The Most Inspiring Stories in St. Louis

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.

Forest Lake

My privacy and publicity are important to me. I share this poem without drawing it into the writing contests that it deserves to be in because my gifts are mine to give. Still, my audience gazes into my house so, please, send me a gift. Gas, grass, or something else if you know what I mean, my friend. But mostly the first two and by grass I mean wild your lawn first. Another thing, this world and modern society are not romantic on their own. Poverty and oppression are not storybook tales. Genocide is not a question of morals. Now, before the poem we hold an intermission. Look it up, it’s gold from the Coalition to Dismantle the Doctrine of Discovery. I know how much you like gold. Read More>>

John Henry

I wrote songs as soon as I learned to play one chord on the guitar. Never wanted to be a guitar hero, was always always into songs. Played a few shows in grade school and I liked how it felt to perform my songs in front of people. I started playing with friends and we formed a high school band called the Big O and was a great time. Loved it. I wrote a lot of the tunes and became the frontman so to speak. I would settle a lot of the shows and learned how to advance shows, etc.. I knew I wanted to be in music for my life and the playing, writing and business side all came to form a unique experience that helps me today. Read More>>

Arica Nyamsi

Upon graduation I started Consuming Kinetics Dance Company, or CKDC, as a community project to keep a group of young adult artists dancing while focusing on other careers. In the early years we performed for free and volunteered our time. As a young organization, we had the energy and capacity to respond to the community and met requests and grew the company organically, without really realizing what we were doing. Read More>>

Jake Morgan

Over the course of 6 years, 50+ shows, signing to Standby Records, recording and releasing our Friendless EP, doing 2 music videos and 4 tours across the US, it all came to a mutual decision to part ways in 2020. Rather than forming a new band, I instead came to the realization that I wanted to help other people form their dreams with music into a reality, thus my journey into audio engineering and songwriting started. After 4 years of hard work and dedication I now run a home studio known as [ DEAD CELL ] Auditory Nanotech Productions! Read More>>

Madeline Field

As I got older I went through some hard times dealing with mental illness and I really struggled in high school with substance abuse. As you know that never makes anything any easier. Art was always there for me though. I had an amazing high school art teacher that really pushed me to be a better human and grow up a bit. Shout out to Mrs. Wander at Highland High school. She’s a very passionate woman who knows her stuff. A lot of those teachers there shaped me into who I am today, and got me through a very rough time in my life. Art became more of an emotional outlet for me at this point. It truly was the only reason I kept my sanity. Read More>>

Debra Farnell

I loved the idea of learning about all things home, as well as being part of a program that literally didn’t exist anywhere else. Our professors were all current industry leaders and we were lucky enough to be located in the heart of it all. After graduation, I found myself back in St. Louis where I worked in various retail environments as well as a brief time in meeting and event planning. It wasn’t until 2018-19 when Marie Kondo was in her peak popularity – teaching the world the importance of decluttering and organizing – that I knew what I wanted to do. In 2019 I, along with an acquaintance with the same dream, launched 2B Organized St. Louis. Read More>>

Melanie Hasen

It was a lot of work, but Terry, Melissa and I made it happen with so much support and love from my husband who never wavered in his excitement and enthusiasm. He knew I could do this long before I did. I put my nursing cap up and became a full-time jewelry store owner and jeweler. We are almost 6 years in the “new” location and going strong. Unfortunately, in January of 2021 Terry had a heart attack and passed away. He was the best mentor and friend I have had. We spent many years together in the business and I still keep his picture by my bench to help me through the days. It has been a wild 18 years, and the industry has changed so much. Read More>>

Makenna Burton

I’ve always struggled with narrowing my art down. In in addition to fine art, I’ve pursued a career as a photographer and videographer. For many years, and even sometimes still, creating can feel like juggling a dozen different objects of different weights, sizes and shapes. It’s hard to get a rhythm when your work changes every day. Read More>>

Erin Watson

At the time, I was young, newly married with a mortgage and didn’t have a lot of money; so the thought of leaving my secure job for something totally unstable was not appealing to me. Regardless I thought, if there really is a God and this is what He wants me to do, maaaaaybe it’s worth at least entertaining for a hot minute; and when I find that this project is more than I can afford, then I can walk away with a clear conscience. Read More>>

