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.
Theresa McCahey
I grew up in an Italian family where a healthy lifestyle wasn’t at the forefront of our lives. Food was always the centerpiece of our everyday joy – the homemade pastas, pastries and sweets always brought us together and made us happy. Everyone in my family was obese, so it was always hard for me to see the suffering my Mom and her siblings dealt with as I was growing up and even throughout my adult life. Though I knew I didn’t want this reality for my life, as long as I can remember, I never felt comfortable or happy in my body. I always felt thick, sluggish, and struggled with my weight, I had consistent brain fog, allergies and never really knew what “good” sleep was. Read More>>
Trinity Jabas
For years, I borrowed equipment, soaking up everything I could. Then in 2023, I finally took a huge step and bought my first camera. It was such an exciting and empowering moment—no more borrowing gear, no more waiting for the next opportunity. This was my start. From that point on, I took my camera everywhere, photographing anything and everything, constantly pushing myself to improve and gain confidence behind the lens. Read More>>
Andy Landy-Modesitt
My mom was once a costumer and milliner on Broadway, and decided to launch her own small business as a professional knitter a few years after I was born. I’d often come home to one of them working on a project, bits and pieces spread out across the dining room table. Both of my parents passed away far too young, but I feel their love always, especially when I’m working on a project that reminds me of them. My moms nimble fingers help me twist and loop my way through fiber arts. My dads sense of balance guides my precise details in each piece. Read More>>
Neeka Jackson
Fast forward a couple of years, and I found myself transitioning into a new role as a textile educator. I’m now in my second year teaching tufting, which is a craft I’ve come to love. It’s been amazing to not only continue creating, but also to share my knowledge with others and see the spark of creativity in my students. It’s been a journey of growth, learning, and self-expression, and I’m grateful for how it’s all unfolded. Read More>>
Briana Fernandez
Photography has been a passion of mine since 2012, allowing me to freeze time and capture the raw, authentic beauty in everyday life. My marketing background helps me share these stories in meaningful ways, whether through my own work or by supporting other small businesses. Singing has always been my personal outlet for expression and connection – my way of spreading joy to others. Read More>>
Chrystina Hakam
Wow, many twists and turns got me to where I am today. Many years were spent thinking I needed to pick and become one thing. So, for a while, I had one career, with an itch… and lots of certifications. It may have been through my Life Coach training with Martha Beck. reading Barbara Sher’s Refuse to Choose, using Feng Shui on my own space and life, working with my own coach, or signing up for a pottery class, that I started to break free, and come into the fullness of who I am. Eventually, I accepted that I just do lots of things, and that’s my super power! I’m a Multipotentialite. (Yes, that’s a thing.) Read More>>
Leah Meilander
I had been in marketing/design roles up for about 11 years of being an in-house marketer in the B2B spaces across a couple different industries, learning so many things related to design/marketing/communication/sales, which was incredible helpful experience, but I always had something in me to work for myself and build a brand. Read More>>
Mary Bue
I moved to Duluth, MN the following year to attend University of Minnesota ~ Duluth and the winding road unfolded to completing a BAS in Psychology. I was very drawn to Transpersonal Psychology and yoga and meditation studies were an integral part of the curriculum thanks to the progressive head of the Psych depart at the time, Dr. Bud McClure. During my time as a college student, I wrote, recorded, and released three solo albums from 2000-2003. Read More>>
McKaela Baldus
Networking and not being afraid to express what I’m looking for have been key. Throughout it all, I’ve had faith and confidence in myself, knowing that if someone gave me a chance, I’d be their hardest worker (because that’s what’s within my control). I’ve been willing to jump in, figure things out, and put in the extra effort—and that determination has paid off. Additionally, strong listening and observation skills have helped me tremendously, as I’ve been a sponge for information, learning from how others operate successfully. Read More>>
Lori Ann Reinhall
I have always loved to write, and I have always loved my Nordic heritage. While in high school, I wrote for the school newspaper, where I also served on the editorial board, where I learned more about what it meant to be a journalist. Once at the University of Washington, my studies focused more on Scandinavian languages and literature, but I certainly did not stop writing. I also got to travel the world, learning other languages, which led me to a career in software localization and online publishing. Read More>>
Bryan Wilkins
