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.
Elizabeth Mastromonaco
I started taking fitness seriously around 2022, when I met my now-husband, and began going to the gym more consistently in 2023. At that point, I had reached a place where I knew I needed to make a change. Read more>>
Debra Rossi
My journey to H.O.P.E. was born from loss. After losing two close family members, I was grieving and looking for a way to move forward when I saw an opportunity to volunteer at a local shelter. I have always told my children, “The best way to get over yourself is to help someone else,” so I decided to take my own advice. Read more>>
Teena M Smith
My story has always been centered around people, relationships, sales, and finding ways to help businesses grow. I started in sales and management in my early twenties, first as an assistant manager with a pizza chain and later managing a women’s fitness center, where our location became one of the strongest in the region for membership growth. Read more>>
Katrina Griffin
Absolutely. You have a powerful story of resilience, motherhood, perseverance, and entrepreneurship. Here’s a polished **short life blurb** that keeps it personal and inspirational while highlighting your accomplishments: My journey is one of perseverance, faith, and believing that failure is not the end of the road—it is often the beginning of a new journey. Read more>>
Dr. Donyae Phillip Dukes Sr.
I Started My Media Company 10 years ago. I’m from West Baltimore And I always wanted to be the boss of anything I do , so I can provide opportunities for my community and family Read more>>
Makala Hebert
My journey to becoming a special education teacher is honestly one that I never expected. If you would have told me years ago that I would be a classroom teacher, I probably would have laughed because I never wanted to be a teacher in a million years. But now that I am here, I truly would not change it for the world. Read more>>
Pascal Bell
My name is Pascal Bell and I am the founder of Bethesda Scholars LLC. I grew up in Maryland and in middle and high school, I always enjoyed helping my friends and peers in class with homework or learning new content. I especially loved math, and saw the value of supplemental academic help as my father helped me get ahead in math. Read more>>
Brandon Carels
My journey to where I am today has not been a straight or easy road. I had a troubled childhood, and for many years I struggled to find the right direction for my life. As a young man, I made poor choices that eventually led to me serving more than three years in federal prison. Read more>>
Marcus Evans
My journey into photography and media started unexpectedly. After a life-changing motorcycle accident, I went through a period of rehabilitation and began looking for a creative outlet. I picked up my first camera, a Canon T7 with a kit lens, and started teaching myself photography. What began as something I was simply passionate about quickly became a business. Read more>>
Tracey (Ann) Montilus
I want to start by giving all glory to God, because none of this would be possible without Him. I started my business while I was still in high school. I joined my school’s cosmetology program without really having a plan, but I quickly fell in love with waxing. My journey to becoming licensed was not an easy one. Read more>>
Selena Erwin
I started creating content towards the end of my breastfeeding journey with my first child(I was miserable and felt horrible), and at the time, I felt really alone. Read more>>
Cheryl Grier
My journey into the invitation business actually started with a little curiosity. I was working for a teachers union in Virginia and stopped by a printer that we occasionally used. While I was there, I noticed these large albums with the words Carlson Craft on the front. Being curious, I started looking through them and became interested in what I saw. Read more>>
Israel Cooper
Since middle school I’ve always had a passion for seeing a lot of things in different perspectives such as sports entertainment arts or even Music. Read more>>
Stacy Crawley
I started Ignite Her Purpose, LLC because I felt called to help women recognize their worth, rebuild their confidence, and pursue the life and purpose God placed within them. Even before I fully understood what the business would become, I knew I wanted to create a space where women felt seen, supported, and empowered to grow. Read more>>
Jonela Chatfield
I never planned on a career in finance, I actually stumbled into it when a friend recommended me for a data entry position at a trading firm in New York City. I kept moving into different roles and somehow that first job turned into a 24 year career. Read more>>
Jazmen Lovelist
i was fresh out of high school, working t the step moms beauty supply trying figure out what i wanted to do in life. I’ve always known i wanted to be my own boss, i just didn’t know WHAT EXACTLY. Read more>>
Sarah Kahle
I graduated college with a degree in art; however, I took a hiatus from art making to pursue a job in the federal government. In 2016, i desperately missed my craft and started to draw again during my daily commute. I would take a small sketchbook and ink pen and draw passerby on the metro. Read more>>
