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.
Daniela Godoy
My love of painting came very early on in my life. My mom says it happened when I was three and I had begged her to take me to one of her teachers’ workshops. She reluctantly took me. But once I got there, she says that she has never seen a kid that small sit so still for so long, watching a painting demo. Afterwards, I had declared to her that I was going to be a painter when I grew up. Read more>>
Cindy Huang
Growing up in China, Cindy’s mom prioritized her English language learning, strongly believing in the opportunities it could bring. Cindy began learning English in kindergarten, and as a result, her speaking skills flourished, eventually leading her to present at the US Model UN during high school. Her language abilities opened doors to internships in Romania, Morocco, Malaysia, and Cambodia. Read more>>
Leisel L. Taylor
Before entering real estate, I spent more than 20 years building a career in accounting, including working with major firms such as KPMG and AARP. That experience gave me a strong foundation in numbers, attention to detail, problem-solving, and understanding the importance of making sound financial decisions. In 2012, I decided to enter the real estate industry. Read more>>
Lauren Fritsch
Adam and I met on an airplane prior to COVID and made a cross-state relationship work. Adam comes from a family of entrepreneurs, and I come from a family of business owners, so we combined our skills and started purchasing business resales as we moved from Alabama to Connecticut to Maryland to Pennsylvania and back to Maryland. Read more>>
Pamela Joy Trow
I am a multidisciplinary artist known for my vivid color palette, intricate detail, and imaginative themes. With a background in graphic design, illustration, and creative direction, I bring a storyteller’s eye to everything I creates — from expressive paintings to thoughtfully designed paper goods. After years crafting campaigns for businesses and nonprofits, I launched ‘The Art of Pamela Joy Trow’ in 2008. Read more>>
Patrick Mcguire
I’ve been in golf and player development for most of my life. I started as a golf coach, but pretty early on I became more interested in why players got better than simply teaching everyone the same swing or method. Read more>>
Victoria Laurey
My story begins being born and raised right here in Baltimore, MD. My artistic journey started with a deep love for movement—I graduated as the 2008 Valedictorian at the Augusta Fells Savage Institute with a focus on contemporary dance and ballet, before sharpening my craft at Bowie State University and with the incredible Kuumba Ensemble. Read more>>
Joy Sheppard and Brittany Woodland
Rose Garden Wines started from a desire to create more than just a wine brand, we wanted to create a brand that reflected our culture, our community, and the lifestyle we wanted to live. The idea began during the COVID-19 pandemic, when we saw an opportunity to build something of our own and create a wine experience that felt welcoming, elevated, and intentional. Read more>>
Jim Rubush
Fence & Deck Connection started in 1991 when my business partner, Ben Wolod, and I decided to take a chance on building something of our own. We were both lifelong Anne Arundel County residents, and what began as a two-man operation focused primarily on commercial and highway fencing has grown into something much bigger than we ever could have imagined. Read more>>
Ken Argot
Diakonia was founded in 1972 as a missional outreach project of the Mennonite Church. During the summer young adults would come to Ocean City and provide homeless services to those on the OC Boardwalk, offering them to come back to the ‘house’ for a meal and good night’s sleep. Read more>>
Chelsea Orenuga
The Elegant Ensembles was never supposed to be a business. I actually became an event decorator completely by accident. Growing up, my parents had a way of making birthdays feel special. They would create these beautiful birthday setups for me and my sisters, and as a child, I didn’t realize how much those moments were shaping me. Read more>>
Walter Carter III
Great Day, My name is Walter Carter III, originally from Kansas City, Missouri, and I am the creator of AnabolicEyE. In early 2023, I started buying and selling designer and vintage pieces. Through reselling, I began to understand the value and power of branding: how an idea, identity, and story can transform the way people experience a product. Read more>>
Candice Bagrosky
All Shepherd Rescue was formed in 2010 by a group of avid German Shepherd Dog lovers and experienced rescue people . We wanted to start a rescue that focused on ‘ match-making’ dogs to prospective adopters since German Shepherds sometimes require more mental stimulation & leadership than many breeds . Read more>>
Nicholson Porter
Due to my body being born with a cardiac irregularity known as a septal defect, which causes my heart to pump more intensely than average, I was born into a life of tangible internal force & variability. This means, without my agreement, my nervous system is a finely tuned instrument that puts what most people would perceive as the background into my foreground. Read more>>
Pete Wiley
