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.
Anthony González
We initially welcomed guests through platforms like Airbnb, Booking.com, and Vrbo, and as we grew, we decided to build our own website so we could present Garden of Manors exactly as we envisioned it, with more room to personalize the story, the design, and the full experience. Read more>>
Nataly Morales
My journey began with a deep love for animals and a personal realization that grooming could be so much more than just a service. Before founding Lollipaws Grooming, I experienced firsthand how stressful and emotionally damaging grooming could be for dogs. Read more>>
Ellana Katzberg
My journey in Early Childhood Education began at 19 years old when I enrolled in the Early Childhood Education program. Fresh out of high school, I knew with certainty that I wanted to work with young children. Supporting their growth during the most formative years of life felt like a calling, not just a career. Read more>>
Dardan Bela
I was born in Kosovo — a country shaped by war, resilience, and survival. My parents are war heroes. When everything around them was collapsing, they made the hardest decision of their lives: they fled so their children could have a future. I’m the youngest of six. I grew up watching sacrifice in real time. In America, there was no silver spoon. Read more>>
Hatice Tuzun
I ended up studying music at University where i battled self doubt for the 3 years i was there, i have learnt so much about my self on my journey as an artists and reflected allot on my behaviours and how i interreact with other creatives as its very over stimulating for me at times. I started releasing music properly in 2019 where my self growth and discovery really started, i havent stop since and im loving the journey i am on Read more>>
Victoria Chin
My background has always been rooted in marketing. I graduated from Florida International University in 2021 with my Bachelor’s in Marketing, but like a lot of new grads, I wasn’t 100% sure what direction I wanted to take. I knew I was creative. I knew I understood branding and consumer behavior. I just hadn’t figured out how I wanted to apply it yet. Read more>>
Dzanar Abbas-Zade
Of course. I grew up in Zwolle, the Netherlands, with a refugee background. From an early age, creativity was my language. My mother was an architect, and my father a visual artist whose work is protected by UNESCO, so observing shapes, colors, and perspective was part of daily life. But my path wasn’t handed to me. I had to build it. Read more>>
Merewana Benamore
Merwan is a young polyglot from Virginia who moved to Miami in pursuit of grandiose presence. His whole life has been spent learning languages – given that he hails from a country full of polyglots – tunisia. Identity became his practice and he took up reality TV, talk shows, even making appearances on the news and comedy shows. Read more>>
Anniesha McDonald
I’ve dreamed of becoming a teacher since I was five years old. Even before I understood what entrepreneurship meant, I knew I wanted to lead, guide, and help others step into their full potential. That calling never left me, it simply evolved. Read more>>
Ana Kiri
My name is Ana Kiri, and my journey has been shaped by creativity, resilience, and a deep love for storytelling. I’m originally from Ukraine, where I graduated from university in Kyiv with a degree in acting. Performing arts were my first passion, and they gave me a strong foundation in communication, emotional intelligence, and understanding people. Read more>>
Diana Pedroni
I built my career by understanding business from the ground up and learning how brands actually grow in real environments, not just in theory. Over the years, I worked closely with entrepreneurs and saw the gap between having a product and having a true platform that supports visibility, positioning, and expansion. Read more>>
Maiah De La Rosa
I was trained in systems — clinical systems and public health systems. I earned my Master of Social Work and Master of Public Health and became a clinical social worker to understand how trauma, environment, and identity shape behavior. My early career focused on behavioral health, rooted in ethics and evidence-based practice. Read more>>
Ruben Gutierrez
I always knew I wanted a career in design. From an early age, I was drawn to how spaces shape the way we feel, gather, and live. That passion led me to begin my career in architecture, where I developed a strong foundation in structure, proportion, and the discipline of building. Read more>>
Crystal Sawyer
I started learning how to play the harp after I graduated from high school. It was not long before I was performing for special events. After I graduated, I became a music educator with MDCPS where my career was over 20 years. These days, I run my own academy where I center students of BIPOC communities in a harp positive space. Read more>>
Lisa Liles
I believe fitness was always going to be a part of my journey. I was pointed in that direction through every angle in life. I started babysitting at the local gym as a teenager, and joined many doctor visits and PT appointments with a sick parent growing up. Read more>>
