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.
Fernanda Pineda
It all started with my and my family’s passion for LEGO; we love that LEGO is about creating, building, imagining, exploring, and more. Two years ago we wanted to take this passion one step forward, and after a lot of research, we ran into this franchise, Bricks and Minifigs, that made the perfect fit for what we wanted to do: invest in something we love. Read more>>
Jessica Steele
I started my career in the construction world in a place a lot of people don’t expect — as a receptionist at a painting company. But I’ve always been someone who notices inefficiencies, so I began building systems and automating processes to make the office run smoother. Read more>>
Chrissie Rellinger Smith
I spent 30 years in corporate marketing working in experiential marketing and events, mostly in the automotive industry. I had the opportunity to purchase a coffee shop just around Covid and I decided to make the career change. I have owned North Perk Coffee for over 4 years now and it has grown over 30% since I purchased it Read more>>
Erin Carrier
I went to Michigan State University right out of high school, with the hopes of getting a degree that would allow me to work with kids in an outdoor education setting. I majored in Parks and Recreation, and quickly determined that I didn’t want to do that forever. I decided instead to pursue a degree in English with the hopes of becoming a teacher. Read more>>
Jennifer Foster
Heading off to college, I planned to pursue a career in medicine. I went on to earn my first undergraduate degree in microbiology. I worked in viral research, studying a plant virus with the potential to devastate tomato crops worldwide. My role involved extracting DNA from potentially infected plants and analyzing it for signs of infection. Read more>>
Nicholas Nevins
It’s 4th of July 2017 and I am visiting my buddy Scott Whiteford for the festivities in South Haven. Over a few beers, he tells me he may buy Hotel Nichols but he a had a problem. Who would run it? Read more>>
Jason Underhill
I have always been interested in fitness, working out on and off for many years. In 2008, I became more serious about training and began exploring the idea of opening a fitness center in Evart, Michigan. Although I never found the right location, that vision stayed with me. When the factory where I was working closed permanently, I found myself at a crossroads. Read more>>
Armetris Hare
My journey has been shaped by resilience, reinvention, and a deep love for serving people through food and community. I am a Detroit native at heart, with roots that always kept calling me back home. My professional background spans human services, investigations, and public service, where I spent years advocating for others and navigating complex systems. Read more>>
Elizabeth Warren
Riverside Arts Center has been part of Ypsilanti for over 30 years, but my path here was shaped by a belief that art is most powerful when it’s rooted in community. I’ve spent my career working in nonprofits and arts organizations where relationship-building, fundraising, and program development all intersect. Again and again, I saw that the organizations making the biggest impact weren’t just presenting art. Read more>>
Lindsey Leyland
The Getup has been providing Ann Arbor Michigan with the most unique and classic vintage clothing and accessories since 2005! We recently relocated from our tiny little shop on State St to 4th Ave, where most of the locally owned retail shops live now. The Getup is co-owed by myself and Kaylan Mitchell, and we took over from the previous owner in 2015. Read more>>
Sky Hepworth
My early adulthood was rocky – I was homeless from 18 to 20 and had no clear direction. In 2019, my now father-in-law had just taken ownership of K&N Automotive. At the time, I was a pastry chef without a license, a car, or any qualifications to work at a repair shop. Read more>>
Claire Koger
From Darkness to Devotion: A Journey Home My name is Claire, and over the last five years my life has been radically transformed through what many call a dark night of the soul—followed by a profound divine rebirth. I was stripped of everything I once knew, not as punishment, but as preparation. Read more>>
Elle Brousseau
Hey! Elle here! What a wild ride that I’ve been on these last 15 years. I still cannot wrap my mind around my origin photog story… complimented on my photography skills, on Myspace, while using nothing but a Razer flip phone. I aged myself right there, didn’t I? Read more>>
Alize and Trenton Carson
The Evermore Studio began with a simple but deeply personal idea: to create a space where meaningful moments could be celebrated with intention, beauty, and heart. We are Alize and Trenton Carson: college sweethearts, life partners, and the co-founders behind The Evermore Studio. The vision was shaped by our own journey. Read more>>
