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.
Marisol Blanco
I felt a special connection to both kids and older adults. There’s something about their honesty, their stories, and the way they let you into their world that really stayed with me. Growing up with loving grandparents and an extended circle of family/friends taught me early on what compassion, respect, and genuine curiosity can mean to people. It can help them grow, feel worthy, and see themselves and others differently. Read more>>
Diane Vich
I started my journey in healthcare nearly 20 years ago as a pediatric emergency room nurse, driven by a deep desire to serve marginalized communities. That passion was sparked even earlier—during a high school mission trip to the Dominican Republic, where I provided care to families in remote mountain villages. That experience lit a fire in me to lead with compassion and purpose. Read more>>
Elise Chantelle
I’ve been singing since I was about 10 or 11 and took vocal lessons at the Kendall Conservatory of Music near where I grew up. Back then, I was obsessed with the pop sounds of Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, and other icons. Read more>>
Abel Sanchez
This all led to my brand, The Miami Stadium Collection (Est 2020) born with a single shirt dropped during pandemic, five years later it is a legit local brand and business, I’ve shipped shirts all across the country and even earned my own section at Shoe Gallery Miami, a local institution, again, I’m truly blessed, especially given how it all happened so organically Read more>>
Ulpiana Ortega
Casa Monarca is a family-owned business made up of five dedicated members who share a long history in the hospitality industry, specifically in Mexican restaurants. Our journey began in New Hampshire, where we spent years building experience and dreaming of one day opening our own place. Read more>>
Jeramy Pritchett
My wife has been a part of the business for over 28 years. First working the front desk while in Grad School. Then becoming a partner and then for the last 20 years being a sole owner. Unfortunately, she was hit by a car walking across the street about 15 years ago and really struggled with her health after that. Read more>>
Ana Teran
Our agency’s story began in 2010 in the Doral area, but its roots go back even further. My mother, Rosa Alamino, started her insurance career in 2000, working for an independent agency and learning firsthand what it meant to truly advocate for clients. Read more>>
morgan theodore
I began my career working in my family law firm. My father has been an attorney for over 40 years in South Florida and was a brilliant trial attorney. When I graduated law school, he needed help with the commercial and intellectual property side of his business. Read more>>
Jena Langer
My love for photography started early, inspired by my father, who never left home without his camera. In high school, I spent three years on the yearbook team, capturing moments and events around campus. Then in 2011, my husband gifted me my first DSLR, and I began photographing friends and family who wanted to preserve their memories. Read more>>
Alicia Villamarin
My business partner and I have traveled extensively to remote areas worldwide, providing Chinese Medicine services. We noticed the need for cost-effective healthcare and realized that training local people was more beneficial than one-time clinics. This led us to create a non-profit organization in 2014, using the ‘Barefoot Doctor Model’ to teach healthcare skills. Read more>>
Bridget Hough
I have been a massage therapist for over 17 years. I trained at the National Holistic School of Massage Therapy in San Jose, CA. I opened my own massage studio 3.5 years ago and it’s been the best decision I’ve ever made, only wish I had done it sooner. Read more>>
Yuliia Kononova
I’m Yuliia Kononova, founder of JK Accounting Group Corp., a tax advisory firm serving small and mid-sized businesses. I moved to the United States from Ukraine in 2014 and began my career as a corporate accountant, where I spent more than eight years building a strong foundation in financial operations, reporting, and compliance. Read more>>
Avelin Babel
I started Miami Pilates after moving to Miami from New York during covid. I have been practicing pilates in New York since 2010 and have loved and appreciated what pilates did for my body. Read more>>
MaryAnn Braun
Right now, I am a lawyer in private practice and amateur comedian on the side. I have my own firm MABRAUN LEGAL, PLLC. My specialty is criminal defense. Previously, I was a government lawyer for 18 years. After that I decided I wanted to work with private clients and be my own boss. Read more>>
Inesa Salei
My commitment to medicine began in Belarus, where, as an only child, I was instilled with the unwavering support of my loving parents and an innate, unshakeable sense that I was born to be a physician. After graduating from medical school in Minsk, my focus never wavered. Read more>>
