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.
Tiffany Banks
I grew up in a very modest house hold. I was always encouraged to walk a certain path and to do it modestly. Bold makeup and different color wigs were not welcome. I feel like I had to fight everything and everyone I was surrounded by to just be adventurous. I always knew if I wanted to be daring it was going to with backlash from the people closed to me. Read more>>
Saleha Patel
Opening Buns on the Run was a huge leap of faith. Honestly, the biggest hurdle was overcoming the initial fear of failure and actually taking that first step. We spent countless hours planning and strategizing, but it felt like we were frozen, unable to translate our ideas into action. But we finally pushed past that fear. We took the plunge and invested in having our food truck custom-built. That initial commitment seemed to unlock everything else. Of course, there were still challenges – permit delays, scheduling inspections – but once we’d gotten the ball rolling, we were much better equipped to handle them. And now, a little over a year later, we’re still going strong and excited for what the future holds. Read more>>
Emilie Basez
“We’re Emilie Basez and Kate Robberson, both born here in Austin and continue calling it home working as musicians and entrepreneurs. Her Mana is our latest project that was born out of a really cool invitation from a wonderful artist and friend named Ry X to join him on tour in Europe in 2023. It was truly mind blowing to us, considering we didn’t even have a band name yet. We were freshly exploring our duo-ship again while in the midst of transitioning into a long distance configuration with our other band, Ley Line. Read more>>
Madison David
Prior to working at Blue Handle Publishing I worked at Workman Publishing (which has since been bought by Hachette and an large imprint of Hachette) in the Indie Sales Market as well as the Digital Market. Prior to that I had a myriad of jobs and experiences. Probably too many to explain here. But every single one has taught me something and offered me something to progress in life, or some sort of kernel of knowledge, even if I didn’t recognize it at the time. Read more>>
Vincent Wade
Once I retired, I bought a smoker and started cooking again. Once the pandemic hit, that gave me time to really practice my bbq skills and I began to document cooks by videoing and taking pictures. I joined a BBQ Team “The Outsiders” and cooked at the Austin Rodeo in 2023 and 2024. The rodeo definitely made me want to compete in a few BBQ competitions. In 2024, I competed in two competitions. I placed 1st (first) in “Beans” at a Texas State sanctioned cookoff in Round Rock, Texas..Then the next month I placed 1st(first) in Chicken and won an award for “People’s Choice” in Oak Hill, Texas. That definitely made all my work pay off. In addition I am an Army Veteran and also a Heart Attack Survivor (Quadruple ByPass) Read more>>
Doyin Owoniyi
Another major hurdle was cost management; no one tells you how expensive these photography gears would cost you (HAHA!!), so I found it was draining my resources, because I felt I needed the “best” gears to take the best pictures, it turns out this is not the complete truth. Read more>>
James Victore
As a kid I was full of joy and play and sing song and jokes and I drew constantly and on everything—my clothes, my books, myself and none of these were appreciated at home or school. I can easily look back And see all the all the times when my creativity was rejected. When my weirdness was not accepted. When I was shut down Read more>>
Bea Canchola
My creative journey began decades ago. As a child I would try my hand at drawing, mainly copies of cartoon characters, Growing up in the 90’s I was obsessed with what was on the radio, Spice girls, TLC, Selena. I became fascinated with fashion and alternative. My mom was really encouraging through my creative pursuits I really can’t thank her enough for all those trips to the craft store. Read more>>
Summer Hart
I just loved sitting around with friends sampling different styles and discussing them. It became so much of a hobby that in 2018 I decided to start an Instagram beer blog called Austin Beer Broad. It started with reviewing individual beers and grew to really center around new breweries in Austin and beyond. Beer travel is my favorite travel and I’m lucky enough to do it often. Most recently I checked out Asheville, NC., Portland, ME., Seattle, WA., and Denver, CO., even making it in 2024 to the Great American Beer Festival. The craft beer community is an awesome one and I’m just happy to be a small part of it. Read more>>
Sondra Sullivan
In 2019, I moved to Austin, TX, but not long after, I had the chance to relocate to LA with my boyfriend (now husband) in early 2020. Moving back to California right as COVID hit was challenging—especially in the beauty industry—but when Mindy invited me to be a guest on her podcast, I was beyond excited. It felt so natural, and secretly, I hoped she’d invite me back. Fast forward four years…and here we are! Read more>>
