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.

Miranda Dallas-Campbell

I grew up on the Southwest Side of Grand Rapids with my younger siblings and my mom, but eventually moved to the Kentwood area where I graduated High School. When I turned 15, my mom handed me a newspaper clipping that read OPEN INTERVIEWS! Saturday 11AM-2PM, or something to that effect. She told me to put on something nice and get in the car. That day I had my first interview at a local seafood restaurant. I had no experience with interviewing let alone a job, but I got hired and immediately fell in love with the industry. Read more>>

Renee Smith

For the most part, it has been a pretty smooth road, but there have definitely been some bumps along the way, especially in the beginning. When we first started, we bought jewelry supplies from a company that advertised their products as gold-filled, but we quickly found out they were not. We had to scramble to find the high-quality supplies we needed just in time for our very first event. Quality has always been our top priority, so offering anything less was never an option. Read more>>

Beth Virtanen Duane Lesperance

Currently, they offer hiking, camping, and backpacking gear for sale and rent, including full backpacking, water treatment, cooling, and sleep systems. They stock useful items and snacks bicyclists, and local campers as well as RVers and ORVers who stay at local campgrounds. With the new rules for food storage on Isle Royale National Park and the prevalence of black bears at all UP-camping destinations, they also offer bear bags that are certified to resist both bears and critters. They stock fishing gear and first aid and hygiene items, such as toiletries, insect repellents, moleskin, bandages, sunblock, Dramamine, Benadryl and the like. Read more>>

Kyle Segar

After moving to Michigan my wife had been employed in the food service industry while our 3 children were growing up and we began competing in BBQ competitions throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsion and Illionois on the weekends. We then began catering opportunities as they presented themselves and soon became overwhelmed with request for our services. We then branched out with a food truck and demand created an opportunity for a second food truck. We soon ran out of space for caterings on the food trucks and in 2022 we branched out with our first Brick and Mortar at 544 E 8th Street in Holland MI. Read more>>

Chelsea Whitaker

I knew that lugging around big, heavy equipment as a stagehand might be difficult for a small human like myself. And there were days and shows that I worked and worried that I would be completely useless. I was still learning what the inner workings of live show production looked like, and didn’t know all the nuances. And I found that being small is actually a benefit in some ways. If we need to dig something out from below the stage, I got it. Need some video wall cabling done in tight quarters, all me. And as I worked more shows, I would stick with the lighting crew and learn as much as I could. And you know what I learned? Lights are heavy as f***! Read more>>

Danny Ranville

My journey to founding Biere de Mac Brew Works began in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where my entrepreneurial drive took root early. At age 15, I was already running a small business doing landscaping and “enterprising” with other side projects, learning the value of hard work and opportunity. This foundation led me to Northwood University, where I studied marketing and entrepreneurship, complementing my education with hospitality roles, including memorable summers working on Mackinac Island. Those experiences deepened my connection to Northern Michigan’s unique culture and community. Read more>>

Anthony Lee Jr

Just when I thought I might be able to catch my breath, life threw another blow—my sister was diagnosed with cancer. Watching someone you love fight for their life is a different kind of heartbreak. It puts everything into perspective. It teaches you how precious time is, how fierce love can be, and how important it is to hold on to hope, even when the odds are unclear. Read more>>

Love Hartfield

Building a creative community in a city like Grand Rapids, which is still overall conservative, has certainly not been easy. I’ve faced a lot of rejection and criticism along the way, particularly when trying to start both Drink & Draw LLC and the Grand Rapids Fine Arts Club. These platforms don’t fit into the traditional mold of what people expect from the art scene here. I’ve been told “no” more times than I can count. I’ve experienced shady remarks, judgmental looks that stem from me being an African American woman. All some people see is my brown face before they even take a moment to experience my vision. Read more>>

Twenty4Hours

We had a very unique start! Going into our very first show we had never played all together before. We also had only twenty four hours to practice our set… thus the naming and start of the band Twenty4Hours! After being very well received, we started making content for social media and recording music with our label Grant’s Root Beer Records. After the buzz of some hot releases and eye catching videos, we gained a loyal local following which led to other shows and more content creation. Currently we are blessed to be growing our name in music with more exciting opportunities and events ahead! Read more>>

