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.
Cailin Williams
Underdog Rescue Ranch is a 501c3 foster-based dog rescue committed to providing a safe haven for homeless, neglected, and abused dogs in need of a second chance at life. We protect and advocate for every dog in our care, provide animal welfare education and awareness to the community. Read more>>
Meghan Merkey
I was fortunate to grow up in a house where creativity was encouraged and nurtured. I always had a fun creative project to work on and when my family moved to Michigan, we ended up in Houghton where there happened to be a great Art Center. My parents enrolled me in a clay class and I was hooked. Read more>>
Antoine Crowder
My Journey to Restorative Life Solutions My journey into restorative work started during my time at HFA/UPAD, where I had the opportunity to learn under Dr. Curtis Lewis. His teachings helped me understand that behavior is connected to relationships, experiences, and unmet needs—and that accountability can exist alongside connection. My personal journey made those lessons real. Read more>>
Jeana Anderson-Cohen
“Justin and I come from sort of different corners of the business world! I’ve spent my career in marketing, storytelling and community building, including founding aSweatLife, while his background is in operations, growth and real estate. At the end of the day, though, our different strengths have really balanced each other and helped bring Petite Acres to life. Read more>>
Mariana Durst
I’ve been an entrepreneur for a little over 20 years. And as anyone with a creative vision and a desire for independence, the road to here has been winding. It started shortly after getting my BFA from the College for Creative Studies in Detroit. Read more>>
William Carter
I’ve loved sports for as long as I can remember, but football has always been my favorite. Even before I played organized football, I was always playing with a football. I had one of those little sets with the basketball, soccer ball, and football, and I would take the football everywhere. Read more>>
Stacey Goodson
I studied at Grand Valley State University to obtain my Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice, thinking I wanted to be a police officer. One of my professors recommended I volunteer with a program called CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), and this recommendation changed the trajectory of my career. Read more>>
Jack Hoyle
I first fell in love with photography in my early teens after picking up my mum’s old Pentax film camera. It didn’t take long before it became an obsession. I spent hours poring over photography books and the work of photographers like Robert Capa, Martin Parr and Henri Cartier-Bresson, especially the incredible Magnum collections. Read more>>
Terry Ayrault
I was born outside of Detroit and have lived around the city for the majority of my life. I grew up here, in the shadow of Detroit’s Renaissance Center. A city enriched by the Motown sound and the familiar rev of automobile engines. Read more>>
Aleah Safago
I’ve always been an artist in many mediums like painting, drawing, sculpting and embroidery. I went to school for illustration at NMC, around the same time my husband joined the Air Force and was stationed in California. Read more>>
Andy Gutman
My story really starts with my grandfather, Albert Gutman. He was one of those classic Detroit entrepreneurs — someone who built something out of nothing and believed in this city long before ‘Detroit comeback’ was a headline. Read more>>
Logan Carlson
I’m Logan Carlson. I live in Plymouth, Michigan with my wife Kristen, and I’ve spent most of my adult life moving between two worlds people assume are opposites: machines and men. I’m a technologist, a coach, a writer, and a lifter, and all of those live in one person. The day job is IT. Read more>>
Lynch Travis
I grew up in West Englewood, Chicago, in a robust community that offered a variety of activities including, arts and athletics and that stresses and supported educational achievement. Read more>>
Miles Brockman
My journey as an Automotive Detailing Specialist started roughly around 2019. It started off as something I did for fun, but eventually blossomed into a business. While I still have a long way to go and plenty of more things to learn. I am pleased with the success and the clientele that I have built over time. Read more>>
Jerome Forde
I’ve been playing music since I was a kid. I spent most of my teenage years writing songs and playing in different bands. In my early twenties I stepped away from music to focus on school, work, and family. It wasn’t until I was in my late thirties that I started writing songs again. I sent a few demos around to different labels. Read more>>
Christine Lucian
My journey into property taxes really started more than 16 years ago, and like a lot of the best things in life, I don’t think I could have predicted where it would eventually take me. I built my career working inside Michigan’s property tax system as an assessor. Read more>>
Elijah Dancer-rivera
My journey with Eli’s Custom Events has been a very personal one. What started as a passion for creating beautiful experiences has grown into a business that has become a huge part of who I am. I’ve always been someone who pays attention to the little details. Read more>>
Lauren Taormina
I was approached by a plaza owner who was trying to fill an old salon suite. He heard I was interested in opening a salon, I was but didnt know anything about running a business, I hadn’t been a hairdresser for very long and I didn’t have a clientele. Read more>>
Chris & Kisha Hancock
We are both Detroit natives, born and raised in the city we’re proud to call home. We’ve been married now for six years and long before becoming business partners, we were entrepreneurs individually. Our tax company is the first venture we started together. Read more>>
Sabrina Niebrzydowski
I started in the beauty industry during high school in 2001. I had always liked getting my nails done and my interest just grew from there. In 2005 I started working at a salon where I learned and grew so much. My goal was to open my own salon and help other professionals which I did in 2016. Read more>>
Carmem Gusmao
I am doing art for 50 years ! I began in Brasil where I was born then move to America 24 years ago became American citizen and together I use art and psychological tips to do art therapy and help people with traumas , anxiety an panic síndrome to release they fear. Read more>>
Apostle Prophetess Dr. Shekanah Hill-Tetteh
My journey has never been about chasing titles or recognition—it has always been about answering God’s call and serving people. Before I became an author, counselor, speaker, and ministry leader, I was simply a little girl who loved God but had to discover His purpose for my own life. Read more>>
