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.
NeTia Bauman
My path hasn’t been linear, but there’s been a very consistent throughline, I’ve always been a builder. Read more>>
Alex Johnson
Making good food for my family and friends while has always been where I find the most joy in my life. I have always enjoyed challenging myself to cook as completely from scratch as I can, so this has led me down some weird pathways in my kitchen. Read more>>
Brenda Oja
My story begins in 2014 when I decided to return to school to obtain my masters degree in counseling. I had been a stay-at-home mom and had started my own small craft business making wooden signs and doll furniture. My business was successful and I decided to put that money toward my masters degree along with other part time jobs I had. Read more>>
Kendra Dean
I started Ren Market in late 2020 after years working in environmental science and becoming increasingly frustrated by the disconnect between sustainability research and everyday life. The previous year or so I started paying attention to the long-term environmental and health impacts of many common household products. Read more>>
Adam Kemp
My name is Adam Kemp, and our story is really a story of two farms. My good friend and business partner, Richard Dalen, founded Northern Harvest Farm with his wife, Karola, in 2005. Around 2008, I started working there, and over time I fell in love with farming and the strong community of growers in our area. Read more>>
Marina Shimelfarb
A partnership between two sisters, ATELIER957 evolved from locally renowned tailor shop Perfect Fit By Marina into a destination for lovers of unique and timeless fashion. Read more>>
Tommy Traxler
Our family-owned maple syrup business is built on tradition, hard work, and a love for bringing people together. What started as a passion for maple sugaring has grown into something we’re proud to share with our community. One of the best parts of this journey is seeing how maple syrup connects people to family memories and simple moments around the table. Read more>>
Maria Doan
My name is Maria Doan, and my journey into advocacy really began in a moment of crisis that reshaped my sense of purpose. When Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, I remember feeling shocked and almost paralyzed at first. But that feeling quickly turned into action. Read more>>
Keisha Forsman
In 2024 I was on a journey of self discovery, and I came across Molly Hopkins and her shop LiviRae Lingerie in Georgia. As a woman who has struggled to find the ‘right’ bra my entire life, I was intrigued by the woman they called the boob guru. I contacted Molly via social media and set up a virtual fitting with her. Read more>>
Michelle DeBoer
I’ve loved animals for as long as I can remember, especially horses. One of the highlights of my childhood summers was attending “Down on the Farm” camp, where I got to ride my favorite pony, Bubbles. My parents thought it was just a phase until I saved up and bought my first horse, Mollie, while I was in high school. Read more>>
Evan Suonvieri
I grew up in a small town called Floodwood, Minnesota, with a population of around 500 people. I graduated in 2014 with fewer than 30 kids in my class. Growing up, football was my true passion. That was where I learned a lot about discipline, toughness, teamwork, and pushing myself. Read more>>
Brouke Brookins
I’m the Founder and CEO of Crowning the Culture, a youth-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization advancing Black hair education through science, advocacy, representation, and cultural empowerment. What started as a personal journey eventually evolved into a mission much bigger than myself. Growing up, I often noticed how limited accessible and culturally relevant education surrounding Black hair was, especially for Black youth. Read more>>
Hamisha Alkamooneh
I’m a second generation pet groomer who branched out on my own six years ago because I struggled to find a salon that could accommodate my needs as a single mom and a grad student. Owning my own business has allowed me to set my own hours, homeschool my kids, and find meaning in my work. Read more>>
Jennifer Brandes
Photography honestly started as a creative outlet during a season of life when my kids were little and life felt busy and chaotic in the best way. What began as simply wanting to capture my own children quickly turned into a passion for documenting connection, emotion, and the little moments that matter most. Read more>>
Tanya Denny
The Honey Hut’s legacy goes back further than its founding. Born and raised in Plymouth, Ryan Denny, one of our owners, had a dream since he was young of owning land. As a child, all he wanted was a farm of his own where he could soak up the peace and quiet of nature. Fast-forward to when Ryan married his better half, Tanya. Read more>>
Caleb Hubbard
I have been a long time lover of music and the joy that comes with exploring and sharing our passions. Ever since I first discovered music and performing, I knew it was one of my greatest joys and I wanted to share that with others! Read more>>
Brandon Jones
My story started with a deep concern for people, especially young people, families, and communities carrying pain they often did not have the space, language, or support to process. Early in my career, I worked directly with youth and families as a mental health practitioner. That work shaped me. Read more>>
Asako Hirabayashi
I have a disability called selective mutism and could not talk at all outside of my home when I was young. I was silent at school, so my teacher called my parents, thinking I was deaf or mute. My mother really worried about me and took me to a music school so that I would have something I could enjoy by myself at home. Read more>>
Joshua Prescher
So, I run Arise Outdoor Services with my brothers-in-law Caleb and Philip Couwenhoven. Our story actually starts with their family and specifically my father-in-law, Russ. For 20+ years, Russ was a pastor of a church on the north side of Minneapolis. Being a visionary, he was always looking to start new ministries and care for his community. Read more>>