Miranda Lehl

A lot of the struggles have come from myself. Feeling like I may not be doing enough, second guessing the work I do, comparing myself to others, and trying to conquer social media. As a person living with depression, anxiety, and OCD, the road tends to be a bumpy, winding path, but at the end of the day its about never stopping with creating and even using those emotions to make something. Read more>>

Stephen Cochran

Id love to say it’s been easy, but anything worth having is never easy. We have all been given gifts from God and we must find those talents and use them. Being told you may never walk again is never something anyone wants to hear. I know this path would have been so much harder without my faith and guidance of my lord Jesus. I admit , I haven’t always been on this journey and I’ve turned to many substances, therapy and self guidance for help, yet they all fell short. Recently ive tried a different approach and put all the stresses and worries on him. After all God made me he understands I’m hard headed and sometimes I have to go though something to understand the mission. Read more>>

Gwen Claussen

One of the biggest hurdles early on was making the decision to purchase a pediatric therapy practice even though I’m not a therapist myself. It was a significant financial investment, and I worried how that would be perceived by the staff, the families we serve, and the broader community. But I’ve found that being a parent—especially one who’s walked this path personally—has actually been an asset. I’ve built an incredible team of highly skilled therapists who lead the clinical work, while I focus on running and growing the business to better serve families. My lived experience helps guide our mission and ensures we always prioritize family-centered care. Read more>>

Joanna Serra

While actively involved in our children’s schools, we noticed both were always struggling with low profit difficult fundraisers. Given that we were already manufacturing blankets, we saw an opportunity to create spirit-themed mascot blankets for the schools. With the support of a forward-thinking principal, we produced the first batch and they sold out within days. Word of mouth spread rapidly, and it became clear that we had created something truly special. That was the moment Fundraiser Blankets® was born. Read more>>

Julia Krasinski

I like to think my career as a young entrepreneur started way back to the when I was a child! I used to do face painting at my families garage sales and the same families year after year would come back for my goreous artwork on kids/teens faces! My grandmother and mother would model for me while they were sitting in the garage while I had examples of face painting artwork off the internet of what I could do at the time for just a tiny 8 year old. Read more>>

Virginia Fischer

Maggie’s Be Cafe is more than just another cup of coffee. It is acceptance, it is love, it is change, and it is embracing the abilities of an incredible group of human beings. We are built upon the foundation of inclusivity, kindness, and opportunity. Our mission is to offer employment to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in a positive and uplifting environment. We curate a workplace environment that bridges the gap between individuals with disabilities and those without, because we are more alike than we are different. As a 501(c)(3), we strive to give our “be-ristas” an opportunity to understand and embrace their value, talents, and importance. It is coffee with a purpose. Read more>>

Kajal Kevadiya

I started my content creation journey during the COVID-19 lockdown, around 2019–2020, when everything was uncertain. I began with TikTok just for fun, sharing relatable and funny moments from everyday life. Slowly, people connected with it—and today, I’ve built a 466K+ strong family across social media. I’m now a full-time content creator, and I feel grateful every day that I get to turn my creativity into a career. Read more>>

Rahnda Loussia

Before having kids, I managed the front desk at busy salon/spa, where I learned all about customer service, scheduling, accounting, marketing and event planning. I’ve always felt a strong connection with salon professionals; their creativity and spirit are truly unmatched. Now, I lease and manage five Sola Salons in the Metro Detroit area, and even after nearly nine years, I still love it just as much as I did on day one. The success stories and achievements of our SOLApreneurs inspire me every day! Read more>>

CHRISTEN BROWNER

Some of the struggles I would say is making yourself and your gift known. Explaining what I had to offer and why it was so important to be heard and utilized in so many avenues of care. Being turned down because some facilities are thinking you want to be hired by them, others just don’t think that it will strive well or a great benefit versus collaborating and working together. Not many struggles but enough for me to continue to push through and to make noise to know that it is need it and has long term benefits in the end! Read more>>

Sarah Faasse

It must be shared with others. Operas tell stories and these stories need to be heard. For our production of Suor Angelica our all female cast had to face the reality of loosing a child. Many of us bonded over our own personal struggles of miscarriages, infertility and infant death. When we performed Susannah by Carlisle Floyd we invited the Be Nice campaign and the War Chest Boutique (Women at Risk International) to bring awareness to bullying and sexual abuse. These stories have been hard to tell, but when we share in them together we are able to support each other and encourage growth in our community and ourselves. Read more>>

