Hidden Gems: Local Businesses & Creatives You Should Know

Every day we have a choice. We can support an up and coming podcaster, try a new family-run restaurant, join a boutique gym started by a local fitness champ or we could keep giving away our money to the handful of giants who already control so much of our commerce. Our daily decisions impact the kind world we live in; if we want a world where small businesses are growing and artists and creatives are thriving then we should support them with our time, money and attention. We’re proud to highlight inspiring creatives and entrepreneurs each week in Hidden Gems series. Check out some of our latest local gem features below.

Sanya Pittman

It definitely has not been a smooth road. I trust God wholeheartedly so the downsides aren’t as bad as they seem. Sometimes I’ll go a week or 2 with maybe 3 clients total and sometimes I’ll overbook myself and be too tired to work for the week. I’m still finding a balance but I love what I do so it’s worth it. Read More>>

Mike Holt

Today, I’m proud to see the seeds I planted grow—not just as a business but as a family legacy in the making. It’s about empowering my children and future generations with the tools and resources to continue building, innovating, and giving back. This journey has been about more than financial success; it’s about creating lasting change and showing what’s possible when vision meets action. Read More>>

Kendra Manning

Plus it’s quite a cutthroat market as a newer realtor. Additionally, it’s very costly to be a real estate agent. We have monthly dues for our database, and platforms for editing, marketing, and printing advertising. We also have our annual dues. Then you have costs that add up for advertising and marketing yourself and your business, costs for a professional photographer, and even costs needed for the schooling we need annually to keep our license in good standing. Consistency is key when building your real estate business…luckily, because of how actively involved I am within our community, real estate has taken off for me in my early years. Read More>>

Jen Horling

Not wanting to use her degree to “sell something to somebody”, and her desire to help people grounding her creative vision, Jen was led to work as a designer for Family Christian Stores. As her vision expanded, she moved to full-time freelance, working with numerous clients like; Kumveka – A non profit marketing agency that provided branding and communication services to Christ-focused ministries around the world; and The Oasis Network – a multifaceted international organization that works to equip and service leaders all over the globe. Read More>>

Ashley Dodson

Starting a business is always filled with challenges. When I started, I had to teach myself everything about photography—I didn’t know anything about camera settings or how to use them effectively. On top of that, I faced the challenge of putting myself out there and earning people’s trust to capture the most precious moments of their lives! Read More>>

Heather Dell

I do a lot of business in my own neighborhood of Bagley on the west side and so many of my clients have become great friends. As much as I enjoy working with investors, the greatest joy is seeing a first time buyer get the keys to a house they never thought they’d have. Detroit has been through so much and the people that have stuck it out deserve to be included in the revitalization. It’s such hard work but at the end of the day it’s just what I do and even if people tell me Detroit is hard and I should diversify but, I find myself back in the city over and over. Read More>>

Rachel Tribuzio

It’s never a smooth road, we’ve had ups and downs like our building getting ran into by a semi-truck, or when our AC went out mid summer. All things out of my control by my clients have been loyal through it all. My whole goal was to make this place an environment that our clients never wanted to leave. I believe that we’ve been able to achieve that even through the challenges behind the scenes as well! Read More>>

Nuno Andrade

During this time, I also created and launched a cryptocurrency with my friends called SavannaCoin. The idea was ambitious (trust me, I had no idea what I was walking into), though we wanted to use our mutual interest in technology to make a real change. After a couple months, we successfully launched it with an algorithm where out of a 10% transaction fee, 3% went to charity. We successfully raised $2,000, which we donated to the SCI Foundation to de-worm female African farmers. This experience showed me the power of blending innovation and social responsibility, igniting my passion for meaningful tech-driven projects. Read More>>

Jonathan Blakely II

I was able to grow with Ferrari at the same time grow my company. After my time and wonderful experience with Ferrari i took the leap to go full time with “Jon’s Pit Stop” on the mobile side of detailing. Bringing the luxury and convenient experience of auto detailing to any location of the client’s preference. This sparked a massive movement per word of mouth of what my company had to offer. This attracted the likes of fortune 500 company contracts, Celebrities, Athletes, Doctors, Entrepreneurs etc… The company grew to the point were I obtained our 1st 4000sq ft auto detailing facility located at 12151 wormer redford mich 48239. Read More>>

Mehmet Tascioglu

When I was 18 years old, I realized the right idea was right in front of me all along – Mosaic Cakes! Growing up, my mom would always make these delicious chocolate cakes, the original recipe rooted in over a century of Turkish culinary heritage. The premium chocolate and butter cookies gave a mosaic tile resemblance, hence the name. I realized one important thing, though, as I learned the recipe and shared Mosaic Cake with my friends: very few people in the US had ever tried a Mosaic Cake. My friends loved it, but no one knew what it was! Read More>>

