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.
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>>
Mary Roelofsz
I started my farm in 2003, as a single parent with twin daughters. my farm included a broken down house and 13 acres. I worked as a store manager at ,Quik Trip for 32 years, sacrificed and saved enough money to build a magnificent barn, purchase the surrounding 31 acres, fencing it all for goats, and. Read more>>
Lexi and Maddi Heise
Maddi and Lexi Heise are two sisters from Kansas City on a mission to empower their community’s well-being. Like many, they once navigated demanding corporate careers, feeling an undeniable gap between their daily grind and their true aspirations. Read more>>
Melissa Houston
I’m a restaurant industry veteren, over 30 years in. I started out in a coffee shop and bakery at 15, peeling rosemary and washing sheetpans. I worked both fron and back of house through my teens, then took some time off as a bookkeeper and office manager for a first aid company in LA. We serviced mainly restaurants and hospitality/arts industry companies. Read more>>
Barb Wright
Growing up, travel always meant visiting family—it was about building connections and nurturing relationships. Those early trips shaped my belief that travel brings people together, bridging distances both literal and emotional. After spending several years in various sales careers, I found myself traveling on incentive trips and exploring places like Bulgaria, Romania, Paris, and Israel. Read more>>
Rosie Skynner
The powerboats I was looking at from Texas to Maine, seemed to get bigger ang bigger with each click. In the end my partner, Phil, said for the size of boat I was looking at I could put it out to do day charters that would cover the annual cost of maintaining a boat. So, in November 2018 NautiGal and trailer was loaded onto a container ship in Florida and brought down to the British Virgin Islands. So started Antilles Power Boats. Read more>>
Justin Miller
After nearly 20 years in the Information Technology industry, I knew I was ready for a change. Spending hours behind a computer screen, helping a global organization grow, was no longer fulfilling. I knew I wanted to ‘help people in their real life’, but I did not know what that meant yet. Then Covid happened, and life changed. Read more>>
Ra’Chelle Floyd
I actually got my start in brows after being let go from a dead-end job. Brows had always been something I was fascinated by—I’d practice on myself at my desk at work and on my friends whenever I could. Read more>>
Kari Driskell
I didn’t set out to be a Grief and Widow Coach. In 2017, my husband died of a massive brain aneurysm. I was 38 at the time. He was 43. And our girls were 8 and 11. I took time off to try to heal and figure out life without him. Eric dying was hard. Telling my kids was a nightmare. Read more>>
Jack Frazier
I started working with a camera because I couldn’t pay my bills. At the start of my freelance journey, capturing other people’s special moments was a way for me to support myself and keep my dignity. Now I want to use cameras to support OTHERS and give THEM dignity. Read more>>
Brendan Sullivan
I started out sweeping the floors at a muffler shop in Olathe, KS. After about a year I was promoted to technician and spent approximately 2 years as an automotive technician. When Meineke Car Care Center began opening locations in Kansas City, I accepted a job as an Assistant Manager. I spent about a year as an Assistant Manager before being promoted to Store Manager. Read more>>https://voyagekc.com/interview/meet-brendan-sullivan-of-meineke-car-care-center
Ronda Reinke
When my mom passed in 1997, I was already nurturing myself for vibrant health. After losing her, I became even more conscious of my health choices and my desire to empower others to do the same. In 1998 I started my Happy Healthy Homes business. Read more>>
Jacqueline Snoderly
You’d never know where I came from, when seeing where I am now. As a child I never had hopes and dreams in a traditional sense. My hopes and dreams were not about money, fame or a career. Read more>>
Sarah Lewis Riley Hare
Grit Studio & Collaborative began as nothing short of a God-given opportunity. We were presented with the chance to take over a studio space, and from the very beginning our vision was bigger than just four walls. Read more>>
Steve Riley
I am self-employed musician and multi-media artist. From the time I was a small boy, I knew that I wanted to be a musician. I was first fascinated by music when I was about 4 or 5 years old, watching the LPs go round and round on the turntable of my family home. Read more>>
