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.
David Valdez
Stepping out of my comfort zone into an entirely new field was daunting, but the more I immersed myself in the work, the more I discovered a deep passion for the industry. I found fulfillment not only in the tangible nature of construction but also in helping clients develop and bring forth their goals and visions. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of working with both small and large-scale construction firms, experiences that have prepared me to now lead a business I take great pride in. Read more>>
Lauren Mata
Since having obtaining my license, I have adhered to my own strategy of working next to the best in the industry and staying current at all times. This has driven me to take balayage classes in Paris, work at one of the most prestigious salons in the world in New York, learn the greatest and possibly most challenging extensions systems, and use the best products I can possibly source from around the word -in haircare, tools, and extensions – and now in my salon. I have dreamt of opening my own salon for about 15 years, however the timing was not right until this year. My husband and son and I moved constantly for several years due to his career in the military – once my son became school age, we decided to buy a home, build my dream salon, and place him in the school that he can stay at for the next several years in this beloved neighborhood. Read more>>
Judy Lane-Boyer
In 2021, I shifted into ghostwriting and coaching full-time, launching *Audience Granted* to help people—especially those in mental health, education, and personal development—share the messages that matter most. My clients include therapists, coaches, and everyday people with extraordinary life stories. Many of them have a calling to write a book but feel overwhelmed by the process. That’s where I come in. Whether through ghostwriting, developmental editing, or coaching, I guide them from ideas and rough drafts to clear, compelling manuscripts that reflect their heart and expertise. Read more>>
Gloria
My inspiration to give back stems from my own struggles with homelessness, poverty, and depression. Having faced these challenges firsthand, I understand the feelings of hopelessness and invisibility that many people experience. At my lowest point, I battled and overcame suicide October 29, 2011, and it was through my healing journey that I realized the importance of mental health support. My personal experiences became the driving force behind my desire to help others who were suffering in silence, just as I once did. Read more>>
Eleya Maureen
I’ve always had a passion for travel, but I knew I needed to find a way to do it without breaking the bank. I started by attending photography workshops—my very first one was in the Virgin Islands, with 12 photographers and 6 models. The more workshops I joined, the more connections I made, and soon I was being invited on trips. Everything started to fall into place, and now I’ve been fortunate enough to go on hundreds of all-expenses-paid adventures around the world. I feel incredibly blessed and grateful for the amazing experiences I’ve had. Read more>>
Cody Kinsfather
Breaking into any industry is challenging—but entering a creative field presents its own unique set of obstacles, where success is often dictated by subjective taste and ever-shifting trends. In the early years of my career, I poured every spare moment into honing my craft—often working late into the night, absorbing every piece of insight I could from industry leaders. It was a constant balancing act: striving to meet professional standards and win over critics, while fiercely protecting and evolving my own artistic vision. Read more>>
Kate Faulk
That pull led me to start my first business, Curious Prints, where I created art prints and home goods using vintage botanical and scientific illustrations. It was a way to combine my love of plants, history, and design into something people could bring into their homes. Over time, that creative exploration opened the door to something even deeper: working with plants not just as images, but as living materials with their own stories and energies. Read more>>
Ricardo Javier Cortez
As my skills developed, so did my reputation. I quickly transitioned from home setups to some of the most well-regarded barbershops in Austin and Kyle, including Barber Palace, Austin’s Most Wanted Barbershop, Fadebox Barbershop, and Profile Hair Studios. Working in these high-caliber environments taught me more than just technical precision. I learned the nuances of client service, brand building, and the business mechanics behind successful barbering. Read more>>
Avery Harmon
After graduating from UT Austin with a degree in Fashion Design, I decided to stay in Austin and was searching for a job. I could not find anything, but remembered how much I loved doing makeup when I was younger. I started working for a bridal makeup company and everything started falling into place, and it felt like that was what I was meant to do. I did so many test shoots for free and watched videos and even rented books from the library to learn everything I could about makeup. My business slowly built by word of mouth, and I was really busy after about 8 years of hard work Read more>>
