Hidden Gems: Local Businesses & Creatives You Should Know

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.

Alex Llerena

I started Ultimate Transport, LLC in August 2016, coming from a family that had long been involved in the tile industry. Wanting to build something of my own, I began learning the logistics side of the tile business, which quickly grew into a passion and led to the creation of Ultimate Transport. Read more>>

Harley Spencer

I’m an artist and the creator of the animated series Wild Luna. My art has always been caricature-driven and cartoon-inspired, with a nostalgic touch of the ’80s. While painting has always been my main focus, I had been developing the idea for Wild Luna, an animated series, in the background for several years. Eventually, Luna came to life. Read more>>

Jamiu Salaudeen

My journey began as a local business owner in Nigeria where I realized that most founders were not struggling with a lack of effort but rather a lack of organized support. I saw talented people managing every part of their marketing, operations, and sales manually which inevitably led to a limit in their growth. Read more>>

Bruna Iasi

I was born and raised in São Paulo, Brazil, where I built my first career as a clinical nutritionist. For six years, I worked in a hospital setting, drawn to the quiet, meaningful impact of helping people care for their health. It was work I loved—grounded, purposeful, and deeply human. Read more>>

Mariana Munoz Serna

I spent almost a decade in the world of clinical research working with biotech companies in Silicon Valley and Miami on the trials that bring drugs to market. I was good at it, I was growing professionally, and from the outside it looked like everything was on track. But inside, I was exhausted in a way I couldn’t explain. I had completely abandoned my health. Read more>>

Julia Grosu

My name is Julia Grosu, and I’m an entrepreneur based in Miami specializing in e-commerce. I built my business primarily through platforms like Etsy and Shopify, focusing on personalized products, especially in the bridal and gifting space. Today, I run multiple online stores, manage a warehouse in Miami, and lead a team that fulfills hundreds of orders. But my journey didn’t start this way. Read more>>

Morgan Oughton

My story began with little more than blind faith. I never really knew where I was going or what I was doing, but I did believe that if I kept going it would lead me somewhere that I wanted to be. What sounds like a vague statement has turned out to be my greatest compass in life. Read more>>

Shawna Camilleri

My journey began through personal loss, which completely shifted how I understood grief and support. What I experienced was that while people genuinely care, they often don’t know how to show up—and that gap can make an already difficult time feel even more isolating. From that, I created Keenan’s Caring Konnections, a space centered around connection, conversation, and understanding. Read more>>

Marianela Pérez

I Started painting a long time ago. I’m originally from Venezuela and I entered the world of art simply accepting that it was something I deeply loved and were I truly felt like myself. I come from a background in environmental design and comercial art, which gave me a strong foundation in composition, color, and visual thinking. Read more>>

Carlota Roby

I’m originally from Venezuela. I moved to Miami as a teenager, returned to Venezuela, and then lived across Europe and Asia before coming back to the U.S. I am now based in Washington D.C. but I’m always connected to Miami. Read more>>

Golden Vibes Counseling Center

Golden Vibes began from a deep calling to create something different—a collaborative, supportive, and inspiring workspace where therapists could truly connect, uplift one another, and grow together. What started with just a few clinicians who shared this vision has evolved into a dynamic community of exceptional therapists, each bringing their own unique specialty and niche, while also embracing collaboration and cross-referrals to better support clients. Read more>>

Carlos Eduardo Martinez LLanos (Patafunk / Carlos Llanos)

Carlos Eduardo Martinez Llanos (Patafunk / Carlos Llanos) Carlos Eduardo Martinez Llanos is a multifaceted Venezuelan artist, DJ, and producer currently based in Miami Beach. With a career spanning decades and continents, he has successfully bifurcated his creative output into two distinct identities: the electronic explorer Patafunk and the singer-songwriter Carlos Llanos. Read more>>

lance minto-strouse

It all started in middle school, when my friend Imhotep invited me to an after-school program called MOCA Teen Art Force. That was the first time art really opened up for me. Through the junior docent program, I began to understand that art wasn’t just about painting, it was about research, process, and thinking. Read more>>

Martha Oman

Martha Omaña is a clinical psychologist, Integrative Health Coach, and mental wellness consultant, with an approach that integrates mind and body as one unified system. Born in the Venezuelan Andes, her story is shaped by an early experience with anxiety and, later, by the process of immigration and rebuilding her life from the ground up. Read more>>

Kadiann Atkinson

This year, on October 13 i will celebrate 13 years since I migrated to South Florida from my beautiful island of Jamaica. I was in my early thirties when i moved to Broward county. And like so many other Caribbean immigrants’ who settled in this country, I have had to: move house and transition between jobs several times; experience joys, heartbreak and setbacks. Read more>>

Vanessa Thompson

I started this journey as an actor, stage manager, and director, working with many theatre companies in South Florida. After several years of being part of amazing projects, I felt it was time to create my own space. I wanted to build a place where artists of all ages felt at home to learn, create, and perform. Read more>>

YOUNI-T AKA NICOLE JONJAK

It all began at age 5 when I began singing in the church choir in a little tiny town (only 2000 people) called Hayward in Wisconsin. From there, school performances, band, choir, and music competitions. Read more>>

Anaïs & Joris Allain

We met in 2017 when we first came to Florida to work at Walt Disney World for the international program. Joris was a baker, and I was working as a seller in the bakery. We were both part of the French Pavilion at Epcot. Read more>>

