{"id":321218,"date":"2026-06-26T22:27:30","date_gmt":"2026-06-26T22:27:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/321218\/"},"modified":"2026-06-26T22:27:30","modified_gmt":"2026-06-26T22:27:30","slug":"jacksonvilles-most-inspiring-stories-voyage-jacksonville-magazine-33","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/321218\/","title":{"rendered":"Jacksonville\u2019s Most Inspiring Stories \u2013 Voyage Jacksonville Magazine"},"content":{"rendered":"

The heart of our mission is to find the amazing souls that breathe life into our communities. In the recent weeks, we\u2019ve had the privilege to connect with some incredible artists, creatives, entrepreneurs and rabble rousers and we can\u2019t begin to express how impressed we are with the incredible group below.<\/p>\n

Priya Johnson
<\/p>\n

My dad is a basketball coach and trainer, so I grew up going to the gym and basketball courts with him. I slowly started picking up a basketball and learning how to dribble. When I turned 8, I began working on my ball-handling and shooting mechanics. Read more>><\/p>\n

Lea Hunt
<\/p>\n

My path to founding SuiteSpace was shaped by years of working alongside business owners, professionals, and organizations across a variety of industries. Throughout that experience, I became increasingly fascinated by what helps people succeed and, more importantly, what gets in their way. I noticed that many talented professionals weren\u2019t struggling because they lacked skill, ambition, or vision. Read more>><\/p>\n

Kennedy Gallimore
<\/p>\n

It was a, \u201clate in life\u201d, career change that caused us to look into creating something that was more aligned with our lifestyle, and not just a business for monetary value\u2026 Christina and I had both worked in the corporate world most of our lives. Read more>><\/p>\n

Jewel Barber
<\/p>\n

Jewel Your Waist, LLC was established and officially registered in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. At the time, I was a 21-year-old Sailor serving on active duty in the United States Navy, stationed in Mayport, Florida. With social distancing measures in place and limited activities outside of work, I found myself with an opportunity to focus on personal growth, creativity, and self-discovery. Read more>><\/p>\n

Colter Masters
<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve been doing art my whole life. One day, my daughter asked if I could paint her a custom pair of sneakers. After finding the right materials and doing some research, I was off and running. I fell in love with custom painting, which led me to bespoke sneakers and leatherwork. Read more>><\/p>\n

Nicholas Rufolo
<\/p>\n

When Mike and I were about 10 years old we started to play drums and guitar. Our Dad and his tenant showed us how to play beginner riffs on guitar and simple beats on drum set. We started jamming at our dads house and he had a lot of cassette recorders from Tascam and we loved recording original riffs and ideas onto them. Read more>><\/p>\n

Andy Dillhyon
<\/p>\n

Aerial Impressions started as a creative side project fueled by a love for photography, storytelling, and aviation. What began with a camera and a drone gradually evolved into a passion for capturing meaningful moments from unique perspectives. My wife, Kristi, and I officially launched Aerial Impressions with a simple goal: to create imagery that feels authentic, emotional, and timeless. Read more>><\/p>\n

Adrienne Gentry
<\/p>\n

I always knew from a young age that I wanted to be a physician. It wasn\u2019t just a childhood dream\u2014it was a lifelong goal. As I progressed through school, particularly in high school, my favorite subjects were always the sciences. I especially enjoyed anatomy and physiology. Read more>><\/p>\n

Sharlyne Rogers
<\/p>\n

My story begins in Pomona, CA, being raised by a single mother with two daughters. I obtained my associate\u2019s degree in paralegal studies in Riverside, CA, in 1993. After the Northridge quake in 1994, I fled to Providence, RI, and obtained my bachelor\u2019s degree in paralegal studies in 1997. I relocated to Orlando, FL, in 2003 to enjoy a lower cost of living. Read more>><\/p>\n

Shantae Rivers
<\/p>\n

My journey with hair started at a very young age. Before I ever stepped foot into cosmetology school, I was playing around with dolls, creating different styles and exploring my creativity. What started as childhood curiosity was actually the beginning of me discovering my passion. My grandmother was my very first client. Read more>><\/p>\n

