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.
Jacob Boyer
I first came to Nashville about six years ago. I’m originally from Washington, Illinois, a small town outside the city of Peoria. I grew up the youngest of three, surrounded by a wide variety of music from my siblings and parents, which I quickly began to absorb and pick up on. Read more>>
Olivia MaDan
I have always been ambitious, but my motivation has never been about volume. It has been about impact. I grew up in Charleston, South Carolina and went on to study at Clemson University and the Medical University of South Carolina. Those years shaped my curiosity and commitment to patient centered care. Read more>>
Caitlin Haines
As a kid, instead of watching cartoons, I was glued to Food Network shows. Good Eats with Alton Brown was my favorite. I’d try to recreate recipes for my family, usually making a big mess in the process. Back then, it had never occurred to me that I could actually be a chef. Read more>>
Jakay Matheny Sr.
My name is JaKay Matheny Sr., and I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, therapist, keynote speaker, and resiliency trainer. I was born in Gary, Indiana, and raised as an only child. At the age of 16, I moved to Tampa Bay, Florida, where I finished high school. Read more>>
Carrie Duborg
Creativity of any kind is my happy place and always has been since childhood. I truly enjoy all of it, but I’ve found my main love is painting. I didn’t start painting regularly until my late 20’s and since then have participated in various events and shows around the southeast. Read more>>
Sarah Moore
My journey started over 20 years ago when I realized there was a deeper way to heal my body. I wasn’t currently sick or having any issues, but I didn’t want to have those issues in the future. Read more>>
Camen Yataco
My Name is Carmen Yataco Grayson, Publicist of San Francisco. I am a storyteller, Brand Amplifier. “I don’t just tell storiesI make sure the right people are listening.” I am based in LA and the Bay Area and work for Elegant Pr alongside Barbara Sanchez, CEO of Elegant PR. I have a sharp instinct for storytelling and a reputation for building media buzz that lasts. Read more>>
Anna Land
I grew up in upstate New York and my interest in medicine and Dermatology began with my own struggles with acne as a teenager, and having a strong family history of skin cancer including melanoma. I saw firsthand how deeply skin health affects confidence and well-being and how important routine skin screenings are for prevention and treatment of cancer. Read more>>
Jess Soelberg
I have been surrounded by music all of my life. As an infant, my mom worked as a private vocal and piano instructor. I would sit through the lessons, completely captivated by the way that my mom used the piano and her own voice to train and coach her students. Read more>>
Anne Blair Brown
I was born in North Kingstown, Rhode Island and raised in Nashville, Tennessee where I currently live. I attended St. Henry’s for grade school and moved on to Harpeth hall for middle and high school. After high school, I landed at the University of Georgia where I was lucky enough to learn foundational elements of art that are reflected in my work today. Read more>>
Travis Tidwell
I began my musical journey at age 9 when I got a small keyboard I asked for for my birthday present. I learned very quickly and by age 14 I got interested in the guitar. Read more>>
Alix Parks
Our Leader – Meet Alix Parks Founder, HappiNest Raptor Rescue From the time she was seven, Alix Parks has been caring for wildlife — starting with baby squirrels, opossums, raccoons, and birds at her aunt’s rehab center in Georgia. That early passion grew into a lifelong mission: rescuing, rehabilitating, and educating the public about birds of prey. Read more>>
Raymon Ramsey
So from the age of 18 until I was 32 I had 12 DUIs and what comes with 12 DUIs over the course of that time I spent about seven calendar years behind Bars just for the DUI offenses and probation violations. So pretty much from 18 to 32 homeless as well bouncing around to people’s couches and my dad‘s and things of that nature. Read more>>
Jordan Mulson
I’d be thrilled to! Thanks so much for giving us the opportunity to share our story. Back in April of 2025, our family was in the middle of a hectic, multi-day move across Clarksville. My oldest son Judah and I were in charge of loading, driving the moving truck between houses across town, and unloading. We were hot, dripping sweat, (a little moody) and exhausted. Read more>>
Monté Gaddis
I’m Monté Gaddis, Cleveland-born entrepreneur and with a high-level sports background. Behind a growing portfolio of ventures that blend community, sport, and hands-on craftsmanship. I’m excited to share my journey, the businesses I own and lead, and our plans for expansion to Nashville as well as other key markets. Read more>>
MISY
I started singing in a musical theatre program at church when I was about 4 years old, but I started taking dance classes as soon as I could walk. Anything from ballet to jazz to tap, I did it all! Musical theatre and dance is how I discovered my love for performing at a very young age. Read more>>
Ashley Smith