Abbigal O’Neill

There’s a lot of photographers in the world. One of the main goal is to find the right clientele that enjoy your style and make sure you both click! Also, having a studio or access to one in this line of work is essential! I’m lucky enough to have the opportunity to rent local. Abbigal Kay’s Photography is looking to open their own studio in the next year or two. Read more>>

Jessica Jansen

I started making candles in my spare bedroom in my apartment in Maryland in 2006. I was working as an Esthetician at the Hyatt in the spa. I wanted to make some gifts for my co-workers, and that is how it all started. Fast forward, I moved to Michigan in 2008, I was working at MGM in the spa when I got laid off in 2020 due to COVID-19.. I followed my passion and started a full-time business making candles and self-care products. Soon after, I started doing pop-up shops around the city and at the gym, and my customers began asking for crystals. This is when I decided to start teaching myself how to wire wrap crystals and make my jewelry. the rest is history. Read more>>

Raw Roots

First, a little clarification — Raw Roots was created by Rose the Engineer (Alex Anderson), not by me. I serve as the Executive Producer, Editor, and Cameraman for the series, but the concept, original direction, and foundation of Raw Roots are 100% Rose’s vision. Rose is a Gold-Certified Engineer (Baby Smoove) and the owner of Tone Garden Studios, with over 10 years of experience working with over 1,000 artists across Detroit and beyond. He’s also the original founder of Bank Rose Productions. Read more>>

Karen Palka

Driven by this vision, the summer of 2008 became a season of intentional listening and planning. Karen reached out to friends, business leaders, educators, and community members, gathering insights and ideas to help shape what would become A Beautiful Me. Through this collaborative process, the concept evolved and began to take form—a grassroots initiative grounded in love, faith, and the belief that every girl deserves to understand her own value. Read more>>

Dani Vignos

I love University Flower Shop for so many reasons, but I take a lot of pride in the people that we have on our team. There is so much talent, creativity and positivity bursting through our doors every day. Being in such a creative space with such a collaborative team is what sets us apart. We produce beautiful work and have excellent customer service and none of this would be possible without such a diverse group of minds. Read more>>

Stephanie Scott

Six years ago, after a series of budget cuts while serving as Director of Sales and Marketing at Townsquare Media, I made the bold decision to bet on myself. With just $500 in my pocket and 20 years of experience helping businesses grow in both reach and impact, I took a leap of faith and founded Grow Business Today. Read more>>

Drey Skonie

Drey Skonie, born Lewis Andrew Jackson, is a multifaceted artist from Detroit, Michigan, known for his work as a singer, songwriter, producer, and audio engineer. His musical journey began at the age of six, nurtured by a family deeply rooted in church music, where he honed his skills in singing, piano, percussion, and drums. Read more>>

Yolanda Scarborough

I’m the founder of Carolyn’s Hope, a healing space and business ecosystem inspired by my mother’s legacy of faith and strength. Under that umbrella, I’ve created three distinct offerings: Camp Dinner Table, which fosters connection and communication through family mealtime; The Sister Self Care Retreat, which creates intentional space for women—especially Black women—to rest, restore, and reconnect with themselves; and Carolyn’s Kitchen, where food becomes a vehicle for nourishment, storytelling, and joy. Read more>>

Anna Serrano

Spanglish offers tacos (Voted Red Hot Best in. Traverse City), Burritos, Quesadillas and of course the tamales that started it all. They grew the business alongside of their young family. Over the years they have stayed committed to the community that has supported them. Spanglish is a Certified Green Restaurant committed to sustainability by offering compostable takeout containers, recycling and composting food waste. In 2024 Spanglish became a Recovery Friendly work place, offering support and jobs to people in active recovery and treatment for addiction. Read more>>

Dawn Amerman

He wears a 5X t-shirt and so he is plenty huggable. He has been in parades, visited other local businesses, and created a stir around town. It’s a little odd to see a 5ft bear with a t-shirt on standing in the back of the truck on the road. In the Spring and Summer we have 2 pet rock snakes, Petunia and Rocko. My mom started them. She is very artistic and was happy to make the beginning od a fun thing for everyone. The commnuity paints a rock and adds them to the snake on the outside of the building. When it starts to get cold and snowy, we bring them in, wash them, and then put them in hibernation. Read more>>

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>>