At Bosch, my journey from Marketing Intern to Marketing Manager for North America has been marked by a consistent focus on serving others. Through various roles – from Web Developer to Digital MarCom Expert to Portfolio Marketing Communications Manager – I’ve had the privilege of building and leading teams that transform customer needs into meaningful solutions. Along the way I earned a BS in Marketing from Metro State which further enhanced my marketing skills. Each step has been an opportunity to expand my ability to serve and empower others. Read More>>
Katie Pietsch
I received my first digital camera- the Kodak easyshare- for my 10th birthday. I had so much fun capturing my friends and flowers. I would do photo shoots with my friends in middle school and continued throughout high school and college. I always thought it’d be cool to be a photographer as a career, but didn’t think I could do it. I felt like you had to be super lucky to do it and not just anyone could pick up a camera and get themselves there. Read More>>
Chase Hennessey
No each year as we have been in business there are challenges. As a small business owner that wears all hats there’s not enough time in the day. So as we have grown, having time blocked and dedicated to client communication ( new requests, projects in design or material ordering, where they fall in schedule when we have delays such as weather). Being in the field doing install with our crews focusing on quality and keeping schedule, the office side typically falls behind. Read More>>
Hannah Galeazzi
Of course, there are always struggles when starting a business. The business side of things has definitely been challenging, but thankfully, I have people to help with that! Aside from a few struggles here and there, I’ve been pretty blessed with how well things have gone for me! Read More>>
Teddi Parker
The itch to start painting happened while I was studying abroad in Argentina. It began as a way to fill the empty walls of my friend’s homes, but after copying to learn got old I started trying to find my own style. I jumped on the daily painting movement and my skills improved much more quickly as I began painting smaller pieces and almost every day. Because of my daily posts, Instagram’s algorithm really helped me achieve the notoriety I have today – I just hit it at the right time I guess. I’ve had two babies (now 7 and 9 years old) and continue to paint almost daily. Read More>>
Monn Otieno
My journey in filmmaking began in childhood with a deep passion for storytelling. From an early age, I was drawn to acting and performance, playing key roles in theater and immersing myself in the art of expression. As I grew, my interests expanded beyond the stage to the creative process behind the camera. I developed a strong appreciation for visual storytelling, where I could shape narratives and bring ideas to life. Today, my focus is on crafting compelling stories and translating visions into cinematic experiences, helping to elevate and realize the creative ideas of others. Read More>>
Leola Daul
We also included a homemade greeting card that provided those who received lunches an inspiring message to encourage them to stay strong during the pandemic. During the two meal pandemic time, 500 meals were packaged and delivered around the area. We still have our lunch bunch volunteers and now deliver 400 lunches every other week. In 2024 we served over 8800 meals with our pay what you can model. Over 75% of our guests, volunteered, paid what they could, or used a donation token for their meal. We are excited to continue to serve in 2025! Read More>>
Gretchen Reese
After the pandemic, I found myself in corporate America, which was full of incredible learning experiences. I created and hosted an industry-leading podcast, spoke on international stages, and co-authored an ebook on sustainability. As incredible as these experiences were – I still found myself itching to do something for myself again. Something that gave me more creative fulfillment, inspired me more and allowed me to travel to lesser-known places with folks that create incredible products that more people should be able to see. I didn’t want to pigeonhole myself into only three weeks of vacation per year to do this, I needed to do it full-time again. Read More>>
Stacy Heinlein
I’ve always had a deep love for water, and Lake Superior holds a special place in my heart. As a little girl, I cherished trips to the north shore with my dad and at camp. My love for Lake Superior only grew stronger into adulthood, where I would spend hours listening to the waves, strolling along the beaches, and collecting treasures like beach glass and driftwood. Read More>>
Katelyn Lydia
Ever since elementary I either wanted to be a teacher or a business owner. I first followed my passion with pre-k education but found myself helping out at my Godmother and her husband’s stained glass shop. I instantly fell in love with working with glass. Everything turns out so magical. After a few years, it came time for my Godmother’s husband to retire and they offered to sell to me. A few short months later I became the 3rd owner of Stained Glass with Class LLC. The very first owners are actually related to my aunt and uncle! Read More>>
Rachel Johnson
It has definitely not been a smooth road. It can appear from the outside, for so many, that everything is perfect (the illusion of marketing sometimes), but it’s not. Once you’re a small business owner, it’s about livlihood, surivival, and putting your heart and soul into something that doesn’t always give back. Risks are essential to take, along with giving above and beyond, to ensure your business succeeds. Read More>>
