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.
dulce mac
I never in a million years thought I would do any type of public speaking, if you ask people who don’t know me they would probably say I don’t speak but if you ask my friends they’d say I’m funny and talk a lot. I used to be really shy and insecure about my voice as well, with English being my second language also. Read more>>
Mo Pittle 
Morris “Mo” Pittle was born in Cleveland where his father was finishing school. 3 months later, they relocated to El Paso, Texas where he was raised in one of the most multicultural communities in the country. After high school, he attended the University of Texas at Austin where he graduated with a degree in Advertising, specifically, Texas Creative. Read more>>
Turkan Soytuna 
My journey with Tutunaki began four years ago, when I moved from Istanbul, Türkiye, to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with a dream of bringing my family’s textile heritage to the American market. My family has been in the textile industry in Türkiye for 45 years, and growing up surrounded by this world gave me a deep appreciation for quality, craftsmanship, and the stories behind the fabrics. Read more>>
Julie Spears 
Hi, I’m Julie Spears, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a thriving private practice in South Austin. After 25 years in behavioral healthcare, creating spaces where women feel seen, celebrated, and fully themselves is my deepest joy. I believe people are inherently good and deserve warmth, empathy, and a whole lot of laughter. Read more>>
Sonia Phocas 
I was born in Johannesburg South Africa and fell in love with a Zimbabwean farmer who was at college in Johannesburg. We got married and moved to the farm in Macheke, Zimbabwe. I was in corporate Advertising before getting married, so moving to a farm in Africa was quite the adjustment. Read more>>
Mollie Musgrave 
My journey into fitness began as a varsity athlete, but as I entered adulthood, I lost that connection, gained weight, lost my sense of self, and found myself searching for the strength and confidence I once knew. Read more>>
Chase Gassaway 
I began writing music in 5th Grade in my Elementary School strings class in Arlington, TX. Cello was my first instrument and I quickly noticed how the timbre and range of the instrument felt like my own singing voice. My compositions began mainly as happy distractions while practicing at home. Read more>>
Erin Curtis 
I grew up in upstate NY and went to college in the Northeast before coming to Austin in 2003 to attend University of Texas for my master’s degree in art. Coming from the Northeast I loved how open and easy Austin felt- I fell in love with the city, the big Texas sky and made a life here beyond school as a working artist. Read more>>
Brio Cooney 
Brio Photography began as a one-woman operation and has since grown into a small, dedicated team. Over time, the studio has expanded its work across weddings, families, couples, individuals, and commercial photography. That commercial background continues to shape Brio’s approach, bringing a thoughtful mix of creativity, technical expertise, and personal connection to every session. Read more>>
Xose Velasco 
I was born in Mexico City. From a very young age, my parents made a point of bonding over food. Even though neither one had a culinary background, cooking came naturally to both of them. That marked me profoundly in a way that, to this day, dictates a lot of how I move through life. Read more>>
Kay Kowaleski 
Ever since I was little, I knew I wanted to go to the club. Looking back, in many ways I was primed for my life to fall down this path. Dancing and revelry might literally be in my blood. The 2-car garage of my house growing up in North Carolina was decked out with a disco ball, neon lights, lasers, and custom-built speakers. Read more>>
Tonee Sinsay-Carpio 
My name is Tonee Sinsay-Carpio, and I am the Executive Director of the Austin Filipino Cultural Dance Troupe (AFCDT). My work with AFCDT is part of a larger commitment I have to building community, creating opportunities, and preserving Filipino culture here in Central Texas. Read more>>
Meagan McCrary 
In 2021, I graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre and Dance. After graduating, I took classes with Intimacy Directors and Coordinators and began working as an intimacy coordinator on various short film projects. Between projects, I worked as a bartender and managed social media accounts for Women In Film & Television Austin and Aduro Studios. Read more>>
Kiley Kelly 
