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.
Araceli Colato
My journey to Colato Compass began during my more than ten years working as a nanny. Over the last few years, I started noticing something that stayed with me. I worked with incredibly capable families who had the resources to create wonderful experiences for themselves and their loved ones, but they often simply did not have the time to manage all the details. Read more>>
Amber Jackson
New Mornings Coffee is inspired by the stories in Trujillo, Peru. A small city outside of Lima, Peru where a quaint coffee shop operates as a non-profit to employ orphan young adults striving for a better life than what they have known. Read more>>
Monica Farrell
I did my Yoga Teacher Training in 2005 in India as an apprentice to my mentor, Barbara Gordon who was one of the first Sivananda graduates under the tutelage of Swami Vishnudevananda. Read more>>
Kelly Janae Harris
For much of my adolescence and young adult life, I struggled with depression, anxiety, mood swings, and suicidal urges, and for a long time, I felt deeply alone and disconnected. These challenges affected nearly every area of my life, and in college I began therapy, which became the starting point for a much deeper journey of self-discovery. Read more>>
Annie Drury Haley Hardin
Meet Annie + Haley Neon Soul is the meeting place of two lifelong collectors, makers, and believers that the best things usually come with a story. Annie Drury has spent more than 15 years working in the creative world, with a background spanning commercial and hospitality interior design, graphic design, branding, art direction, set design, and styling. Read more>>
Alina Thomas
My photography journey started in a pretty unexpected way. I was born and raised in Romania and moved to the U.S. after marrying my husband, Tim. My background is in math and computer science, and my first DSLR camera was a wedding gift. Photography started as a hobby, but I quickly fell in love with it. Read more>>
Demetric Williams
I started singing when I was about 11 years old. I first discovered that I had a talent in the 6th grade where I took part of my middle school choir. Landing a Solo part increased my confidence and gave me the feeling I wanted to see how far I could grow in this space. I have always had a strong passion for music. Read more>>
Cristina Carollo
As far as I can remember, my life revolved around school, then academia and research. As an ocean scientist, I spent over 15 years carrying out coastal and marine research, traveling, studying, analyzing, asking questions, and trying to understand the complicated world beneath the surface. I loved the science, the discovery, and the sense of purpose that came with the work. Until I didn’t. Read more>>
Michael Tyree
I was born in a small town of Beckley, WV! I never knew my biological father and my mother at the time was really struggling so she gave me to my grandparents! My grandparents taught me the importance of having a relationship with God. Read more>>
Beverly Amsler
It’s a long story so I’ll try to condense it. I lived in Utah when I worked as a journalist. I volunteered with a group affiliated with Best Friends Animal Society. Then I moved to Virginia and we ran a story on the Michael Vick dog fighting arrest. I was volunteering for the local SPCA and a service dog group at the time. Read more>>
Amaya Liles
I never originally planned to become a business owner—or even a physical therapist. For most of my childhood, I had my heart set on becoming an OB/GYN. My godbrother was born when I was in sixth grade, and from that moment forward, I thought birth was the most magical thing in the world. Read more>>
Afreen Sayeed
I was an ambitious sophomore at St. John’s University in New York, deeply immersed in healthcare sciences, theology, philosophy, and ethics. I was curious about everything I was learning and knew that education was something I could not let go of. There wasn’t one particular moment when I knew dentistry was what I wanted to pursue. Read more>>
Eric Anderson
Mother2Son Catering was born during one of the most unexpected seasons of my life. After serving as an Assistant Superintendent with Roanoke City Public Schools, my position ended as a result of restructuring. I was devastated. So much of my life and identity had been connected to education and leadership, and suddenly I found myself trying to figure out what was next. Read more>>
Cynthia Terry
My name is Cynthia Terry, founder and CEO of Blackeyed peas Restaurant. My journey as an entrepreneur has been built on more than serving good food. It has been about creating a place where people feel welcomed, where culture is celebrated, and where community has a seat at the table. Read more>>
Anne Flythe
I’ve always had a creative curiosity that followed me into adulthood. Even in the super numerical or detail-heavy classes, I found a creative way to understand things. I drew concepts out, made things visual, and figured out how to make information make sense to me. That learning style eventually became part of how I approach marketing too. Read more>>
