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.
Cassie Cunningham
There’s a lot of learning curves when opening up your own business. I spent 15 years throwing myself into esthetics and learning as much as possible as an esthetician. Through my job as an esthetics lead, I was able to learn a lot of the behind the scenes knowledge of what is required to run a successful business as well as managing a team of highly skilled estheticians. While that job didn’t teach me everything, it prepared me for a lot. And the road hasn’t been perfectly smooth, but I’ve been confident enough and had the amazing support to help me navigate all the bumps that have come along so far. Read More>>
Matai Butler
I’m mainly DJ two categories of music one is EDM and the other is Open Format. open format is generally just any genre and is music that you normally hear at a wedding, party, or bar. but EDM is also a lot of fun for when you are playing for big crowds of people who are there for just the music and having a good time. One thing that Separates Me from other DJs is that I just bring an energy to these different events that promotes a good time and having fun which really goes a long way. Read More>>
Traci Lebrun
The main photographer, Traci LeBrun, is a Minnesota journalist (newspaper editor) by day. I first got experience shooting using the office camera with one of the same lenses I use today. Our official newspaper photographers trained me in using a variety of settings for day shots, night sports shots and indoor gym shots. Read More>>
Sam Devine
In August of 2023 I met Juliet Fox and we became fast friends. Almost immediately Juliet agreed to start a new show with me and What About This Idea: Inside the Hearts and Minds of Entrepreneurs began. Within a few months of that we began producing shows for others, including This Side of the Grass (a show dealing with navigating sudden loss and living each day with purpose), Full Spectrum Cannabis (a show about the cannabis industry with a Minnesota focus) and AskClever over Coffee (a show about the state of AI). Read More>>
Jenna Grap
Moving to Minneapolis came with its challenges, including starting from scratch to build a client base. I started with an internship at Ashley Berry Photography, and from there, I landed various gigs as a photographer for companies, specializing in event and dance photography. Working in these different environments, outside of weddings and family portraits, opened my eyes to new possibilities and sparked a deeper interest in exploring other types of photography. Read More>>
Romaric Dasse
However, the defining moment that pushed me into photography professionally was our wedding. Our videographer failed to deliver any usable footage, leaving us without a single video from our special day. That experience was devastating, and it made me realize how important it is to preserve memories properly. Although I didn’t have videography skills at the time, I committed myself to mastering photography to ensure that no client I work with would ever have to go through what we did. My goal has always been to provide not only high-quality images but also a seamless and memorable experience for every client. Read More>>
Jimmy Brown
I ended eventually getting a job at Menards becoming an assistant manager in the hardware department from there working full time at Home Depot. At these companies I learned a lot about the trades to where I eventually started my own business. Ten years in and I’ve worked all around the U.S. doing everything you can imagine commercial and residential and properties. I have a certificate for lead renovator, graduated 20 week entrepreneurship program, hold a real estate license and inspection certification. I have commercial credits with the The Armory first Super Bowl in Minnesota, Ruby Tuesday, Home Goods, Animal Hospital, Fjallraven, and more. Read More>>
Wenwen Manfred
After graduating, as a graphic designer. During that time, I worked at developing my artistic painting style on the side and people seemed to love what I was doing. When covid hit, I was laid off. It was the opportunity I was looking for to pursue my passion for painting. I started by doing art shows, not really sure how people will like my work. I’ve been fortunate enough to find people who really appreciate what I am trying to accomplish. Read More>>
Janna Setterholm
Unfortunately, there is so much misinformation circulating regarding essential oils and Aromatherapy and one of my missions as a Registered Aromatherapist is to deliver safe and accurate information. In November of 2024 I rebranded and expanded my business from Koru Essential Oils to my current company, Northstar Aromatics. I felt this was important to rebrand and honor my beautiful Northstar state of Minnesota, the state that I love and am proud to call my forever home. This has been a particularly positive impactful move for me. Northstar Aromatics bear logo can be easily recognized as local, authentic, and trustworthy. Read More>>
Sarah Opitz
