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.
Tammy Brown
I am a creative! Now in my 60’s I still recall my first finger painting done while in Kindergarten. It seems the texture of the paint opened up my young imagination and left an indelible impression on me. Later in my college years I lacked the confidence to pursue a major as an Artist so I defaulted to a Business Degree instead. Read more>>
Connie Walton
My story definitely wasn’t a straight line, and I think that’s what makes it mine. I started my career in healthcare as a Registered Nurse, and later became a Licensed Massage Therapist and business owner. For years, I was the woman who could handle everything. Read more>>
Laura Wingren
My husband, Mark, and I actually met in Phoenix, Arizona. Mark grew up in Tacoma, Washington, and I grew up in Gardner, Kansas. Somehow, we both ended up in Arizona, met, and started dating—and HVAC quickly became a big part of our story. Read more>>
Matt Castilleja
I grew up watching my Father renovate the places we lived in his limited free time while working for General Motors and then KCPL as a lineman, learning the value and potential of building and fixing things by hand and on one’s own merit. Read more>>
Pierstan Tyler
Like every Lash Artist my journey began with a personal fascination for lashes. How they contour the eyes and add something enticing to a face. The more l learned about lash extensions the more l watered a passion for the artistry in creating sets. Read more>>
Lars Hanson
Hi, I’m Lars Hanson, and my journey into coaching started after I was cut from a basketball team at the ripe old age of ten because I “lacked speed, strength, and stamina.” My dad challenged me with a simple choice—“You can either get bitter or get better”—so I began training on my own, eventually becoming a successful middle-distance runner and continuing to compete in basketball, cross country, and track. Read more>>
Tara (I go by Tara J please) Jackson
Hello beautiful souls, my name is Tara J. A little about me…. I’ve been dancing since I was about four or five years old, so dance has always been a huge part of who I am. For a long time, I thought dance would be the vehicle through which I would make a living and build my future. Read more>>
Daisha Maria-Breona
I’m originally from Jersey City, New Jersey, and my journey has taken me through several chapters that have shaped who I am today. I earned my undergraduate degree from Rutgers University, where I studied Communication and Women’s & Gender Studies, and later earned my master’s degree in Executive Leadership from Liberty University. Read more>>
Jennifer Graham
My journey with photography started long before J Renée Photography ever became a business. I first fell in love with photography in high school, back in the days of film cameras and darkrooms. I loved photographing people, developing portraits, and watching an image slowly come to life. Read more>>
Ashley stiles
Whenever I started out, I started out as a patient of The Joint Chiropractic, really. Read more>>
Mark Longenecker
My business partner, Brandon and I quit our jobs in 2018 with a desire to build a business together. We loaded up an old truck and set out to drive across the country, the whole way to Alaska. On our two month journey, we talked through opportunities and ideas we were passionate about. We returned with one of our original ideas: smooth lightweight cast iron. Read more>>
kareena Cloe
Freedom Literature really started from my love of books and what reading has always meant to me. Books can help us escape, learn, slow down, and sometimes feel a little less alone. I wanted to create something that could share that feeling with other people. As we grew, I realized I didn’t just want to sell books. Read more>>
La’Trice Murray
I started my business in 2020 with a deep passion for combating food insecurity, something I have personally experienced and know affects countless individuals worldwide. It is incredibly important to me to create access to high-quality products that promote overall well-being. Products that are good for the body, mind, spiritual health, and mental health. Read more>>
Ana Verdugo
My journey into photography began with something very simple: a small compact camera, a curious eye, and a genuine desire to create. I didn’t start with a studio, professional equipment, or a clear roadmap. I started with what I had, and little by little, I allowed that curiosity to grow into something much bigger. Read more>>
Jamie Miller
I started my travel business in January 2024 because I have always enjoyed traveling and exploring new places. At the time, my son had just started college at UNLV in Las Vegas, and I found myself entering a new chapter in life with the opportunity to focus on something I was passionate about. Read more>>
Robin Kelley
I first started in the business as an assistant to a very high-profile salon owner over 30 years ago. Within 2 years I was opening my first salon with a bout 10 stylists and 3 support staff. Within 5 years, the growth was showing that it was time to expand and keep with the growth. Read more>>
Barry Lee
I’m currently in my 40th year as a DJ on KKFI FM in Kansas City. My show is called Signal To Noise and airs every Thursday morning at 10 am. Over the years I’ve been a writer, published poet, concert producer, guitar player and singer. Read more>>
Brianna Chacko
When I moved to Kansas City in 2022, one of my coworkers introduced me to the Kansas City music industry after i created some cover artwork for him. Read more>>
Susan Welsh
I am the owner/farmer of Grasshopper Urban Farm located in Wyandotte County, Kansas City, KS. When my last child was finishing high school, I realized there was an opportunity for me to do something different than work a Monday through Friday job or needing to be a full time parent. Read more>>
Ian Perez
Spokes America was founded in 2013 by a group of students from MIT, Harvard, and Columbia who wanted to bring project-based STEM education to schools across the country. It is a charitable, student-run initiative as part of an effort to rethink STEM education. By meeting students where they are on the ground, we believe it can inspire a much stronger long-lasting love of learning. Read more>>
Danee Greenwald
I started my Instagram as a creative outlet while working full-time and raising three kids. Read more>>
Kat Ruprecht
I was originally a teacher in the Kansas City Area for about 10 years. I had just found out that I was pregnant with my second son about two weeks before the world shut down and my teaching license was expiring at the end of the year as well. I took took it as a sign to try something new. Read more>>
Melissa Russell
