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.
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>>
Nicole Farrell
I started Books For Better MN in March of 2020 at the beginning of Covid. I was home with my daughters and I wanted to do something to make a difference. The organization started as one single book shelf in the garage and has grown to a small book ‘shop’ in the North Branch Outlet Mall. Read more>>
Corey Schleifer
“We hold on to one very important word here at Schleifer’s WoodWorks LLC… Integrity. This company is built on it. When I started out on the idea of building“ another construction company” I knew we had to be diferent. Together with my team, we have combined over 30 years of residential construction experience in over 20 trades and specialties. Read more>>
Kiara Bonilla
My name is Kiara but everyone calls me Ki. I am the owner of Squeek Ki Clean, a family operated cleaning business based in the Carolinas. I am a mother to a beautiful daughter as well as a fur baby. Growing up I always said that, if I became a mom I would give my kid the entire world. Read more>>
Nichole Grundner
I didn’t start out with a plan to build a bookkeeping business. It really came from a moment where I had to figure things out. When my position with a previous employer was dissolved, I found myself in a place of needing to find something—anything—to move forward. Read more>>
Caleb Tesdahl
The House of Shields is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that was founded in 2008. The House of Shields provides FREE lodging for Police Officers (active or retired) and members of their immediate family. We are based in Rochester, MN which is home to Mayo Clinic, the best rated hospital in the country. Read more>>
Alan Hiltner
I’ve been an electrician for about 4 years now. I never had a particular fixation with working for myself or being an entrepreneur, which I think is a Modern mythological figure. I started working for myself because it allows me to say no to certain projects and yes to others. Read more>>
Charissa Wall
I have been baking and gardening ever since I was a little girl, I’ve always loved being in the kitchen, growing flowers and vegetables. I would help my mom in the kitchen and help my dad in the garden. As I got older and started having children I discovered my love for coffee as well. Read more>>
Ka Bao Jennrich
I’ve always been drawn to service and advocacy, which is what ultimately led me to law. Before starting Jennrich Law, I worked in several roles that shaped how I approach helping people today: as a public defender, teacher, firefighter, and Chair of the North Branch Planning Commission. Read more>>
Jenny Shefelbine
After high school, I went to college because it felt like the ‘right’ next step, even though I didn’t really know what I wanted to do yet. I ended up falling in love with psychology because it helped me understand people, relationships, behavior, and honestly, myself. That path led me to school psychology, where I spent 12 years working in public schools. Read more>>
Angie Johnson
PROLIFE Across AMERICA began with one woman’s conviction that every life has value. In 1970, after Canada legalized abortion and efforts were underway to liberalize abortion laws in the United States, a young Minnesota mother named Mary Ann Kuharski was encouraged by a friend to become involved in the pro-life movement. Read more>>
JC Johnson
After years of leading HR functions in fast-growing organizations, I saw a clear gap: small and mid-sized businesses needed senior-level HR strategy and support but couldn’t justify (or afford) a full-time CHRO. That’s why I founded JC Organizational Strategies—to deliver high-impact, fractional HR and people-strategy solutions exactly when and how businesses need them. My career has centered on turning people challenges into competitive advantages. Read more>>
Kelsie Schoenecker
I started my career in the beauty industry in 2010 with a passion for helping people feel confident and beautiful. From the beginning, I loved not only the creative side of doing hair, but also the relationships and connections that came with it. Read more>>
Matthew Earley
Hi my name is Matthew Earley, an artist/creative out of the twin cities metro area. Since a young age I have been experimenting and exploring both writing and music creation. My main medias of art include free verse poetry and hip hop music. I also play guitar and sing. Read more>>
Dudley Edmondson
I moved to Minnesota in the early 90’s to begin a career as a professional nature photographer. Along the way I discovered that as a Black man in America, people who looked like me were not really experiencing nature and reaping the mental and physical health benefits that I knew were possible. Read more>>
Randii Waddell
Most of my career was spent in corporate leadership roles helping large companies with mergers and acquisitions, inventory management, manufacturing efficiency, and large-scale system transformations. I loved the challenge and built a really solid foundation across all aspects of running a business. But several years ago, I felt a strong pull to give back. Read more>>
JP Liesenfeld
My name is JP Liesenfeld and I have had an interesting life! I went to school in Richfield Minnesota & NE Minneapolis. I graduated from Brown College with a Radio & Television Degree. I have been working as an on-air personality now for 28 years. I have worked for Zone 105, Drive 105, KDWB, KRAD, and I’m currently on the air at 93X in Minnesota. Read more>>
Cheryl Stuntebeck
I started in banking in 1987. I moved to mortgage in 1998 working in operations. I was in charge of the group that processed and closed all the state bond loans and self employed buyers in MN. I became very good at analyzing tax returns and complicated profiles. I started originating mortgages in 2001. Read more>>
Jamee Kim
My journey into the beauty industry started at the Aveda Institute-Minneapolis back in 2008. Honestly, there really isn’t a cool story behind why I decided to do hair or something that I was even passionate about growing up. Read more>>
Blythe Lang
I grew up in the Twin Cities and then headed east for college to study business. After graduation, I took a job in San Francisco at an art auction house. I love contemporary art but was perhaps even more fascinated by the raw business of pricing. Read more>>
Cally Roberts
I’ve grown up watching how food drives so many aspects of community. Sharing meals brings people together, sharing recipes keeps cultures alive, and sharing baked goods brings comfort. Read more>>
Beth Kivett
My career path has been anything but linear, but a consistent thread throughout my journey has been a deep commitment to helping others. I’ve always been drawn to connecting with people and creating meaningful, positive change within my community. That passion ultimately led me to my work in senior recreation, where I’ve found tremendous purpose. Read more>>
Lucy Kelleher
I started as a Pre-PT during my undergraduate work at the University of North Dakota hoping to specialize in preventative physical therapist. As I experienced more of the PT world, I was guided by faculty to the field of biomechanics. This would allow me to analyze the physics of movement for efficiency and effective patterns as well as therapeutic interventions. Read more>>
Tom Bengtson
A writer needs good material to share with readers, and I try to keep my eyes and ears open to the things around me, with the idea that some of my observations will be worth sharing. When I was in college, I was interested in sports and wrote about athletes and their competitions for the University of Minnesota student newspaper. Read more>>
Bonnie Laabs
The story of WEE Farm really began through a combination of education, personal experience, and a deep desire to create meaningful change for young people and families. While earning my doctorate degree in Curriculum & Instruction from the University of Minnesota, I was simultaneously teaching full-time in St. Paul. Read more>>
Lauren Burchill & Melissa Klein
My journey into leadership development and coaching didn’t begin with a grand master plan. It started with a genuine curiosity about people and what helps them grow. Read more>>
