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.
Sarah Atenhan
I spent the early part of my dance career trying to match my peers, pushing my body’s limits for performance. By 30, I had accepted that I had failed—not for lack of talent, but because I was in a constant state of unwell. My loose joints were painfully unstable, and I couldn’t recover from long rehearsals. My conditions were disabling, and no choreographer or doctor could understand or accommodate them. Read more>>
Braden Detelich
On the athletic side, that perseverance led to becoming a World and National Champion, competing as a Division I athlete, and forming lifelong friendships that remain central to who I am. Those experiences instilled discipline, resilience, and a competitive mindset that continues to influence everything I do. Read more>>
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Brandi Jack
Another marriage, another child, another divorce, I found myself single parenting again. But something had shifted. Parenting wasn’t new anymore. I had systems, experience, a little breathing room. I found my way into education, earned a master’s degree while teaching and bartending, and finally reached financial stability. Read more>>
Jacqueline Hayes
The goal of the blog was to share practical, free small business marketing tips. A close friend and mentor saw something more and encouraged me to turn it into a business. At the time, I was looking for employment and thought building something tangible would help showcase my experience. When a friend paid me $250 to create an email marketing campaign for his business, everything clicked. Read more>>
Hailey Rowe-Mabee
Me (Hailey) and my partner Kathryn Archer met in grad school for clinical mental health counseling and bonded over our passion for our careers, ethics, values, and love for autonomy. Once we both were licensed, we made the decision to start our own therapy practice in East Nashville. We wanted to create a space for all types of clients to feel safe. Read more>>
Donna Hartley Lucas
I created Gallatin Ghost Walk in 2005 as an entertaining way to tell the history of Sumner County: through its legend and lore….and ghost stories. Lots of ghost stories. Read more>>
Joshua Kurtz
The opening of my perspective to look at global issues began in a World History class I took when I was a junior at Bethel University in St. Paul, MN. Looking at the injustices carried out during the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia sparked a conviction to be part of addressing injustices in our world. Read more>>
Kimberly Robinson
I have loved the energy and vibes of a good group fitness class since I was in highschool! I would go to Pilates at the community center with my mom and then in college they had the best classes at the fitness center. I had also dabbled in CrossFit for several years. But I was looking for something different…. Read more>>
Katie Rice
I’ve always been a collector of objects and stories. I grew up thrifting and going to garage sales, drawn to pieces that felt like they had a life before me. I studied graphic design in London, where my eye for composition and storytelling really sharpened and began collecting furniture that had been abandoned on the street and restoring them piece by piece. Read more>>
Molly Steen
I am a middle Tennessee native and have lived here all my life. I grew up in Franklin and have lived in Murfreesboro for 15 years now. Everything I do, from my art, to hosting gatherings, comes back to my two core values: community and connection. Most of my community building experience stems from my time as a store manager at Starbucks. Read more>>
Kevin Young
I am a dual board-certified invasive cardiologist with more than 21 years of clinical experience. A Nashville native, I previously practiced at both Saint Thomas Heart and Vanderbilt Heart, where I cared for a wide spectrum of patients with complex cardiovascular disease. In May 2025, I founded Tennessee’s first concierge cardiology practice, Young Heart Group. Read more>>
Kelsie McDuffie
My marketing agency started like many businesses do — as a side gig. I was working full-time in the music industry here in Nashville (running digital marketing at The Ryman and serving as Marketing Manager at ADAM Audio). Read more>>
Fab Fernandez
My wife Karen and I were looking for a business where we could work side by side — something meaningful that allowed us to help people while also reflecting our values and interests. We’ve always been dog people. Read more>>
Gursharan singh
Sarabhas Creamery was founded by me and my wife with a simple mission to bring authentic Indian-style ice cream and handcrafted chai into a modern café experience in the U.S. What began as a passion for traditional flavors like saffron, pistachio, cardamom, and rose has grown into one of Nashville’s most loved dessert destinations. Read more>>
Chris Warren
The First Cumberland Presbyterian Church was founded in 1859 on the town square in Murfreesboro. The original building was used as a hospital during the Civil War. Over the course of time the church has moved twice and now is located at the corner of East Main Street and Bilbro Ave. in Murfreesboro. Read more>>
Deana Taylor
Serenity salt cave was the first Salt therapy in Tennessee. We opened in October of 2012 Add our current Nolensville location. We opened a second location in Murfreesboro 3 years later. We started looking into salt therapy After a family member had gotten sick with cancer and was going through salt treatments where she was from. Read more>>
Dawn Walker
Opening Twisted Fork has been a dream built on a lifelong love of food, community, and hospitality. A year ago, my partner Mark Yarbrough and I set out to create a place in Pleasant View where people could gather around meals that feel both comforting and fresh. Read more>>
CUE Artist Agency
We’re CUE Artist Agency, and the business really started with a simple gap we kept seeing: great events were being held back by slow, messy booking. So we built a Nashville-based DJ booking agency designed to make talent booking fast, reliable, and professional—connecting event planners, venues, and promoters with elite, touring-ready DJs across EDM, house, techno, hip-hop, and country-EDM fusion. Read more>>