Destiney Keith
My entrepreneurial journey started during the pandemic with Destiney Charms Boutique. At the time, I was looking for a way to save more money while also doing something I genuinely enjoyed, so I started creating and selling charm bracelets. What started with bracelets slowly grew as I realized how much I loved creating, connecting with customers, and turning my skills into income. Read more>>
Crystal Hughes
My story started long before I had the titles I have today. I became a mother at just 16 years old. I was young, ambitious, and determined, but being a young entrepreneur came with challenges. People didn’t always take me seriously. Read more>>
Tanaja Brown
Art has always been a part of my life. I started creating at a young age, and I was always the kid who loved art class, drawing, and making arts and crafts. Creating was something that came naturally to me, and as I got older, it was something I never stopped doing. Read more>>
Jaime Kline
My background begins as a NASA Engineer. I was a young girl, age 13 who attended Space Camp and could think of nothing other than working at NASA. I spent my high school and college career preparing for such a career, and achieved B.S. and M.S. degrees in Mechanical Engineering. Very quickly, I advanced in my career to project, then program, then corporate leadership. Read more>>
Michael Farrow
I started working at Holly Hill Farms around age 12, where I weeded and fertilized plants, and later learned about plant propagation. As an adult, I attended college for a period of time and returned back to the nursery, where I began to propagate material and make deliveries to customers. Read more>>
Rich Alfaro, T.J. Cristina, and Dylan McLaughlin
GOAT USA began in a Long Island basement in 2016, when we started selling graphic T-shirts from a folding table at lacrosse tournaments. We didn’t have a major launch, outside investment or formal retail strategy- we just focused on showing up at fields, tournaments and community events every weekend. Read more>>
Kamesha Laurry-Powell
I’m a DMV native and a first-generation lawyer, so my journey into entertainment law definitely wasn’t one where I had a built-in roadmap. I attended Oakwood University, an HBCU in Huntsville, Alabama, for undergrad, and absolutely loved my experience there. Being surrounded by such a strong community of Black students and professionals was incredibly formative for me. Read more>>
Leah Forney
My story is deeply personal, and in many ways, the work I do today has been shaped by both my lived experience and my professional journey. I am a survivor of sexual and domestic violence. That experience is part of what ultimately led me into a career addressing gender-based violence and working to create safer, more responsive systems for survivors. Read more>>
Sharlene White
My story started with my best friend and sister in love Melissa V. Neal. I would always take pictures of her. She trusted and believed in me with some of her biggest projects when I didn’t believe in myself. She has introduced me to other photographers who are very knowledgeable and so willing to help me with certain challenges that may arise. Read more>>
Jared Brennan
My journey with dance started through music. Growing up, I was fascinated by music videos and the way artists like Missy Elliott and Fall Out Boy used movement to bring music to life. I found myself drawn to the idea that music could be experienced with your entire body. What started as a childhood interest eventually became something much bigger. Read more>>
Whitney N.
My journey with makeup began in August 2016, when I first started practicing on myself. In 2018, I began expanding my skills by practicing on my sisters and gaining more experience through hands-on application. Read more>>
Kibbs Fortilus
My name is Kibbs Fortilus. I was born in Haiti and escaped to America as a refugee when I was four years old. After college, I lived in India for one year and studied and lived in Germany for seven years. This journey was transformative and when I returned to the States, I began a grassroots organization, ‘An Ocean Away’, that sends under-privileged youth abroad. Read more>>
Carol Pivot
Hello, I’m Carol Pivot and I am a Psychic Medium, Reiki Master. My journey started after I experienced some devastating losses in my life. I was trying to navigate grief and all of the questions that came along with that. I started to explore and question about life and death, spirituality and healing. Read more>>
Ibukun Jeje
I’m a Nigerian-born beauty and lifestyle creative, entrepreneur, and the founder of Glamour Aura. My story has been shaped by curiosity, creativity, and a desire to build a life that allows me to explore all of the things I’m passionate about. Growing up in Nigeria, I developed an appreciation for beauty, fashion, and self-expression at an early age. Read more>>
Sol Est
