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.
Kristine Nicholson
This question made me chuckle. I had zero retail experience when I took over Elle, but I loved the idea of a challenge and learning a new industry; and a challenge it has been! There is more to it than I ever would have imaged, but I am truly loving it (most days)! I have had to learn a lot about inventory management, the ebbs and flows of cash flow in retail and how to build relationships with product vendors. On days when I am feeling a bit overwhelmed, I just make a point to go into the store and spend time with my amazing employees and customers. They make it all worth it! Read More>>
Andrea Uriarte
I was working as a server at The Bistro (At The Bijou) in 2007 and would talk to the owner about my band in hopes that she would pick up on the idea to start having live music, which they didn’t have back then. We started as the house band and would play every Friday. Shortly after I was managing the booking and added a space for UT students to perform in the middle of the week and other jazz acts to perform on the weekends. One anecdote about that band is that we got hired to open for Etta James and I was so nervous I almost didn’t want to do it, it was very early in my career. It unfortunately got canceled due to illness and she passed later that year. This incident would teach me to never shut down to the opportunities I might not feel up to again. Read More>>
Jonathon Baker
I do spring 2023 baseball pics, and i believe we mainly stayed with green screen for that as well. In the summer of 2023, I wanted something more! I wanted dramatic sportraits, I WANTED WHAT THE Instagram guys were doing! I wanted to be a premium sports portraits photographer. To do that, I had to make a significant investment in high powered strobe lighting. I had to invest a lot financially and take another, big chance. Could I learn it? Could I do it? Would I be good enough? It was my 1st, or second photoshoot with the knew lights, and my wife said… Yea, we won’t be doing many of those for free. Read More>>
Cooper Lawson
This has always meant that I need to get my hands dirty in my search for raw materials. I’ve jumped in dumpsters, dug through retired landfills, even salvaged old transmission gears from broken down cars and tractors that I find abandoned in the woods. Now that I am 28, my art has evolved to the point that when I have to answer the dreaded “describe your work” section of event applications, I usually have to respond with something vague like “decor that is not technically a crime against god” due to the variety of what I do and let the pictures speak for themselves… Read More>>
Misty Stokes
It has definitely not been a smooth ride. In our first year of events, I only made more than my booth fee once. I almost gave up but I prayed. Wreaths alone were not doing well. We added door hangers and tried other seasonal items for kids but couldn’t find the one thing to draw folks in. Once we added cotton candy, we became profitable on a consistent basis. I was always blessed to be able to donate several wreaths along the way to local organizations for fundraising and silent auctions. Read More>>
Erica Fae Culver
In my writing, I think it’s my vulnerability. I am not afraid to show myself or pour myself out onto the paper. I love to ramble on about love and life’s truths I’ve discovered with my heart. I have a poetic prose, but it’s raw. I’ve been told I expose things I feel or think that others often hide away. It strikes people because they read it and can really see the picture I’ve painted because I leave nothing out for vanities sake. In life, I wear my heart on my sleeve; I love that way and write that way, too. Read More>>
Jesse Dymond
Southern Shots Photography started from a passion for capturing real, meaningful moments. What began as a simple interest in photography quickly grew into a full-fledged business as I found myself drawn to the art of storytelling through imagery. Over the years, I honed my skills, investing in professional equipment, refining my editing process, and continuously learning to ensure I provide clients with high-quality, timeless images. Read More>>
Hannah Dooley
It’s certainly not always been easy. When I first started out, I wasn’t sure what I really liked the most in the fitness industry. I was still trying to figure out my passion and niche with the fitness world. I transitioned jobs a few times before discovering how much I loved coaching group fitness classes as my main gig and running my online training on the side for more one on one personal training opportunities. I also have had to navigate several changes to find what best fits my family in different seasons as I have had two little boys over the last few years. Read More>>
Maggie Connolly
he then hopped, skipped and jumped over to Japan. In 2017, she became the second American to earn a Ph. D from Tokyo University of the Arts for studio ceramics. In Spring of 2019 she finished a two year post-doctorate program there. From 2019 to 2020, she spent a year as an Artist-in-Residence at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Gatlinburg, Tennessee and loved every moment of it. She has published multiple articles in Ceramics Monthly related to her travels throughout Asia researching ceramics. In her free time, she enjoys playing bridge. Currently, she is a full-time professional artist at Mighty Mud Studios in Knoxville, Tennessee Read More>>
Claude Hardy
This phase lasted through college. I got into graduate school in Detroit and that is when my music tastes started to shift. I went from a Classic Rock and Blues focus to Jazz and Funk. Eventually, I stumbled onto Numero Group and they had a compilation called Good God! — Born Again Funk. This was a major turning point for me. I began looking for things that were not on everyone else’s radar and it also led me to reading about DJs and their stories. It made me want to be a DJ because I wanted to share these new discoveries with others. I take my DJ name, Good God Claude, from that first compilation I bought. Now, I try and share all my discoveries with my friends and people who come to listen when I DJ. Read More>>
Amber Purdy
I started doing more handmade work during the pandemic, so my family and I had to juggle our workspace and all my art materials. After getting some positive feedback on my work, I started selling some of my original handmade collages on Etsy, which felt daunting at first. But I’ve slowly started to gain experience in what sells, good customer service and how the whole process works. In the last couple of years I started selling in person at markets around town and so I’ve gotten a bit of experience there as well. Read More>>
