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.
Mara ( Barbie) Feldman
I’ve been an entrepreneur for many years, but Mia’s Scoops & Sweets became something very special to me. I created it inspired by my daughter Mia and with a vision of building a fun, welcoming place where families could make memories together. Read more>>
Karen Mansfield 
I’ve been interested in music and sound for as long as I can remember. Even as a kid, I was fascinated with recording and how records were made. I loved singing, but I was just as interested in what was happening on the other side of the microphone. Read more>>
Alix Constant 
My Musical Story Begins from a boy witnessing an event in my local Elementary Public school auditorium in Queens Village NY. The Local Junior High School Jazz Band was playing for all us 6 graders. I was so impressed with the all black shirts and pants of the girls/boys and the cool black shades. Plus the were talented Musically. Read more>>
Jennifer June 
My path as a bodyworker began in my early 20’s with a friend offering the gift of massage. My body had been deeply affected by multiple childhood car accidents, every moment my body was struggling to recalibrate and find fleeting comfort. It was obvious to her, chronic pain was negatively influencing my quality of life and personal expression. Read more>>
Brad Forenza 
My creative identity is that of a writer-performer-director-producer. I’ve always written and performed in plays, and I guess I’ve always directed and produced, as well. For a long time, I saw directing and producing as means-to-an-end: administrative roles I had to do to help my independent projects (with shoe-string budgets) chug along. Read more>>
Amanda Sanabria 
My journey started in my family kitchen as a kid, which eventually led me to culinary school for pastry arts. While I initially assumed I’d follow a traditional bakery path, culinary school revealed my true calling: chocolate. Chocolate required a unique balance of precision, chemistry, and artistic expression, and the moment I began tempering and crafting bonbons, everything clicked. Read more>>
Alex Evangelista 
I’ve been baking since I was 11 years old. It was a sort of random and spontaneous start. Some curiosity inside me was just sparked one day where I thought ‘I’d like to try this’. From there, I began watching the Food Network religiously (shamelessly, I still do) and really dove into cooking and baking. Read more>>
Sherril HwangBo 
I grew up in Bergen County, and after years of living in Brooklyn, my husband and cofounder, Eugene, and I found our way back to Jersey! Between us, we have 40 years of experience in luxury and beauty. Read more>>
Debra Dellasala 
My relationship with tarot began as a teenager. I was a casual reader, trying to interpret the complex symbols and hidden messages in the cards. I would often get frustrated and give up, only to find myself buying another deck a few years later. Read more>>
Anyssa Lucena 
I’ve been a rock climber and professional climbing guide for over 15 years, but my relationship with climbing took on an entirely new meaning when I was diagnosed with breast cancer four years ago. Throughout my cancer experience, climbing became more than something I loved to do. Read more>>
Alain Gervais 
I started playing drums at just three years old, and music has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. By seven, I was classically trained in piano, and at eight, I started my first singing group. I grew up singing in church, developing my musical foundation, and eventually picked up acoustic guitar at 13 and bass guitar at 14. Read more>>
Kristen Becker 
Kristen Becker’s culinary story began long before she ever stepped into a professional kitchen. Growing up just outside of Newton in Green Township, New Jersey, food was always an important part of family life. Read more>>
Erica Santoro 
My husband Nick and I always felt a deep connection with creativity and nature but it wasn’t until we started planning our own wedding where we found a way to marry the two. Our vegetable garden was slowly overtaken by flower seeds and dahlia tubers. We started reading farming books, blogs, taking online courses like the Floret Farming Workshop, and visiting public farms. Read more>>
Jenna Heinrich 
Hi! I am Jenna, and I am a live watercolor portrait artist for luxury weddings and events. I became an artist in my early twenties after an injury completely changed the course of my life. Read more>>
Adriana Groza 
Originally from Cluj-Napoca, Transylvania, Romania, I moved to the United States in 2004. My background in business and project management gave me a strong foundation for entrepreneurship, but painting gradually became my calling. After discovering fluid acrylics in 2017, I transitioned to a full-time art career in 2020, creating large-scale abstract paintings inspired by nature, movement, and human connection. Read more>>
