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.
Rich Rodríguez-Mahé
My story starts in Miami. I was born and raised here, educated at Belen Jesuit and later the University of Miami, where I earned a BBA in Marketing. Miami shaped the way I think about brands—diverse, ambitious, resourceful, and deeply entrepreneurial. Wanting to further develop both my strategic and leadership perspective, I went on to earn my MBA from Rollins College. Read more>>
Tamii Middlebrooks
My love for travel began when I was a kid, moving around as a military brat in places like Germany. I also lived in Hawaii in my early adult years. Trips to the Bahamas with my godfather during school breaks sparked my interest in the Caribbean. Read more>>
iani Silveira
Iani Silveira, MSN, FNP-BC, CPN, is the founder and visionary behind Bella Vida Aesthetics & Wellness, one of Miami’s premier destinations for concierge medical aesthetics and regenerative wellness. A master injector, family nurse practitioner, expert trainer, and innovator in the field, Iani has built her career around helping clients rediscover confidence through personalized, results-driven care grounded in trust. Read more>>
Angel Alvarez
I’ve been drawing since I could hold a crayon. Growing up, I was always “the artist,” and creativity was how I understood the world around me. Disney animation and classic illustration played a huge role in shaping my imagination early on, especially the way stories and emotion were communicated through art. My path to becoming a professional artist definitely wasn’t linear. Read more>>
Caitlin Collins
The story of Lupus Style Society really starts in my late 20s. At the time, I was living in NYC and was a practicing attorney. My future felt wide open. But when I was diagnosed with lupus, I had to take a medical leave of absence from my job. I couldn’t go out with my friends. Read more>>
Richardo Carr
I’m from Washington DC, A city where you can never let someone sit or walk behind you.A city full of hate jealousy and envy but that did not stop me from making a mark everyone will remember me for. Read more>>
Julio Batista
I was born in Cuba, La Habana, belong to the 80’s, generation X, analog and digital, rock, love, rockets, war and good films. Been studied arts since 1991 at my 11 years old and graduated from the National Academy of Fine Arts ‘San Alejandro’ Cuba in July of 1999. Read more>>
Leendah Adaka
I’ve always been that girl who loves to cock and to host my friends and family. One thing that stood out all the time we had guests, was the way I would prepare for the guests arrival, no matter how small or large the quorum was. Read more>>
Kyle P. McAuliffe
My path into the AV industry started in downtown Orlando as a DJ, where I regularly handled live sound systems between sets. A college friend recognized that skill set and encouraged me to move into corporate AV. Once he mentioned it, it was a wrap. Read more>>
Ross Pierre
Rev. Ross Pierre Sr. has not only excelled in what God has deposited in him, but has also raised the bar for vision, leadership, courage, civic responsibility, ecclesiastical intellect, and compassion to unfathomable levels. He matriculated respectively from Florida Memorial College, now University and majored in Exceptional Student Education and minored in Religious Education. Read more>>
Jack Lighton
From an early age, my parents instilled in me a deep love for the natural world. Like many of my generation, I grew up captivated by Jacques Cousteau, who brought the wonder of the ocean into our living rooms and sparked my lifelong fascination with the underwater world. Read more>>
Krystal and Giselle Leon and Fernandez
We took different paths into aesthetics, but both of us came from strong medical backgrounds that shaped how we practice today. From early on, Giselle knew aesthetics was where she wanted to be. One of her first professional experiences was working for a well known surgeon, Dr. Read more>>
Pasquale Marotta
My name is Pasquale Marotta, I was born in Napoli, Italy. I grew up in a family of entrepreneurs renowned for their ingenuity. I have continued this tradition through the MAROTTA brand. Our first location opened in Napoli, Italy with a factory specializing in luxury linen production. Read more>>
Michael Moran
Our firm began operations in 1973. We initially specialized in the design and fabrication of custom hardwood media cabinets. Our clients fully expected us to install the AV equipment. Fortunately, I was smitten by the audiophile affliction at a very young age and bought my first real audio system at the ripe old age of 14. Read more>>
Silvia Santilli