A good friend of ours recently launched his first nonprofit, a needle exchange program, which enlightened us about a new perspective on substance use through the harm reduction framework. This approach addresses significant co-occurring disorders and trauma associated with substance use. It emphasizes meeting individuals where they are, fostering a client-driven program, and recognizing that the initial barrier many face when seeking recovery is the expectation to be clean or abstinent before receiving treatment or to continuing ongoing services. Such a requirement is not typically found in other medical treatments for physiological diseases. Read More>>
Kamisha Johnson
Economic Justice is a big challenge for us in the healing community. There were many times along my journey, I curated space for free. Alot of people from marginalized communities do not have access to the type of healing modalities that I offer. So I would just ask for a love offering. Now, due to being more experienced and have created a name for myself. Most time I am fairly compensated for my gifts. However, it is a reason why I keep a “9-5.”The pay for different healing modalities is not equitable. Read More>>
Maggie Magradze
I also wanted to show people they can really make the most of living in the cities and romanticizing their lives without having to break the bank. Through these efforts over the last year and a half, I’ve been able to grow my audience and build a community on TikTok comprised of 25,000+ followers. I’ve also since branched out onto Instagram, BlueSky, YouTube and my own newsletter on Substack. This really all started with a dream to get more creative and it has gone beyond what I could have ever imagined. It’s truly become a business for myself where I get to do what I love and give back along the way. Read More>>
Phil Raskin
Midway Clay is a ceramics studio that offers classes, studio memberships, firing services, gallery space and community. Though I have been the owner for less than a year I am pleasantly surprised that we have been so welcomed and productive in such a short time. Read More>>
Sergio Manancero
We struggle covid shutdowns, civil unrest, and years of almost constant construction sites all around us. 2025 is going to be our year as we have a new restaurant moving in next door to us and hope that they will add their draw power to our often passed over neighborhood. Our mission statement is “To celebrate the vibrancy, breadth, and depth of Latino and Minnesotan culture through superior product and customer experience as a fully operational brewery and community/event center, while raising awareness of and providing support to social, economic, and environmental issues that impact us all..” Read More>>
Jennie Leenay
Here at the peoples closet we believe that Fashion is culture and culture is meant to pass down and around! The Peoples closet is the longest unincorporated mutual fund that Was birthed out of the 2020 Uprising and Protest! ( almost five yrs later we still stand) Mutual aid is a voluntary exchange between equals, which is why we established the ” No Dignity ” Policy which means if i wouldn’t put it on my body I won’t allow someone else to put it on theirs! So we ask that the donations be clean and or freshly washed, in wearable condition ( no stains, holes/ tears , working zippers and buttons)etc , and we try to keep things as seasonally appropriate as possible! Read More>>
Erin Kline
After becoming a loan originator in 1992, I became disillusioned and frustrated with the mortgage industry as a whole, watching clients be taken advantage of and overcharged. Thankfully, I found a coaching group that inspired and encouraged me, and I am still with them today. They taught me to focus on the human beings I was helping, and to drown out the external noise and pressure in the mortgage industry. By focusing on the good I could do for others, it completely transformed my mindset and my business. Read More>>
Shana Kaplow
I’m a visual artist with a focus in painting. I also sometimes work with sculpture and video. I grew up around art museums, studios, and artists as my mother was also a visual artist. I always had my hands in some type of artistic endeavor, but it wasn’t until college that I decided to pursue it more seriously. I fell in love with printmaking while there, and still find that many of the underlying aspects of the printmaking process inform my work as a painter. After graduate school, I moved to the Twin Cities, and have been a painter and educator here for over 30 years. Read More>>
Tara Block
Tara Block is a creator, artist, outdated yogini, and mystic who finds beauty in the simplicity and truth of clay. For over a decade, she’s been drawn to the medium’s ability to transform from raw earth into enduring artifacts. Tara’s passion lies in the wonderment of the creative process, what some call “flow”—the quiet of the mind when it’s fully immersed in shaping and making. For her, clay is a playground for exploring inspiration, testing ideas, and embracing imperfections. Read More>>
Candelaria Pineda
We wanted to introduce ourselves in the Twin Cities. As a Latina, I began knocking on doors—one opened, then more followed. We have clients who have welcomed us into their homes because of the quality of our work and our professionalism. One of the things that sets us apart is the attention to detail in every home we clean, and that has allowed us to maintain *five-star reviews* consistently. That distinction has been key to our success. Read More>>