Scott Odierno
Inside Books was started in 1998 by a group of friends who were active in prison reform in Austin. Since then, we have grown almost every year as far as our reach & the number of people we send books to. Now we are sending free books to more than 1,000 people each month in Texas prisons. Read more>>
Adora Childs
We now have over 90 chickens, raise meat birds, have a chicken food garden as well as one for us. We had to relearn gardening here very different from what we are used to. We found local farms to source what we don’t have or can’t grow. We learned that you don’t have to do everything just work/trade with your other local farms. We now vend at the Waco and Salado Farmers Market every Saturday. We make a variety of items from fermented sauerkrauts and kimchi to tallow soaps tomoickled things. Come see us and all out handmade products! Read more>>
Buddy Pajak
Well, I’d say there is very few smooth roads when it comes to creating yourself into a professional artist. Financial struggles always seem to be the first hurdles to get through while you begin to establish yourself. Trying to balance multiple income streams while also finding time to create work is a tricky balance. But I just stuck with it and never really gave myself a plan b. Read more>>
Christopher Gates
I opened my practice during the Covid pandemic and I did not know a single person when I arrived. I’ve now seen at least a few thousand patients and continue to grow without any marketing. I believe that God guides with a sense of peace. Even when I have encountered struggles. I have also been accompanied with a feeling of peace. I am meant to be in Austin, Texas practicing NUCCA chiropractic and serving every single patient that shows up to my practice to the best of my ability. And I will continue to show up if God allows me to. Read more>>
Mandy Wolfson Andrea Sitta
One of the biggest challenges we as owners face is finding and training the right massage therapists to maintain a dedicated staff. It’s of utmost importance to us that every therapist we bring on board can provide the high quality level of service our clients are used to receiving at Austin Ashiatsu. We offer an accredited in-house comprehensive training program and mentorship to potential employees. Not only do we offer the highest quality massage, we’re dedicated to sharing our unique approach! Read more>>
Matt Moosa
MoosePacks is a U.S.-based company specializing in high-quality, handmade bicycle bags designed for everyday adventures. Founded in 2015 by Matt Moosa in the heart of the Pisgah National Forest in North Carolina, the company began as a passion project. Matt spent his time testing his skills by developing a range of products, which ultimately led to the creation of MoosePacks, the premium brand we know today. Read more>>
Ashley Swarts
I started a Tattoo shop called Slowpoke. We specialize in handpoked tattoos. We started 8 years ago in Marfa. We renovated an argosy trailer into a tiny tattoo parlor. Our shop is known for delicate tattoos and welcoming, spa like experience. We have 4 different artists, myself included, that have different styles to offer. Read more>>
Loria Mendoza
Growing up in Austin, I got my fair share of the city’s classic weirdness– my brother took me to Eeyore’s Birthday, a family friend brought me to her moon goddess collectives (usually hosted at some local bookstore), and my dad booked bands at a bar, so music and performance were always around me. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I was already learning how art and storytelling could bring people together. Read more>>
Josh Googins
Much like a mushroom, Fallen Oak Mycology originated from underground obscurity. From a shipping container in a junkyard to a multimillion dollar facility with fresh mushrooms in stores all over Texas and across the West Coast, Fallen Oak’s journey through the soil has been one of meteoric ascendance. Like any good farm, Fallen Oak Mycology is fundamentally a soil company, with the core mission of our company being to use our mushrooms to innovate agro-ecological solutions and build soil health using agricultural “waste” products. Fallen Oak is a certified organic farm committed to providing the community with quality food and the Earth with quality solutions for the many ecological challenges that it faces. Read more>>
Lisa Hixen-Costigan
I was extremely fortunate to have happened into a class taught by Gustav Likan in 1984. It was within walking distance to my then house in downtown Austin at ACC Rio Grande in the evening. It was the most inspirational environment I had ever encountered. I took every class he taught and continued to show up without being registered. He believed if you were there you were committed to art. I even invited a few friends to crash the class. There was always plenty of room and we didn’t crowd the registered students. Read more>>
Matthew Tarkman
