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.
Paula Saunders
I have been singing for as long as I can remember. In fact, my parents still have a recording of me singing an entire song when I was just two years old. Music runs deep in my family – both of my parents sing and play piano, and all of my siblings are musical as well. Read more>>
Darren Beck
Simply put, I entered the world at a time of transformational change to help us navigate to a future where we live in harmony and balance. Read more>>
Linwood United Church
Linwood United Church was formed in 1975 from a merger of the Linwood Presbyterian, Southeast Presbyterian, and Linwood United Methodist congregations. Our Presbyterian church is located in the Northeast corner of Linwood and Olive in Kansas City, MO. We are a vital multi-ethnic community of faith, guided by the living Word in the Bible. Read more>>
Courtney Medlin
My story starts when I was just 18 years old. I’m 29 now. I was pregnant and had just moved back to Kansas City with my family. We were living at the Ozarks for a bit. I moved back up here and needed to make some money and my mom had just started cleaning houses so I went to work with her. Read more>>
Haley Sparks
My journey into skincare really started in high school when I struggled with acne and ongoing skin concerns. At the time, I felt overwhelmed and didn’t know where to begin or who to trust for guidance. When I went to college, my skin concerns actually worsened, which made me start rethinking my path and what I truly wanted to pursue. Read more>>
Lori Alvarez
As a kid, I was described as shy and sensitive. Sometimes stubborn and hyper-independent. I did well enough in school that no one caught my inattentive type ADHD. I wasn’t the stereotypical ADHD, as many girls aren’t, but I was definitely struggling and ended up just having to teach myself most things. Read more>>
Michael Mackie
I’m an Aries with a Pisces rising. (IYKYK.) Growing up a proud Midwesterner, I always knew I wanted to be in TV. Or on TV. Or watching TV. I’m not picky. I earned my degree in broadcasting from the University of Iowa to prove to the world I was not only educated, but exceptionally well versed in sitcoms, game shows, and all things Oprah. Read more>>
Gavin Cole | Public Relations Associate Pastor
A Brief History of Refuge Church In 1971, John and Rhodana Morgans, along with their family, relocated to Liberty, Missouri, where they began hosting Bible studies in their home. As attendance grew, the congregation was graciously provided a house—free of charge—to serve as their first official place of worship. Read more>>
Julie Phillips
The Chill Spot was a vision and dream come true of my late life and business partner, Brent Goodall. He had always wanted to own an ice cream shop and when the pieces starting falling into place, we went full in. We opened on April 1st, 2024, and the community immediately embraced us with so much love. Read more>>
Naomi Hill
My name is Naomi Hill, and I grew up in Kansas City, Missouri. I’ve had a love for capturing moments for as long as I can remember. Read more>>
Mona Cliff
After graduating from Cornish College of the Arts in 2000, I came from the Pacific Northwest in 2004 to attend Haskell Indian Nations University, after a few years in began my journey of motherhood, 3 children in 4 years. From 2009 I was exclusively a SAHM raising my children and making tradtional native american regalia,in 2018 I started a contemporary visual arts journey.. Read more>>
Hannah Grow
I wanted to work with children from the moment my mom set my baby sister on a blanket when I was three years old. I remember looking into her eyes and knowing…that’s where I wanted to be. That feeling never left. As I grew up, that sense of direction stayed with me. Read more>>
Andrew Homoly
The story of Homoly Design + Build is really a story about family, legacy, and a deep respect for the craft of building homes. Our roots go back more than a century to 1903, when my great great grandfather, Bela Homoly, came to the United States from Hungary and settled in Chicago. Read more>>
Joe DeMarchi
I have always been interested in working in the film industry since I was a kid. After graduating from KU’s Film and Media Studies program, I wanted to find more ways to collaborate with my peers and came up with THE CORPORATION. THE CORP was started as a Discord group chat, and the community grew faster than we could have expected. Read more>>
Ronnie Marquez
Some of the most meaningful things I’ve created in life were born from moments that required faith, resilience, and a willingness to heal out loud. I’m a self taught artist based in Kansas City, and my journey started at five years old with just a pencil and my emotions. Read more>>
Emily Kriley
I started Pink Pest Solutions after serving as an executive at one of the largest pest control companies in America, where I gained a deep understanding of the industry. During that time, I became the second female Associate Certified Entomologist in Kansas, which gave me the strong scientific foundation that still guides everything we do. Read more>>
Astra Garner
If I’m honest, much of my journey wasn’t something I mapped out for myself. In many cases, I found myself stepping into spaces I hadn’t planned for—or even initially wanted. But over time, I’ve come to believe I’ve been divinely led into the work I’m meant to do. Each step has stretched me, grounded me, and ultimately aligned me more closely with my purpose. Read more>>
Kathy Coates Newman
My story really started with a simple conversation that turned into something much bigger than I ever imagined. In late 2015, I had just moved back to Kansas City from Atlanta and met up with a good friend of mine, Michelle, for her birthday. Read more>>
Sarah Hennier
At 30 years old, I was diagnosed with skin cancer. Like many people, I relied on self-tanner and spray tans to feel confident without sun exposure. But over time, something felt wrong. I began experiencing severe skin reactions, including one night when I woke up scratching my legs so hard they were nearly bleeding. That moment changed everything. Read more>>
Claymates Sarah Veak & Emily Reinhardt
