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.
Morgan Cooley
What started as a personal outlet during the chaos of the pandemic quickly revealed itself as my purpose. After 8 years in real estate, I opened The Pilates Barre, not because the path was obvious, but because I couldn’t find what I was searching for. Most wellness spaces felt cookie-cutter, exclusive, and disconnected from the everyday woman. I realized I wasn’t alone and that Killeen deserved something more. Read more>>
Bree Royer
My dad, James Dean, but known to many as Traye, or “the Picture Man,” is the magician behind the camera, and I am the magician behind the computer. He shows up for the early mornings, fearlessly facing rooms full of toddlers with his stuffed turkey on his head and a smile on his face. He’s truly the what makes schools and parents book with us year after year. His positive attitude and joie de vivre are infectious, and that’s a large part of how he creates great portraits. Read more>>
Megan Biggs
After starting my career as an ICU nurse, I was struck by how many young people were coming in with chronic diseases. It felt like we were constantly putting out fires—treating the symptoms, not the root cause. I began to feel that something vital was missing: prevention and early intervention. That’s when I stumbled upon functional medicine. It just clicked—a science-backed, systems-based approach that focuses on root causes and, even more importantly, prevention. Read more>>
Maggie Kelley
Feeling like I could effect change on a broader scale, I was awarded a Fulbright Distinguished Award in Teaching and spent time in New Zealand researching special education inclusion and the role leadership and policy play in student success. After stepping out of the classroom when I had my own kids, I became a part of the Austin mom community. I kept seeing parents ask the same kinds of questions—how to understand their child’s education, how to navigate opaque processes, how to collaborate with schools, or how to hold schools accountable. Read more>>
ElizaBeth Jones
I then had a baby and it was hard for me to balance everything so I put my business on hold for a few years. In hindsight, I wish I just scaled back instead of pausing completely because my climb back to where I was has been hard. Social Media is different, Etsy is now saturated so I felt for a while that this wasn’t worth the struggle. It seems though every time I feel like giving up, I get another boost in my business, more engagements, more followers, more sales and it keeps me going. In the end I love this business and want it to do well. I also like to use it in my classroom, as I teach Entrepreneurship to high school students so everything I go through I use as examples. Read more>>
Amber Garcia
In March of 2020, my then 2-year-old had been recently diagnosed with autism. She was due to start attending a local ABA school when covid was officially dubbed a pandemic, and everything shut down – including her school. Her school started offering in-home therapy, where her behavioral therapist would come into our home and work with her for several hours during the day. I suddenly found myself with a ton of free time, as someone was now entertaining my child for most of the day. Read more>>
Reuben Gallegos Jr. Aka Big Rome
I decided to get my Sazón out . My first seasoning was called Big Rome’s Competition Sazón. It became a hit so I decided to get another flavor profile which was called Steak Sazón. Since then I have 4 different flavors that are great for your backyard and Competition needs. These seasonings are award winning and recently our Competition Sazón was ranked 25 in the World at the American Royal of Barbecue. My first store that introduced my our Sazón is Joes Meat Market in Royse City TX. He supports alot of small businesses like us. Read more>>
Cris Coleman
Over the past 18 years, Dolce Salon has grown into a thriving, full-service salon offering everything from precision color and hair extensions to men’s hair replacement, makeup, nails, and facials. We’ve been blessed with an incredibly talented team whose passion and skill make everything possible, and a loyal community of clients who have supported us along the way. Read more>>
Pascal Driscoll
After a few more people had moved in, I found yet another RV—a 20-footer—and had it delivered to the property. I customized it a bit to my liking, then realized it was still too small. After I sold it, I bought a 34-foot RV, only to realize it was poorly insulated and the AC was super noisy. Read more>>
Amy Siegrist
