Nashville’s Most Inspiring Stories

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.

Paige DeLozier

I started saying a little poem to her about love each day. About how the only expectation her dad and I have for her life is love. That each day she could recognize the love that is present in her life and show love to others. No career would matter quite as much as that. We don’t have these lofty hopes and dreams for her that she’d have to strive for. Just love. And that would be enough. Read more>>

Dan DeFigio

When I first started coaching nutrition, I assumed that educating people on the right foods to eat would be the primary focus. Boy was I wrong! I soon realized that emotional eating and sugar addiction were huge problems for people. Everyone pretty much knows how they should be eating, but they’re not doing it. I started learning WHY we have such reactive eating urges and compulsions towards foods that we know are no good for us. I started developing ways to help people with sugar cravings and stress eating, and began writing about it in magazines and online in the early days of the internet. Read more>>

Maecy Rayborn & Ciera Rowland

Everything came together quickly, but we knew in our hearts it was the right move. Now, almost a year later, our boutique has taken us on the most incredible journey—traveling to markets in New York, Las Vegas, Dallas, and Nashville, and participating in every pop-up opportunity we could find. Maecy and Ciera got engaged just one week apart in December, and planning our weddings side by side has made this season even more special. Being able to weave that joy into our business by creating our own bridal collection while we are both brides made it all the more memorable. One of our proudest moments has been serving as a vendor most weekends at Wanna Spoon Cereal Bar on 12th South in Nashville. Read more>>

Anna Skates

Of course there are struggles. But frankly, those struggles are primarily internal – my own lack of self-assurance, my fears around asking for help, my assumption that by presenting an offering is somehow a massive inconvenience to a potential customer. These are things that I think, on some level, every entrepreneur deals with at some point on their journey, particularly women. Part of the work on this path is shifting that internal narrative from “I’m in the way” to “I know the way!” I’m learning to trust myself and love what I have to say and how I’m moving about the world. It changes everything. Read more>>

Chad Truman (Wildwood) and Kate Miller (Wildwood)

Chad, a Nashville native who’s been a full-time musician for ten years, already had connections there and together, they hit the gas — and haven’t looked back since. Wildwood has headlined shows in over 20 cities across Utah and Idaho, and shared the stage with legends like Diamond Rio, Deana Carter, Colin Raye, and Billy Dean. Their debut single was a breakout success, earning them both an Artist Development Deal with Go Long Entertainment and a sponsorship with Teton Guitars. Even Dan + Shay couldn’t help but shout them out, saying: “Y’ALL ARE SO GOOOOD!” Read more>>

Tanya Godsey

As a Pastor’s daughter, born and raised in a Mexican American immigrant mission, I always had a sense of unlikeliness, so these huge open doors were most definitely unforeseen. After decades of writing, recording and touring I began to pursue a path of creative expansion as a published author. I released my first book, Befriending God (NavPress), in February of this year. This book is for anyone who has longed to feel a deeper, more personal, connection to God in a noisy, disconnected, transactional world. I also have plans to release new original music as a companion piece. Read more>>

Melanie Taylor-Alexander

In 2016, my family moved to Nashville from New Jersey seeking to establish roots and find our place—and we found just that in the welcoming community of Mt. Juliet. It feels good to be back in the South. I’m from Macon Georgia, a city rich in musical history—home to legends like Otis Redding, Little Richard, The Allman Brothers Band, and Jason Aldean. Growing up around that kind of creative legacy gave me a deep love for music and storytelling, which is why Nashville’s rhythm and culture felt like home from the start. Read more>>

Kyle Patton

Something Good – Another person who’s helped me out is Jack Sabbath. He’s about 10 years older than me and started a creative production company in Nashville called Something Good with me on the team as a videographer very early on. The flow of jobs, learning opportunities, and valuable connections from that group has not stopped, and I’m excited to continue my work with Jack and the rest of them. In June they’re taking me out to Charleston to stagehand and shoot the High Tide music festival. Read more>>

