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.
Tana Parry
I spent almost 28 years as a real estate appraiser and Realtor. I went to esthetics school a little over a decade ago, knowing that my real estate career wouldn’t last forever. My path into esthetics wasn’t a straight line—it unfolded slowly, shaped by both hardship and healing. For much of my life, I lived in extremes: a devoted sun-worshipper, a lifelong perfectionist, and someone quietly navigating chronic illness. Read more>>
Shayla Ho
I’ve been in the nail industry for about 30 years, and I opened my own salon 10 years ago. In the beginning, it was really challenging because when I bought the salon, it didn’t have any customers. I started by working myself with just a few technicians, and slowly we built everything from the ground up. Read more>>
Melissa Winston
In residential, you have the opportunity to really dig into the overall system of issues – family dynamics, any missed developmental issues, trauma, undiagnosed health issues, academic challenges, all of it. It was there that we got to see incredible life change, not just for the kids we served, but their families as well. So often, the message we heard from parents was “I wish we had found you guys 10 years ago and could have avoided all the heartbreak we’ve suffered in that time.” These were families just like yours and mine who simply couldn’t find the care they needed, and the implications were huge! Read more>>
DAMIEN GUNN
Yeah, for sure. Everything for me starts with music. Since I was a little kid, I’ve had this fire in me to be a rock star. I’d sit on the porch of my home in the trailer court and envision me as this rockstar performer playing to thousands of people That dream turned into Damien Gunn Music — and it’s been my heartbeat ever since. Read more>>
Morgan Piercy
For the last decade, we’ve all seen a cultural shift within evangelicalism and Christianity as a whole. The values that millennials and Gen Z grew up with don’t always align with the values our former churches or faith communities are currently practicing. As a therapist, I see this as an opportunity to live a more authentic life, overcome people-pleasing tendencies, and model compassion with no strings attached. That transformation doesn’t happen overnight, though; there’s a lot of grieving and rebuilding in the process. Read more>>
Nikki Ingram
The part of our operation that I am most proud of is our facilities. My husband and I have invested a lot of time, money, sweat, and tears into building nice facilities. We wanted to be a place that people felt good about visiting and buying an animal from. We have farm smells but our facilities are nice and well maintained. I feel like people have more confidence in the animal they <span style=”background-color: rgb(178, 214, 243);”>are</span> purchasing if the farm looks well maintained and cared for. Read more>>
Bradley Capps
I started my journey with a genuine interest in helping people make one of the biggest decisions of their lives — finding a place to call home. My background before real estate taught me the value of communication, hard work, and building strong relationships, which naturally translated into this career. Read more>>
Faith Holsey
Hello, my name is Faith April Holsey, the founder of Angel Faith Foundation. Our main mission is providing activity and Mental Health Kits for Children’s Mercy Hospital. In the beginning I collected supplies for the ‘Happy Kits’ from the community and had a team of volunteers who helped create the kits. Read more>>
Hailee Hansen
I fell in love with horses when I was 5 years old. My dad had taken me out to a farm just to pet some horses, and even then, I could tell what amazing animals they were. After that experience, I wanted to learn how to ride. However, at that time, the closest affordable barn near us was over an hour away. Read more>>
Doug Langner
Born and raised in Kansas City, I was always enamored by city life. Once I got out of college, I felt the vibrancy of Kansas City was lacking, so I left, of what it thought would be for good, and settled in Chicago. When I came back to Kansas City, boy, how things changed…for the better! Read more>>
Jessi Bixler
My story has always been rooted in helping people communicate clearly, whether that’s a business trying to grow or a person trying to make sense of something hard. I spent more than a decade in marketing leadership, and in 2017 I started Bixler Consulting to give companies, specifically small-to-medium-sized, the strategic support they needed but didn’t always have in-house. Read more>>
Glenn Hauser
My path into the coatings industry wasn’t a traditional one. I started in a vocational school during high school, studying carpentry and cabinetmaking. By the time I graduated, I had already built several pieces of furniture and refinished even more. Working with wood taught me craftsmanship, patience, and the value of attention to detail, skills that would serve me throughout my career. Read more>>
Brandon Juarez
I went to prison with a life sentence at 18 and had never touched a computer. Today I run Juarito Web Studio, a web design and development business based in central St. Joseph, Missouri. When I was a teenager, I got involved in an altercation with a man who was physically assaulting a woman. Read more>>