I was at my friend’s apartment that night or that week rather I was sleeping on his living room floor and his neighbor came in and suggested tattooing so I went and I picked up a magazine and purchased a tattoo kit. First year I was having fun with it went and got an apprenticeship right away that I had to pay for which is unheard of. 5 months into the apprenticeship my teacher ended up selling the shop with me included to my next boss which taught me fine line tattooing and I later got an award in 2002. Read more>>
Bo$$ Cohen
I started in business by Buying & Selling Baseball Cards on Long Island, New York where I grew up. I was around 10 years old when I started! During my college years I started my Hospitality career as a Bartender, turned promoter, marketing director, General Manager, Clothing Line Owner, Sports Handicapper, Club Owner, Hospitality Company Owner & Entrepreneur. It all happened really fast and has endured extreme highs and lows over the years. Read more>>
Jupiter Jones
That doesn’t mean I don’t still face hurdles. From client scams to lost opportunities and health problems there’s always something to tackle. Being an Autistic entrepreneur can be really intense sometimes so making taking for myself and my health always takes precedence. Read more>>
Alissa Cordoba
Definitely not! I was 22 when I first started and trying to make it happen on my own, on a tight budget! This was before social media really took off, so I relied heavily on clients finding me through my website and word of mouth. I think the biggest challenge for me has been working hard to evolve with the industry, always making sure I’m providing the best client experience possible and navigating the world of small business ownership. Read more>>
Amy Yang
My daughter was obsessed with Pokémon when she was little. One day, I surprised her with a Pikachu plushie. She loved it so much that I made her a Pikachu hat next. Then, as the pandemic turned the world upside down, she would excitedly name the Pokémon she wanted, and I would crochet them for her. Without a pattern, I relied solely on online pictures, figuring out the stitches as I went. It was challenging, but I loved every second of it—each stitch was infused with love, a way to bring joy to my daughter during those uncertain times. Read more>>
Kellie Sorrows
I was at the Little Rock store for two years before a position opened up in the downtown Austin location and off I went. I had visited Austin a few times ( I almost went to grad school at UT) and it was always a city that intrigued me. Now in a lot of ways it feels like home. I continue to design for Anthropologie as well as many other clients around town that I’ve had the chance to freelance for; and I’ve met and worked with so many talented artists here. Having the freedom in creative vision and the relationships I have built with clients, customers and other members of the Austin artist community are two of the most important values to me. Read more>>
Emily Rush
I was a competitive swimmer my entire life from the age of 6 through college. In high school I began to have shoulder issues. I started seeing a chiropractor who focused on treating the soft tissue injury and rehabbing it back to its fullest potential. After going through this, I realized it was what I wanted to do as a career later on. I wanted to be able to help people get back to what they want to do without any pain. Read more>>
Beaux Cherry
As they improved, and added 5th member Clayton on keys, the 5 fully formed The Red Eye Gamblers, and decided to seek out their first live show. They were quickly asked to perform at parties for friends in Austin, playing for packed crowds in backyards. They soon began playing shows at venues across Texas including the legendary Carousel Lounge and Poodie’s Roadhouse. Read more>>
Tess Bruns
As a working mom, there is the persistent challenge of balancing work and family. Right now, I’m navigating the desire to travel more for my career while feeling guilty about being away from my son. And since my husband and I work together, it can be tricky to separate work from personal life, but we try our best! Read more>>
Mia Moth
I’ve had many deep personal challenges, social challenges (like most artists I feel more a part from vs. a part of in most settings), and the very needed creative challenges. Some areas more extreme than others but nonetheless each have help shaped me into who I am today and I wouldn’t want my life any different. Read more>>
Ginger Leigh
As a touring and recording artist, post-University of Texas, my career has taken me all over the world, with my European tours often rooted in Italy, where I had Sony distribution, strong management, and an enthusiastic following, especially with The Ginger & Sarah Band! Beyond music, I’ve built a second career in interior design, transforming homes, vacation rentals, and luxury spaces with the same passion, vision, and artistry I bring to the stage. Read more>>
Tiara Kinnebrew
