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.
Kendyl Arden
I’ve always been drawn to the intersection of creativity, reflection, and human connection. My background is in both the fine arts and mental health. I’m an art therapist, counselor, educator, artist, and the founder of Selah Studio, a community pottery and creative wellness space in Grand Rapids. Read more>>
Lee Knepper
In my teen years, like many kids, we would have Nerf gun fights in the yard, and as the group grew it expanded to the local neighborhood. This was a great way for me at the time to get outside, interact with people my age, and get moving. (though I am glad my parents didn’t word it that way to me at the time). Read more>>
Laura Chavez
grew up in Southwest Detroit, a community that shaped me long before I understood the word “leadership.” Like many young people in our neighborhood, I experienced instability early on — including time in foster care and periods of homelessness — but I was surrounded by people who taught me resilience, hustle, and the importance of showing up for others. Read more>>
Steve Kopp
Owning a store that sells Lego has been a dream of mine since 2015, and I have honestly been a lifelong fan of Lego. At the heart of it, I just want to bring happiness to others — if I could put one thing on my business card, it would be: I sell joy! Read more>>
Oliver Goulet
From Rock Bottom to Building an Empire My name is Oliver Scott Goulet, and I believe my life is proof that God can take a man who is lost, addicted, broken, and directionless—and rebuild him into someone with purpose. I was born on July 23, 1997, and in many ways, I was a miracle child. Read more>>
Brenda McDermaid
For more than three decades, I have dedicated my career to the art of beauty, skincare, and helping people feel confident in themselves. Long before Grande Med Spa was established, I owned and operated Merle Norman Cosmetics at Genesee Valley Mall and later Makin’ Faces Permanent Make-Up Center in Grand Blanc, Michigan. Read more>>
Mike and Suzanne Amann
When Suzanne and I met and decided to marry, we lived quite far from each other. So, the plan was to buy a home in the country with some land and a barn so we could build a pottery studio for her. She was an accomplished potter before we met. Read more>>
Larry Lee
I grew up in Dayton Ohio in the 70s and at that time Dayton was known as the land of fiunk. It was the home of national funk bands like The Ohio Players, Lakeside, Slave, Heatwave, Faze-O, and others. Some of the members of those groups were my neighbors. Read more>>
Jude S. Walko
I started my professional life as an Actor in college, graduating from the University of Georgia Drama Department, under the tutelage of Dr. August W. Staub and John Ammerman in Athens. From there I eventually moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in acting and to really learn how the ‘Hollywood’ machine works. Read more>>
Dena Halim
I started my journey in the beauty industry with a real passion for creativity and enhancing natural beauty. I was drawn to lash extensions because I loved how something so detailed could completely transform not just someone’s appearance, but their confidence too. At the beginning, I was learning everything from the ground up—training, practicing, and building my skill set step by step. Read more>>
Whitney Graham
I actually started my career as an attorney. After my first child was born, I realized how deeply this work called to me, and I made a big career pivot. I trained in Los Angeles, where I lived for about twenty years after graduating from MSU. I’m certified as a childbirth educator and full-spectrum doula through Birthing Advocacy Doula Trainings. Read more>>
Loui$ Automatic
I came up on the west side of Detroit. My family instilled a sense of dignity and pride within me that I carry to this day. I’ve worked hard to develop my talent and establish myself as a force to be reckoned with. Read more>>
Dommique Diamond
So as people know, I am a 10 times independent freelance published model however when it comes to my newest adventure “Sexual Health is Wealth” which is something that I launched earlier this year has been in the making for almost 2 years. Read more>>
Nancy DeForge
THE WHY… My husband and I bought this property as our primary residence in 2018. At that time, we had five young girls and my mother had wanted to live with us so we purchased a very large home to fit us all. Read more>>
Roger Tallman
I grew up in Detroit, Michigan, in a family deeply rooted in music. My father was a professor at Wayne State University, and my mother was a choir director and piano teacher. Music was simply part of everyday life in our home. Read more>>
