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.
Jianchao Zhang
While continuing my medical research, I have also trained in Chinese Medicine with a focus on acupuncture. In 2014, I obtained a Master’s degree in Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture in the US and became the board certified for acupuncture by the American Traditional Chinese Medicine Association (NCCAOM). I also obtained an acupuncture license from the State Medical Board of Ohio. Read more>>
Lisa Bieznieks
One year into the start of making the pinecone flowers, I suddenly lost 80% of my vision in my right eye permanently overnight. It was a stroke in the optic nerve. I have now adjusted to the loss , and do the best I can. My husband Ron, helps me with the hardware and wood working part of the business. At shows, he will always be there as a constant support. Read more>>
Lisa DeJarnette
Throughout my journey of self-discovery, I made many mistakes, but I never stopped fighting to be seen and to find my purpose in life. I had a profound desire to love and be loved, but on the outside, I often appeared intense, emotional, and impulsive. Yet, I was also curious, empathic, persistent, and resilient—qualities that helped me navigate the adversities I faced, though I often felt alone along the way. Read more>>
Lisha Navarro
The Elite Event Co started long before it ever became a business. I’ve always lived in the world of marketing and branding, and for years I worked as a promotional model and brand rep;so I was constantly at events, talking to people, bringing products to life, and seeing what truly makes an experience unforgettable. Read more>>
Jessica Ramirez
I originally received my undergraduate degree in Marketing and worked in Sales for 7 years. After getting into a life changing car accident and receiving amazing care from doctors and nurses I decided I wanted to go back to school and pursue a degree in Nursing. I worked as a nurse for over 16 years. Read more>>
Kristen Miles, DVM
I graduated from The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2011 and began my career as a small animal general practitioner. For nine years, I worked in private practice, followed by a year in a corporate practice setting. In 2021, I transitioned to academia and joined the Frank Stanton Veterinary Spectrum of Care Clinic (SOCC) at OSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine. Read more>>
Jess Rickels
Hi, I am Jess Urban Rickels, the founder, owner & CEO of the Pet & Plant Nanny LLC, License & Insured. As a women owned small business, my mission is to ensure Happy Pets, Healthy Plants & Relaxed You! I love working with all animals; Dogs, cats, bunnies, rats, guinea pigs, birds, fish, snakes, lizards, etc. Read more>>
JEANIE MORELAND
We are celebrating our 50th year in business this year. I studied theatre and dance at Butler University and graduated from Eastern Ky University with a teaching degree in Speech & Drama. I opened my dance studio in 1976 and taught in the public schools for over 20 years in the areas of English, Speech, & Drama. Read more>>
Anna Strayer
Anna’s Animals began in the fall of 2019, just a few months after I graduated from Ohio University in their E.W. Scripps School of Journalism. I had spent that following summer pet sitting for friends and family, and not thinking much of it beyond enjoying time with animals. When my mom casually suggested, “You should start Anna’s Animals,” I laughed it off at first. Read more>>
Dawn Combs
We started a little over 20 years ago with the products I used to overcome my infertility diagnosis. In the beginning, almost everything we made was based in honey because we were herb and bee farmers. Because the kids were the reason we started, they were always involved in the business. Read more>>
Ross Kuhns
We purchased the Baileys Basecamp property in 2016 as a family hunting retreat. When we learned about the plans for the Baileys Trail System (88 miles of single-track trails)—and with the onset of COVID—I felt inspired to share this special place with others. Read more>>
Marissa Bales
I served in the social service field for nearly 10 years. I genuinely enjoyed helping others to become the best version of themselves. Having the honor to be part of the beauty in their stories is something I never took lightly. I switched to being a full-time photographer in 2023. Since then, I have been running my own LLC. Read more>>
JM Stover
Music has always played a huge part of my life. Being a child of the 1970s in Ohio left an imprint on all of us growing up in that time period. Personal influences came from multiple sources from older siblings to independent radio. Read more>>
Emily Householder Stacey
About 8 and half years ago my cousin had a destination wedding. I organized the travel for my family. At the time I was working a job that I was ready to move on from. I was trying to figure out what my next move would be. Read more>>
Jon Porter
When I was growing up I was always a fan of action movies, specifically with Jean Claude Van Damn and Jackie Chan. When I turned 14 I joined a summer martial arts and self defense program at Massillon Self Defense Academy. I was not expecting to immediately be hooked. For the next few years I trained and developed a true passion for martial arts. Read more>>
Kate Nagy
My name is Kate Nagy (she/her). I’m an experienced clinical counselor with over a decade in the helping professions. When I began this journey, it felt like planting tiny seeds and simply hoping they would grow.. When I look back, it feels as though this path began with a handful of small seeds—hopes, intentions, and meditation. Read more>>
Bri D.
