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.
Lauren Marino
Scarefest Scream Park really started right in my front yard. Long before it was a premier autumn destination, it was just my father, John Marino, elaborately decorating our home every Halloween. He had a passion for entertainment, turning our house into the neighborhood must-see, and in 2003, he took a leap of faith to turn that beloved hobby into a full-scale business. Read more>>
Carsen Fredricks
Dropped out of college at Ferris State university to start my business, TruScope. At TruScope, we specialize in Web and Mobile application development, and business scaling services such as Website Development, Paid ads, Social Media management, email/sms campaigns, ai influencers, influencer marketing, and tailored systems and processes for any business niche. Read more>>
Colleen Brickley
I’ve been in this industry professionally since 2010, but honestly, hair has always been my calling. As a teenager, I told my parents I wanted to be a hairstylist. When I had the opportunity to enroll in a career program at Ben Davis High School, my mother told me I was too smart for it — and I don’t hold that against her. Read more>>
Sierra Smith
Busta Dawgs started when we were searching for a blank trailer to build into our dream food business. During our search, we came across the trailer we own today and immediately knew it was the perfect fit. Around the same time, we brainstormed business names and randomly came up with ‘Busta Dawgs’—a name that stuck from day one. Read more>>
Olivia Kamara
I’ve always had a thing for websites. In middle school, I attended Meridian Public Schools during the launch of their new technology program. Every student received a Chromebook, and many of our projects required us to build websites alongside presentations. Read more>>
Donna Emch
I have been a registered nurse for more than 32 years, including 26 years within a hospital/health system setting. Over the past 21 years I have had the privilege of serving in a variety of leadership roles that have shaped my career and my approach to healthcare delivery. Read more>>
Kimberly Baltimore
My business is centered around boudoir photography, empowerment, and creating intentional experiences where people feel safe, confident, and fully seen. What started as a passion project has grown into a brand built almost entirely through word of mouth, social media, networking, and real client experiences—long before I ever had a fully established website or formal structure. Read more>>
Mohammed Yousuf
I came into this from the other side of the box. Before ShipLakes I was an Amazon FBA seller. I sourced products, built listings, and pretty much lived and died by my fulfillment numbers. That taught me something a lot of warehouses never really get. When your shipment is late or your count is off, it isn’t just a line on a report. Read more>>
Ana & Diana
The F Word started as a simple idea between two friends who realized that most financial education felt intimidating, overly technical, and often excluded women from the conversation. When we looked around, we saw that many women wanted to learn how to save, invest, and build wealth, but they didn’t know where to start. Read more>>
Bree Wood
I started my photography business in 2018 while attending the University of Central Oklahoma, where I was pursuing degrees in Forensic Science and Psychology. What began as a creative outlet quickly grew into something much bigger. I fell in love with documenting people, their relationships, and the moments that matter most. Read more>>
Art Solis
I was always drawing as a kid, but as I got older, I drifted away from it. Then one day I came across a book about airbrushing that was filled with incredible murals and artwork. It sparked something in me, and I remember thinking, “I wonder if I could do that.” So I gave it a try. Read more>>
Jonida Preka Morelli
My story really starts in Albania, where I was born and raised under Communism. Food was scarce back then, and you learned very early not to waste a single thing. But even with so little, I was drawn to the kitchen. Read more>>
Janhavi Firke
My name is Janhavi, and I am a self-taught pyrography artist, maker, gardener, and creative based in New Jersey. Interestingly, Janhavi is another name for the holy River Ganga in India, and I often feel that my creative journey mirrors a river—constantly flowing, changing direction, gathering inspiration, and finding beauty in unexpected places. Read more>>
Cynthia Lee
Seven years ago, I started with a treatment room, a dream, and a determination to create something of my own. What began as a solo esthetics business was built one client, one service, and one long day at a time. In the beginning, I was everything: esthetician, receptionist, social media manager, marketer, cleaner, inventory manager, and business owner. Read more>>
Britney Simone
Art has always been at the center of my life. My path has been shaped significantly by my time in sex work and by having an abortion. Both continue to inform who I am, the work I create, and my commitment to honesty and reclamation. Read more>>
Samantha Mehaffey
I was pregnant with my first child when my sister told me what a doula was. I thought, ‘That sounds like something a rich or lonely person needs,’ and I dismissed it. 3 months after my son was born, my best friend had her 1st baby, and I realized that doulas were very important. Read more>>
Alexis Hallam
