ATL’s Most Inspiring Stories

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.

Shataya James

My journey has been deeply rooted in faith, and I truly couldn’t have come this far without my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It all started in 2019 when I launched Shaped by Shay, a business that was built on my passion for creativity, beauty, and helping others feel confident. I was blessed with the opportunity to bring my vision to life and provide high-quality nail services focused on self-care and luxury. Read More>>

Laron Gigger

Alongside my dance journey, I developed a love for filmmaking and videography, which I have seamlessly integrated into my role as a social media influencer. This self-taught talent is now part of my daily routine. I didn’t realize that as a kid, I was preparing myself for who I have become today. As social media evolves and algorithms constantly shift, my consistent practice in editing has made it much easier to navigate the new landscape. Read More>>

Jingkun Huang

I constantly challenge myself by working on a variety of projects, from documentaries to narrative films, and from commercials to music videos. Each project comes with its own unique demands, teaching me how to strike a balance between technical precision and artistic vision. As a cinematographer, I believe the most important thing is to always keep learning. With technology and visual storytelling evolving, I aim to improve continuously through practice and innovation. Read More>>

Carlton O’shea

It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. One of the biggest struggles was building a solid clientele. After finishing school, the money I was getting from financial aid stopped, and I had to start paying bills, but I didn’t have a steady flow of clients yet. There were a lot of days where I didn’t cut a single head or would cut hair for free just to get people to come in. There were times when I didn’t have enough to cover my bills, but even through all of that, God always provided. Read More>>

Jenny Protopapadakis

I started my career as a nanny at the age of 18, caring for three wonderful children. This experience opened my eyes to the preciousness of childhood and ignited my passion for guiding and nurturing young lives. Shortly thereafter, I transitioned into the recruiting side of domestic staffing, where I could support both families and nannies simultaneously. It has been a rewarding journey, allowing me to positively impact the lives of many, as I believe childcare is an essential foundation for future growth and happiness. Read More>>

Morgan Tolley

With that, also came a really unique opportunity to meet incredible people in the space as well as start to see the impact I could have on local businesses. I joke that I spend more time working on @atllovesmo than I do as a pharmacist 40 hrs a week but it’s great to have the creative outlet and social space. I found I love to curate a vibe, help people plan a fun night out, and inspire them to explore one of my favorite cities yet. Read More>>

Meghavi Prasad

I was born and raised in India. After getting married, I moved to the USA with my husband, 12 years ago. After coming here and working briefly in an Indian Multinational Company, I had my firstborn in the year 2016. I was a new mom enjoying each moment with my baby. My world revolved around him and watching him grow and achieve each milestone was the biggest joy of my life. I was so engrossed in taking care of my little family of 3 that I had kind of forgotten about myself. Read More>>

Darryl Dillard

As I got older, and the injuries began to mount(6 concussions, broken tailbone, fractured kneecap, and torn ACL, MCL, and Cartilage …all before leaving high school), doubt and depression began to build. After knee surgery my senior year, I had to take something other than gym. Intro to acting was my choice…partly because it was something I had fun doing, and it came easy to me…not to mention it seemed like an easy A. Read More>>

Shannon Alexander

However, interesting journeys are rarely smooth. My relationship with my mother, while loving, was also very volatile for most of my life and the pain and confusion of navigating her illness and death were all consuming at times. I have had some health challenges myself that have caused me to hit pause from time to time, or to alter the way I’ve approached things. I spend a lot more time and energy trying to get out of my own way than I’d like, I still find brain goblins rather troublesome, especially when it comes to marketing myself and my brand. Read More>>

Naa Dedei Martins

The unique quality and professionalism I deliver as a creative designer and photographer reflect both my personal values and the ethos of my company. I resonate deeply with Albert Einstein’s quote: “Creativity is seeing what others see and thinking what no one else ever thought.” This belief in originality sets me apart as a creative. While it’s said that “nothing is new under the sun”, I firmly believe that the originality one infuses into their work adds a distinct signature, making even familiar ideas feel fresh. For creatives, imagination is the key to how we see the world and how we bring our perspectives to life. Read More>>

May Lashelle

I debunked her theory almost immediately because this was nowhere near the career I wanted to pursue. Plus I’m more of a reserved person so it didn’t make sense. Sure enough, shortly after I came up with the idea Mixing with May. Which consist of me giving tutorials on how to craft cocktails. Then my ideas kept overflowing; I began to offer mobile bartending services, make content, and start a podcast. Read More>>

Reni Jackson

Felt like overnight. At first, I probably over-analyzed what type of content I should make, until I realized people were just interested in my everyday life. I was getting asked all the time about what I ate, what I was wearing, and what my workout routine was. That was easy content for me to make because I was just sharing my genuine self. Next thing I knew, brands were starting to reach out and the rest is history. The internet is definitely a fickle and ever-changing landscape and you always want to think about what’s next, and still remain true to how you started but I am having fun doing it. Read More>>

Jason & Tianna Monge

We didn’t just want to create apparel. We wanted to build something that reflects our values and inspires others. Our mission from day one has been to help people express their faith through fashion. We realized that if more people wore their faith visibly, it could spark conversations and inspire others to explore or deepen their relationship with God. Read More>>

Braven “Bray” Sloan III

At the beginning of the year, I made the decision to leave Atlanta so I could brand myself in new cities and upon relocating I booked my very first film as a featured dancer, a commercial, and recently just relocated to Washington, D.C., starting my first year as an NBA dancer. With faith, patience, and intentional training, I have been blessed to be able to still travel to Atlanta, GA often to teach choroegraphy and achieve these new goals. Read More>>

George Duvanov

People liked that, something that is not a surprise but more of a bargain in the sense of retaining their home value and longevity. Clients came to me with various issues, over the past 3 months I was able to build a somewhat holistic gutter spa experience for homeowners foregoing all the headaches that would come with having to do extensive work or repairs. Our pricing starts at a meager 150$ for a small home and goes up from there, people are satisfied that’s all I can say…. Read More>>