Lilly Downs 
I spent years teaching athletes how to bend without breaking. Life would eventually teach me what those words truly meant. I was born in 1992 in Chernihiv, Ukraine, a year after independence, into a family that had very little. My parents, both engineers, were sometimes paid in canned food instead of a salary. My mother sewed my clothes from her old ones. Read more>>
Yomarie Llanos 
My story started the way many creatives do, with too many hobbies to pour that creativity into. Fashion, art, creative writing: all of it pulled me in. But growing up bilingual and moving from Puerto Rico to New Jersey at a young age gave me my first lesson in communication. Read more>>
Benjamin Guenther 
I started grooming dogs when I was around 18, without realizing it would become such a big part of my life. As I gained experience, I found that I really enjoyed working with dogs, getting to know their personalities, and building relationships with their owners. Read more>>
Lauren D’Amelio Ventre 
My love for beauty began with watching my mother do her makeup each morning. I admired her beauty and was fascinated by that daily ritual. By sixth grade, my best friend’s mother owned a salon, and we spent a lot of time there. I loved the creativity, the people, and the energy. Even then, it felt like a world I wanted to belong to. Read more>>
Shivani Nayee 
My story has really been a mix of building on my marketing experience and making room for my own creative interests. In college, I held internships and jobs in marketing, with a lot of my early experience focused on social media and digital marketing for restaurants, bars, and other hospitality businesses. Read more>>
Gabrieline Reece 
My story has been about learning how to build while still figuring things out myself. I know what it feels like to have ambition and ideas but need guidance, resources, and someone willing to open a door. Some of the people who have helped me most were strangers who saw something in what I was building. Read more>>
Rebecca Jorgensen 
I have always been involved in sports, fitness, and movement, both professionally and personally. Over the years, I have worked as a lifeguard, swim instructor, summer camp aquatics director, soccer coach, and group fitness coach. Sports and competition have always been a big part of my life, too. I have participated in triathlons, enjoy snowboarding, and have earned my purple belt in Brazilian jiu jitsu. Read more>>
Sarah Brohm 
Twelve-year-old Sarah always dreamed of going into design and architecture, but life had a different plan. I became a mother at 16, which completely changed the trajectory of my life. I had to leave high school and went straight into nursing school, eventually spending five years working in Med-Surg oncology before transitioning to gastroenterology, where I worked for another three years. Read more>>
Anindita Roy Burman 
I’m Anindita Roy Burman. I’m an engineer with an MBA and a master’s in management information systems, and I’m also a mom. I stepped away from my job when my son needed me more in that season of life, but I still wanted to create and contribute in a meaningful way. Read more>>
Chelsea Selby 
I started Witch Baby in 2013 as a new mom with my baby strapped to my chest after getting fired during my pregnancy. Read more>>
Gabriella Mullady Fink, MA, LPC, NCC, ACS 
Set It Up began long before we opened our doors. When I was younger, my friends dubbed me the mother of the group, always anticipating everyone’s needs, being there to listen, and making people laugh when needed. Read more>>
Dyllon Frantin 
The band started in 2019 with Phil Renna and Dyllon Frantin and later Sandy B and Kaity Danielsen joined; 7 years later the same 4 are still here. We got to where we are today through friendship and finding common ground with eachother. Read more>>
Elena Genik 
I’ve been a pharmacist for over 15 years. For most of that time I was the person behind the counter who knew every medication inside and out, and I loved being that trusted, accessible healthcare professional people could just walk up to and talk to. My own health journey started while I was working as a pharmacist in NYC through the pandemic. Read more>>
Ria Founder of Ria Healings 
I became an entrepreneur in my twenties, building a business from the ground up and eventually growing it into an organization with approximately 60 employees. After a decade, I sold the company and began exploring a very different direction in my life. My journey into energy work began in a way I never could have anticipated. Read more>>
Amanda Lombardo 