When I was younger, I’d write silly songs about random things around the house, lucky numbers, seasons, and winning the Summer swim team meet. During the Covid lockdown, I was writing songs a lot and started taking it more seriously. I realized it was almost a sixth sense and it came very naturally to me. Read more>>
Lakeia Peterson
My entrepreneurial journey began during the COVID-19 pandemic, when I decided to take a leap of faith and turn my creativity into a business. I started my online women’s boutique by creating custom party favors, labels, and personalized gifts. What began as a small idea quickly evolved into something much bigger. Read more>>
Michele Watt
In my 20s, I learned that I had a knack for coaching coworkers and employees to success. Throughout my career, I was paired with new hires or employees who weren’t flourishing and was asked if I would train them to become more proficient. Read more>>
Mindy Liu
It really started with something I’ve always wanted to do: make something beautiful and meaningful. And by “meaningful,” I don’t necessarily mean something with a grand story behind it. Sometimes it simply means something you want to keep a little longer. We live in a time when it’s incredibly easy to buy things, enjoy them briefly, and replace them with something new. Read more>>
CHARLES WILLIAMS
I was born and raised in Oxon Hill, Maryland, and I am proud to say that my community played a major role in shaping the person I am today. I attended Oxon Hill High School and graduated in 1994. Growing up in the DMV taught me how to be resilient, resourceful, and determined. Read more>>
Kristin Grieshaber
My name is Kristin and my company is Kristin’s Kreations! I specialize in painting water color portraits of the guests at weddings or any type of event! I have always had a love for art. Growing up my grandfather was an artist. I was always amazed by his creativity. The work he created truly inspired me to become an artist myself. Read more>>
Stephanie Bosdosh
I started WedWithSteph in 2019 with a love for weddings, design, and—most importantly—creating experiences that people genuinely remember. What started as a small passion project quickly grew into something much bigger than I ever imagined. As I took on more weddings, I realized there was a real need for a planning company that could do more than simply create a timeline. Read more>>
Aaliyah
As a little girl, I dreamed of owning my own beauty business. I’ve always been a creative, true jack of all trades with a passion for beauty, fashion, & making people feel beautiful. Now, I’m excited to grow my platform, step into modeling, and turn my creativity into something even bigger. Read more>>
Sushmitha Pidatala
Arjuna started as a simple idea. I wanted to build something that went beyond selling home décor. I saw an opportunity to bring the beauty, craftsmanship, and nostalgia of South Asian design into the modern home in a way that felt fresh. Read more>>
Kelcie CaMerono
Real FarmHERS began long before it officially had a name. It grew from my own experiences as a woman working hands-on in agriculture, caring for animals, raising my children and building businesses rooted in connection, education and meaningful experiences. Read more>>
Marius Pleil
I grew up between different places and cultures. I was born in Feldkirch, Austria, moved to Matamoros, Mexico at two years old, then to Brownsville, Texas after seven months, before eventually returning to Austria. At ten, I moved to Shanghai, China, which is where my real journey began. Shanghai is where I discovered music as a way of expressing myself. Read more>>
Yusef Battle
It was a random day during the pandemic and my 10-year old daughter came up to me and asked if I could help her start a cookie company. My daughter had an egg allergy and every time we went to local bakeries, they often didn’t have anything she could eat. So that day Cookie YAY was born. Read more>>
Shelby Wright
My name is Shelby Wright, and I’m a recent cum laude graduate from Old Dominion University (ODU), where I studied Marketing and Fashion Merchandising to marry my love for creativity with my analytical mindset. I’m a lifelong learner. I’m always learning new things, and I carry my knowledge on my back. As an artist I see beauty in everything. Read more>>
Elijah Ragin
Growing up, I was always into art and creating. I had a few digital cameras as a kid, but I didn’t get my first DSLR until after I graduated high school. Once I got it, I pretty much never stopped taking pictures. Read more>>
Bre Rose
My story is really one of faith, purpose, and learning to say yes even when I didn’t feel completely ready. I’m a wife, a mother, a corporate professional, and the founder of Protect Her Women’s Collective. Professionally, I’ve spent much of my career in corporate America, where I’ve grown in business, leadership, relationship-building, and strategy. Read more>>
Danny Pittas
I accidentally stumbled into the landscape industry. When I turned 14, I wanted to get an after school job to save money for a car. The grocery store around the corner never replied to my multiple application submissions. I guess, my neighbor heard about this and felt sorry for me. He offered me a job cutting his lawn. That was my first client. Read more>>
