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.
Jamie Williams-Stewart
My journey in animal behavior began at The Wildlife Waystation, a big cat sanctuary in Los Angeles County. That formative experience inspired me to pursue formal education at Moorpark College’s prestigious Exotic Animal Training and Management (EATM) program, where I graduated in 2003 with degrees in Exotic Animal Training & Management, Animal Husbandry, and Wildlife Education. Read more>>
Nicolette Martin
I’ve always been someone who needs to understand the story underneath the story. That’s what drew me to journalism. I studied at the University of Iowa before transferring to Missouri State, where I spent most of college in the newsroom — covering beats, editing copy, designing pages, and eventually running the paper as editor-in-chief. Read more>>
Margie Kay
I started in broadcasting at age 17 when I took a course in communication at North Kansas City High School, and became the DJ during lunch break. I played current music and made comments between songs, but the most interesting thing was learning how to use the equipment. I was also a musician and played professionally for 20 years. Read more>>
Brett Horton
Brett’s Story Brett William Horton was born in WaKeeney, Kan., the fourth of four children and the youngest by five years. My dad was superintendent of schools and my mom was a homemaker. The first four years were spent as a towny in Utica, Kan., if you could call Utica a town, as it had only about 175 residents. Read more>>
Tiffany Davidson
My journey as a nurse practitioner business own began with deciding in high school that I wanted a career in healthcare. I grew up in Kansas City, went to high school in Overland Park and have worked for metro area hospitals for the last 16 years. I obtained my bachelor’s degree in nursing from UMKC and my master’s degree from UCM. Read more>>
Mason Homoly
Homoly Design + Build started as a family business founded by my dad, Andrew Homoly, and my grandfather, Guy Homoly, in 1997. The company was built on hard work, relationships, and a genuine passion for craftsmanship. Read more>>
Vaughn Evans
I started blowing glass in 1999 when I was 16, because I wanted better beads for jewelry I was making and selling to friends. 10 years later, a customer asked if I could make marbles with cremation ashes, and everything just clicked. Read more>>
Jimmy and Debra Ybarra
Our journey didn’t begin with a perfect plan, it began with a feeling. A quiet but persistent pull to create something meaningful, something that could bring people together and make a difference, even in small ways. Like many, we started with uncertainty, learning as we went, taking risks, and discovering who we were with each step forward. Read more>>
Emma Pletz
I’ve always been someone who loves to create. Even as a kid, I was constantly making things like designing bookmarks for people, building little paper houses and “computers,” and finding any excuse to turn an idea into something real. Art was always my favorite class, and as I got older, I took every creative class I could fit into my schedule. Read more>>
Luke Gibson
My business partner Aaron Johnson and I, went to school together in Chillicothe, MO Class of ’97 and hadn’t seen each other in 20 years before I moved to Savannah, MO where he had relocated. We would run into one another from time to time, both having kids in the Savannah School District as well as Savannah just being a small town. Read more>>
Kristin Shaeffer
I never imagined I would one day own a campground, but looking back, it feels like every part of my life prepared me for it. I have spent years camping across the United States and Canada, building businesses, raising a family, and finding joy in people, gardening, nature, and creating meaningful spaces. Read more>>
Jesica Williams
I was born in Jupiter, FL and spent the first 12 years of my life in the Florida sun and falling in love with the sport of soccer. Since then, life has aken me to Texas, New Jersey, Indiana, Missouri, and now Kansas. I discovered volleyball in middle school and I noticed quickly that I had an adeptness for the sport. Read more>>
Jessica and Ted Vasholz
My love for tea began in the most enchanting way, watching Beauty and the Beast as a little girl. There’s a moment when Belle lifts Chip, the tiny teacup with a chip on its rim, and takes a sip. He giggles because it tickles. Read more>>
James Jackson
Everything began in 2021, when I was saved by the grace of God. At that time, I was an entrepreneur, with a real estate business and a rap label. I was often performing at local venues, out in the night life, partying, drinking, gambling and chasing money. One night I came home and I scrolled through YouTube videos. Read more>>
Kayla Lyman
Helix Fitness for Caregivers was born out of my personal experiences as a caregiver to my son, Phineas, who has Foxg1 Syndrome, a rare neurological condition that causes lifelong severe disabilities. Read more>>
Jennie Snapp
Revival started as something much more personal than a business; it was rooted in a season of rebuilding and rediscovery in my own life. I actually began my career in fashion in my hometown of Lexington, Missouri, working every weekend of high school at a local boutique when I wasn’t playing sports. Read more>>
Jessica Pointer
I’ve been in the beauty industry for 17 years, and for most of that time I did what many stylists do — traditional hair color and constant exposure to chemicals I didn’t think twice about. Until my body did. Read more>>
