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.
Hugh Anderson
Like many photographers, I started with a camera and a passion for creating images, but what really drew me in was working with people. Over the years I realized that the best photographs aren’t just technically good—they help people see themselves with confidence. That led me to build Hugh Anderson Photography in Bloomfield Hills, focusing on professional headshots and corporate event photography. Read more>>
Lulu Ogadinma
I’ve always been someone who loved saving money. Since my teen years, I would shop the clearance racks and store sales. I didn’t get serious with saving money and couponing until 2021 when I found out I was pregnant with my second child. At the time my first child was 13. Read more>>
Brandie sanders
My path into mental health has been shaped by both my professional experience and my own personal healing. For more than a decade, I’ve worked in case management, crisis intervention, psychiatric care, and maternal infant health. Every role exposed me to people navigating unimaginable loss, trauma, addiction, depression, and emotional overwhelm. Read more>>
Larry Gentry
I graduated from Full Sail University in 2014 for Digital Cinematography. After graduation I began to create short films and create music videos. I took the challenge and signed up for the 48 Hour Film Project. I competed in the competition for multiple years as a filmmaker before becoming the Producer. Read more>>
Nina Michelle
I started writing years ago, as a means of another creative outlet (I also paint/draw and tattoo.) After moving back from California in 2017, I would work on my first book draft here and there, but didn’t actually complete it until the end of 2018. That finished draft I actually sat on for a few years before publishing my first book in 2024. Read more>>
Kimberly Barodte
I have always been into design. From sketching, painting and eventually it turned to all things home related. Cooking, painting, gardening etc.. I have always had my hands in some type of design. That’s where I found very young that I thrived. Everything home has alwsys had my heart. Read more>>
Candace Fleming
I’ve always been someone who is kind and friendly and loved to help people. My earliest memory of truly helping someone was tutoring a friend in middle school. I didn’t know how much it meant to her and her parents but I thought it was cool that I could help her understand something that was difficult. Read more>>
Donald & Africa Taylor
Donald and I were both just 25 years old when we took the biggest leap of faith of our lives. Donald left his job as an industrial plant worker, and I walked away from my career as a dental assistant. With no prior experience in entrepreneurship, we bet on ourselves and started a credit repair business, which quickly grew into a six-figure company. Read more>>
Leslie Hocker
I never set out to build a nonprofit or become an advocate for notaries. Like many entrepreneurs, I simply saw problems that needed to be solved and couldn’t ignore them. My career has always centered around building businesses, creating systems, and helping people. Read more>>
Dr. Riham Al-Saadi
I am first-generation immigrant. I settled here in 2001, at 14 years of age and always had the dream of becoming a ‘doctor’. I was aiming to be a pediatrician or optometrist, only to fall in love with Psychology and Social Work. I completed my bachelor in Biology & Psychology and did my Master’s and Ph.D. in Social Work. Read more>>
Andrea Robinson (New 2 You)
In 2003, a group of leaders from Grand Rapids Christian Schools brainstormed the idea of creating a thrift store to raise money for tuition assistance for families. In the months following, these pioneers bought a building, recruited volunteers, collected donations, and prepared New 2 You to be a fully-functioning store. In summer 2004, New 2 You opened its doors at 2929 29th Street in Kentwood. Read more>>
Gloria Chou
I used to be a US diplomat. On paper it was the destination, the stable government job with the pension, the kind of success my immigrant mom could feel proud of. Inside, it was draining me. I left at 31, in 2016 without a plan. I left because I couldn’t keep spending my days in something that hollowed me out. Read more>>
Amanda Owens
The Holy Grounds story really starts back in 2017, my family was living in Saginaw at the time where I managed the Family Christian Bookstore, and my husband and I were enjoying life with our 5 kiddos. Everything changed when the bookstores announced they were closing all of their locations. I was devastated. Read more>>
Kaela Wabanimkee-Harris, LLMSW
Kaela Harris, also known as Kaela Wabanimkee-Harris is an Anishinaabe from Northern Michigan. She comes from a beautiful mixed lineage of Afro-Indigenous and European ancestors. Kaela graduated from Wayne State University in Detroit, MI where she obtained a master’s degree in social work. She was in the Innovation in the Community, Policy, and Leadership (ICPL) program. Read more>>
LOLO KNOWS
My creative journey has never been limited to one lane. My name is Laura Mary Mangual, and I create under the artist name LOLO KNOWS. I am a DJ, music producer, abstract expressionist artist, licensed massage therapist, advanced esthetician, and wellness advocate. Read more>>
Ryan Dietiker
I’m Ryan Dietiker, a barber and entrepreneur out of metro Detroit. I own Forefathers Grooming, a barbershop in Sterling Heights, and I’m the founder of Noble Product Co., a men’s grooming brand focused on skin-first beard and skin care in Ferndale Michigan. I got into hair because of my wife. Read more>>
Whitney Shelby
