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.
Kay Smith
It has not been a smooth road at all, trying to figure out pricing that would benefit me plus benefit my clients was the hardest really because I am a college student and money goes fast for books, food, and etc. I have struggled with learning how to french braid for years but I can sometimes get it right but it is still a work in process. Learning how to save money was a hard struggle to because when you invest into hair gel, braiding hair, braiding racks, and more can get costly but I found a balance by taking 20% of what I make, I invest into my buisness and the other 80% goes towards everything else Read more>>
Loaai Omar
It wasn’t a smooth road, but at the same time, I wouldn’t call it struggles, I’d say I had some challenges since I arrived in the U.S I started learning photography along with Design, my first challenge was learning English as it’s not my first language, Secondly, how to find my kind of photography that I like. And I found that working with people as a portrait & event photographer is my passion, and last but not least is how to find the clients, as much as I was getting blended more with the community, I was building my portfolio and client base. Read more>>
Makalyn Barnes
Being an independent model has its pros and cons but most importantly I had to prioritize my safety, especially being a young lady out of high school, traveling around Ohio, Indiana & Kentucky to do photoshoots with people I was meeting in workshops , virtual groups and networking events. There are also the dangers of scammers who would pose as well known photographers and contact you for financial gain without any intention to work with you, risking the possibility of sharing your personal information with total strangers. Finding an agency is highly recommended due to all of the risk that comes with managing yourself. You want to make sure you do your research on the agency you sign with and make sure they have your best interest in mind as well. Read more>>
Michael Wilkes
The outgoing guy on the show that was in a band with Mike several years before. Mike asked Sam in the beginning if he’d like to be a part of the show. We all know life gets in the way of things, and we are now happy to have Sam, apart of the Bearded Browns family. We now have our team! We do live shows Tuesdays at 7:30pm and a Saturday show at 10am. We’re on all social media platforms, as well as doing shows on the road. Possible you’ll see us at the muni-lot this year. if you see us come up and talk some Cleveland Browns football. We’ve gained quite a following with our Browns antics and want you to be a part of it! Read more>>
Tasha Swarts
I signed up but I really wasn’t ready for what was about to happen. This one year commitment to myself to become a shaman taught me how to help others by the ancient wisdom keepers of the shamanic tradition, by learning how to alchemize my shadows, trauma and limiting beliefs into love and compassion for myself and others. When you heal, your true self shines bright and your passions and purpose comes. At this time, is when I was struck by lightning, the message was…..It is time to take your healing medicine serious. I now create sacred space for others to walk into themselves thus walking their spiritual journey. I am a Reiki Master teacher and Master Full mesa carrieing Pampamesayok Shaman. I opened Soul Garden. Read more>>
Howie Coleman
I have been in the mortgage business for 34 years. During the early part of my career, I went from Loan Officer, to Sales Manger, to Vice President, to Branch President in 4 years. I ran the largest branch of our company at the time, and trained and managed loan officers, as well as managing the processing and other aspects of the company. This is invaluable experience for a Loan Officer to have. When in charge of other loan officers, I always had to have advanced knowledge of all programs so I could quickly provide assistance for the sales staff. I have always spent extra time taking specialized training in all areas whenever it was available, believing that knowledge is power, and I could better serve my clients if I were an expert it various programs. Read more>>
Chip Williamson
I’m Chip Williamson, an artist and curator based in Dayton, Ohio, where I’ve spent years exploring and experimenting with painting, photography, and the unexpected magic that lies in between. I’m self-taught, which to me has always felt more like an invitation to color outside the lines than a limitation. My work lives in that strange, joyful space between storytelling and surrealism—between the seen and the imagined. Read more>>
DJ Coco-Z
I’ve experienced many obstacles and challenges during my DJ career. It was hard starting my DJ business. I had to learn the business and then go out and promote myself. It took a few years to began making decent money. Once I landed my first DJ residency things took off for me but there always ups & downs. I’ve learned that there will always be a down season so I just prepare myself financially for those seasons. Read more>>
John Catheline