Tambra Eifert
For many years and with several degrees, I was educated in geology, with a Ph.D. (doctorate), being the highest degree for my studies in the field of geology. I taught at various universities, and the last employer for my academic work was at a university in the Topeka area. Read more>>
Rhonda Magee
I began my career in Accounting and Financial Management, working in the private sector. I lived in Colorado for a ‘few’ decades. Denver, Colorado was a wonderful place to raise a family, my career was very fulfilling, and we thrived. At a certain point I was offered a position at a Nonprofit—one focused on Prevention of Childhood Neglect and Abuse. Read more>>
Dylan Taylor
I went to Mizzou and worked for the original Moving Mo in Columbia. After graduating, the founder asked me if I wanted to start a branch in my hometown of Kansas City, was the easiest choice I’ve ever made! Read more>>
Lindsay Waller
Alex and Lindsay Waller, a Mechanical Engineer and Art Educator, have always been ‘DIY Project People’; anything we dream up we like to do ourselves. Whether it’s a small home renovation, building an outdoor shed, designing a garden….or a small business…no project seemed too big when we combined our strengths. A High Achieving Engineer and a Perfectionist Artist…what could go wrong!? Read more>>
Shauna Clark
Born into a military family stationed on a base an hour from the United States/Mexico border, where my dad was practicing his skills before being sent over to the Vietnam Conflict. After his tour, our family relocated to military bases located in Hawaii (my favorite) and later in California. Read more>>
Sheri Berger
I started my journey in business in 2011 when I founded Here to There Consulting. Early in my career, I discovered how much I loved working with people, helping them identify challenges and find solutions that create real results. Read more>>
Katie Wagner
After completing both my undergraduate and masters degrees in business administration and management, I took a corporate job with a large company as a catering director. Having grown up working in the family restaurant business, I shortly found that the corporate world was not for me. Read more>>
Brian Dampman
I’m Brian Dampman. I grew up in Philadelphia for about 18 years before moving to Overland Park, where I finished high school. That move really marked the start of my entrepreneurial journey. Read more>>
Stephanie Erker
I am a native Kansas Citian – I grew up in Lenexa, Kansas. I went to undergraduate school at University of Kansas where I majored in Human Biology. Afterwards. I completed my doctorate degree at the University of Missouri – St Louis. This is where I met Laura Brammer. Read more>>
Tony Le
Sure! My journey into videography started pretty organically. I’ve always been drawn to storytelling and capturing moments, but it really took off when I first got a cinema camera. At first, I was just learning the ropes, but over time I fell in love with the process of turning real emotions and memories into films people could relive forever. Read more>>
Ryan Arnold
I’ve been in excavation for about 25 years and I’ve really worked my way up through the industry. I started out as a laborer down in the trench, learned the ropes as an equipment operator, moved into a foreman role, and eventually into management. Read more>>
Amelia Harshfield
I started bookkeeping for a restaurant who needed some help. I thought I would hate it, but the more I got practiced with Quickbooks, the more I liked it. Then I started thinking about the number of times I was let down by bookkeepers and accountants I had with my other businesses. Read more>>
Stevie Rose
I think I was born wanting a camera in my hands. There are home videos where my parents are filming with the old camcorder, and you can hear tiny three-year-old me in the background yelling, “CAN I SEE?!” on repeat. Read more>>
Treana and Shalina Cason and Reed
We originally launched as Dolli’s Designs LLC, but in October 2022 we embraced a new identity as The Balloon Tycoons. What began as a small vision quickly grew into something bigger than we imagined all by the grace of God. Read more>>
Mary Ingersoll
Since Kindergarten, Dance Class has been the highlight of my week. After college at Missouri State University, where I earned a degree in Public Relations, I relocated to Savannah, Missouri which became my permanent home. The studio that had been in our small town for more than twenty years went out of business. I opened a few months later. Read more>>
Kelsey Potts