Christopher Okoye
I’m Nigerian, born and raised on the west side of Detroit. My father is from Enugu, Nigeria, and that heritage shaped everything about how I see the world. Two cultures, one mindset. You learn early that nothing is given to you. You either lean into it or you get left behind. I grew up tall, athletic, and curious. Read more>>
Amanda Habrowski
I’m a Detroit native who’s spent over 20 years in radio and media. My journey took me from Detroit to Fort Wayne, Portland, and Las Vegas before bringing me back home. Along the way I’ve worn a lot of hats, on-air personality, content creator, voice-over artist, and reality TV personality. Read more>>
Amy Gardner
The story of The Refinery didn’t start with a business plan; it started on a local track nearly two decades ago. While most third-graders were focused on recess, Karlie was discovering the grit of a running program. That early spark ignited a fire that carried her all the way to the elite stage of Division I athletics. Read more>>
Tinetta Wilson
My journey has been built on creativity, resilience, and a deep passion for serving my community. For over 27 years, I worked in the beauty industry as a hairstylist, where I built lasting relationships and learned the value of confidence, connection, and entrepreneurship. That experience shaped my work ethic and inspired me to think beyond traditional paths. Read more>>
Izaya Spencer
My obsession with acting started as a kid, sneaking glances at Denzel Washington in the movie, Mo’ Better Blues. I didn’t fully understand what he was doing, but I knew I wanted to make people feel the way he made me feel. My path wasn’t traditional, though. https://voyagemichigan.com/interview/life-work-with-izaya-spencer-of-michiganRead more>>
Dan Laird
I’ve been a musician for over 30 years. One of the most difficult aspects of being a working musician is finding places to play. Often times, venue like restaurants and bars have a million other things to worry about and so booking live music isn’t the priority. Read more>>
Katrina (Kat) Hyder
I grew up in Bay City, Michigan, and from a young age I naturally gravitated toward people, teams, sports, and environments that brought energy and positivity. Looking back, I think high school was really where I first learned the value of volunteering and community service, but also that giving back didn’t have to feel boring or forced. Read more>>
Latrice Delgado-Macon
I started The Styling Closet from a genuine love for fashion, luxury, styling, and the energy of the fashion industry. Ever since I can remember, I’ve been drawn to personal style, runway trends, editorial fashion, and the experience of discovering pieces that make people feel confident and elevated. Read more>>
Victoria Carrio
I’ve been drawn to beauty for as long as I can remember. As a child maybe around 10 years old I loved mixing products to make them shimmer or feel more exciting. That curiosity led me to Cosmetology school at the Aveda Institute of East Lansing where I also cross trained in the Spa to become an Esthetician. Read more>>
Allison and Ben Kellogg
We’re Ben and Allison Kellogg, the owners of Appliance Solutions in Brighton, Michigan. More importantly, we’re a husband-and-wife team raising three kids, juggling busy schedules, and living the same everyday life as many of our customers. We are high school sweethearts. Ever since the beginning of our relationship, Ben dreamed of someday owning his own business. Read more>>
DJ Malky
I started everything from the ground up with no blueprint — just a vision, work ethic, and a willingness to outwork everyone around me. My journey really began at Grand Valley State University where I started DJing house parties while I was in college. What started as small college parties quickly turned into something much bigger. Read more>>
Kendall Ciantar
My name is Kendall, and I am the owner of RLVÉ Pilates Fitness in downtown Howell. RLVÉ officially opened its doors on January 8th, 2026, but its story began long before that: back in 2018. In 2018, I was introduced to reformer Pilates at Wayne State University, where I was earning my BFA in Fine Arts. Read more>>
Heidi Keller
I have been a working professional chef for over 30 years, with 15 of those years in hotels. Over the span of my career, I’ve learned all aspects of not only cooking, but guest service, hospitality and business management. Although my passion is in the art of cooking, at the heart of what i do is taking care of people. Read more>>
Betsy OMalley
