this journey were the toughest. Read more>>
Jim DeGood
I grew up in a small rural town in southeast Kansas where arts and culture were hard to come by. I developed late physically, which meant sports were never my entry point. Instead I found my way into the school band, theater, speech and debate. Read more>>
Tate Unruh
I spent 25 years in a fear-based mindset. The problem was that it worked. D1 scholarship, pro bball career, corporate promotions, successful startup…I was totally numb to what was driving me: a fear of being ‘enough’ I went through a personal transformation in my mid 30’s and when that cup overflowed, the Freedom Lab spilled. out. Read more>>
Mia Johnae’
MJ Creativ Started off as me just being a scrap booker. My daughter’s grandma got me into it right before I had her in August 2020 while COVID was going on. After a while I started working on little things like resin jewelry and started doing pop up events. At my very first even I made my own QR code sign and Customizedy table cloth. Read more>>
Terrence Hayes
My journey started with a love for making people laugh and bringing people together through entertainment. Like many creators, I faced setbacks, disappointments, and moments where people doubted my vision. Read more>>
Olivia Fox
OLIVIA FOX started from a place of heartbreak. Lauren was having a hard time getting pregnant, and so she began writing songs to get through it. She had previously been performing solo shows for some time, but there came a point that she wanted more; to sing and find community with other women. Her vision was three part female harmony with guitar, violin, and keys. Read more>>
EDWARD Wong
I got my start with my first gig at a local show in Kansas City, Missouri on July 17, 2021. From there, everything really came down to staying curious and putting myself in the right rooms. I paid attention to people who were already doing what I wanted to do, learned from them, and figured a lot of things out through trial and error. Read more>>
Peyton Ragan
I opened my business in 2020, immediately after graduating from Esthetic school, because I felt there was a gap in the industry. So much of the conversation around skincare is focused on fixing, correcting, or changing ourselves. What interested me most was the experience of helping people feel more connected to themselves. Read more>>
Brooke Bruce
The Bruce Farm started back in 2017 as nothing more than a hobby for us. We weren’t setting out to build a business—we just loved the lifestyle. I’ve always had a passion for dogs, and Kaleb has always been drawn to farm animals, especially cows, so it just made sense for us. Read more>>
McKenzie Stanley
Driftwood Ceramics was created in 2018 by Husband & Wife, Ken and McKenzie Stanley. McKenzie has a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Truman State University, focusing in ceramics. Ken has a Bachelor in Fine Arts Degree from University of Missouri, focusing in Painting. After graduating college, they both worked in different studios around the country and decided to open their own! Read more>>
Lisa Lola
I got started in a rural area on a farm in Iowa. Born into a family based on service, hard work, helping each other out and doing the right thing. There was also love, care and connection to God. I grew up around a lot of health crisis and subconsciously I think that activated my awareness of the need for healing. Read more>>
Lindsey Lenore
Aphrodite’s Atrium began with a long held grievance against the way society holds space for (or rather doesn’t hold space for) women’s sensuality, confidence, and their right to feel good in their own bodies. Read more>>
Savanna Pike
I’m currently the Marketing Manager for Get Out and have been with the company since 2022. One of my favorite parts of the job is creating and sharing content that highlights all the amazing attractions and experiences throughout Kansas City. Read more>>
Michael Young
Well, My earliest interest in art came by watching my father painting in our basement. I wondered how he recieved so much pleasure from doing so. Sadly my high school didn’t offer art classes back then but I was lucky enough to find a commercial art school in Salina Kansas, in two years, after graduation I landed an illustration job in Kansas City Mo. Read more>>
Gerrit Hutchinson
I started this journey when I was 14. My mom bought a reflexology booklet and DVD set from Aldi’s of all places. And in 3 days I taught myself reflexology. With this new skill set I was able to alleviate back and neck pain, relieve my dad’s migraines, and even stabilize my mother’s anemia. Read more>>
Orion ‘Bad Karma’ Mata
I am a U.S. Army Military Policeman Veteran and 30-year law enforcement professional. I spent my entire adult life on the front lines of public safety as a Patrolman, School Resource Officer, Detective, Federal Task Force Officer, federal court-recognized drug trafficking expert, NRA Certified firearms instructor, SRT Operator, Police Sniper, and Defensive Tactics instructor. Read More>>
Cristina Popovic
My American Dream My name is Cristina Popovic, and I am originally from the Republic of Moldova, a small country located between Romania and Ukraine. Growing up, I never imagined that one day I would build a life, raise a family, and create several businesses in the United States. Read More>>