As a true lover of entertaining and hosting, I found my passion for parties and connecting people at a young age. Growing up, my siblings were 20+ years old than me, so I very much lived the only child party of 1 life. Read more>>
Edwena Kap
In 1982, Dr. Robert Blanc opened a medical board preparation program at UMKC, and I joined the team in 2007. Three years later, UMKC closed the program. We still had students enrolled, and they wanted to continue working with me, so I started The Institute of Medical Boards (IOMB). Read more>>
Christy Todd
River Reader proudly serves the small town of Lexington, Missouri—a rural community of just 4,500 people. The bookstore first opened its doors in 2004 under the care of Pat and Gary Worth, who lovingly renovated the 2,000-square-foot interior of the 1880s building. Read more>>
Trina Contreras
About five years ago, our family went through a house fire that completely changed our lives. While searching for a property to store the items we had salvaged, we stumbled across a unique location called Joe’s Market—a long-standing garden center with a storage barn and an old gas station. Read more>>
Molly Harrison
• Last year, I was working as a nurse and needing to step back from full time hours for the success of our family. I learned about Porch Pumpkins in Dallas, Texas and loved the concept! A turnkey service that takes a dirty, heavy, yet glorious part of the fall season, and makes it simply magical. Read more>>
Karen From
How I started… since I was a ten-year-old girl living in the country of rural Missouri and needing something to occupy my mind, I found the science and art of baking. My love of baking was cakes, cookies and yeast breads. Read more>>
Lauren Spencer
My passion for birth began during my first pregnancy. I’ve always been the type to deep dive and jump in with both feet when pursuing a goal. Despite all of my preparation and research, I left my first birth feeling taken advantage of by the medical system and confused by how the experience I planned for differed from the one I had. Read more>>
Kassi Bracken
I’m Kassi Bracken, the heart and lens behind Photos By Kassi B. My love for photography started in 2008 when I got my first digital camera and discovered the joy of capturing nature. That passion quickly grew into a love for portraits. Read more>>
Sarah Hughes Elizabeth Lancaster
We are so proud to be a woman owned ABA Therapy Center. Our passion for this field comes from 10+ years of experience working with individuals with significant behaviors in the school setting. Elizabeth also has a daughter with significant needs which drives her to want to help other families with their journey. Read more>>
Martine Chery-Hilaire
I don’t know how to make a long story, so l’ll be giving you a lot of details. 
My journey to the U.S. began with a long-awaited reunion. My mother, Marie Odige, left Haiti when I was 10 months old to seek a better life, and I grew up with my father and neighbors in Gros-Marin, Haiti. Read more>>
Dhairya Chandra
I was born and raised in Chandigarh, India, and my journey with technology started early. In the 9th grade, I built my first website called CinemaGhar, where I shared movie news and blogs. That small project ignited my passion for web development and made me realize that technology was going to be a big part of my future. Read more>>
Mary Ann Podrasky
I am a physical psychic medium. I am historian, house manager, resident Medium and investigator at The Beattie Mansion in St. Joseph, Mo. I first became aware of the mansion as a young child. I’ve been working there for 6yrs. It is my goal to find as many actual facts as possible through archives, and spirit communication. Read more>>
Melissa Bruno
I started in the beauty industry 26 years ago. I got my nail license and worked part time and started a family. 14 years ago I became a single mom and decided to apprentice to do hair. I worked odd jobs while apprenticing to do hair to pay the bills. After getting my license I put in countless hours building my clientele. Read more>>
T’Kayla Callahan
Absolutely! As the oldest of four children, I was the first to experience nearly everything. I am the first daughter, the first granddaughter on both sides, the first to go to college and graduate on time. Growing up, resources were limited. I learned persistence and tenacity at a young age and I knew that the only direction God could carry us was upward. Read more>>
Brandi Edwards
About Brandi Edwards I’m Brandi Edwards, CEO and Founder of Your Social Media Experts. My journey into entrepreneurship wasn’t something that happened overnight—it grew from years of passion, persistence, and an unstoppable drive to create meaningful results for businesses and individuals alike. I’ve always been an artist at heart and a builder by nature. Read more>>