It really depends on how far back you’d like to go. I feel like I’ve lived multiple lifetimes. I was raised by a single mother, and I have an older sister. As a child, we moved around a lot. I enjoyed studying and learning new things. I excelled in school, consistently made honor roll, and won awards for writing essays and art competitions. Read more>>
Jon Kapel
My story really starts with quitting a good job at the worst possible time. My wife was seven weeks away from having our first baby, I had just been given a raise, and on paper everything said “stay put.” But I wasn’t fulfilled, and I knew I wasn’t on the right path. Read more>>
Kim Tinsley
Jazzercise has been around for 55 years, and Jazzercise Loveland has been around for over 20 years. Read more>>
Angela Heimberger
Final location which was owned by my father Gene Heimberger used to be a department store , with a beautiful staircase, skylights upstairs and tin ceilings on both floors, Original floors creak as you walk around the huge recently renovated space and we have anything from flowers, plants, home decor, candles , antiques, clothing boutique and children’s section, There is something for everyone! With this being a vacation destination, we also have Bigfoot and local made items as well. Read more>>
Juston James
I was born on Friday, March 15th, 1991. And as I born into the world on that day, the gift, talent, and privilege of being a Filmmaker seemingly accompanied me into the world. Read more>>
George Erastus
Founded on Saturday, June 17, 2023, The Erastus Family Band started as George (dad) (at age 41) and his two sons: G.W. (at age 11) and Jude (at age 10) formed a band. As they began their musical journey together, they quickly discovered that they had a powerful and unique sound with a three-piece Power Trio, and they have been honing their craft ever since. Read more>>
Kenneth Jackson
I started as a part-time business, working evenings and weekends, with the intention of offering flexible and non-traditional hours.. As my brand grew, and I formed more relationships, I expanded to a full-time business earlier this year. I am constantly trying to build more relationships and become more established in the community. Read more>>
Kim Powers
After having two children and spending 11 years working in college athletics administration, I began my journey as an entreprenuer in 2016 when I opened Leeta Ruth Boutique. Growing a clothing boutique was an incredible experience and allowed me to learn so much about both founding and owning a business and about myself as a person. Read more>>
Adam Kody
As a former undergrad of Ohio University, I have always loved Athens and its committment to local food. But it wasn’t until I left that I discovered what ACEnet was, and realized there was one place acted as a community hub for all of the incredible entrepreneurial activity that happened in the Athens area. Read more>>
Amanda Adams
I first became interested in rescue in 2016 after losing my mother whom I had cared for full time through her illness. It was a total accident – I saw a Facebook post begging for fosters and the rest was history. Read more>>
Tom Davis
I grew up in Coshocton, Ohio, and started off on the saxophone in 6th grade. My band director, John Garren, taught the 3 saxes once per week in the janitor’s closet, and at another time during the week all of the band kids from all the local elementary schools would meet at the high school to play together. Mr. Read more>>
Pravesh Rai
North Hill Worship Church was founded in June 7, 2015 by two brothers and their families, Nar Rai and Khamba Rai. It started when they moved from Worcester, MA to Akron, OH looking for a more better and affordable life as they had just recently immigrated to the USA from the refugee camps of Nepal. Read more>>
Elena Gurvich
I came to the United States as a young woman with big dreams and very little else. I didn’t know exactly where life would take me, but I knew I wanted to build something of my own, something meaningful, something lasting, and something that would make my children proud. Read more>>
Tiffany McCann
It has always been my dream to have my own glassblowing hot shop, until one night it actually came to me in a dream “Athens is the place”. I started searching for a place and found the perfect location for this studio in Athens! It’s open air to the street, with ample space, and enough room for our gallery. Read more>>
Bryanna Bryan
