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.

Kari Paine

I started with wedding photography because my friend was getting married and said, “Hey! You’re queer. I’m queer! I need a photographer for my wedding. You have a camera!” At the time, I had an old camera and had taught myself how to use it via YouTube, but had never considered doing anything more with it. Photographing that first wedding made me see that I wanted to make photographing queer people part of my career. From that point, I’ve grown to photograph weddings in every corner of Michigan, the U.S., and even internationally, but I’ve always kept my focus on LGBTQ couples. Read more>>

Hélia Clamoungou

Returning to the U.S. before Christmas 2023, I finally found the open-heartedness I had been seeking. A brief stop in Detroit initially felt unremarkable—it was the middle of a brutal winter—but something about the city called me. A couple days later, I decided to make the move. A series of synchronicities unfolded, and in June, ‘LiveWell in the D’ was born as a simple Instagram calendar for Metro Detroit wellness events. And by the end of August, I knew it was meant to be more – a global wellness platform. Today, the LiveWell minimum viable product (MVP) is live and our aim is to become ‘the world’s guide to transformative wellness experiences’. Read more>>

Lariesha Lee

I had tried college several times straight after high school and again in my early 20s but I didn’t do well and eventually dropped out. When I finally felt emotionally and mentally ready to succeed, I applied to be readmitted into GRCC. Because of financial aid suspension, I was denied. I appealed again still denied. It wasn’t until over two years later, after submitting another appeal, that I was finally approved to attend. Read more>>

Michele Murphy

I started to get inspired to start the dancing kitchen during Covid. I’ve always had a love for baking but really began to get into during COVID with all the spare time I suddenly had. I started with my famous chocolate covered strawberry bouquets and it really took off from there. I’m very proud to serve my community and the surrounding areas with my small business and have appreciated all the love and support I’ve been given. Read more>>

Bec Koop

The journey that has brought me to where I am today has been, to say the least, anything but smooth. It has been shaped by physical traumas, the loss of loved ones, along with feelings of abandonment and rejection from people I cherished deeply. Throughout most of my life, I often found myself living on the edge—pushing my limits in unhealthy ways, either numbed by past pain or overwhelmed by a sense of indifference. Read more>>

Jason Johnson

From there, I transitioned to federal service where I was a K-9 Instructor and Subject Matter Expert for Special Agents, Police, and Military in dozens of government agencies worldwide. In 2016, and after training over 2000 Police and Military K-9 Teams, I took $500 out of my own pocket to start my own nonprofit called Project K-9 Hero. To date, we have now raised over 25 million dollars since then and are the largest organization in the world that assists retired Police K-9s and Military Working Dogs in retirement with medical care, rehabilitation, rehoming, prescription food, and end of duty services. Read more>>

Caitlin Cusack

Somewhere along the line in my recovery journey, I found my way back to music. At first, it was a personal refuge—a way to piece my brain back together and process the grief of losing my parents and the life I had once led. But as I wrote, I realized these songs weren’t just for me; this music was meant to be found by others searching for light in their own struggles. That realization set everything in my music career into motion. Read more>>

Blake Kleiner

I got started in video production almost on accident. When I was 22, I worked at a waiter at Olga’s Kitchen. One of our managers was basically forced to transfer due to a personality conflict with the GM. At the time I was making short student films at Oakland University, but that was the extent of my experience. To wish my manager Robyn well on her new adventure, I started filming goodbyes from the crew, and even sneakily grabbed some footage of Robyn herself while on the job, in order to create a farewell video. It was welcomed with lots of tears and hugs, and Robyn immediately asked if I had any experience filming weddings. I told her I had zero, but she still insisted that I be the one to film her vows. Read more>>

Candace Smith

We also strive to enhance our organizational capacity to meet the growing demand for our services, particularly in areas like volunteer recruitment and data-driven evaluation. Recognizing the economic and social barriers faced by residents in the community, We are committed to developing targeted outreach strategies and culturally relevant programs. Despite these hurdles, we remain resilient and focused on continuous improvement, actively seeking diverse funding sources, strengthening community partnerships, and investing in technology and training to ensure we effectively address the needs of our community and maximize our impact. Read more>>