Loyalty Vendding LLC
The idea of starting a business began when we moved in our first apartment in Miami. We both had a commission based jobs and when slow season hit, it hit hard. We started looking up ideas to start passive side hustles. The first idea was to start a car renting business but we figured that was too high risk for us at that time. Read more>>
Skoti Brendel
“Today, we are laser-focused on leading the conversation around spatial computing in the enterprise sector. We’ve moved from theoretical concepts to solving high-stakes, real-world problems—like controlling multi-million dollar robotics with a simple hand gesture. Every successful project reinforces our mission: to break the glass pane and build a more accessible, context-aware digital future. That journey, from pushing pixels on a screen to architecting holographic space, is how we arrived here today.” Read more>>
Donald Worth
The Marine Stadium is widely considered to be an architectural marvel. When it was built, it featured the longest span of cantilevered concrete in the world. Before it was shuttered in 1992 after Hurricane Andrew (note: it was not damaged by the Hurricane) it hosted everything from boat races to rock and classical concerts to community events. Anyone who has ever been to the Stadium will tell you that it is truly a magical place, a stunningly unique venue. Read more>>
Jesula Maignan
I started in middle school doing hair in the bathroom females who are in need of hair grooming but couldn’t pay for a precessional and at that time I wanted to get into the groove of bring the inner beauty to the outter world of there affirmation Read more>>
Marek Schneider
Here is how it all started in JUne 2025: Hello friends! I’m beyond excited to share that my first solo project is finally here! This journey has been a heartfelt adventure, filled with the rhythms of nature and the depths of my spirit. I can’t wait for you to experience it with me. Read more>>
Omar Santos
Omar Santos grew up in Saint Croix, a U.S. Virgin Island. As a child, Santos was exposed to the aviation industry through his family and friends, growing his fascination of aviation and influencing his decision to pursue the field. In Florida, he attended a community college to understand what a career as an aviation maintenance technician would look like before attending Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Read more>>
Muche Ukegbu
I was born in dead in every sense of the word. The doctors frantically rushed to resuscitate me as my family begged God to spare their second born. God in His mercy did, and thus I was named Onyemauchechukwu Azunna Ukegbu, which translated means no one knows God’s mind. Read more>>
Gabriela Cabrera
After graduating with a degree in international affairs and economics, I stepped into a sales role, mostly because I wasn’t yet sure what direction I wanted my life to take. When COVID hit, everything paused, and like many people, I was given a lot of time and space to reflect. Read more>>
Paulina Hurtado
I was born and raised in Quito, Ecuador. My family migrated to the US when I was 18 years old. For as long as I can remember, I’ve had a vision of starting my own business and becoming an entrepreneur. My career originally started in banking. After some time as a banker, I began exploring the idea of getting my mortgage license. Read more>>
Keith Case
I dipped Skoal Bandits when I was in kindergarten and broke Rusty Meeks’ watch on the playground after I body slammed him. Felt guilty about both, hard not to when they have the Bible Belt tightened around you in the South. Smoked Camel Lights in my tree house and shot fireworks at cop cars on the weekends to get them to chase us for entertainment. Read more>>
Dr Bernard Wh Jenningsz
Driven by a deeply personal experience, I emerged as a passionate advocate for fathers’ rights and family unity. My journey began when my child’s mother decided to withhold co-parenting responsibilities and relocated our child without my knowledge or consent. Faced with the challenges of an unwed father seeking legal redress, I discovered a systemic issue that resonated with countless fathers across Florida and the nation. Read more>>
Chanell Solace
Sure — my story is anything but traditional. I didn’t grow up with a safety net, so I learned early how to rely on myself, improvise, and figure life out the hard way. From the time I was 16, I moved through a lot of different places and situations, and each one taught me something about resilience, resourcefulness, and paying attention to the bigger picture. Read more>>
Jose Flores
I was born with a neuromuscular condition called spinal muscular atrophy, so I’ve pretty much been fighting against limitations my whole life. As a kid, I walked with a limp, then used a scooter, then a wheelchair full-time. For a long time, I saw my wheelchair as a reminder of everything I couldn’t do. Read more>>
Alina F. Nuñez, Esq.