Back in 2021 I was in college and all of my friends were talking about what kind of corporate jobs they were looking at and starting to apply to jobs and I didn’t really understand the corporate lifestyle growing up. Read more>>
Kayla Noll 
As I built my business, marketing became a huge part of my focus. I love bringing together strong visuals, storytelling, and strategy to give a property the attention it deserves. That approach has helped me grow into larger luxury listings, custom new construction, and development projects where I can be involved in shaping how something is introduced to the market. Read more>>
Lisa Dawn White 
My path to opening Muse Artisan Boutique & Gallery was anything but conventional. With degrees in anthropology and horticulture and a 25-year career in scientific research and project management, I’ve always had a highly eclectic mix of interests. 20-years ago this year, I discovered my passion for creating art, my mediums then evolved into jewelry, and botanically dyed textiles. Read more>>
Olivia Kinter 
I was born in New York City & grew up in northern New Jersey. Read more>>
Melissa Khan 
My journey began in Guyana, South America, where my passion for journalism was inspired by my sister, Tracey Khan, who was also a journalist back home. Growing up and watching her work in the media industry sparked my interest in storytelling. I admired her confidence, dedication, and ability to connect with people through journalism. Read more>>
Kenneth Sass 
I have been building businesses since 1999, starting with a bail bonds company in New Jersey. That work gave me years of experience working directly with people during difficult, uncertain, and often life-changing moments. It taught me the importance of listening and understanding the person behind the circumstances. In 2017, I transitioned into behavioral health. Read more>>
Michelle Locke 
My background is in the music industry, social media, events, and experiential marketing, so when I look back at my career, it’s no surprise that I’ve found myself building something like Kinnect NJ. But while Kinnect NJ is only a year and a half old, the idea behind it had been brewing for years. I’m Jersey through and through. Read more>>
Victoria Corriston 
I started The Corr Collective out of frustration when the pile of clothes I no longer wore kept getting bigger and bigger. Nothing was wrong with them. I just didn’t like how they looked on me, but they were almost all brand new and from great brands! Read more>>
Lisa Emelo 
My journey to becoming a personal stylist was anything but conventional. Before founding Lisa Emelo Style, I spent the early part of my career as a litigation attorney. While I eventually stepped away from the legal profession, I never could have imagined that my path to a second career would begin with one of the most challenging experiences of my life. Read more>>
Marco Lopez 
As a child, I would watch the drive in martial arts movies on TV every Saturday. I became obsessed with wanting to learn martial arts. My mother and I came across a karate school in Botany Village–Koei Kan. My first encounter proved extremely challenging. Having remembered the grueling training from the movies, I knew I a difficult road lay ahead . Read more>>
Jen Leary 
I’m a born-and-raised Philly sports fan and lifelong athlete (I played in the National Women’s Football Association), but for years there was nowhere in this city to watch a women’s game with other fans — bars wouldn’t put the games on, or played them with the volume off. Read more>>
Miguel Carreno 
My story started in Guayaquil, Ecuador, and somehow led me to New Jersey, where I now spend most of my days making coffee, creating content, and explaining why a cup of specialty coffee costs more than $2. Funny enough, my background is actually in Business Administration, not coffee. Read more>>
Amy Ward Brimmer 
The heart of the work I do at Way Opens Wellness is comprised of various approaches I’ve grown into over time. My journey began in 1989 with lessons in the Alexander Technique (AT), a movement re-education process for healing and holistic growth. Read more>>
Skyler Middleton 
Owning a bookstore was a dream I never anticipated acting on. I always figured it would be something I daydreamed about while working corporate jobs that I lacked passion for. When I graduated with my bachelor’s degree in spring 2025, I still didn’t have a clear career path in front of me. Read more>>
Dreena Moran 
I was born with jazz hands. Ever since I was a kid, I’ve loved to perform. If there was a stage, I was on it. If there was an unattended microphone, I was working the room. If there was a group of people gathering for absolutely any reason, wonderful–an audience! Read more>>
Francesca Andre 