Anita Braham

I’ve spent most of my career working at the intersection of arts, programming, and community. I started out in the museum world and spent about a decade at Pérez Art Museum Miami, where I was really focused on building public programs and finding ways to connect people to art in meaningful, accessible ways. Read more>>

Melissa McNamee

I didn’t start out in fitness at all; I’m actually an immigration attorney, and I’ve spent over 25 years building my law practice. My life has always been very high-pressure, very structured, and very focused on helping other people navigate difficult situations. Pilates became something I turned to personally. It started as a way to manage stress, but it quickly became much more than that. Read more>>

TNDR Beauty

My journey into skincare really started through my background in holistic health and wellness. I’ve always been drawn to understanding how the body heals as a whole, which naturally led me into aesthetics. I’ve worked in the spa industry for over 8 years as a spa manager, where I gained a strong foundation in both the business and treatment side of the industry. Read more>>

Sar’aia Aquamina

I started my content creation journey on February 1, 2025, and it’s been an incredible ride ever since. I got my start by attending various brand activations and pop-up events, which helped me connect with amazing brands and showcase my unique style and personality. From a young age, I’ve always known I was different. Read more>>

Veljko Vex Dronjak

I started my journey with a deep curiosity for storytelling and visual expression, which led me to study filmmaking in Los Angeles, where I completed both my BFA and MFA degrees. Being in that environment allowed me to develop not only as a filmmaker, but also to understand the business side of the industry. Read more>>

Nicole Bronson

My journey with Anointed Florist & Gift Shop, LLC began at a very young age. I entered the floral industry at just 12 years old, where I discovered my passion for creativity and the joy that comes from bringing beauty into people’s lives through flowers and thoughtful gifts. Read more>>

Kathy Sierra

I’ve always been drawn to design and the way a space can influence how we live and feel. What started as a natural interest in interiors gradually became a clear path, leading me to build Area Studio in Miami. Read more>>

Derek Francis

If I had to describe my journey in one sentence, it would be this: ‘I am always building… life has been about learning how to connect the dots—and more importantly, how to connect with people.’ I was born in Brooklyn, New York, and raised in the Dominican Republic. From an early age, I was shaped by two very different but equally powerful influences. Read more>>

David Paul

Hi my name is David Paul and this is my story. I never wanted to own a business because I knew I’d never be able to just put it away but that became my favorite part of owning a business. My childhood bestfriend asked me if I’d be interested in started a photo booth business. Read more>>

Anny and Nicole Carvalho

Tiny Artisan Events really began in a very personal season of life. I (Anny) had two children back-to-back, and like many parents, I was navigating the challenge of caring for a newborn while also keeping my toddler engaged and fulfilled. Read more>>

Chef Christopher Wanna

I’ve loved cooking for as long as I can remember. As a kid, I was always in the kitchen experimenting, making meals for my family, and learning how ingredients work together. That early passion led me to work at the Setai in Miami, where I really honed my skills and learned the standards of quality, precision, and consistency that professional kitchens demand. Read more>>

Nicole Pierce Church

My story begins as a little girl who fell in love with swimming while growing up in Rockaway Beach, New York. The ocean and water were a huge part of my life, and that passion led me to become a competitive swimmer. In 2006, I moved to South Florida to continue pursuing the sport—and that’s where my life in aquatics truly took off. Read more>>

Kirkland Bodie

MicroBurstMedia, also known as M.B.M., is a growing digital marketing network based in Broward County, Florida. Read more>>

Jah-Nelle Miller

I’m a Miami native, a nurse, CPR instructor, and entrepreneur whose journey has been shaped by resilience, growth, and a deep commitment to serving others. I began my career in healthcare as a Certified Nursing Assistant, where I discovered my passion for hands-on care and supporting people during vulnerable moments. Read more>>

Yael Myers

I’m originally from Bethesda, Maryland and a product of the excellent public school system there. My father was a diplomat with the State Department and my Mom was an Internist, like me. I set off to Princeton University in the fall on 1987 and graduated with honors in Psychology. Read more>>

Laura Longmore

I got my start a few years after graduating from fashion school in LA, while I was building what began as a small fashion brand. From the beginning, my focus was rooted in sustainability. I was really passionate about avoiding synthetics and creating something more intentional and better for both people and the planet. Read more>>

Peter Maximilian HM

Originally from Indonesia, with residential experiences in Iraq, The UAE, The Netherlands, Germany, Finland, Sweden, Spain, Aruba, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, California, New Mexico, and mostly in Florida, I initially set up shop in DT Hollywood, FL in 1990: Educational and Linguistic Services via ICLA, LIA, and presently TESOL-EDU Services —an online program that offers the LAT-TESOL course for International and National TEFL Certification. Read more>>

Daniel Benitez

After many years working across venture capital and private equity, I developed a disciplined approach to investing—one rooted in long-term value creation, rigorous underwriting, and strategic execution. That foundation ultimately led to the creation of Grove Development Group, with the goal of expanding that investment philosophy into the built environment. Read more>>

Agustina Srur

I’m Argentinian! But I grew up from age 5 in Atlanta, GA. Growing up in the suburbs of a very different culture was tough at a young age. Miami has always been bilingual, always been welcoming of other nationalities, but Atlanta wasn’t like that – especially 20+ years ago. Read more>>