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.
Laken Reno
Beauty became meaningful to me when I realized how much it could shift the way someone feels about themselves. There’s something really special about watching a client look in the mirror and visibly light up with confidence. That emotional connection is what initially drew me into this industry and continues to inspire me today. Read more>>
MATTHEW KILLIAN
I have a video on YouTube- 5PeaksWarriors/ 10th Anniversary video in it you’ll see how 5 Peaks came to be. In short, born in Florida. Picked on and had anger problems at 5yo. Karate kid came out summer of ’84. Mom saw how locked in on the previews i was. saw it opening day. She signed me up the next week and it changed everything. Read more>>
Clay S
Whenever people ask me how I became a filmmaker, I always take it back to when I was 6 years old. Looking back, that’s when everything really started. I’ve always been drawn to art. As a kid, I spent most of my free time drawing, trying to perfect every sketch I made. Read more>>
Eulanda Wellons
I started my interest in the beauty industry by way of nails during the pandemic in 2020. I have always been into arts and crafts and wanted to translate that creativity. I am a mother of 4, a wife and a full time nurse so caring for others and compassion is second nature. Read more>>
Sean Smith
I spent more than 25 years working as a news/sports videographer, sports anchor/reporter and studio technician. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, live sports came to a halt, and so did a lot of the overtime income my family relied on. Like many people during that time, I found myself looking for a way to make up the difference and create some financial stability. Read more>>
Kris Faatz
When I was little, the first thing I wanted to be was a writer. I’ve loved to read for as long as I can remember. Read more>>
LJuca Belsito
I am an RN, in NY 21 yrs. I have been involved a Strength Coach multitime World Champion Powerlifting, Masters Olympic Weightlifting. I was Active Duty with USPHS 22 yrs and reassigned to this area in 2004. I was training special olympic athletes in Powerlifting for Montgomery County from 2010- 2015. I ooened my gym space in 2015. Read more>>
Daniya Dobbins
My journey started in community care and service work, first through the Baltimore PAL program supporting children and adults with disabilities, and later as a CNA where I continued learning the importance of patience, dignity, and consistent care. Those experiences shaped how I see people and built the foundation for everything I do today. Read more>>
Varalika Srivastava, Christine Willett
Varalika- Growing up in India, dancing wasn’t just a hobby or something I was good at—it was my identity. In school, I wasn’t the best at academics, but I was always known as ‘the girl who danced.’ It was the same at family weddings; I was always the cousin who could quickly whip up choreography and teach everyone else. Read more>>
Tina Williams
deTension Muscle Relief Therapy was born from a life shaped by service, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to healing. Its founder’s path didn’t follow a straight line — it followed a calling. From childhood dreams of becoming a doctor to years of honorable service in the armed forces, the desire to care for others was always there. Read more>>
Samantha Subido
My name is Sammy, I am a full time Registered Nurse by profession, and a content creator by passion. I have always loved capturing everyday moments, story telling, and simply romanticizing my life. I used to make my own personal vlogs that included sharing my favorite places to go, eat, shop, etc., but never got around to making a vlog out of it. Read more>>
Crystal Carder
I started my blog Crystal Carder in 2016, when my kids were 6,4, and 2. Crystal Carder originally became a place for sharing motherhood tips and parenting advice, but soon branched off to travel and collabs with many amazing brands. Read more>>
Jessica Kinard
I’ve always been someone who loves creating. I was the kid with a big imagination, constantly coming up with ideas and finding new ways to create. That creativity led me into the beauty industry, where I spent more than 25 years as a hairstylist and color educator. What I loved most about that work wasn’t just hair or beauty, it was helping people feel confident. Read more>>
Philippa Channer
My journey into marketing strategy was not a straight line. Like many entrepreneurs, I started by doing what I knew how to do, helping businesses market themselves more effectively. Over time, I noticed a pattern. Most business owners were not struggling because they lacked ideas, motivation, or work ethic. They were struggling because they lacked clarity. Read more>>
Samantha Baker
In 1995 at the University of Maryland I met Rob. We weren’t actually strangers because we had attended high school together. I knew he grew up on a farm and. I grew up down the street. Read more>>
Kacey Milburne
Hi! I’m Kacey. A local Baltimore Makeup Artist. Owner of Kacey Glamour Makeup Artistry. Nice to meet you. I have been a professional Makeup Artist for the past 11 years now. I love my job. The passion really started for me 23 years ago with a trip to Sephora in Time Square in New York City. Read more>>
Sherman Jackson
I started my journey in 2011 because I was out of shape. I was tired of looking and feeling the way I did so I decided to do something about my health. Once I got into better shape I decided to become a personal trainer in 2015 and I became a physical therapist in 2023 Read more>>
Emily Ray
I spent about a decade working in early childhood education, and over the years I started noticing a pattern. So many of the challenges children were facing weren’t because their parents didn’t love them or weren’t trying. Most parents simply hadn’t been taught what their children actually needed or how to respond to difficult behaviors. Read more>>
Anna Swihart
10 years ago I was a newly single mom, looking for work in a broken economy. I had a gap in my resume from staying home to care for my son with autism. I was so desperate for work I was applying for jobs on Craigslist. But, that is how I found the ad for Urbanstems, a flower gifting company. Read more>>
kathleen fritz
I opened Bead Soup in 2008 at Historic Savage Mill in Savage, Maryland. What began as a small specialty bead shop quickly outgrew the small space I rented so I moved into a larger space which offered in studio classes and I also started to offer my space as a venue for National and International bead instructors teach and hold trunk shows. Read more>>
Amelia Steward
My love for writing and creative pursuits developed when I was a young girl. During summer visits to my maternal grandmother’s house, I was encouraged to write short stories and learn all types of needlework. After attending a Summer Camp for Gifted and Talented in creative writing in middle school, I was encouraged to write more and decided then that writing would be my career. Read more>>
Robin Belote
My name is Robin Belote, and I am the Owner and Director of King’s Kids Early Learning Center, LLC. In 2014, I was living in Baltimore and working as a Director at a child care center. I served there for three years, but ultimately that job didn’t work out for me. Read more>>
Isis Idiokitas
I started during Covid when I was 9 and was doing some local fares. I then expanded on Etsy and my own website, and have been selling continuously ever since. Now I’m 14 and my necklaces are sold in several Children’s museums and children’s hospital gift shops around the country. Read more>>
Emmanuel Zamba
I am a Nigerian-American hip hop and R&B artist from Prince George’s County, Maryland,(the DMV). I started my journey by independently writing, recording, and performing locally, building my sound through consistency, dedication, and live performances. Read more>>
Cheryl Laing
I discovered early on that food is more than nourishment—it’s a storyteller. Each kitchen has its secrets, each family their traditions, and through flavors and aromas, I learned how food both unites and distinguishes us. As I’ve grown, so has my passion for exploring culinary traditions. Read more>>
Lauren O’Byrne
I’ve always been the person with a camera in my hand. Whether I was on vacation, at an event, or simply spending time with friends and family, I wanted to capture the moment. I like to joke that my own terrible memory is partly to blame, but the truth is that preserving memories has always been important to me. Read more>>
Fran Catterton
I never expected esthetics to become my career. After graduating high school in 2002, I wasn’t sure what path I wanted to take. I was taking classes at community college while trying to figure out what I truly wanted to do. My stepsister had attended Spa Luna, a holistic esthetics school in Maui, Hawaii, and I decided to take a chance on something completely different. Read more>>