My sister and I have worked in coffee since we were teenagers, and for as long as I can remember, we’ve talked about owning a business together. Coffee was always something we shared, but for years it was just a dream we would casually discuss. Read more>>
Ryan Jenkins
My wife Nicole and I have recently purchased a shed business that was originally started by a retired couple. They had initially intended for it to be a side-business to earn a little extra income. However, the quickly found that the demand for quality sheds was driving them further and further into a full-time commitment. Read more>>
Jerry Berg
What started as a passion to teach academic history using experiences rather than textbooks turned into exciting historical swordsmanship classes that blossomed into the Museum family we have today, specializing in swordsmanship classes, historical reenactments, and experiential history. Read more>>
Patricia Alix
My degree is in Psychology, but I have always loved art and design. I came into web design purely by accident. I was on complete bed rest during my first pregnancy and took to blogging to stay sane. I couldn’t stand how basic the site looked, so I took as many online courses as I could to learn how front=end website design. Read more>>
Johnathon Scott
I’ve always been passionate about helping people become stronger, more confident versions of themselves. After serving in the Marine Corps and spending years competing and coaching in wrestling, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai, and MMA, I decided to build a gym that was about more than just fitness. Read more>>
Daniel Barousse
I took a solo 1000 mile bike ride from Denver, CO to Austin, TX and repeatedly asked myself what I would do with my time if I was a billionaire. A recycled skateboard artist who is exceptionally healthy and can skateboard whenever I want is what I settled on. Read more>>
Marjon Parham
My journey has been anything but traditional, and that’s what makes it unique. I started my career as an industrial engineer after earning my degree from North Carolina A&T State University. Over the years, I worked with major companies in the automotive, manufacturing, and engineering sectors, including General Motors, Mercedes-Benz, Tesla, Caterpillar, and other global organizations. Read more>>
Tiffany Quinn
My story is not perfect, but it is purposeful. I started as a young woman with a heart for people and the gifts of helps. Which aligns with my career in social work and business. . Even before I had the titles, degrees, or credentials, I cared about helping people. I cared for my own family. I cared about women and their children. Read more>>
Kimberly Cole-Williams
My journey has never followed a straight line. I’m a single mother of six, an entrepreneur, a photographer, and the founder of Sister Fire Salt Co. Every chapter of my life has been built around creativity, resilience, and a love for bringing people together. Read more>>
RJ & Jessica Grunewald
It all started with Taylor Swift. When Taylor Swift started showing up at football games, our girls started suddenly paying attention to football. And it didn’t take long for them to end up sticking around when the Lions game came on. Very quickly watching to catch Taylor Swift became cheering on Hutch and Jared Goff and so many other players. Read more>>
Paula White
I started Symmetrical Solutions because I kept seeing business owners who were doing a lot right, but still did not have the financial clarity they needed to lead well. They had built real businesses. They had clients, teams, revenue, responsibility, and big decisions in front of them. But their financial systems had not always grown at the same pace as the business. Read more>>
Ryan McStockard
I purchased Fit2Live Gym in late 2014 with one big goal. My hope was to create a space for people to work on their health and fitness in a fun, supportive and inclusive environment with a coach, I wanted to build a professional gym with coaches who care and a supportive and fun community to keep them going. I think we’ve hit that goal. Read more>>
Ben Salomon
I started as a website selling stoner doom records and a few years later I decided to open a bar with a record store that mainly plays these genres alongside hard rock and metal. In addition, I produce stoner festivals here in Israel. Read more>>
Dominique Loggins
My story has been one of constant reinvention. I’ve worn many hats throughout my career, from esthetician to retail leader, entrepreneur, student, and now content creator, but the common thread has always been a desire to help people feel more confident, connected, and inspired. Read more>>
Dakota Roos
In High School I was in the National Art Honor Society for photography and always loved it, after high school, I went out in the broadcasting world, working in promotions in Detroit Radio stations. I always had a camera in my hand. They started paying me to capture meet and greets, concerts and more. Read more>>
Lida Athearn
I came into real estate later in life, but the dream actually started much earlier. At 20 years old, I had a strong desire to pursue a career in real estate. At the time, though, I didn’t feel I could afford to take that leap. I chose to focus on getting married and raising my family, and I didn’t believe I could successfully do both. Read more>>
Taylora Bookie
