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.
NANCY ANTENUCCI
My first sense that I could “step outside” myself came during grade school recess. I was pretending to be a galloping white horse to stay warm. I could almost feel the mane and the steam of my own breath. I still describe myself that way: a white horse from the Appalachians. My mother and I were both in cahoots of the mysteries. Read more>>
Maria Serbus
I built a life that made sense on paper — and it was slowly costing me everything underneath. Eight years in healthcare. A business I scaled fast. Every milestone hit right on schedule. From the outside, I had it figured out. Inside, I was performing. Achieving. Completely disconnected from why I’d started any of it. Read more>>
Serdar Guvenc
I was born in Ankara, Türkiye, and graduated from Istanbul Technical University with a degree in Electrical Engineering. In 1999, I moved to the United States to pursue my MBA. Music has always been a passion of mine. I wanted to develop my guitar skills, collaborate with other musicians, and explore different musical traditions. Read more>>
Erik Newman
Space Hug is a husband and wife team music project, consisting of Erik Newman (Songs/Production) and Adrianne Prettyman (Vocals/Production). We also enlist help from our talented music buddies through the wonders of technology. Space Hug grew out of friendship, unexpected timing, and a deep love for making music. Read more>>
Dakota Nyberg
It started in 2020, during COVID. I was bored, picked up a camera, and started shooting photos with a friend. That turned into video pretty quickly. While I was still in college, a local business reached out and asked if I could do video work for them. Read more>>
Courtland Pickens
I grew up as what I like to call a church baby. Church was a huge part of my life, and so was music. Some of my earliest memories are sitting in church and hearing the music, the choir, the musicians and the voices filling the room. Even as a kid, I remember how music made me feel. Read more>>
Wanita Nosbush
My husband, Gerard, and I purchased the resort on long Lake, just east of Park Rapids MN in 1995. We renames it to CEDAR SHORES LODGE & RESORT, previously called Northward Ho! (like Westward Ho! We have owned and managed the resort ever since. The resort was originally built in the late 20’s or early 30’s. Read more>>
J.R. Youngblut
After a thrilling but ultimately professionally inconsequential youth in bucolic South Minneapolis, I decided to become a multi-hyphenate. I got a cheap flight to New York City for September 11th, 2019 and promised myself I’d never forget my first day in the Big Apple. Read more>>
Vanessa M. H. Powers
I like to joke that I’ve been making movies as long as I could hold a camera and a Barbie at the same time. While I say this with humor, it is also the truth. My family and I are BIG movie fans. Read more>>
Carrie Summer
Lisa and I met in 2001 on a project she was consulting on. We had a mutual friend, that suggested we meet. I set up an appointment to meet with her and it was an enchanting “love it first sight” moment. Read more>>
Midnight Water Fairy
My story starts in a small region in Kazakhstan called Dzhambul on the magical river called Talas. My family and I immigrated to MN when I was 3 or 4, but funny how parts of that land still lives in my memory. Read more>>
Greshann Murdoch
Canary Beach Resort has been a gemstone of the community for almost 50 years. There is a seasonal guest who just recently told me he has been coming here since 1980! The beauty of this safe, clean and friendly family vacation spot has impacted generations. Unhitched Management was given the honor of protecting the integrity and values of Canary Beach Resort in April of 2026. Read more>>
Blair Schulman
I started out writing arts criticism, and kept running into the same frustration: national coverage treats the Midwest as culturally thin, That’s not true. I started Midwest Agenda started as a dedicated space to cover the visual arts and cultural policy as coverage on their own terms. Read more>>
Artist Name Kresal
I grew up in a household with 9 other siblings. 5 brothers and 4 sisters. I was the youngest. So I heard all types of music. I started my journey as a kid in his room listening to music. I had purchased my own equipment from the help of a girl I knew from school. Teaching myself how to record was not easy. Read more>>
Gerae Christensen
My journey into esthetics began with a simple passion: helping people feel confident and comfortable in their own skin. I have always believed that beauty does not have to mean covering up or changing who you are. Read more>>
Dominique Pierre-Toussaint
I’ve always believed that relationships, access and opportunity can change the direction of someone’s life. My journey started on the East Coast, growing up in New York and Maryland, where athletics, especially wrestling, taught me discipline, accountability and the importance of having people who believe in you. Read more>>
Jessica Bergman Night