Renzo Del Castillo
I was born in Peru and immigrated to the United States at a young age. Growing up between cultures shaped how I see the world early on. I learned to observe before speaking, to listen closely, and to adapt without losing myself. That immigrant experience has never left me. It is the foundation of both my creative work and the way I lead. Read more>>
Beth Bru
I’m Beth Bru, a Miami-based artist working across murals, sculpture, and painting. I grew up in the desert, which taught me to find beauty in wide-open spaces and stillness. My journey as an artist hasn’t always been smooth, I’ve faced rejection, financial uncertainty, and the challenge of moving to Miami with very little. Read more>>
Erick Ison
I started with a camera and curiosity. Before Miami, before studios, before my brands, I was just documenting life. I’ve always been wired to see potential in people and ideas. I didn’t grow up with a roadmap to entrepreneurship, but I had an instinct to create and connect. That instinct became my compass. Read more>>
Julieta Ramos
I was born and raised in Coghlan, Buenos Aires, Argentina, and I started doing nails in 2009. What began as curiosity quickly turned into a profession. I didn’t come from a business background. I simply fell in love with the precision, the structure, and the creativity behind nail design, and I committed myself to learning everything I could. Read more>>
Yuliya Karnitskaya
I started my career in company Sun Street LLC but with Solar panels installation but now I’ve come to the decision that I want to develop my own direction in construction. Read more>>
Lara Estrada Tomenchok
I fell in love with fashion while modeling on the side, where I started working closely with independent designers. Seeing their creativity up close made me realize fashion is really an art form. At the same time, I felt frustrated as a shopper. Read more>>
Lil Roberts
My entrepreneurial journey began as a teenager and evolved through years of experience building and operating businesses. Xendoo emerged directly from that experience. After seeing the same challenges faced by countless other business owners, the opportunity became clear: to build a modern, tech-driven accounting company designed around consistency, accessibility, and partnership. Read more>>
Amy Kelly
I didn’t start out thinking I would become a nervous system and identity reinvention coach. In my early twenties, I was building brands and supporting powerhouse CEOs behind the scenes. On paper, everything looked impressive, ambitious, high-achieving, capable. I was the woman who could hold everything together. But privately, I was running on pressure. A young divorce changed everything. Not just logistically, but internally. Read more>>
Sari Avital
I began my journey in skincare after struggling with acne as a teenager and understanding how much it can impact confidence. I’ve always loved beauty, and over the past 15 years my passion expanded into healthy living, which led me to become a Holistic Health Coach. Read more>>
Mark Barone
I remember loving art, but my high school teachers did not encourage creativity and preferred mindless exercises that focused on technique. Ultimately, they squelched my passion, and I switched to architecture instead. Read more>>
Gaby Brown
I was born Winston Alfaro Brown Jr., but the world came to know me as Gaby. I grew up in Panama surrounded by rhythm — reggae, Caribbean sounds, and the pulse of the streets. Music wasn’t just entertainment where I’m from; it was expression, culture, and identity. In the late 80s and early 90s, reggae en español was still finding its voice. Read more>>
Ocean Willow
Hello, my name is Ocean. I am a 23 year old NPC natural bodybuilder actively competing towards achieving my natural IFBB Professional Card! I started my fitness journey when I was only 13 years ago and really have been consistently training and dieting for over 10 years now! Read more>>
Ben Adams
I did not start Storyteller Adams because I wanted to be a wedding photographer. I started it because I became obsessed with the way photographs make people feel years later. Early on, I realized something that completely changed my trajectory. A wedding is a one day event, but the photographs become part of a family’s history. They live in homes. They sit on coffee tables. Read more>>
Tamara Moodie
I was born in Kingston, Jamaica, and migrated to the United States over 30 years ago. My journey has always been rooted in faith, resilience, and a deep belief that challenges are often assignments in disguise. I grew up volunteering with children with autism because my mother founded the first autism charter school in South Florida. Read more>>
Natalia Sharapova
Hi! I’d love to share a bit about myself and how I ended up in professional bodybuilding. About five years ago, I was just a skinny girl from Moscow who walked into a gym “just for myself.” No big plans, no stage dreams. I even jokingly called myself a little bodybuilder. Back then, I had no idea that sport would completely change my life. Read more>>
