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.
Bob Peck
I wasn’t born here, but my family has been in Austin since at least the 1930s and I moved here when I was ten. I’m so grateful that this city gave me the space to explore. It’s Willie Nelson’s city—creatives, weirdos, and spiritually open-minded people. I went to UT and got a bachelor’s in Religious Studies with a specialty in the New Testament, alongside Radio-TV-Film. I studied everything that called to me: Indian philosophy, Sufism, Shamanism, in addition to that loving master from Nazareth. Read more>>
Manan P
In the beginning, we had no office, no funding, no portfolio, and no connections. We were in grad school, living on student loans, and figuring things out as we went. We talked to every local business we walked into, sent thousands of cold emails, and heard “no” more times than I can count—sometimes quite literally getting hung up on mid-sentence. Read more>>
Armando Reid
At its core, #thesmiledoc is a modern, high-tech general dentistry practice built on a philosophy of providing 5-star customer service to the Average Joe. The practice was born out of a desire to correct the impersonal, “take-a-number” experiences many patients face in healthcare. We strive to treat every patient with the maximum amount of empathy, putting ourselves in their shoes from the moment they walk through the door. Read more>>
Brenda Gregory
As an adult, it became clear that I would have to figure things out for myself. I went to college intending to pursue medicine, hoping it would offer answers I hadn’t been able to find elsewhere, but the system continued to let me down through short appointments, not being listened to, and no space to explore what was actually happening. As my passion for medicine faded, I found neuroscience. I fell in love with the brain and nervous system and the way they shape physiology, behavior, and perception. Read more>>
Kathy Rudkin
In 1995, I relocated the company to Texas. I began in a one-room office in a strip center, expanding multiple times within that same center as the business grew. Even after the move, I continued flying back and forth to Oklahoma for seven years to personally service existing clients and maintain strong relationships. Read more>>
Sara Inés Calderón
A few years ago I hired someone to trim the trees, when I asked them for a receipt a comedy of errors began. The gentleman had to go to his car to get a receipt book, then couldn’t find a pen, so I had to go get one, and finally I was able to get a carbon copy receipt. I thought there had to be a better way to get invoices and receipts, so along with a friend I had known for several years — Anthony Broomes — we co-founded Hola Bili. Over the past year we have been developing the product and are currently looking for testers and customers. Read more>>
Camilla Kaiser
When I moved to Austin and got married, photography became even more personal. I found myself constantly photographing my husband and stepdaughter, and during that time (while building a new life and looking for work) I began offering family photo sessions. With a background in graphic design, I already had some experience with photoshoots and editing, and I leaned into learning the technical side of photography and getting as much hands on experience as possible. Read more>>
Lordswill Uwa-Ndukwe
Through some diligent searching and loss of identity post-sports, and looking for meaning, I found myself working alongside chiropractors. A blessing that changed my life and the trajectory of how I wanted to impact the world. Read more>>
Lauren Kytka
I still remember whispering those words to my mom as a little girl, sitting in the back of a limo after serving as a flower girl in my uncle’s wedding. I had spent the day assisting the bride and soaking in all of the adrenaline of the celebration. Even then, I didn’t just love the party; I loved being a part of the process that made it all happen. Read more>>
Jennifer Gentry
I also had struggles with my health, which honestly made things really tough. I have an autoimmune disease that caused me to go into kidney failure, so navigating owning a small business through nightly dialysis and then the very consuming transplant process was probably one the hardest things I’ve ever done. My passion for it all, and my very amazing clients kept me going. And I look back so proud of myself now. Read more>>
Sydnie Phillips
I’ve been in the barbering industry for over 18 years, a journey that has grown alongside every chapter of my life. I started cutting hair as a young woman, learning the craft, building relationships, and realizing that barbering is so much more than just a job. Over the years, the chair became a place where I found confidence, purpose, and a deep connection to community. Read more>>
Charlie Edwards
