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.
Gabriella Payne
My career has taken me through several very different industries, but each chapter has shaped the way I think about organizations, people, and the role trust plays in getting things done. I started my career in manufacturing, which gave me an early look at how organizations operate from the inside. Read more>>
Adriana & Angelica Valencia
The story of Azal Studios began with just Angelica and her camera. Photography started as a hobby for her, especially while traveling. She loved capturing places, little details, and moments along the way. Eventually, she became curious about photographing people and decided to give it a try. She started by offering free photoshoots, simply to practice, learn, and build her experience. Read more>>
Louise Kennelly
Frederick Arts Council’s Sky Stage began as a vision to transform a historic downtown Frederick building into a vibrant home for the arts. This pre-Revolutionary War building was damaged by a major fire in 2010 and has no roof. In September 2016, the plywood boards on the doors and windows were removed to reveal Sky Stage. Read more>>
Michael Briscoe
My journey into photography really started with a genuine love for creating and capturing moments. What began with a camera eventually grew into something much bigger than I originally imagined. As I continued developing my craft, I realized photography wasn’t just something I enjoyed doing—it was something I could build a business, a brand, and eventually an entire creative ecosystem around. Read more>>
Elizabeth Meltzer
Wrenacyn is an equestrian facility in Poolesville, Maryland, dedicated to creating a place where people can build meaningful partnerships with horses while developing confidence, compassion, communication, and horsemanship. We offer riding lessons, camps, clinics, clubs, shows, and other equestrian programming, but Wrenacyn is about much more than riding. Read more>>
Kendall McNair
The birth of Unison began at Bowie a state University where I was a student athlete and member of the university’s football team. I met my friend and brother Phil Morgan Jr. in a class as we were both Sport Management majors. We instantly cliqued. At the time he was the main game day graphics and scheduling guy for DC public schools athletics. Read more>>
Ashley Marie Gray
Elle + Emma’s really grew out of motherhood, creativity, and a desire to build something that felt like me. I started Elle + Emma’s in 2014 with my sisters. We specialized in cupcakes, Due to life and a shift in our personal interests and passions, we eventually paused. Read more>>
Ewurabena Shaw-taylor
Hey! My name is Ewurabena Shaw-Taylor, and I go by Raben Taylor for my business. I am a makeup artist from Maryland. My story with makeup started when I was a young girl. My mother and grandmother were always looking their best. Read more>>
Agustin ‘Gus’ Umanzor
I would say it all started in middle school. Growing up, I was always able to speak and understand Spanish, but I was never able to fully read or write it, and I had little understanding of Spanish grammar. I had an identity moment when I learned that the word “Hispanic” literally refers to someone from a Spanish-speaking background. Read more>>
Nicole Drijas
To tell you how Lavender Sage Creations started, I have to tell you how I started finding myself again. The business didn’t begin with flowers. It began with losing myself. On January 19, 2020, I became a mom when my son, Sage, was born. Read more>>
Autumn Ashe and Jianni Smith
Princess Parlor Kids Spa started with two best friends, Autumn and Jianni, who wanted to bring something fun, unique, and empowering to the kids in our community. We dreamed of creating a space where children could feel celebrated, confident, and free to be themselves while making special memories with their friends. Read more>>
Andrea Whiting
My journey into floral design began quietly and organically. While pursuing my undergraduate degree, I worked at grocery store— and found myself constantly drawn to the flower displays. What started as purchasing premade bouquets soon evolved into creating my own weekly arrangements, selecting individual bunches and teaching myself how color, shape, and texture could come together in harmony. Read more>>
Tiffany Hainesworth
Tiffany Capri Hainesworth Founder Tiffany Capri Hainesworth is the visionary behind TCapri® Tequila. After a car accident caused a traumatic brain injury, she re-evaluated her life and founded TCapri Gourmet Treats, using her passion for flavor to create joyous experiences. Inspired by her success, she ventured to Jalisco, Mexico in 2018 to create the ultimate ultra-premium tequila. Read more>>
Jake Kissel
A true artist at the core from very early on in my life. Anything creative caught my eye. Painting became my escape and way of life with trying to navigate the highschool years. My main medium now is hair. I have been in the industry 19 years. Graduated from one of the best hair schools in Evansville, Indiana. Read more>>
Johanna Koenig
I’ve been in the therapy field for 12 years, but my path to founding The Oak + Willow Trauma Therapy Center really started with a growing sense, over years of clinical work, that I wanted to specialize more deeply in trauma rather than practice generally. Read more>>
Kacie-Ashley Awah
I started learning to braid at age 13. I had gotten a style known as “Senegalese Twists” which if installed a certain way are prone to slipping out. After a few weeks I had lost several twists so I decided to watch a video and learn how to fix it. Read more>>
Jerzie Nutile