Jake Chaney
I didn’t come to web design through a design school or an agency. I came to it through data. I spent seven years at Amazon, starting in operations and working my way into business analysis. That’s where I learned to live in SQL and Excel, and where I figured out that I was happiest when I was building tools that made other people’s jobs easier. Read more>>
Rodrigo Restrepo
In 1995, Don began operating the Shoe Mobile – a mobile shoe repair that serviced many businesses in the DMV area. In May of 1996, however, Don opened a brick-and-mortar store at 726 King Street, naming it Old Town Shoe & Luggage Repair. Read more>>
Corey Bullock
Lori and I have always loved traveling together. Some of our favorite memories are from those trips—finding little coffee shops, hunting down the best ice cream, and just wandering around and discovering places we loved. Somewhere along the way, we started talking about what it would be like to create a place of our own, something that captured that same feeling for other people. Read more>>
Charday Jones
Charday Jones is a devoted wife, mother of four, author, faith-based entrepreneur, and aspiring international public speaker whose life is rooted in faith, family, and purpose. She considers her family her first ministry and is passionate about encouraging others to deepen their relationship with God and boldly walk in the purpose He has placed on their lives. Read more>>
Beth Payne
I created Full Circle Consulting and Care because I wanted the freedom to help people in the ways they actually needed—not only in the ways a traditional healthcare system allowed. Throughout my career as an occupational therapist, I became increasingly frustrated by the smaller decisions made across Congress, insurance systems, and healthcare organizations that collectively determined how—and sometimes whether—I could help someone. Read more>>
Chantel Spinner
My journey began long before I officially started a business. As a mother, a Black woman, and a professional with a background in sociology and human services, I saw how often families were expected to navigate complicated systems that were not designed with their realities, cultures, or needs in mind. Read more>>
Jonathan Murray
I actually went to college for marketing, but my career didn’t start there. I spent a lot of my early professional life in customer service, sales, and management. Looking back, I think that experience ended up making me a better marketer because I learned how to listen to people, understand what they actually need, communicate clearly, and connect business goals to real people. Read more>>
Ana Rash
Coco-Nuts has been a dream of mine since I was a little girl growing up in the Dominican Republic. I always loved baking and creating, but for many years it was just that, a dream. Eventually, I reached a point where I had to decide whether I was going to keep dreaming about it or actually take the chance. Read more>>
Nicole Michelau
I had always dreamed of owning my own business, but for a long time, taking that kind of risk just wasn’t realistic. I was a single mom, the sole support of my family, and although I had plenty of ideas, I needed the security of a paycheck. Read more>>
Alex Argentieri
As a Physical Therapist, my goal is to provide individualized treatment plans designed to enable each patient to achieve their goals in the most effective and efficient manner. In today’s medical world, many healthcare facilities tend to prioritize the quantity of patient visits over the quality of patient care. Read more>>
Brittny Bates
My Queens Royalty Story 👑 By: Brittny Bates Queens Royalty didn’t just start as a business idea, a logo, or a T-shirt. It started with a desire to change the way women saw and treated one another. Read more>>
Justine Malo
I’ve always loved beauty, art, and anything that allowed me to be creative. Growing up, I was always the girl doing everyone’s hair and makeup for proms, homecomings, special events, or even just for fun when friends came over. In my twenties, I began struggling with adult acne after having clear skin most of my life. Read more>>
Jamanda Byam
I’ve always had a desire to become a therapist and create a space where people feel safe enough to explore their emotions, make sense of their experiences, and heal from their pasts. I attended Hampton University, where I earned my bachelor’s degree in Psychology in 2008, and later continued my education at Virginia Commonwealth University, earning my master’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling in 2011. Read more>>
Diana Soryal
My journey into the beauty business is really a continuation of a passion I have had for art my entire life. Before becoming a makeup artist, I spent 21 years working as an art teacher in Kuwait. Art has always been a huge part of who I am. Read more>>
Melonie Melton
Our journey started as colleagues in an outpatient clinic of a regional pediatric hospital serving children from birth to age 18. After several years, we transitioned to serving a public school regional day program designed for students from age 5 to 21 with educational labels of autism, emotional or intellectual disabilities. Read more>>