Stephanie Otherday
I went to school completed a basic and advance laser program and shortly after completion I was so full of passion n drive I dove straight into starting my own med spa. This Little Business Began right in my front yard inside my husbands ice castle fish house. The location and Unit wasn’t. ideal but it turned out to be a true gem, and all my clients and supporters loved it. I mean who would of ever thought! Here I am not 6 years later in a store front employing 5 advance practice esthetician’s, and providing result driven services and making friendships all along the way.. Read More>>
Richard Hitchler
Theatre 55 was created in 2018 to fill a need in the Twin Cities and throughout Minnesota: theatre performed by seniors. It was formed with the purpose of developing lifelong learning through theatre performance and education. Our vision is to enrich the lives of elders as artists, audiences, and lifelong learners through theatre performance and education. Read More>>
Tammy Carroll
I had a lot of doubts in myself as a leader when I first started. The previous salon owner was the best and we all loved her so much so I had really big shoes to fill! In the beginning anytime I felt a change needed to be made I’d really overthink it! I’d question what would other people think? Would they be upset? What if they don’t like it? Over time I have started to grow more confident in my decisions. I definitely still tend to overthink things but I trust my instincts more now than I used to! Read More>>
Martin Ramirez
It was during that trip that I was completely hooked on landscape photography. The next couple of years I would take so many trips up north. I met a guy who is pretty well known for his stellar work in the photography world. He was the big inspiration for me to get into water photography, His name is George Ilstrup who is also known as ” George Duluth.” I would eventually purchase a wildlife lens and go on many trips that would include all 3 types of photography. Now i am trying to do all the same but with video. Read More>>
Jenny Solem
I finally was diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder at age 20, and Depression at age 27. At this current stage of my life, the largest obstacle has been the death of my husband, Paul, who I’d lost on January 29th of 2024. Invoking the strength to keep going with anything, let alone my artistic career, has been a challenge I never thought I’d have to face at 35 years old. Paul passed away from a rare form of cancer – an adrenocortical carcinoma. I can say, though, that I did find some respite in putting my pain to canvas. The loudest one being “The Chemo Serpent,” a painting depicting a gaping-mouthed viper as the symbol for his implanted chemotherapy port. Read More>>
Brandon Sedas
Within tattooing I’ve been leaning more into Neo-traditional styles while sneaking more elements of realism and abstract. A recent tattoo I created was a rose growing through a woman’s face, which I loved! Learning alittle bit of every style and pulling elements of each into the type of abstract/neo-traditional style has been so rewarding while keeping a strong discipline and respect for what I’ve learned and continue to learn. Tattoos with stipple shading are what I’d consider a “comfort-food” of art as well. Read More>>
Kenzie O’connell Kaitlin Johnson
We also have an online store. You can find us at shopkandco.com. Our online shop offers the exact same inclusive feel. Here too, all styles are in at least Small-3XL with select styles in XS and up to 6XL. Our website offers features that make shopping easier, such as the ability to filter for sizes. We use models of various sizes so customers can see the clothing on different body types. We also take notes on the fit of all items to help customers select the correct size. It is a labor of love, but we feel it is so helpful for women, especially those with plus size bodies like us. Read More>>
Ashley Landrus
Getting started with a market garden business can not happen overnight. I always say “that’s farming, not everything is going to work out”. You will always be learning when gardening and working in the kitchen. Some struggles of owning a unofficial organic garden include: pressure from pests, bugs, the amount of rain or lack of. We try not to use any pesticides unless absolutely necessary and it must be organic certified. Not every year is perfect but our customers have grown exponentially over the years. Read More>>
Joanie Taylor
In the Summer of 2023, I returned to Drybar and moved my family back to my home state of Minnesota to support the market here as the Area Manager. I also continue to freelance and am a part-time stylist doing hair color at Salon Abe in Northeast Minneapolis. Over the past 15 years, I’ve styled hair (and done Makeup) for photoshoots, red carpets, TV/film, and worked with many celebrity and high profile clientele. My passion will always be styling and coloring hair and I look forward to the years ahead as I continue nurturing my skills and grow my career in the Minneapolis Area. Read More>>
Jordan Mendez