Annelise Hudson
We have been in business for 3 years now. Dan has been a chef for over 30 years, while I (Annie) was a restaurant manager and bartender for 20 years. We have both always had a passion for creating memorable dining experiences. Cork & Ladle actually began without any intention. We had friends approach us with a request to cater their wedding. Read more>>
Jessica Kiwiet
Pieter and I have both been gardeners forever, and have fond memories of working in our families’ gardens as children. We were excited to grow something together when we moved to our property in 2005. We started out with a community garden in our back field, inviting friends to create food plots in our space. Read more>>
Catherine Fortier
The building itself was a one-room schoolhouse in the 1890s. Since then, it has been a church, a grange hall and, for several years, completely abandoned. In fact, my friends and I used to play on the steps of the empty building. In 1978, I watched Marguerite Rice transform it into a different kind of “church,” as locals liked to call it back then. Read more>>
Christa Stephens
I started my career in high-responsibility roles that required structure, precision, and accountability. My degree is in geology, and I worked as an Environmental Health and Safety Manager, where I served as the lead internal auditor for multiple chemical manufacturing facilities across several states. In that role, I was responsible for systems, compliance, and continuous improvement under global standards. Read more>>
Jeanette Pierce
I’m a lifelong Detroiter who grew up on the Eastside and thought I knew my city well until I moved downtown in my early 20s and started walking everywhere. Suddenly I was discovering incredible architecture, family-owned businesses, historic neighborhoods, and stories I had never been taught. Read more>>
Ameera Hashwi
One day while scrolling on TikTok, I came across a law student who was competing in the Miss America Opportunity and talking about how meaningful the experience had been for her. She shared how it helped her improve her community service efforts, build strong connections, and earn scholarship money. That immediately caught my attention, especially as someone who was already passionate about service and education. Read more>>
Tom Milano
As a community-based nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, with a 6-member board of directors, we started in 2015 by acquiring 9 contiguous vacant lots from the DLBA and, several months later, won a $76k Kresge Foundation grant to demonstrate how to use cut-flower farming to generate enough revenue to pay taxes and maintain the land. Read more>>
Keith Beasley
My story is rooted in Detroit and shaped by service, perseverance, and reinvention. I spent over two decades with the Detroit Police Department, while also working creatively on the side through photography, DJing, and event services. After retiring, personal loss caused me to re-evaluate my purpose and ultimately led to the creation of Channel One Event Venue. Read more>>
Ava Wegmeyer
After working the in the jewelry industry for a few years and wanting to embrace the beauty of natural stones; and the process of making jewelry start to finish here in Kalamazoo MI, starting the Edison District Jewelry only made sense. Read more>>
Moniquee Sobocinski
Having a career in fine art I started by doing custom art for clients of a lady who did custom window treatments. Soon clients started asking me for additional information regarding their decor so I decided to go to school and get my interior design degree. Shortly there after I started my own business. As a designer I love to create beautiful, livable spaces. Read more>>
Gary Crenshaw
I started filming back in 2016. I had a business partner who shared the same vision when it came to film making. we had the vision, but didn’t have the funds. we didnt let that stop us, we filmed on an iphone and had our very first premier. Since then ive grown and completed many of projects and have help others with their projects. Read more>>
Kasey Walker-Lance
I graduated in 2007 with a Master’s of Social Work from Michigan State University and was immediately employed with a local hospice provider. In that agency, I worked as the Volunteer Coordinator and then Office Manager, supervising administrative, social work, bereavement, and spiritual care providers within the agency. Read more>>
Isabel Stasa
My story begins in a place of profound fracture. I experienced extreme poverty and abuse as a child, a reality that eventually led to me being removed from my biological family and placed into foster care. That removal cost me everything as a child. I was forever separated from every single person in my family, including my siblings. Read more>>
James Jutson
