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.

Nicole Gonzalez

My name is Nicole González, and I’m 38 years old. I’m the mother of Nicolás (22), Tomás (17), and Khloe (4), and I will soon be the grandmother of Agustina. I’m a certified instructor for Kangoo Jumps. Kangoo Jumps is a high-intensity aerobic workout performed with rebound boots that absorb up to 80% of the impact on the joints. Read more>>

erin jewell

I am a reiki master, medium, and dream doula that has been practicing reiki and other mystical arts for the better part of a decade. A lifelong intuitive, indigo, and highly sensitive human, i began to dabble in oracle cards after a deep personal loss, trying to regain a sense of grounding and belief. Read more>>

Jen Viren

Taproot is a woman owned business, founded in 2016 by Jennifer Viren, a Traverse City native with a passion and mission to create a culture highlighting local farmers and Michigan businesses. Jennifer finds harmony in the relationship between foraging, farming, food and beverage. Her love for our environment and community is the forefront of Taproot’s philosophy. Read more>>

Joe Ritchie

I started doing small haunted houses in my house, and friends basements – sometimes even when it wasn’t around Halloween. I was also a fan of special effects, and horror movies from a young age. As I got older Halloween, Haunted Houses, Monsters, etc. were my passion, and things just grew from there. Read more>>

Andrea Pohl

I have always seen ghosts and auras, and knew things psychically since I can remember in childhood. I actually thought it was normal till about late elementary school when I realized that most people can’t see or experience what I did. In my teen years, I began to search for answers which lead me to eastern philosophy and spirituality. Read more>>

Jake Davis

I didn’t come into real estate with a big team or deep pockets, just a lot of drive and a clear mission to build something meaningful. Back in 2019, I started Davis Ohana Real Estate as a solo agent with one simple goal: to create a business built on trust, education, and real relationships. Read more>>

Jason Mattison

My wife and I started buying rental properties over 20 years ago- starting with properties local to where we lived in Oakland County, Michigan but always wanted to branch out and acquire properties in Traverse City as we both loved visiting the area as kids each with our own parents Read more>>

Kathryn Anderson

I started baking when I was a little girl, and ever since baking has been a passion of mine I started baking for my friends and family. With all of the overwhelming support, I decided to start my own business, Sweet Kathy’s, in 2010. I started off doing graduation parties, wedding showers, birthdays, etc. Read more>>

CASEY SELMAN

I’ve been around concrete my whole life. Years ago, I was working at a large chemical company as a carpenter. I was lucky to get that job right as the housing market crashed in 2008–2009. One of the perks there was flex time — I could come in anytime, work my eight hours, and leave. Read more>>

Karen Avila

I founded AG Signing Services in May 2023 with a vision to make trusted, bilingual professional services more accessible, inclusive, and community-centered. With over a decade in the financial-services industry, I’ve built my career in roles that connect people, processes, and purpose. Those experiences taught me that true success comes from leading with empathy and service—a lesson that continues to guide my work every day. Read more>>

Amber Schaefer

Ever since I could remember, I was obsessed with makeup. I remember being 13 years old, getting my first makeup kit and practicing for hours. Not much has changed, as I’m about to turn 40. Most of my adult life, I had jobs that weren’t for me. From waitressing to bartending, retail, home healthcare, and working in an office at a gravel pit. Read more>>

Kimberly Edwards

After visiting a friend who had opened an escape room business in a nearby city, I found the experience to be so much fun and rewarding. I was fully engaged in the gameplay and immediately knew I wanted to bring this form of entertainment to our city. Read more>>

Abagail McKiernan

My journey started with the simple idea that people genuinely want to help one another, but often don’t know how. In 2017, I founded Spark in the Dark, a grassroots online community where people could ask for help and others could respond directly. Read more>>

Nara Munro

Hi, I’m Nara Munro—award winning interior designer, engineer, and founder of The Munro Project. After years working as a product engineer at Ford Motor Company and Sears Holdings, I shifted my path to follow my passion for interior design. While living in Chicago, I left engineering to build a design career grounded in both technical know-how and creative ambition. Read more>>

Noah Cameron

I’ve never really seen myself as an entrepreneur- I didn’t care about school or professional goals and only wanted to focus on the things that I enjoyed, which at the time was primarily playing music. By my senior year in high school I’d skip several classes each day and sit in the practice room watching videos and practicing piano and drums. Read more>>

