The Change-Makers: stories that inspire

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.

LYDIA RANDALL

While I was in college getting my undergraduate degrees in Sociology and Women’s Studies I worked in hospitality. I worked at a coffeehouse that was a third space and that is what inspired me to create my own. Lydia’s on Garfield, formerly Lydia’s on Ludlow. Read more>>

Tom Gerberich

My wife and I started attending H2O Church in 2019. We fell in love with the culture at H2O and the desire to see more people come to know Jesus, especially the students on the campus of Bowling Green State University. After spending a year attending the church, I joined the staff team in the fall of 2020. Read more>>

Susan/John O’Leary

Wadsworth Music was originally established in 1995. John and I rescued the store from closure in the summer of 2002. At the time, my husband John was a painting contractor and guitar teacher at the shop. When the previous owner announced plans to close, we saw the store’s potential and decided to take the leap. Read more>>

Hayden Meisberger

It all started back in 2020, I was 16 and a sophomore in High school. A local farmer friend came to me and presented the idea of metal polishing, mostly focusing on semis. Read more>>

Ruth-Ann Thompson

My life has been filled with grief … and yet that has been the very thing that spurred me into action. It is vital to me that people understand that they belong, that their emotional pain can be managed and that they can thrive in the center of heartbreak. Read more>>

Quaneshia Flemming

I started Quan’s House in August 2022, a Qualified Residential Treatment Program (QRTP) designed to provide a safe, structured, and trauma-informed residential environment for youth in need of stability and support. This was a vision that had been on my heart for years. Read more>>

Beverly Corsmeier

I grew up in the 80’s fitness craze, but for me, health was never just a trend. It became personal early. When I was 16, my father died suddenly of a massive heart attack. He was only 48. That kind of loss changes you. Read more>>

Erin & Austin Hill

Austin and I started out in the hospitality industry over 10 years ago! We both started bartending at a restaurant in our small beach town in New Jersey, and when we moved to Colorado and started our 9-5’s, we found ourselves missing the energy of those busy summer months. Read more>>

Mica Campbell

I grew up in Kent, Ohio, and went to Kent State University. After graduation, I moved away and spent time in New York City before settling in Los Angeles for about 15 years. We came back to Ohio about 3 years ago and I was excited to find such a charming town and welcoming community in Hudson. Read more>>

Cory Hall

Started as a vehicle for side freelance work and to share my creative passion projects. Over time, those passions turned into meeting client needs and has slowly evolved into the an extension of me – all the things that I am into. All while allowing me to help out organizations like churches, schools, and more in my local community. Read more>>

Laurie Reagan

I hold a degree in Mass Communications from Miami University and have used my communication skills throughout my career to impact learning and organizational change I began my professional career as an instructional designer for global consulting firms GP Strategies and CAP Gemini. I spent more than 20 years in the adult learning and process development field. Read more>>

Dena Scott

I grew up in a small rural town where life was simple, resources were limited, and creativity became my greatest escape. With big dreams and a sketchbook full of hope, I left for the city determined to build something meaningful. For more than two decades, I built a successful career in the corporate world, earning a reputation for creative leadership and bringing people together. Read more>>

Camelia Pritchett

My story honestly starts with adversity, but it didn’t end there. I grew up in foster care, experienced abuse, battled addiction, and was even incarcerated at one point. I was also born with a club foot, so from day one I’ve understood what it feels like to face physical and emotional challenges. Being a single mother has shaped me as well. Read more>>

Linda Donaldson

I have been a science teacher, a rubber stamp maker, a librarian – and after all that fell through I decided all that was left was my hobby, printing. Portsmouth had some print shops, but no ‘quick copy’ shops. My best friends were the local Xerox dealers, so I decided to use their services and go into business for myself, by myself. Read more>>

Theresa Secor

I have always been someone that has been active – softball, volleyball, running, hiking, kayaking, etc. It wasn’t until I was listening to others talk about getting a personal trainer, and the changes they were seeing, that I had even the smallest thought of getting a personal trainer myself. Read more>>

Nick Hartley

After many years working in retail, I made the scary decision to go back to college for a degree in sustainable horticulture. It was a complete change of direction, but I knew I wanted a career that felt meaningful and connected to the land. Read more>>

LaShell Dauterman

A Brief History of the Dayton Autism Society The Dayton Autism Society was founded with a simple but powerful mission: to ensure that individuals with autism and their families in the Miami Valley have access to support, understanding, and opportunity. Read more>>

Roger Adams, Ph.D.