Jordan Brooks

My journey had its challenges, as it still does today. Upon graduating from MSU in May 2022, the job search was daunting. From applying to over 100+ positions to being ghosted by ~95% of them, throwing the towel in seemed like the next move. However, my determination and perseverance through the brutal storm allowed me to land my first role, which still motivates me today. Read More>>

Cody Nowicki

I transitioned into personal training, where I loved helping people reach their goals, but it wasn’t enough to meet the life I envisioned. Encouraged by successful clients in sales, I decided to gain experience by taking a member service rep role with a health insurance company. That experience led to a five-year career in Sales Engineering, where I developed skills in problem-solving, negotiation, and relationship-building. Read More>>

Grady Thompson

When I was a sophomore in high school my neighbor gave me an old camera. I became obsessed, I started learning everything I could and practiced all the time. I started taking pictures at my high school sports games. I’d ask athletes if they wanted some pictures, over time I was a little more known and I was able to charge some money. Later, around senior year, I started a social media marketing company with my partner Elliot. It has been amazing because I can do photography and videography while still building this company. I do that, while Elliot does graphic design Read More>>

Gustavo Simões

When I had more than 10 illustrations of the main tourist attractions and iconic buildings I started to post on social media. In few weeks it started to going viral and I got attention of the media of my city. And in some months the biggest TV company of my country contact me to tell my story and show my arts in one of its most watched programs in the country and it changed everything. Read More>>

Tonya Atkins

In the beginning it was not a smooth road mainly because I worked a full-time job at Nexteer Automotive in Saginaw. I commuted five to six days a week to Saginaw while working Bella’s four days a week in Flint. I had never worked inside of a restaurant so it was a challenge learning everything from scratch. Being self-taught how to run a food business was hard. I am the first one in my family to own a business and I didn’t want to fail at it. My neighbor owed a BBQ Food truck and he was nice enough to show me the ropes. Read More>>

Nick Olson

On the East Coast, I had fallen in love with slacklining and with the community that it brings together. Many of these people also spend time in climbing gyms (including a girl I was dating at the time!), so I found myself in there a lot. When I boomeranged back to Traverse City, I knew that this was the type of project I wanted to pursue, to help build a space that could bring people together around a healthy activity. I got lucky that Kevin Vlach was already pursuing the same goal, and with complimentary skills we partnered up, eventually found a perfect location downtown along the TART trail, and got ELEV8 Climbing and Fitness open in 2021. Read More>>

Casey Suydam

The journey of starting my business was anything but traditional. It began on a whim in 2022, at a moment in my life when most people would be focused on anything but starting a business—I was nine months pregnant with my second child. A conversation at my job at the time sparked an idea that I just couldn’t shake. I started exploring the basics of the industry, diving into everything from contracts and insurance to certifications and building a strong network of vendors. Read More>>

Tatianna Alexxus

In my heart, I’ve always known I would become a photographer eventually. Many of my childhood photos are pictures that I’ve taken from older digital cameras my parents owned or on their phones. But unfortunately, after years of trying to live for other people, I made a decision to step out on faith and choose myself. Read More>>

Diana Marsh

In a market dominated by chain stores, I envisioned creating a space that offered the customer fresh and exciting new products, unique in artistry and quality. A little jewel box of collected treasures. The quaint and creative Kerrytown area of Ann Arbor was the perfect community for me to realize my vision. I value being an active member of the community, opening a shop that acts as a gathering space for small exhibitions, workshops and events that feature local artists and products. Since opening the brick and mortar shop in 2015, we have grown our offerings, including starting our own Thistle & Bess Fine Jewelry line, designed by me, that is inspired by where it all began, Victorian jewelry. Read More>>

Daniel Lane

My journey as a Game Boy Camera “funtographer” (a term coined by Nintendo to describe Game Boy Camera photography) began in earnest in 1999 when I was gifted a red Game Boy Camera for my birthday. My mother later told me that she felt it was the perfect gift for me then because of the nearly complete overlap in my personal interests in both gaming and amateur photography… and because it would match the red Game Boy Pocket I had received during the previous Christmas! Read More>>

Sheila Hoeft

My early days were filled with learning everything I could about the market—understanding trends, different neighborhoods, and, of course, how to best serve clients. I had to hustle hard in the beginning, but I quickly discovered that the key to success wasn’t just about closing deals, but about building genuine relationships and providing value to my clients. Over time, I learned to trust my instincts and knowledge to guide people through what can be one of the biggest decisions of their lives. Read More>>