I started my career in music, which might seem like an unusual place to begin, but it shaped almost everything that came after. In my early twenties I was DJing, working in A&R, and touring internationally, which gave me an early understanding of culture, community, and how people connect with brands in authentic ways. Read more>>
Alexis Reeves
My journey has been guided by a lifelong connection to movement, wellness, and meaningful human connection. I grew up in California by the ocean, immersed in an active lifestyle that naturally led me toward teaching and service. Read more>>
Vanetta Johnson
My story isn’t a straight line; it’s been shaped by childhood trauma, moments of joy, and the ongoing work of making meaning out of lived experience to build a purpose-driven life. I grew up navigating foster care and the mental health system, moving through environments that required adaptability and self-reliance at an early age. Read more>>
Bonita Allen
I was born and raised in Chicago Illinois but moved to Austin back in 2006! Although I would go back to visit periodically throughout the years I would always bring back a piece of home with me! Read more>>
Linda Dumont
I am a multidisciplinary visual artist whose practice spans painting, drawing, and sculpture for more than fifty years. I grew up immersed in the arts—ice skating, playing the piano, dancing, and drawing from an early age. One of my earliest influences was my great-uncle, Joseph Margulies, whom I observed painting in his studio for many years. Read more>>
Amy Levine-Tsang
My professional life began in New York City. I built a busy performing career and taught at the collegiate level. Those years shaped me deeply. I was influenced by the intensity, the high standard of playing, and the constant inspiration of being surrounded by so much great music. Read more>>
Lindy Dille
I started my framing career 25 years ago. After graduating from college with an art degree, I worked at several frame shops in downtown Chicago for 5 years. I moved to Austin in 2006 and started working at a shop that specialized in handmade, gold leaf frames. My mind was blown! Read more>>
Jordan Cobb
I started IVitamin in 2016 during a season of my life where everything looked good from the outside — and felt overwhelming on the inside. At the time, I was in medical device sales. I had two babies under two years old. Read more>>
Ion Santesteban
I was born and raised in Pamplona, Spain, and completed my business degree in 2009—just as the 2008 recession began to take a heavy toll on Europe. After a few years of limited professional growth at home, I decided to move to the United States in search of new personal and professional opportunities. The transition wasn’t easy. Read more>>
Kathleen Womansong
What do you like about being a psychotherapist? This work fits me, and it’s hard to imagine doing anything else. Every day, I get to witness and be part of a client’s process of honesty, curiosity, and self-acceptance. Becoming more self-aware takes great courage, and I am humbled to be present for it. Read more>>
Marc Chavez
I started my firm in 2018 after serving 12 years as a prosecutor. I gained a wealth of knowledge, tried a bunch of cases, and accomplished all the goals i wanted to as a prosecutor. It was time to stary my dream of owning my own business (as I was a business major in college and have an MBA as well). Read more>>
Kieran Reeves
Im an Englishman from Surrey, South West of London, UK. I was a SCUBA instructor for 8 years and learned photography underwater. While living on the island of Roatan, Honduras, I met my now wife who is from Austin and a UT graduate. When we ‘retired’ from Scuba diving we flipped a coin as to whether to move to the UK or US. Read more>>
Carlos Garcia
When I was in the 6th grade my band director suggested that I should be a lawyer, so that is where I got the idea. I graduated high school in Rio Grande City and came to UT Austin. After college, I became an admissions counselor for UT, then went to law school a couple of years later. I am a criminal defense attorney. Read more>>
Amy Griego
My journey began as a single Mom going back to school and starting a new life of wellness personally and professionally. I received my masters in counseling psychology, and very soon started my private practice specializing in trauma and anxiety. Read more>>
Benjamin Gillilan
I retired from the Army in 2003 from Fort Hood and knew that I didn’t want to work for anybody. So I started a small landscape business working on my own. After a few years I realized that if I ever wanted any down time I would need help so I started hiring as I became too busy to keep up. Read more>>
Beau Coan
In 1976, my father, along with my grandmother and his brothers and sisters, bought 350 acres in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina and began growing Fraser Fir Christmas trees. A few years later, after searching across the country for the right place to sell them, my dad chose Austin, Texas, as our retail home. Read more>>
