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.

REVÉ

I don’t think my origin story is different from many. I grew on up the greatest combination — singing in church and Disney princess movies. I went to school for music, and then from graduation walked into performing in regional theatre for next few years. Read more>>

Brittani Bouwman

My grandmother looked at me, squinting at a picture I’d covered in wild hues, and said, “You’re really good with color.” Little did she know that those words would paint my future. Now, as an EU Clean makeup artist and the creator of “Painting Made Easy” classes, I blend confidence, color, and creativity—whether it’s on a face or a canvas. Read more>>

AIGNER MILES

I am a St. Louis native; homegrown 🙂 I graduated from Cleveland ROTC in 2003 and went on to serve in the United States Army for several years. My educational background includes military logistics; a bachelors in psychology and Graduate study in Mental Health Counseling with a focus in Forensic Psychology. Read more>>

Stacie Calvin

I am (always have been) a lover of fashion. Managed stores at the mall, worked retail etc. Now as I have gotten older, I am becoming a major thrifter-I go at least 3 times a week! I love to wear my outfits around St Louis & post them, add where I got them & do this every weekend! It’s a like a treasure hunt! Read more>>

Larry Greene

I’ve been a fan of comedy all of my life. Growing up I would watch shows such as The Three Stooges, I Love Lucy, Sanford & Son In Living Color, Martin, The Wayans Brothers, etc. The earliest stand up that I can remember watching and being intrigued with was Comic View. Read more>>

Tyrik Powell

Really , I’m who I am today because i’m authentic. People who get to know me love me. I love being myself that’s what attracts people my way. Read more>>

Micaela Torain

I first fell in love with music as a little girl. I remember hearing a song on the radio when I was really young, and even with my limited understanding of the word, I knew that’s what I was meant to do. Read more>>

Robert Heard

I’m an independent Film/ Television writer /director/producer as well as graphic novel writer born on the north side of Saint Louis Missouri. I’m a student attending First Institute of sounds & Product as well as the founder of sevensmagazine2086@gmail.com a brand designed to high the untapped talent from all over STL as well as produces curated content, articles, images, and advertisements, periodically. Read more>>

Shifted

Shifted has been bringing their chaotic energy to St. Louis since the Spring of 2025; filling out rooms with tumultuous waves of amplifiers and cymbals while still being anchored in a melodic core structure. Front man Jared Gab has written both the music and lyrics and takes the stage as vocalist plus rhythm guitar. Read more>>

Jada Johnson

From a young age my family & I frequently traveled through the states. They made it a priority for me to be exposed to different environments, and knowing there was so much more out here to experience than what we’re just exposed to in our little city of St. Louis. This sparked my love for seeing the beauty of different cities, and different cultures. Read more>>

2 Smokn Chix cigars Llc

We started out as two friends smoking cigars, and during Covid we had the bright idea of launching a Cigar brand. After smoking, testing, blending and speaking with different manufacturers we finally came up with blends that we were satisfied with and three months later, we launched our brand October 2021. It has been a labor of love! Read more>>

Ivey Bowman

I’ve always known that I wanted to work with animals. As a kid, I was homeschooled which provided the freedom for certain aspects of my studies to be focused on animals. Dogs have always held that number one spot. Through both middle and high school I started investing more time with dogs to help figure out what area I wanted to focus on. Read more>>

Tobias Ohlsson

I was born & raised outside of Malmo, Sweden, and my love for filmmaking started at the early age of 7. When I reached my 20s, I decided to take my passion to the next level, so I packed my bags, kissed suburban life farewell, and jumped on a plane to America, where I attended film school in New York City. Read more>>

Sgt WarDawg®

My name is Sgt WarDawg® (trademarked 2020) aka Sgt. Carnell Smith Jr., U.S. Marine 0311 Infantry ‘Grunt’ Rifleman and 3x Iraq War Veteran… and my life has been defined by missions. I am from Orlando, Florida. Read more>>

Camille Moore

Like many people, my path has been anything but linear. I started making jewelry while I was on TDY in the military as a way to keep myself busy outside of work. What began as a creative outlet quickly turned into something I loved, and before long I launched Rebel + Ruse. Read more>>