I thrive in co-creation and transformation. What does that mean? I collaborate with others to support individual and community wellbeing. Being well looks different to each person, team, organization and community, but a strong foundation is usually built on physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellness. Efforts and intention that build into this foundation often involve subtle shifts or transformative change – whether it’s at the individual or community level. I started The Lumen Process to support action that fuels positive momentum toward integrated wellness in different ways – across physical, mental and emotional domains. Read more>>
Daniel Tyranski
We empower our team members to take one projects that inspire them, we partner with local artists & musicians, and we give back through community focused charity and environmental projects. We’re here to be the best business we can be for our people, the community, and world. That kind of thing has kept us focused and allowed us to grow to two locations, with a third in the works which will be out most ambitious project yet! Read more>>
Eric Goldreyer
My story as an entrepreneur can actually be traced back to Corpus Christi when as a kid I would go door to door selling seashells. However, it wouldn’t be until 1995 when I focused my entrepreneurial efforts on the travel industry. At that time, my wife and I lived in Dallas and loved staying in bed and breakfasts but they were really hard to find as you had to use guide books to do so. It took time and effort to find the right places, so I knew there had to be an easier way for people to find and book their stays. That is when I founded BedandBreakfast.com Read more>>
Shawn Patterson
Building trust in this industry also takes time. You’re asking people to rely on you for one of the biggest financial decisions of their lives, and that responsibility can be heavy. But every struggle has shaped the company into what it is today: focused, resilient, and committed to raising the standard for home inspections in Central Texas. Read more>>
Lori Patterson
I wrote a children’s book called The Poop Factory in 2024. Honestly, writing a book, especially one about poop, was never something I thought about doing before last year. However, this path now makes perfect sense to me since I have an innate love of children’s literature, performance, and humor. I’ve had previous experience in marketing, professional development, and recruiting for the legal and consulting industries. I also have a degree in Human and Organizational Development from Vanderbilt University. Read more>>
Lauren Bruno
I’ve been an artist my entire life, but my journey has also always intersected with advocacy. When I was 11, I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. That diagnosis pulled me into the nonprofit and pharmaceutical world at a young age. I performed at medical conferences, spoke to newly diagnosed kids, and started to see both the power of community support and the corruption in massive nonprofits and pharmaceutical companies. Read more>>
Cecily Sailer
After working in creative arts nonprofits for a decade, I moved into my own creative work full-time in 2022. By that point, I’d been playing with and building a side-hustle business called Typewriter Tarot, which I started after a powerful encounter with a Tarot deck and giving an impromptu reading to my sister. Read more>>
Alexandra Aponte Coulbourn
I’m a first-generation health professional, and my story really begins with my parents. They came from Puerto Rico with me and my special needs brother in tow, carrying very little but determined to create a better life for their children. Their courage and sacrifices trailblazed a new path for our family and changed the trajectory of my life. Read more>>
Treasure Johnson
That moment inspired me to take a leap and start my own furniture restoration business. I began painting and restoring unique pieces, while continuing to volunteer in my community. Over time, I was able to furnish Austin homes with one-of-a-kind pieces that bring character and warmth to people’s lives. Read more>>
Nikki Jo
I was shocked and honestly, a little scared. But all my friends were like, “Nikki Jo, you should do it!” I’d been infatuated with tattoos since I was young. I drew and painted a lot, and in high school, I was known for my art. My mom always encouraged me to find a job where I could use my artistic skills. She wanted me to love my career, and I’m so thankful she pushed me in that direction. I feel really lucky that I started so young. Read more>>
Taylor
I have always loved stories. Like a lot of kids when they are first learning to read, I would memorize my favorite books and then “read” them to my family. I also loved recounting stories to anyone that would listen and I was (well…still am) long-winded. So by the time I was five my family knew acting classes would be a good fit. So I have been performing for about three decades here in central Texas. One of my favorite things about performing is how it forces me to expand my capacity for learning and empathy, and even sometimes my definition of myself. Read more>>
Joshua Moreno