Crystal Lopez
I began my notary career in 2007, at a time when the real estate market was undergoing massive change. Austin, like much of the country, was experiencing an unprecedented surge in foreclosures and refinances. Title companies were overwhelmed, and there simply weren’t enough professionals available to meet the growing demand for signings. Read more>>
Marianne Martinez
I started in the beauty industry because I was drawn to the connection. Hair felt like a way to help people feel seen, confident, and taken care of and early on, I realized the experience in the chair mattered just as much as the final result. Like most stylists, I learned by doing. Read more>>
William Vandegrift
I was born and grew up in Bristol, PA, a Philadelphia suburb. I was born to a 17 year old single mother. I have never met my father. We were a lower class, poor household. I was raised by my amazing mother with the help of my maternal grandparents. I always received high marks in school with math being my favorite and strongest subject. Read more>>
Kenny Mays
I never planned on becoming a beekeeper. In 2021, my wife Alyssa and I bought a small piece of land just outside of town that already carried an agricultural valuation for beekeeping. At the time, I knew next to nothing about bees. To keep the ag valuation in place—and honestly, to avoid making an expensive mistake—I hired a local beekeeper to teach me the basics. Read more>>
Dr. Thu Trinh
Rise Dental began after spending years practicing in high-volume clinical settings where the pace of care often left little room for prevention, education, or meaningful connection. Over time, it became clear that many patients weren’t lacking motivation—they were lacking time, clarity, and support. We wanted to build a practice that addressed that gap. Read more>>
Liz Everett
Ensenada ATX was founded by my daughter, Stephanie, and myself. We are originally from Ensenada , Baja California Mexico—a coastal region celebrated for its seafood, wine, and iconic fish tacos. After Stephanie relocated to Austin, she deeply missed the flavors of home. Inspired by her roots and her love for Baja cuisine, she invited me to bring our family recipes to Texas. Read more>>
AiLysa O’Shea
I started my career in the beauty industry almost nine years ago, fresh out of beauty school. I began at a franchise, somewhere I could use my license, and immediately fell in love with lashing. Like a lot of artists, I took clients wherever I could, worked long hours, practiced constantly, and learned through trial and error. Read more>>
Caryn Werner
My love for photography started at 11 years old when I found my mom’s old Canon A1 film camera. I was hooked and constantly used up her rolls of film as I learned. My parents supported my obsession and gave me my first film camera when I turned 13. From there, it never really stopped. Photography just became part of how I saw the world. Read more>>
Suzanne Fain
I was a curious and somewhat sensitive kid, deeply aware of the energy in my environment from an early age. When I was thirteen, my mother introduced me to tarot, astrology, and basic energy awareness — things like noticing the subtle sensation between my hands. Tarot, in particular, captured me. Read more>>
Heather Edwards
When I look back on my journey of becoming a life coach, I realize much of my life was the training ground. My trials gave me the passion I have today to help women become the most authentic version of themselves possible. Helping women let go of the D.I.R.T that is holding them back is so important to helping them reach their full potential. Read more>>
Wendy McCall Carter
I spent 25 years in the Automotive industry, mostly on the finance side, until the recession in 08′ I found myself having to start over at almost 40 years old with no degree as I entered the auto sales force just out of high school. Read more>>
Mike Bass
I began learning the guitar at 12 years old, and songwriting shortly after that. Diving into guitar was a key factor in helping me through the loss of my grandfather while navigating high school. I quickly figured out that I could channel my emotions through music, and it became a form of therapy. Read more>>
David Schlosz, Ph.D., LPC-S
I was born in Cape Town, South Africa, and that early experience of culture, change, and belonging shaped me in ways I didn’t fully understand until much later. I eventually made my way to the U.S. and built a life in Austin, Texas, one rooted in two worlds: the grounded resilience I grew up with, and the wide-open sense of possibility I found here. Read more>>
Morgan Killian
I think my spark for the love of fitness came from growing up with 80’s/90’s aerobics videos. We’re talking Jane Fonda, Denise Austin, and Richard Simmons. But when I really first fell in love I was in seventh grade. We did an aerobics series in my middle school gym class and I thought it was so much fun. Read more>>