Tyler Evans

After a year with that camera I started volunteering at my church to take pictures for events. I had photographers from my church community help me get started. Those mentors took my hobby and turned it into a passion. After realizing that this wasn’t just a phase, my mom got me my first DSLR for a birthday gift. I took pictures of everything, my friends, landscapes, animals, cars and air shows. I took some time away from photography but picked up my camera again in late 2023, the love and passion was still there. I started working on building my portfolio by working with local models and other photographers in 2024 and it has been an amazing experience. Read More>>

Troy Burrell

I started Burrell Sports Performance in January of 2020. After playing football in the NFL in 2013 I began working for a physical therapy company, helping catastrophically injuries individuals get independent in a fitness setting. With my degree in kinesiology I was able to work for that company up until March of 2020 due to Covid. All of the indoor fitness facilities were closed so I began leaning into BSP full time outdoors and that’s when the business began to flourish. For the next four years I trained out of Willpower Training in Wixom and this past year in 2024 was able to expand into our own building in Northville in November of 2024. Our primary focus is to help athletes improve in their overall athleticism through speed, agility and injury prevention training. Read More>>

Gingies cookies

Gingie’s officially opened in 2021 and operated out of a commercial kitchen. However, in 2022, I began doing custom sugar cookie orders which became prohibitively expensive when renting kitchen time so I transitioned into my home bakery. Currently, I offer both drop cookies and custom sugar cookies for any and all sorts of special events–birthdays, graduations, bridal showers, baby showers, weddings, and holiday celebrations. Of course, I you are like me and just have a sweet tooth, I’m always happy to help you satisfy that craving, too! Read More>>

Scott Krasnik

I went by Utica but didn’t realize at the time that a lot of these small town main streets are of the main roads so, I had missed that one. I went through Washington, Romeo, Almont. I did pass up quite a few but eventually I ended up in Port Austin. Along the way I saw may cool things and places. I believe I came back down the thumbs coast to Port Huron (M25) where I ended up just taking the I94 freeway back home to Detroit. Read More>>

Lauren Rinke

That’s when the idea for a mobile bookstore was born, and it ended up being the perfect fit—not just for me, but for my family and my customers as well. Operating a mobile bookstore allows me to keep overhead costs low, and I’ve been able to pass those savings directly to my customers through more affordable prices and unique experiences. The flexibility of a mobile business has also given me more time to focus on what truly matters, like building connections with my community and sharing a love for books in a way that feels personal and accessible. Read More>>

Andrea Henning

The shock of her death left me emotionally shattered. I struggled with severe anxiety, insomnia, and an inability to focus. I failed my second semester of college and faced an overwhelming sense of disconnection from the world. My dreams of becoming a nurse evaporated after witnessing the trauma that ended my sister’s life that awful day in the Emergency Room holding her, no longer full of life. I couldn’t return to college for years; finishing my degree would become well delayed. Simply put, I was alive, but I wasn’t living. Read More>>

Brader Noormand

Since 2016 after graduating from Multimedia High School Islamic Center Cirebon, West Java, Indonesia. My journey as a designer began with a passion to create something that combines visual beauty and function. Initially, I studied design autodidactically to further explore it in the future after graduating from school while taking on several small projects for several of my family’s businesses such as Logo Design, Business Cards, Memory Book Design, Banner Design and any design. Over time, I realized that design is not just about making something look beautiful, but also about conveying a message and creating a memorable experience. Read More>>

Bernard Lewis

Born and raised in a rough part of Upsate,Ny Saint had to fight through his own fair share of adversity. From seeing drug use, fights, and gun violence growing up as a kid Saint always knew he would have be unique and special to make it out of such a dark place. Being directly inspired by street art, graffiti, murals, and tattoos Saint peaked his interest in art and drawing at a very young age separated him from what most want to acquire as just a skill while he had stumbled upon a spiritual gift. Read More>>

Kaila Piepkow

Creativity has always been a cornerstone of my life. For years, I poured my energy into running my own design studio, Dox Design, building a business I was proud of. But after selling the studio and stepping away, I found myself wondering, “What’s next?” Becoming a mom changed my perspective entirely. My daughter, Winter, made me reflect on what truly matters—not just to me, but to the world I’m shaping for her. Read More>>

