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.
Kaysee Collins
Teaching yoga at the fitness center helped me find myself again. I began teaching at four different locations, but the Maryville community was something special — so much warmth, heart, and connection that I felt called to plant roots there. Honestly, one of my students believed in me before I believed in myself. My students loved my classes, and for the first time in a long time, I felt like I had finally embraced my true calling. Read more>>
Tennessine Titans FTC#21457
We are a competitive robotics team based out of Maryville, Tennessee. We do the First Tech Challenge (FTC) and compete in local and worldwide competitions. Last April we competed in FTC’s World Championship placing in the top 80 out of hundreds of teams and ranked in the top 1,000 of teams. Read more>>
Jessica Cool
My name is Jessica Ortega Cool. I have an amazing and supportive husband and three beautiful young daughters, ages 8, 5, and 1. I was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA. I am a first-generation American; my parents immigrated from Mexico to pursue the American Dream. They have always been business owners, forging their own path to provide a stable home. Read more>>
Daniel Pope
My story began when I was a freshman in high school – 2009. I went up to my parents and excitedly said, ‘I want to build my own computer.’ Why? Well, growing up I was tired of using the old, dusty Dell desktop in the family room. Read more>>
Rick Laney
“I spent the first 20 years of my career in senior-level positions with two Chicago-based holding companies. Part of my responsibilities included managing the large marketing firms, advertising agencies, and PR firms that we hired,” Rick Laney explained. “Anyone who has worked with advertising agencies and marketing firms knows how frustrating and expensive most of them are. Read more>>
Emily Cooke
My love for baking started long before I ever thought about turning it into a business. I grew up in Maynardville, Tennessee, and some of my earliest memories are of being in the kitchen with my mom. She made most of mine an my younger siblings birthday cakes from scratch, and I learned early on how much care and creativity went into something homemade. Read more>>
KT Pinto
My story is made of various branches that intersect to create what my business is today, so I’ll start – as any good story does – from the beginning. The oldest branch of my business has to do with my writing. I started writing fiction when I was 13, and my family had recently moved from Brooklyn, NY to Staten Island, NY. Read more>>
Melissa Graves
Nestled in the heart of historic downtown Madisonville, Tennessee, Donna’s Old Town Café is more than just a restaurant — it’s the story of family, faith, and a lifelong love of sharing good food and good company. My love for restaurants began before I could even walk. Read more>>
Trevor Lord
I grew up in a small town in Eastern Washington, where I stayed very busy throughout high school. From there, I left to basic training two days after I graduated into the active duty army in 2002. Upon completion I went to my duty station in Germany. I went on a year long deployment to Iraq while I was stationed there. Read more>>
Brittany Sidwell
I picked up a camera for a 4-H project when I was nine and basically never put it down. My friends and family didn’t stand a chance, I turned everyone into my personal models for years. By 15, I was photographing weddings (wild, I know), and that’s when I realized this wasn’t just a hobby, it was it for me for good. Read more>>
Jennifer Lanzilotta
Well, I definitely didn’t start out thinking I’d own a boutique! I’m actually a nurse by trade & have spent years caring for people and balancing a pretty wild life with my husband and four kids. But fashion has always been my creative outlet, my way of expressing confidence and reminding myself that taking care of yourself isn’t selfish. Read more>>
Micaela Rizo
Ever since I can remember, I’ve always wanted to be in an industry that helps people feel cared for. I worked as a CNA in high school & for a long time I thought that meant I would end up in nursing or psychology — I’ve always had a heart for helping others feel better inside and out. When I discovered esthetics, something clicked. Read more>>
Vanessa McFalls
Elevation Events of the Smokies began with a simple passion for creating beautiful, memorable moments for others. What started as small celebration setups for family and friends quickly grew into something much bigger; a full service event decor and concierge business serving Sevier County and the Great Smoky Mountain area. Read more>>
Katie Spruell
I began my career as an Orthopedic Physical Therapist and Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist, passionate about helping people move better and live without pain. But during my first pregnancy in 2019, that passion evolved into something much deeper. After being told that my own pelvic floor dysfunction was “normal,” I realized just how many women were being dismissed, overlooked, or left without answers. Read more>>