Jesper Dinesen

From our site – https://runengine.com/let-me-tell-you-a-story/ From a young age I was entranced by computers and technology. I grew up in Denmark, and received a dual degree in Computer Science and Business at the Copenhagen Business College. Read more>>

Luke Thompson

We got started back in 2010 down in Hillsdale County — that’s where I grew up. I’ve known since middle school that landscaping was what I wanted to do, so I spent a lot of time learning everything I could. I worked for different companies, tried out different roles, and got to see a lot of sides of the industry. Read more>>

Lynzee Krohne

I started Leo + Laine because I saw too many small businesses pouring their hearts into what they do, but struggling to show up online in a way that really matched their value. Read more>>

Rae Lynn Humphreys

At Más, we believe in the power of authentic storytelling to connect brands with their audiences. We’re passionate about helping small businesses and nonprofits, especially those owned and led by women, Black, Brown, and Queer folks, find their voice in a noisy world. We elevate minority-owned businesses by providing them with the tools and strategies they need to succeed. Read more>>

Clayton Kilgallon

Background and Early Life -Clayton Kilgallon was born in Toledo, Ohio, and spent his formative years on the southeast side of Michigan. His upbringing instilled in him a strong sense of community and service, values that guided him throughout his life. Military Service -Clayton dedicated 13 years to the United States Marine Corps, serving honorably as an infantryman. Read more>>

Dr. Nicholas F. Russell, Ph.D.

My story really begins in the late 1970s when my parents made the decision, before I was born, to move up to the Grand Traverse region from Detroit. Read more>>

Angilean Fleming

I began my career as a cosmetologist and salon owner, where I discovered my passion for helping others feel confident and empowered. This led me to become a cosmetology instructor, where I enjoyed teaching and mentoring future professionals. During that time, I discovered a significant pay disparity between African American instructors and our Caucasian counterparts. Read more>>

Meghan Kraley Chea Jackson

We became co-owners of Williams Group, a strategic communications firm with a 40-year history, in 2020. Meghan had been with the company for nearly a decade, while Chea was six months in—and we quickly discovered a shared vision. We wanted to honor four decades of client success while investing boldly in our team and community. Read more>>

Jenn Brown

The Story of Tawas Wellness Warriors In the small lakeside towns surrounding Tawas Bay, people have always looked after one another. Neighbors shovel each other’s driveways in the winter, share bonfires on summer nights, and rally when someone is in need. But somewhere along the way, life got busy. Stress piled up. Health — physical, emotional, and mental — slipped to the background. Read more>>

Brynn Cooksey

Brynn Cooksey Sr., affectionately known as the ‘Air Doctor,’ is a Detroit native and the Owner of Air Doctors Heating and Cooling, LLC. Brynn earned that nickname for his renowned engineering solutions in the HVACR and Electrical industries. Read more>>

Will Posthumus

My love for sports entertainment started when I was just 5 years old, going to watch my older brother play basketball at Portage Central High School in Portage, MI. At that time they would turn off the lights in the gym, put a spotlight on a student who was dressed in a tuxedo, and announce the starters under spotlights and loud music. Read more>>

Colby Chilcote

• One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence? I feel most confident when I know what I’m doing, but I learned early on in my career that being able to “figure it out” is more important than being an expert. Read more>>

Paul Drucker

My journey into becoming a travel agent really started with my lifelong passion for travel. I’ve had the incredible opportunity to travel all over the world and experience a vast array of different cultures, landscapes, and destinations firsthand. Before I officially started my business, I was already the go-to travel expert for my friends and family. Read more>>

Bethany Vinatieri

I earned my graduate degree in social work with the intention of becoming a psychotherapist, but I’ve always been drawn to the medical side of the field. Early in my career, I worked on the medical social work team at Bronson Methodist Hospital, where I gained a deeper understanding of how closely mental and physical health are connected. Read more>>

Tracy G.J. Congdon

I grew up in a family that prized hard work and community above all. My dad, a Navy veteran, showed me the unyielding power of perseverance through his own quiet battles, while my mom gifted me a gentle faith—that life has a way of aligning when you meet it with clear intention. Read more>>

Lorena Prager

Creating Our Forever began as a dream that lived in my heart for over ten years. I’ve always been drawn to creativity- to colors, textures, and the way a well-designed space can completely transform how someone feels. But my path to design wasn’t a straight line. I earned my degree in Health Information Technology, thinking it would lead to a stable and fulfilling career. Read more>>

