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.
Tara Davis
I started my career working with animals as a veterinary assistant and then a technician. On the job, I began to see the way illnesses were treated in the Western medicine world, and it really didn’t sit right with me. It felt like the “cure” for everything was steroids and antibiotics and not about finding the root cause of disease. Read more>>
Taylore Estep
For as long as I can remember, I have loved everything about pregnancy and birth. I knew from a young age that one day I wanted to take care of mamas and babies. Read more>>
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Peter Peterson
2062 #3 Hands molded Dream My story Looking back at this journey from where I’ve come from, I never would have believed I would have accomplished half of what I have accomplished. As far back as I can remember, I had a passion for music. From the age of 4 till I was 10 my family owned a bar with live music. Read more>>
Michael Batenburg
Chaplain Michael Batenburg, Founder back 2 Basics adventures a ministry of hospitality, hosting retreat and event guests nationwide since 2015 I believe because I want, need, and choose to believe. In my heart, I know that God created everything and gave us His only son, Jesus, who died to save us from our sins. Read more>>
Dennis Deruelle MD
My godfather is a family physician and from since I was 5, I wanted to follow in his footsteps and become a doctor. As early, or before, I had a strong connection with music. At age 4, after 3 piano lessons, I quit because I wanted to write my own songs. Read more>>
Jim Pepe
I didn’t set out to build an SEO company — my career has always been rooted in marketing, sales, and entrepreneurship. My professional journey began with an internship in Singapore, where I worked with the marketing department at the Four Seasons Hotel. Read more>>
Annette Gallardo
I’ve always known I wanted to understand people—why we love the way we do, why we fight the way we do, and why some relationships feel so hard even when two people truly care about each other. I was born in New York, but when I was five, my parents moved back to Bogotá, Colombia, where they’re from. I grew up there through high school. Read more>>
Kristina Hoertner
I started esthetics school shortly after the pandemic while working full-time during the day and attending classes at night. It was a busy and sometimes exhausting season, but I felt deeply pulled toward building something of my own! While I was still in school, I received a job offer at a waxing studio. Read more>>
Dianne Oliver
My journey has been fairly straightforward after an early detour. I went away to college to major in music (piano) and had dreams of one day performing in Carnegie Hall. During my first semester I took a sociology course and was so fascinated by the study of human behavior that I dropped out of music and switched my major. Read more>>
Brooke Chapman
My path into education wasn’t traditional. I earned a degree in International Business with a minor in Japanese language and tourism because I have always been drawn to different cultures, languages, and the way people learn and communicate around the world. In 2012, my husband Aaron and I moved to Kauaʻi, Hawaiʻi. Read more>>
Sav Fournier
I have always been a determined and resilient person, starting when I left my emotionally abusive and dysfunctional family home a few days after my 16th birthday. I finished high school while navigating adulthood early- job, apartment, transportation, etc. After high school, I knew I was destined for more than entry level fast food jobs. Read more>>
Jose Frias
Magic Mirror Nashville literally started with a phone call. With a background in the music industry, a colleague of mine in Miami, FL, was recently laid off from FM radio and invested in a photo booth business. Automatically thought I would be a great fit and wondered if I would be interested. Read more>>
Trey Pruitt
Before Honey Rock Media, I was in real estate. On paper, things looked good… but internally, I was burnt out. I was chasing deals, constantly “on,” and I started to realize I didn’t want to build a life that felt reactive and transactional. I wanted to build something creative. Something meaningful. Something that lasted. Read more>>
Trey Thomas
In August 2020, I found Sweet T’s and was able to try the Gelato and have been since. The shop became a happy place for me. Over the years, I learned the flavors and began to understand how the process worked and the impact a business can have on a community. In 2023, I got a call, an offer to buy Sweet T’s. Read more>>
Scott Crosbie
My wife and I have owned a number of small businesses over the years, and about three years ago, we decided to step away and embrace early retirement. Our plan was to live at the beach, travel, and spend a lot of time boating. Read more>>
Minika Johnson
Droppin’ J.E.M.S started in 2020 as a result of me not having my childcare open yet. Me and the issues I faced with trying to open a childcare is a whole story in itself, that started in 2013 in Chicago. Read more>>
Isha El
I am Isha Ali El born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee. I started my spiritual journey at the age of six years young. I grew up in the country and spent a lot of time outdoors. This is where I discovered my spiritual abilities. I am now a homeowner and successful business owner as a local healer and metaphysical shop. Read more>>
Madison Drury
Creativity has always been part of my life. I grew up doing crafts with my mom, who is a graphic designer, and that early exposure to art shaped so much of who I am. I went on to study Studio Art in college with a focus in painting and digital illustration, and after graduating, I moved to Nashville and pursued a career in design. Read more>>
Caroline Aly
I’d love to walk you through how Carehack came to be, because honestly, it started from a very personal place. My path into the disability world wasn’t traditional at all. I studied communications, thought I was heading into sales, did some volunteering, and eventually moved to Nashville to pursue a master’s in theology. Read more>>
Debi Camp
