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.

David Bies

I’m From Barnesville, GA…a small town an hour south. Grew up in Atlanta since driving away from Barnesville…but true to my roots & wouldn’t change a thing. Started in Kitchens as a young teen. Started taking it seriously in my early 20’s. Professional cooking career began in Charleston, SC, then back to Atlanta, Then Asia, Europe, Central America. Then back to ATL to open Ticonderoga Club. This October we celebrate 10 years in business. We’ve been recognized quite a bit over the years, we’re proud of what we do at The Club. Read more>>

Angela (Angie) Fair

My story really started in the kitchen. My husband and I often hosted holidays, our anniversary parties, and New Year’s Eve gatherings at our home — celebrations that were mostly centered on food, with just a touch of décor. Along the way, I found myself drawn to floral arrangements, sometimes selling them or gifting them for weddings. Read more>>

Tim Edwards

My barbering journey started back in high school, standing in my bathroom mirror cutting my own hair. Friends began asking me to cut theirs too, and that’s when I realized I had a gift. Read more>>

Katie Arlt

Right after my 18th birthday, I found out I was pregnant. In unfamiliar territory, I felt isolated. The people I thought I could turn to judged me and didn’t provide the support I needed. Besides knowing that my college plans had to be put aside, the only thing I was certain of was my determination to provide my daughter with a fulfilling life. Read more>>

Aasiya Muslim

Scrum-did-dly-ump-tious® was born from a moment of celebration and divine alignment. In September 2021, I hosted a three-day birthday weekend where I showcased my culinary talents across multiple events. The response was overwhelming—people showed up, showed love, and showed me that the leap from catering to a full-service dine-in restaurant wasn’t just possible, it was necessary. Read more>>

Ali Mirza

Rose Garden Consulting is a collective of revenue generation experts who use behavioral economics to transform businesses. Our vision: To fundamentally change how people buy and sell. Our promise: To help your organization break through revenue plateaus, reduce sales team turnover, and create sustainable growth systems. Read more>>

Anthea Johnson

I founded Behavioral Health Services of Atlanta with a clear and heartfelt mission: to provide quality, accessible mental health care for all individuals, regardless of background or circumstance. From the very beginning, my vision has been to create a safe, compassionate, and empowering space where individuals and families feel understood and supported as they navigate life’s challenges. Read more>>

Boris Cepeda

Two years ago—after receiving an EB-1 extraordinary-ability green card—my wife Katja and I moved from Germany to Atlanta, bringing a successful career across opera companies, university lecturing, and public music-school teaching in Germany and worldwide, alongside our work as performers. Read more>>

Kewonia Wheelock

Kewonia Wheelock also known as K’Shears, was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and raised in Killeen, Texas. Influenced by her mother, Mrs. Denise Benjamin, who has successfully run Denise Hair Designs for over 20 years, Kewonia developed a passion for the hair industry early on. Read more>>

Brianna Williams

Dr. Brianna Chante Williams, was born and raised in New York City, among 11 siblings, a tight-knit community, and friends who felt like family. While surrounded by love, she couldn’t ignore the harsh realities of neighborhood violence, limited resources, and opportunities that felt far and few in between for people like her. Read more>>

LaToya Thurman

Therapeutic Vibrations LLC, and subsequinty Cymbee’s Conjure Shop, was seeded in 2012 from a desire for liberation and my personal healing journey. During that time I had two major experiences that completely shifted my life trajectory. The first, was being fired from the non-profit hojusing agency that I had worked for for years. Read more>>

Samantha de Haan

My story really begins with how I was raised. I grew up in an entrepreneurial household where my parents constantly encouraged me to try new things, push beyond limits, and follow my passions, whatever they may be. Because of that, I developed a fearless curiosity and a willingness to try, even when failure was possible. Over the years, I’ve explored countless interests. Read more>>

Ebony Jerry

I was a military brat who traveled all over moving every two years, finally settling in Hinesville Georgia. Tenth grade is where my love for theater started. Graduated and went to little old Hillsborough Community College in Tampa Florida. I thrived there. I’ve always been a leader but I think it showed up more in this space. Read more>>

Ajani Colvin

I began my musical journey around 2014, emerging as an independent producer starting crafting beats, blending hip-hop, trap, and experimental sounds, with a DIY approach that allowed me creative freedom. In 2018, I was gifted my own home studio setup and started recording as an artist under SaturnTyo. Read more>>

Kim Afreeka

As a young adult, I worked at the Department of Social Services I officially started my career working with homeless women and children. I then applied for and received a grant for non profit empowerment program for mothers receiving public assistance. I then decided to go to Morgan State University for my BSW then University of Maryland for my MSW. Read more>>