Blake Piatczyc
I am dancer, choreographer, and studio director from Lee’s Summit, Missouri. Dance is all I have ever known. I was a competition dancer from 7 until I was 18 years old. When I was a teenager I started to doing TV shows like AGT, Live To Dance and World Of Dance. Read more>>
Mimi Nguyen
I’ve been doing nails since 2009, started as a receptionist at my uncle’s shop and bloomed from there. Fast forward I am now in my own salon suite as a private nail tech. What pushed me to owned my own business was my kids and the support from my spouse, family and best friends. They believed in me even when I didn’t believe in myself. Read more>>
Zach Epps
my story is really a story of God’s faithfulness. I was raised around ministry all my life, and early on I sensed that the local church was where God intended to shape me. I spent a decade serving, preaching, building teams, and learning to love people in real time — not in theory, but in the mess, beauty, and slow work of discipleship. Read more>>
Josh Turpin
In the spring of 2013, four friends met over a few beers (which, as you know, is where most great ideas hatch) to talk beer: drinking it, brewing it, sharing it, and everything to love about it. Read more>>
David Wyrick
For years, I worked maintenance for the KU med Center and then after leaving that position in between jobs, looking for work when I went to interviews people kept asking if I knew how to do electrical work in my interviews nobody was willing to hire me because of that lack of that particular skill, I had all these other talents you know patch repairs drywall repair, painting, framing, so I took that as a sign that I needed to learn how to become an electrician, this happened like a dozen times. Read more>>
Damien Denmark
I originally moved to Kansas working in the private sector, but was later given the opportunity to transition into the public sector through economic development. That shift opened the door for me to work directly with communities, understand their challenges, and see firsthand how stronger communication, data, and marketing could change local outcomes. Read more>>
Terry Franz
In 1996 I owned a used car lot and specialised in Special finance for people with credit issues. Some people just couldnt finance a vehicle but still needed transportation. I asked Randy Miller on Q 104 if he would like to award cars on Christmas. I took 7 cars that were mechanically sound and took applications from the public. Read more>>
Cheryl Locke
We bought our land over 30 years ago to have a place to keep my 3 horses. At the time making a land payment was cheaper than boarding them. We bought our mobile home in 2007 and that’s wen we started growing. We established Harley’s Place Animal Rescue and became a 501c3 in March of 2022. Read more>>
Ryan Ervin
Ervsflics Real Estate Media began with an unexpected twist in my life. During my junior year of high school, I suffered a knee injury playing football that ended my season and, in many ways, changed my future. Up until that point, I had never been into photography honestly, I had never even picked up a camera. Read more>>
Carl Scarborough
I worked 30 years as a firefighter and paramedic in the Kansas City area, retiring in 2020 as the fire chief at the Sni Valley Fire Protection District. While I worked full time at the Central Jackson County Fire District, I went back to school, and in 2012 graduated from UMKC School of Law. I opened my law firm in 2013. V
Doug Holiday
I have always been in the restaurant industry. I started in Colorado Springs in 1975 at Giuseppe’s old depot restaurant when I was 13. That is where I fell in love with the concept of a restaurant, it is pretty much the only business where you advertise, make and sell the product in one building, you get immediate feedback it is rewarding seeing folks happy. Read more>>
Carlyn Timp
I grew up in a small town just south of Lawrence, and even back in high school, I knew I wanted to become a therapist. I’d had an experience with a therapist who showed me how healing, empowering, and life-changing this work and being a therapist could be. Read more>>
Jean-Louis Horvilleur
Better explained in person. Shorter version- in college I had an epiphany to become a winemaker. It’s something I’ve dedicated everything to. I entered into the wine industry at 20 years old and I’ll be 32 in December. I was born and raised in Houston, Texas and got my start in the hill county part of Texas. Read more>>
Alysa Cascio
I’ve always had a passion for fashion and for helping women feel their best. After raising my kids and helping my husband with his business, I found myself ready to build something of my own. I knew I wanted to create a career that was both creative and personal, and retail was the perfect fit. Read more>>
Sarah Wright
From the outside, my story might look like a business journey, but for me it began as a moment of courage, faith, and a deep belief that I was capable of more. A few years ago, I was working at a bank and struggling to make ends meet. I remember asking for a raise, hoping my hard work and dedication would be recognized. Read more>>