It’s kind of hard to explain. It’s been easy in the way that I just create. But it’s been very hard getting the recognition and connections I have today. As an artist, you have to put yourself out there in the world if you want people to see your work. You also have to deal with criticism which isn’t the easiest— I used to not color skin simply because I didn’t know how at the time. I was in a Black art group on Facebook and was asked, “why do you hate your skin color?” Read more>>
Sergey Astafyev
The journey has had its learning moments, but I have some insights that I believe could significantly simplify the experience for everyone. One key observation is the importance of educating dog owners about humane and effective training methods. Many owners start with the idea that they can train their dogs independently, which can sometimes lead to behavioral complexities down the line. Read more>>
Annette Castillo
nearly a decade of training I shifted my focus to organizing community obstacle course events for kids at local businesses. When the pandemic hit in 2020 and everything shut down I had to start from square one. This journey eventually led me to Massage Therapy & where I currently work today. I get to learn a lot about how to help others & implement what I learn into my own Massage Therapy Practice. I love helping others and spreading uplifting energy, it’s what brings me joy in life and why I’ve chosen the path I have. Read more>>
Rebecca Rasputkov/Forêt
After giving birth, I had a profound experience during my C-section. I found myself in a place of indescribable beauty, which I believe was heaven. In that moment, I felt an overwhelming sense of God’s love, especially for teenagers. It became clear to me that their intense and often dismissed emotions are deeply valued by Him. This revelation led me back to a venture I had previously set aside: creating lip gloss.” Read more>>
Lindsey Dukes
Fast forward to the end of 2020 when I followed another little intuitive hit to go on a retreat in Sedona with people I’d never met, called the “Remembering Retreat”. There, I met the primary facilitator whom I got to know throughout the week and who was also a well seasoned international traveler herself. She posed the question “what would it look like to take a retreat like this across the world?”. Every cell in my body lit up at the realization that given my extensive experience working in the international travel industry, I knew EXACTLY how to make that happen and couldn’t think of a more exciting project to focus my energy on! Read more>>
Reid Elizabeth Atkins
At least once a year we had the possibility of closing, but with our determination and hard work we have made it through. That was always hard thinking it could just all end at one point, especially when I was so new. It can be harder to get into an established shop when you’re less experienced. We have been Reflection tattoo for a little over 3 years now and we are doing really well. We have a great crew and I just love it so much. Read more>>
Kris Phipps
I started my filmmaking journey in the late 90’s as an intern for an Austin production company called Granite House which was managed by filmmaker Dwight Adair. Dwight was an old school filmmaker who had worked on projects like Urban Cowboy and the Dallas television series. His wife was Sandra Adair who was Richard Linklater’s editor, so it was very exciting to be a part of that environment even as an intern. Read more>>
Deborah Hale
Our huge campus has beautiful student gardens, including fairy gardens. The school participates in integrated thematic learning, which is project based. Students learn the 3Rs, as well as learning how to care for living things, how to self regulate, and how to resolve conflict. The beauty is that we teach the children rather than teach the curriculum, even though we do have all kinds of wonderful curriculum to choose from. We can teach inside in our warm homelike classrooms, outside on the driveway, on one of our many covered porches or under the canopy of trees next to the creek. Read more>>
Jenn Vigh
While healing from this injury, Pilates was all that I was capable of doing, and it quite literally healed me. I have never had surgery or invasive treatments outside of physical therapy, pelvic floor therapy and a few regenerative PRP injections. I truly owe so much of my ability to train, travel and perform at such a level to Pilates. Read more>>
Devo Carpenter
I am originally from the Beaumont area I left when I was 17 after graduating high school. College was Lamar University. I studied theater. One bad marriage one good marriage that has lasted 38 years so far. Four children 6 grandchildren and 12 chosen children. I started in the 1980s as a professional clown as a way to defer childcare cost and stay home with my kids. I got the job at Austin Public Library in the early 1990s. I originally took the job at 8 dollars an hour 20 hours a week to secure insurance for my kids that was 29 years ago Read more>>
Sarah McCune
Sarah has been a licensed Esthetician for over 12 years with a continuous passion for holistic healing and a strong focus on flow and connection, not flaw correction. She specializes in face and jaw massage and currently offers treatments at her solo business called Mystic Skin Lab. Read more>>