Rachel DenBoer

Since my teenage years I’ve had an interest in photography, starting out with an old polaride camera that belonged to my parents and then progressing on to my own camera using film, then digital. I love capturing unique angles and looking for that moment “when the light is just right”! Read more>>

Rob and Rebecca (Escapes Unlocked) Garrod and Horste (Escapes Unlocked)

There have certainly been challenges! Most of them have to do with navigating the entrepreneurial world, which was, and in some ways still is, new to both of us. From permitting, to staffing, to building out our online presence, all of it was an incremental learning process. Read more>>

Emily Richter

When I had my first daughter in September of 2019 I decided on an elective induction. I was not provided with the information I needed to make an informed decision. It was a traumatic experience for me. So many individuals who give birth go through this kind of experience everyday. I decided I wanted to be a part of the solution. Read more>>

Ashley Burton-Mims

I burned out for the last time in 2023. Unfortunately, like most women, I had burned out several times throughout my almost 20-year career in corporate retail. But this last time was a turning point because I finally took the time to slow down, name what was happening, ask for help, and focus on my healing. Read more>>

Catherine Schmidt

Catherine has been practicing yoga since 2012 while she was working her way up the corporate ladder in the Human Resources field. After a decade in HR, and teaching yoga on the side, Catherine took the leap into entrepreneurship in 2018 when she opened Yoga Zen: a yoga studio for all ages in the heart of Caledonia. Read more>>

Sophie Gragg

Growing up I was always fascinated with everything dog. My family always had a dog and our second family dog had some behavioral issues. He was extremely fear reactive to the point that one day he bit the neighbor. He had to have a behavioral evaluation done and go through some training courses in order to avoid Euthanasia. Read more>>

Nicole Goodrum

My journey to founding Glo Studio has been a complete evolution, starting in the high-stakes world of corporate fitness. I spent years managing a fitness giant in a major city, which gave me invaluable experience in leadership, operational efficiency, and understanding client needs at scale. Read more>>

Julie Brown The Iconix

I (Julie Brown), have been singing my whole life. As a little girl in the ’70s, I would set up my Fisher Price People on a stage, and have them sing to the radio or the country songs my stepdad would be playing from his record collection in the background. Read more>>

Reené Ferguson

**From Runway Dreams to Real Estate Skies: The Reinvention of Reene’ Ferguson** I was 14 when it all began — sitting next to my mom at the Ebony Fashion Fair shows, completely mesmerized. Those shows were our thing every year, and somewhere between the lights, the music, and the gowns, I decided ‘that’s what I want to do’. Read more>>

Jasmine Jelsema

My connection to nature and belief in the body’s innate ability to heal have always guided me, but everything came into focus when I began studying mind-body medicine at Evergreen State College. There, I studied positive psychology, botany, herbalism, public health, and energy healing. I learned so much and developed a deep appreciation and curiosity for how the mind and body are interconnected. Read more>>

Jana Lehmann

I am Jana from Germany. I applied for the Green Card Lottery starting in 2006 after a divorce. I renewed my application every year – kinda just kept it going. After a few years (in 2012) I got the letter that I actually won! Read more>>

Christian Driessnack

Align Digital started back in 2018. Owner, Christian, developed a love for media production through his high school Digital Media class and went on to pursue further education at Central Michigan University. During college, he launched Christian Kurt Multimedia and began taking on clients, creating a variety of media for local businesses. Read more>>

Anne Ryan

While I’ve been involved in many creative and performance projects over the course of my life, my journey into aerial arts began in 2008, and it profoundly changed my life. It taught me to respect my body’s abilities and helped me understand my own boundaries in a new way. Read more>>

Aubrey Huyck

10 years ago, with the help and support of my husband, I took a leap of faith and started offering freelance/traveling beauty services for weddings and other special events. Financially bringing in what I would at any other full-time, 40+ hour/ week job, only working weekends. Read more>>

Jean Roman

So, in late December I was down on bed rest for a couple weeks and one day a friend called to check in on me. During our conversation, he mentioned he was looking to work with someone who could assist with booking additional gigs for his hotdog cart. Read more>>

Michael Tuczynski

My journey started in general practice, where I spent years helping men and families navigate all stages of life. Over time, I realized that one of the most overlooked procedures in men’s health — the vasectomy — was being treated like an afterthought. Read more>>

BreeAnn Kitsuki

I graduated with a degree in Illustration from Grand Valley State University in 2009 and spent the next few years freelancing as an illustrator for a variety of both commercial and private work. Those early projects taught me a lot about collaboration, creativity, and running a tiny one-person studio. Read more>>