The History of Clyde’s Place Originally built by Charlie Snider in 1939. The early 1950’s Charlie sold the bar to Sam and Eleanor Nay. They owned the bar until the mid/late 1960’s. The Nay’s sold the bar to Bev and Marty Learn. They named it the Bevmont, until their divorce, at which time it was renamed Monte’s. Read more>>
Heather Pineda
My first career was as a visual artist and musician. I graduated from Interlochen Arts Academy with a focus in visual art and completed my Bachelors in Fine Art at the School of Visual Arts in New York. My journey to clinical social worker and private practice owner started when my children were babies and I needed a part time job. Read more>>
Scott Stokes
I got my first taste of masonry when I was sixteen, tagging along on side jobs with my stepfather. What started as a way to make a little extra money slowly became something more. By the time I turned eighteen and stepped into the construction world full‑time, I was determined to figure out where I belonged. Read more>>
Whitney Lewis
Cloud Bar began in May 2025 during a season when I was dreaming up creative, girly pop-up business ideas to pour my creativity into—something that felt both meaningful and fun. I knew I wanted to build something unique, something I hadn’t seen before, and most importantly, more than just a product. I wanted to create an experience that made people smile and feel something. Read more>>
Jackie Listman
When I was a junior in high school, I had the idea to start posting on Facebook offering to draw people’s pets. I charged a very low price and wasn’t really that great at it. To my surprise, I got a lot of orders, and with all the practice, I slowly got better and better. Read more>>
Kyle Chvatal
I’ve always wanted to own my own business. After 15 years in the moving industry I finally got my chance. I officially opened up in 2017 and worked both jobs for a while before I was able to let the moving industry a thing of the past. It’s been nine years now, and I couldn’t be happier. I absolutely love what I do. Read more>>
Richard Cooper
I started Rich Trend setter to inspire people to lead, not follow — to set trends in how they think, move, and carry themselves. Fashion was my way of telling that story. Every piece is designed to make you feel elevated, intentional, and confident when you put it on. Read more>>
Zeina Laham
Hello everyone, my name is Zeina Laham and I am a master’s level Psychologist, TLLP; Entrepreneur; Mental Health Consultant & Speaker; and Advocate Content Creator. I founded Zeina Laham Psychology PLLC to create an empowering and culturally sensitive space for healing and growth. As an Arab American mental health professional, I’m passionate about supporting individuals in navigating the intersections of identity, culture, and well-being. Read more>>
Jacqueline Neisz
My path as a doula began early. My mother died when I was fourteen, and that loss taught me the power of presence and how deeply families need support during life’s most fragile moments. At twenty-one, I became a hospice nurse, sitting with people at the end of life and witnessing the sacredness of those final thresholds. Motherhood deepened this path. Read more>>
Angela McBride
Mindful Motion was born in a season of survival. Brandon and I didn’t set out to build a wellness brand. We built what we needed to stay standing. For years, I did everything I was supposed to do. I earned my degrees, excelled in my sales career, became a professor, and built a life that looked stable from the outside. Read more>>
Anthony Kachman
My Journey started back in 2016. I was working in the manufacturing industry for 10 years as a CNC machinist. I just happened to fall into that field of work but it was not something that made me happy or was passionate about. I was working night shift and knew I wanted more out of life and a career. Read more>>
Heather Edginton
Some art is created to be seen. Other art is created to be felt. Forever Treasured Jewelry was born from love, loss, and the deep human need to hold onto those who shape us. Created by artist Heather Edginton and rooted in the heart of Dragonfly Boutique, each piece is a one-of-a-kind wearable memory — crafted not just with materials, but with meaning. Read more>>
Keith Hall
As a very young boy, I loved spending time with my grandma and grandpa on their farm in southern Michigan. My grandpa taught me how to process my own deer and how to make sausages and jerky. They owned the first grocery store in their town. Though I enjoyed this time with them, I never dreamed it would lead me to my future. Read more>>
Steven Howard
Let me introduce myself. I measure the world not by distance, but by connection. My passport tells part of my story—stamps from Germany’s orderly streets, Singapore’s humming skyline, the sun-warmed corners of Italy, the quiet majesty of Switzerland, the rhythmic energy of Spain, and the timeless charm of France. But the real journey always begins beyond the airports and postcards. Read more>>
LilyÃnnã Bacon