Alp Akmaz
I’m a musician and entrepreneur currently based in Miami, and my journey has really been shaped by curiosity, risk-taking, and persistence. I actually didn’t start in a traditional artistic environment. My early years were focused on survival and responsibility — working long hours and learning discipline before I ever had the chance to fully invest in creativity. Read more>>
Adrian Yi-Hernandez
From a very early age, I always remember having a magnetism for music. It’s something that I not only process sonically but viscerally as well. I get actual sensations in my physical body when I listen to music and depending on the vibe (the actual frequencies) I can literally feel it in different places. Read more>>
Kirk Brown
I grew up in the beautiful ugly. The wonderful island of Jamaica in a loving poverty stricken community. My mom migrated to America and we soon followed after she filed for us to arrive. This process took roughly 8 years. I like to say, she’s the most resilient human being I’ve ever met in my life. Read more>>
Lindy Nowak
Throughout my career, I have led from both inside global corporations and as a founder building my own company from the ground up. I began as an Art Director at L’Oréal, including time in Rio de Janeiro working within a design agency on the L’Oréal account. Read more>>
Cavan Mitchell
My journey into the cleaning industry wasn’t planned—it was born out of a necessity to solve my own problem. I was managing a growing portfolio of my own Airbnb properties, and as any host knows, the heartbeat of a 5-star stay is the turnover. I had spent months meticulously building and training a specialized cleaning team that understood the high-stakes world of short-term rentals. Read more>>
maria larez
Origamy was born from a deep conviction that food can be beautiful, delicious, and nourishing at the same time. I have always believed that what we consume impacts not only our bodies, but also our energy and overall well-being. Read more>>
Stephanie Ramirez
Absolutely! Well first off, my journey hasn’t been linear, and honestly, that’s been one of my greatest teachers. I grew up in South Florida, graduated from the University of Florida, and move to NYC to embark on a 11-year career and self-transformation journey. Read more>>
Nick Zennaro
My journey as a serial tech entrepreneur spans over 16 years, including ventures in global e-commerce, mobile applications, and international real estate. I didn’t start this company just to sell products; my mission is to deliver a complete, high-impact connected solution for everyone, from individual customers to our valued business partners. Read more>>
Yossi Harlig
When I and my wife Nechama arrived in Kendall in 1995, we carried little more than a vision — and a deep sense of purpose inspired by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory. Read more>>
Amauri Torezan
I was born and raised in São Paulo, Brazil, where the city’s intense visual landscape first shaped my creative perspective. During the 80s, as a teenager, I was involved in the skateboard and graffiti culture, painting decks and wearable pieces, though it was more of a natural lifestyle than a conscious artistic path at the time. Read more>>
Monica Kellenberger
My journey started more than 18 years ago when I worked at Apple as a part-time Creative, while also holding a full-time role as a Senior Designer in the Advertising, Marketing and Travel industries. During the week, I honed my craft alongside some of the most talented people in the business. Read more>>
Agustín Meder
– Agustín Meder is a producer, artist, teacher, and DJ with roots in Santa Rosa (La Pampa, Argentina). – A graduate in music education and popular music, he continued his studies in Buenos Aires, Barcelona, and other cities, specializing in music production, mixing, mastering, and live system sound. Read more>>
Sabi Procacci
I didn’t grow up thinking I would become a wedding photographer. I grew up between cultures, countries, languages. German precision, Italian emotion, movement, beauty, contrast. That shaped me long before I ever picked up a camera. I studied economics. I was taught to analyze, calculate, look at risk and return. Read more>>
Jean Titus aka Titus Unlimited
Yeah… so if I’m being honest, I did what most people are programmed to do. I chased security. I built a career in finance, as a stock broker for Morgan and Stanley. I did well. On paper, it looked great. The income was strong, the title made sense, everything checked out. But internally? Read more>>
Joanna Jubitana
From Survival to Leadership: Joanna Ariel Jubitana’s Journey of Activism, Spirituality, and Creative Enterprise My story begins before I was born. My mother came to the United States after fleeing political instability in the Republic of Suriname following the murder of my grandfather, who was a political leader. Read more>>
Phillip Dunlap
I grew up in Iowa with parents that required participation in the Arts. After high school, I studied jazz piano at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, earning a bachelor’s degree in jazz piano, a bachelor’s degree in music theory and composition, and a Masters degree in jazz piano. Read more>>
