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.
Catherine Whitten
I have now also seen the effect counseling has on others. I have worked with populations ranging from children to elderly and have worked with those struggling with severe mental illness, trauma, suicidal thoughts, and self harm. I regularly utilize and am trained in DBT and EMDR with a focus in relational therapy, creating an environment that is backed by science and relies on the relationship I have with my clients. Read more>>
Kylie & Morgan Wolf Meier
20/20: the year of perfect vision. We started to see more clearly on what we wanted our life to be and what we didn’t want it to be. We wanted our own space, our own time. We wanted to live on our own, be responsible for ourselves, live as close with nature as we could, and share our little expression of home with others. Read more>>
Lisa Rasmussen Hoing Lisa Goddard-Gikas
In moments of crisis, people look for clarity, strength, and trust. I assist families through the most difficult times in their life by representing them in family and criminal law cases throughout central Texas. I have been licensed as a practicing attorney for over 24 years – working almost all sides of the civil and criminal courtroom including appeals. As a matter of fact. I won my first federal criminal appeal before the United States Supreme Court in July of last year. Read more>>
shelley coleman
In some ways, my path has been straightforward. As the firstborn child of a psychologist who ran a private practice from our home, I was likely headed toward a career in psychology—or a role on the sitcom Growing Pains. I chose psychology. I never questioned what I wanted to study or pursue. Read more>>
Raeanne Hogner
I grew up on disposable cameras. Every Friday, I’d pick one up, and that would be my camera for the weekend. That love for documenting life carried into MySpace days and eventually into a little Nikon point-and-shoot that lived in my purse and went everywhere with me. Read more>>
Will Mayo
My relationship with water began in New York City, where I grew up surrounded by the city’s iconic wooden water towers. That early fascination stayed with me. It deepened during a family trip to Europe in the summer of 2000, where I experienced a culture of thermal bathing shaped by time, temperature, and shared ritual. Read more>>
Scott Nicklas
My journey into physical therapy wasn’t a direct one. In college, I explored several different healthcare roles, trying to find the right fit. While I enjoyed learning about each area, I realized I was drawn to roles that allowed for genuine connection and hands-on involvement. When I was introduced to physical therapy, it immediately stood out. Read more>>
Jaimie Anand
I’ve always been drawn to spaces and how they make people feel. Even before I officially became an interior designer, I was constantly rearranging rooms and paying attention to light, layout, and details. Design came naturally to me long before it became my career. I started out with a strong creative instinct and learned along the way how important function and planning are. Read more>>
Samantha Garcia
I began my career working at a medical spa, where I quickly grew into one of the top-performing estheticians through consistency, strong client relationships, and results-driven treatments. During that time, I was also working at a restaurant after my spa shifts, which gave me a firsthand understanding of what it meant to truly hustle while building a future I believed in. Read more>>
Ryan Collins
I started my business shortly after graduating from Southwestern University. I had always had a passion for safety and emergency training, having started out as a summer lifeguard. Safety First Training was born out of a need I saw in the community to offer affordable and high quality training that was convenient for customers. Read more>>
Kayla Alvarez
I am a first generation college graduate of my family. I come from a Hispanic/Mexican background. I am from the Dallas area. Growing up, I have always been in the community either volunteering or somehwere performing with one of my dance teams. Read more>>
Chauson ‘Chaz’ Nailor
I was an educational administrator, and growing up I was encouraged to get good grades, excel, and become a scholar to be successful. I was frustrated because, even after 20 years of studies, I settled and hit a ceiling/cap in mediocre income with no advancement opportunities. I realized that I have to appreciate and claim my true value and uncap my potential. Read more>>
Justin Jackson
Short background on me: I grew up in South Texas (Edinburg to be exact). Moved to Round Rock when I was 15 and have lived in Central Texas ever since. Went to Texas A&M for my undergrad education and St. Mary’s for law school. I’ve always had an entrepreneurial and hard working mindset. Read more>>
Audra Smith
A Health and Wellness Shop was born from a lifelong passion for movement, education, and helping people feel their best. For over 15 years, our founder Audra spent her career as a college track & field coach and Head Strength & Conditioning Coach, working closely with athletes to build strength, resilience, and long-term health. Read more>>
Contez Jones
My name is Cortez Jones, but most people know me as Chop Shop Connie. I’m a Philadelphia native, and my journey as an entrepreneur has been shaped by resilience, collaboration, and a deep respect for community. My middle name is Constance, which reflects who I am—consistent, dependable, and committed to growth. Read more>>
Jeremy Young
Started as a family run business in 2015 with my father, mother, and myself. In 2017 we were featured in 2 stories on Texas Monthly and were also on an episode of the Daytripper the same year. Moved to Lampasas in 2020 and had our building burn down in 2021. Moved to another building a few months later and have been there since. Read more>>
Jared Moossy
My career began with a simple desire to travel and understand the world. That curiosity led me to art school in New York City at Parsons School of Design, and eventually into photojournalism. I spent years working internationally, documenting stories in places such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, the Congo, Libya, and Mexico, and later went on to create a television project for HBO. Read more>>