Caleb Balas
I started painting at age 17. As a young musician in Ohio, I wanted flexibility while I figured out what I truly wanted to pursue. I worked with a local painting company there, and when I moved to Nashville at 22, painting continued to be a reliable way to bring in income between gigs and studio time. Read more>>
Ryan Stephens
We are a true custom home builder. We have been in business since 2005. We specialize in partnering with our customers to assist them with their project from start to finish. We can build any style, design, finish of product, and do it on any setting that’s desired by our customers. Read more>>
Dr. Jaime Loeffel
I attended physical therapy school in the late 1990s when pelvic health and the pelvic floor were not part of the curriculum. My interest in pelvic health began after my first pregnancy in 2005 and grew after my second, as I recognized how limited the overall understanding of the hips and pelvis was among many physical therapists, including myself at the time. Read more>>
Carolyn Pendleton
As a devoted candle enthusiast who often spent generously on candles, one day while shopping at Whole Foods, I picked up a container of beeswax and thought, Maybe I can make my own candles. With lemons already in hand, I added some essential oils to the mix—an impulse that pushed me $22 over my weekly grocery budget. Read more>>
Kristen Pugh
Photography actually entered my life in a very unexpected way. When I was in high school, my car was involved in a small fender bender, and instead of using the insurance money in a typical way, my dad surprised me with my first camera. I took that camera everywhere. Read more>>
Jonathan Quiros
We met at a few Jazz Jam Nights around the city at the tail end of 2022. Read more>>
Allyson Trull
I found my way into the hotel industry somewhat unexpectedly. While being medically discharged from the United States Marine Corps due to an injury, I was placed in a temporary role where I managed the barracks while awaiting a final determination on my ability to return to duty. Read more>>
Kristy Abraham
When I was seven years old, I told my mom that I wanted to be a mother like her, a farmer, and a starving artist, so be careful what you wish for! I went on to having three incredible daughters, a successful art career (with seasons of “feast or famine”), and raising chickens in my studio… so I’ve never been starving! Read more>>
Holly Tabb
I began my journey at (formerly Muletown Barre and Karis Fitness) now Exhale Fitness Studio about nine years ago as a client. I quickly fell in love with the BarreAmped method and the sense of community it created. At that time, the schedule primarily offered BarreAmped Foundations classes to start — a full-body, 45-minute workout focused on building strength for everyday life. Read more>>
Wendy Thacker
In 2016, we enrolled our daughter Ruby in a dance class when she turned three. She completed the year and seemed to enjoy the experience. However, the gym hosting her class eventually closed. Read more>>
Sally Ann Eddmenson
As a Brit now living in Nashville, this is the third continent I have called home. I moved here after fifteen years in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, so navigating change and uncertainty is not just something I coach, it is something I have lived. Those years abroad shaped what sits at the heart of my work today: connection. Read more>>
Bea Robinson
Never in a million years I would guess that this industry would grow the way it did: I started in Campinas, second biggest city in Sao Paulo State in Brazil in 2000. There were few of us offering this service. Very few people could afford and I was located in a very high end part of town. The beginning of my journey wasn’t very easy. Read more>>
coumba sow Palmer
I started my business from a very personal experience. I struggled with eczema and acne, which pushed me to search for natural solutions. A friend recommended African products, and after using them, I saw real improvements. That experience sparked something in me. I initially tried to collaborate with an existing company but was turned down. Instead of discouraging me, that rejection became my motivation. Read more>>
Karina Alonso
in 2016 my husband, Moises Mota and I decided to start our own business. We got inspired from my dad who was in that profession in Mexico in the 1980. we also traveled to Chicago often and we would always visit their ice cream shops which also inspired us. Read more>>
Shellie Blanks Cimarosti
Hello. I have been a woman-owned small business here in Franklin, Tn. since 2012. I originally opened a fitness studio, Team Tae Bo Fitness, Franklin Tn. on HWY 96 in November of 2012. I moved to my current location, TOA Sports Performance Center, in 2019. This year we will celebrate 14 yearas of serving the people of Franklin, Tn. Read more>>
Brad Russell
I am 58 years old, and I served in ministry as a worship pastor for 30 years in churches around the Southeast. My wife, Sonya, and I were serving at our home church in central Arkansas, a huge church, close to family. We thought we were there to stay, but during COVID we sensed God stirring our hearts to dream for a new season. Read more>>
Megan Lacy
My love of photography started back in high school yearbook class. It was my first taste of photographing people with intention, and by senior year, I was an editor. Read more>>
Kailee Morris
I grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia with a camera always in my hand. Documenting my family (especially my two younger sisters) during special occasions or just simply day to day, I fell in love with capturing our memories. It’s funny when you realize something that I just did every day was very clearly what I was always meant to do. Read more>>
Zach Harrison
At the age of 7 my mother purchased a disposable film camera for me. Then I wanted another one once finished with that. And then another. So soon she purchased a Nikon 35mm point and shoot. From that point I never point it down. Always photographing something. Read more>>