Matt Martinez
I was lucky enough to get the opportunity to be an understudy for all four male characters and actually got the opportunity to fill in for an actor who got ill the day of a clinic and acted on stage for the first time. Luckily it wasn’t a large crowd so my mind was a bit at ease and was getting comfortable to perform on stage. Come senior year I decided to go all out and audition for the musical which happened to be Sister Act and got casted as 2 minor roles and I knew I wanted to keep acting after our last show. I performed my last high school play 1 week before graduation and to say that it was bittersweet was an understatement because I was the only senior in the show and every member of the cast looked up to me and embraced me as we did curtain call. Read more>>
Jac Carson
I would say that aside from the late nights, constant feeling of rejection, fear of failure coupled with the intensity that comes from marrying your dreams and passion to your professional career that means if you fail you could be left with nothing but a husk of your former self, an unstable and unsuccessful love life, internal and external doubt (both vocalized and imagined), moving and living 2000 miles from my home and family, and the physical toll this life choice has taken on my body, I would say it’s been pretty smooth sailing. Wouldn’t change a thing Read more>>
Colleen Flynn
At the time, I was living in D.C., working in a high-stress environment, and constantly in survival mode. It wasn’t until I started digging into functional nutrition and circadian biology that everything shifted. I realized that true healing doesn’t come from quick fixes—it comes from understanding your body, supporting it at the root level, and rebuilding your life in alignment with how we’re biologically meant to live. Read more>>
Cristina Jesurun
You might find present circumstances challenging, and there’ll be more to come…are you sure you can do it?” But the way I see it, there will be challenges either way. So why NOT move forward with my dreams along the way. As soon as I was in PT school, I knew I was exactly where I was meant to be in the world. And I feel it every day when I am practicing PT. This is what I was meant to do in life! And I think the challenges facing me would be altogether more difficult if I hadn’t chosen to go down this path and was stuck just working some job that held no meaning for me. Read more>>
Angela
I have spent so many years of my life making jewelry, always experimenting with different techniques and mediums. When I found polymer clay, something clicked. Polymer clay gives you the ability to essentially start from nothing, just a block of clay, and transform it into anything you want. I have found so much joy in being able to create this way, using my own two hands. In a lot of ways, it’s also incredibly therapeutic. As someone who is incredibly creative-minded but never felt like I fit the standard of being “artsy” growing up – essentially being good at drawing or painting – I finally was able to create things that lived inside of my mind. Read more>>
Alexandra Kirby
As a teenager working in a restaurant, you could regularly find me giving hand and shoulder massages in the kitchen or at the service stand; I often worked on myself and friends in my free time; studied reflexology, psychosomatics and the emotional-physical manifestation of pain in the body. Exploring the intricacies and complexities of the human body- physical, subtle, mental and emotional- has been a lifelong passion of mine. Read more>>
Vincent Chapman Jr.
Perfect Tyman is a brand that promotes athletes and sports organizations by creating opportunities for exposure, development and growth both on and off the field. With a passion for athletic excellence and community empowerment, Perfect Tyman serves as a platform that highlights talent, builds team culture and generates partnerships that elevate the sports experience. Whether it’s through community events or branding, Perfect Tyman is committed to pushing the culture forward and ensuring that athletes and organizations receive the recognition and resources they deserve. Read more>>
Ferdinand Tettey
Last year, I took another big step and started working on Creator Brand Hub (CBH), a platform designed to help creators and brands connect in a more transparent and meaningful way. After a lot of hard work, we launched just a couple of months ago, and it’s been incredible seeing the response. It’s been a busy few years, but everything I do — whether it’s engineering, building a business, or creating content — comes back to the same goal: helping others and building community. Read more>>
Subekchya KC Karki
I am a mother, daughter, wife, sister—and above all, a woman who believes that the status of women reflects the face of society as a whole. I live as a spiritual and empathetic entrepreneur, filled with immense gratitude for the life and opportunities I’ve been given. But I’m not someone who feels satisfied with just my own progress. My purpose is greater—to help create a world where equal opportunity is not a privilege, but a right for every woman and man who has been denied what they deserve. Read more>>
Allyson Littrell Littrel