Claymates started out of necessity. We’re two full-time working artists with over 30 years of combined experience in clay, each running our own individual practices. One day, we sat down and realized we both had the same desire to share our knowledge, our time, and our space with others. It felt like perfect timing, and joining forces was the natural next step. Read more>>
Cari Readle
I began my career as an Occupational Therapy Assistant, where I developed a strong foundation in helping others improve their quality of life. As changes in the healthcare industry shifted my path, I transitioned into working alongside my husband in our real estate business, Coldwell Banker Executive Realty in Hays. Read more>>
Tyler Hanna
A while back, I was looking at a website. It was from a small business, but it wasn’t very good. When I saw that, I realized that tens of thousands of small businesses across the country don’t have high converting websites, which greatly impacts the performance of businesses, especially digital storefronts. Read more>>
Lora Curtis
I’ve always loved horses, Saddlebreds most specifically. There was always something about watching a high-stepping, high-powered saddlebred move along the rail; ears forward, eyes wide and bright, head high and proud, that just excited me it still does to this day. That’s the world we come from. Growing up we had horses. I’m a fourth generation horse person on my dad’s side. Read more>>
Lindsey Bennett
We started as backyard gardeners in Colorado with a dream to spend more time together: growing food, sharing the garden with our new daughter, and sharing our space and creations with friends and the joy of growing and sustainability with others. And in some ways before that. I discovered a deep and profound beckoning to work in the environmental studies field in late high school. Read more>>
Junie Brown
I’ve always had an inherent interest in the feminine energy that surrounded me. From playing barbies and dress up with my cousins, to growing up to be a transgender woman, I have always had this desire to convey a feminine energy. This yearning for femininity has lead me to many different hobbies, including painting, sewing, drag, makeup, and so much more. Read more>>
Tulei & LaNika Tapii
In January 2025 Island Style Productions was created by co-owners Tuleiileafi and LaNika Tapii. And although ISP is very young, our roots in song, dance, and music go back generations before us. While Tulei was growing up on the islands of Hawaii participating in his families luau company, LaNika was following the footsteps of her Father and legendary Jazz guitarist Norman Brown. Read more>>
Jarrod Nichols
My career has never been defined by one lane, it has been shaped by a passion for consumer technology, innovation, and bringing products to market that make every day experiences better. Growing up in Kansas, I learned early the value of hard work, humility, and perseverance. Those values became the foundation of my professional journey. Read more>>
Danica Leporte
In January 2022, my family and I moved from the Southwest, where I was born and raised, to Overland Park, Kansas. I grew up outdoors, spending summers camping, at the lake, and hiking through the woods. So when I had the opportunity to work for a large glamping company in Scottsdale, Arizona, I was excited to begin creating ways for others to enjoy nature-inspired celebrations. Read more>>
Sean Desmond
I didn’t land in home inspection by accident—this was built on years of hands-on experience and a pretty diverse background. Read more>>
Nick & Haleigh Friesen
The story of Fibrenew East KC actually started in Canada, where Nick is originally from. After spending several years there together, we made the decision to start fresh in the Kansas City area and pursue business ownership. We sold everything we had in Canada and took a leap of faith to build something of our own here. Read more>>
Cassie Perez
I grew up in the small town of Chillicothe, Missouri, where some of my favorite memories as a kid were going to the salon. I was always fascinated by the way a simple appointment could make someone feel confident and refreshed. That early love for the beauty industry never faded. Read more>>
Logan Heley
My story really starts at my father’s modest solar business. I was a half-day kindergartener, and I spent my mornings watching him work. Even then, the seeds of conservation and climate action were being planted. Read more>>
Stedmond Ware Michael McJunkin
We started WareMoore from a very simple place, wanting to create something meaningful that brought people together. The name itself is personal to us, combining our mothers’ maiden names, so from the beginning, this wasn’t just about business, it was about legacy, family, and intention. Read more>>
Jessica Pluff
Exhale Skin Studio was born out of my desire to create an intentional sanctuary- for both clients and employees. I worked in a day spa for a few years before deciding to open Exhale and I pulled from both my experiences as a spa connoisseur and as an employee and really wanted to create a safe space for every single person who crosses our threshold. Read more>>
Sarah Wylie
It is incredibly daunting to open your own business. The freedom and self-autonomy is amazing but it also means its all on you. The fact that you are responsible for all of it, is both scary and empowering. The logistics of opening a business was definitely a challenge for me. I would get overwhelmed and shut down when hurdles and obstacles arose, but my love and partner CJ was the true gem, helping me to navigate my way through the process and extending his endless well of love and support. Read more>>
Maggie Tietz
Meanwhile, I finished my Masters Degree in Business Administration in 2019 and gained most of my first decade of fundraising and branding experience with a global Christian non-profit ministry called Young Life. In 2022, I accepted a part-time position at Free City Church in Lawrence, KS as the Communications Director. In this smaller church, we didn’t have professional photos handed to us. Quality photos would only be consistent if I mastered the trade myself. From there, my photography hobby evolved into a service that I not only used in the workplace, but I started to offer close family and friends. Read more>>