I grew up always making things and naturally fell into making a lot of art. I was lucky enough to go to a highschool with a very strong arts program at the time and encountered some wonderful instructors and fellow student artists and was able to create a mural at the school that is still there today some 25 years later! Read more>>
Matthew Miller
Creativity has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. My dad is a professional artist, so I grew up surrounded by art and the process of making things. I joke that I had a paintbrush or camera in my hand before I could walk, but there’s probably some truth to it. Read more>>
Nell Tryst
I started painting as a way to express myself and process my experiences, and over time, that passion grew into something much bigger. What began as a personal creative outlet became a full-time career in 2020, when I committed myself to building Tryst Trigger Artworks as a professional multidisciplinary art practice. Read more>>
Hailey Lebaron
I actually never drank coffee before I started this journey. I decided to buy my first espresso machine, a Breville, off Marketplace, and honestly, I had no idea what I was doing. I didn’t even know how to properly use the machine at first, so I started watching tons of videos and teaching myself. Read more>>
Steve Solkela
From a childhood farm on Minnesota’s Iron Range steeped in Finnish roots and work ethic (SISU) to stages all around the world, Steven Solkela is a one-of-a-kind artist who appeals to a fanbase young and old through his versatile performances, eclectic studio recordings, and vast online presence. Read more>>
Jess Harms
Hi! I’m Jess- a theatre performer, singer and vocal teacher from Southern California. My love for the arts has taken me all across the country and I recently moved to Minneapolis after four years in New York City where I began my teaching journey. Read more>>
Emily Carriveau
I actually joined social media because of my kids. When they got their first iPhones, I downloaded all the apps so I could understand what they were using and keep an eye on what they were doing. Along the way I started seeing different creators sharing their outfits, unboxing, and pieces of their everyday lives, and I remember thinking… I want to do that too. Read more>>
Anisa Mohammed
Founded by a dynamic duo of a psychologist, Anisa, and real estate investor, Deeyon, Channa Kitchen is the realization of a dream to explore new horizons and share passion for West Indian food with the community. Channa Kitchen opened as a ghost kitchen in 2023 and has offered delicious dishes through pick up, delivery, corporate dining, catering, farmers markets, and pop-ups. Read more>>
Andrea Storlie
I dropped out of high school when I was sixteen years old and legitimately never imagined owning a business. As an incredibly hard worker, I knew that I would always be successful, regardless of what I was doing, but I never intended to be a business owner – it is a venture that selected me. Read more>>
Antoinette Freeman
I’m a Liberian-born U.S. citizen, and I started LaidByPYT when I was only 16 years old. I started off doing hair by myself in my room, just practicing, learning, and taking the clients I could. What began as something small quickly started growing as more people began booking with me and supporting my work. As my clientele grew, so did my business. Read more>>
Kurri Anderson
My name is Kurri Anderson. I was born on August 10th, 1999 and from Woodbury, Minnesota. My family consists of my Mom (Renee), my Dad (Josh), and my 4 siblings (Karter, Keegan, Chloe, Cooper). I am the oldest of the 5 and couldn’t be more proud to be their oldest sibling for them. Read more>>
DJ Blezz
When I was young, I had a strong desire for music, especially playing musical instruments and understanding every piece that comes together to make a song. Growing up in a humble background, I utilized the resources available to me, such as using containers as drums and building some musical instruments from scratch. I was also interested in attending music shows and events. Read more>>
Joyce Marrie
For more than 45 years, I have worked with youth, helping them discover and develop their unique talents through the performing and creative arts in community centers, churches, and schools. In 1992, I founded Crossroads Panorama, a nonprofit learning community created to provide support, encouragement, and transformation for young people and adults facing crisis and life challenges. Read more>>
Lizbeth Jordan
My journey in the beauty industry started with a genuine love for makeup and the way it can make someone feel. What began as a passion slowly became something much bigger than I ever imagined. I started by practicing, learning, and taking every opportunity I could to improve my skills. Like many entrepreneurs, I didn’t start with everything figured out. Read more>>
Jamaica Miles-Bey
My story is honestly a little bit of everything, faith, hard lessons, resilience, motherhood, big dreams, and a whole lot of figuring it out as I went. I was homeless for four years, living on the streets of Minnesota with my young son at the time. Read more>>
