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.
Tanner Wilson
My passion for healthcare began long before I entered clinical practice. I grew up in a family that valued nutrition, exercise, restorative sleep, and a proactive approach to health. As a third-generation chiropractor, I saw firsthand the impact that personalized, patient-centered care could have on people’s lives. Read more>>
Angela Believes
I got my start when I was asked by two gentlemen to emcee an event. That experience led me into radio hosting, where I strengthened my communication skills, before returning to live event hosting. Today, I host music festivals, fashion shows, mental health forums, corporate events, and awards galas and more throughout Kansas City and abroad. Read more>>
Reagan Johnson
I’ve always needed to have a camera on me as long as I can remember. When I was 2 years old, my family got our first video camera. It weighed about 4 lbs and had to be held up on the operator’s shoulder. Read more>>
Nathan Walker
Mission KC Retro started as a Swap Meet for Collectibles and Retro Video Games. At its core, a grassroots movement to unite the collectors and sellers of the rare hard to find merchandise, and grow Kansas City’s retro gaming market. An event to keep the retro gaming culture alive, and at the same time mix in modern art and modern gaming. Read more>>
Lana Luxx
I am born in raised in Kansas City Missouri. I grew up in the northland. I was Missouris first transgender woman to win homecoming queen in Missouri in 2015 at Oak Park High School. That’s where I really got my start with advocacy and my online presence. Read more>>
Payton Donnell
Well my dad has a Martial Arts School in Sioux Falls South Dakota that I helped him start when I was in High School. For the last 15 years or so he has been a top 10% performer in our organization! I watched him grow it from virtually nothing to what it is today saw how much hard work and dedication that took! Read more>>
TAYLOR HUTTON, MBA
I actually never planned on owning a business. Back in 2020 – I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Finance, and immediately joined the corporate world working in the trucking industry. Read more>>
Vincent Orsolini
Castle Studios started from the passion and love of music, music production and simply creating together under the safe roof. It stemmed from a need to create a safe space for artists to create and share their passions in an environment ran by artists for artists. Read more>>
Laci Jo Rains
She’s Native was born from a simple idea: that incredibly talented women owned businesses deserve to be seen, supported, and celebrated. What started as a subscription box has grown into a community that connects local businesses with customers through curated gift boxes, networking events, and meaningful relationships. Read more>>
Ca’Mille Freeman
I grew up with a mother and grandmother’s who cooked for their families and one who made and sold cakes as a part of her income. For me though, I pay true hommage to my child hood church on where I got started on taking pride in and developed a love for cooking and feeding people. Read more>>
Sarah Buffa
Small-Town Roots, Big Passion Growing up in a small town taught me the value of community, kindness, and making people feel at home. Those are the same values I bring into my salon every day. Hair has always been more than a job to me—it’s an art. Every haircut, color, and style is an opportunity to create something unique while helping someone feel more confident. Read more>>
Lukas Hugunin
The Sounds of Many started out a solo passion project by our lead singer Lukas Hugunin when he returned from Louisiana in 2016. When he returned he was jamming with Caleb Price who enjoyed the material and came aboard. Following that we constructed a line up, and started performing out and about. Read more>>
natalie Moussa
In college, I ended up minoring in studio art before going to nursing school. I started by experimenting with different artistic styles and mediums, constantly teaching myself, learning from each piece, and refining my skills through practice and perseverance. Every painting, sketch, and illustration became an opportunity to grow as both an artist and a storyteller. Read more>>
Knar Mardirossian
KarmaBluu Accessories started from a simple idea: creating meaningful accessories that people could wear every day. I wanted to create pieces that were not only beautiful, but also represented protection, positivity, and good energy. What began as a creative passion has grown into a small business that has connected me with so many incredible people. Read more>>
Olivia Sommer
My photography journey started in college when I took my very first media class while working towards my degree in agricultural communications. The second I picked up the camera I fell in love with it. I started out taking photos of livestock around our farm, capturing school events, and talking family and friends into letting me take their photos for free. Read more>>
Adam Gripp
A life-long artist, I grew up in Virginia but moved to the Kansas City metro about 11 years ago. The art and music scene are ultimately what led me to land here in KC. Read more>>
Glynis Murphy
Baldwin City and the area around it have always been home to apple trees and grapes. When my late husband, Rory, and I bought the farm in 2009, it was overgrown and needed attention. Read more>>
Samantha Sander
My story really starts with a love for creating and telling stories visually. I grew up around production work, helping behind the scenes with camera, lighting, and sound, which gave me an early appreciation for how much goes into bringing an idea to life. Read more>>
Will Gurley
I first got involved in theatre as a high schooler. I fell hard and I fell fast! Before my first ever musical performance, I was incredibly nervous. My director and mentor, Brian Miller, gave me the best piece of advice he could have: “Just tell the story.” Since then, I have been obsessed with telling good stories. Read more>>
Malaina Piyassaphan
My first career was in Respiratory Therapy. I loved helping people, but over time, and especially after experiencing the intensity of frontline healthcare during the pandemic, I felt a strong pull toward a more proactive, preventative, and patient centered approach to health. I wanted to help people improve their overall well-being through movement, lifestyle, and habits. Read more>>
Lindsay Smith
I’m not entirely sure how to tell my story because, like most people, it doesn’t feel like a straight line. I am only 37, but I have lived so many lives already. For a long time, I was moving very fast. I worked in sales, started a nonprofit called The Merry Outlaw, and filled my days with projects, people, causes, deadlines, responsibilities. Read more>>
Justin Anderson
In 8th grade I released my first two singles called twisted and nighttime both of which were on the way to being a minor hit the first year of release gaining me alot of traction. Both tracks projecting and speaking on my environment and the world i was in Read more>>
Amanda Vega-Mavec, Ed.D.