Absolutely — my story starts long before Talented10th had a name. I grew up loving music, stories, and the way creatives move culture. I’ve always been the person who could hear a song, catch the layers, and immediately start imagining the world around it — the visuals, the vibe, the message. Read more>>
Braydon Butler
I started making music back in 8th grade, long before I ever stepped into a real studio or thought about building a career. It wasn’t some big dream at first — it was survival. I had just lost one of my closest friends, and the world felt like it tilted off its axis. Everything got heavier, quieter, and way too real for someone my age. Read more>>
Taylor Warner
I’m just a kid from Georgia who found electronic music and fell in love with it. Read more>>
Jane Dupree
Sure. Music has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. I took guitar lessons as a teenager and played in church, so creating and performing always felt natural to me. After high school I went to MTSU, and during my first semester I joined a Christian rock band. Read more>>
Zach Laas
I got the Nashville bug in early 2015. I came to visit an aunt, brought my guitar and played an open writer’s round at the Commodore Grille. I knew then I would make it a mission to move here. In 2017, I did just that — I moved down here on August 1, 2017, from my hometown of Stover, Missouri and have been here since. Read more>>
Gabby Pinkerton
I actually stumbled into event planning back in university when I volunteered to help put on a marketing gala. I had no idea what I was doing, but I loved every second of it… the logistics, the creativity, the way an experience comes together piece by piece. After graduating, I moved to California and really dove in. Read more>>
Ron Creech
I grew up in a small Louisiana town where nothing was handed to you unless you earned it. My family was large on both sides the kind of upbringing where faith, work ethic, and grit were the real inheritances. Entrepreneurship ran in my father’s bloodline, and whether I knew it or not, it found its way into mine. Read more>>
Margaret Cowan
I started I Am My Sister’s Keeper (IAMSK) in 2018 simply because I saw a need I couldn’t ignore. At the time, I was a student at Southwest Tennessee Community College, and I watched single mothers bring their children to class with them—situating them in the hallways with tablets or homework while they tried to learn. Read more>>
Charlene Holland
I grew up loving art of all sorts. Drawing, painting, craft projects, etc. Anytime anyone seen me drawing I was told my art work looked like tattoo art. I loved the idea of being a tattoo artist however Tattooing always seemed taboo and out of reach for me. Read more>>
Jean Leah Atkins
The story of my performance journey began when I was barely three years old and my mother registered me for my first year of dance. At my first recital, she anxiously watched me spend the majority of my time on stage searching for the spot where I was supposed to stand instead of dancing, worried that I would come off the stage in tears. Read more>>
Sophie the Stray
I started playing guitar relatively late – at 18, in the midst of my first existential crisis post-high school graduation but pre-leaving the nest. I picked up a guitar and started plucking out notes with my fingers. I was already pretty good on bass, piano and vocals. I had always been involved in music somehow. Read more>>
Christopher McGlothlin
I got my start by watching plenty of movies growing up. My favorite movie was Jaws, and I would recreate scenes from the movie with toys when I was young. I eventually started to make small movies with my Nintendo 3DS and a camera that I got for Christmas. I then started a YouTube Channel where I can post all of my movies. Read more>>
Desmond Lake
I’ve always been interested in photography, and my work took me to through some less traveled roads with old barns, houses, dirt road, so I decided to start taking a camera with me. It wasn’t long before I starting going out of my way to find more photogenic landscapes and waterfalls. Read more>>
Brian “BReal” Dandridge
I moved here from Memphis TN to attend MTSU majoring in audio production with a dream of doing sound for film but that quickly changed into being an artist the more I dove into the music scene around town. Read more>>
Justin Kollars
I’m a music producer, mixer, singer songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and all things post production audio. I moved to Nashville in 2020 from Gettysburg Pennsylvania. I started writing songs when I was 13 and recorded and released my first original song when I was 14 years old. I started out by pursing the artist path, playing open mics and small local acoustic gigs around Gettysburg. Read more>>
Krissy Jo
Damon and I met at an open mic night in late November 2023. Damon listened to a few of my originals, and said that we should form something special to share them… a ten hour long practice later to learn music for a 3 hour long set and voila- Appalachian Honey was born! Read more>>
Marc-Antonio Lucas II
I have always been a fan of performing arts. My dad took me to the circus when I was a child and that is where I first knew that I wanted to be a performer. I had my first opportunity to perform at my grandmother’s church. I would write plays for my cousins and I to perform either at family functions or church. Read more>>