Sara Hoestje
The best time to recover is the first time! I said that to several patients recovering from procedures and thought it would be a perfect subject for a greeting card. I also realized I send really good encouraging messages to my friends, and wanted to help others easily and fiercely support their friends too. Read more>>
Ruthie Wu
I first started drawing because of my older sister. She would bring home all these incredible projects and sit for hours working on them at the kitchen table, and I’d try to copy her. Of course, mine were awful in comparison, so I never had much confidence in my work, but I kept making things because I loved the creative process. Read more>>
Angela Lacy
Thank you so much for featuring W.E.I. (Women Entrepreneurs and Influencers) I’m Angela “Chef Ang” Lacy (Founder), and the story of how Women Entrepreneurs and Influencers started is truly one of divine inspiration, fueled by a passion for service and entrepreneurship. The Foundation: From Kitchens to Healthcare. Read more>>
Ashley McClellan
My story comes full-circle, starting as a proud native of Kansas City, leaving for Texas for school and work, and then returning to our hometown in July of 2019. Read more>>
Ophelia Bennett
I started making dice as a hobby where I challenged myself to make specific sets for specific characters. I had these ideas for dice that I just wanted to see and challenge myself to make possible. So with some encouragement and starting materials from friends, family, and my husband, I began just experimenting and mixing different materials. Read more>>
Heather Merino
My family was always taking pictures growing up and capturing all those special moments in our lives , which gave me a love for photography and capturing all the beauty in life. Read more>>
Nescelle Caberto
I’ve always been fascinated with purpose. Ever since I can remember whenever I asked myself “What’s my purpose?” the answer has always been ‘to learn’’. And if I were to do something with my life, it would be to bridge the mind, body, spirit. Looking back I wanted to experience going to college. Read more>>
Marcus Rattler
I picked up steel pan in college under Dr. Michael Bump and went to Trinidad to perform in Panorama with Liam Teague. Since that time I’ve begun finding my own voice in pan, which led to me creating my hybrid drumset that incorporates my steel pan that is modified with amplification. Read more>>
Amber Reed
I started Resolve in 2017, after noticing a significant gap in the mental health services provided in the Kansas City community. During my time running psychiatric hospitals I noticed that people often reported getting into a mental health crisis, simply because they couldn’t access outpatient services when they needed it most. Read more>>
Ashton Markt
Hi, I’m Ashton Markt, an artist/creative entrepreneur. I graduated magna cum laude from Northwest Missouri State University in 2014 with a BFA in Art, specializing in graphic design. While still in college, I began freelancing graphic design for a Kansas City sign company, and also started drawing and painting custom art. My artistic endeavors have only grown since then! Read more>>
Brenton Guice
I knew since high school that I wanted to be in a helping profession. Before I became a therapist, I spent my career working as a registered dental hygienist. Due to my own dental needs, I spent a lot of time visiting the dental office throughout my childhood which eventually grew into curiosity of the field. Read more>>
Kelsey Overbey
I got my start in 2020 (peak Covid time) when I began working as an assistant at The Brownstone Topeka. About six months in, they asked if I wanted to move into a coordinator role, and that is really where everything started clicking for me. Read more>>
Rachel Wager
I have always loved being creative. Something about the art of photography intrigued me so I started to do it just a bit. When I got my professional camera in 2018 everything changed. It became more than a hobby for me. Read more>>
Julie Broekman
I’ve been making art for as long as I can remember. In preschool, they asked each kid to do a self portrait of themselves that they then combined into a sweatshirt for the the parents of the class. Every other kid did a little stick figure smiley face of some kind, and I drew a fish. Read more>>
Alejo Cala Lara and Christopher Morrison N/A
We didn’t look to start a band at first, we kind of stumbled into it by writing a song. Our first song ‘Prodigal’ began as a verse idea that Alejo shared and then slowly morphed and grew over the course of several months, sporadically working when time allowed into a fully fleshed out recorded song. Read more>>
Erica Magruder
I began working as a physical therapist 11 years ago. I worked with many different patient populations trying to find the right fit. I was introduced to pelvic floor physical therapy (PT) as a patient. After my first child I experienced pelvic floor dysfunction and sought healing through working with a pelvic floor PT. Read more>>
Oscar Orozco-Aguilar
