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.

Amandeep Kaur

While the journey so far has had its smooth stretches, It has had its share of highs and lows. There have been moments where challenges seemed overwhelming, and many tried to undermine my passion and dreams. But through it all, I remained steadfast. Each setback only fueled my determination to push forward. I’ve learned to embrace the struggles as part of my growth, and I am proud of how far I’ve come. The road to my dreams may not always be easy, but every twist and turn has made me stronger and more committed than ever. Read More>>

Jessica Yehle Rix

I am a Minnesota girl at heart, born and raised in a suburb of St. Paul. I met my future (ex)husband when I was in college. He was from Kansas City and when we left school we relocated here. I have called Kansas City home for 21 years. 19 years ago I had my first child, River. He has the biggest smile, best hair, hilarious sense of humor and his giggle is infectious! He also has severe disabilities. He requires full care in all activities. I didn’t just caregive at home, my career was in healthcare. In 2020 I was happily settled in my job at KU working in the OR. I loved my career and never envisioned my life changing directions. Read More>>

Aubrey Britt

I have faced many challenges and it definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. I think facing those challenges made me want it even more. It is also humbling because I know where I started and how hard it was to get where I am now. All losses sting but a win means that much more. Coming back into it years later I had lost some of my abilities that I once had and had to find them again though practice, resources, peers and lots of studying. Read More>>

Aleisha Olatunde

My journey to entrepreneurship was something I never envisioned or desired for myself as a young person, but one I’ve come to embrace and find deep joy, gratitude, and appreciation for daily. I graduated in December 2010 from Missouri State University with a bachelor’s in marketing and a dream to help people get connected to things they need to better their lives. After several years of jobs loosely related to marketing, I finally gained enough experience to earn a job as an inbound marketing specialist in 2017. I felt like I could finally fulfill my purpose. I learned a lot in those 3 years, but in my heart, I knew there was another way I wanted to help people that felt more authentic than “influencing” people to choose a university or product.  Read More>>

Fannie Gibson

The restaurant industry is one of the most challenging fields, and my journey has certainly not been smooth. One of my biggest challenges has been finding good and efficient help. Managing everything on my own can be overwhelming. Additionally, I went through an abusive marriage from 2016 to 2019, which was one of the saddest periods of my life while trying to run my business. I’ve fought many silent battles, but I kept going by the grace of God. So, no, it has not been a smooth road. Read More>>

Alex Lindsey

After a decade of home distillation, whiskey aging, blending and figuring out how to make that an actual business; I found an old train tunnel pass thru in an historic West Bottoms building (built in 1893). We launched with our first blended whiskey – Kansas City Whiskey, a pre-prohibition style of whiskey where sherry was historically rectified into whiskeys. We leveraged that small tunnel to introduce our whiskey and featured cocktail The Best Old Fashioned in KC. In our first year our tasting room was voted in the Pitch as the Best New Bar in Kansas City and The Best Old Fashioned in Kansas City. We launched our whiskey into distribution across Kansas and Missouri. Read More>>

Gina Holmberg

Fast forward to the summer of 2023, the season where everything came crashing down. Our shop flooded due to a pretty wild storm. The remediation process was a complete nightmare, and I was very close to throwing in the towel pardon the pun. After much prayer and thoughtful consideration, we decided to keep going, only to find out that our neighbor shop that we were essentially connected to decided to close their doors. Read More>>

Kelsey Perry

I was building everything from scratch, relying solely on my vision. Without a background in fashion design, I had to learn how to translate my ideas into technically sound fashion sketches that our pattern maker could use to create sample pieces. On top of that, I had to quickly grasp the business side of fashion. Beyond the typical start-up struggles, navigating the retail industry and predicting consumer behaviors during and after the Covid era have been some of the most challenging aspects of the journey. Read More>>

Rob Arnold

Then in 2017 we were looking for a brick and mortar. Looked at a ton of locations. But decided on Lenexa Public Market it was a up and coming place. More like an incubator for local and newer businesses. We opened there on September 1st and were supposed to be there 1 month. We ended up being only 1 of 2 businesses that started on September 1st and still open right before we left on July 1st. Including anchor spaces. Read More>>

Michael Funk

To me, it’s about continuing down that road seeing where it leads until you hit a dead end and keeping a positive mentality so you don’t get lost. To say my struggles have been any greater than anyone else’s is how we interpret what they mean and don’t mean too much if we don’t carry those struggles to the next road. It would be unfair of me to list my personal struggles because to me, they haven’t been struggles they’ve simply been speedbumps slowing me down on the journey of where I’ve ended up today. Read More>>

Cortney Fangman

We’ve definitely had a lot of obstacles; covid being a big one. Since 2020 inflation has made everything we need to buy go up in cost from store supplies to cost of goods. . We’ve had to do a lot of adapting as people shop more and more cheap fast fashion. We feel it’s important to keep our items affordable but reasonable to keep our doors open. Read More>>