Veronica Dearborn

2022 presented me with my current dream, though part-time. I became one of the in-house photographers for GLC Live at 20 Monroe, and an occasional photographer for Local Spins. I have been so fortunate to photograph bands I’ve loved since middle school, like Pierce the Veil, as well as other big names like Chappell Roan, Knocked Loose, Dogstar, and many more. I am excited for what 2o25 has in store for me! Read more>>

Feeding Grizzlies

We started out playing at graduation parties for our high school buddies before eventually branching out into the Grand Rapids music scene, performing at any venue that allowed bands under 21 to play. New music was released and our fanbase continued to grow. That led up to an amazing opportunity to open up for rock duo cleopatrick. It was our first gig at the Stache in Grand Rapids and we couldn’t have been more excited. Fast forward, and our bass player Tom moved and the search for a new member began. It was tough to say goodbye to a good friend and a talented bassist who had contributed so much to the Grizzlies’ sound. Our close friend Matt then joined on bass and the Grizzlies continued on. We played more shows and recorded even more music before adding our fourth member and guitarist – Lorenzo Aguayo Jr. Read more>>

Faredae Miller

He came into our lives and healed our hearts beyond what I could have ever imagined. However, he didn’t come without issues. The first several months with him took just about all my energy and attention. By fall of 2022 I was ready to get back into business mode. Read more>>

Chelsea Younkman

After eight years of teaching drawing at the college level, I encountered another obstacle while transitioning to the K-12 education system. Instead of solely teaching drawing at the college level, I now find myself instructing various forms of art. My horizons have broadened tremendously since I began teaching at Britton/Deerfield Schools. To this day, I am still working to master this new environment. Addressing behavioral issues has also posed a challenge, as I did not encounter such difficulties while teaching at the college level. Regarding my artwork, I am currently trying to determine my next steps, which has been consuming some of my time before I can create new body of work. Read more>>

Damien Aka Dj Composition Allen

Love of Hip hop at an early age , had me paying dues at 12 carrying equipment for djs , learning the ropes and earning my stripes . Along with creating original music at the time .traveled around and lived in Detroit for a period of time, moved back to Grand Rapids , and pivoted to just creating events and djing on my own. Created media in radio and podcasting space , that eventually lead me to owning my own platform. Read more>>

Violet Raterman

Creating a brand that specializes in clean and safe products was a dream of mine from a young age. Growing up, I had many sensitivities to artificial fragrances, colorings, and synthetic ingredients. At the time, this felt like a burden and I was on a constant mission to find clean products that reacted positively with my skin. I ended up learning the purpose of many ingredients in products, keywords to look for, and found a large gap in the market at the time. This planted a seed in my head and I dreamed of creating my own brand one day, with ingredients that I trusted and believed in. Read more>>

Josh Arnold Cory Prysock

Launching a band is hard. Launching one during a global pandemic? Nearly impossible. From navigating restrictions and finding places to rehearse, to juggling careers, families, and personal loss – YALL BAND was built in the middle of chaos. But those early challenges forged a resilience that still defines the group. No matter what gets thrown at them -scheduling conflicts, gear issues, long drives, or curveballs on stage – the band finds a way Read more>>

Maksym Kondratenko

Today, we’re proud to continue our mission through KONDRA — our brand of handmade women’s bags crafted in Ukraine by talented friends and artisans. They create each bag by hand and ship them to us here in the U.S., where we sell them online. Through this work, we’re not only rebuilding our lives — we’re also supporting Ukraine and sharing its spirit through every product. Read more>>

Riley Ruppert

I’m Riley Ruppert and I’m a self pursuing musician. I started when I was 12 years old by learning guitar on my own. I would find my way around my instrument by ear, local venues and pubs I’d travel to. Over the years I’ve met many faces. Played at fun places, and seen many things. Learned a lot to. Not to go without saying many hardships along the way. But if it wasn’t worth the constant pursuit I wouldn’t have made any kind of name for myself to get at a point of a recommendation for a magazine company right? Read more>>

Joe Anderson

We all got real comfortable at home  Other than that, the biggest challenge is probably awareness – awareness of the business in general (although that is changing quickly) but also awareness of what we do. Most people default to thinking of standup comedy when they are going to a comedy show. A huge majority of people have never seen a LIVE improv or sketch comedy show which is why we work so very hard to make it a big, fun experience. It’s not just a group of people on a stage. We have lights and sounds and live music and trap doors and fog machines and ridiculous props and costumes. Read more>>