Mark McEachern
Hill Country Heroes was built on one simple belief: take care of the people who take care of us. What started as inviting a few veterans and first responders out to our ranch for a weekend of hunting and fellowship quickly turned into something bigger than we ever imagined. We saw walls come down, stories shared, and healing happen around a campfire. Read more>>
Ken Patton
First, let me first say that I am not an entrepreneur nor a CEO. While I am ‘hired’ by the general membership and entrusted with the integral part of filling the supply and demand of our ‘business’ with two others and we are fortunate to be a part of a dedicated leadership team who gives their time freely to our avocation. Read more>>
Lori Green
We are a small community coffee shop in Dripping Springs, Texas, just southwest of Austin. We have been open since 2012, so 14 years. We are a roaster, roasting on site weekly, as well as a bakery. When we opened 14 years ago in historic downtown Dripping Springs, there was really not much happening on the street, maybe one or two other businesses. Read more>>
Christine Shaw
We are a small working ranch in rural central Texas. We jumped into the agricultural world because we wanted to live closer to the land, save the bees, work with animals ethically, and build something real. Our tag line is: Sharing the Goodness from Our Pastures. Read more>>
Maisie Fields
I started Massage 26 years ago. I had never had a massage prior to enrolling in Massage school. I just knew that it was something I was supposed to do. As the years past, I began to realize that I understood how each part of the body connected to each other and I could understand how each part talked to one another. Read more>>
Dana Konja
Freedom Libations began with a shared dream between Daniel and Dana. Daniel has worked in liquor stores since he was 14, starting by stocking shelves in his father’s store and growing through every role including cashier, manager, and ultimately owner. It is the only industry he has ever known, and his passion and hands-on experience make him the face of the business. Read more>>
Kaylee Ortiz
Magnolia Supply Company began when our first child arrived. I needed a creative outlet and somewhere to focus my active imagination. That started me on the journey of designing and decorating baby items I couldn’t find anywhere else. What began as creating meaningful pieces for my daughter quickly grew into creating custom work for friends and family. Read more>>
Sandra Lovstad
I was working full time as a Finance Manager for IBM on a consulting project that lasted three years. When the project came to an end, I had hoped to continue with IBM, but I was unable to secure another internal role. At that point, I made the decision to branch out on my own. Read more>>
Clara Rodriguez
I was born in Cuba, where my passion for caring for others began at a very young age. I was raised with strong family values, and one of my greatest influences was helping care for my grandmother. Supporting her taught me compassion, patience, and a deep respect for the elderly. Read more>>
Mark Gabrick
Every Texas recipe starts with a story, and mine began long before there was ever a bottle with my name on it. I came up in barbecue the hard way — learning from champion pitmasters, chasing consistency, and putting in long hours behind smokers in Kansas City, Florida, and eventually Texas. Read more>>
Vantonio BeGreat OnPurpose Fraley
My journey has been shaped by purpose, adversity, and a deep commitment to community. I’ve live with chronic asthma, which has impacted my ability to do physically demanding work and forced me to rethink what success and leadership look like. That challenge pushed me to lean into strategy, creativity, and service instead of limitations. Read more>>
Rebecca Irey
I didn’t grow up planning to be in finance—I grew up watching what happens when people don’t know the rules of money. I grew up in the time of Farm Aid in the 80s, but Farm Aid didn’t work for us. We lost a the land my family had worked for the last four generations. Overnight, the life we knew disappeared. Read more>>
Amy Edwards
Golly where to begin is always the tricky part… The Edwards Table podcast came from me finding a way to tell my story. Over the course of the past twenty plus years, I had kept journals and written bits and pieces along the way. Read more>>
Linsey Hart (formerly Krauss McNew)
Getting started is a funny way to put it. It felt more like a slow ramp into the unknown while I escaped a sinking ship. A decade ago, I barely escaped 2015 alive after our son died, shockingly at 39.5 weeks and going on 90-days of maternity leave from a toxic marketing agency where I led the media and engagement team for its technology practice. Read more>>
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