Baltimore’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.

Ali Weisbrot, LICSW

I have 4 additional team members who are clinical social workers and psychologists. We are all Moms with both lived experience and clinical expertise. My team has the same passion, to support individuals and couples as they move through some of the most complex and identity-shifting seasons of life. Our goal is to help people feel less alone, more understood, and more connected – to themselves and to their village. Read more>>

The Orange Slices

We started as all great bands do–with a Craigslist ad. Most of us were newer to the music scene at the time, and didn’t have many expectations going in. We simply wanted to do what we loved and make music with like-minded people who vibed with the same styles. Read more>>

Ray and Wincy Williams

Tallawah Beauty Supply was never just about selling beauty products, it was about building something meaningful for our family and our community. Ray and I have always shared a vision of ownership, legacy, and creating something of our own. Read more>>

Nina Orlando

I built my life and my businesses on two things: grit and grace. Grit & Grace Construction was born out of necessity, resilience, and a refusal to accept limits placed on me. Read more>>

Stacie Seegars

I began my career in the property management industry in 1995 while stationed with my husband at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. Over the course of 25 years, I worked my way up from a Leasing Consultant to a Property Manager. Read more>>

Jose Magana-Salgado

Edgewood Community Farm started four years ago when I reached out to the monastery next door to my house in the Edgewood neighborhood of NE Washington, D.C. There was an empty lot next to them that had gone completely fallow and overgrown, and I knew it had history. Read more>>

Karen Caine

I started Website Builder SEO after seeing how many great local businesses were struggling to get customers online. A lot of companies had websites, but they weren’t generating calls, leads, or real revenue—and that’s where I saw the opportunity. I come from a background of building and scaling service businesses in competitive markets, especially in the Washington DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia area. Read more>> 

Ambria Bradshaw

I’m originally from New Jersey, born and raised, and entrepreneurship has always been a part of my life. My mom owned a daycare business, and I remember being around 11 or 12 years old when she asked me if I wanted to help her after school and get paid every Friday. Read more>>

Nicole Smith

Over the years, I’ve introduced myself in articles by sharing my journey as a business owner, but there is so much more to my story. Growing up, I was always a little different. While others my age were carefree, I was often told I was too serious. My cousins would laugh and tell me to loosen up and enjoy being a kid. Read more>>

Naomi Taylor

I was 22 years old with a vision to create something of my own that people could experience and enjoy. At the time, I was working two jobs while pursuing my degree, saving every dollar I could to bring this idea to life. What began as a small step of faith has grown into a business that now serves communities through festivals and events. Read more>>

Crystal Williams

My story starts in Kingston, Jamaica, growing up in the neighborhood of Tivoli Gardens. Education felt like my only currency and everyone around me would always remind me of its importance. At every level of my learning journey I was blessed to have incredible teachers. Not a single one of them have failed me, they all motivated me and pushed me to my overflowing capacity. Read more>>

Christal Bell

I often say my journey has been shaped by a calling to walk with people in their most sacred and vulnerable moments. My first recollection of service is with my parents as a child. As a daughter of a Pastor and Librarian the understanding of faith, family, and fostering spaces of hope was deeply instilled within me. Read more>>

Andrew Dill

We started Liquid Intrusion Brewing Company because we saw a gap in craft beer and knew we had something real to bring to the table. As a husband and wife team, Jasmine and I built LIBCO from the ground up with a vision to create liquids that stood out not just for quality, but for story, culture, and impact. Read more>>

Kelvin Riddle

From Mentorship to Movement: How Military Mentors is Transforming Leadership In 2015, two West Point cadets formed an unexpected bond that would spark something far greater than either imagined. What began as a simple mentoring relationship evolved into the foundation of Military Mentors (MM), a growing movement committed to elevating leaders and transforming communities through the power of intentional mentorship. Read more>>