My story definitely didn’t start in a way that would make anyone predict I’d become a therapist. I grew up in chaos; there wasn’t safety, structure, or really any adult guidance. By the time I was six, I was already using whatever substances were around me. From about eight to thirteen, my entire world revolved around survival: drugs, violence, and juvenile delinquency. Read more>>
Thalia Dorsten
I graduated from Ohio State in 2016 and went straight into physical therapy school at OU, graduating in 2019. I worked as a physical therapist at Ohio State Wexner Medical Center for five years, and from the outside, everything looked great. But internally, I was struggling. During grad school, I hit rock bottom. Read more>>
Jasmine Franklin
I’ve been in the shelter world for 14 years. I previously worked for Columbus Coalition for the Homeless. The City Council conducted its first pilot program for the winter season. This started on December 1st, 2022, and ended on March 31st, 2023, the pilot consisted of getting as many people as possible off the streets and into a warming center. Read more>>
Josh Lawson
I come from a blue-collar working-class family in central Appalachia. Most of my professional experience was confined to retail and labor until about seven years ago, when I left my job as a postal carrier for a temporary position as a community organizer working on a statewide ballot initiative dealing with the intersection of criminal justice reform and substance use disorder treatment. Read more>>
Jeff Patrick
Comic books have always played a huge role in my life. I grew up in rural Vinton County and was given my first comics at age three. Immediately, I became fascinated with the colorful characters and stories but didn’t start collecting them in earnest at about age ten. Read more>>
Mollie Lewis
I grew up in Louisville with a deep love for art, Kentucky, and the beverage alcohol industry. After studying at Parsons School of Design in New York, I spent my early career exploring the world through wine – from California’s Culinary Institute of America to several years in Italy managing international exports. Read more>>
Griset Damas Roche
I am Griset Damas- Roche professional Flamenco dancer. This coming January, we will be guest artists with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra. 
January 16 and 17 at 7:30 p.m. at the Ohio Theatre — Latin Rhythms and Hollywood Drama. Read more>>
DaVante Goins
From Youth Activism to Building a Black-Owned Digital Empire I’m DaVante’ Goins, also known as Black America’s Architect and Big Cuz, and my journey is really a story about recognizing pain and deciding to do something about it. It starts way back, and I think it’s important to trace it forward because everything I’m building today is rooted in who I was at fifteen. Read more>>
Brad Eickhoff
Long ago, in the quiet town of Morrow, Ohio, there lived a dreamer named Brad. For forty-seven years, he wandered through the world of entertainment, weaving joy into magic, laughter, and wonders. Yet deep within his heart, he carried a secret wish: to summon snow where none had fallen, to gift people the magic of winter even beneath the blazing sun. Read more>>
Jacqueline von Tesmar Cole Emde
Cole Emde Cole grew up in Rocky River, Cleveland and got a BFA at Colombia College Chicago. He moved to Brooklyn, NY in 2008 and worked as an art handler at MOMA and The Morgan Library. Cole met Jacqueline in Greenpoint, Brooklyn in 2009. In 2010, homebrewing beer became Cole’s passion. Read more>>
Tiffany Watson
My name is Tiffany Watson, and I am a dual-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner. My journey into healthcare began long before my degrees—I’ve always loved caring for others. I started my career as a registered nurse and spent many years working in surgical nursing, building a strong clinical foundation. Read more>>
Heather McKinnis
I actually found my way into the business world pretty unexpectedly. I have a degree in Communications, and before my husband and I started our family, I worked in the medical field, first as an office administrator and later as an admissions recruiter for a doctorate-level program. Read more>>
Carlos Crespo
Picture This Personalized Gifts & Engraving started in mid-2018 as a small mall kiosk in front of Things Remembered. Back then, we had just a photo mug press and a basic heat press for shirts. It was humble—just a few pieces of equipment, a tiny footprint, and a big dream to bring something unique and personal to shoppers. Read more>>
