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.

Shuteye

Formed in Nashville, Tenn., we started Shuteye as a hail mary. After years of solo work underscored by addiction and burnout, Jake Marcov (vox and guitar) was ready to quit music altogether before getting sober and putting out one final call for bandmates. The first to answer was Aidan Sloppy (bass) in 2023. Then came Zach Cardenas (drums) and Anthony De La Rosa (guitar)—the result: a gritty, working class sound built on connection and controlled chaos. Read more>>

Jacob Bushey

I’ve always been drawn to creative work, though my path hasn’t been a straight one. I started out in professional graphic design and photography, building visual identities and marketing campaigns for a wide range of clients. Over the years, my work was published by outlets like ABC News and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and I had the opportunity to create for major brands such as Target, Wayfair, and Home Depot. That experience taught me how to tell a story visually, manage high-pressure deadlines, and collaborate with clients and vendors at every scale. Read more>>

Paul WInkler

I spoke to a local program director about my experience and was offered a radio show with a big local station and things took off from there. My idea was to teach what I had learned and simplify it for the masses. If people heard it, I believed they would beat a path to my door. Little did I know how true that was. I found that people were hungry for something different than they were getting at their employer retirement plan meetings, from their bankers, insurance agents or local financial planning offices. Now we have ten offices in middle Tennessee and we are still growing fast. Read more>>

Levi Ismail

Early on, it was all about translating headlines for my mother. Now, years later, I’m doing the same for people I’ve never even met. It’s a job I never thought would be possible for an immigrant from South Sudan who couldn’t speak English at the time—but thankfully, I had help. Teachers, counselors, my family, they all saw something in me and made sure a language barrier wouldn’t get in the way. Read more>>

Matt West

Yet, when problems arose, I taught her how to treat me. Granted the problems were for mild stuff like increased hematocrit, but I had researched and learned by increasing dosing frequency from 2 times a week to 3 times we can mitigate the increase. That is when I knew that I needed to start my own local clinic with competitive pricing and bring my knowledge to as many men and women as possible. That is how Spartan Elite was born. Prior to being a nurse practitioner I was a registered nurse in the cardiovascular ICU for almost 7 years. Read more>>

Rachel Gray Heiser Alexandra Sharp

From then on, we dedicated our working hours to our corporate job, and every other spare minute on developing our agency. It took us a while to land on a name and brand, but around May of 2024 we had launched an Instagram and began outreach for our first client. Pheme Marketing was officially born, and we were finally taking a chance on ourselves. By August 2024, both of us were able to leave corporate America and pursue our agency full time. We’re now over a year into business and loving every minute of it. Read more>>

Meg Healy

I have been amazed by how welcoming people in the Nashville community have been, and how excited they are to meet with me and discuss making this business into something that has a large impact. I have been able to collaborate with experts in both the fields of psychology and interior design, which has been incredibly inspiring to me on this journey. Choosing to leave my job in education was a difficult decision, but knowing that I will continue to work with the families and students similar to those I taught has helped me push forward with my vision of designing spaces that support everyone. Read more>>

Tyler Horne

BareSöl Spice Company really grew out of a lifelong passion for cooking that started when I was just six. My father worked in the restaurant industry, and I grew up around soul food and Southern cooking, always wanting to share that love with others. When my wife was pregnant with our third child, she was diagnosed with gestational hypertension and gestational diabetes, and that was a turning point. We realized we needed to keep our meals healthy without losing those comforting, soulful flavors. Read more>>

September Salazar

I began piano lessons when I was 5 years old. I had the best teacher ever- Deb Fields! She gave me the opportunity to start teaching when I was about 13 years old and I loved it. After graduating from college, I came back to the middle TN area, got married, had kids and decided that teaching private piano lessons was a perfect thing while raising my family. I maintained a small studio during their growing years and then four years ago, I took a hiatus from teaching. I missed it so much that I decided to start the studio back up again for just a few students one day a week. Coming back after a break was so beneficial to me because I had a new perspective, almost like a breath of fresh air and the studio is now growing by leaps and bounds! Read more>>

Carrie Bock

In 2018, I had the idea of creating an online course for people with anxiety. I spent a lot of time and energy on creating a course that didn’t sell. I knew nothing about marketing or sales. Those aren’t parts of counselor education, yet are necessary for anyone who is running a business. I was discouraged, so I took a break from trying to create a digital product. In 2019, I was asked to assist with EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) trainings as well as become an EMDR consultant, so I did that. Read more>>

Shelby Murphy

I don’t think any small business owner would call the first few months a smooth road, but I can honestly say I don’t regret it for a second. The financial challenges are real, but thanks to the incredible support we’ve received, and the loyalty of clients who have trusted me for years, we’re steadily finding our footing. The harder challenge, though, has been work/life balance. As any entrepreneur knows, the business never really leaves your mind. I’m learning to delegate more and build systems that take some weight off my shoulders, so I can be fully present with my husband and children when I’m not “at work.” Read more>>

Barbara McGee

It hit me in my gut and I knew He was talking to me. As much as I tried to keep the thought of starting a new project out of my mind, the next few weeks had me wondering what a Coffee House at the mission could look like: coffee, snacks, music, and of course time. Through the pastor I served, I was well-connected to people who could help. So I enlisted some musician friends, church friends, and of course the Nashville Rescue Mission Staff and we were able to, on April 15 2011 begin serving a Coffee House atmosphere to the men in Life Recovery every single Friday night. We will celebrate 15 years this Spring. Read more>>

Chad Wallen

Starting Advance Camp hasn’t been a rough road until recently. Starting out felt smooth, easy, and flawless. Little did I know I was going to go through some serious growing pains. Over the past 2 years we have had to deal with the pains that come with growth and a lack of knowledge. There has been a ton of learning and development. The best thing about that is I am starting a consulting company to help small faith based nonprofits get up on their feet with less struggles, more answers, and more intentional fund raising efforts to support their mission and vision. Read more>>

Melissa Cuthbertson

For the past two years, I have had the privilege of serving on the Alzheimer’s Association Tennessee Board. That role has given me opportunities I never imagined — traveling to Washington, D.C., to join advocates from across the nation. Those days are filled with networking, training, and education — powerful moments where voices come together to push forward policies, drive research, and fight for a cure. Standing in those rooms on Capitol Hill, sharing my father’s story with members of Congress and representatives from across the nation , and asking them to take action has been one of the most humbling and empowering experiences of my life. Read more>>

Teri Vroma

Hi, I’m Teri Vroma, the owner of Teri Vroma Photography. I have always loved photography and the creative outlook it brings to me. Many have told me, that I am a different person once I get behind my camera, it really brings out my true passion and love of capturing moments. I started my photography business in the fall of 2019, the knowledge and experience in running a photograph business that I have gained since then has been extensive. I have been published in almost 450 photography magazines from national and international.  Read more>>

Jamielie Tarrago

I’ve also dealt with people undervaluing photography in today’s digital age, where everyone has a phone camera. Setting boundaries and showing the value of what I do has been essential. But I’ve been fortunate to have a supportive husband, family, and an amazing creative community in Nashville. Other photographers have been incredibly helpful, offering advice and encouragement that helped me build my confidence and grow my business. Read more>>