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.
Annette Lee
As a Black teen growing up in the East Side of St. Paul I sought to attend an HBCU after having difficult High School experiences that weren’t affirming for me in MN. I sought to be around individuals who presumed my competence. I found this at Fisk University in Nashville TN- an HBCU with a powerful legacy that includes, W.E.B. Read more>>
Kristofer Keltgen
I grew up in southern Minnesota surrounded by the sounds of old-time music, polkas, waltzes, and the great Dutchmen-style bands that were such an important part of this region’s culture. That music was never just background noise to me. It was tied to community, family, dance halls, radio programs, church festivals, and the kind of gatherings where generations came together on the same dance floor. Read more>>
Joe Hawes
I did door-to-door sales for 15+ years, all over the country. Eventually I opened my own location here in Minnesota, built it up, and sold it to Terminix. Good chapter, but it left me wanting to build something that was actually mine. Here’s the thing: I grew up in Crystal. Most of my family is still here. Minnesota’s in my blood. Read more>>
Jamie Rahoutis
I’ve known since I was a small child that I wanted to do hair and makeup one day as a career. I remember playing “beauty school” at my aunts in home daycare with the other daycare kids! Read more>>
Douglas McComb
Sorry this is so long. To paraphrase Mark Twain, I didn’t have time to write a short history, so I wrote a long one. A career in aquariums was the most predictable career path for me as I’ve been working in aquariums my entire life, 30 years to be exact, with additional years as a hobbyist. Read more>>
Ashley Prom
Teeny Town Playground was created by two families who share a passion for early childhood development. Between us, all but one of our team members work in the preschool industry, where we noticed that imagination and open-ended play seemed to be fading. We wanted to create a space where children could learn, explore, and create through play. Read more>>
Tom Conway
Schwanke Tractor and Truck Started in the Mid to late fifties as a salvage yard for farm tractors and machinery. The primary person behind the effort was Virgil Schwanke, but he was assisted by his Father Alvin Schwanke and his brother Bud Schwanke. Virgil started collecting at an early age. We have a Model T Ford that he purchased when he was about sixteen. Read more>>
Gabe Andrade
My path to starting Andrade Law was built step by step. It did not happen overnight. I am a first-generation attorney, so becoming a lawyer was not something that was handed to me or something I grew up already knowing how to navigate. I had to figure out the path, work hard, and learn from each stage along the way. Minnesota is home for me. Read more>>
lauren hardy
The Good Village Co was started in my home kitchen in 2018, where I started with simple tinctures, experimental balms, and a LOT of elderberry syrup. In 2023, I lost my job when AI came around and I took what I knew (remedies!) and went to the farmers market with them. Read more>>
Josie Olson
Hi, my name is Josie, the owner of a small business called Cozmic Crystalz Co. Im a Minnesota native, born and raised. I’ve always been fascinated by nature and the things that it creates. Especially rocks and gems. As a child I remember collecting rocks from the beach with my older brother and smashing them open to see what they looked like inside. Read more>>
Andrew Ohmann
The Origins of Local Legends Local Legends began with a simple idea: we should play more Dungeons & Dragons and other RPGs. But like many aspiring adventurers, we faced a common challenge—finding a group, and more importantly, a Dungeon Master. Instead of letting that stop us, Andrew, the founder of Local Legends, took matters into his own hands and started hosting sessions at his house. Read more>>
Eric Johnson
My introduction to carpentry and woodworking began around age fourteen, working alongside my father, Leif. He was a shop teacher during the school year and ran a construction company in the summers, and I spent every summer learning from him. Those early experiences sparked a genuine love for building and convinced me that I wanted a future in the construction field. Read more>>
Jordon Moses
I have always been a storyteller. In my early 20s, I did a lot of work around arts based organizing and consciousness raising. This eventually involved a larger vision to build a vessel to support other creatives. I co-founded Blackbird Revolt in 2017 in Duluth, Minnesota. Read more>>
Tou Yang
In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, it was a time of uncertainty and I was laid off. Services for our special needs child was altered which made my situation hard to find work. After being on unemployment for some time, my wife Siry and I decided to pursue our dream of owning our own business. Read more>>
Annie Moua
I believed I did everything right. I graduated with a degree from University, I landed the career, bought the house, got the car, and I was achieving the American dream. 14 years+ in non-profit organizations and I was burnt out. I felt guilt and shame because I should be thankful to not being a burden to society with this job. Read more>>
Melanie Franke