Laksmi Lucky Lumpkin
A lot of people are timid with color, but injecting color into a design can give a boost in your emotional energy. I love designing for all sorts of people, I love learning everyone’s unique story. How you interact with your home is pivotal to how I design for you. Gaining my bachelors in the science of Interior Design allows me to know the technical aspects of design. Hiring a great designer is an investment in your future, ensuring the decisions made are the right ones, ultimately saving you money. It is pivotal to hire a designer in the planning stages of the design. That is the most important part of the design to me, the space planning! So many large and small decisions will need to be made it can be overwhelming. Read More>>
Sasha Sutton
It’s definitely had its ups and downs. Like any business, we’ve had our share of dry seasons and super busy ones. But nothing worth having comes easy. The biggest challenge has been staying consistent and pushing through the tough times. Over time, though, that consistency has helped us grow, and we’ve learned to ride out the highs and lows together. Read More>>
Clint Wilcox
Fast forward several years to October of 2024 and I had been working as a representative for about 15 years and Nathan had been around for going on 18 years or so. Rick Beller, the previous owner had laid the foundation for Nathan and I to acquire the distributorship. We took the necessary steps and took over Beller Distributing, renaming the distributorship to Impact Distributing. It has been a wild ride but one that we would not change anything about, every step of the way developed Nathan and I into who we needed to be to become distributors. We currently have four other employees and are growing. Business is great and we are just getting started. Read More>>
Amber & Tyler Woodruff
We went back and forth for a few days with different layouts/designs on a napkin at our dining room table. I knew we were on the same page, but I didn’t know if it would actually happen or if it was just a pipe dream… until my husband called me while I was at work one day and said he and the excavator were out on the property digging footers. From there it was a series of mishaps, mistakes, martial strain, hard learning curves, loss of friendships, near death experiences, injuries, maxing out all our credit cards, almost blowing up our yard, getting told by a financial advisor peer that we “should have never have started it in the first place… so you better find a way to get it done and start making money”,…. when the tiny house was officially born 2 years later. Opening in October of 2020! Read More>>
Amy Legrand
Rocky Top Bartending was born out of my own experience as a bride-to-be. I struggled to find the right bar service that fit my needs—particularly one that allowed me to bring my own alcohol to save costs, yet still provided professional bartending services. While I didn’t get married in Tennessee, building my business plan made it clear that I wanted to offer a more affordable option, ensuring this service wasn’t just a luxury, but something accessible to everyone. Read More>>
Jenny Wolf
I opened Tea & Treasures in 2007 after being in the corporate retail business for 30 years. Supporting local art and my love for vintage items were my inspirations for starting a business where I could have the best of both worlds. The tea came into play with the hopes of it one day becoming a tea and pastry shop, but the business has taken off on a different path now with so many consignors. We have over 50 artisans and crafters in house, as well as that many consignors of antiques and vintage items, all contained in a 1905 homestead turned gift/tea shop. Read More>>
Autumn Milleville
Burnout is a very real struggle for small business owners. We pour our hearts into what we’re building—our clients, our goals, and our vision—sometimes at the expense of being fully present with our loved ones. Over the past four years, I’ve found myself in that place more times than I’d like to admit. Read More>>
Tanika Harper
In 2008, I founded Shora Foundation to serve youth and families through academic support, trauma-informed care, and food sustainability initiatives. Over the years, the foundation has grown into a pillar of support for underserved communities, providing resources that help individuals reach their full potential. Read More>>
Nicholas Doonis
If I had some offroad tires and a lift kit maybe! No, it hasn’t been too bad yet. I believe I am yet to reach the bumpy parts of the road I’m on. So far getting the website setup, and portfolio together, and maintaining a decent social media presence has been pretty easy. I have BIG plans for 2025 and I’m very excited and nervous! I have a good feeling about them though and if they fail I’m ready to learn and try again. Read More>>
Paige Bonner
We performed many places in and around Knoxville. We used to take trips every summer to Dance Educator conventions and workshops being taught by the best dancers in the United States! Those were great experiences! I eventually started student assisting in high school and transitioned into teaching assistant in college! Eventually, I was doing all choreography and teaching until she retired in 2012! At that point, the studio moved to our current location on Maryville Pike! Our first official recital under the name The Dance Academy South was 2013! Read More>>
Kindal Akers
As a junior in high school, I realized my calling to be a mental health therapist. This calling was tied to concepts that are important to my faith, including restoring those who are hurting and reconciling relationships that have been damaged. I’ve always been an empath: feeling my emotions very deeply, and having a strong desire to help those with emotional and physical needs. I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Applied Psychology and Religion from Carson-Newman College in Jefferson City, Tennessee. Read More>>
Charlie R
My name is Charlie and I’m 29 years old and I’m a chainsaw carver! My journey into chainsaw carving began about a year and a half ago when I met a carver through an art Facebook group. After watching him work for a few weeks, I couldn’t resist giving it a try myself. I invested in the tools, got to work, and quickly found my passion in transforming wood into art. In my first month, I carved 32 pieces and was quickly hooked! Read More>>