Ken Nyberg
From early on I knew I loved art but the question was always, how do I make a living from it? I began my design career doing posters for friends’ bands and small projects for family. I later got a quick degree in graphic & web design to prove to companies that I knew what I was talking about and have been a full time designer ever since. Aside from the corporate gigs I do freelance design on the side and have found a spot for myself in the niche outdoor and fishing market. The midwest has a thriving community of sportsmen and thanks to Instagram and word of mouth I’ve now worked brands from Minnesota to Australia. Read More>>
Jay Grammond
I researched the idea of making the leap of faith to going full time with photography. I read books, I interviewed people that had done it, and I did this for four years. In late 2019 it was time to get off the bleachers and into the game! My last day at the office was Jan 3rd of 2020! I had my game plan, and the support of my wife, parents, and family and by mid-March; all of my plans ground to a halt. Read More>>
Selma P. Verde
After a few years of working, I decided to pick up my writing again. I started to get some ideas on paper for a young adult novel series I wanted to write focusing on the challenges that teens face. This is where my passion for teaching came back around to help me write these books in a way as to make the stories relatable to teens. I published my first novel, The Hard Way, in 2017. Since then, two more books have come into The Way Series, with a fourth one due to release either late 2025 or early 2026. Read More>>
Christin Ament
Our biggest challenge remains convincing city council & the public to support innovative approaches to end-of-life. Because this has not been done before, there is a lack of understading that accompanies fear of the unknown. I have had to meet with the department of health, the department of human services, the county, and etc. to get approval as well when creating something that hasn’t yet been done in MN and deciding whether or not it needs a license. All of these obstacles, as they say, are the way. With these obstacles come clarity and direction, which is why we do this work anyways. Read More>>
Kristin Knych
After working at a couple of different design jobs I decided to venture out on my own/do freelance. My house was small at the time so in 2013 I decided to open a store that would be two fold – feature local artists in the front and house my studio in the back. That was the beginning of doodle bird design + gifts. 12 years later I’m still here helping promote locally made goods and creating crafty goodness myself. Read More>>
Jessica Anderson
That got me thinking. Julie had told me about the website Alpaca Nation. That night I started learning about alpacas. I really liked the pattern alpacas. I found two that I was really interested in, Blackforest’s Vanilla Cappuccino and Lady Isobel of Scotland Yard. I became obsessed. I spent several hours every day searching the internet and learning everything I could about alpacas. A few weeks later I emailed Julie. I had decided I wanted to buy Vanilla Cappuccino. Read More>>
Jesús Manuel Vielma Padrón
The humanitarian crisis and political persecution hit us hard. As a father and husband, I felt the responsibility to provide them with a dignified and safe life. So, we embarked on a journey full of uncertainty towards the United States, leaving behind everything we knew and loved. Read More>>
Symone Warford
My client base expanded quickly and I was able to build trust with repeat clientele looking to transform their skin. Now, about 18 months into this new part of my journey, I am looking to expand operations to a multi-suite spa where I can continue serving clients and also offer education for current and aspiring aestheticians. Every time I get an opportunity to share my knowledge and help a client feel better about their skin and build their confidence, I feel most fulfilled. Having the opportunity to teach and help clients boost their confidence and self-love is what drives me and sustains me as I continue growing my facial spa and serving clients. Read More>>
Lexi Gessell
As I was finishing up with chiropractic school I started looking into education for functional medicine and came across the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM). Almost immediately upon graduating from chiropractic school, I started the IFM certification program which I worked through for the next two years while also working as a chiropractic associate at Bergren Family Chiropractic in Bovey Minnesota. I completed my certification and became a certified functional medicine practitioner in December of 2023. Read More>>
Brodie Perro
Soon after, Mitch joined us on vocals and Elijah came in on bass. Since then, we’ve released our Wine and Spirits EP and our self titled debut album. We’ve toured across the U.S. and are currently busy working on album number two as we speak. One thing I am very proud to share is that on June 20th of this year, we will be playing the legendary Whisky a Go Go in Hollywood California. Many of our favorite bands got their starts on this stage, so it is an honor to be playing there. Read More>>
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>>