An undergraduate degree in Psychology and a graduate degree in Physical Therapy provided the perfect ingredients for creating Balanced Pilates and Wellness Boutique – a Mindfulness based Pilates studio and Physical Therapy clinic. After two decades in clinical settings, Betsy O’Malley realized the ‘factory line’ approach to healthcare was failing patients. Read more>>
barbara wunsch
I grew up on a cherry and apple farm on Old Mission Peninsula and returned to the peninsula after I graduated from college. When I returned I began farming with my husband and worked off the farm as a dietitian in both acute care and long term care settings for over 30 years. Read more>>
Jason Brown
I founded PublicCity PR with a vision that was both practical and deeply personal: helping brands, organizations, and public figures communicate with authenticity in a rapidly changing media landscape. Early on, I recognized that traditional public relations firms often focused more on being a one-stop shop for all things communications and metrics more than meaningful connection and results. Read more>>
Aurelia McClure
Aure The Esthe began as a receptionist in Memphis,TN when I granted one of my coworkers the request of practicing on my brows by shaping them with a razor. Let’s just say the experience left me surprised for two weeks which led me to makeup. Learning how to cover the unfortunate events of a razor and audacity i fell in love with makeup. Read more>>
Steven Hart
I began making maple syrup 25 years ago with my grandpa. I spent my childhood making memories with him, alongside my dad, cousins, aunts and uncles in the sugar shack. As I grew older, I knew I wanted to honor my grandpa’s legacy by continuing this tradition with my own family. Read more>>
Anna Setzler
Selah’s Center of Hope was incorporated in late 2019 and welcomed it’s first resident in March of 2020. Since then, we have moved from a rental to two owned properties, able to house up to 6 women at a time – we are constantly looking for ways to improve our services and effectively and sustainably support as many women and children as we can! Read more>>
LaTia Flewellyn
My entrepreneurial journey has been very unconventional. In 2023, I originally came across Epiphany 313 while searching for a location to build out my spa concept. At the time, I had already been a licensed massage therapist for 9 years, and wellness had always been a huge passion of mine. During that process, I connected with the original owner of Epiphany 313. Read more>>
Luke Herschelman
Since its inception, F&H has always been dedicated to the craft of exterior painting. It was originally formed with a group of teachers that had summers off and painted for additional income during the summer months. Now it is run by full time professionals and that summer season is now stretched from March to December. Read more>>
Maria Crowe
My family and I relocated to Petoskey in 2024. It used to be the place we would travel to destress and reconnect with nature. Now we have the privilege of living in the paradise. The winters aren’t without challenges, but we wouldn’t change it. My greatest achievement in life is being the mother to my sweet baby, Joseph Lee.f5/ Read more>>
D Allen
⭐️ Welcome in, take your shoes off please. If you smell something spicy I have lunch cooking feel free to join me, My parents birthed a young boy who would have a path like no other. That boy grew to be the energy that I am today. Read more>>
Gina Apone
I’ve always been drawn to writing and communication in some form. I attended Michigan State University, where I earned a dual degree in Pre-Law and Professional Writing, along with a minor in Public Relations. From there, I went on to complete my MA in Writing & Publishing at Emerson College in Boston. Read more>>
Jes Melton
Before opening my storefront in 2021, I began with an online presence and I would conduct live events where people could view and purchase my products through Facebook live. In the summer of 2021, after in-person shopping and events started to open back up post-Covid, I opened my storefront. I had a strong desire to. Read more>>
Autumn Harris
My journey behind the lens began in 2011 when I photographed my first wedding for a pair of high school sweethearts. That single day sparked a decade-long obsession with the power of a visual narrative. Read more>>
Katharine Witt
I’m a full-time photographer serving beautiful Mackinac Island and historic Saint Ignace, Michigan. My love for Mackinac Island started early—at just six months old, my family brought me here for my very first trip, and I’ve been captivated ever since. As a child, I vacationed on the island every year, always dreaming of one day working here. Read more>>