Amy Rizzo Kristen Bushmoyer

It has always been important to us that our clientele represents our diverse city and our attitudes about inclusivity. We set out to make our venues accessible for anyone and everyone who wants to go outside of the mold of the prescribed large scale wedding. In the past couple of years, our scope broadened dramatically when we realized that the philosophies and strategies we used for our wedding packages could easily translate to all sorts of events and include even more services and vendors. We now offer hourly rentals, party packages, and an assortment of additional services and want to continue to grow to include more and more offerings and event types. Read More>>

Denisha Jones

I have learned that when there is crisis, there needs to be a financial safety net in place for more middle and lower class families. I was without income for months and was also diagnosed with long Covid and will be having a heart procedure to remove the scaring from when the virus attacked my left ventricle. It’s taught me that generational wealth is more important now more than ever. Read More>>

Carlisha Duffey

I am originally from Dallas/ Houston Tx. I have lived all over, but one thing that remains is, “You can take the Girl out of the South, but You can’t take the South out of the Girl.” Those early teachings, signature mannerisms and my passion for helping others gave birth to Southern Girl Industries. That Southern Hospitality is ingrained and integrated into the backbone of each of my business endeavors. Read More>>

Sirenna Beyer

It started out with one class a week but has evolved to be six classes a week that include the Prairie Village, Mission , Shawnee & Tonganoxie areas of Kansas, and the Brookside area in Kansas City, Missouri. Overtime, I’ve accumulated 58 mother & daughters who come, 14 mother/daughter/grand mothers, and 8 husband/wife/son or daugher teams that come. I’ve learned that boys absolutely love hooping until their about 12 years old. Then they start thinking Hooping is a bit “sissy”. So most guys who come to classes have to be coaxed by a family member, but their attitude changes about Hooping after a class & when they realize what a great workout they got. Read More>>

Jessica Nickels

My first “big girl” job was as a fitness director at the YMCA, where I expanded my focus to chronic disease prevention and rehabilitation across Kansas City. I worked closely with cancer survivors, individuals with diabetes, Alzheimer’s research participants, and stroke survivors. But what stood out the most wasn’t just their physical recovery—it was the emotional toll on both patients and providers I collaborated with. Read More>>

Ronni Hannon

Over the past handful of years we have experienced some hurdles including an unexpected farm move, crop failures, & challenges with our Midwest weather. Although we have had some challenges, the joy our flowers bring both our family & community far outweighs any struggles. We have learned to navigate our storms & are thrilled that we have been able to expand into two growing locations in Paola, KS & our newest in Leavenworth, KS. Read More>>

Julia Ireland

We thought bringing a decadent dessert to the streets in a truck would memorable for guests and hopefully cross the boundaries into a variety of events. It worked out well as we start our 16th year in business. We work everything including farmers markets, birthday parties, anniversary celebrations, weddings, staff appreciations and large corporate events. We have even provided dessert at 3 funerals over the years of some of our favorite clients. Our creme brulee is gluten free and we offer over 30 all natural flavors, many of them are seasonal selections. Guests choose their flavor and we torch it before their little eyes! It’s fun to watch and it smells amazing. Read More>>

Dawn Kuhlman

Through my business, I provided court-connected services for families, including mediation, parent conflict coaching, and supervised visitation. I also began offering mediation training to professionals. Around this time, my personal life took a transformative turn. After being diagnosed with Complex Trauma, I embarked on an intensive therapeutic journey to rewire my brain and heal. Reading The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk was a pivotal moment, helping me understand the deep connections between trauma and behavior. Read More>>

La’nesha Frazier

My favorite line to say is entrepreneurship is a walk in the park…Jurassic park! There are so many ups and downs, highs and lows, but as long as you remember your WHY and have a solid support system you can overcome a lot! This has taught me how to PIVOT. From looking for a storefront, to covid, to battling for a liquor license, funding and figuring out marketing to get a steady flow of foot traffic has made these last 3 years interesting to say the least. But it is our journey and I am blessed and honored God has allowed us to walk it. Read More>>

Lauren Wiehe

It has been mostly a smooth road. The best thing about working your own land is that you can work on your own schedule. Weather is our biggest struggle, but thats true for all farmers. It reminds us that we can’t control everything, we can only do our best with what we’re given. Every year we have had new challenges, but those challenges are what has made our business what it is today. Read More>>