F.T. Burden

I’m a native of Miami, Florida, who came to Baltimore about 25 years ago and never left — because this city got into my heart. My passion has always been rooted in improving the well-being of vulnerable children, families, and the elderly. That north star has guided every step of my career across 30 years of nonprofit leadership. Read more>>

Kathie Aldunate

Please note : I give a portion of every sale to Suicide Prevention to honor my son., Fallen hero Diego Enrique Aldunate Please go to https://www.facebook.com/KathieAldunateRealtor/reviews and leave a review…thank you!! Please also visit my Google page https://g.page/r/CY7mpVFGNOgtEAI/review Read more>>

Mitch Froemming

I grew up in rural Minnesota on a chicken farm, which taught me two things: I didn’t like the cold, and I didn’t like chickens. My dad was a CPA (turned chicken farmer), so accounting was on my radar heading into college. I ended up getting my bachelor’s degree in accounting while interning at a CPA firm in Charlotte, NC. Read more>>

Odessa Davis

Odessa S. Davis is the passionate founder and chef behind Odessa’s Home Cooking, a Southern‑and‑Caribbean‑inspired culinary experience she launched five years ago. With formal training from Le Cordon Bleu Miami and a degree in Business Management from Montgomery College, she combines top‑tier culinary expertise with a savvy entrepreneurial mindset. Read more>>

renee halpern

It all started with a single logo design for a party, but what really sparked it was this: I couldn’t find a designer who could fully capture my vision. So instead of settling, I decided to create it myself. That decision shifted everything. Read more>>

Angelique Davis

I’m from Newburgh, NY originally. I’m 1 of 6 and the oldest girl. After finishing high school I went to the Army. I ended up getting medically discharged for a hip injury and then decided to further my education. In 2018 I started my small business Design A Delight in Miami, Florida. Read more>>

Kamike Myers-Pinnock

Tropix Pots Cuisines Bar & Grill was born from passion, culture, and purpose. Founded by Chef Kamike Myers-Pinnock, whose journey spans journalism, pharmacy, and international travel. Co-owned with her husband Kevin Pinnock, the vision was to create more than just a restaurant but also a legacy for our autistic son. Tropix Pots brings authentic Caribbean flavor and vibrant island vibes to the community. Read more>>

Kir Tuben

I studied photography in college at Duke. I spent hours and hours in the dark room and became obsessed with film. After college, I worked at VH1 in their photo department and on movie sets. I began shooting weddings when my friends started getting engaged and the rest, as they say, is history. Read more>>

Paulina Enriquez

Wonder Kids Learning Center was founded in August 2022 in Arlington, VA. Before starting my business, I had worked in Early Childhood Education for 20 years. Read more>>

Nick Freshman

I have been in hospitality for 30 years and an entrepreneur within the space for over 20 years. I was first drawn in like many of my peers when my planned career turned out to not be what I wanted. Adrift, I found my way into a bar and fell in love with the people and the action. Read more>> 

Demetria Me-Me” Knight”

Today, Me-Me’s Happy Hour is more than a bartending service—it’s an experience. From weddings and corporate events to pop-ups and private celebrations, I’ve had the opportunity to bring my passion to so many different spaces. I’ve built relationships, expanded my offerings, and created a brand that represents excellence, creativity, and good vibes. Read more>>

Pearline Twilah Faye Muckelvene

I decided I wanted to be in the wellness industry at 16. It was the same year that many of my traumas arose due to my experience with grief. As a child beginning at age 5, I experienced many levels and versions of trauma, but I never wanted to carry my pain, so I dissociated before I knew what that meant. Read more>>

Beth Harbinson

My story really starts with my own personal journey with alcohol. I grew up in Baltimore, had a wonderful childhood, went to college, and by all outward appearances was functioning just fine — holding jobs, building a career in nonprofit management. But alcohol was quietly becoming a bigger and bigger part of my life. Read more>>

Danielle Hatchell

I have a therapy private practice that I started in Upper Marlboro, MD in 2008. I created it because I wanted to be closer to my young children. Read more>>