Seth Izzard

in a nutshell, until I was 18 years old, I had never been to a Barber in my life, and had never cut a single head of hair! At 19, I decided to attend the Lansing Barber College, and after graduating in 2009, I opened my own one chair Barbershop, in a little hole in the wall strip mall on the outskirts of Ionia, called Izzy’z Barbershop. 15 years later, after a incredible journey, I now own a 4 chair Barbershop featuring some incredible barbers, in downtown Ionia, Michigan and am currently developing my own Barber School. Read more>>

Nick Hagen

I grew up in a Macomb County suburb. My dad was a firefighter, my mom was a nurse, and, aside from watching a lot of movies, art wasn’t emphasized in my upbringing. I wasn’t gifted academically and didn’t exactly thrive at the all boys Catholic High School I attended. However, they offered a photography class that I was excited about. The idea that I might want to pursue photography seriously clicked when I was working in the darkroom alone on a picture. I’d come out to look at my fifth or so print and my teacher said something like, “You’re getting pretty into this, huh?” Read more>>

Nicolle Talley

I then went back to a corporate salon environment and also went back to school. I received my M.B.A. in 2015, which helped me understand how to market myself and organize business to continue to grow. Now I am a solo hairstylist and I am the proud owner of De’Von Emages LLC. I have been in business since the end of 2020 and I have grown even more in my own skills and talents. I also, have been a National educator and platform artist with Keratin Complex since 2021. Read more>>

Lauren Hogarth

What started as a search for nontoxic, safe bath products for our infant daughter in 2020 turned into a years-long search. We truly struggled to find clean products that were effective and smelled great while being gentle on our daughter’s sensitive skin. We eventually settled on the brand that we stuck with until the birth of our son in 2023, who we found to have even more sensitive skin. It was back to the drawing board! After asking around and seeing countless posts online, we realized that our children were not alone with this issue and decided to take matters into our own hands. Read more>>

Jayne Tibbets

It is true that almost every weekend of our beautiful Michigan weather I am working. But I am so grateful for the opportunity to work from home and be my own boss! I have been blessed beyond measure by being able to stay home to raise our 4 kids, and I am so grateful for that time. Now that they are ages 15-22 and they don’t need me every moment, my business has grown at just the right time. I also love being a part of these celebrations of love, and my designs will be remembered forever in photos. Read more>>

Deb Davis

As I built a successful career in retail management, photography gradually faded into the background. Life has a way of shifting priorities. But everything changed in 2018 when a back injury forced me into early retirement. I knew I wasn’t built to sit on the couch and watch life pass me by, so I picked up where I left off, only this time using my iPad to capture moments at church events and community gatherings. Read more>>

Kendra Bissig

As I spent more and more time helping women, I decided to form a DBA of my existing LLC- because really, this was just a hobby, or so I thought! Over the last eight years, not only has the Blonde Mom become my full time job, but I have had the incredible honor of working with over 400 women and men. I launched a trademark-pending service, “Style Dial”, and continue to facilitate happy dressing in every closet big or small. I speak at largely attended events about the power of getting dressed, and how to shop affordably and responsibly. I dress many news anchors, and have been interviewed a number of times on local news stations about various fashion topics. What once was a small dream has blossomed into a phenomenal opportunity to connect with my community and spread joy by way of clothing. Read more>>

Kaylan Mitchell

The Getup has officially turned 20! What began in a tiny attic space has now found its home at 210 S Fourth, marking two decades of growth, transformation, and a shared passion for vintage fashion. We’ve always dreamed of a place where the beauty of the past could be celebrated, and our stunning new storefront — a former Montgomery Ward department store — perfectly embodies that vision. Read more>>

Michael And Summer

We know each other’s style and taste and palettes so well. We try and pull in high quality and accessible wines from all over the world, with heavy emphasis on Italian wine. Summer’s background is in Italian wine, and it just goes perfectly with Michael’s food. Not to say he cooks strictly Italian fare. He also has a strict focus on supporting local agriculture. The closer our produce is to the restaurant, the better. And building a community of suppliers instead of a cold transactional relationship keeps things honest. And come harvest time, we have a really strong connection that helps us navigate the best produce and support as many small family farms as possible. Read more>>