Reba Hamilton

Right as I was preparing to move, however, the world shut down with Covid which felt like it would be devastating for my brand new business but it ended up being extremely fortuitous. Houseplants boomed during the pandemic and I was busier than I had ever been running deliveries all over the city. This boom really helped me to save up enough money to move into a larger space come April of 2021, and is where we are still over on 28th and Cherry. We had our 5 year anniversary party this last summer, and at that time we unveiled the grand opening of our expansion to the space next door which is dubbed ‘Virgil’s Palm Springs: An Arid Plant Oasis’! Read More>>

Sammie Magee

I started the toy drive nearly three years ago when I was 15. It was created to help support the children and families who had just experienced the Robb Elementary School massacre that took place on May 24th, 2022, and to honor the 21 victims one toy at a time. Between June 2022-November 2023, I collected toys and donations to help make the Sammie’s Toy Drive event possible. Finally, 11/10/23, I traveled to Uvalde with my mom and hosted the first annual Sammie’s Toy Drive Event (at the time, I didn’t have any plans of continuing the toy drive after this event).  Read More>>

Nana Adwoa Sarkodie- Mensah Britton

Tourism, art, and culture have been my passions since my early days as an entertainment journalist. The Year of Return in Ghana was a remarkable moment; I witnessed how diasporas visiting Ghana were profoundly transformed. During that time, I led the entertainment desk for the year of return in a renowned broadcast station in Ghana.contemplating how I could impact society and individual lives. My husband, and I, business partners in various media projects, decided to launch a travel and tour company together with my Cousin. We founded Wonder and Tour Africa Ltd, and we were gratified to see its positive impact on our guests, many of whom left feeling emotionally, mentally and spiritually touched. Read More>>

Alex Owens

Personally, my life has had it’s own highs and lows over these years. I welcomed two beautiful children and was diagnosed with Invasive Breast Cancer at the age of 33 with a 3 and 1 year old at the time. That was one of the most challenging years of my life, and was the most successful of my career at the time as well. I am so blessed to now be Cancer free. I now try to do my part to give back to other breast cancer patients and survivors whenever possible, and to raise awareness about the importance of self breast exams, early detection and knowing your own personal risk with the help from a doctor by examining your family history. Read More>>

Justin Goodwin

The struggles for me would be the immense amount of thought process to walk through a million scenarios to add the necessary rules and process. So many situations can happen on the court and to be able to incorporate my unique enhancements, I had to do a lot of mental grinding. Read More>>

Caroline Love

My name is Caroline Love and I make custom charcuterie boards perfect for every party. I am 12 years old and started a couple years ago by following YouTube videos for family events. In 2024 I made it a business. After that I have been finding inspiration and executing depending on every individual costumers’ need. We make beautiful, delicious and affordable custom charcuterie boards made with love and care and delivered to your door in the KC area. Read More>>

Marcus Ollie

June and Mary were talking on a break at work. June started to ask Mary why she did not attend college and Mary said that her priority is her children and that she could not afford to go to college. June said, well, you could get some grants. Mary said; “unfortunately, I do not qualify for grant money because of my citizenship.” June said, “well at least you don’t have to pay taxes.” Mary was a bit put off by this statement because she does pay taxes but gets none of the benefits of being a citizen like her. Read More>>

Tameka Lopez

The Thirsty Chariot has provided Mobile Beverage Catering all over Kansas and Missouri. We offer both alcohol and Non Alcohol Options for any crowd so no one is left out. We specialize in Corporate Events providing professionalism and attention to details to make any Corporate Event memorable. We also cater beverages for Weddings, Private Parties and other Social Events. We offer custom menus with Signature Coctails and Mocktails and Specialized drinks to cater to any Event. Read More>>

Landon Hodges

As a young photographer my biggest interest is nature and wildlife photography. However, in order to expand my horizons I have done senior portraits and these are what I’m most proud. I find that interacting with others and making them happy is highly rewarding. Being eighteen I feel my youth sets me apart from others because I have been fortunate to find my passion early so I can learn, grow, and become successful. Read More>>

Laura Straub

I’m a construction engineer turned boudoir photographer; I am obsessed with all things numbers (& math) and my husband & daughter. I have been a photographer since high school (shot a wedding and lots of senior photos then) and have done boudoir since 2019, and I officially left the commercial construction world in May of 2020 to do boudoir full-time and haven’t looked back! Read More>>

D. Jonas Jr.

All of these kids and families follow a written curriculum of Skill Sets, preparing beginners to attend races with confidence and know-how. In 2021 the Steve Tilford Foundation joined the coaching volunteers and provide advanced Skill Set coaching and advanced personal empowerment skills to kids who are growing stronger and faster after two or three beginner seasons. Advanced kids are coached on the same field as beginners and are inspired to respect, protect and inspire the younger beginner kids. To this day, the program remains free to any kid who wants to ride, as long as they sign in and wear their green wristbands. Read More>>

