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.
Jo Blackman
I’ve made clothing completely from recycled goods. My Drip Line consists solely of secondhand goods that I give a new life. I recently taught myself to paint. Which led to working with found objects and putting this work in my very own art exhibit called, “Have A Nice Day!” on April 26, 2025 (Saturday) at 7-10 PM at Sassy Ann’s (820 N 4th Ave, Knoxville TN 37917). This has been a year in the making and I’d love to show you what I’ve created. I’ll be painting live with DJ DREWSKII and we’re gonna have a dance party and look at some art. You’ll be able to shop the event, in True C Jo Fashion. Read more>>
Grace Li
I started GraceCakeUS in 2021 with a passion for sharing authentic Chinese treats with people across the U.S. As an immigrant and skilled baker, I wanted to introduce traditional Chinese desserts to a wider audience. Today, we ship delicate, handmade pastries and mooncakes nationwide, allowing more people to experience the rich flavors of my heritage. Read more>>
Heather Gulley
Smooth? Ha! Not even a little lol. Starting a business in the middle of a pandemic isn’t for the faint of heart to start with, plus I had no formal training on the cake side or business side so there was a major learning curve. On top of that I had to have major ankle surgery 4 months into business and my youngest was only slightly over a year old at the time, all the while trying to balance a full time job and family. It was stressful to say the least, but worth every second. Read more>>
Meg Prewitt
I don’t think gaining momentum for any business is easy. Your product is always evolving, you are learning, your business has to stay relevant on social media, and a slew of challenges. Production and scale have been a challenge. I hand pour everything and when I receive really large orders, it may take me a few days to complete, but I always want to have hand poured integrity in our products, that is important to me. I do have a few people trained now and that is a big help. But I also think just the day to day of managing inventory, shipping, pouring, website, etc… can be overwhelming, but if you love what you do, you just make it happen. Read more>>
Katie Givens
Not a smooth road, but it’s been a fun one! I love that my love for fashion and style has guided me through a lot of different career changes. I worked for JTV in Knoxville while I was blogging and sharing my corporate outfits. That led me to starting my own boutique that I ran with my best friend for almost 10 years, and now owning a pop-up consignment sale it allows me to still work in a field I love while being with my family, while living on a farm in my small hometown. It’s fun that I’ve always kept the fashion and style aspect of me in most things I do. Read more>>
Shannon Herron
For this next season, I would experience two years’ worth of Master’s college work within a year’s time frame. It was one of the most difficult and most rewarding experiences of my life. For the first time, I was immersed in multiple cultures and experiencing diversity amongst my professors, clients, and friends. In May 2008, I graduated with a Master’s of Social Work degree with an emphasis in clinical therapy, married my now husband two months later, and ventured off to Knoxville, TN…a city we had never visited and didn’t know a soul. Read more>>
Steph Blue
Now, my biggest and most exciting venture is hosting a wellness and content retreat in Bali from June 5-11—an experience designed to help creators and wellness enthusiasts immerse themselves in self-care while capturing content that aligns with their personal brand. And in March, I’ll be launching my wellness podcast, another extension of this mission, where I’ll have raw, real conversations about what it truly means to prioritize wellness in our busy lives. Read more>>
Leslie Naylor
Sanctuary struggles come in all forms. Equipment failures, working with large animals. Hay field losses. That one is big. We try to cut 5 acres but usually have something go wrong. Our hay bill runs about $4000 a year or more. Funding. Dealing with the public. The biggest challenge, having to say, no. That’s the hardest. We rescue for life and that includes medical care, shelter and food. We have had to stop taking anymore in even though we have room. That’s the hardest. Read more>>
Nick Noble
My photo career began when my employer (Miami University, Oxford, OH – about 20 years ago) gave me a digital camera for a class project. I used it for the project then started taking pictures. I enjoyed it and it has continued. I now call myself a coastal Landscape and night sky photographer. I enjoy taking pictures during the quiet sunrises at the coast in NC and in the middle of the night with me and the stars. Read more>>