My journey into education was never part of the plan — yet in many ways, it’s brought me full circle. After graduating from college in the Boston area, I had my heart set on working for a nonprofit in Texas supporting survivors of domestic violence. Read more>>
City Market Sue’ Patterson
I’ve never had a straight-line career, and I’m grateful for that. I started in television production, children’s programming and news as a writer, reporter, and producer, where I learned how to listen fast, ask better questions, and find the human story inside almost anything. Read more>>
Kyla Bennett
I believe we can all relate to a desire for self-actualization and in my own search for meaning, I found social work. After graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with degrees in Psychology and Gender and Women’s Studies, I pursued my Master of Social Work degree from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul Minnesota. Read more>>
Ashley Davis
I was born and raised in Lawrence, Kansas, to parents who were both part of the Kanas University system. I grew up singing bluegrass, country, and American folk music, and those early influences shaped the storyteller I’ve become today. As a young musician, I knew I wanted to pursue music professionally, so I moved to Nashville to attend Belmont University. Read more>>
Vinyl Richy
Short BIO: Vinyl Richy is a Kansas City-based DJ and producer with over 25 years of experience and 3,500+ performances across the Midwest and West Coast. Known for high-energy sets and deep musical knowledge, he has built a reputation as one of KC’s most versatile DJs, equally at home rocking a crowd or curating an experience. Read more>>
Rich Berry
I started out at the age of 15 as a musician. My dad got me my first guitar in about April of 1964. It was something I immediately took to. My musical journey has lasted my whole life and given me some incredible memories. I played at teen towns and under age venues until I was out of school. Read more>>
MEGAN GARRELTS
Some of my earliest memories are of restaurants. My uncle managed several restaurants in Dallas, and as a little girl, I loved exploring the kitchens, watching the energy of service, and seeing how food brought people together. By the time I was 15, I was working in restaurants myself, and I quickly realized there was nowhere else I wanted to be. Read more>>
Laura Bowen
I’ve been a musician for over 20 years. Fronting multiple rock bands here in Kansas City. Funny thing is it all began with a lie. When I was in high school I told a guy I had a crush on that I was in a band so he would take an interest in me. Read more>>
Elliot Pees
Beginning in 2009 I began learning about this unique beverage called ‘Kombucha’ and over the course of the next year I brewed dozens of batches tweaking the ingredients and process. Fermentation was new to me and kombucha being a drink that is fermented for the benefit of gut health while also being a tasty beverage was amazing to me. Read more>>
Jake Ziegler
Essentially, I’ve spent the majority of my life in the service industry; specifically restaurants and working back of house. I started washing dishes in High School and gradually worked my way up through various restaurants from bar and grill to fine dining until eventually being a head chef for a few years. Read more>>
Mary Ann Tooker
If someone had told me years ago that I’d be hand-printing inspirational apparel in my Connecticut studio, I probably would have laughed. My career began in fashion. I earned a degree in Fashion Merchandising and spent decades working my way up from buyer to Vice President, overseeing women’s knitwear and working with factories around the world. Read more>>
Marcellus Wilson
Born and raised in South Kansas City, pursuing music started out as a hobby and outlet where I could express myself through songs and instrumentals. Being a fan first made me study the craft and built an obsession to the point I started to practice over and over until I got better. Read more>>
Cheyenne Porras
Java & Jesus started because I saw a need. I’ve always loved a good coffee shop, but I noticed something over the years…grabbing a specialty coffee had become expensive. Even I found myself thinking twice before stopping for a drink, and I watched friends order the smallest size they could or skip coffee altogether because it just wasn’t in the budget anymore. Read more>>
Selene soto
I am Artista Selene♡ pronouns: She/They I am a immigrant artist. Juárez mexico-born ☆ but Strawberry Hill kck-raised. I am a Queer Latine artist who pulls from all my worlds mexican roots,Body postivity and turns it into bilingual tracks and stories that hit you in the chest. I perform with my bandmates ‘ The chingona band’ together our sound is a ragey latin pop alt. Read More>>
Anthony Plogger
Nclusion Plus was born out of a challenge that many in the entertainment industry faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to 2020, a group of friends and community members regularly gathered at a local drag venue in Columbia, Missouri. Read More>>