Greg Spencer
I was born and raised in Maryville, Tennessee. I grew up enjoying computers, videography and drumline. I played a few sports but nothing serious, my main passion was being part of the Maryville High School drumline until I graduated in 2008. I had several jobs in high school and college. Read more>>
Porschia Pickett
I have always considered myself to be a servant. That is something that my grandfather taught us from a very young age. Growing up we spent our weekends delivering meals on wheels and visiting the local nursing home— and so service has always been apart of who I am. Read more>>
Alex Bullock
My journey started about eight years ago while I was juggling a heavy college course load and searching for a creative outlet. I’ve always been drawn to the arts—at one point, I thought I’d become a comic book creator. I grew up drawing constantly, which eventually led me toward graphic design in college. Read more>>
Courtney Cain
I began my career as a dental assistant before deciding to follow my passion for skincare and attend Tennessee school of beautyfor esthetics. After graduating, I started working solo in a small room inside a hair salon for about six months before opening my own space in Dandridge. Read more>>
Ashlee Crouse
Faith can sometimes feel hard to come by when life hands us uncertainty. My story is one that began in brokenness but has grown into something far greater than I could have ever planned on my own. For years, I walked through seasons that tested my strength and my faith—seasons of loss, addiction, rebuilding, and rediscovering who I was in Christ. Read more>>
Rosaria Rook
I got my first camera early in life, I truly don’t remember a time I didn’t have a way to capture my travels or just random everyday moments. I grew up on the Gulf Coast surrounded by the white sandy beaches and I got my start in professional photography around 2020. Read more>>
Jerry and Tabitha Martin
Jerry started singing when he was 2 years old. He sang in his local church and was invited to sing at several different functions throughout the area. At age 9, he recorded his first album. Read more>>
Becky Sexton
I began Shine Academy shortly after Covid. The country and our area was so divided. My children were lonely and I knew others had to be as well. I looked into homeschool co-ops in our area and it became quickly apparent that they were all created to cater to a certain group of like-minded people. Read more>>
Ella Roesner
I have been a professional artist for a few years now since graduated college. However, I wanted a way to expand. Sip ’n Graze Studio started as a simple idea. I’ve always loved creating art and connecting with people, and I wanted to build a space where anyone could relax, paint, and have fun without feeling intimidated by “traditional” art classes. Read more>>
Jessica Wilder
I have always loved baking. I remember making cakes for my parents’ get togethers when I was 9 or 10. Once I was married and had small kids at home, I would use nap time to bake as a creative outlet and send the treats I made to work with my husband. Read more>>
Cassandra Credle
Growing up, I had the privilege of watching my parents collect rent from their tenant, Mr. Baker. He lived in my parents’ basement apartment for years. In New York, it was common for families to rent out part of their homes to help supplement their income. Read more>>
Brad Williams
I was extremely fortunate to have HVAC and entrepreneurship in my family. My grandfather started a heating and air conditioning school back in 1994. He later taught my parents the technical skills required to install and repair heating and air systems. Read more>>
Shania Williams
I actually started out as a science teacher but felt like something was missing. I’ve always loved beauty, so when I moved from California to Tennessee, I decided to go to beauty school. My best friend was a spray tan artist, and after seeing how much she loved it, I gave it a try and instantly knew it was for me. Read more>>
Lesli Patton
I worked in the medical field for 10 years, all the while still holding onto the steady passion for baking. I found my hobby baking becoming more popular and eventually it had grown into another full time job. I knew at that point I needed to make a decision on which career to keep. I decided that baking was what truly made me happy and last May, I left my medical job to become a full time cottage baker. I have not regretted one minute of my decision. Read more>>
Amanda Summers
From Dream to Healing Haven In September 2019, after marrying my husband, I moved from Florida to Tennessee. After many years of working in trauma through an agency, I carried with me a heartfelt dream – to create a private practice where people could find hope and healing in a deeply personal way. Read more>>