My Wrestling journey started back when I was about 4 years old, i would watch wrestling as a young kid, amazed by guys like Hulk Hogan, Macho Man Randy Savage, Rowdy Roddy Piper and others. And, I told my mom this is what I want to do when I grow up. And, it was something that stuck with me throughout growing up, I would go to the WWE (then WWF) events here in town, (my first live show attended was in 1989) and then in 1993 I was introduced into the world of Independent Wrestling, which is just like what you see on TV, but in smaller venues. I was immediately hooked even more so than I already was, it was an experience like no other, being it was much more of an intimate setting, your closer to the action, you could walk right up and meet the guys on the show etc. Read more>>
Gideon General
Luckily, my 2nd video went viral on TikTok and had momentum early on. That pushed me to make content atleast once a week while I was still working full time as a chef. After a year of making content part-time, I made the decision to go full time. After that, BuzzFeed reached out and offered a chance to be one of their “Talent Residents” and I ended up getting chosen for the position after a series of auditions. Worked for them for 2.5 years and recently quit last November to focus on my own brand. Read more>>
Tricky Dick & The Cover-Ups
We initially formed in 2008 when 2 high school friends (including current member Matt Johnson) bumped into each other at a tribute show for the band Genesis. The two then utilized (now ancient) internet classified ads to recruit guitarist Doug Schulze, and their friend Tony Howard was added to the lineup shortly thereafter. After a couple lineup changes, Jeph Harmozis was brought into the fold, and that has been the steady lineup since 2013. Read more>>
JAQUA Hambrick
BeStrong Productions is where strategy meets execution. From consulting and office management to branding, social media, and visual design, I work to make sure every client not only looks the part—but operates like it too. ‘BeStrong’ is more than a name—it’s a mindset, a mission, and a legacy in motion Read more>>
Hailey Bollinger
I went on to major in Fine Arts at the University of Cincinnati’s DAAP program and minored in Marketing. During college, I interned at CityBeat, a local alt-weekly, where I was introduced to editorial, journalistic, and event photography. Up until then, my work had mostly been personal projects — family sessions or senior portraits here and there — but that internship opened a door to documenting people doing meaningful, inspiring work. From passionate small business owners to community changemakers, I was drawn to the stories we reported on and the chance to capture them visually. That experience made me realize that what I love most about photography is the connection it creates and the storytelling it allows. Read more>>
Morgan Paige
I’m a thinker at heart—someone who thrives on vision, strategy, and inspired action. I love to brainstorm and bring ideas to life, especially when they’re led by the Holy Spirit. When I receive divine insight, I move with intention—sometimes quickly, if that’s what the moment calls for. I’m known for being a Founder and Founding Member of two of the most impactful creative arts organizations in Cleveland, Ohio: Poetry Unplugged and The Sparrow’s Fortune. Through these communities rooted in poetry and spoken word, we’ve empowered countless poets, writers, and spoken word artists across Northeast Ohio. Read more>>
Cathy Davis
Absolutely not! If there is one criticism I have of graduate programs for counselors and social workers it is that not one single business class was offered to either one of us during our training. That’s terrible! So, we’ve had to figure things out as we go. Fortunately, Columbus has a great community of mental health providers and because most of us have had to wing it in terms of starting a business, we were able to ask questions and get a lot of support from others who have done it before us. The challenges have been numerous but I think we’ve done a great job in learning along the way. The biggest hurdles have been navigating how to work with insurance companies, learning how to market ourselves effectively, and working to attract an amazing team of therapists. Read more>>
Tia
Theres a news paper laying around somewhere with a picture of my mom holing her flip phone up to the stage with my dad on the other end listening to me sing. They’ve always believe in me and supported my dreams of performing. I’ve always wanted to be a singer and a dancer, but life took me away from music and performing for most of my adult life. Now, with a child of my own, I’m a very talented singer-songwriter. I write and sing my own songs, and release them for the world to hear on streaming platforms. I’m even starting to perform my own songs on stage now! It’s truly a childhood dream fulfilled. Read more>>
Western Star Entertainment Grou
Western Star Entertainment Group started when we knew we were going to the Cannes Film Festival in 2023. Being there gave us a clear view of the industry from the inside—what was working, what wasn’t, and where we felt stories were missing or overlooked. We quickly realized we wanted to be the ones shaping the full creative process—building a team, producing the work, and making decisions that aligned with our values. Read more>>