Tim Roberts
The biggest obstacle for anyone my age is finding a way to stay motivated. It’s not the money that is the driver. It’s the contributive aspect of work. It does not matter whether you are a person of traditional faith, an aetheist or simply a spiritual person. The most important thing a person can do (in my opinion) is to realize as much of their potential as possible. When I accepted this, it became clear to me that I had gotten nowhere near mine. That’s why I am doing what I am doing now. Read more>>
Grant Chambers
In the heart of Texas, where music pulses through the veins of its communities, six friends—each a devoted father, husband, and professional—carve out time to create something extraordinary. Yes Sir, No Sir isn’t just another rock band; it’s a testament to the power of lifelong friendship and the unrelenting pull of music. Bound by history, passion, and a shared love for the craft, these musicians have recently marked a significant milestone—the release of their second full-length album on Chicken Ranch Records. Even more exciting, they have been selected as an official 2025 SXSW Artist, a true honor for a local band that has attended the festival for decades. Read more>>
Lydia Garza
I began my career as a TV and Film actress in Hollywood, where I had the privilege of working alongside legends like Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks in The Terminal, and Kate Winslet and Jack Black in The Holiday. Some of my favorite TV appearances include iconic shows like CSI, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Prison Break, and Desperate Housewives. After years in front of the camera, I transitioned into casting, then to producing and coaching, where I honed my passion for shaping talent. Read more>>
Christy Nguyen
I went into business, very naïve and optimistic thinking that I could just quit my job sell my house move to another city and just make it right off the bat. I’ve definitely been humbled learning that it takes so much more than having the desire to help others. I’ve had to learn that every area of your life are mirrors of each other and that I get to continue learning and growing as a person in order to grow my business. Read more>>
Luke Garrison
It was around that time when I started branching out in the music I listened to. To have an electric guitar meant you had to play fast and loud, which is exactly what I did with musical inspiration from artists and bands like Zakk Wylde and Avenged Sevenfold. Over the next decade or so, after discovering my love and loyalty to Schecter Guitars, I fronted bands ranging from southern rock to progressive metal and even tried my hand at a solo country music career until moving to Texas in the summer of 2019 in an effort to be closer to one of the biggest music scenes in America. Read more>>
David Tran
I didn’t really get started on making / releasing music as early as I would’ve liked, but I did grow up surrounded by it. My father was a preacher at a church back in my hometown, and my siblings & I were always somewhat involved with the music during those services. This eventually led to me teaching myself piano during high school, playing in marching band, and it wasn’t until the past 7 years ago or so that I actually found a love for producing / making digital creations. Read more>>
Nafertisit Fox De Fandiño
I read books and articles on varying psychology topics, read articles on eastern spiritual practices, watched many videos through TEDx and YouTube, and really got into Carl Jung with his shadow intigration and individuation; which is the inspiration behind The Honey Badger. I took a life coaching course to better understand how to work with myself, but also how to properly work with others. I eventually attended the Institute of Metaphysical Humanistic Sciences to obtain my degree to officially open a practice for spiritual counseling. Where there’s a will, there’s a way! Read more>>
Yilong Peng
With the help of my college mentors, I founded the nonprofit and we created a curriculum and class where students like me could volunteer with hospice patients to document and publish their stories. Our first semester was a great success with 12 finished books. From there, things took off! The organization has continued to grow as more chapters have popped up at other schools and hospice programs, and I’ve gotten to work with people all across the country to improve our curriculum and writing process. Now I am in medical school and our work is still going strong! Read More>>
Peaceful Waters Retreat
In 1979, Bob and Trish met in a spiritual community on the east coast. All our lives since they were young, they’d both had a deep desire to give their lives over to serving a higher purpose. In Bob’s teen years, he’d even considered leaving home to become a monk! Over the years they’ve shared a consistent commitment to personal growth and a desire to return to a deeper relationship with the natural world. Read More>>
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