Trinetta Bryan

With a background rooted in art, creativity has always been at the core of my journey. As I evolved, I found myself drawn to transforming those artistic skills into a more immersive form—edible art. That passion led me into the world of cake design, where I specialize in 3D sculpted cakes and tiered creations. Read more>>

Kabba C

Between my sophomore and senior years of high school I grew 5in, from 5’10 to 6 feet 3 inches. Needless to say, finding clothes that fit my frame was a difficult task for my mother and I. To minimize clothing expenses my mother taught me hand sewing. Read more>>

Christine Chavis

Christine Chavis of CC Arts and Crafts The daughter of a 2nd-generation McCormick’s Spice factory worker and a prolific writer who immigrated from Dublin, I come from local, humble beginnings with a lifelong love of all things artistic. At an early age, I was drawing cartoon characters for my classmates and had ambitions to attend art instruction schools. Read more>>

Ciarra Miles

Born and raised in East Baltimore, my roots run deep on both my mom and dad’s side. I always say that people knew who I was before I truly knew who I was. That meant I couldn’t carry myself just any kind of way—because if I did, trust and believe my grandmother was going to hear about it. Read more>>

Tyre Johnson

Throughout my entire college career, I studied actively to obtain the highest level of educational sophistication possible in clinical psychology, a PhD. On the verge of completing my master’s degree, prior to applying for a PhD program, I realized something upsetting and honest: I didn’t want to do this anymore. If you know me, you know I’m a huge man of faith. Read more>>

Maggie Delahoyde

I started Lowery’s Dial in June of 2022, at a moment when life was forcing me in a new direction. I had just lost a major client and found myself asking what I actually wanted to build—what felt like me? Turns out the answer had always been there: I’ve long loved design, decorating, creating, and, of course, the thrill of a really good thrift find. Read more>>

Gabriel Pickus

My story starts in a car seat when I was almost four. My mom was dropping me off at daycare, and we were listening to Raffi’s ‘There’s a Big Beautiful Planet in the Sky.’ I looked out the window past the clouds and asked her where it was. She said, ‘We’re on it.’ We’re in the sky. I was completely flabbergasted. Read more>>

Jennifer Johnson

Ever since I was three years old, I’ve had a deep love for sarees. I grew up watching my mom drape herself in beautiful, colorful fabrics every day, and to me, it felt almost magical. I would take her sarees, wrap them around myself, and play dress-up, completely fascinated by their beauty and elegance. Read more>>

Sara Evans

I struggled for a long time to find my career sweet spot – a role that played to my strengths and also motivated me. I’ve held 10 jobs in 6 fields over 25 years. I was laid off twice, and quit my longest held job to pursue a graduate degree soon after the birth of my second child. Read more>>

Sabrina Malloy

My journey into entrepreneurship began long before I formally launched my business. It started through both lived experience and professional exposure to how systems operate and how they impact people’s everyday lives. Early in my career, I built my professional foundation working in government operations and program administration. In those roles, I gained extensive experience in budgeting, procurement, compliance, and workforce development programs. Read more>>

Tyrus Shivers

Tyrus grew up watching his great-grandfather move with quiet consistency. He was told, “Learn all you can.” So he did. By 8, he had launched his first business. His mother worked two jobs. His great uncle built from scraps. His family moved like a unit. From them, Tyrus absorbed one thing early: no excuses. At 10, his father went to prison. Read more>>

Cherice Clark

My journey really started in South Central Los Angeles, where I was raised by two parents who were entrepreneurs and believed in dreaming without limits. Watching them build and create showed me early on that I could chart my own path. Read more>>

Jerry Tsao

Founded by Washington, D.C. photographer Jerry Tsao, District Cooper began with a dual passion for capturing the raw beauty of wildlife and the authentic stories of people. Today, that foundation evolved into a lifestyle-oriented studio dedicated to preserving genuine memories for families and supporting the local community through soulful, intentional storytelling. Read more>>