Asia Hardin
I’ve always loved tattoos and had a really huge appreciation for it since I was a kid. I loved watching tattoo shows and getting inked magazines. I tried getting an apprenticeship when I was 16 but it didn’t really go anywhere. Fast foward 8 years and I finally got the opportunity! I owned a few different art businesses beforehand and never gave up on making my art dreams a reality! I apprenticed at a street shop and started off fairly quickly, I’m still developing my style but am truly living my dream by being able to make art every day for a living. Read more>>
Keonte Chambers
We are based out of Cincinnati Ohio. We service the tristate area. We offer our services to residential and commercial clients. Some of our services are, but not limited to is Interiter/exterier remodeling, Concrete, Decks, etc. Customers happiness and satisfaction is our #1 goal. As to why our motto is “Satisfying you, is what we do.” Read more>>
Lisa Meatchem
We serve our community by participating in health fairs held around the city, visiting schools educating teens on the importance of knowing their status and the status of anyone they date in order to stop the Sickle Cycle. We have been interviewed by numerous local news and radio stations to spread sickle cell awareness and the need for support. We hold an annual awareness walk to raise money to continue our efforts to support the families. We work closely with Cincinnati Children’s hospital Sickle Cell clinic as well as University of Cincinnati Adult Sickle Cell clinic Read more>>
Savannah Berk
At some point, I realized that if I loved them this much, I should learn to make them myself. Anyone who’s made macarons knows how incredibly challenging they are, and I stumbled quite a bit in the beginning. I joined macaron Facebook groups and started a journal to track everything I learned and answer all my questions. The next day, I’d apply what I had discovered and keep trying, improving with each batch. I baked as often as I could, experimenting with different recipes and diving into the science behind every ingredient to understand their role. Through it all, I created a recipe that was entirely my own—a recipe born from countless experiments and a clear vision of the flavor profile and texture I was aiming for. Read more>>
Dy’von Jordan
I honestly started impulsively. I had a lot of inspirations growing up, but the person who made me start my content journey was Solluminati. Till this day he’s still one of the greatest. Nonetheless, I started making short self improvement videos, and the more I did it the more I learned and started moving towards other things. Now I currently still do YouTube, I stream on twitch, and many other things on the side that correlate in those fields. Read more>>
Sajel Roller
After I finished school I didn’t know what I wanted to do but I really liked training. However working for OSU I wasn’t making a sustainable wage. Coincidentally shortly after I finished school in summer 2019 I met my first mentor and old owner of the gym who encouraged me to start a personal training business so on an impulse I did! I started my business and was renting space out of his gym to train my clients. Read more>>
Olive Frank
My journey truly began during the year I lived in Hawaii. That chapter of my life brought about a massive transformation—what I’d call a spiritual awakening. I knew then that I wanted a career where I could help others and spread love through my work. The connection I felt with nature in Hawaii was indescribable, and even though I tried (and failed) to launch a few businesses, I now realize those experiences were part of the process. One of the biggest lessons I learned was patience. Read more>>
Alla Ryan
No, the road definitely hasn’t been smooth. One of the biggest obstacles for me was the language barrier. Coming from Ukraine, English was completely new to me, and learning how to communicate — especially while building a new life — was incredibly challenging. On top of that, I had to adjust to a completely new culture. I quickly realized that people live, think, and communicate in very different ways here. It took time to expand my perspective and truly adapt. Read more>>
Evan Maines
I am of the usual origin of many famed and upcoming directors: I grew up with a camera in my hand, and spent a lot of time in writing stories in a notebook. My fascination with films weren’t just with the on-screen aesthetics of visuals, character, plot-development, and story… but the act of waking up one day and saying “I want to capture that and give that to people.” I once heard the idea that for a long time, movies were kind of the closest thing we had to “mind-control” — back when theaters were a popular place to go, and sit in a collective of other stranger-audience members, in a dark room, and take the ride. To allow your attention into the gentle grasp of a filmmaker, and to be shown with great intention the aspects of a world someone chooses for you. Read more>>