James Wolf

As a teenager, I became close friends with a girl named Sarah, who — along with her sister — had a nicer camera and loved taking portraits. We’d have fun photoshoots just for Instagram (complete with overly edited filters and peak-2016 captions, of course). Sarah eventually started doing senior photos for her friends, and I was inspired to give it a try too. I bought my first camera — a Canon T6i with a nifty fifty lens — with my own money off some random website. Every portrait photographer knows that setup! It wasn’t anything fancy, but it was what avalanched me into where I am today. Read more>>

She Shee (Caitlyn Foley

Way back I was drawn to the outdoors. As a little girl growing up, we traveled across America a few times. Throughout the years, I’ve learned to admire, explore, and appreciate our planet each day for how we see it. Fast forward to today, as an adventure creative outdoor brand photographer, my approach is to explore and help educate while connecting with my subjects through creative art, color, lighting, emotive visual storytelling, landscapes, and portraits. I aim to make you feel connected in the image, with the people, and our planet. Read more>>

Jessica Sloane

Even with years of experience, there’s always something to learn in the event industry! This job requires resilience. You have to be able to think on your feet and problem solve with a team of vendors. Unexpected things always come up — from weather challenges, animals in the wild (for outdoor events), to electricity going out, someone getting sick, rings getting lost, etc. Good planners have learned to handle the curve balls that are thrown their way,. While you can never plan for every single impact, you learn to prepare for what may come. After 15+ years of doing events, I have come across a lot of these situations and have many stories I could tell! Read more>>

Christine Dolan

While raising my three children, life took another creative turn. My eldest son showed exceptional promise as a guitar virtuoso, and my daughter trained as a classical vocalist under the guidance of Metropolitan Opera coach Judith Fredricks. Their talents pulled me into the entertainment world, and through connections in the Broadway community, I started writing and producing Off-Broadway–style dinner shows in Atlanta. My first production was a surprise hit—it sold out for nine straight months. Read more>>

Ally Free

Well lol my road has had some hazard signs, potholes, and its share of cracks. However, everything I’ve been through and that has tried to chip away at my foundation, has only turned things in my life into perfect little imperfections. I’ve dealt with addiction, the visceral pain of grief and loss, mental health, you name it. But I feel like that’s enabled me to see the world clearer and made my music become a safe space for others that want to/need to feel seen or heard. Read more>>

Josh Huisman

One evening my wife and I took a walk around the block and we prayed that whatever God wanted me to do, I would do it. Literally the next morning my mom called with an interesting question. She said, “I know you’re pursuing your dream in music, but our pastor asked me to call you to see if you’d be interested in becoming our church’s youth pastor.” I was shocked. I had been raised in church but the only experience I had with youth groups was visiting them when I was in FCA, and also performing concerts with my Christian band. But writing messages, walking with teenagers in their relationship with Christ? I didn’t know if I could do it. Read more>>

Christa Gooch

That night, I went home and shared my “adventure” with my parents. My dad told me about how he would go to the hardware store as a child. He described how the sales men behind the long counter would climb those same ladders to retrieve hardware and items from the shelves. He talked about walking across the street to the lumber yard and shopping for his clothing and shoes upstairs. M&H was more than just a hardware store—it was a one-stop shop for the community, even selling holiday decorations during Christmas. Read more>>

Abbey Bailey

And while I can’t tell you where that camera is now, I can tell you that it taught me some skills about putting different things in focus and how perspective can change what certain objects look like in pictures. I loved having the ability to capture memories. Whether it was taking silly pictures of my friends, mythical looking landscapes while traveling, or pictures of my dogs, I wanted to have a way to keep the things that are important to me in my life. As someone who plans on going into the film industry, it seemed like photography was a stepping stone for where my heart really lies. Read more>>