I moved to the United States from Brazil about ten years ago and had to rebuild both my personal and professional life from the ground up, adapting to a new culture, language, and professional environment. Before relocating, I had already built an entrepreneurial path in Brazil, owning and managing wellness businesses, so starting over did not diminish that mindset. Read more>>
Davina Kemp-Barton
I began my career in education in 2010. Shortly after graduating, I started as a classroom teacher, and a year later, I became a mother, which motivated me to want more, so I gradually worked my way up to roles including instructional coach and curriculum support specialist. Read more>>
jerome Abraham
My journey began in the South of France, growing up in the inspiring surroundings of Saint-Paul-de-Vence. I discovered my passion for cuisine early, stepping into my first kitchen at age 14. That spark led me to the Lycée Hôtelier Paul Augier in Nice, where I built my foundation in classical French techniques. Read more>>
Ariel Sapir
SPA Laundromat’s story begins in 2022. We were recently involved in a business deal that ended up not work out, and with COVID beginning to be left behind, the lookout was for a business that was both shock-proof and with involvement in community works. Read more>>
Azury Puig
My name is Azury Puig, I am from Nicaragua. I came to the United States when I was 23 years of age with a bachelor’s in business administration and with the knowing that I needed to prove myself in this new environment. Read more>>
Christian Chirino
My journey in hospitality has been shaped by a combination of world-class culinary exploration, operational leadership at scale, strategic business learning, and a passion for developing strong teams and successful concepts. After completing my bachelor’s degree, I moved to France to immerse myself in European culinary culture. Read more>>
Justine LeGault
I began my career in Montreal, where I was first scouted while working as an extra on The Aviator, directed by Martin Scorsese. At the time, I had studied filmmaking and was drawn to film sets simply to learn how they worked from the inside. One day someone asked if I was a model. Read more>>
Takia Brown
I started to learn how to cook at nine years old. As the oldest of three girls, nurturing came naturally to me, and cooking became one of the ways I expressed care for others. My Aunt Cynthia, also known as “Cookie” Brown, who helped raise me, was the first person to teach me how to treat people. Read more>>
Anthony Lobos
I started my framing career in 2014 when I was shoved into framing at Michael’s. After being a framing manager there for 4 years it was time for me to broaden my framing experience and I moved to manage a few custom frame shops around Miami. Read more>>
Gloria Vilchez
I started my Photo Booth journey in 2014 as a hobby, creating my first setup for my sister-in-law’s party using just a camera and a TV as a monitor. Seeing how much people enjoyed it inspired me to keep going. What began as a simple idea soon turned into a business. Read more>>
Dominic Aloma
I decided to become a physical therapist after injuring my knee while playing football shortly before graduating high school. During my recovery, I developed a deep appreciation for the rehabilitation process and how it not only restored my function, but ultimately made me stronger than I was before the injury. That experience sparked my passion for physical therapy and set the foundation for my career. Read more>>
Vichulada Pengsalood
I moved to the United States when I was 19 years old. At first, I worked in a restaurant simply to survive and support myself. I didn’t plan to build a career in restaurants back then, but over time I learned the business and grew to love it. Read more>>
Nichole L’vov
I am a Second Generation Master Pilates Teacher and owner of Pilates Unites Education Center in North Miami. I came to Pilates due to pain. I have scoliosis and after 5 months of bedrest during my pregnancy, I was in such pain, I could barely carry my son. My friend suggested I try Pilates and I found a local studio and tried a private lesson. Read more>>
Christian Romero
The idea for Wynwood Buggies was born years before it officially became a company. When I moved from Buenos Aires, Argentina to Miami in 2007, I immediately felt drawn to Wynwood. Back then, the neighborhood was raw, quiet, and full of potential — a place where only a handful of businesses operated, and where the artistic energy was beginning to take shape. Read more>>
Fabian Peña
I was born in Havana, Cuba, in 1976 and raised in the Cerro neighborhood by a humble, loving family. My early fascination with drawing, encouraged by my parents, led me to begin formal art studies at the age of eleven. It was 1988; shortly after, the Soviet Union and the socialist bloc in Eastern Europe would fall. Read more>>