My path to private practice was shaped by significant adversity early in life. Growing up on state assistance after my father, a former minister, left my mother exposed me to instability and hardship at a young age. I also endured trauma within my family, and when I disclosed the abuse, I was not believed. Read more>>
Sincerely, Always
It started when all four of us connected outside of a show in Grand Rapids. All of us were going through major life changes at that time, and we all just so happened to be looking for bandmates as well. We got together to start playing music for the first time about a month later. Read more>>
Craig and Tanzania Cooper
Our journey to founding UpliftUS Collective started long before the organization was created. As individuals, we each spent years serving our communities through separate initiatives rooted in healing, empowerment, and personal growth. Tanzania Cooper, a Detroit native and graduate of Michigan State University, began her work at just 23 years old when she founded H.Y.P.E. (Helping Young People Evolve) in Washington, DC. Read more>>
Esther Rehema
I’ve always been a creative at the core of who I am. I started posting content back in my senior year of high school. I loved sharing my makeup looks online just for fun, not really realizing it was something I could turn into a career. Read more>>
Paige Mitchell
I started photographing weddings as a second shooter with my cousin who taught me everything I know over 10 years ago! She showed me everything about how to properly expose photos, adapt to less than ideal circumstances, and most importantly, how to make a bride and groom feel at ease on the most special day of their lives. Read more>>
Joseph Leon
I started Social Brew Cafe in September 2020. Hospitality has always been part of my life because I grew up around my family’s restaurant. Being around that environment taught me early on that people remember how you make them feel, and I eventually found that coffee was the avenue where I wanted to create that experience myself. Read more>>
Ana Vega
I began sharing my story through my social media pages as an outlet. It helped me through the grieving stages, grieving people that are still alive. It helped my healing process and it showed me a better understanding of my situation. It helped me connect with people and know I wasn’t alone. Read more>>
Samuel Bautista Lazo
We are an ancient lineage of weavers from Teotitlan del Valle, Oaxaca. Our community has kept the weaving tradition since it emerged here, at one of the craddles of civilization, in Oaxaca’s central valleys. Read more>>
Mark Smolak
Legs Inn, named for the cast-iron stove legs that trim its roofline, is one of Michigan’s most exuberant and unusual landmarks. The building, a State of Michigan Historic Site, reflects the creativity of Stanley Smolak and the craftsmanship of local Odawa (Ottawa) people. A Polish immigrant, Smolak came to the United States in 1912 and settled in Cross Village in 1921. Read more>>
Crystal Durfee
I originally started decorating for parties for friends and family. It seemed as though I was helping with a different party every month. So I started taking photos and putting them online. I had a really hard time finding any training in our area, so I started watching YouTube tutorials like my life depended on it. And here we are! Read more>>
ELIZABETH WILSON
In 2020, I made the decision to take my health seriously. At the time, I weighed 220 pounds and felt uncomfortable not just physically, but mentally. I had always desired to feel strong, confident, and free in my body, but I didn’t know where to start. More than anything, I wanted a fresh start in life overall. Read more>>
Amber McKee
How MyPlace Began: A Personal Reflection When I look back at the beginning of MyPlace, I’m reminded that the story didn’t start with a program or a plan. It started with a small group of people — myself included — who were simply trying to understand the realities of human trafficking and exploitation in our own community. Read more>>
Forever Meech
I’ve always had a talent in writing whether it was music, poetry or later on writing stories/movies. Music is where I really showed my artistic style at. even when it came to my music videos I wrote the treatments for the video and it was always cinematic. Read more>>
SEI
When it comes to creating music, I grew up in and around music. Growing up I always found myself making noises composed of rhythms and cadences. My grandmother had a piano in the house so I always found myself playing it for the house and just singing all day long till they tell me to stop. Read more>>
Chrissy Brown
I have always been interested in photography and art ever since I was little. Kind of the classic story of starting out young and having the support of your loved ones. I started actually doing freelance photography in 2o18 when I was a senior in high school. It started out as a friend of a friend recommending I do photos for families, birthdays, and graduations. Read more>>
Tracy Sartin
Once I decided to leave the military I begin to think about things that I wanted to do that I didn’t get a chance to. Acting came to the forefront of my mind. I started watching acting classes on YouTube before actually getting into a class. Read more>>
Kirsty Bailey
When my son was diagnosed autistic I was thrown into a deep dive of learning all I could. I then realised how little support is out there and trained instead of researching so I can provide the support lacking for families with disabled children Read more>>
