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.

Mira Dee

My journey with music begins in childhood, singing in church. Voice was my first instrument, and it is still my most important one. But the banjo came to me in a very fated way. Read more>>

Corey mayo

“I started with exactly $500, a basic set of tools, and a belief that if you have a vision and the discipline to follow it, anything is possible. Read more>>

Donald Money

I was born and raised in Mansfield Ohio, which happens to be where they shot “Shawshank Redemption” when I was a kid (I was 13 at the time), and I just thought it was so cool that a movie was being filmed in my hometown.  Read more>>

Dena Nolan

I actually started in the Construction industry, estimating houses & sheds & helping customers solve problems. Read more>>

Kelly Spann

More than twenty years ago, I took a job opportunity in the legal field that I saw as just that: a job. I started as a secretary, then became a legal assistant and paralegal, and over the years I found myself learning constantly simply by being immersed in the work. Read more>>

Denelle Smugala

My parents were entrepreneurs, and as an only child, I often went to work with my mom, where I would do small jobs like watering the plants. Read more>>

Dr. Bonita Jamison

I’ve always been drawn to photography. I got my first camera, a film one, in high school and spent years photographing architecture and places, especially as I started travelling as a young adult. When I had kids, though, I became really obsessed with capturing every little detail of their lives. Read more>>

Erin Fluchel

Becoming a therapist is actually my second career. After earning my doctorate in 2007, I spent many years working in academia, and I still do. In 2021, I made the decision to return to school and become a therapist because I realized I wanted to support individuals struggling with eating disorders in a more immediate and personal way. Read more>>

Tammy Root

I am a community artist, educator, and author who makes visual, performing, and public art with and alongside others. In the studio, on the street, and the spaces in between. As a practitioner, I am rooted in three convictions: that co-creation builds something no single person could, that communication is an art form, and that curiosity is the most democratic tool we have. Read more>>

con christeson

I saw a hot dog cart inside an area Home Depot. So in 2005 I used a cash advance from my discover card to buy a hot dog cart. I knew nothing about the hot dog business. Absolutely nothing. I researched how to get a hot dog cart inside the Home Depot and just took someone else’s idea and made it my own. Read more>>

Jason Gaines

My story started after I was honorably discharged from the U.S Army. I was looking for a career that would support me and my family. I found a career in Sales at One of the largest Chevrolet dealerships in Nashville TN. Jim Reed Chevrolet. There I learned how to sale cars. I found a career that I like and learned to be great. Read more>>

EMERY CANNON

My story started after I was honorably discharged from the U.S Army. I was looking for a career that would support me and my family. I found a career in Sales at One of the largest Chevrolet dealerships in Nashville TN. Jim Reed Chevrolet. There I learned how to sale cars. I found a career that I like and learned to be great. Read more>>

Zach Dane

Im definitely not someone who came from money, but I was raised by a very hardworking mother who worked multiple jobs at time to make sure I never went without. I wasn’t one who was good in school at all. Was not a book smart individual whatsoever. I was more of a class clown if I’m being honest. Read more>>

Sharing With a Purpose SWAP

SWAP was founded in 2008 by a group of Washington University in St. Louis students who questioned the copious amount of waste generated on WashU’s campus each year. As a result of the move-in and move-out processes, many working dorm appliances found the landfill instead of new homes. Read more>>

Tatum Gentry

My story in this industry started by watching my family. I grew up watching my father clean commercial spaces, and I noticed how he inspected with his hands just as much as his eyes. Read more>>

Mykelya Holmes

Lets See Co. Photobooths started in August 2019 out of a simple idea—I wanted to create experiences that bring people joy and capture real, unforgettable moments. I’ve always been someone who loves celebrating others, whether it’s milestones, birthdays, weddings, or corporate events, and I saw a gap where guests wanted more than just photos—they wanted an experience. Read more>>

HAAMI OC-BEY

Islam! My journey didn’t begin in a corporate boardroom; it began with a profound realization about identity, dignity, and the state of our communities right here in the St. Louis region. I looked around and saw a marginalized population caught in an endless cycle of disenfranchisement. I realized that temporary charity and standard social programs were not enough to fix the root of the problem. Read more>>

Lauren Gaultney

How did we get here? Whew! Honest answer, Covid! It made me really think and reflect, as a child I loved starting businesses in my basement with my friends, LOL. Read more>>

Trish Lacy

My name is Trish Lacy, and I’m a St. Louis native, a mother, a People and Culture leader, and now an author and founder. Before anything else, I am a mother, a People and Culture leader, and now an author and founder. My career has always centered around people. I have spent years helping organizations build cultures where individuals feel seen, valued, and supported. Read more>>

Prism Theatre Company

Prism Theatre Company started from a partnership turned friendship between Producing Artistic Director Trish Brown and Producing Managing Director Joy Addler. After working together on several projects, they found themselves eating sushi and talking about what they could bring to the St. Louis theatre community. They began collaborating with other local artists to discuss what opportunities a new theatre company could provide. Read more>>

McKinzie Duesenberg-Marshall

As a kid, I had a few adverse experiences that eventually led me to sitting in a therapist’s office — silent. I refused to talk. It’s hard to feel safe with an adult that other adults are telling you to open up to. Read more>>

Stefanie Aziere-Sattler

My husband Donnie and I began building Glamping sites in 2022 and then added treehouses in 2023 and 2024. Our vision was to give guests the opportunity to experience Glamping in a wooded setting with a private lake in the peaceful and tranquil setting. We added an outdoor wedding and reception area on the lake called Wedding in the Woods in 2024. Read more>>

JARED O’NEAL

I was in the roofing business. I was tired of chasing my tail with the insurance companies.. So I asked myself what do old people do cause I didn’t see a retirement in my future. I just knew I would have to work for the rest of my life. Read more>>

Mary Walker

I spent over a decade as a stay-at-home mom, fully focused on raising my children. That chapter of my life shifted unexpectedly when I went through a divorce and realized I needed to create a stable future for my family. With a one-month-old at home, I made the decision to go back to school—not just to get by, but to truly build something meaningful. Read more>>

Shashikanth Gajaraj

My journey has been driven by a simple yet powerful belief: to build things that last, whether in the environment, in the community, or in the traditions we carry forward. I began my career in environmental engineering with a deep curiosity and a strong sense of responsibility to protect what we often take for granted, the environment. Read more>>

Janiece Stewart

My path to medicine started early, long before medical school. I knew I wanted to become a physician as early as sixth grade, when a classroom dissection sparked a fascination with how the human body works. That curiosity only deepened over time. Read more>>