I actually started working when I was 12, cleaning offices with my mom for extra money on the weekends. I spent a lot of my younger years in the service industry, which put me through college, always working 3-4 jobs while taking full-time hours. While I was at UMKC I took a work-study position where I helped entrepreneurs start, scale, and expand their businesses. Read more>>
Bill Himmelstein
I didn’t start Tenant Advisory Group because I wanted to build another brokerage. I started it because I believed commercial real estate clients deserved an advisor, not a salesperson. Having learned investing from my father, I always viewed real estate through the eyes of an owner. After working for the industry’s largest firms, I realized the traditional brokerage model often rewarded transactions over relationships. Read more>>
Nneoma Lanea
With a sultry saxophone tone and a voice that moves the soul, Nneoma Lanea stands at the forefront of Kansas City’s vibrant music scene. A premier saxophonist, vocalist, and songwriter, she has carved out her own lane by blending smooth jazz, R&B, and soulful melodies into unforgettable musical experiences. Music was woven into the fabric of Nneoma’s childhood home. Read more>>
Carissa Rasmussen
Growing up, I was never a natural athlete—I excelled in music, dance, and crafts. But I loved roller skating. I spent my childhood trying to emulate my mom, who was an incredible jam skater. As an adult, that passion led me to roller derby. I absolutely loved the sport, but somewhere between my third and fourth concussion, I realized I needed a new challenge. Read more>>
Nick Reische
In 2020, Nick perfected a family barbecue sauce recipe and began bottling it for family and friends. When he decided he wanted a little heat, Spicy Sauce quickly followed. In 2022, Dena added her own mark on the brand with Golden Sauce, a tangy, bright blend that rounded out the company’s signature trio. Read more>>
Piper Twombly
I went to esthetics school in Joplin, Missouri at 23 while being a single mom and working as a waitress full time. once I was done with school, I started my professional career at a 529 salon & spa in Joplin, MO where I learned so much and made so many great friends. Read more>>
Marcus Moore
It all started for me when I discovered super heroes as a kid. The X-Men, way back before the 92 cartoon series became a hit. Something about them inspired me to pick up a pencil and crayons and start drawing. I’ve never looked back since . Read more>>
Bernadette Lee
Artist Bernadette Lee is most commonly known as Bernie. She started Art From Architecture in 2015, after almost thirty years as a fine wine professional. A permanent shoulder injury her unable to lift cases of wine, but was still able to lift a pen and paintbrush. Read more>>
Rhett Krewson
Almost a decade ago, I was working as a lifeguard, saving up for a car, and ended up with a 2014 Mustang. It felt like a car worth taking care of, so I started detailing it myself, and people noticed. A neighbour asked me to do theirs. Then a few more friends did the same. Word got around. Read more>>
Brittanny Kreutzer & Julie Homsey
The Speaker Exchange Agency really started with a friendship, experience in the speaking industry, and a shared belief on how to do business. Julie Homsey had been in the keynote speaking industry for years when Brittanny Kreutzer joined the same speakers bureau. Julie helped show Brittanny the ropes, and over time, the two became not only friends but a strong sales team. Read more>>
Crystal Wilson
The story behind Silo Imaging Studio started long before I ever imagined becoming a business owner. I’ve been an ARDMS-registered sonographer for more than 10 years, and I’ve always had a genuine passion for what I do. That passion grew even deeper when I became pregnant with our son. Read more>>
Demi Cavender
My love for photography started with taking pictures of my boys. I loved it so much that they eventually suggested I start photographing other people so I would stop taking so many pictures of them! What began as a hobby quickly became my passion. Read more>>
Heidi Grossman
Heidi’s Dress Shop has been open since the summer of 2025. The shop moved into a new location in July 2026. We are excited to be on Commercial Street in Atchison, KS, with more parking and more space. The business has been building with new merchandise and easier access to dry cleaning services. Read more>>
Ashley Starlin
I think the day our son was born, was the day I knew I was meant to provide, give, make, bake, and serve. Not just for him and our family, but to anyone that needed. I started to teach myself how to bake, I vowed to myself to make all the birthday goodies and holiday treats, for years to come. Read more>>
Erez Gur-Esh
My story with photography began when I was 13 years old. For my birthday, I asked my parents for a camera for one simple reason: I wanted to take pictures of my dog. I had no idea that this birthday gift would eventually shape my entire professional life. I immediately fell in love with photography. Read more>>
Shauna Stephanchick
Here’s the rewrite, shifting the narrative frame to Learning First as the national expansion of the work, with Kansas and beyond as the explicit forward goal. My Learning First Journey In second grade, I told my best friend I would be a teacher. Fourteen years later, I started my first year teaching second grade in Grandview, Missouri, a suburb of Kansas City. Read more>>
Michael Carlson
Before tattooing I played music. I had big dreams of finding success through my love for music. As everyone knows life happens sometimes and has a way of changing things. With drastic change came new beginnings. Tattooing for me was the closest thing to playing music I could find. A creative outlet. Read more>>
Kayte Williams
I actually started cutting hair when I was 12! My mother handed me a pair of tiny mustache scissors and said, “Here. You’d be good at this: cut your little brother’s hair.” 😂 After that I started cutting family and friends’ hair. Read more>>
Nancy Lopez
El Zocalo Food Truck is a christian family owned business it began in 2022 with a simple dream: my husband and I wanted to build something together. We had always talked about opening a business of our own, and we decided to start small by creating a food truck that we could operate on weekends while sharing our food with our community. Read more>>
Linda Donaldson
The BariGirls are the support team after weight loss surgery. We are a mother/daughter duo who both had surgical weight loss 17 and 11 years ago. The BariGirls provide guidance through healthy recipes, one on one consulting, cooking demonstrations, exercise and healthy living tips. Read more>>