ColdStream came together in Frederick, Maryland, in 2021, but the story really starts long before that. Each of us brought a very different musical background into the band. Some of us came up through more traditional music programs, some through rock and roll, some through songwriting and acoustic music, and others through years of playing in different groups and settings. Read more>>
Dre Brown
I am a Detroit native, and my path has never fit neatly into one box. Healthcare, communications, entrepreneurship, academia, writing, speaking, wellness. For a long time, I felt I had to explain how it all connected. I don’t anymore. Every part of my work does the same thing: it builds spaces where people feel seen, build confidence, and connect with something larger than themselves. Read more>>
SuAnne Martinez
West Annapolis Artworks & Fine Framing came to be in 2008, right in the middle of a recession. The frame shop I had managed for 20 years lost its lease, and despite plenty of naysayers, I was determined to open a shop of my own. Read more>>
CAEZZURA
I began music around four years old – as a classically trained pianist. I grew up with private lessons which also included studying music theory, which I loved. It did not take long for me to become interested in composition. I was intrigued by what went into writing a piece of music that I found interesting. Read more>>
John Scollan
For almost 50 years I owned and operated several businesses or was a small business executive at several other firms. I had recently retired from my last business when I was approached by the Founder of a small food rescue nonprofit who needed direction on growing and developing her nonprofit. Read more>>
Rhonda Roberts
My journey with Silky & Radiant Skin began from a very personal place. As a mother and grandmother, caring for my family has always been important to me, and that same care extends to the products I create. Read more>>
Andrea Hill
My journey into entrepreneurship grew out of years in technology, operations, and federal contracting — and a layoff that changed how I saw my own experience. In May 2025, I was laid off from my federal position, becoming one of an estimated 600,000 Black women economically sidelined during that wave of workforce upheaval. Read more>>
Timothy Jones
I originally had no intention on being a plumber I wanted to be a stock broker. I had an internship with Fila in their marketing department and it sucked. I wanted more and I answered a ad and I never looked back. Read more>>
Ralinda Wimbush
My story today is really a reflection of who I’ve always been. Even as a child, I was an outdoors person. My connection to nature began before I was even born—my mother swam in the Caribbean Sea in Jamaica while she was pregnant with me, just before returning to the States to give birth. Read more>>
Shannon Siegel
Spirit & Stone grew from that need. I wanted to take everything I loved about hospitality, the connection, creativity, service, storytelling, and celebration and make it something of my own. I began building the company between restaurant shifts and motherhood, teaching myself the business side as I went. It was not simply an idea for a mobile bar. Read more>>
FaceGod Beats
I started off as an in-home producer until I started promoting my beats on socials. I had a local DC artist with some clout at the time trying to work so I booked a session at a studio in the area. Not too long after I started working at that studio as a producer/engineer, 1000% had zero idea what I was getting into. Read more>>
Besu Tadesse
As a musician, I have been studying nearly my entire life. I took music classes in elementary school, but I first became enamored with playing the saxophone when I saw Bill Clinton play on The Arsenio Hall Show during his presidential campaign. From then, I convinced my parents to purchase a student-model alto saxophone. Read more>>
Amber Chaney
My name is Amber Nicole Chaney. I grew up in Eureka, California, the middle of seven kids — three brothers, three sisters. Both of my parents struggled with severe substance abuse, and I became the first person in my family to earn a college degree. Read more>>
Valentina Forero
I never set out thinking I’d own a spray tan business. I was born in Colombia and raised in Los Angeles before eventually moving to Maryland. Entrepreneurship has always been part of my life, but like many business owners, my path has been anything but linear. I owned a different business before COVID, and when the pandemic hit, I had to completely pivot. Read more>>
MONA
It all began in middle school when one of my best friends told me, “I could see you as a rapper.” At first, I thought he was joking, but then I asked, “Me a rapper?” I was hooked on my favorite rappers, singing every word and freestyling to their beats, imagining myself on their songs. Read more>>
Marsha Adelson
Clustered Spires Chorus was chartered in 1996 as a chapter of Sweet Adelines International (now known as Sing United International), a women’s educational organization for performing and promoting the art of a cappella singing in the barbershop style. Over the years, our small chorus has had as few as 12 members and as many as 28, our current size. Read more>>
Bianca F.