Sheri Truax
I became fascinated with mental health when I worked in direct care at McLean Hospital in Belmont, MA while earning my Psychology degree at Boston College. I witnessed so many things in this inpatient psychiatric setting that I had never seen before. Read more>>
Jennifer Bosak
I have always loved photography as a kid. Back then, of course, you had to wait weeks to get your photos back and I just couldn’t wait to see the photos I had captured. I remember carrying around a 35mm bright orange camera with me at all times. I love the click of the shutter and especially how I can capture a fun moment. Read more>>
Kendall Rife
I grew up in Alexandria, Virginia and worked at The Virginia Florist in high school. I loved working here, and it’s where my love for flowers really grew. I went off to college after high school, earned my CPA license, and worked in accounting for about 8 years. I couldn’t stay away from flowers though, and did several events and friends’ weddings on the side. Read more>>
ALI SEVINDI
OTTO was founded in Charlottesville in 2020 by Haldun Turgay and Ali Sevindi with a clear goal: to serve fresh, delicious Mediterranean-inspired food in a way that feels approachable, satisfying, and enjoyable for everyone. Both Haldun Turgay and Ali Sevindi came into the business with strong hospitality and business backgrounds, and their education and travels throughout Europe played an important role in shaping the concept. Read more>>
Brian Suarez
I started working on cars in 1996 to put myself through college. After a couple years of working full time and being a fulltime student it was just too much. I loved working on cars so I became a mechanics helper. Went out on my own as a journeyman technician and took all my ASE certifications. Read more>>
Allison Ritter
Established in 2014, The Tea Cart is a traditional British tearoom serving fine English fare and curated loose teas. The Tea Cart opened its doors to offer a tranquil, one-of-a-kind experience for those looking for an escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Our tearoom host a variety of events from monthly specialty teas to bridal showers, birthday parties, baby showers and more. Read more>>
James Jeter III
I first began photography in 2018 as a hobby. I didn’t really have a goal with it at the time I was just a little inspired by it from watching YouTube videos. In the beginning, I mostly focused on landscape photography. I think that’s what really sparked my interest in having a lot of color in my photos and making them stand out. Read more>>
Angelia Copeland
My story has been one of beginnings, rebuilding, faith, and discovering that even the difficult parts of our lives can have purpose. I became a mother at 16, married at 17, and earned my GED after leaving high school during my senior year. My life did not begin according to a perfect plan, but I learned early how to keep moving forward. Read more>>
Jennie Sikes
My journey has unfolded along two paths that eventually became one. For more than 20 years, I have built a career in talent acquisition, helping people navigate career decisions, professional transitions, and new opportunities. Today, I serve as Director of Recruiting where I lead recruiting strategy within the federal contracting industry. Read more>>
Blanche Wilder
My mother started my journey in the art of healing when she took me along to the animal rescue mission in Atlanta, GA. I spent many fulfilling days and weeks feeding and rehabilitating a variety of animals so that they might return to their homes in the wild. Read more>>
Caroline Titus
The story of my flower farm-florist business really began during COVID, when I decided to DIY the flowers for my husband’s and my wedding. I fell in love with every part of the process, the design, the research, the planning, testing designs, and figuring out how all of the pieces come together. Read more>>
Melissa Tully
I have always had an interest in people and their narratives, what makes them ‘click’. I’ve always been curious to know how they got to be who they are. This heart for people became a heart for service in high school. I volunteered in several different charities, among them an emergency helpline for teenagers. Read more>>
Brittany Flint
The how goes far beyond where I started. I’ve honestly always been curious about what goes on in the kitchen. Some of my fondest memories are times spent helping my parents prepare a meal, or foraging wild berries with my grandma or trying a new recipe out of boredom. It wasn’t until after I graduated high school that I even considered Culinary School. Read more>>
Amanda Finch
I opened my business 5.5 years ago to help people try to not find themselves in situations myself and family have been in or if they do they have a reliable and knowledgeable business and person to work with to help them through it! I definitely didn’t get to where I am today on my own. Read more>>
Gary Robbins