How I Got Here When people see where I am today, they see the end result. They see the uniform, the accomplishments, the opportunities, and the chance to play the game I love on a bigger stage. Read more>>
Honest Lee Soul
We started as a duo and have evolved into a 5 member band. On special occasions we’ll add background singers and/or a horn section. Read more>>
Jason and Emily
Hello! We are folk musicians, Jason Brown and Emily Potter, a guitar and piano duo living in Nottingham, outside of Baltimore. We came together in March 2020 when we fell in love and Emily moved from Utah to create a life with Jason and his two children in Maryland. Read more>>
Grace Cotting
The Garage started in spring 2023 meant to serve as a space to bring people together through music post Covid. Over the past 3 years we’ve grown into a thriving community of likeminded individuals throughout the DMV and surrounding areas. Read more>>
EJ Lee
My name is EJ Lee, and I am a mixed-media artist who primarily uses language as a source material. My journey into art making began in graduate school at Maine College of Art, where I started exploring my dyslexia as a theme in my practice. Read more>>
Nigel Smith
I am a content creator who focuses on bring anime and fashion together showcasing you can do more then just a graphic tee to showcase your love for anime my fashion style can go from mainly street wear or a more classy style for a night out on the town and my style is always growing and evolving. Read more>>
Daniela Barroso
I started singing at the age of 11 in my local church. From a young age I knew I was called to write and make music; I had the strong desire to share a message of hope, faith, and love through one of the most powerful languages of all…music. Read more>>
Wanda ‘Rajé’ Bell-Farrell
The Story of the SMART Legends Society The SMART Legends Society was born from a conversation between two women with a shared belief that transformation is possible. While hiking with my business partner and sister-friend, Ashley Jones, I shared a dream I had carried for years—to create a community where women could support one another in transforming every aspect of their lives. Read more>>
Chaz Riddle
I played high school football. Captain of the team my senior year and then I joined the USMC. I was trained as a radio operator and after four years I was honorably discharged and began college in California. I took acting classes and worked at a gym. I was married and had two kids. A boy and a girl. Read more>>
Therese Nadler
My journey into nutrition began with a simple belief: food has the power to transform lives. But only when we truly understand the whole person. After earning my bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and my master’s in Nutrition and Public Health from Columbia University, I built a career blending evidence-based science with a functional, root-cause approach to care. Read more>>
Mark Schwaiger
HOCO Workspace started as a practical business opportunity. We bought a building and had approximately 20,000 square feet of unused space above our headquarters and initially asked ourselves, ‘How can we best utilize it?’ As the idea evolved, it became much bigger than simply filling office space. Read more>>
Nate Lucas
I started out building websites—first making one for my own failed business venture called My Team Collectibles, and then building two cheap ones for other people just to build up a portfolio right here in the DMV. Over time, I saw firsthand how hard it is for local creators and small businesses to keep their online presence and daily work connected. Read more>>
Amanda Gossert
My name is Amanda, and I am the owner of Skin Invidia LLC, which I founded in February 2019. People often think my story is about skincare, but it’s really about perseverance, advocacy, and creating a business built on purpose. Before opening Skin Invidia, I worked as a contract esthetician in a dermatology office. Read more>>
Matthew Konohia
Started out very young as just a fan like everyone else, I liked what I liked. Gogo, Gospel, R&B, Electronic, Hip-Hop, you name it. I liked it. I was literally a sponge. It eventually became a necessity to discover some new music or a music video to watch on my own as I got more freedom. Read more>>
Reza Mofarrahi
Initially came up with Neural Movement’s training methods working with children who are neurodivergent. I was looking for ways to get kids with neuromuscular disorders to move more efficiently so they could play with their peers (respond faster, be more coordinated, perform under heavy cognitive load etc). Read more>>
Becky Wetzler
I’ve always been drawn to space planning and thinking through spaces 3-dimensionally, and interior design is the perfect fusion of my 2 great passions of art and architecture. With a background in both fine art and interior design I love developing practical ways to incorporate beautiful forms and textures within a space. I genuinely love what I do! Read more>>
Sara Polon
It starts with a mother and daughter who had no business starting a food company — and did it anyway. Sara Polon spent her twenties as a stand-up comedian in New York, chasing a completely different dream than the one that would eventually define her. Read more>>
Kent Sovine
I started out as a research meteorologist for 9 years, then had the opportunity to become a business owner. I ran this business for 28 years and sold it. Looking to continue applying my skill, I found a position as an Exective Director of a wonderful place based non profit in my neighborhood. Read more>>
Marty Zenthoefer