I began my senior year of high school doing casual dog walking around my neighborhood. It was simple, joyful work that fit naturally into my routine. When I left for college, I planned to continue walking dogs whenever I was home for summer and winter break. Then Covid hit. Read more>>
Teyana Wright
Pennsylvanian, small town, east coast girl. The middle child of 5 children AND the only girl of all brothers. I always knew I was destined for greatness but didn’t know how I was going to get there. In 2015 I ventured off to California at just 19 and that’s when I discovered my true love and passion for all things beauty. Read more>>
Carla Goycochea
My journey in the beauty industry began more than 20 years ago. What started as a genuine love for beauty gradually became a career, and eventually, something much bigger than I ever imagined. Over the years, I explored different areas of the industry, from front-desk concierge, salon and spa management, makeup artistry, and eyelash extensions to permanent makeup. Read more>>
Stephanie Buck
Stephanie Buck is a Certified Professional Midwife and Board Certified in Holistic Nutrition, a Filipino-American and lifelong daughter of the DMV, now rooted in Southern Maryland. She is licensed to practice midwifery in both Maryland and Virginia, where she serves families throughout Charles, St. Mary’s, Southern Prince George’s, and Calvert counties, as well as King George County in Virginia. Read more>>
Steven Kontsevenko
I’m Steven Kontsevenko, a Maryland-based event and wedding filmmaker and photographer with a passion for capturing genuine moments and telling stories that people can relive for years to come. My journey began nine years ago when I filmed my very first wedding, my sister’s. Read more>>
Luvenia Mayo
Flair Cuisine really started from my love of food and bringing people together. I’ve always believed that food is more than just something we eat—it creates memories, brings families together, and gives people something to talk about. When I started Flair Cuisine, I was focused mainly on catering and concessions. Read more>>
Tasheen Williams
I’m born and raised in Baltimore, and entrepreneurship has always been a big part of who I am. Full Length started from recognizing a need within my community. As a Muslim woman, I wanted clothing that allowed women to dress modestly without sacrificing style, femininity, or individuality. Read more>>
Canyon Goldeneagle
In 2019, I knew I needed to understand whether there was a divine purpose to my life or if we were simply a random act of nature. I thought, if I could prove to myself that God really did exist, then surely we were here for a reason. Read more>>
Dominique Young and Stefon Easter
Myself and Stefon met around 2017 while working at the same Stretch Therapy studio in DC. During our time at that studio, we became really close friends. We worked out together, sharpened our craft, and created an environment that was very fun and customer-friendly. We worked our way up within the company and were both managing studios in DC. Read more>>
Kim Brooks
For eighteen years I was an elementary teacher, reading specialist, and literacy coach in Maryland, and then abroad in Morocco and Taiwan. I loved that work, but as the responsibilities kept stacking and I stepped into more leadership, I kept taking on more than I had the capacity for, and my health began to show it. Read more>>
Katherine Scarlett
I grew up in Fort Lauderdale, and honestly, my path to becoming an SLP wasn’t what anyone would’ve predicted. I was a dancer first. That’s what I loved: movement, helping people through their bodies. I thought I was going to be a physical therapist. But then I got introduced to American Sign Language, or ASL, through my church, and something shifted. Read more>>
Adria Aghasi
My name is Adria Aghasi, and I was born in 1981 in Tehran, the capital of Iran, and moved to the United States in 2015. My love for art began when I was very young—long before I understood that art would eventually become such an important part of my life. Read more>>
Nevar Moore Harris
I’m Nevar Moore Harris, an accountant, entrepreneur, content creator, and multi-passionate businesswoman who has spent nearly two decades building a career in finance while turning my creativity into multiple business ventures. My professional background is rooted in accounting and financial management, where I’ve managed everything from payroll and business operations to multimillion-dollar budgets. But entrepreneurship has always been where I allow myself to think bigger. Read more>>
Caroline Pandorf
I grew up outside of Boston, Massachusetts. I have always loved animals. Growing up we always had a dog, along with a variety of pocket pets. After receiving my Associates degree, I moved to Maryland to attend Hood College, in Frederick, Maryland. Read more>>
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>>