Omar Mesa
Well, like, my first 10 years, all I heard was, Cuban music, because that was always been playing in the house and at family gatherings, you know. I don’t know anything about American music I was in Hoboken, New Jersey. And, yeah, my family had moved there, extended family. We all lived in this one building. Read more>>
Juan Duenes
I began my journey as an entrepreneur in the restaurant industry in 2008, when I acquired the first El Machetico location in Doral. From day one, my vision was to bring authentic Colombian flavors to South Florida and create a place where people could gather, celebrate, and feel at home. Read more>>
Yanelis Correia
From a young age, I watched my mother struggle to navigate Medicaid and disability benefits here in Florida. The process was confusing, overwhelming, and at times discouraging. Seeing how difficult it was for her to access the help she needed left a lasting impact on me. Read more>>
Nicole Casanova
I began dancing at four years old at L’Ecole de Ballet Arts Studio and continued training throughout Miami, studying all styles of dance. Over the past 20+ years, I’ve worked as an instructor and director, leading both recreational and competitive programs and mentoring dancers who have gone on to succeed on regional and national stages. Read more>>
Pascal Okoh
I’m Pascal Okoh Jr, also known as DirectedByJunior. My journey into content really came from just being curious and wanting to document what was around me. I officially started in 2022 when I dropped my first YouTube video, but even before that I always had an eye for moments, culture, and storytelling. Growing up in Broward County shaped a lot of my perspective. Read more>>
Tamika Lecheé Morales
I was born and raised in New York, a proud Nuyorican, made in La Isla del Encanto and sharpened by city grit. I grew up understanding three things early: one, that love is loud in Latino households. It’s spoken in Spanish, shared through food, and sealed with a “bendición” before you walk out the door. Two, that nothing is handed to you. You earn it. Read more>>
Rodney Foster
While vacationing in St. Moritz, a colleague insisted I try a popular European wine called Glühwein. At the time, I had never heard of it, let alone tasted it. Later that day, while having lunch at a local restaurant, I noticed it on the menu and asked the waiter for a glass. My first impression? It wasn’t great—but it was interesting. Read more>>
Liba Andrusier
Sunshine Circle really began from the heart. I started noticing how many seniors in our community were quietly struggling – not only with access to food, but with deep loneliness and a lack of consistent support. I couldn’t ignore it. What began as helping just a few seniors quickly grew as more referrals came in, and the need became so clear. Read more>>
Lourdes Fortun
Born and raised in Miami, I bring a lifetime of local knowledge and over 20 years of experience in the mortgage industry to my work. As a seasoned professional in the Florida market, I have excelled as both a loan processor and loan originator, specializing in residential and commercial financing. Read more>>
William Fonseca
I’m a pioneer in wynwood,liberty city,little Haiti, over town 38 years in the industry involved in over 1000 units single family and multi family now currently in Allapattah in the childcare industry 1 daughter an attorney in Miami and another in Atlanta journalist married live in North Miami 59 years old still at it providing service for the better of my community Read more>>
Catalina Balcells
I was born in Colombia and came to the United States for what was meant to be a single summer. That summer turned into a life, and I have now called this country home for over 25 years. My journey began in Boston as a student. Read more>>
Jingen Chen
I finished my doctorate in 2025, and now I’m here in Miami. I’m performing, teaching at Frost’s prep program, trying to build bridges between the Chinese and Western musical worlds I love. Music has this way of taking you to places you never imagined and connecting you with people you never thought you’d meet. I’m living proof of that. Read more>>
Dr. Marni Feuerman
I also returned to school to obtain a doctorate in clinical psychology several years ago. As you can tell, I am a lifelong learner and love staying up to date on the most advanced clinical practices. I continue to run a thriving solo private practice specializing in relationships issues with couples and individuals and I love it! Beyond this, I am most proud of the family life my husband and I created together. We are empty-nesters now and enjoying that phase of life. They all keep me motivated the most! Read more>>
Adriana Flores
Before launching The Wonder Cycle, I worked as a social worker in the ICU, supporting families through some of the most vulnerable and emotional moments of their lives. That work deeply shaped me. It taught me how meaningful experiences are and how much small moments of lightness matter during heavy seasons. Read more>>
