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.
Kelsy Myers
I started Girly Pop Soda Shop in 2024 because I loved the idea of dirty sodas and fun, over-the-top drinks, but there really wasn’t anything like it in my area at the time. I figured if I wanted it, other people probably did too, so I decided to just go for it. Read more>>
Luca Ponti
From a young age, I was drawn to the relationship between food & culture. Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, I spent my youth devouring Mission-style burritos, exploring Boba bars & my own ancestral heritage. I graduated from the University of Oregon in 2014 with degrees in Political Science & Business. Read more>>
Lindsey Holy
I’ve been teaching for as long as I can recall at this point. For years I ran an international school. It took us to places such as Thailand, Greece and The Bahamas. I opened my first brick and mortar at the start of 2025. Named Zen + Tonic Yoga, this isn’t a place where you need to walk in knowing any Sanskrit or wear white. Read more>>
Michael Tocchini
I started in the restaurant industry as a line cook in Boulder, Colorado during my university years. As I carried on in restuarants I realized that I needed to start learning the front of the house, where I could make money easier and more quickly for the world travels I was really interested in. Read more>>
Eddie Siller
My journey as a barber began in 2021 when my dad encouraged me to start cutting my younger brother’s hair. I started practicing in our garage, cutting my brother’s hair and eventually practicing on other family members. What started as something simple quickly became something I enjoyed and wanted to pursue as a career. Read more>>
Lady Rae
My career as a tattoo artist began in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, at Aces High Tattoo. During 2019 I started working the front desk and reception, where I had the opportunity to be surrounded by some incredibly hardworking, resilient artists. I was taught the basics of the shop, and how to care for the artists as well as their clients. Read more>>
Shrista Tyree
I’m Shrista Tyree, a Portland-raised comedian, host, entertainer, and the founder of Nexxt Up Entertainment LLC and Late Lyrics Hip-Hop Open Mic. Depending on where you met me, you might know me from stand-up, hosting hip-hop shows, performing music, or producing events. All of those parts of my life connect through something I’ve loved since childhood: making people laugh and bringing people together. Read more>>
Taylor Kern
Tattooing successfully as a career was never something I had expected growing up. The whole world of being a tattoo artist (or making any sort of money off art in general) seemed like such a exclusive club and an unrealistic expectation, I never really entertained that idea for myself until shortly before attending tattoo school. In school, I loved taking art classes. Read more>>
Abby Rae Eveson
Originally from Troutdale, Oregon, I bring a creative and personal touch to every event through my mobile charm bar, Ciao Charms. The name “ciao” reflects the warm, familiar connection I strive to create—it’s a simple hello and goodbye shared between friends and family. I really just love to say it so that’s why I picked it! Read more>>
Celia Lovern
I grew up in Portland and from the time I was little I always loved self care and all things beauty. Read more>>
Mello Versiz
Growing up in Queens, NYC, hip hop surrounded me from before I can even remember. During COVID I discovered writing. Specifically writing rap lyrics that addressed the current political climate. Conscious rap to be specific. Some of the OGs in this genre are KRS-One, Tupac, Common, Talib Kweli and Mos Def and more recently Kendrick Lamar. Read more>>
Christina Struyk-Bonn
This is my 27th year of teaching. I spent about 10 years in traditional brick and mortar schools, teaching everything from Spanish 1 to US History to Senior English to Link Crew. Being around kids energized me. They could make me laugh so hard, I’d cry, and they demonstrated so much potential and talent, I could see futures open up for them. Read more>>
Katherine Maund
My career has taken a few different turns, but storytelling and creativity have always been the throughline. I started in advertising and brand strategy before eventually realizing I wanted to be closer to the creative work itself, which led me into interiors. Read more>>
William Adkins
I started in a career change leaving healthcare and finding the opportunity of working for myself to be more applicable for more time with my son and family. I found that working for myself allowed me more freedom and the ability to take on as much or as little work as necessary I started about 4 years ago and I’ve been going strong since. Read more>>
Kimberly Smythe
Hanai was lovingly created by Kimberly Smythe, a Bend resident, community builder, and lifelong gatherer. Whether around a dinner table or during life’s important moments, Kim has always found joy in bringing people together. She dreamed of creating a place where others could experience that same sense of belonging—a place where people could gather to learn, create, celebrate, heal, and share their stories. Read more>>
Tim Hallam
I grew up in Mount Shasta, California and developed an interest in landscape photography at an early age. After high school I attended a local community college where I studied metal fabrication and welding through a trades program. Soon after I moved to Oregon where I worked in the metal fabrication industry for a number of years before deciding to pursue photography full-time in 2016. Read more>>
Ryan Clark
Started Martial Arts at the age of 15. I owned and operated a Martial Arts gym in Eugene, OR. from 2002 to 2013. My wife and I moved to Bend in 2013, and that is when I started Clark’s University of Martial Arts. We teach kids as young as 5 to adults who are 70+. Read more>>
Emilie Phillipson
I started to dabble in photography after I became a mom! I realized how quickly my first baby was growing and changing. I hired photographers a couple of times during that first year of parenthood, but because of my chronic ‘I can do that myself’ attitude, I thought I could easily just buy a nice camera and do the same work as a professional. Read more>>