janki patel
My name is Janki Patel. I moved to Nashville in 2009 and got my first job as a teacher in MNPS. I quickly began to explore private schools and began my job as an educator at University School of Nashville from 2010-2015. Over the summer, I taught an ACT camp there. Read more>>
vall & ande vallaster & chambers
The two of us have been working with each other since 2012. Both of us had similar careers up to the point we’d met; learning the craft in not-so-good conditions and environments. Having that in common, in addition to similarities in art, approach, and drive to create, the friendship was easy. Read more>>
Marc Grimaldi
My name is Marc Grimaldi and I am a pastor of Sovereign Grace Church of Middle Tennessee. The church was started about nine years ago. After pastoring a church in New York for sixteen years, I moved here in 2021 to serve as a pastor here. We are a reformed baptist church and we hold to the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith. Read more>>
Ashley Robinson
My journey started on the golf course. I played collegiate golf at Jacksonville State University, and while I didn’t know it at the time, the discipline and strategy I learned on the golf course was the perfect foundation for entrepreneurship. I spent years cutting my teeth in account management within the automotive and cabinet industries. The real ‘aha’ moment came in 2019. Read more>>
Flower Girls Floral Design
Our story actually begins when we were college roommates! We never dreamed then that we would have a successful floral business, but life is funny sometimes. We started Flower Girls Floral Design in 2018. Read more>>
Chloe Gunther
I have always been creative-minded and loved playing dress-up and doing photoshoots as a kid. I loved looking through the latest fashion magazines and making collages from the images. I always wanted to get into photography but never had the courage to pick up a camera and make the investment. Read more>>
Breanna Davis
For as long as I can remember I have loved baking for others, don’t get me wrong i also love eating it too. But the joy that food brings to others is why I love baking. As a child my mom always brought the desserts to every family event and I always loved helping her bake them. Read more>>
Mary Carter-Orbke
When I was in undergrad, I discovered that the sweet, gentle girl in the dorm room across the hall from me was self-harming by cutting when no one was around. I was stunned! I felt so moved, and so sad for her. Read more>>
Josie Crews
I’ve always had a natural—I believe God-given—gift for the arts for as long as I can remember. My primary focus is mural art, though I dabbled in every kind of creativity while growing up: sketching, canvas painting, window art, live painting, wood painting, foam art, photography, logo design, and t-shirt graphic design. Read more>>
Kim Crosbie
I didn’t set out to build a wellness brand. Nashville Wellness Club really grew out of my own life and the relationships around me. I’ve always been drawn to community, connection, and taking care of people, especially in seasons when life feels busy, overwhelming, or transitional. Over time, I noticed how fragmented wellness can feel. Read more>>
C.M. James
Well, where do I start? This is a follow up from my last article just a year ago in the Voyager. So much has happened. I started as C.M. James, an author focused on storytelling. Writing was my foundation. I built C.M. James Writes Publishing to help other creators publish and control their own narratives. Read more>>
Reggie Patton
I started performing home inspections in 2004. After 20 plus years in the home inspection business, I have seen many changes in the industry and the greater Nashville community. Premier Home Inspection is considered a leading inspection company in the greater Nashville real estate community. We strive to provide top notch home inspection related services to our valued clients. Read more>>
Kristen Hobbs
I started with AvantStay 3 years ago, as a Field Operations Agent. This was an entry level position where I was going into our properties inspecting, onboarding, dropping items off to guests, etc. We only had 45 homes in Nashville at the time. Read more>>
Chris Whitney
We moved to Franklin, TN in July of 2004 to plant a church. We did not know a soul in Franklin and had no financial support. As I was praying one day the phrase One Generation Away dropped in heart and I reserved the domain name. I had no idea what it would be but I had a name. Read more>>
Jazz Byers
During one of those tours, I met an A&R rep from Columbia Records. He suggested I move to Minneapolis to pursue music more seriously. I did and I ended up touring as a guitarist for one of Columbia’s signed bands. When the record deal fell apart, I left Minneapolis and moved back to Pittsburgh. Read more>>
Daniel Champa
In the past 20 years, I was able to obtain an Amateur Muay Thai record of 7-3 with 2 Knockouts, win the Battle of Olympus Amateur Middleweight Tournament Championship Belt, and train with a UFC #1 Contender, a Glory Lightweight Kickboxing Champion, WBC Muay Thai Champions, & IFMA Gold Medalists. I also had the opportunity to train with decorated Muay Thai trainers (Thai & Non-Thai) as well as train Muay Thai in Bangkok, Thailand. Read more>>
Gillian Arnold Atlas
Woman television directors were so rare they were almost mythical. No one I knew had ever seen one! Life intervened early. I became a teenage mother and developed an alcohol problem. The path ahead narrowed quickly, at least in they eyes of others. But underneath the chaos, something in me stayed intact. I always believed I had nothing to lose, and that belief gave me a strange kind of courage. Read more>>
Erin Sevigny
I started my career in Dermatology, was doing that for 14 years and always wanted to open my own place. I loved how I could help people with their skin journey. I found this historic house 3 years ago and knew it was the exact place to start Franklin Skin Studio. Read more>>