Kat Luzny

My journey with embroidery started in 2020 during the height of the pandemic. Stuck at home like many others I sought out new creative outlets to pass the time. Embroidery has always been on my list to explore. Watching YouTube videos and teaching myself certain techniques it brought on a cathartic experience. Read more>>

Georgette Reynolds

Juiced UP bar inc started in fall 2017. Read more>>

Elliot Williamson

Throughout the past twenty years I’ve spent in Athens, I have worked to reinforce the bonds that make Athens such a tight-knit city. As a teenager, that looked like driving classmates to the Boys and Girls Club to volunteer or teaching hundreds of UGA students how to crochet. Read more>>

Jon German

I’ve always been a fan of BBQ. My first job in high school was working for the local bbq spot in cumming. After college I entered the corporate world and ended up working as a freight broker. During covid, I was laid off. After speaking with my wife, Kasey, we decided to chase our dream of owning a food truck. Read more>>

Ta’Ron Joyner

My story is a long one but true adventures are never linear, are they? For as long as I can remember, my parents have been entrepreneurs and I think that’s where it really started for me. Read more>>

Abby Meadows

At fourteen, I was hammering wire on my mom’s cast iron pan and shattering amethysts with my dad’s drill—too stubborn to settle for boring jewelry. Read more>>

Carla Woolstrum

I had an almost four-decade career in IT Technology that over the course of several years moved me from my native Nebraska to Texas and finally to the Atlanta area, where I have lived since 1996. While I was successful in the IT world, it was a career I had just sort of stumbled into and I was never truly passionate about it. Read more>>

Grace Vann’Barron

Movement has always been a part of me. As a little girl, I poured my energy into sports and later into the discipline of competitive gymnastics. I loved the challenge, the artistry, and the freedom that came with pushing my body to move in new ways. But like many athletes, injuries came with the territory. Read more>>

John Cox

I returned home in 1995, after serving in the Marine Corps, to start and raise a family where I myself was raised. By 1996 I was working with the City of Carrollton by day and Bartending by night. Read more>>

Dr. Arkeria Wright

My journey into child advocacy began long before I officially founded The Children’s Advocate LLC in 2017. Growing up in poverty, I understood firsthand the importance of children having safe spaces, supportive adults, and opportunities to thrive, even when life felt unstable. Read more>>

Dustin Towery

Dustin Towery, 37, Founder of Towery Construction Born and raised in Sumter, South Carolina, I found myself dropped off in Georgia in 2021 with nothing but faith and a deep well of construction experience. That season of uncertainty became the foundation for something extraordinary. Read more>>

SerVanes Wilson

I started my career graduating into the 2007-08 recession, where I immediately encountered the hiring barriers that would define the next decade. Despite a strong degree and skills, I never received a single interview. Every role I held was secured through a personal connection, and in each, I delivered award-winning, record-breaking results for my employers. During the pandemic, I lost my employment. Read more>>

Robert Crowne

I incorporated my consulting firm back in 2005. However, on November 15, 2016, my journey into the world of AI began at the IBM Atlanta X-Force Command Center. While working on internal comms training sessions that helped leaders leverage tools like IBM Watson for Cybersecurity was truly enlightening. Since then, I have pioneered the world’s first end-to-end consulting transformation system known as Culturefy. Read more>>

Dina Dennis

I spent over 20 years in the healthcare education world leading sales teams, chasing big goals, and working with people all across the country. On paper, I was successful in sales — and yes, I loved being number one — but what really fueled me wasn’t the numbers. It was the service. Read more>>

Aida Stone

I am a visual artist, born in North Carolina but grew up largely in Georgia. I call Atlanta home. Currently, I reside in New York City. At an early age, I began dancing. I studied all genres. I quickly started as a competition dancer and then moved into pre-professional performance dance. Dance allowed me to travel and experience training, competition, and performance across the country. Read more>>

Diamond Ford

I grew up in the salon world. My mother passed when I was two, and I was raised in Detroit Michigan by an amazing village—my grandmother , my father, step mom and a circle of strong older women, including my grandmother’s sister and aunts. They poured into me, and trips to the hair salon with my grandmother sparked my love for beauty. Read more>>

Najinga Luster

Music has always been in my life. I grew up in the church choir located in the Historic West End area. I watched my father and his friends sing every Sunday uplifting people’s lives even ones they didn’t know. My mom’s side of the family were very creative and talented but I get my voice from my dad’s side. Read more>>

Shené Redden

The Cannabis Queen: Cultivator, Educator, Coach, and Sex Therapist Redefining Healing Through Pleasure and Plant Medicine When people ask me how I got here, I always start with this: my journey began with pain. I know what it feels like to carry shame and trauma around sex and intimacy, and I also know how heavy that can be. Read more>>