I was never one of those individuals who always knew they wanted to be a lawyer. In fact, I wanted to be an actress. But once I started working at my first law firm at the age of 18, I started to realize that maybe being a lawyer wasn’t such a bad career choice. Read more>>
Lelene Valentin
I didn’t even start out silk pressing hair. Wild, right? It all started simply with life happening. I knew I had a real gift for braiding, so I took that vision and ran with it. From my living room chair to working solo in a tiny shop, that little dream eventually grew into the luxury experience now known as Silkpress Express. Read more>>
Brittany Williams
As a little girl through high school, I helped my grandmother with her orders. When she passed, I took her over business on a much smaller scale. It wasn’t until a high school friend of mine opened a food truck and asked me to provide the desserts did I really begin to bake full-time. Read more>>
Julio J. Figueroa
I am Julio J. Figueroa, a botanical illustrator born and raised in Havana, Cuba. I began my career as a scientific illustrator at the Faculty of Biology at the University of Havana, a role that laid the foundation for my lifelong dedication to botanical art. Read more>>
Hailu Jardines
My professional background has always been rooted in business. After moving to Miami in 2012, I slightly changed my career and pursued a master’s degree in accounting at Florida International University, eventually earning my CPA license. Although my career began in a very traditional finance and accounting path, it ultimately set the foundation for what I do today. Read more>>
Ken Lorber
I left college, as a Mass Comm major, just six credits short of receiving a diploma. With a steadfast passion for the Television Production industry, I jumped at the chance to work in the real world of TV, left college, took the job, and never looked back. Read more>>
Luis Alvarez
My journey in real estate and construction actually started in the most unexpected place, a taco restaurant during Covid. I was sitting at the bar at Baja Cafe when I overheard a man talking about Jacksonville, Florida. What caught my attention wasn’t the city itself, but how he described the real estate market there: affordable purchase prices, strong rents, and opportunities for growth. Read more>>
Xelda XO Guerra
My name is Xelda XO Guerra. I am 8 years old and I am an Elite Cheerleader for Top Gun Miami. I first started cheering when I was about 4 years old. I was introduced to the sport through my mom who also cheered many years ago. Read more>>
Rosario Gerena
Special Mothers in Action began with a sudden spark, a revelation that hit our founder Rosario Gerena one evening while she was having dinner. In that moment she envisioned a space where mothers of children with special needs could come together, be supported, and empowered. She grabbed a napkin and quickly jotted down the ideas that would become the foundation we know today. Read more>>
Dr. Jeanne Assinthe
My journey is deeply intertwined with the mission of Amitie Wellness. It began not just in academic halls, but in the lived experiences of communities often overlooked by traditional systems. Read more>>
Mario Leon
I am a long-time Miami resident with a diverse background in the luxury sector, I elevate the moving experience for clients, friends and investor in Miami-Dade County. I specialize in luxury properties and relocations in condominiums in Aventura, Sunny Isles, Miami Beach, North Miami Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Hallandale. Read more>>
Polly Hemstock
My journey has taken me through several careers – medicine, food product research, chef/restaurateur, food & wine sales and now travel advisor. I always had a strong interest in science, so after high school I trained as a medical laboratory technician. I got tired of working odd shifts and started looking for a “day job” and found myself working in a food product research lab. I found it very interesting and decided to go to school and get a degree for more options. Read more>>
Cristina Blanco
I began my journey in the arts as a young student of ballet, later expanding into other dance forms and musical theatre and production. Those early years shaped my foundation as an artist and instilled the curiosity and discipline that would guide my path. Read more>>
Andrew Escudero
I’ve always felt a deep connection to nature and the universe, but my artistic journey truly started 18 years ago after a transformative experience blending meditation and sensory deprivation. It shifted everything for me. I realized art could translate the clarity, insight, and awareness I felt into something visual that people could experience for themselves. Read more>>