Libby Adams
<\/p>\n

My story began long before I founded the International Academy of Self-Knowledge. My mother was a district psychologist with a deep interest in human potential and personal growth. Beginning in the 1970s, she encouraged me to explore that world and often paid for me to attend seminars and trainings focused on transformation and self-discovery. One of the earliest experiences was the EST training in 1974. Read more>><\/p>\n

Mariana Sebess
<\/p>\n

If you were to look at a map of my career, you would see a vivid web of lines connecting Buenos Aires to Paris, New York, Bangkok, and beyond. Read more>><\/p>\n

Amie Ruiz
<\/p>\n

I learned to crochet as a child by watching my Great Grandmother. I was impressed with what she created and I wanted to learn. I began to freehand small pieces like doilies and flowers at first and then blankets. Crochet was not popular back then but I didn\u2019t care. I enjoyed my new hobby. Read more>><\/p>\n

Nick Houpt
<\/p>\n

My journey wasn\u2019t built around a single moment. It was built through a series of experiences that slowly opened my eyes to what really matters. For years, I did what many people do. I chased success, built a career, set goals, stayed busy, and focused on creating a good life. On paper, things looked great. Professionally, I was growing. Personally, I was surrounded by people. Read more>><\/p>\n

Lezlee P-Bellanich
<\/p>\n

Our story didn\u2019t begin as a business plan\u2014it began as a fight for life. Before everything changed, we were operating a yacht charter business in New York. It was the life we had built, and the industry we knew well. But in 2020, my husband, Capt. Rob, was facing end-stage liver failure, and everything shifted. Read more>><\/p>\n

Emily Usina
<\/p>\n

Our Story Our story began in 2018 while we were expecting our daughter. I came across an old camper for sale in South Florida and immediately saw the potential to renovate it. My wife wasn\u2019t quite convinced at first and told me not to buy it\u2014but the next day, I went and picked it up anyway. During my paternity leave, we completely renovated that camper. Read more>><\/p>\n

Renu Choudhary
<\/p>\n

I\u2019m a 4th-generation jewellery enthusiast born in Jaipur, the gemstone capital of India. I grew up watching nature\u2019s toil become wearable art, and to deepen my knowledge, I became a GIA graduate. This gave me the technical depth, and storytelling became my route to carry my family\u2019s legacy forward \u2013 by helping people understand the heart behind every gem. Read more>><\/p>\n

Marena Martinez
<\/p>\n

My F45 journey started back in 2021 when I joined an F45 studio in another part of town. I immediately fell in love with the workouts! The energy, the community, and the way every class challenged me while still making fitness fun. It quickly became something I looked forward to every day. Read more>><\/p>\n

Jeho-Nephtey Abraham
<\/p>\n

I was born and raised in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, where my fascination with images and storytelling began at a young age. Read more>><\/p>\n

Marcus Protege
<\/p>\n

Mr. Protege is an independent American hip-hop\/rap artist, songwriter, and producer. He manages his music business as an entrepreneur under the imprint Grand Champ Entertainment. Known for building a loyal digital footprint, his tracks blend contemporary rap rhythms with themes of hustle, focus, and personal drive. Read more>><\/p>\n

Elizabeth Geister
<\/p>\n

Three months ago, I left a 17-year career in sales, leadership, and business management to take a chance on myself and launch Lizzy with the Glizzy\u2019s- a local hot dog cart. I had reached a point in my life where titles, promotions, and professional achievements no longer carried the same weight they once did. Read more>><\/p>\n

Meaghan Kren
<\/p>\n

My path to where I am today has been anything but traditional, but every challenge I faced ultimately helped shape the person and professional I\u2019ve become. Two weeks before starting my senior year of high school, I lost my dad to ALS. That experience changed my life and forced me to grow up very quickly. Read more>><\/p>\n

Megan Joseph
<\/p>\n

Some of my earliest memories are in a library, clutching a towering stack of books. I didn\u2019t know it then, but something was being formed in me. Books weren\u2019t just pages, they were portals. They shaped my imagination and expanded my world. I loved the stories, but I was just as fascinated by the authors behind them. Read more>><\/p>\n

Andrew Bowman
<\/p>\n

I grew up in Jacksonville, Florida in a Christian home where my both of my parents were very involved in the church. From the outside it looked like a solid foundation \u2014 but underneath, we were struggling financially and our family carried a lot of weight. Read more>><\/p>\n