My journey in the creative field actually began in front of the camera as a commercial print model. However, I always had a deep interest in photography, writing, film, and the arts. Eventually, I decided to explore those interests from the other side of the lens. I picked up a camera, began testing with agency models, and gradually developed my own approach to photography. Read more>>
Zarah Spencer 
I’ve always been a naturally curious person. Growing up in Chicago, I was constantly finding something new to make or experiment with. I went through phases of making friendship bracelets, custom bow ties, and putting studs on practically everything I owned. I was especially obsessed with Converse, so naturally, I started bleaching, distressing, and customizing every pair I had. Read more>>
Sharllah Brewster 
My story isn’t one of following a straight path. If anything, it’s been a journey of discovering that sometimes the most meaningful chapters of our lives are the ones we never planned to write. I was born and raised in Barbados, and creativity has always been a part of who I am. Read more>>
Kristy Case 
My story really began with an extraordinary mentor, a published author, professor, and leader in oncology social work. Early in my career, she saw potential in me before I fully recognized it in myself, giving me the confidence to trust that my skills could make a meaningful and wide-reaching impact. Read more>>
Urmil Dalal 
I fell in love with connection. Hearing people’s stories, perspectives – expressing emotions. I love it. And photography connects it all together for me. My name is Urmil and I grew up in a family wedding studio. My mom, a photographer, and my dad, a videographer, created Suvarn Studio together in 1999. I was 8 when my mom handed me a camera at a wedding. Read more>>
Gianna Bigliani 
I was born in Bogotá, Colombia, and moved to the United States when I was 12 years old without speaking English. I had always been an active child, and that love of movement eventually led me to Temple University, where I joined the crew team and earned my undergraduate degree in exercise physiology. Read more>>
Satish Choudhary 
I’ve spent nearly two decades in technology, and one thing I’ve learned is that the hardest part isn’t building sophisticated solutions—it’s making them simple and useful. I started as a software engineer and gradually moved into leading teams, building enterprise platforms, and solving larger business challenges. Read more>>
Laura Janela 
Absolutely, I love sharing my story! It’s wild because I started my adult life as an accountant, working in corporate in NYC. I’m definitely proud to have my years in corporate, it taught me grit, organizational skills, technical skills, and it gave me my eyes for business. But I always had a feeling accounting wasn’t my forever. Read more>>
Melissa Wright 
I started Rooted By Wrights in November 2023 in the Sparta, New Jersey area. I’ve always had a love for plants, but as a mom of three boys who were getting closer to all being school-aged, I found myself thinking about what was next for me. I loved being home and raising our family, but I also wanted something that was mine. Read more>>
Lupe Dragon 
I’ve always been a singer, I used to annoy my family singing along to the Millennium album by the Backstreet Boys. Once I started school, I was really active in choir and even did band for a little bit and learned how to play the trumpet. Read more>>
Kristin Ardese 
My photography journey began in college when I found myself editing photos for friends who loved how I curated my personal Instagram page. They trusted my graphic design skills to bring out the best in their favorite photos, and to me, it never felt like work and I truly loved doing it. Read more>>
Natalie Cruz 
My creative journey actually started with music. As an artist, I was always drawn to the way a single song, image, or moment could tell a story and make someone feel something. Over time, that passion expanded beyond being in front of the camera. I found myself falling in love with capturing the moments happening around me through photography and videography. Read more>>
Daniel Chavarriaga
My Journey in Marketing and media spans over 21 years across Colombia and Argentina. Throughout my career, I’ve had the privilege of working within top global agency networks like Havas Media, MediaCom, Starcom and Publicis Group, As an Account Director, I led strategic initiatives for major multinational advertisers, inluding Mondelez, Haleon (formerly GlaxoSmithKline), Coca-Cola, MeadJohnson, Renault, Kia and AB InBev where I managed iconic brands such as Corona, Budweiser, Club Colombia and Poker. Read more>>
Jennifer R
BCCM began when I started creating jewelry & other small items as a collaborator within a shop owned by a friend. Read more>>