Our founder’s journey began in 2014 after being rear ended, the accident seemed minor, so she decided not to exchange insurance information. Just three days later, she was hit again and passed out in the street when she got out to check the damage. Rushed to the hospital, she woke up to the shocking news that she had a rare brain disease. Her brain stem wasn’t developed, and her brain had shifted slightly into her neck. The doctors had no choice but to delay the operation because the brain wasn’t far enough into her brain stem to operate safely, this meant she was required to undergo a yearly MRI to monitor the condition. Read more>>
Juan Jose Ruelas
In 2018, I had a moment where I knew I needed to start something meaningful. I found a model, shot on my iPhone X, and that same day, Jay Visuals was born. I started getting booked—yes, even with just a phone. Eventually, my dad and brother saw the potential and got me my first real camera. Read more>>
Jehvah Williams
One day, while shopping at Michaels, I discovered the softest, chunkiest yarn – jumbo size 7 chenille yarn. I was immediately drawn to it and started learning how to handknit a blanket. After a few tries, I posted a photo of my work in a moms’ group. At that time, hand-knitting wasn’t very common, so people were amazed by how soft and chunky it looked. I started receiving orders for blankets, pillows, and pet beds. That’s when I realized that through my creations, I could bring comfort, love, and joy to others. Read more>>
Chas Moore
When we started AJC, we weren’t trying to build another nonprofit—we were building a movement space. A place where people could come as they are, tell the truth about their lives, and collectively imagine something better. Over time, our work has grown from protests and policy fights to a more holistic approach to community transformation: we’ve reallocated police budgets, shifted narratives, supported artists and entrepreneurs, created spaces for healing, and connected folks with legal and housing resources—all while staying rooted in the idea that abolition isn’t about the absence of accountability, but the presence of care, safety, and dignity. Read more>>
Bex Baker
As artists, we can be so critical of ourselves. It takes a lot of work to rid yourself of the idea of your finished product as being “good” or “bad”. Trying to get out of this headspace is a real challenge. I used to get so upset when a piece didn’t turn out the way I had expected it to, but now I understand that the failures are all part of the process. I can’t have the successes without the failures. It’s yin and yang, they go together. Read more>>
Gudjon Bergmann
I specialize in deep tissue, medical, and wellness massage, with the overall mission of helping people reduce the side effects of modern living; everything from stress and tech-neck to back pain, fascial restrictions, and mobility issues. Looking back on my early days in Iceland, where I taught smoking cessation, stress management and yoga, to the last fifteen years in Texas, where I did much of the same, I see myself as a lifelong helper. In addition to running my own business, I volunteer with the American Massage Therapy Association, where I am a regional coordinator for the Austin area and a Texas board member. Read more>>
Amanda Gruetzner
I had butterflies in my stomach I was so excited. Two weeks later we had found the perfect truck to construct my dream. By December 2023, my husband and I had finished designing and building out the flower truck—a turquoise 1997 Honda Acty truck transformed into a mobile bouquet bar. I had my first pop-up around Christmas outside of my favorite Bastrop Boutique (KC Outfitters) and it was a huge success! The flower truck was instantly loved and welcomed by the community! Read more>>
Amanda Alvarado
Our story began in 2020, the year the world shut down. I was silently battling postpartum depression, anxiety, and PTSD after giving birth to my miracle baby on December 18, 2019. He was born prematurely, and though he was released just before the pandemic hit, I was overwhelmed. The weight of new motherhood, coupled with past trauma and the uncertainty of the world, brought me to my lowest point. Read more>>
Keena Habeeb
Once I made it there and after lots of tests, it was determined that I was not going to be allowed to go back home until I delivered my baby. So, I spent a little over 1 month there on total bed rest until my daughter decided to make her grand entrance into this world at a very early 26 weeks. Some time within her 6 month hospital stay in the NICU, my job called and gave me 2 options- come back into the office or lose my job. I tried to negotiate with them to work from home or do half days (this was the year before Covid), but they weren’t having it let me go. Read more>>
Bre Walker
No, it hasn’t always been a smooth road, I still work my 9 to 5 full time, and having free time and still making time for my family and friends isn’t the easiest; I started my journey right before COVID happened. Ha ha with that being said, I truly couldn’t work on my craft while everything in the world was going on. But no great road doesn’t have a few humps and bunks and potholes to work around. Read more>>
Momi Lee