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. Like most creative careers, there have been plenty of ups and downs. Early on, I faced the challenge of breaking into a competitive industry where opportunities weren’t always easy to find. Moving from New York to Austin also meant rebuilding my network and proving myself in a new city. Read more>>
Damián Longoria
What began as house parties and renegade pop-ups turned into boat parties, city shows, and eventually our first festival—Once Upon a Time in Austin. That experience really solidified the idea for Hubble for me, and I made it my Roman Empire. I saw firsthand how difficult it was for both artists and organizers to connect, especially in a city with such a vibrant but fragmented scene, and I thought… why not help out a scene I have come to love so much. Read more>>
Steve Deckel
I’ve been drawn to music as a form of expression for most of my life. I grew up in the church in Kentucky, and there was a lot of hillbilly music. I appreciate it more now than I did then. There were countless lessons for piano, organ, fiddle, and guitar. In high school, I was playing with friends at one another’s homes or little cafes around Louisville. Then I moved all over, and some of those friends came with me, and sometimes I followed them. It’s nice to keep your family close to you. Read more>>
Spencer Cain
I actually got into my creative space through real estate. Out of college I got my real estate license and starting helping an agent film projects and homes for social media. I was pretty decent on my phone so they encouraged me to go all in on the space. They helped buy me equipment and recommended me for real estate jobs. I began to really enjoy the creative aspect of that. Also along the way I found a 35mm Olympus OM-G film camera in my Dads closest and dove head first into learning how to shoot on film. Roll after roll I learned how to expose properly and fell in love with film .. I now have 6 film cameras … Read more>>
Angus (Trey) Nichols, III
I discovered that I preferred working with wood as a medium. I began with pens and bottle stoppers, then quickly moved on to bowls, vases, and other pieces. What I love most is the element of surprise, when you start turning, you never really know what a piece of wood will reveal. I may begin with a picture in my head, but the grain, knots, or unexpected patterns often take me in a completely different direction. That’s the magic of woodturning: it’s creative, challenging, and for me, it’s also a way to let go of everything else and just be fully in the moment. Read more>>
Rachel Putnam
I grew up in Springfield, Illinois, in a family that valued both artistry and discipline — my mom’s side are artists, while my dad is a dentist. They shaped me into who I am today. I was also a competitive athlete from a young age, and that experience shaped my drive early on. When I set my mind to something, I learned to work relentlessly toward it — a mindset that carried me through my undergraduate years at the University of Kansas, where I studied Journalism and Italian, through law school at the University of Texas, and into six years of practicing law. Read more>>
The Chicken Boys
We’ve always been big fans of anything under the rock umbrella, which spans so many sub-genres. In this we realized that there were very few examples of bands in the punk and alt rock sphere who incorporated extended jams and improv into their live shows. As fans of both jam bands and punk/alt rock, we naturally combined the two and have a blast creating a sound that’s rather unique. We enjoy crafting a polished product in the studio, but even more so enjoy seeing where those songs go in the midst of a live show. Read more>>
Christine Bazan – Hall
Today, Captured Moments by Christine has grown into so much more than I ever imagined. We are now a talented and passionate team, offering not only newborn and wedding photography, but also content creation and day-of coordinating services for our wedding clients. Our work allows us to walk alongside our clients through life’s biggest milestones — from “I do” to welcoming new life, and everything in between. Read more>>
ATX Free Fridge
Drawing inspiration from the free fridge organizations popping up all over the country, the organization has grown to 6 (soon to be 7!) locations around Austin. As a mutual aid organization, ATX Free Fridge is entirely run by volunteers who rely on community support to keep the fridges stocked and clean. There is no need to sign up to drop off or pick up food, and the fridges welcome individually packed and labeled prepared foods, produce, fruit, snacks, meals, water, hygiene products, pet food, and more! ATX Free fridge asks that everyone engage from a place of solidarity, not charity, as as food access is a human right. Read more>>
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