I grew up in Long Island, New York and went to the University of Arizona for school. When I was 2 years old, my father passed away. My mom remarried to another widow who’s lost his wife and 2 children. My mother adopted his son, with the same first name and his father adopted me and my 2 blood brothers. Read more>>
Delhi Molina
My name is Delhi Molina, I am a Mexican immigrant, and the owner and founder of 420 Body Sculpting in Charlottesville, Virginia. My story really began with my sister. We are extremely close, and we have always been the kind of sisters who dream together, explore ideas together, make plans together, and then find a way to turn those plans into reality. Read more>>
Annimari Valdez
My journey started from a place of wanting to create something of my own and build a better future for myself and my family. For many years, I worked in quality control and later in retail, but I always felt drawn to creativity, branding, and helping small businesses present themselves in a more professional way. Read more>>
June Purevich Hodgson
My journey into entrepreneurship definitely wasn’t a straight line. After serving eight years in the U.S. Navy, I transitioned into a new chapter of my life, earned my degree in Business Administration, became a licensed esthetician, and eventually fell in love with entrepreneurship and the beauty industry. Like many business owners, my journey came with setbacks. Read more>>
Rachael Morgan
In the beginning, I was working as an Assistant City Clerk for the City of Richmond, helping coordinate City Council and committee meetings. I enjoyed the position because I was involved in many of the new things happening throughout the city and had the opportunity to work alongside so many interesting people. Read more>>
Quincy Vereen
I’ve been creating content for about eight years now and streaming for around four. It really started with me just being somebody who loved the internet, gaming, music, and making people laugh. Initially, I created because I enjoyed it. Over time, though, I started realizing that this was something I genuinely wanted to turn into a career. Read more>>
Neda Bahrami
I’m Neda, I’m forty-seven, and I’ve been in the lash industry since two thousand seventeen. I began by working in lash salons to learn the craft, and about four years ago I took the leap to launch my own business. Lash artistry truly feels like my passion; seeing the smile on a client’s face when I’m finished is incredibly fulfilling. Read more>>
Jennifer Longmeyer-Wood
I was a government attorney (D.C. and DHS) for almost 20 years when I left the government to focus on other things, including starting the Casual Pint. My business partner was in IT and spent a number of years overseas with Georgetown University. When he came back to D.C., he was looking to invest in a small franchise. Read more>>
Diloro Norrmatova
My journey to ORO Sweets did not begin in a professional kitchen. It began around the tables of my childhood in Tajikistan, where food was never simply something we served it was how we welcomed people, celebrated life, and made others feel that they belonged. Professionally, I followed a very different path. Read more>>
Don Kumar
I started Kumar Academy about a year ago, right around my junior-to-senior summer. I was applying for jobs and internships, and I kept seeing tutoring companies hiring at twenty to thirty dollars an hour. Something clicked: why can’t I just do this myself? I knew the material well. This actually goes back to growing up. Read more>>
Dekira Hundley
I’ve always been interested in hair and beauty. Growing up, my older sister used to do my hair a lot, but I was very tender-headed. Once I got older and my mom stopped wanting to constantly pay for me to get my hair done, I started figuring it out myself. Read more>>
Dmitri Dolgopolov
I was born in 1985 in what was then the Soviet Union and grew up in Russia. Interestingly, I never thought dancing would become my career. Growing up, I danced because it was fun. Read more>>
Nataliya Gurshman
I am a fine artist and art educator who has been teaching at several local universities, including Georgetown University, George Mason University, and Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA). Through my experience teaching at the university level, I observed that many students entered art programs without a strong understanding of fundamental concepts or the preparation necessary to succeed in higher education. Read more>>
Sughra Hussainy
I began my journey as an artist in Kabul, Afghanistan, where I studied traditional art at Turquoise Mountain Institute. Art became more than a creative practice for me—it became a way to preserve culture, tell stories, and give voice to experiences that are often difficult to express. Read more>>
Vincent Seng
We started as a group of friends who simply loved making videos and telling stories. What began as a creative passion eventually grew into a production company, where we took on projects across the food industry, events, commercials, music videos, and dance videos. As we grew, we each began developing our own specialties. Read more>>