Martha Barnds

In kindergarten I interviewed with a local, independent art instructor in Davenport, Iowa, where I presented my art portfolio full of still lifes and self-portraits. I was fortunate enough to be able to take 12 years of private art lessons with my mentor and art teacher, Pat Bereskin. Mrs. B taught me everything I know about art, giving me the opportunity to experiment with a wide variety of subject matter and material. By the age of 13, I sold my first commission and have been developing my individual art style ever since. By encouraging and nurturing my passion for art, Mrs. B helped to instill in me the confidence to continue with art in my young adult and professional life. Read More>>

Sinti Ventura

Organized Homes by Sinti LLC began its journey about three years ago. At the time, my husband Alex and I were both juggling full-time jobs and barely had time for each other, let alone our passion for volunteer work. We knew we wanted a change – a chance to create something meaningful together. Read More>>

Alexandre Mattan

Leaving school, I got into a small business with my mother rehabbing homes around the city. St. Louis looked like a museum covered in dust. The residential architecture in this city is second to none. I remember being blown away by the old buildings in disuse and got to work pulling it back into the 21st century. Though a little apprehensive at first, people appreciated and admired my enthusiasm for the city. They might’ve thought I was crazy, but they respected my willingness to pour myself into a place that was once the beating heart of America and my chosen home. Read More>>

Michelle Charbonnier

My journey has been one of transformation, growth, and service. I am Michelle Charbonnier, a professional counselor and the Executive Director of the Missouri Network for Opiate Reform and Recovery (MoNetwork), a recovery community center rooted in harm reduction. I work as a counselor with Plan Your Recovery at Clayton Behavioral, providing tailored support for individuals navigating the complexities of substance use and mental health. Last year, I cofounded Sovereign Collective LLC, an organization aimed at empowering people to reach their greatest potential. Read More>>

Dejah Mason

When I moved to St. Louis in college, I felt like the world was my oyster. My first time on my own, I just wanted to explore St. Louis and what better way to do it than to visit restaurants because your girl loves to eat and try new things. When I had a job during college in the Delmar Loop, I had to take the Metro. Before work I would stop into Blueprint Coffee or Meshuggah Cafe to grab coffee and breakfast. The Delmar Loop was basically my starting point and I was going to place after place! Before work, during my lunch break, after work and when I had a break from classes. At some point I was looking up new places on Yelp and I made an account and started uploading reviews. I started to take pictures and upload them onto Instagram and onto Yelp. One thing led to another, I started making videos of the places I would go, and I would tell all of my foodie friends about them. Now they all support me in whatever I do and I bring them along with me. I am know to be the foodie friend of the group. Read More>>

Jada Hubert

I started modeling during the COVID-19 pandemic as a way to stay busy when everything else seemed to come to a standstill. It was always something that intrigued me, and growing up, people would often tell me I should pursue it. However, I never thought it was something I would take seriously. One day, while scrolling through Instagram, I stumbled upon a local agency holding an open casting call, and I decided to give it a shot. At the time, I had just graduated from college and, given the pandemic, my schedule wasn’t too hectic. A few weeks later, I received a call back and signed with the agency, marking the beginning of my modeling journey. Read More>>

Herman Armstrong

I was born and raised in north St. Louis City. Some of my earliest memories include crossing the Delmar Divide daily after being transferred to gifted schools in south City. This sparked a sense of curiosity towards the different qualities of life throughout St. Louis, primarily along racial lines. I graduated from Gateway STEM High School and studied Biology at UM-Rolla (now Missouri S&T). I spent one summer as an intern for the United Way of Greater St. Louis and three summers with the St. Louis Agency on Training and Employment (SLATE). During my time at SLATE, I taught college and career readiness to high school students. Read More>>

Aida Vukovic-Ibisevic

My parents and I moved to St. Louis from Bosnia in May of 1998. I’ve lived here in St. Louis my whole life. I graduated high school from Bayless senior high. I continued my education by going to Paul Mitchell The School St. Louis and I graduated with my cosmetology license in 2017. In 2020 during the pandemic my husband Muamer and I got married. In 2020 before the pandemic I started working as an independent stylist at Just in Style Salon & Med Spa. I absolutely love it here. I am so blessed to work with such empowering and supportive females around me, but besides my work environment, my whole family and my husband Muamer are very supportive, they have helped me go and do things in my career that are beyond my comfort zone. Read More>>

