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.
Jennifer Dubin-Parrish
My name is Jennifer Dubin – Parrish, growing up my father always worked in international freight and as a US Customs Broker, I can remember back to my childhood when I would go to work with him and pretend to be a Customs Broker, little did I know that I would also walk the same career path. Read more>>
Eddie Robinson
I ran a pizza franchise operation for many years, but was frustrated because I was required to sell only what the company allowed. I had a lot of ideas for unique pizzas but the company would not allow me to offer them. So, when my contract was nearing expiration, I decided to get out of the franchise and do my own thing. Read more>>
Adrienne Smith
I spent over 30 years working in multifamily apartment management, with a portfolio of 10,000+ apartments at the peak of my career. It was a fast paced life that I enjoyed, but I needed to make something that was really mine and my family’s. Read more>>
Sherry Kohlbacher
“I’m a solo owner-operator of a German street food trailer, and every inch of this business is built by hand—mine. I started with a love for classic German comfort food and a desire to share it with my community in a way that felt personal and approachable. No team, no investors—just me, my trailer, and a whole lot of determination. Read more>>
Jonathan Messri
We grew up watching our dad try his hand at buying and fixing up houses in different states than we grew up in. Most of the time things didn’t always go smoothly for our parents and their real estate endeavors. Read more>>
Michael Martin
Growing up I always helped out in the yard, and I always was thrilled to help neighbors on their property or projects I grew up striving to push my capabilities and do more whether it was in sports, academics, or learning a new skill. Read more>>
Scott & Johnlee Shriver
The name Scott’s Tots comes straight from our favorite show of all time, The Office. There’s an infamous episode by the same name, and ever since we first saw it, we knew we wanted to create a food concept around it. Unlike Michael Scott, though, we actually delivered on our promise — just with amazing food instead of college tuition. Read more>>
Dana Vince
From the time I was young I knew I wanted to find a way to make the world a better place, I had a heart for helping others. My parents were not poor but they were not wealthy. My father was a police officer and my mother worked as a receptionist. Very respectable jobs, but they couldn’t afford to send me to a University. Read more>>
amalia brusati di settala
In 2019 I left Milan, my dazzling city of fashion and design, and moved to Knoxville—for love. Milan had given me my dream job at Giorgio Armani, seven years that shaped my eye for beauty and creativity. Read more>>
Matteo Valles
After graduating from Georgia Tech in 2016, I joined Deloitte Consulting, but even before starting, I knew my real goal was to run my own company. To save money, I lived lean: sharing a three-bedroom house with five roommates, sleeping on the floor, and sticking to Great Value groceries. Read more>>
John Haines
I went to UT undergrad 2004-2008 but had absolutely no idea what to do so I dropped out senior year to join the navy. Did one enlistment (6 years) where I did 6 months in Chicago, 2 years in california, 2 years in Greece (Souda Bay), 18 years in Virginia Beach. Read more>>
Joshua Maples
I’ve been a creative writer all my life so I laughed about the idea of marrying people ever since my grandmother said I was going to do this when I was three or four years old. 40 years later, here I am. Many couples have spent so much money on vendors and venues that they overlook a creative officiant. Most couples don’t even know they want more than just an officiant. I creatively write and personalize every wedding script for the day they’ve been planning for their entire lives or on a whimsical spur of the moment. Read more>>
Wendi Olson
We are Casey and Wendi Olson. Casey is originally from Sitka, Alaska, and Wendi from Washington State. For many years the Pacific Northwest was our home and two of our three children were born there. It’s a beautiful place, but it just wasn’t for us in recent years and souls were guided seamlessly to East Tennessee. Read more>>
