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.
Hannah Snyder
I struggled with ADHD, OCD, anxiety, and depression for the first 26 years of my life. I hated myself and my mind, and my body. I always felt like a victim to my thoughts and emotions. I felt like life had no meaning, and I had nothing valuable to offer the world. This led me to substance abuse in my late teens and early 20s. Read more>>
Antonia Dillon
I usually start by telling people I’m a corporate escapee-turned-entrepreneur, so I’ve seen the world through both lenses. After graduating from the University of Michigan with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, I spent the first 15 years of my career in corporate advertising, with a variety of Fortune 100 companies as clients. Read more>>
Emily Wells
I got started by my mom putting crayons in my hand at 18 months. Then in second grade I asked classmates if I could draw them their cat for ten cents. But in 2012 is when I started selling professionally. I started in acrylics but switched to oil paints in 2019 to better embody what I was trying to capture. Read more>>
Becky Fettig
On May 7th, our son Ronon suffered a traumatic brain injury in a vehicle accident. Though he recovered physically from the accident, there were lasting effects on his mental health. As those different effects surface, Ronon was unable to receive care because he was uninsured. While the vehicle accident itself didn’t take Ronon, the effects of his traumatic brain injury ultimately did. Read more>>
Takyra Fulton
My journey didn’t begin with a perfectly mapped out plan. It began with a deep desire to create spaces where healing and rest feel accessible. Professionally, I have spent years working in high-level project management roles within global clinical research, supporting complex oncology trials. While that work sharpened my leadership, and ability to lead in high-stake environments. Read more>>
Nathan Hansard
I had many different jobs after graduating high school and acquired many different skills: construction worker, cow milker, certified mechanic and truck driver to name a few. I moved to the area 8 years ago, it was supposed to be temporary but I met my wife and we have stayed in the area ever since. Read more>>
Bre Lavender
I was blessed to grow up working with and rescuing many different species of animals including wildlife, kittens, puppies, horses, and more—helping nurse them back to health or train. I have shown horses since the age of seven which has lead me to the training world. The show world and owning livestock is what shaped my deep respect for animal behavior, trust, and communication. Read more>>
ruth crowe
I was an Art Education major in college but I never did anything with that degree. I was in the US Army for a short while, and the LAPD briefly (during the Rodney King Trial and LA Riots), but I spent the majority of my adult life as a collegiate softball coach (Ohio State, U of Iowa, Ball State, and Iowa State). Read more>>
Melissa Lavender
I was inspired to live out my dream by my mom and grandma Clementine. I opened Clementine’s Pastries in December of 2021. It has been the best adventure ever since. I care about what I do. The craftsmanship and love I have for what I do is electric at times. I’m inspired each day by something. I love the day to day, the regulars. Read more>>
Amber Parsons
Our story started with family and the land. We’re a fifth-generation maple syrup family in Northern Michigan, and for us, making maple syrup has always been about more than a product—it’s about patience, craftsmanship, and time spent together. What began as a seasonal tradition passed down through generations slowly grew into something bigger. Read more>>
Danny Brikho
In 2018 I was working at a phone repair shop in Detroit and I heard this palce in Downtown Rochester was for sale so I took a chance and purchased it. I have been here for about seven years but the business has been here for fourteen years. We repair iPhones,iPads, Androids and some laptops. Read more>>
Mai See Xiong
For over 10 years, I traveled back and forth to Asia, experiencing incredible food, culture, and everyday café life. Then COVID hit—and suddenly, traveling stopped. During that time, I found myself doing what I’ve always loved most: cooking. I spent countless hours recreating the foods that brought me comfort and joy while traveling—dishes inspired by South Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam. Read more>>
Terry Sylvester Jr.