My story started in middle school. I’ve always been drawn to health and wellness. Back then, I was convinced I’d be a personal trainer, just like Jillian Michaels. In high school, my interest shifted toward physical therapy, until I started seeing a chiropractor who specialized in rehab. I asked a million questions about what made chiropractic different, and the holistic approach sold me completely. Read more>>
Kristin Bilodeau
Music and performing have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. As the story goes, I asked my mom for my own bag when I was two years old and she bought me my very first dance bag. The performance spark was lit. I grew up in the very small town of Milan, OH (the birthplace of Thomas Edison). Read more>>
Caitlin Rowe 
I originally moved to Monterey, California in 2007 to get started in fashion and jewelry design at the local community college. When one of my classes was canceled, I needed to fill the credits and found a Massage class that was open. I knew pretty quickly this was something that was going to change my life. Read more>>
Gisselle Barmore 
I began photography in 2022, shooting mainly nature & animal photographs, but started taking Live Music photos in 2024 where my journey really began. My first show was shadowing another photographer, Grace, at the now-closed Vinyl shop Alchemy Records. Read more>>
Devon Bieniawski 
I started working when I was 16 for an interior designer out of Houston. She needed labor for her Christmas decorating season and that led to a 2 year long internship. My fingers still hurt from the amount of faux trees I fluffed during those Christmas seasons and I still can’t shake the glitter! Read more>>
Nika Grady 
ARION started around 2017 when I was a senior in college. My friends and I would go to pool parties and when we would show up, most of the girls would have on the same swimsuits from the stores. So I decided that I would make my own swimsuit for the next pool party. Read more>>
Alexandra Rose 
I started acting in 8th grade where I found my love of theater. I was in plays throughout high school and took a long break before coming back to it this year. Im now an acting student at Austin Acting school. I have been recently featured in The Lady Bird soda Commercial and will be in the up and coming production of Mazel Tough! Read more>>
Edith Paul 
Every summer, my family visits my cousins in Seattle, and our trip always lands on my cousin’s birthday. When I was 10, my aunt bought a lot of decorations for the party. I’ve always loved crafts, so I started playing with the balloons and experimenting to see what I could make. Read more>>
Krissy Collins 
I was born and raised in Austin, so this city has always been home. Watching it grow and change has given me a deep appreciation for its neighborhoods, its people, and what makes each part of it special. Read more>>
Mo Cole
About 20 years ago I developed chronic eczema, seemingly out of nowhere. That sent me down a rabbit hole, researching atopic eczema and scrutinizing the ingredients in my skincare, detergents, and soap. I ended up eliminating virtually all synthetic chemicals from my daily routine, convinced I’d found the culprit. Read more>>
Shayne DuBose 
I began hammering hot steel at the age of 12, making knives out of scrap pieces of poor quality steel. From there I began finding books to read on the subject of blacksmithing, discovered hundreds of videos on YouTube to learn from, and practicing late Into school nights. Read more>>
Melissa Leija 
Waxing was never something I planned on doing. In fact, after graduating from esthetician school, it was one of the only places that gave me an opportunity despite having no professional experience. I never imagined I would grow to love it as much as I do today. Read more>>
Matty Blissard 
The goal was always to make a living by being creative in some capacity. From a young age, I was fairly gifted at (and very much enjoyed) drawing. Whether it be absentmindedly doodling in math class or learning new mediums in my art classes – illustration and painting were my go-to escape from the mundane. Read more>>
Pixie (Mayari Sirena) Tomacruz
I, Pixie, Mayari Sirena – have always been an artist. From an early age, I had an affinity for performing, singing Disney princess songs at family gatherings from the age of three. It was the seed of a deep love that, at the time, I never realized, in my wildest dreams, what it would and could become. Read more>>
Bhavya Prakash 
Creativity has been a constant in my life and growing up in the era of YouTube was eye opening to the world of possibilities when it came to making content. Creating content has always been a joyful hobby for me throughout high school and college, whether it was through photography or the TikTok boom. In adulthood, it translated into a business. Read more>>
Nina Harrison 