Caitlyn Knowles

During my Freshman and Sophomore year, I also taught weekly open classes at Millennium Dance Complex: Nashville and worked a few other side gigs to make ends meet. This past year, I’ve had the incredible opportunity to study and work in both New York and Los Angeles through the Belmont USA program, and I am currently back in Nashville to finish my Bachelors Degree. During my travels, I have been able to join several training programs, build incredible connections, and gain hands-on experience with live sets. It was truly a game changer for me, and I have a clearer perspective of what I want my future in the arts to look like. Read more>>

Matt Laurence

There’s been a lot of challenges and sacrifices in the beginning, and especially after my move to Nashville. I’d say the biggest challenge for me at the very beginning was not knowing how to get involved in the industry. I spent thousand of hours playing guitar before I met anyone who performed full-time, I didn’t know anybody that I was doing what I wanted to – but it’s not so much of a thing now with online communities. But for the most part, I really wasn’t around the music industry at all until I moved to Nashville. Read more>>

Taffeta Chime

I spent a day touring the facility and speaking to various representatives in different departments, one of whom was a sales rep who asked me about Christopher Paolini–one of the young authors I had read. His first book contract was apparently through LSI, then when he sold ten thousand copies through retail, Simon & Schuster bought him out, and now he’s a career-level author. My eyes lit up. Now, not only did I enjoy this, not only was I good at it, but maybe I could actually make it my career too. My first novel, Stoodie, was self-published and printed by LSI in 2007. Read more>>

Ashley Barron

She’s come a long way from singing in her bedroom and participating in high school choir and music lessons in her hometown of Sacramento, California. After declining acceptance into the University of Arizona, she chose to pursue her dream—a career in country music—and vigorously began recording and performing. When it comes to her fans, Barron is an open book. In her music and as a writer, she is committed to being vulnerable and sharing her story, regardless of how painful. “I was taught to never give up, and if I can help someone push through a rough time, then I’m sharing my story.” Read more>>

Natalie Otto

I have always loved music. I grew up listening to my grandfather play the piano, and I remember sitting with him on the bench, completely mesmerized as I watched his fingers move so quickly up and down the keys. He was an amazing pianist, but I guess I never put two and two together when I was younger that having a career in the music industry was actually possible. I thought you had to sit at a desk, working the 9-5 grind. Read more>>

Mabel Vasallo

If you were to ask me if I have always been a photographer, I would answer yes. I never had much in life, but I have always been artistic. It was a way to escape the cruel world at times. When I was about 15 years old, I was handed down a little old camera my parents used to document times in our lives and soon enough they let me keep it. I took it EVERYWHERE. In these high school days, I would capture my friends and start ‘editing’. Editing back then was very different than it is today, but it was so fun to play around with filters, stickers, different effects, etc. Read more>>

Erin Hendley

F.A.C.E. takes inspiration from the durability and craftsmanship of vintage beauty packaging. We source period compacts and refurbish their interiors to accommodate new, refillable products. This fusion of the cosmetic past and present results in timeless keepsakes and art pieces. Clients relish the experience of selecting a unique compact and customizing it with their choice of eye, cheek, or face powder colors. Read more>>

Edward Morales

Growing up in a foster home after losing my grandparents was a crucible that forged my resilience and determination. Those early hardships taught me to persevere through life’s toughest challenges, instilling a deep-seated belief in the power of never giving up. My professional journey as a performer in the entertainment industry further shaped me, giving me an intimate understanding of production and the intricate details required to create something unforgettable. Life’s inevitable ups and downs have only fueled my drive, transforming trials into a fire that ignites my ambition. Despite the rocky road, my unwavering commitment to excellence ensures that I pour everything into making my business not just successful, but truly spectacular. Read more>>

Alex Reverberi

Then the streaming industry arrived in the early 2000s, and the record industry was decimated. With the fall of physical CD and vinyl sales, record labels had to restructure their business model. The big budgets were gone, recording studios were closing down left and right. So I found myself drifting out of the mainstream industry and having to start almost from scratch. I set up a makeshift studio in a spare room of my rented house and continued working on whatever projects that came my way while juggling regular jobs to pay bills. Read more>>