I’m a Detroit native, community advocate, and the Founder of The Shelby Foundation of Detroit. My journey has been shaped by both professional growth and personal challenges, including living with Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS). After years of searching for answers before receiving my diagnosis, I became passionate about advocacy, education, and creating spaces where people feel seen and supported. Read more>>
Eboni Pullins
I started out in the hair industry as a “Braider” out of my studio apartment in downtown Detroit in 2015. At that time it was a side hustle as I pursued other creative pursuits. Read more>>
Calvin Nellum
I grew up in New Orleans, raised by a single mother who dedicated her career to education in the New Orleans public school system. Watching her serve others gave me an early appreciation for the impact a great teacher can have. When Hurricane Katrina hit, I was just 13 years old. Overnight, everything I knew my neighborhood, my school, my friends was gone. Read more>>
Isabelle Aver
In 2019 my mom sent me to go get a facial while she was sick in hospice. I felt guilty leaving her side but looking back I’m so glad she did. The facial I got was with a lovely facialist, S.J., and what really made that facial so special was the weight lifted off my shoulders by the end. Read more>>
Marco Conte
Marco Conte is originally from the suburbs of Detroit and worked in the kitchens of his family’s restaurants. His grandparents opened one of the first pizzerias in Detroit. Marco’s grandmother, Santina, taught him the basics of classic Italian cooking in the restaurant kitchen and at home. Summers were spent in Ponza, Italy, where catching and cooking Mediterranean seafood came naturally. Read more>>
Danielle Paquin
I started my company 9 years ago after burn out and corporate life no longer suited me. I was revived by doing something creative and going back to what I love, art, and the expression of art through makeup. I was taught the skill of makeup artistry and skincare in my younger years and it ultimately became where my passion lies. Read more>>
Dr. Felicia Moses, PhD
My career has been a journey of growth, resilience, perseverance, and purpose. I began my professional career in banking, first with Manufacturers Bank, now known as J.P. Morgan Chase, where I spent 10 years developing strong client relationships and gaining valuable professional experience. In 1997, I accepted a position with the United States District Court, where I served for 21 years in various roles. Read more>>
Casey Jackson
I started Aloha Aesthetic because I knew there was a different way to approach aesthetics. After years of working as an injector and coming from a plastic surgery background, I wanted to create a space where patients felt seen, educated, and safe… not judged, pressured, or sold to. Read more>>
Sabin Prentis Duncan
Fielding Books is the current manifestation of my entrepreneurial experience. Initially, I ran an educational consulting business that provided workshops for beginning teachers. At some point, I had the idea to compile the blog posts I had written into a small book. Back then, consulting was primary, and writing was secondary. But soon those priorities swapped positions. Read more>>
Mary Mar
I’m Mary Mar aka BGIRL MAMA – a Detroit-based singer, songwriter, dancer, choreographer, and proud Khmer Muslimah. Honestly, my story has been less of a straight line and more of freestyle dancing! I grew up in a big Cambodian family where music and dancing were just part of everyday life. Read more>>
Kolby Williamson
KolbyKo, LLC has definitely evolved over the years. When I first started my business, I offered virtual assistant services, helping entrepreneurs with administrative tasks, organization, and marketing support. I loved being able to take work off business owners’ plates so they could focus on growing their companies. Read more>>
Amanda Fleurantin
My journey started with three Border Collie brothers, Maize, Maverick, and Goose, who completely changed my life. Each has such a different personality, and sharing those personalities with the world is what truly sparked MMG Border Collies. Like many pet parents, I began sharing little moments of our everyday life online simply because I was obsessed with them and loved documenting our adventures. Read more>>
Abby Clear
I grew up in Traverse City, Michigan, and from an early age I was surrounded by entrepreneurship. My dad is a businessman, and watching him build companies and solve problems inspired me to dream about one day creating something of my own. Read more>>
Laura Bevier
Looking back, it feels like the stars aligned at exactly the right time. After nearly 20 years in recruiting, sales, human resources, and leadership, I was ready to build something of my own. I loved helping organizations build strong teams and develop people, but I wanted to create something that would make a lasting impact in my own community. Read more>>
Alex Weiss
I’ve always considered myself a maker. When I was growing up in East Grand Rapids, my friends and I would always have some sort of project in the works. Whether it was a YouTube video, our next video game run, or a new arrangement for the brass quartet, we were always creating something. Meanwhile, I was also your typical band geek and theatre kid. Read more>>
Devan
I’ve always loved trying new restaurants, foods, and cocktails. My dad was a chef, so I grew up around great food, and I think that’s really where my love for it all started. I’ve always been the person posting my meals and sharing places I go, but one day I decided to turn it into a food blog. Read more>>
Jake Baragrey
Years ago I was a master mechanic. As age set in and repairs became more difficult and complicated I sought a change. I essentially took what was the easiest part of my of my job and made a full time thing out of it. I decided to make the most basic part of automotive maintenance that people pay good money for my primary venture. Read more>>