Casey Ross
My journey into coaching, health, nutrition, and personal training really started when I was a kid. From as long as I can remember, I was always the one my friends would come to for advice. It came naturally to me long before I ever knew it could be a career. Read more>>
Azia Gambrell
Since childhood, I have been deeply passionate about both community and creativity. I began dancing in the third grade, and throughout my upbringing I was actively involved in community service organizations. Those experiences shaped my understanding of the value of relationships, community building, and professionalism. Read more>>
Chad Bassman
22 years ago, my son was born and I bought a camera… following him around and taking photos was my original inspiration. By the time he was about 10 years old, I had enough equipment and experience to turn my hobby into a full time profession. Read more>>
Kerri McEachron
I’ve been a bookkeeper for over a decade, and I’ve always loved helping people bring order and clarity to their finances. When I started MK Bookkeeping, my goal was to keep doing the work I love while still being there for my kids—Mason and Kennedy. They’re the reason I do everything, and they’re the inspiration behind the name MK. Read more>>
Andrew Sherrill
One day after my son, Luke, turned three I was diagnosed with Leukemia. I was married and only 27 years old. This cancer diagnosis was the start of a difficult two year journey. I would lose over 100 lbs, lose the ability to walk, and was told I had a 15% chance at remission. During this time I became clinically depressed. Read more>>
Linda Crowder
I am an avid reader but when I moved to Russell, there was no bookstore within a 60 mile radius. I had no experience in retail but I decided to open a tiny bookstore, more for myself than as a business proposition. Read more>>
Hannah Diemer
I’m Hannah. Welcome to my fairytale!! My favorite childhood movies were the princess movies. You know Cinderella, Snow White, Beauty and the Beast, well lets just say ALL of the princesses. I was faced with some challenges while I was growing up and I loved to day dream of being a princess, in a beautiful dress, with a handsome prince and living the perfect fairytale. Read more>>
Andy Rogers
From an early age, I knew I was an artist. I just was not clear on the scope of that calling. I have formal art training and two degrees in ceramics and drawing but it is the years that followed that truly shaped me and my work. Clay found me during a time of exploration. Read more>>
Katy Johnson
If you want to go all the way back, I’m a lifelong Kansas Citian – northland, to be specific. I grew up in a large family as one of seven children. After a brief family move to Colorado during my sophomore year, I came back to KC for my junior year of high school and jumped into adult life early. Read more>>
Shelley Armato
**How I Started MySmartPlans.ai — and Why I’ll Never Go Back** For years, I walked onto construction sites and saw the same chaos: Confused crews. Conflicting plans. Stacks of outdated paper drawings… And *nobody* was sure who had the latest version. Read more>>
Betsy Bennholz
Hello! I am Betsy Bennholz. So if we would work together here’s what you would be getting: A little sarcasm. A lot of experience. And a brain that never quite stops asking questions because I am very curious person! A Little about me- My father was from Germany, so details and presentation mattered! I am a mom and a Gigi. Read more>>
Crystal Swann Blackdeer
One of our greatest challenges is defining “animal services” and “animal control” in Leavenworth County. There are some resolutions in place that focus on exotics and dangerous animals, but there is no clear description of what the Animal Control Authority is responsible to do for citizens of our county. Stray pets outside city limits are often ignored. We’ve proposed several ways to address this gap in service. The issue remains in the hands of the Sheriff’s Office, the County Commission and the County Counselor at present. Read more>>
Jordan Kandt
When it came time for college, I chose UMKC because it had one of the only programs close to what I felt called toward: Health Sciences. While many of my friends went to bigger schools for the full “college experience,” I felt led to prioritize a path that aligned with my future. During those years, I worked full-time, gained nonprofit experience, grew in my faith, and married my husband. Read more>>