Ahmed M Fayz

Father has been in this business for over 35 years. as the oldest i decided to join , learn , and adapt to the world of real estate sales and investments. previously i worked in the building industry as a roofer, cement, and fencer. attended Wayne state college and school craft college where i became a state licensed fireman . was a reservist in the united states army ( graduated from the school of the infantry). I am now a Broker and as well a Licensed Mi residential builder. Anything to do with residential homes i know the ins and outs. from building them to remodeling. ( i take my knowledge when it comes to residential homes very seriously) I believe it is a must to be able to achieve success Read More>>

Porsha Elliott

Then the second firm I joined it was a lot of financial issues. This person took advantage of me not being too knowledgeable about the back end of things and banking. All these experiences helped me develop into the coach and owner I was going to be to my tax firm. I learned from these experiences to make sure no one felt how I felt being under someone in the industry. I had some employees I thought would be with me for awhile that walked away but I learned not to take things personal. Read More>>

Christina Highfield

For the most part, its because that book was falling apart. It’s spine is cracked or falling off, the covers aren’t attached, its missing pages, the pages are colored or drawn on. It’s the book that sits in the Little Library for months before eventually getting tossed because no one is taking it home. It’s the boxes of books I get from our local libraries that were donated to them and not saleable. The books I turn into art were already labeled as trash, when I believe with my whole heart that no book is garbage. Even if it’s falling apart, there are materials within that book that can be used in many ways and it deserves that chance. Read More>>

Alfonso/kaitlyn Marcano

It’s Always Monday began as a podcast during the pandemic, when we were stuck at home, working remotely with nothing but time on our hands. The idea emerged, and we decided to take a leap. Four years later, it has grown into a clothing brand with the same name and a powerful motto: It’s Always Monday. Read More>>

Angel Savage

I got my soaping journey started in 2020. My mother had just passed away and my oldest sister came over to visit and brought me a bunch of her own handmade soaps. I fell in love with them. Being a homeschooling, SAHM, I didn’t have an income of my own and my sister urged me to start making my own soaps. I started making soap in about July of 2020. They were so ugly and I’m honesty shocked I sold them. At the time all my soaps were made in a cupcake tin and were often mistaken as snacks, not soaps… But that didn’t stop business from growing – thank God! Read More>>

Bec Koop

I am a firm believer in Carl Jung’s powerful words, “I am not what happened to me; I am what I choose to become.” This quote resonates deeply with me, as it reflects the essence of what I’ve come to understand: that we are not defined by our past, but by the choices we make moving forward. My goal is to help others see this truth in themselves, to empower them to transform their lives, and to remind them that they, too, have the strength to rise above their circumstances. Read More>>

Vivian Burgett

I’ve wanted to do standup since I was a teenager, but could never work up the courage. The way I see it, there were three factors in me finally trying out comedy for the first time when I was 29–1) I started hosting trivia (which is a pretty easy gateway to standup because you get used to talking in front of groups of strangers). 2) The pandemic hit and I started writing down funny thoughts more and more and then sending voice recordings to friends (since none of us had anything else going on ). And 3) I was 29 with a job I hated and no partner; I had literally nothing to lose. Read More>>

Rick Stringer

Since my last interview with CanvasRebel, my artistic journey has taken a new direction, with photography becoming my primary focus over the past year. It all started with photographing the artwork of Craig Mitchell Smith, a collaboration that continues to this day. Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to photograph his new show at The Museum of The Shenandoah Valley, a stunning outdoor exhibition set in a beautiful garden. These photos, along with others, will be featured in a book about Craig’s life, scheduled for publication in 2025. Read More>>

Olivia Bennett

I graduated from the Aveda Institute in December 2021 at 18 years old and took my state boards to become a licensed esthetician. After becoming licensed I knew I wanted to continue my education so I went on to become certified in eyelash extensions, lash lifts and brow laminations. In January of 2023 a few days after turning 20 years old I started my job as an esthetician at Salon Enve. I am definitely still working on growing but I’m now 22 years old still at Salon Enve as an independent esthetician providing skin services, eyelashes, eyebrows, waxings and makeup! Read More>>

Alysha Shah

The turning point for me came at 14. In 2007, I was in Jaco, Costa Rica, studying the Ashtanga yoga series with Alejandra Torres. Her dedication to both the practice and herself truly changed my life. She created a space for me to explore what I was capable of when I approached life with intention—mind, body, and spirit. The Ashtanga series is intense, a two-hour practice where the poses progressively become more challenging. I’m forever grateful to Alejandra for that transformative experience. (If you’re interested in becoming a yoga teacher, I highly recommend Alejandra—she’s an incredible mentor! Check her out on Instagram @yogacostarica). Read More>>