If someone told me 10 years ago that I would have my own small business specializing in loss, grief, and end-of-life support, I probably would have thought they were confusing me with someone else. Read more>>
Jennifer Lopez
Benny and I have always both been in food service. From being a server, to a line cook, to restaurant management. Food service really has always been our life. My father (this is Jennifer) is an entrepreneur. So owning my own business has always been the goal. Read more>>
Allison Emry
I always knew I wanted to do hair. Growing up, my best friend’s mom did hair from her home. When I later found out you didn’t have to go to college to become a hairstylist, I was all in, which is ironic because I’m now just a semester away from completing my bachelor’s degree! Read more>>
April Spring Powell
Although I grew up watching my mom sew costumes and outfits for my siblings and I, including those I would design for myself, I understood the impracticality of ever growing up to be a designer. It was a thought that would spark my mind but quickly extinguished by reality. Read more>>
Kayley Adams
Essential Eats Grazing, LLC is a full-service catering company. We specialize in grazing tables, high-end catering events, and office boxed lunches. Our story began when the owner, Kayley Adams, started culinary competitions in high school. She won her first competition at the state level in California. Read more>>
Tony Ly
My name is Tony ly and uyen đang we been married for 20 years we have 1 son. Read more>>
Zack Nicholson
My wife and I moved our family to Kansas City to step into full-time ministry at a church in South Kansas City. Over the next thirteen years, we helped lead our church to become increasingly involved in our local public schools. Read more>>
Austin Ballou
In 2015, I was searching for a career change—something that would let me use my strengths in communication and client-centered service. A close friend and former roommate had built an impressive career in real estate, and the more I learned from him, the more I felt drawn to the industry. Read more>>
Ladd Carlston
I started in chiropractic 20+ years ago, but the truth is I didn’t become the practitioner I am today until I kept meeting patients who had done everything right and were still in pain. OVer and over, I’d see people who had been to the specialists, taken the medications, stretched the muscles, strengthened the muscles – and still couldn’t get back to living their life. Read more>>
Zachary Jones
I am native Kansan, born and raised in Overland Park, with a fine art and design background studying at the Kansas City Art Institute. Post studies, I swiftly pursued interest in large scale functional and aesthetic spaces with a local luxury home builder to create unique homes around the Kansas City metro area. Read more>>
Ytziel Ordosgoite
As an Engineer with over two decades of experience in Quality and Regulatory Affairs, I have worked with multinational companies in the consumer goods sector. Over eight years ago, I discovered a new professional path in the medical device industry, where I continued to grow and specialize, this time navigating the demanding and highly detailed world of FDA regulations. Read more>>
Denzel Hodges
I got my start working for a small company that makes single family homes for low income families. The master electrician helped me get my license, enroll in school, and he held a class once a week after work to help us with school. After a few years I joined a large electrical contractor to get experience on commercial and industrial projects. Read more>>
Royce J
Honestly, music has been around me my whole life. My pops was an amazing pianist, so I grew up hearing real musical progression right in the house. And my whole family was musically inclined, so I was always surrounded by different styles—jazz, hip-hop, R&B, gospel, everything. Being around that energy made me curious. Read more>>
Jennie Konomos
I was born and raised in Kansas City, and I’ve called it home for more than 40 years. Growing up, my mom was a real estate agent involved in community service through the Junior League, and my dad worked in several businesses, including construction. Read more>>
Theresa Harrington
My background is a zoo keeper and I really loved doing the educational programs there. Once I moved on, I started to miss doing the animal presentations, so I started collecting animals that folks were giving away or rehoming, so I cold start doing these programs at libraries, schools and such. Word must have gotten out, and people started calling me to take there animals. Read more>>
Jeff Bell
Begin at the beginning’ is the phrase. I was a journalism major at Pittsburg State and ended up getting hired to lead the newsroom at KKOW radio in Southeast Kansas. That’s an odd way to begin a journey towards owning your own marketing agency, but that’s how this journey began. Read more>>
Kiersten Grisham
My journey all started roughly two years ago , I graduated from high school in 2019, from there I went to college and finished with an associates degree in general education!! During this time I was waitressing at a local restaurant with ambitions of being a personal trainer . Read more>>