Silver Material

Silver Material was formed in 2019 by Brad and Jonah while they were in high school, intending to compete in a local talent show. They continued to practice together– learning covers, writing songs, and occasionally performing. They cycled through a couple of different members until Wyress joined in 2020 along with their friend Will at the beginning of 2021. Silver Material was cemented as a four-piece: Jonah Claussen on drums; Wyress Heflin on vocals and rhythm guitar; Will Marsh on vocals and bass; and Brad Martin on lead guitar. Read More>>

Alex Bertman

While in college I took a class called “social media marketing” where we had to create a fake business. I chose to be a photographer – this just meant that I went on hikes with friends and took photos while adventuring. We were required to start social media accounts to “market” our business by making posts. The friends would then share the posts I made with them in it. Roughly a month or two went by and I began getting asked to do small jobs for people which I was hesitant to do at first out of having low skill level. As I continued to take photos for people, I then continued to get asked to do more and more jobs which encouraged me to learn new skills, but also allowed me to reinvest the income into nicer equipment. The jobs I work range from corporate events, to family photos, or even wedding photos/videos. Read More>>

Ginel Bartleson

Growing up one of the staples in my family was Saturday morning Coffee at my grandma’s house. It was one of the few constants in my childhood. It was a time to connect with my extended family, a time to pause and BE with people. That is what I hope to create with COTA. COTA COFFEE comes from James 5:16 that says”Confess One To Another that you may be Healed”. I hope to create space an opportunity for people to pause from the busyness of life and connect with each other. Read More>>

Dasia Harris

My story begins two years before I started modeling, I lived with my mom and my three younger siblings. During that time I lived with my family, I helped nurse my mother back to health as she was suffering from kidney and heart problems that led to her having a stroke, as well as taking care of my siblings. My family and I became indebted during the time my mother was in the hospital. Therefore, my siblings and I did everything possible to pay off as much as possible. There was even an individual who stepped up and helped my family and me as much as they could. For that, my family and I are forever grateful for them. Read More>>

Amy Le

My husband John Keebler and I opened our first Latin Asian brick-and-mortar, Saucy Porka, in downtown Chicago in 2013 with our then chef partner Rafael Lopez. A second location would follow in 2018 in Chicago’s diverse Hyde Park neighborhood. By 2022 we teamed up with my brother Phil Le, to launch Saucy Porka in our hometown of St. Louis. Our culinary careers have centered on community, family and resilience. Read More>>

Tim Moore

I grew up in St. Louis in South County and later Jefferson County. I went to Webster University and graduated with a BA in Audio Production. I spent the first 15 years of my career in ministry as a Worship and later Executive Pastor at various churches. I still serve at my local church, Faith Community in House Springs. That’s where my wife and I met and got married 20 years ago this July! We moved across the country a bit, with stops in Green Bay, WI and then to sunny South Florida (I’ll let you guess why that location came second). Along the way we were blessed with two wonderful children, and decided we wanted to return to our hometown to let them grow up close to family. I transitioned my careers in late 2020 and started a business as a financial advisor. I began with a small RIA (registered investment advisory) firm in St. Louis and soon after joined a group of advisors in Kirkwood called 25 Financial. Read More>>

Mollie Lodde

Growing up I’ve always found myself wandering into the kitchen to help my mom prepare meals for the family. I enjoyed the quality time but most importantly I had passion for food. Fast forward to High School, I signed up for as many cooking classes that was offered. I talked with my teacher and explained how it would be amazing if the school had a class just catered to baking. She agreed and we had a meeting with the school board and created Baking and Pastry 101. That’s when I realized this wasn’t just a hobby anymore, I need to make it my passion. Read More>>

Shannon Smock

My journey has been filled with both challenges and incredible opportunities. I got my start in the entertainment industry, where I worked as an actress and a model. This demanding environment taught me invaluable lessons, particularly the importance of resilience and the ability to gracefully handle rejection. Read More>>

Kimberly Adams

Hello, my name is Kimberly, and I am the owner and designer of JAdamsCollection. I am 19 years old and currently live in Missouri. I graduated from high school in 2023, and these days, I’m balancing a part-time job in mailing services while managing my small business. Having been homeschooled throughout my education, I was able to dedicate extra time to my passion for crafts. Read More>>

Cori Steiner

I’ve loved art and creating ever since I was little and wanted to be an artist or archaeologist when I grew up. I was always fascinated with tattoos as I grew up and kept up with my art. I didn’t know if I could really make a career out of art so, I went to college for marketing and have held different related positions through the years: graphic designer, business development, packaging designer, frontend developer, software development teaching assistant. When the pandemic hit, I did a lot of self reflection. I wasn’t happy where I was so with the support of my now husband I quit my front end developer position to focus on my art. Read More>>