From washing dishes and prepping in the kitchen to bussing tables and tackling challenges like inflation and economic shifts, I embraced every part of the journey. No obstacle ever deterred my determination to grow and succeed. Every experience shaped my understanding of leadership, operations, and what it truly takes to run a thriving restaurant. Read More>>
Ashley Kettner
We didn’t typically buy specialty treats as we had access to the best right here on our ranch, so this part of the pet industry was unfamiliar to me. This led to many months of research. By the end of that year we determined there was absolutely a gap in the industry and it wasn’t easy to track down a variety of single ingredient treats unless you had a connection with a livestock operation or a butcher shop nearby – and lets face it. November of 2023 we launched our dehydrated Beef and Pork treats; Liver, Lung, and Heart. Read More>>
Daphne Parker
I’ve been writing stories since as long as I can remember. In fact, I’ve always been expressive and a bit too emotional, so I thinks it’s fair to say that the potential has always been there long before I ever published my first book. In fact, one of my earliest memories was at a “Meet the Teacher” day. I was in third grade and during a conversation with my mother, my teacher turned to her and asked, “Does she always talk like that?” My mother, slightly embarrassed replied with, “Yes, she’s very melodramatic.” To which my teacher smiled and said, “She’s going to be a writer some day.” And she was right. Read More>>
Mary Otto
My hubby (Jeremy) and I built our first two houses ourselves, so we had a lot of construction experience! I grew up on a dairy farm, and he grew up working on farms – so we had hard core work ethics (which since has helped us both tremendously in creating multiple businesses) – so THANKS MOM & DAD for the great upbringing!! I went to college PSEO (during high school) – and completed my 2 year degree in drafting and design, and graduated college a week before high school (mostly I did this because my then boyfriend (now hubby) Jeremy went this route….and I knew I had to pay for my own college – and had zero money saved up for it – so I was like, PSEO it is)! Read More>>
Kayla Felten
With over five years experience facilitating support groups, integration circles, retreats, and teaching workshops for folks navigating themes of religious trauma, spiritual abuse, deconstruction, and reclamation through the Reclamation Collective, I aspire to curate expanded offerings for survivors on their healing trajectories that prioritize personal autonomy and pursue radical authenticity. Read More>>
Nancy Turner
Since I was a little girl, I dreamed, wished, longed, and ached for a horse of my own. I was lucky enough to live next to a stable and spent my childhood in the barn, surrounded by horses–by other people’s horses–and worked and learned. I had a life with horses but not my horse. I left for college, and I left the horses behind, but I never lost my longing. I was in my 40s before my dream came true. I bought a lovely Thoroughbred named Jack Bishop. He had been an unremarkable racehorse, but he was my literal dream come true. My next dream, a small horse farm of my own, also came true, and gradually, more horses. Read More>>
Lynn Laumann
When I was about 15 I started bringing a camera with me when I babysat mostly because I was in a photography class and was doing assignments but when I brought photos to the parents the next time I babysat and saw how happy they were at what I had captured, I was hooked! I didn’t think I was any better than anyone else but enjoyed getting creative with friends when I was a young adult. When I had kids of my own I stayed home with them and I had lots of time to create little mini sessions and experiment with light and the photos were nice and I put them on the walls of our home. I would get asked who took them? What studio did I go to? Read More>>
Olivia Hoppe
I’ve had plenty of struggles along the way. My lack of depth perception kept me from getting a driver’s license. Thinking in pictures makes communicating with people difficult. My social anxiety compounds my communication problems. Without clear communication, people tend to not take you seriously. Read More>>
Andrew Boeddeker
I determined to build a platform that would connect anglers, and be able to allow for seamless interaction with the ultimate goal of sharing insight and getting out fishing together. This is what will enable more awesome experiences travelling and fishing new places, all for less money. Read More>>
Savannah And Alex Esquivel
Alex and I attended our friends’ wedding in Des Moines, IA, where we were first introduced to our Volkswagen Photo booth. The Photo booth was featured as part of the entertainment that night. We had so much fun with family and friends, laughing and capturing photos; we thought it was such a unique concept. It was owned and operated by a couple who were leaning into their event rental company and looking to sell. We returned home and the what ifs and day dreaming started to unfold. Over the course of a few months, we ended up purchasing the bus and trailered her from Des Moines to Minnesota. Read More>>