I wanted to be a physical therapist since high school. I took out massive student loans, worked really hard as a student for 7 years, and graduated from The George Washington University with a Doctorate of Physical Therapy. My schools before that were St. Mary’s Ryken High School (St. Mary’s county – home town) and Mt. St. Read more>>
Giridhar Sastry
My journey as a chef began in Kolkata, India, where my love for cooking started in my mother’s kitchen. Watching her prepare meals for our family taught me that food is much more than nourishment—it brings people together, creates memories, and tells a story. Read more>>
Joel Saravia
Me and my wife, (Joel Saravia and Karla Saravia) currently owners of plus Custom Printing start our business on 2021 in pour house, we bought a embroidery machine and we start offering our services to companies who have a printing store but didn’t had embroidery machines , but with the time many people start contact us through social media to do custom embroider for them , and then the same clients start asking for more services , so we have to add them , so with the pass of the years we invested on a new equipment we gained valuable knowledge and built the store we proudly have today Read more>>
Jade Oglesby
People always ask me how I got started, and the truth is, hair has been a part of me for as long as I can remember. I fell in love with doing hair at just 9 years old after my stepdad’s mom gifted me my very first mannequin head for Christmas. From that moment on, I was obsessed. Read more>>
Eileen and Jerr Chiat
I was working as a credit manager for an engineering company due to a downturn in business I was laid off. Went on unemployment and looked for new work. Answered an ad for a promotional company. Signed a non- compete agreement. in 1982 worked there until 1985. I was warned not to sell previous customers. Hired a lawyer to fight for me. Read more>>
Quinones Jhingory
Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve been drawn to creative expression through modeling, acting, and photography. My passion began with my family, my father is a photographer, and watching him capture meaningful moments inspired me to step in front of the camera while also developing an appreciation for photography myself. Read more>>
Gloria Ekong
Growing up, I was always very artistic using mediums like painting, sculpting handcrafting toys, and miniature objects out of almost anything. My mother didn’t take me to the salon growing up so I learned to do my hair myself. Read more>>
Blessing Omole
Looking and feeling like the best version of myself has always been important to me. I remember getting my hair done as a little girl, then running to the bathroom to put my personal touches on it. My sister always did a great job, but I didn’t feel confident until I made the adjustments I felt necessary, yet couldn’t quite put into words. Read more>>
Chathan Harvin
My real estate journey began in 2008. As a single mother of two daughters, I knew I needed to create a better future for my family. While sitting at my desk at my 9-to-5 job, I made the decision to enroll in real estate classes. After three months of hard work, I completed the courses and took the state licensing exam. Read more>>
Cornelia Coté
I’ve always loved sports. Even as a kid, I tried every one I could. I was usually the only girl on the little league team, or playing kickball with the boys at recess. After college, I moved to Paris to work in sports marketing. I was excited about the adventure, but I quickly realized how difficult it was to start a new life. Read more>>
Jakira Williams
Jakira Williams, a native of Prince George’s County, Maryland, is a daughter of God, Purpose Pusher, Glory Carrier, Entrepreneur, Wife, and Mother. Born into a dynamic family of women who modeled encouragement, support, and the true meaning of sisterhood, Jakira’s foundation was built on a belief she carries to this day when women come together, a movement is birthed and change is bound to happen. Read more>>
Brandon Green
I was born in Rock Springs Wyoming, grew up in Iowa, and moved to the area in the late 90s. I planned to go to school on the East Coast but instead started a career in real estate. What began as a solo agent career turned into a big entrepreneurial opportunity. Read more>>
Orville “OH YEAH” Wright
In 2004, I began with a small idea to create music. I wanted to do things the right way as an independant, so I researched creating my own music with copyrights and protection. I then read up on doing everything in music under my own record label, just as Madonna did. I had already written over 100 songs in composition notepads. Read more>>
Sheila Concepcion
My story began in Puerto Rico, where my husband, Henry “Yoko” Osorio, started Adiós Rutina as a passion project to document our travels and adventures together. We simply loved exploring new places, making memories, and sharing those experiences with others in hopes of inspiring people to step away from their daily routines and enjoy life a little more. Read more>>
KHILIK
Well I started making music when I was playing college football at bridgewater college. I was in the dorm room with my roommate and I was just playing around on bandlab making music. My first roommate brax was like my big first supporter in the music I was making on the phone. Read more>>
Amp Tha Hippie
I grew up on the west side of Baltimore in Edmondson Village, in the Seminole Apartments. That’s where my story started. Raised by a single mother who worked hard to keep a roof over our heads, I learned early that love and struggle could exist in the same household. Read more>>