david jackson
I’ve been a financial advisor for 30 years. My goal has been, in part, to serve the underserved community of Kansas City. Working with the so-called mass affluent versus the traditional wealthy investor class has given me a great deal of gratification. Read more>>
Ashley Brazeal
My business started as a way for my son and I to spend time together. I had recently had my daughter and she took up a good chunk of my attention so I wanted to spend quality time with him and he chose making soap. Read more>>
Jamie Cain
I originally started tattooing in Texas, when I lived there for a few years. I moved back to Kansas and my license didn’t transfer, after months of it being in limbo while waiting to hear a decision. I got the letter stating my reciprocity was denied, and all I remember was sobbing on my bathroom floor. Read more>>
Melissa Herlein
Evolution You was born from a simple belief: true well-being is so much more than a number on a scale. It’s about feeling strong, energized, confident, and in control of your life again. But my mission didn’t start in a textbook, classroom, or clinic—it started with my own story. For years, I struggled with obesity and hormone imbalances. Read more>>
Jorge and Izak Carlos
We are two brothers who graduated from Olathe Northwest Highschool. We are currently 23 and 25 years old. We both have been boxing for 14 years Jorge, the oldest brother has been boxing since he was 11 years old. He played many sports, including being on the RBI all star baseball league but decided boxing was the sport for him. Read more>>
Citlali Valdez
My story began not at a specific moment, but out of a constant necessity, especially the need to provide for a family and leave a lasting legacy. I quickly realized that one, or even two, full-time jobs were not enough to escape hardship—and I’m not just talking about money. Read more>>
Robert Hughes
Robert Hughes, the owner, started beekeeping on his family farm in Soldier Ks over 60 years ago. After moving to Kansas City he started selling honey at the Overland Park Farmers Market, where his wife’s family had a produce business. This eventually grew and he got his own booth over 20 years ago. Read more>>
Scott Cutter
I am the son of an officer in the US Airforce. I grew up moving with my family all across the country, as well as some stops overseas. My folks retired in Rolla, Missouri in between my junior and senior years of high school. Read more>>
Toni Boehm
Toni G. Boehm, BA, CNP, MSN, Ph.D. A recap of my life story must begin with a caveat, I believe I have always been a leading edge pioneer and visionary,. It seems that I always knew and understood trends, and then use those trends to develop my next level of engagement with life. Read more>>
Kristin Nichols
The Mission Project is a family co-op, supporting individuals who have autism and developmental delays. The organization was started by a group of families 21 years ago. Mission, KS was selected because it is a walkable community. Read more>>
Brandon Murray
7 years ago I was diagnosed with a rare bone disease. I was placed on disability and was/am very limited in what I can do. It was Christmas, I was on a budget, so I thought it would be cool and creative to make everyone handmade gifts. After a bit of research, soap seemed different and unique. Read more>>
Tunyaluk (Tanya) Batchan
My journey to becoming a marriage and family therapist began while I was an early childhood educator working for the Department of Defense Navy. I became fascinated by the emotional and behavioral changes children exhibit during different transitions at home, such as deployments, separations, fluctuations in parents’ work schedules, and the introduction of new caregivers. Read more>>
DJ Stewart
Almost 7 years ago, while signing health insurance paperwork at a new job, I had a seizure, which led to the discovery of a grade 4 glioblastoma brain tumor. I was given 11 to 18 months to live. I didn’t give up. Read more>>
Lee Harris
I first became interested in mental health in high school where I was able to take 2 psychology courses. After that, I went back and forth between business and mental health as I continued my education while working for a bank. Read more>>
Cynthia Corn-Wattree
I often say that The Brave Educator Project began long before it ever had a name. It started in the classroom — nearly two decades of teaching, learning, and growing alongside students who taught me more about humanity than any curriculum ever could. Read more>>
Gina Coronado
I was blessed to start my involvement at Guadalupe Centers as a participant in my youth. This led to me earning an opportunity to tutor elementary students in an afterschool program at the age of 14. I recently celebrated my 28th anniversary working at the Guadalupe Centers. It has been an honor to serve the Kansas City community. Read more>>
Stacey Davis
I was born and raised in Kansas City Mo. When I was younger my cousin Terry and my cousin John-John were murdered. As a kid it was difficult to understand and process why this happened to my aunts amd cousins. At the time I didnt realize this trend would continue. Read more>>