John-Carlos Estrada
I started out curious about people, about place, and about the stories that quietly shape who we are. I grew up in Dallas as a first-generation Mexican-American, the first in my family to attend college. From an early age, I was drawn to storytelling as a way to make sense of the world and my place within it. Read more>>
Annie Tran
As soon as I graduated from esthetics school, I jumped right into waxing. Worked for 3 different waxing chains before starting my own business. I wouldn’t have done it any other way, because working at the chains helped me learned different techniques, proper customer service, and product knowledge from different brands. Read more>>
TreNita LaShell
I’m originally from Chicago, a city that shaped my work ethic, resilience, and no-nonsense approach to excellence. Growing up there taught me early that you don’t wait for opportunities, you create them. Those values continue to guide how I show up in business and in life. Before becoming a licensed cosmetologist, I experienced my own personal struggles with hair health and growth. Read more>>
Valerie Smasal
I opened my shop in 2016 as an art supply shop and art gallery.Named after my two stepdaughters, Calamity & Grace quickly became a creative hub and a space that encompasses all art forms. I have had journaling and writing workshops, calligraphy classes, cookie decorating workshops, Dance classes and theatre and film camps, in addition to my regular art classes and art camps. Read more>>
Zacha Evetts
I’ve been behind a camera since I was in high school. I joined the military, and after I got out in 2015, I started making videos and taking photos with anything I could get my hands on. Phones, GoPro, hand-me-downs, anything. Read more>>
Zach Petitt
I’ve always been someone who moves between worlds. Professionally, I work in technology procurement, navigating systems, contracts, and strategy for a global company. Creatively, I’m deeply rooted in Austin’s cultural and community landscape as a co-founder and producer of The 2 Hour Lunch Break Podcast, a platform built to spotlight Black and Brown entrepreneurs, artists, and changemakers in the city. My journey started in Austin. Read more>>
Scott Hyderkhan
I am a retired Master Sergeant of the United States Army, where I spent 20 years as a US Army Ranger, with the vast majority of that service in the 2nd Battalion 75th Ranger Regiment at Fort Lewis, WA. Read more>>
Eder Aguirre
I started Avandaro Ranch as a way to create a luxury escape near Wimberley for couples who wanted privacy, nature, and real downtime. I built it hands on, learned the STR business from the ground up, and expanded into a small collection of high-end cabins with strong systems and automation behind the scenes. Read more>>
Deann Hutchison
I started in this industry 23 years ago. I always knew I wanted to help others. I focused my studies on understanding how the body works. I have worked for spas and chiropractors. When I started to struggle with my own autoimmune issues I started studying more of the eastern modalities and got a bachelors degree in alternative medicine. I am always learning and growing. Read more>>
Lilac Frost
I started The Mossery because nature has always been where I go to feel grounded—especially when the world feels chaotic and divided. When everything feels noisy, nature reminds me that we’re still connected, to the land and to each other. The same systems that keep forests alive keep us alive too. Read more>>
Taylor Reber
I have been coaching in the health and fitness space since 2012 and I always knew I’d own my own gym one day. October 2020 that dream came to fruition at the tail end of COVID when I think everyone was really looking to get back into the gym and out of isolation. Read more>>
Carrie Leigh
I didn’t come up in this industry dreaming of owning a salon. I came up surviving it. I worked commission. I worked booth rental. I watched talented artist queer and otherwise burn out, get boxed in, or flattened by systems that were never built for us in the first place. I spent years behind the chair asking the same question: Why is it like this? Read more>>
Irene Fogelsong
I hold two master’s degrees — one in publishing and one in accounting — but skincare has always been my true passion. After moving from Los Angeles to Austin, I chose to follow that calling and became a licensed esthetician. In 2013, I opened MODO Spa so I could work independently and uphold the highest ethical standards in client care. Read more>>
Jaison Strambler
Journey Fitness was born out of a moment of uncertainty. When COVID shut the world down, I was furloughed from my job overnight. Gyms closed, routines vanished, and a lot of people felt stuck. Almost immediately, a few of my clients reached out asking if I could come to their homes so they wouldn’t lose the progress they had worked so hard for. Read more>>
Samir Akladios
We are in 2015, the husband and wife, Samir and Nachwa wanted to start their own food business, dreaming of introducing the special Mediterranean Taste to theirs new dream land. Read more>>
James Skorzewski
I have been a pastor for over 25 years and have been in Texas for 13 years. Our church was a restart in temporary facilities in Round Rock. Once I got here we were several different facilities until we bought land and built in Hutto our permanent home in 2020. Read more>>
Austyn Slavych
I started drawing around the 5th grade. I had a friend who was an amazing artist. Like, he read one of those ‘how to draw comic book characters’ books and just immediately was incredible. I wasn’t, but I also really liked caricatures, so I would practice with my classmates, which actually got me into a bit of trouble because some people weren’t happy about it. Read more>>
Shayla King
I didn’t start in a boardroom. I started as an IHOP waitress. In my late 20’s on paper, I had the American Dream. Title. Money. Married. 2 kids. 2 dogs. But behind the scenes, I was exhausted, sick, and disconnected from my life. I was doing everything I thought I was supposed to do and paying for it with my health and happiness. Read more>>
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