Samantha Schrantz Takamori
My path has been quite unconventional, but looking back, there’s actually been a pretty consistent thread running through all of it, which is my deep interest in people. Why we do what we do, how our experiences shape us, and what it takes to heal. Read more>>
Dann Charlat
I was thirteen years old when I lost all my hair. It was an uncommon condition, and it arrived at the worst possible moment — the summer before seventh grade, at the exact age when the only thing you want in the world is to blend in. I couldn’t. Read more>>
Leanna and Dillon Coran Little Coran
Our story really started back in 2005, when we became best friends in middle school. We grew up together through high school and our teenage years, never really imagining that one day we would be married and running a creative business together. Our friendship has always been a huge part of our relationship. We aren’t just husband and wife, we’re best friends and creative partners. Read more>>
Lety Reid
Victory Garden really started over 20 years ago when my husband Victor started a vegetable garden for our family in the backyard. It was his curiosity and love for nature that led us to where we are today. 10 years ago we started the journey of commercial farming. Read more>>
Tosh Moore
PoisonApple_FX really started with my love for horror, creativity, and transformation. I’ve always been drawn to the kind of art that makes you stop and look twice, especially creatures, characters, practical effects, and the makeup that helps bring a story to life. Read more>>
Jack Tate
Started early in restaurants, learning at the side of seasoned cooks and chefs. Was trained over the years in fusion, Mexican, southern American and other cuisine styles. I worked as a line cook and then as a sous chef, and eventually held kitchen manager and top chef positions in several different restaurants in Tucson, Arizona. Read more>>
Allison Cornett
I am Allie Cornett, and I am a plus sized adventurer. I have a masters degree from Southern Oregon University in Outdoor Adventure and Expedition Leadership. I have always loved traveling and seeing new places, my parents always tried to take me somewhere new every year, or back to the Monterey Bay Aquarium(which to me was better than Disneyland). Read more>>
Tracy Kosina & Jamie Irvine
Our story began in 2008 when we met and worked together at a dog daycare. We quickly discovered we shared the same passion, work ethic and high standard for building strong relationships with the families of our beloved dog clients. Read more>>
Dr. Kim Freeze
I’ve been an entrepreneur most of my life. I started young, and somewhere along the way, I ended up building nearly twenty businesses, from road construction, chip sealing, crack sealing, a rock-crushing plant, a hot asphalt plant, a hundred-year-old ice plant, a restaurant, a co-packing facility, even a yoga studio. Read more>>
Kate Speranza
At the age of five, I knew I wanted to be an artist and that desire has never wavered. In my early 20s, I was working at a small jewelry boutique and still trying to find my medium, so I took a community ed jewelry class at Oregon College of Art & Craft. Once I’d completed my first ring, I was hooked. Read more>>
Kelsey Daniels
My background actually began in film and television. I spent about 18 years working as a Producer and Production Manager, which was a pretty high-pressure, fast-paced world. I loved a lot about it, but over time I realized I wanted to do something that connected more with my personal interests, especially wine and travel. Read more>>
Emmett Armstrong
I’m a second-generation entrepreneur; born and raised here in Southern Oregon. My father owned and operated a small trucking company (dump truck + excavator + semi trucks); and from him I learned the importance of hard work and the value of thinking ahead to the next step. Read more>>
Shamalee Rajapakse
I grew up in Sri Lanka, surrounded by vibrant colors, nature, and creativity. With both of my parents being artists, making art was part of everyday life and shaped how I learned to observe and respond to the world visually and emotionally. Painting started early for me and never really stopped. Over time, it became more than an interest; it became my language. Read more>>
Dr. Julia Walls
My Oregon roots run deep—I grew up in Hood River. My background is in biotechnology, where I worked in organic chemistry research. I earned both my undergraduate degree in biochemistry and my master’s degree in organic chemistry from the University of Oregon. I always knew I would eventually go into medicine; I just didn’t know it would be as a Doctor of Acupuncture. Read more>>
Lauren Short
Evolution has become one of the defining themes of my life. I believe we are meant to keep learning and refining who we are. Sometimes that means having the courage to begin. Other times, it means recognizing when we have outgrown something we once worked incredibly hard to build. I have experienced both. Read more>>
Pascha Cain
Before I started in Real estate, I was a senior executive at Nike and adidas leading product and brand strategy across several divisions. For more thant 23 years, I helped create product and marketing strategies based on obsessing consumer insights that shaped culture. Read more>>
Rebecca Reed
You would never think a candle company could have such a profound story, but here I am. I have always been creative and dreamed of owning my own business. But as life went on, I became more of a passenger than a driver. I went to school, started a career in healthcare, and my creativity took a back seat. Read more>>
Casey Freitas
Pearl and Penna was owned by a very good friend of mine – she was going into retirement, and mentioned selling the bridal boutique. I have been very blessed to be a stay at home mom the last 7 years – but when the opportunity arose for me to buy this business it felt so completely right. Read more>>
Khoa To
It actually started pretty simply. When our kids were younger, every time we shopped we would purchase a few Pokémon packs for the kids to open. It was fun seeing the kids packs battling and traded with each other, but as the kids got older, we eventually moved on to other things and stopped collecting for a while. Read more>>