I’m originally from the small West Texas town of Post, Texas, and my interest in health and nutrition started early, but my career didn’t begin there. I actually took a very different path at first, earning my bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Southern Methodist University and working briefly as a computer network consultant. Read more>>

Kelly Brewer

Opened in late 2017, with the intent that we were tired of eating donuts loaded with preservatives and processed ingredients, so we began our journey by visiting craft donut shops all over the US, as well as reaching out to ones that we wanted to emulate and learn from.. Read more>>

Carter & Will Morris & Rubert

Carter Morris, originally from Hudson, Ohio, arrived at Kent State University in 2022 to study architecture as a freshman. Searching for community early in college, he joined Sigma Chi, a decision that unexpectedly introduced him to the world of DJ culture. Through the fraternity, he met his big brother Cam Dixon, a well-known DJ across campus who was regularly performing at major student venues. Read more>>

Michael Cross

My journey into entrepreneurship started the same way many great construction careers do—on the job, learning by doing. I began working with my hands early, building real-world skills in remodeling, repairs, and finish work, and I quickly learned that the difference between “good” and “great” isn’t just craftsmanship—it’s consistency, communication, and character. Read more>>

Caroline Dillabaugh

After graduating college with a degree in business administration with a focus on small business entrepreneurship, I moved to Cleveland to start working in restaurants. I worked my way through ever front of house and back of house position and spend time as a event planner for social events in Cleveland. Read more>>

Megan Overholser

I started back in the class of 2010 at The Institute of Therapeutic Massage in Lima Ohio and went to work in Columbus for 10 years. Deciding to go out on my own was a huge step but wanted a change. Wanting to create my own hours so I can have a good work/home life balance while still creating great tailored massages for clients. Read more>>

Kelly Savage

I’ve always loved writing, ever since I was a little girl. I had dreams of living my own ‘Almost Famous’ live telling stories about the music industry. But as print journalism and the music world both began to shift significantly, social media made its way into my life. Read more>>

Shelby Nicoletti-Bachnicki

In 2011, fresh out of high school, I took a leap into the beauty industry with nothing but a dream and determination. I became a licensed cosmetologist and esthetician, knowing deep down that this wasn’t just about hair or skin — it was about confidence. It was about how women feel when they look in the mirror. Read more>>

Roxanne Grooms

Artistically driven, after high school I took a job in the military as an illustrator, illustrating training handbooks of maps, uniforms, ranks and insignias for US Army troops in the field. Read more>>

Amr Abouelhana

I grew up in an entrepreneurial family, so building businesses was part of my life from the very beginning. When I was five years old, my father started with an ice-cream truck. Over time, that small venture evolved into a car dealership. Along the way, our family also invested in real estate — buying, renovating, and renting homes. Read more>>

Lily Clark

Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to be a photographer. I used to make my friends and siblings do photoshoots with me all the time. It was always a dream of mine, but for a long time I thought it would just stay that, just a dream. Read more>>

Nick Miller

I have been in the roofing industry for 6 years when I started the company in 2020. I started the company with myself and a check for 10k to turn it into what we have is a great accomplishment for myself personally and our A1 Family. Read more>>

Heather James

I started off as a missionary counselor overseas (I was a non-professional faith based counselor at the time which is not a liscenced position). However, when faced with a mental health situation that neither I nor anyone else in the area was experienced to deal with, I decided it was time to return to the USA for more training. Read more>>

Mandy Roma

I started in the hair industry 25 years ago and loved everything about it and still do. I have always loved the connection with my clients. I love how I get to make them feel, the intimate conversations we get to have, the Trust they have in me and I have in them. They become family. Read more>>

Haley Fannin

From backyard garden activities with our mom, to our roles in out-of-state family weddings where we earned our nick-name “The Ohio Flower Girls”, to our own weddings, flowers have long been a part of meaningful experiences in our lives. And since Hannah began selling flowers roadside in 2016, flowers have taken on even more significance in our lives as our small farmer-florist business has evolved. Read more>>

Yash Kishinchand

I grew up surrounded by food. My mom was always cooking, and the Food Network was constantly on in the background, so it felt like fate that I would become a chef. Read more>>