I’ve shared my journey before — from Ukraine to building a life and career in the United States, a country I’m incredibly grateful to call home. Almost ten years later, I find myself still learning, growing, and discovering new possibilities. Today, as the founder of NH Fitness, I have the privilege of working with remarkable people and being part of their personal transformations. Read more>>
James Wolfgang Kuntz 
I started off as a cowboy in Mexico growing up and then went to the University of Texas. From there, I worked in logistics for a few years, then in technology for private equity and VC-backed software companies. While I was doing all that, I was also doing real estate investing. Read more>>
Ksenia Godovalova 
I have this funny thing I’ve done my entire life. Even in the middle of the most ridiculous, heartbreaking, uncertain situations, some part of me would look around and think: ‘Oh my God. This is going to be an awesome story one day’ And here I am, finally telling it. My story begins in a small town in post-Soviet Ukraine, near the Russian border. Read more>>
Raquel Phillips 
For as long as I can remember I wanted to be an author. My first story I ever wrote was a short sci-fi piece in 2nd grade with a twist at the end. I remember my teacher was really impressed (and trust me, she was hard to impress). That sparked something in me to keep writing. Read more>>
Stacey Hogge
I’ve always been an event design creative. Dreaming up a space, setting a table, making a room feel like a moment: that’s what lights me up. After 9/11, I opened my first business, Petal Pushers, and that creative work is really how our wedding businesses got started. Read more>>
Anais Salazar 
I grew up in Las Vegas, and I felt like I had to grow up quickly. Seeing the struggles and choices of people around me shaped my independence and made me think about the life I wanted to build for myself. I was always into makeup and hair growing up, and around 20, I started working as a freelance makeup artist. Read more>>
Shasparay 
I was born and raised in and around Austin, Texas. At an early age, I started performing and competing in poetry slams when I was in middle school. The first time I competed in a slam, I was terrified. Arms tucked, sweaty, with my poem vibrating in my hands. I told my story to a room full of strangers, crying. Read more>>
NiNii, Michaela, Emmaline Burriss, Whalen, Pennington 
Your story: NiNii: I grew up in a small town in Maryland, where I quietly struggled with anxiety, depression, severe loneliness, and suicidal thoughts. At my lowest point, my world became so small that I could barely leave my house. Read more>>
Elisha Hill Williams 
My journey has taken me through several different chapters, but the common thread throughout all of them has been my desire to grow, help others, and create something meaningful. I started my career in customer service and administrative roles, where I learned how to communicate with different people, solve problems, stay organized, and navigate challenging situations. Read more>>
Sierra Brown
It all started with my baby dolls! Every Barbie doll I got, I cut the hair off every chance I could. I had so many bald dolls and dolls with short bobs (which is funny because now I can actually do a precision cut on a client). Honestly, one of my biggest motivations for going to cosmetology school was my dad. Read more>>
Eric Mort 
As a kid I was very interested in art. I always had a sketchbook with me, and was forever getting into trouble at school for doodling in class. Well meaning teachers and relatives encouraged me to pursue education in technology/science since art school was for ‘rich kids’ or people who wanted to teach art. Read more>>
Alin Prasla
My story started like many other creators! As a kid, I loved making videos on my parents’ phone and uploading them to what I jokingly called my YouTube channel, which was really just our family group chat. As I got older, my passion for content creation grew, and I eventually decided to pursue it seriously. Read more>>
Maryna Litvinenka 
I think my story with flowers began long before I ever imagined they could become my profession. I grew up in Belarus, and one of my strongest visual memories is my mother’s garden at our family’s country house. She has always grown an incredible variety of flowers, and her garden is so beautiful that people sometimes stop to admire it and take photographs. Read more>>
Meaghan Luna 
Hi, my name is Meaghan Luna. I was born in Gonzales, Texas, and raised in Victoria, Texas. I’m the oldest of four girls, so growing up I always felt a responsibility to be someone my younger sisters could look up to. My love for cosmetology started with creativity. Read more>>
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