Lexi Block

I took this opportunity to take a film and digital media course, which only fueled my passion for photography and the art behind it. It took me a few years after high school to really determine which path I wanted to take, but eventually I landed on documenting weddings, couples and all things love and lifestyle! I got into second shooting in 2021, which allowed me to shadow more experienced and seasoned photographers at weddings. I was able to take that knowledge and portfolio and create my own business, which allows me to travel for weddings and photoshoots of my dreams! Read more>>

Stacy Kelly

My journey into the world of visceral manipulation was strongly influenced by my own struggles with digestive dysfunction as a teenager. I noticed that I would eat meals and become bloated within 30 minutes, regardless of what kinds of food I ate. And my digestion never seemed as efficient as it used to be; some days food passed through me quickly and other times I’d go days between bathroom visits. Over time, as these symptoms persisted I noticed what an energy drain it became for me: never feeling all that great, lacking motivation to do things because I didn’t know how my digestive system would react. It was taxing, not to mention depressing. Read more>>

Alejandra Villegas

I’m also a writer and educator. I graduated from Detroit Public Schools and went on to get a BA in English Lit and a Master’s in Religion and Public Life from Harvard. Literary and spiritual traditions are just as important to me as music . It’s all about the beauty of self-expression and making meaning out of our experiences. Teaching English and writing are just an extension of that idea. Read more>>

Kim Bode

I digress. My story started in West Michigan and continues to unfold here. Although it may seem strange to some, I never felt the urge to leave the state. Truth be told, my path started very differently. I planned to enlist in the military and get a degree in criminal justice. A series of unfortunate or fortunate accidents occurred, and I ended up pursuing a degree in communications and public relations at GVSU. Read more>>

Lauren Tracey

Opening my micro bakery has been a relatively smooth journey. While there were some personal stressors along the way, I was able to handle them with grace and resilience. Overall, the process went well, and I am grateful for the experience and the growth it has brought me. I have received such positive responses from our community. It humbles me to know my products are bringing folks together around a table in one way or another. Read more>>

Kayla Vannortwick

Missus Cleaning Services officially began in April of 2023, born from a mix of passion, purpose, and partnership. The name Missus was inspired from a word that holds deep personal meaning to us—wives. My wife Brandi and I started Missus Cleaning Services as a simple side hustle, a way to bring in extra income while doing something we genuinely enjoyed. We had no idea at the time that what began as helping friends and family tidy their homes would blossom into a mission-driven business that now touches so many lives across West Michigan. Read more>>

Kimberly King

I grew up around artists – specifically my grandmother and great aunt. Back then, painting was a way for me to bond with important people in my life. Today, it is that and so much more. It is a way to bond, communicate, process, and pray.
I went to art school for a few years after high school, and I learned a lot about painting, history, the professional world, etc. But the main thing those years taught me is that my art is just about the art. Bringing money and business into the equation takes the heart out of it for me. It can’t become a job – it just needs to be art. Read more>>

Sean Proctor

Additionally, my partner and I grow flowers at our home and make bouquets/arrangements for us or others (this started in Covid as a way to stay connect with friends and family,) and also make photographs of them. I love creating something beautiful somewhat chaotically, and then create a record of it that is equally as beautiful. Read more>>

Lara Dowdy

In 2006, the transportation industry was booming with many trucking companies at a shortage, and at the same time in Michigan too many hardworking individuals found themselves at a dead end. Families struggled to make ends meet, veterans returned home searching for stability, and countless others longed for a second chance. Seeing the growing need for reliable, well-trained truck drivers in an industry facing a massive shortage, we decided as a family to step forward and make a difference. Read more>>

TJ Tyus

I started running Speed and Agility camps around Portage, MI for youth ages 6-18yrs old. During COVID I built a weight room at my house and started training my boys after local gyms shut down and eventually other parents saw my boys success and asked me to train their children and that’s how I became a personal trainer in the community of Portage. I have trained over 1,000 youth in the Portage area rather through Speed and Agility camps or personal training. I have over 10 student athletes playing college sports who I personally trained 1on1 in High School and or middle school. Read more>>