In 2016, I sat down with my wife and shared an ambitious idea: to build something of our own. We leaned into each other’s strengths, outsourced our weaknesses, and committed fully to the vision. Not long after, she surprised me with my first detailing van as a Father’s Day Gift and we ran full speed. Read more>>
Emad Shatara
I grew up watching my parents build this together. My dad, Sami, came to this country as an immigrant with a CPA accounting degree and a strong work ethic, never imagining food would become his life’s work. My mom brought her falafel recipe from the early 1990s, and that recipe became the heart of everything. Read more>>
Michele Peterson
I’ve spent most of my career in senior leadership roles across marketing, client partnerships, and operations, where I learned how to build teams, create memorable customer experiences, and run complex businesses with discipline and heart. Over time, I realized I wanted to take that expertise and apply it to something of my own — something rooted in community, service, and high standards. Read more>>
Jaison Koshy
I came to faith at a young age, and early on I sensed God inviting me into something bigger than myself. Ministry wasn’t a career path I chose, it was a conviction that kept growing. Over the years, God shaped me through seasons of learning, serving, waiting, and stretching. For the past 18 years, my family and I have served in full-time ministry. Read more>>
Lynne Parlberg
In 2014, our oldest son Rick Muschiana came to my husband Bill and I with an idea of opening a true farm to table restaurant based on the New Nordic food movement on the west side of Grand Rapids. As a family, we had always had a garden, supported local farmers markets and believed in supporting local businesses and our community. Read more>>
Kylee Wilson
In 2022, my mom, Jennifer Wilson, opened Celestial Farms Weddings & Events in Clio, Michigan. Being closely involved from the beginning gave me early exposure to branding, marketing, and the importance of visual storytelling in the wedding and events industry. I’ve always been strong with technology. Read more>>
Deanna York
I am a Detroit-bred entrepreneur whose roots in Southwest Detroit shaped my grit, work ethic, and commitment to community. Raised in an environment where resilience was a necessity, I learned early how to hustle with purpose and create opportunities instead of waiting for them. Read more>>
Lady Delaney
I’ve always felt the pull of hidden worlds tucked just out of sight—behind old doors, under floorboards, inside dusty books. As a child, I chased those worlds through storytelling and through heaps of paper, glue, and paint; as an adult, I continue to feel that pull. Read more>>
Renee Branch Canady
I grew up in a military family, traveling throughout my formative years. I had to learn to be comfortable with the uncomfortable and to thrive amidst the new and unknown. These skills have served me well as an adult, especially in the many leadership roles I have been privileged to hold. Read more>>
De’Lon Dixon
My path into technology really started with people. I studied Industrial and Organizational Psychology with a strong focus on behavioral science and behavioral engineering, which trained me to understand how people think, decide, and act within systems. That background taught me how to design research studies, analyze complex data, and, most importantly, tell clear and meaningful stories with data that lead to better decisions. Read more>>
Manal Hussein
I loved baking growing up, but it was not until I was about 18 and met my now husband that I took it more seriously. Read more>>
Bill Opre
As the pandemic hit, partner John Kallabat and myself wondered what we could do with empty space located next door to Canopy Gourmet Liquor Store which John had owned for almost 40 years. From that wondering, The Canopy Lounge became the vision, opened in August, 2022, The Canopy has evolved into one of Brighton Michigan destinations. Read more>>
SCOTT GAVAN
In early 2025, when Scott faced an unexpected job loss, the family was at a crossroads. As the primary breadwinner, the pressure was on to bridge the financial gap, but Scott saw an opportunity within the challenge: a chance to finally build something that Vatsana could lead. He applied his professional background to research low-risk, high-demand service industries and discovered the ‘poop scooping’ niche. Read more>>
Amber Parsons
Harwood Gold is as a fifth-generation maple syrup company located in Northern Michigan, built on a deep respect for craft, land stewardship, and consistency over time. What started as a small, seasonal family hobby in 1898 evolved into a growing specialty food business focused on high-quality, shelf-stable products made with simple, intentional ingredients. Read more>>
Eram Uddin
My path to Illume Consulting and Design didn’t happen all at once — it really came out of a period of quiet questioning. Before Illume, I spent nearly two decades working in education and editorial consulting after studying History and Education and Curriculum Development. Read more>>
Jennifer Rygalski
My story: I was born in Washington, D.C., at Andrews Air Force Base to two incredible parents and spent most of my childhood growing up in Toledo, Ohio. I’m one of four siblings, and early in life our family experienced profound loss when my brother Jimmy passed away from a heart defect while we were very young. Read more>>