I’ve been a physical therapist for over 20years. Graduated from UW Lacrosse and started working in Tomah, WI specializing in vestibular rehab and vertigo. Moved to California and continued focusing on vertigo and neuro rehab. Moved to South Carolina in2015 and became lymphedema certified as well. Moved back to the Midwest in 2017 and injured my back. Tried everything, but nothing resolved the pain. Read more>>
Andrew Edwards
My name is King Dru ‘KD’ Edwards. I worked in education and community development with Black and Brown youth. Over the past decade, I have worked as a middle school teacher, community organizer, and, more recently, in the retail industry through representation in my brand, Know Your Worth Clothing, launched in 2016. Read more>>
Mary Henry
In 2009, my son went through a very difficult deployment in Afghanistan. He and his unit returned home in 2010 and I was able to see firsthand the struggles that members of the armed forces experience upon returning home to life after combat. Read more>>
Rachael Bialka
Zack and Rachael Bialka are the owners of Lake Emily Resort, a family-focused vacation destination nestled in the heart of Northern Minnesota’s lake country in Emily, Minnesota. Like many of their guests, they first fell in love with the area as visitors themselves. Read more>>
Miterran Atud
I always star my story with these words of Socrates: ‘No one is evert too old to learn’ – As well as, there is no wasted knowledge. I didn’t go to school to study IT. My Bachelor’s Honors is in Geography, My Post Graduate is in Resource Management and I was trained as a High school teacher teaching social studies. Read more>>
Nate Byrne
When I was a college senior at Montana-State Bozeman, I was working with families on the home side of care for students with special needs. At school they had IEPs and 504s to help meet academic and social goals and families worked with our agency to draft similar plans for home. How can we have dinner without a tantrum? Read more>>
Darcy Akerberg
We started Akerberg Acres 19 years ago when our first son was born. We started farming around an acre of apples and vegetables. We went to the local farmer’s market to sell some of our produce. A couple years later we started making jams and pickles with our leftover produce from the markets. Read more>>
Meg Dornfeld
In 2006 while I was working in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Children’s Minnesota, I noticed the increase of Latino infants in our unit. I worked nights and at that time there were very few translators that we could call upon for interpreting services. Read more>>
Sean Mastel
I have been an Optician for 22 years. The industry has changed a lot, and I wanted to do something different. Like a lot of products in our life, manufacturers have slowly started making products with planned obsolescence and production overseas. I have always enjoyed being creative and working with my hands, so creating frames was a natural progression. Read more>>
Danielle Paschal
SkinFuel By Danielle was born from a simple belief: when people feel confident in their skin, they show up differently in every area of their lives. My entrepreneurial journey has been anything but traditional. Before becoming an esthetician and business owner, I spent years challenging myself through fitness, modeling, and personal development. Those experiences taught me discipline, resilience, and the importance of confidence. Read more>>
Christopher Daniels
35 years ago I bought a beer brewing kit for $5 at a yard sale. Home brewed beer for about 30 years. Born and raised in Maine and about 15 years ago I met my wife, a Minnesotan who had married a Mainer in college and moved to Maine then got divorced. Read more>>
ruth lordan
my professional career as a psychic began when in 1970 I saw a sign in the French Quarter that said palm reader wanted. I am a 7th plus generational psychic, had just gotten a philosophy degree and was attending law school in NOLA. Read more>>
Frannie Wilcox
I started my career as an esthetician right out of high school. I worked for waxing company for a little over a year and was able to perfect my waxing skills. Once I specialized in waxing I was ready to expand my skills. Read more>>
Ben Chorn
The Minnesota Mineral Club (MMC) was started in 1945 and has grown to over 1,000 members today! I became involved with the MMC when I moved back to Minnesota in 2019. I volunteered as the Tour/Field Trip Director and Vice President, and am currently the President. Read more>>
Lara Leinen
Doggy Social started with a simple question: Why can’t dogs be part of life’s biggest celebrations in a safe, stress-free way? I’ve always loved animals, but as I watched more couples planning weddings, I kept seeing the same challenge. Their dogs were family, and they wanted them included in one of the most important days of their lives. Read more>>
Amanda Birnie
I spent more than a decade as a photographer, specializing in weddings, portraits, and interiors. Through photographing beautiful homes, I became increasingly fascinated by interior design and especially by the way a great rug can completely transform a space. In 2020, when the pandemic significantly impacted my photography business, I found myself at home with a newborn and a toddler, reevaluating what was next. Read more>>