I’ve been a painter my entire life and grew up in a creatively driven household. I began taking my practice seriously in 2017, and after moving to New York, my path naturally expanded into tattooing. After several years there, I returned home to Detroit, where I was introduced to the nail industry—a turning point I didn’t initially expect. Read more>>
Andrew Wheaton
I’m a Ferris State University graduate with a degree in Marketing and Sales with over a decade of experience leading the teams behind the building and stewardship of respected brands within the advertising industry. While my career was rewarding, I always felt a quiet pull toward building something of my own. Something tangible, meaningful, and lasting. Read more>>
Jack Kaczmarczyk
My story is nice and circular, I like to say, because after dropping out (twice) from a psychology degree at U of M out of high school, I returned 20 years later to get my Master’s in Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and then my post-grad certificate for the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP). Read more>>
Alexis Ader
After working for a few sign shops I decided that I wanted to do it better so I went out on my own. Focusing on communication and quality! That was almost 26 years ago. I have learned a lot over the years and continue to learn as new products and advances happen in my industry. We have a very loyal customer base. Read more>>
Kevin McLaughlin
My story begins at a young age when I discovered the pleasing affects of alcohol. I drank for one simple reason. Everyone else was. I happen to like a little more than most. After a long process of discovery, I decided substances were not for me. During the ‘discovery process’, I completed an Associates Degree in Culinary Arts. Read more>>
Jen Dera
Photography started for me in 2000, right after my first child was born. I wanted to capture everything—those little moments you don’t realize you’ll miss until they’re gone. What began as “I just want better photos” turned into a genuine passion for storytelling and connection. Read more>>
Felicity Coughlin
I’ve always loved cars, but I’ve never been good with the mechanics of them. My brain doesn’t seem to work like that. However, my brain enjoys when I clean cars! It started off cleaning my car, and when I realized that such a service as “detailing” existed, I wanted in. Read more>>
Jon Griffin
Olly’s Donuts started in 2015 in a tent traveling the state and setting up at fairs and festivals. Our first event was the Gizzard Festival in Potterville, MI. It was a weekend side gig to earn college tuition money for my kids while working a corporate job. Our first year, we did five events. Read more>>
Lisa Evans
I worked in the corporate world for 15 years and when I decided to leave that career, I wanted to do something I loved and was passionate about. I had been getting Botox around age 30 and met an injector/business owner that really inspired me to go get my esthetics license and start working with her. Read more>>
Nicole Haney
My journey began in 2015 when my grandfather was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Navigating his care exposed serious gaps in the system—care that was task-driven, fragmented, and often stripped of dignity. I was already working in healthcare oversight at the time, but experiencing it personally changed my perspective and solidified my purpose. Read more>>
Jason Schofield
I didn’t follow a traditional career path. I started out doing hands on work and a lot of volunteering, which put me in situations where things needed to get done and someone had to step up. That’s where I picked up most of my leadership and organizational skills, by actually doing the work, often with very limited resources. Read more>>
Eric Bugeja
In the past , I used to do modeling, dancing, and independent filmmaking with friends. I did a couple tv commercials and loved it. But reality hit and I knew i couldn’t make a career out of it let alone support my kids. So I moved on. During the pandemic Tiktok was getting more and more popular. Read more>>
Dana Randazzo
My path to running transportation operations started when a company I worked with launched a division focused on moving vehicles nationwide, and I dove in. I started in sales, but eventually transitioned into operations, where I really found my strength. Read more>>
Renarldo Conley
I got my start in the cleaning industry around 2012, shortly after losing my son. That loss pushed me to find a new direction in life, and office cleaning became my first step forward. Read more>>
Renee Suban
I all started several years when I landed a job as a receptionist at a local Hair Salon. I’ve always loved to play with hair but when I seen the relationships happening between stylists and guests I knew I wanted to become a stylist. Making people look and feel their best while being artistic was a dream job! Read more>>