Tamika Shannon-Nash

I’m the owner of Crush Lashes & Beauty, and my journey has really been about passion, growth, and learning to bet on myself. I always had a flare for fashion since I was young but I never really had a chance to fully embrace it until I was older and the feeling for beauty, lifestyle & fashion never changed.. Read more>>

Cheryl Brooks

My painful story of trauma, abuse, and deep grief led to spontaneous spiritual awakening and ultimately, mediumship. My earliest memories of anything ‘spiritual’ are prophetic dreams. Throughout the years, I would just ‘know’ things. I could sense the energies of people and places. I know now, I was also sensing the spirits of those who have passed. I was always very introverted & quiet. Read more>>

AySharay Crittenden

At just 8 years old I was bored and pestering my aunt about who knows what. So to get me out of her face, she took a BRATZ doll mannequin and gave me a crash course on how to braid. Her elaborate instructions were to “grab and go back”. She provided a visual demonstration and the rest was history. Read more>>

Briana Acres

I come from a Challenging beginning but I never let that define me . As a little girl I’ve always dreamed bigger than any imagination could take me . I always believed in myself and my potential , I always did anything I set my mind too . Read more>>

Amanda Lindsey

My journey as a professional comedy magician and interactive mentalist in the St. Louis area started back in the 1990s when I first saw magic on TV. Like a lot of kids, I was instantly hooked. Read more>>

Amanda Garion

I began my dance journey in 2012 after a painful tailbone surgery left me with very little strength and flexibility. Looking for a way to get moving again, I signed up for a belly dance class at my local park district after years of admiring dancers at Renaissance fairs. After just one class, I was hooked. Read more>>

Jeremy Carr

My story has really been about learning how to turn experience, ideas, and a willingness to figure things out into something meaningful. I started my career in operations and logistics, where I learned the importance of leadership, organization, problem-solving, and—probably most importantly—how to keep moving when things don’t go according to plan. Read more>>

The Diva University Coryelle Scott & Tesha Alexander

Coryelle Scott and Tesha Alexander were both studio dancers since the age of 3, high school cheerleaders and college dancers. After participating in pro cheer and starting families, both Coryelle and Tesha started dance programs to give the youth a fun outlet and to train in majorette dance. Read more>>

Cindy Stuckey

I actually got into permanent makeup because I loved making people feel good about themselves. After working in the beauty industry for over 20 years, I wanted to offer something that would make a difference every single day—not just until the next appointment. Permanent makeup was the perfect fit because it blends art, precision, and confidence all into one. Read more>>

Rachael Steudeman

I have always dreamt of having my own coffee shop. I was 22 when I discovered specialty coffee and simultaneously learned what good coffee was. I was living in south city at the time and spent most of my days sitting at coffee shops writing and working. Read more>>

Jamecia Smith

My journey is a testimony of God’s grace, mercy, and restoration. For many years, I struggled with insecurity, depression, and not knowing my true worth. It showed in the way I lived my life. I found myself caught up in drinking, smoking, partying every weekend, and making irresponsible decisions. Read more>>

Will Hanke

I didn’t start out with a master plan to build a niche marketing company for the window treatment industry. Like a lot of entrepreneurs, I started by saying yes to work, learning on the fly, and figuring things out as I went. Early on, I was doing general digital marketing and web work for all kinds of businesses. Over time, I started noticing a pattern. Read more>>

Thomas Fortenberry

A kitchen, a problem, 50 Bars of Soap. In 2012, Thomas was done. Done with body washes that smelled like a hotel lobby. Done with ‘premium’ grooming brands that charged $35 for a product that was 90% water and marketing. Done with the assumption that men either don’t care about what they put on their bodies or will pay anything to feel like they do. Read more>>

Ori Tala

I’ve been creating for as long as I can remember. As a child, I experienced the world as both a seer and a storyteller, expressing myself through visual art, performance, poetry, music, and writing. Creating wasn’t just something I loved—it became the language that helped me understand myself, my imagination, and the world around me. Read more>>

Clint Collins

Who Is Clint Skoney Collins ‘Changing His Community One Person & One Cause at a Time.’ From Tragedy to Triumph: The Inspiring Story of Clint Collins In life, some stories are defined by obstacles. Others are defined by how those obstacles are overcome. Clint Collins’ journey is a powerful testament to resilience, faith, and purpose. Read more>>