Madison Brown

One of the things I’m most known for is my collaboration with Kansas City’s news outlets. Whether through news segments or community stories, I’ve worked hard to keep The Pet Resource Center in the public eye. I’m particularly proud of growing our social media following, expanding the reach and impact of our annual gala, and regularly showcasing our work through media features. These efforts have helped establish us as a household name in Kansas City and beyond. Read More>>

MJ

At 14, I discovered my love for doing hair. It wasn’t just a hobby; I turned my passion into a business early on. I started charging for my services while still in high school and stayed determined to make it my career. After graduating, I enrolled in hair school and honed my craft. I worked as a receptionist at Great Clips then became a stylist for four years, gaining experience, but even then, I always kept my entrepreneurial spirit alive. Read More>>

Gary Upah

I wanted to be an attorney but the only way to attend college was with family money, which we didn’t have. I enrolled in a local Junior College and worked 45 hours per week, evenings and weekends to pay tuition and board. During my second year there, I successfully ran for President of the Student Senate and through that position learned about negotiation, salesmanship, and politics which benefited me more over the years than any class I attended. Read More>>

Tiffany Oppelt

We invited Hungry Chickpea, a mindful eating and health focused business to join the storefront in May of 2024 and it’s been an incredible partnership. Hungry Chickpea is Black & Woman Owned and provides incredible sandwiches, soups, salads and offers catering services. Another awesome partnership is with Auntie Mae’s Lounge, a bar in Aggieville, where we do a monthly event: Pie & Cocktails. This monthly sell-out event gives ticket holders 3 slices of pie (usually new recipes) that are paired with 3 custom cocktails. It is such a fun event! Read More>>

Evin Felix

I’m now married with two darling sons, who are the greatest materpieces of my life. My happy places are in my studio or outside in the sun. When I’m not in my studio, I am enjoying all the boy mom things: watching their sports games, camping, hiking, dirt biking, & adventuring. I am incredibly grateful for this beautiful life of mine. Read More>>

Spaceman

You’ll hear it in all my music, I have two mixtapes on the way that will blow everyone away. I think Spaceman describes my music in a way. Trippy, vibey, kinda unique, something you wouldn’t hear on this planet. That’s what I am going for. I had that nickname since I was a jit, like 3rd Grade. My music can go in many different directions. I’ll drop a retro Hip-Hop track [check out “Black Mamba”] or I’ll feature my boy YD on a harsh, trap-based track [check out “Bla Bla”]. As I grow my following you will see how I build my sound. I hope it’s not too predictable though. Read More>>

Jennifer Jones

Along the way, I experienced abuse and lost my mother to cancer. Despite all the challenges I faced, I graduated college in the Philippines (a feat that my grandparents and parents never attained) and achieved my “American Dreams.” Today, I am currently married to my husband of 14 years, and I’m a full-time mail carrier for almost 10 years (since November 2015) at the United States Postal Service in Kansas. Read More>>

Jill Krajicek

The food pantry started about 10 years ago by myself and two others… I was in a Bible study group and praying about what God’s will would be for our church.. Felt like I heard to start a food pantry, which I found comical for Leawood KS and didn’t understand the need… The feeling wouldn’t go away, that is how the spirit of God speaks to people… So, called Pastor Ryan and I was the third phone call about starting a food pantry within the span of a few days so pastor gave us the green light.. Read More>>

Scott Vancil

I’ve been an actor, writer, and director in some form my whole life. I’ve been writing short stories and novels since I was able to form words on paper, a screenwriter since my freshman year of high school, a director since my sophomore year, and a professional actor for the last fifteen years. After spending a year at the UCLA Professional Program in Acting for the Camera, getting a certificate, I came back to Lawrence, Kansas to be with my then girlfriend, who I had met on a film set where I was the lead and she was 1st Assistant Director (Child, currently available on Tubi).  Read More>>

Cheyenne Lankford

I became a mom-prenuer in 2018 when I started my first small business – a mobile boutique. In 2020 I started my second business selling screen print transfers and making t-shirts/sweatshirts & then branded my own line of cell phone cases (Willow Cases). & last year in 2024 I opened a 3rd business as a Permanent Jewelry artist. Being a stay at home mom of 4 had my mind just racing on what I could do to have some extra money coming in to help with bills & had no idea that it would lead me to where I am today. Read More>>

Jennifer Cassaday

I grew up in the small retail shop out west of Butler, Mo. It was more like a general store but also had all the pecan processing equipment located in the “cracker room”. My job was to bag up and staple labels onto product for the shelves. I don’t remember how old I was when I started doing this but I remember that even in early elementary school, if my grandpa walked by and saw that I wasn’t weighing up the bags of pecans precisely to the weight it was supposed to be, I got a full lecture right there on the spot about profit and loss. “Just an ounce extra in each bag will add up over time so it needs to be accurate every single time kiddo” Read More>>