Our business was born from a simple idea and a love of dance. My daughter, Duffy Betterton, and I both competed in ballroom dance. Anyone in the dance world knows ballroom gowns are stunning — and expensive. Many are only worn a handful of times before they’re ready for a new dancer. Read more>>
Nate Wedge
I started Tennessee Home Builders 5 years ago. I am a licensed General Contractor specializing in new custom home construction. I got into this industry due to my passion for custom home design. Read more>>
Robin Barnes
As a child, I was always outside — drawn to trees, rocks, and the quiet presence they carry. Growing up between North Carolina and Virginia, you could usually find me perched in a tree or searching the ground for stones and pieces of mica. Looking back, I can see how naturally I was attuned to the energy around me. Music, though, was my greatest love. Read more>>
Kelly Bond
I’m the founder of Captured By Kelly, a luxury photo booth and interactive experience company based in Tennessee. My journey into entrepreneurship didn’t start with a huge business plan — it started with a love for creating beautiful moments and bringing people together. I’ve always been drawn to celebration, connection, and capturing memories. Read more>>
Dmitri Mirnov
Before fully committing to photography, I spent years immersed in music production. I was fascinated by how subtle shifts in rhythm, contrast, and atmosphere could completely change how a piece of music felt. Over time, I began to recognize how closely those same principles apply visually — light, shadow, negative space, tension, and release all carry emotional weight. That realization drew me deeper into photography. Read more>>
Darren Jeffers
I started DJing at 13 years old outside of Chicago, teaching myself by watching DVDs and practicing nonstop. Growing up around Motown, country, house, and hip-hop gave me a deep appreciation for all genres, and that early exposure shaped my open-format style. Read more>>
Brianna McCoy
When I went off to Middle Tennessee State University, I was fully committed to becoming a nurse. I had tunnel vision and a very clear picture of what I thought my future was supposed to look like. I poured myself into that path, but along the way, it became clear that it wasn’t fully aligned with who I was. Read more>>
Jonathan Harmon
We were born out of a community event. When a local real estate agent bid on a silent auction item provided by two local home brewers. The home brewers, per the silent auction item, provided custom beer for the real estate agent’s summer client appreciation party. Read more>>
Daniel Morris
Cultivate Church began in the most simple way possible — a Saturday evening Bible study and worship gathering in a home in College Grove. Within a few months, walls were literally coming down, mission trips were being planned, and momentum was building toward a public launch. On November 3, 2019, we held our first Sunday service. Read more>>
Steve Charles
A few years ago, I (Steve) decided to make some hats that simply had a single Bible verse reference on them, such as Psalm 22:31. My thought was that maybe someone would ask me about it, which would give me the opportunity to share with them the hope I have in Jesus. It was a very simple idea. Read more>>
Samantha Cardella
I started my career on the water. In my twenties, I built and ran yacht charter companies in Newport Beach, selling and producing luxury experiences long before I fully understood I was building a lifelong career in experiential design. Yachts taught me everything — precision, logistics, discretion, hospitality at the highest level, and the art of selling an experience, not just a product. Read more>>
Ashley Narancich
Ruff Riders began with my overwhelming love for dogs. I’m a long-time volunteer at the Williamson County Animal Center (WCAC), and spending time there with the dogs is one of the happiest parts of my week. In early 2024, I stepped away from my corporate career due to health concerns, which later opened the door for me to do something that brought me pure joy. Read more>>
J Turner
I was born and raised in Miami Springs, Florida. As a 6 year old boy, in the summer of 1964, my father, employed by Southern Bell invited me to accompany him to the Miami ARTCC (Air Route Traffic Control Center) to watch him do his job during Hurricane Cleo. I fell in love with what I saw. Read more>>
Ariana Kaufman
My name is Ariana Kaufman, and I am a certified Life Coach. I was born and raised in Nashville, TN, and come from a long line of horse whisperers. When I was 18, I left TN and moved to LA, where I lived for 15 years. In 2023, I moved back to Nashville because I wanted a calmer, more nurturing life. Read more>>
April Jones
In 2020, during the COVID pandemic, I came across a video on TikTok of someone getting permanent jewelry. I remember thinking how unique and meaningful the experience looked, so I found a place here in Nashville and decided to try it for myself. I got a bracelet and an anklet, and when I left, I knew I had experienced something special. Read more>>
Angela Pacheco
This passion led to the creation of my first company and passion project, <b>Good Better Best</b>, a retail, delivery, and clean-living concierge service aimed at creating safer, more sustainable homes. Our first storefront will open in the Nations in Spring 2026. Together with co-founder Erin Carini-Karb, a fellow cancer survivor, we curate, deliver, and refill less-toxic home and personal products, helping families simplify their routines for a healthier home environment. Read more>>
Kelli Bearden
I began my nursing career in 2018 at a 176-bed rehabilitation and long-term care facility. From there, I worked in a variety of inpatient and outpatient settings until the COVID-19 pandemic shifted my perspective on patient care. I realized I wanted to offer something more—something that could truly improve my patients’ quality of life beyond traditional clinical care. Read more>>
Corinne Schaffer
From an early age, I was drawn to flowers. My mom and grandmothers maintained thriving gardens, and I spent many spring and summer days helping plant and care for them at our home in Maryland, just outside Washington, DC. Gardening was a joy, and I remember anticipating the first blooms of each season. Read more>>