Jennifer Evoy
My name is Jennifer Evoy, and I am the designer and creator behind Anchored Hope Christian Clothing. I started this journey in February 2022, when my son was preparing to graduate from MTSU, and I was becoming an empty nester. I had no idea what I was going to do in this new season of my life. Read more>>
Caroline Stowe
Moving to Nashville four years ago marked the beginning of a new chapter for my family, and becoming an author was an unexpected plot twist for me. Prior to this, I’d spent the past twenty years as an Air Force spouse and stay-at-home mom, raising our three daughters and navigating frequent moves around the country. Read more>>
Josh Bowden
My career began in the fast-moving world of technology startups, where I learned how to build, adapt and lead in environments that were always changing (essentially building the plane at the same time as I was flying it). Read more>>
JAMIE MOOREHEAD
Our story began with a desperate mother’s prayer. As my son struggled with severe eczema, I searched high and low for relief. Product after product failed us leaving me frustrated, exhausted, and heartbroken. In that place of pain, I turned fully to God. Read more>>
Adrienne Francis
It started out with my great aunt owning her own boutique that I grew up in. Then when I got old enough I started to work for her thinking I’d only be there a couple of years at the most & then I just fell in love with it & the customers. Read more>>
Vui Hunt
It all started with a simple idea — creating a space where we would creating amazing and healthy foods to offer to our larger community as a whole. When I opened Vui’s Cafe, I wanted it to be more than just a place to grab a smoothie or a juice. Read more>>
Alicia Recio
Period in female athletes is undervalued As a female distance coach, and as an athlete myself, I’ve seen how the menstrual cycle deeply influences performance, recovery, and overall well-being. Many female athletes today still train without considering their cycle, often leading to unnecessary fatigue, lack of mobility, or even injury. Read more>>
Michelle Lorge
I’m the Owner of Pitch Candy PR, a boutique publicity firm in Nashville. I’ve spent the majority of my life working in music and have spent the past twenty years specifically helping artists find their voice, develop their brand and create opportunities for them to share their music and story. Read more>>
Jae Nicole
My story is one of breaking, becoming, and beginning again. I started J. Nicole Solutions in 2017 with passion, but not much clarity. I was creating, but I wasn’t grounded in who I truly was. By 2019, burnout caught up with me. I shut everything down and walked away, convinced my story was over. Read more>>
Dr. Joy Patton
My early life was a study in contrasts: from the lush, communal security of a rural Thai village, I was transplanted at age six to the epicenter of the 1979 Iranian Revolution. That drastic shift—from tight-knit family to an isolated only child amidst urban terror—created a deep, unhealed trauma. Read more>>
Sequoia Newland
I got my start in music when I was stationed overseas. I picked up the guitar for the first time when I was 21 years old and haven’t looked back since. Through the years I’ve grinded it out show by show chasing dive bars all across the USA. Read more>>
Dyondre Thomas
Growing up, creativity played an important role in my life. I was attracted to creating mental simulation through the audio or visual arts. First, I began with the visual arts, drawing, painting, or taking photographs. I had some of my pieces put in museums. However, when I entered my early teenage years, I started working in the musical arts. Read more>>
Rae Finn
Hogwash n Rhinestones started in 2011 as a western tshirt company….and slowly evolved into a western/rock n roll fashion brand designing everything from jackets to jeans. I think fashion really speaks volumes about a person, so our pieces are designed to stand out and make a statement. We have a passion for upcycling, so the majority of our designs are sustainable slow fashion. Read more>>
Borneo Sedeu Nishevikj
Since then, I’ve been working full-time in the film industry as a first assistant director and director for film and television across the nation. I’ve had the opportunity to collaborate on projects for networks such as Hallmark, Lifetime, Prime Video, Hulu, and ABC, among others. Some of the movies I’ve recently worked on include From Shattered Vows (2025), Murder at the Derby (2025), and Just Breathe (2025). Each project has continued to deepen my appreciation for collaboration and the art of bringing a story to life on set. Read more>>
Debra Sunderland
Growing up, believing that I had to be the best at whatever I did-from academics, to being a violinist, running track, international sales manager, starting a business and selling it-to being a competitive cyclist while homeschooling my children-
My life was always about winning, achieving, and never failing-this meant I didn’t rest much. -the anxiety would hit if I rested because I wasn’t doing something to achieve. This caused stomach aches and headaches, and the cost of not being present to my children and friends. I didn’t know who I was except an ultimate achiever. Read More>>