Beatrice Tisot
Blooming Bea was born from a moment of listening to myself. After more than twenty years working in the world of communications and advertising, I felt the need to slow down, shift my perspective, and find something that would bring me closer to nature and to working with my hands. Read more>>
Tashera White
My story in entertainment started when I was five years old. I began with John Casablancas as a kid model, and that was my first real introduction to the entertainment industry. At five, I didn’t understand how big the world could be. I just knew that I loved being in front of the camera. Read more>>
Michelle Sider
My journey as an artist has been anything but linear, and I think that is an important part of my story. I earned my BFA from the University of Michigan in 1982, but my path soon expanded beyond the studio. I went on to earn a Master’s and Ph.D. Read more>>
Rodger Penzabene
Being an entrepreneur and jazz enthusiasts and a Detroit native I wanted to revive WJZZ Detroit Jazz Radio which is the worlds oldest jazz station. I enjoy producing and promoting events and have reestablished the WJZZ brand as a full service media group and it my ambition to build it into the most recognizable and successful jazz culture brand in the world. Read more>>
Bryce Williams
My story is definitely different from a lot of others. I was raised in a family where sports were our everyday outlet. From a very young age, my brothers and I were taught teamwork, unity, discipline, and, most importantly, diligence. Those qualities weren’t things I learned from playing just one sport; they became the foundation of everything I participated in. Read more>>
Christina McElwee
My background has really always been rooted in education. I’ve spent my career teaching and working with students of all levels and supporting colleagues in their growth and development as educators. But during COVID, like so many other educators, I struggled to find the joy and fulfillment I’d once found in teaching. Read more>>
Zena Samona-Ibrahim
I’ve always had a passion for education, creativity, and helping others. I earned my Master’s in Education from the University of Michigan and spent about 15 years teaching middle school science. Then motherhood changed the direction of my story in the best way. Read more>>
Jane Dabish
I satudied media productions at William D. Ford Technology there I made 12 short animated films in 2 years. Then I started an art club 1995 titled The Animation Network Club and Ken Southworth was my 1st guest speaker from the American Animation institute in North Hollywood California. He spoke about the Art of Animation and demonstrated his drawing skills. Read more>>
Ashley S. Hattle
Writing has always been my calling. I was a staff writer for many years, then a senior editor, and have two published books—one of which won two awards. In 2024, I made a career change from marketing and journalism to the literary world of fiction and nonfiction as an established writer and editor. Read more>>
Ken Macgregor
For the longest time, I wanted to be a professional actor. I’ve done a lot of both community and professional theater, sketch and improv comedy, some TV and Radio, and a fair bit of film. Read more>>
Hailey Markus
Part of Your Broadway World Podcast began with a simple idea: I wanted to create a space where my love of Broadway and Disney could come together, while also giving performers, creatives, and people behind the scenes an opportunity to share their stories. What started as a passion project has grown into something I never could have imagined when I first began. Read more>>
Jacy Kirby
My name is Jacy Kirby and I am a multiple award winning author. I currently have four published books of poetry; three of them being in the mental health space and one being in the romance. I have always had a passion for writing and/or storytelling. Read more>>
Anja Stout
I first got interested in sourdough bread when in about 2021 my friend gave me a starter that I promptly killed. I scratched my head and said to myself, ‘Why is this so difficult?’ I thought the best way to learn sourdough was to dive in headfirst into making my own starter of which I repeatedly failed and failed and failed. Read more>>
Emerson Edgerly
I started making music when I was 10. My first song was a cover of a Juice Wrld song. I stopped for a while when I was 15 and started back up again halfway through my senior year after my friend asked me to manage him. I went through many artist names before I stuck with DEADB4EM Read more>>
Victoria Lewis
I started my career as an operating room nurse, where I regularly spent 10-12-hour shifts on my feet. Compression socks were something I needed, but I could never find a pair I actually liked wearing. Most were made from synthetic materials that felt hot and irritating, and the designs either felt boring and medical or like an afterthought. Read more>>
Kitty Pawell
A story from the storyteller! How fun! Well, where to begin. I’ve been able to read since the age of two. Both my mother and grandmother always supplied me with books. Whether it was trips to the local library or to Borders (my favorite bookstore even though they’re gone now). At age five I wanted to make my own adventures. Read more>>
Kateeshaa Adams
I was blessed to be raised in a Christian home alongside my mother, father, and three sisters. As the youngest in our family, I was undeniably the baby and yes, I was a little spoiled and quite accustomed to getting my way. More importantly, I was raised in an environment where family, faith, values, and presentation mattered. Read more>>
Arbri Hamzallari
I studied Computer Engineering at Epoka University, graduating in June 2026, but the honest truth is I never saw myself as someone who’d be happy just writing code for a paycheck. I picked software engineering because it was a calculated move, it opened doors, but business has always been the real pull for me, and that pull goes back further than university. Read more>>
Jasmine Lynch
We are an organization founded by two individuals who simply share a passion for helping and uplifting youth in our community, with no other motives or intentions. Our vision began with a genuine desire to make a positive impact by connecting young people with meaningful resources and opportunities. Read more>>
vernon carter
Where did I get started with Videography?! – That would’ve been at East Kentwood Highlschool in about 2010. I was apart of the schools Audio/Visual team who was in charge of putting together the new cast for the school. Read more>>