Starting over in Texas has been one of the most humbling experiences. How do you grow a niche business in a city where you don’t yet know anyone? It’s not a journey for the faint of heart. I’ve learned how to thrive and grow as an artist, but as well I learned how to trust in the dream and push through those uncomfortable bits. You have to trust your intuition. I am filled with gratitude with every new client I meet that becomes a lifelong friend. I’ve pushed through to finally doing here, what I was meant to do. Read more>>
Jessica Penny
It can be a little overwhelming at times to wear so many hats at once, but honestly, I wouldn’t change any of it. Some of the hardest challenges I have had over the years were personal relocations. Harper Rae photography originated in Houston and after three years moved to Nashville. In 2021 we relocated once more as a family and have planted some deep roots here in the Austin area. The hardest part in moving was leaving clients who quickly became friends. During each move, I had to start over, rebuilding my business from the ground up. I had to really market myself and my work to attract new clients and also had to spend hours searching for new locations. Read more>>
Beto Martinez
In 8th grade I met Greg Gonzalez. He had just started playing the bass and we were both into Metallica, so we decided to jam. His parents had an air conditioned garage and worked a lot so we had free and nearly constant access to be able to jam and experiment in there. We quickly moved on from trying to play Metallica covers and started writing our own weird songs. By our freshman year of high school in 1990/91, we had met other like-minded folks and formed a band. We spent the rest of high school writing songs, playing parties and honing our skills as musicians. By the time we graduated High School in 1995, we had solidified a plan to move to Austin with our band and try to make a living playing music. Read more>>
Marco Nicolayevsky
Each space was created for a different type of guest. The Retreats are ideal for smaller groups—private but proximate, with a shared pool and flexible layout. The Villa, in contrast, was designed as a flagship offering, with a resort-style pool, expansive outdoor entertaining space, and the infrastructure to support larger gatherings like weddings, retreats, and celebrations. From day one, we considered how the entire estate could function for a range of stays, from quiet weekends to full buyouts. Read more>>
Tiffany Leschber
We continue to work on those things while also creating spaces for personal and professional wellness through hosting 5ks to get the community running, while raising money to invest in education. We collaborate with other nonprofits in town to volunteer our time and resources, and look to mentor young ladies at the local high school. Read more>>
Kelsey
My love and life-long relationship with music is what brought me to my career. As a songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, I originally decided to pick up audio engineering as a tool to help myself be more self-sufficient as an artist, but as things unfolded in my life my passions expanded too. Now, audio engineering and music production has become the centerpiece of my life and songwriting and instrumentation has become a tool to make me a quick and competent producer and engineer- it’s weird how the tables slowly turned when I really think about it, but i’m more secure in my relationship with music than I ever have been. Read more>>
Hana Kouri
The best thing to come out of all of that was the community we found that lifted us up and supported us through it all. My child came out as trans 2 years ago which we have loved and supported him through that as well. In the last 2 years as my biological kiddos have grown up now 19 and 18 I have had some time to reflect and grow as a person not just a mom and am working hard to put my skills to work and do the things that make me happy. I also have a step daughter I have helped raise since she was 18 months. She moved a year ago out of state we still see her just not as often and getting used to that was hard. Read more>>
Lesli Sparkman-Williams
At 11, I was already stacking my babysitting money to buy music, marking Tuesdays for new releases and crafting mixtapes on my double-cassette boombox. I was the kid introducing friends to “new” music, & later the teenager digging through liner notes, checking out records from the library, calling oldies stations to track down songs, and hunting for the original samples behind hip-hop beats.
Eclectic from the start, my growing collection was more than just music—it was freedom. Now, as a DJ who spins vinyl spells, I channel that same magic into every set, weaving together sounds that tell stories, heal wounds, and transport listeners to new dimensions. Read More>>
Justin Mayfield
Crux Construction offers consultation services, 3rd Party Inspections, and General Contracting services. With over 17 years of construction experience and 4 years of being a Building Inspector, we know how construction should be done. We take pride in building quality and safe structures. Our goal is to build homes and light commercial projects that will last! Read more>>
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