Amber Hope Carpenter
<\/p>\n

I started my career in the beauty industry over 20 years ago, and like a lot of stylists, I fell in love with the creativity of it first. There\u2019s something incredibly special about helping someone see themselves differently, watching their confidence shift, and knowing you played a small part in that. Read more>><\/p>\n

Nya Holland
<\/p>\n

Growing up, I was surrounded by the beauty industry. My mom and sisters are licensed cosmetologists, so beauty was always a topic of conversation in our home. At the same time, I\u2019ve always been a creative person. I loved drawing, painting, and other forms of art from a young age. Read more>><\/p>\n

Rasheed SEQUEIRA
<\/p>\n

I started out in Boston with my first major record deal with Critique Records we where label mates with Tag Team who made Whoop There it Is and other artist from the family. Read more>><\/p>\n

Digna Deleon-Morris
<\/p>\n

My story began in the Dominican Republic. Like many immigrants, I came to the United States with big dreams, a strong work ethic, and a desire to create a better future for my family. When I first started working in this country, I earned $5.25 an hour. Read more>><\/p>\n

Kai Woodstock
<\/p>\n

VSN Golf started as an idea that combined several things I\u2019ve always been passionate about: creativity, design and golf. Originally launched as Vision Golf, the brand was founded in 2013 with the goal of creating apparel inspired by the game while expressing a unique sense of style. Read more>><\/p>\n

Antoinette (Onyx) Sullivan
<\/p>\n

My entrepreneurial journey started long before ONYX MODE was created. Growing up, I was fortunate to have parents who encouraged me to dream big and supported me every step of the way. One of the most influential experiences was when my father entrusted me with helping run his trucking company. Read more>><\/p>\n

Mike O\u2019Steen
<\/p>\n

Minorcan Mike\u2019s is a family owned datil pepper company specializing in all things datil. Datil peppers have been a part of the O\u2019Steen family legacy for generations. Minorcan Mike himself grew up in St. Augustine and vividly remembers his grandfather growing datil pepper plants in his hothouse. Read more>><\/p>\n

Katie Hartman<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve always loved making jewelry, and the beach has always been my biggest inspiration. From shells and shark teeth to sea glass, I\u2019ve always been drawn to turning nature\u2019s treasures into something beautiful and wearable. How I got to where I am today is truly a blessing in disguise. Read more>><\/p>\n

Magdalena Hess
<\/p>\n

My story has been a creative journey that continues to evolve. I am an award-winning jewelry designer, an author, and someone who truly loves bringing joy to others, whether through my designs or through my charity work. I founded \u201cCome Laugh,\u201d a non-profit focused on spreading happiness, laughter, and small acts of kindness to those who need it most. Read more>><\/p>\n

Melissa Meszaros
<\/p>\n

My career began in the \u201890s on street teams for music venues, hanging flyers and calling radio stations to help promote shows\u2014long before I understood that marketing or public relations was a profession. What started as a way to stay close to the music I loved quickly became an education in grassroots marketing, audience building, and media outreach. Read more>><\/p>\n

Patchara Seingsanoa
\"Life<\/p>\n

Our four founders have spent many years working in the restaurant industry, and through that journey, we were inspired to share our flavors and culinary stories with others. We want people to experience how ingredients, culture, and flavors can come together to create meaningful memories while traveling in Thailand. For us, this restaurant is more than just a place to enjoy food. We hope it becomes a warm and welcoming community where people can connect, share experiences, and feel at home \u2014 just like part of our family. We believe that great food does more than satisfy hunger; it brings people together and creates lasting memories. Read more>><\/a><\/p>\n

ShaRhonda Wingo
<\/p>\n

I grew up in Mississippi and received both my undergraduate and graduate education there. After becoming a Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP), I started my career as a travel SLP and worked in several states before eventually landing in Jacksonville, Florida. Jacksonville wasn\u2019t where I originally planned to end up, but after a difficult work experience and then living through the COVID era, it became home. Read more>><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The heart of our mission is to find the amazing souls that breathe life into our communities. In…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":180549,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[116,118,117],"class_list":["post-321218","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-jacksonville","tag-jacksonville","tag-jacksonville-headlines","tag-jacksonville-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/321218","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=321218"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/321218\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/180549"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=321218"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=321218"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=321218"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}