Naomi Beyene
I started Kawaii Beauty in 2020 after taking my first lash course and quickly realizing how passionate I was about beauty artistry and helping women feel confident. What began as a small side business eventually grew into a full luxury beauty brand specializing in custom lash extensions and makeup services tailored to each client’s unique features. The journey definitely wasn’t linear. Read more>>
Rose Arrowsmith
I grew up steeped in stories, mostly books. We actually had to have a “no books at the table” rule, otherwise my sisters and I were likely to spend the entire meal in our own worlds. My mom read bedtime stories for many, many years; I especially remember “The Borrowers,” and the whimsical and sometimes slightly eerie “Moomintroll” stories. Read more>>
Seamus Kolb
Carroll’s Corn was my first job. I was 15, a shy Rochester kid more interested in skateboarding than small talk, and I needed money for new boards. I found the listing in the Rochester Post Bulletin — which is funny, because years later I’d be back at the Post Bulletin myself. Pat Carroll hired me in 2006. Read more>>
Barbara Becksted
At age 38, I found myself searching for myself. With 3 grown sons and an ended marriage, I was adrift. When I didn’t believe life could be any bleaker, I found hope in a career in massage. I had been working in a chiropractic clinic, had the knowledge of how to run a practice and easily shifted into my world as a therapist. Read more>>
Katrina Widener
I started in magazine journalism originally, then moved into strategy and marketing at a small company. I liked the creative and strategic side of the work, but I pretty quickly realized I wasn’t meant for corporate politics or a traditional corporate path in general. I wanted to work more directly with people and actually see the impact of the work I was doing. Read more>>
Todd Paulsen
Formacoat LLC was founded by Mark Gross almost 25 years ago. The story is very similar to what most folks would define as the American dream: after years in corporate and not really fitting in, Gross set out to do his own thing. And in a friend’s garage, Formacoat was born. Read more>>
Autumn Lewis
When I had my first son, I had started to make my own bread with commercial yeast. I wanted to simply know what was in my food, and to have a hand in the whole process. However, I would not make bread all that often because it would cause some extreme discomfort, bloating, and embarrassingly gasey. Read more>>
Katherine Sublett
My work in this area stems from my lived experiences with addiction and incarceration. This led to my discovery of the many gaps in services helping people who are returning to the community from jail and prison. I’m self-taught in the navigation of resources in the Winona and surrounding communities. Read more>>
Nate & Carmen Maendel
Nate Maendel began by mowing lawns in his neighborhood at the ripe age of twelve in CO. This progressed and eventually he built and owned his own landscaping company, Greens & Things in from 1993 to 2009. Read more>>
Kachi Akwarandu
I got into business by circumstance. In 2023, I lost my corporate IT job. Like many people in that position, my first thought was not entrepreneurship. My immediate goal was simple: find a way to sustain myself while I searched for my next opportunity. While interviewing for different IT positions, I started taking on small home projects to bring in income. Read more>>
Pete Harty
Ive always been the business minded type and great at my craft, and one day while driving through our sad looking industrial park i decided i was going to start something to hopefully bring something back into my town. that started the journey that is now Harty Manufacturing inc. Read more>>
Marty Thorne
I graduated from the University of Minnesota – Crookston Campus in December of 2014 with a B.S. degree in Natural Resources. Life and career decision took me out of the Natural Resources professions until 2025. During my time in other career fields I heard many people complaining about a lack of their favorite animal species or too many animal of an undesirable species for them. Read more>>
Matt Peterson
My journey really began with a simple passion for hard work and helping people take care of their outdoor spaces. I started Peterson’s Outdoor Solutions in Barnes, Wisconsin, as a traditional lawn care and landscaping business. Read more>>
Natalie Ruffin
I started my career in the world of education. I taught kindergarten and first grade for eight years. I also obtained my Master’s Degree as a reading specialist. As most folks know, teaching is not the most lucrative career so I always had side jobs during nights/weekends and in the summer. Read more>>
Jamar Miller
I’m Jamar Miller, also known as itsPeace. Owner of Focus Thoughts LLC. South Minneapolis born & raised. I’ve always been someone who paid attention to expression, whether that was through design, words, visuals, clothing, or simply the way people connect with emotion and meaning. Read more>>
Ashley and Jimmy Mckinzie
What started as a simple project out of necessity quickly became something so much bigger than we ever imagined. Back in 2016, we were just trying to make ends meet and create a home we loved on a tight budget. Read more>>
Dragon ‘Linda’ Walker
Soapy Toads really began long before it became a business. Years ago, I watched the movie *Practical Magic* and fell in love with the idea of having a magical little shop filled with soaps, ointments, shampoos, and beautiful handmade things. Something about that world stayed with me. I always dreamed of creating a place like that someday. Read more>>
Melissa & Cody Poster
Kelly’s Service was opened in the 1980’s, after retirement of the previous owner Kelly, Cody and Melissa Poster took over as first time business owners. Cody served in the US Army for nine years prior, then went to school at Central Lakes College (CLC) to earn a degree in Diesel Mechanics. Read more>>