Megan Travers

I first started professionally baking twelve years ago in Madison, Wisconsin at the Underground Food Collective. My husband and I had moved to Madison from Chicago to help open their butcher shop, my husband as head butcher and myself on the retail end. I went to undergrad for music performance and later graduated from luthiery (stringed instrument making) school so I had a pretty varied background but I had never worked in food before. I loved baking growing up and always wanted to learn more. After a few months I moved from retail to pastry and eventually took the head pastry chef position where I oversaw desserts for the restaurant and all production baking for the butcher shop and catering business. Much of my time there was spent on recipe development for plated desserts which gave me a lot of freedom to teach myself new techniques and work seasonally which can be very limiting in Wisconsin. Read More>>

Grace Pearsall

In 2013, I was a few years into working a retail job that I was starting to burn out at. I thought about how much fun it might be to work in a bakery, so I decided to take a chance. I did a Google search for local bakeries in my area (Phoenix, AZ, at the time) & sent out cold emails. I explained that I had no formal training or pastry school background but was eager to get my foot in the door. I emphasized my experience in customer service & offered to help however they needed—working the register, answering phones, cleaning, anything they needed. Read More>>

Susan Kline

I have always been fascinated with photography and started as a child with a Kodak Brownie camera. I still have that camera. I stayed interested as I got older but never got into film developing so I had to depend on sending off my film which was always frustrating. Once the digital age came around, that was a game changer. Read More>>

Marian Brickner

Hello everyone!. Being 87 right now, I have done many things including getting a teaching degree and starting the first CO-op nursery school in 1973 in Greenville, Ill. After that I moved and got a job working for VALIC and handling the 403b benefit for people who worked at NON-profit places, like schools and hospitals. All this time I was taking pictures. Mostly my children and their dogs! Loved showing that animals had a real life!!!! Read More>>

Azur Meskovic

My family and I fled the war in Bosnia in 1992. Germany allowed immigrants to stay until the war was over which triggered our move to St. Louis, MO in 1997. I started 6th grade at Rogers Middle School in the Affton School District and just one year later, we moved to Ballwin and graduated from Parkway South High in 2004. I went on to graduate from Ranken Technical college with a B.S. Degree in Business Management and started working in the hvac industry. Read More>>

Haley Ellis

My mom had dreams to become an artist. She wanted to go to college at the Chicago Institute of Art and was never able. I would watch her draw when I was a kid and always wanted to be as good as her. For as long as I can remember it has been my absolute dream to do art. I have practiced pretty much my entire life. The dream is still to be able to make a career out of it. It wasn’t until a couple years ago I started to do some commission pieces, I ran a website, was in some local exhibits, etc. I am still working on getting my art out there. A lot of the pieces I create are emotion based. Putting the way emotions or moments feel from my perspective in a different way. I love to create things that also make other people feel something when they look at it. For me, it’s an amazing experience to hear how it makes others feel. I think that’s one of the most rewarding parts of it all. Connection. Read More>>

Keegan Walker

Ego Death formed in late 2022 with the intention of being a solo project. However, after showing the music to various producers, musicians, and other close sources. I decided to make it a band with the intention of playing performing live, as well as attempting to have it reach music listeners across the world. It was a slow build, but I needed to make sure I found the right people to play in this band with me. Read More>>

Kelly Stover

We make 17 different flavors of fudge, 3 kinds of brittle, 9 different barks, popcorn candies, toffee, homemade caramel for our apples and turtles, and a large variety of hand-dipped chocolates. We also sell a large variety of candies that we don’t make on site, like taffy, Jelly Belly, and hard candies. We carry 16 flavors of ice cream year-round in our main store upstairs and an additional 8 flavors in our downstairs ice cream parlor in the warmer months. We also have seasonal gifts and decor that we change out throughout the year, that helps make our space look extra cozy. Read More>>

Rochelle Clayton

As a model, image consultant, beauty distributor, esthetician, and burgeoning brand, she is the embodiment of a driven, multifaceted woman determined to make her mark. Rochelle’s love for fashion and beauty blossomed around the age of 13, when she became captivated by shows like America’s Next Top Model, Ugly Betty, The Carrie Diaries, and Totally Spies. These programs not only entertained her, but also ignited her understanding that fashion was a powerful form of self-expression. Read More>>