Karen and Andrew Bagley

We’re Andrew and Karen – high school sweethearts turned husband-and-wife creative team. After 18 years of marriage, we’ve built a thriving photography business together, capturing unforgettable moments for clients all over the world. Now, we’re taking our creativity in a new direction – sharing our lives, laughs, and lessons through content creation. Read more>>

Laurie Phoenix Niewidok

I was born and raised in Philly. Art , music and fashion have been the one frequency I connected with to escape a challenging upbringing.. Music venues and fashion shows have given me opportunities to work backstage and learn about the culture of artists . Authenticity and loving what they did stuck with me. Read more>>

Mercede Hightower

I began doing hair in high school. It was a gift that came naturally to me. I would service my friends and family and worked as an assistant in the salon on weekends. I attended college at the illustrious Spelman College where I graduated with my Bachelor’s in Economics. While in college I studied as an apprentice to retrieve my Master Cosmetology license. Read more>>

Olayinka Olubunmi

Rev. Dr. Olayinka Olubunmi was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, the sixth of eight children. With a father who was a pastor holding a Doctorate in Theology and a mother who was a professional seamstress, she grew up in a home deeply rooted in faith, service, and creativity. An ordained minister, Dr. Olubunmi began her journey after high school, in the U.S. Read more>>

Brandi C. Williams, EA, MAcc

My introduction to accounting came early—at just 12 years old. As an Army brat from Frankfurt, Germany, I experienced a life of movement and adaptation. When my family relocated to the U.S., I landed my first job at a hair salon owned by a family friend at Ft. Stewart, GA. Read more>>

Jana Stokes

Jana Stokes: Championing Education and Advocacy for All Children As a mother, educator, and tireless advocate, Jana Stokes has dedicated her life to ensuring that every child, particularly those with special needs, receives the education and support they deserve. Her journey from a concerned mother of a preemie to a fierce advocate for children’s educational rights is both inspiring and transformative. Read more>>

Jonathan Pilkington

After earning a doctorate in Voice Performance and spending nearly a decade teaching voice full time at a college in northeast Georgia, I found myself craving more city life and freedom. In 2016, I moved to Atlanta, where I continued teaching and performing as a freelance artist. Read more>>

Belvin Baldwin II

My journey into the travel industry actually started with a terrible vacation experience. At the time, I was a busy professional planning a special wedding anniversary trip. I spent countless hours researching destinations, hotels, and reviews—I was determined to get it right. Read more>>

Jason Bass

I’ve always been drawn to solving problems creatively, and that’s really where my journey started. Back in 2001, I founded Jason Hunter Design (JHD) with the goal of helping businesses not just have a presence online, but to truly connect with their audiences. Read more>>

Nadine Duncan

I started my career in education, spending about 20 years as a special education teacher in the Atlanta metro area before stepping into education consulting. Teaching gave me a front-row seat to the challenges and the possibilities within classrooms—especially when it comes to representation, access, and the lived experiences of both students and teachers. Travel has always been a part of my story. Read more>>

Chanel Tapper

I’m originally from Los Angeles, and baking has been part of my life since I was a kid. One of my earliest memories is sitting with an elderly family friend, learning how to measure, mix, and taste. I had an Easy-Bake Oven, loved sweets, and Toll House chocolate chip cookies were my weakness — I’d eat them half raw straight off the pan. Read more>>

Brett Player

I own an advertising agency — one that thrives on great creative executions that moves the needle. From an early age I was hooked on how great marketing strategy and design could solve business issues. Shows like Thirtysomething and iconic commercials for Coca-Cola and Budweiser pulled me into the world of advertising. Read more>>

Jess Lawler

I’ve been in marketing for 10 years now. I started in a basement working with a mentor who taught me the ins and outs of web design and marketing. Once he moved I knew I wanted to stay in this business. So I started my old company and helped local businesses. Read more>>

Ciaress Renee LE

At the same time, I’ve stepped into mentoring and business building, because I know how overwhelming it can feel starting out. My journey hasn’t been perfect—I have to balance distractions, money habits, and building structure—but every step has made me sharper and more intentional. Now, I’m focused on building businesses that not only support me financially but also inspire and create opportunities for others. Read more>>

Joe Havasy

I worked as a cartoonist for the local free paper “the Flagpole” and opened my Etsy store in 2004. I’ve been selling paintings, prints, stickers, magnets and t-shirts all over the world ever since. I’ve always maintained a full time job as well, so that’s definitely been a challenge, but it also allows me the freedom to create the work that I desire to make. One of my friends told me I should create the art that I “want on my wall” and that’s been my philosophy ever since. Read more>>