Ashley Florence

As I entered college, my focus shifted and I began to branch into weddings. That transition came naturally, as I found myself increasingly drawn to the real, fleeting, emotional moments that unfold during life’s biggest celebrations. In 2022, I married my husband, who was stationed in Japan with the military. We spent the next two years mostly apart—navigating long-distance marriage, supporting his transition out of service, and prioritizing the foundation of our future family. Those years deepened my appreciation for time, for sacrifice, and for the beauty in everyday connection. Read more>>

Andrew McFadyen-Ketchum

I wrote my first poem at 14 while working at the Produce Place, a neighborhood health food market in Sylvan Park before it became Sylvan Park. I’d just gotten caught smoking behind the store and was making right by cleaning up under the corn bin where stray tomatoes and bell peppers were turning to goo. I was fishing an apple out with a push broom when a fly-infested ear of corn wobbled out and, with it, a voice, otherworldly and beautiful, said: “What if I were this rotten ear of corn?” That absurd, vivid line became my beginning. Read more>>

Erin Myers

A set of parents brought their 9 year old daughter with scoliosis to me. I was able to reduce their daughter’s major curve by about 10° in the first six months. The parents said they would do anything for me to aid her in helping their daughter. Luckily, the parents worked at a prestigious university, and I told them I wanted research. They showed up at their daughter’s next lesson with a thumb drive packed full every available research article up to that point with the word “scoliosis” in it. Read more>>

Logan Barnhill

I’ve been in plenty of bands, shared the stage with some notable artists, and have traveled the country with a slew of ‘close calls’. The industry has changed as much as I have over the years, but the one thing that has always stayed the same is my approach to songwriting. It’s simple at its core, just me and my guitar, and that’s just how I like it. My newest project, Woolsey, utilizes that same approach. We are a roots revival group consisting of solely original material. We debuted on air on 103.5fm on Heartland Sessions. I have Abe Calixto on bass and Lori Cummins on mandolin and harmonica. I Can’t wait to take this act on the road and embrace the next step in my career. Read more>>

Alexis Johnson

My Siblings came outside, and theirs too, and I just remember having so much fun and looking at the photos, and feeling satisfied. This evolved to having actual mini sessions with Valorie and Christian, and some with their siblings around the town and random spots we find. I started posting these photos on Instagram around the same time and not really expecting much, just saying that I take photos and to message me I they needed any photos. Read more>>

Bailey Rankin Barclay

I made over their entire house, one DIY project at a time. After investing in a few power tools and a really expensive photoshoot, I walked away with almost no profit, but had enough high-quality content to impress someone (hopefully). The problem was I didn’t know ANYONE in this industry. I could call up 50 guitar players, but not a single contact in my phone was someone in the interior design space. I had a website, but no potential clients. At least I would still have my music career once the pandemic was over, right? Read more>>

Fleur Childs

I started The Artful Bachelorette back in Brooklyn when I was new to America—pretty fresh off the boat from Australia, as we say. One of my American girlfriends was getting married and had no idea what to do for her bachelorette party. I said, “Well, obviously… draw the hot nude dude!” And she just stared at me and said, “Wait—what is that?” And I was like, “What do you mean, what is that?!” Read more>>

Elisabeth Marsch

Unfortunately, it’s incredibly hard to make a living as an artist. Small businesses are already difficult with high overhead, small teams, and heavy self-employment taxes. And a greater issue is that everyday people in America often don’t feel welcome in fine art circles AND don’t invest their money in fine art. It’s a vicious cycle. So it takes an incredible amount of networking, promotion, and public education to get your work out there and to encourage people that art can and should be a part of their lives. For every one amazing client who values your work and pays for it, there are hundreds who ignore it and dozens who admire it but never buy anything. Read more>>

Olin Wallace

I grew up in a small town in Minnesota called Orr. I have always had a passion for music l, but initially never saw my self as an artist. I moved to Nashville in 2016 to pursue a career in audio engineering and in late 2019 found my self on stage instead of back stage and never looked back from there. Read more>>