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.
Olivia Flynn
I started with a genuine passion for telling stories—connecting with people and making moments feel special and LIVely. From a young age, I was drawn to media, naturally documenting my travels and experiences through visual storytelling. Over time, that passion grew into something more as people began reaching out, asking me to help bring their own stories and brands to life. Read more>>
Rudy Hernandez
ILU Collective is a physician-supervised boutique med spa at 135 Madeira Ave, Coral Gables, FL 33134 – the only bilingual (English and Spanish) physician-supervised med spa in the Coral Gables market. With 175 Google reviews at a 5.0-star average, it is the highest-rated med spa in the area. Owner Rudy Hernandez built ILU as a direct counter to the multi-location chains expanding into Coral Gables. Read more>>
Davonia Greenslade
I have always wanted to work with pregnant women and babies since I was a teenager. After moving to Miami I got into birth work. As I was studying to be a midwife I started doula work. Read more>>
Leah Gonzalez-Camps
I’m a Nurse Practitioner who found my true calling at the intersection of clinical medicine and aesthetic science. My journey began in traditional healthcare, but I was drawn to the precision and artistry of aesthetic medicine, specifically the why behind how skin ages, responds to injury, and heals. Read more>>
Drew Gaut
I didn’t start PROPEL, I walked into it. About 16 years ago, I started volunteering when there were maybe eight kids in the room. It was small, scrappy and honestly pretty raw, but you could feel the potential right away. What kept me coming back was simple. I saw myself in those kids. Read more>>
Lisa Gray
Raised in Miami, Florida, my journey has been defined by determination, growth, and a deep commitment to building something meaningful—not just for myself, but for the people around me. I began my academic path at the University of Florida, but my early career quickly evolved into hands-on leadership roles within some of the nation’s most recognized real estate organizations, including AIMCO, Related Group, and Archstone-Smith. Read more>>
Cristina Claure
I developed my taste for fashion at a very early age. As a toddler, I refused to wear anything that wasn’t pink, and I’ve carried that sense of personal expression with me ever since. I grew up in an environment that valued practicality, which led me to study business, but I never abandoned my love for fashion. Read more>>
Elena Jimenez
My name is Elena, and I am from Colombia, from a beautiful small city called Valledupar—where the rhythm of the accordion blends with the singing of the birds, creating an explosion of color through its flowers and its people. I came to this country when I was 16 years old. I have always been passionate about art. Read more>>
Mirko Finale
I started my journey in Italy, in Naples, at a very young age, driven more by instinct than by a clear plan. Coming from a place where it’s not always easy to break out, I developed ambition early — I knew since I was around 16 that I wanted more for myself, and that I was willing to work for it. Read more>>
Rebeca Rodriguez
Our story really begins with a leap of faith. My husband and I are originally from Venezuela, where we spent several years developing our music careers—playing, singing, and recording for well-known Venezuelan artists and bands, including Latin Grammy-winning duo Chino & Nacho. Read more>>
Dr. Venise Predestin Carrier
I was born in Haiti and moved to the United States when I was a teenager. My love of learning really started at home—my mother, Annatholie Predestin, actually began homeschooling me before I was even old enough to attend school, and that set the foundation for everything that came after. My father, Jocelyn Predestin, has always been a steady guide in my life. Read more>>
Joel Vazquez
I started my journey in the culinary world at a young age, working alongside my father in his small restaurant in my hometown in Puerto Rico. That experience shaped everything for me it wasn’t just about cooking, it was about community, hard work, and the power food has to bring people together. Read more>>
Gonzalo Minano
I’m from Lima, Peru. In 2016 I’ve reached a certain level of success in my own country while struggling with my creative aspirations. At the time I was the photo editor (and video content editor) for a publishing house, in charge of around 7 magazines, including one of the biggest in Peru: ‘COSAS’. Read more>>
Janet Bravo
I started the business alongside my mother, but it really began with her vision. She wanted to build something that would give our family more flexibility and stability, which led us to invest in a cleaning service franchise. What began as a practical decision quickly revealed a larger opportunity. The business grew faster than expected, and when COVID hit, demand for cleaning services increased significantly. Read more>>
Carolina Alay
I came to the United States as a young immigrant with a simple but powerful belief: education and compassion can change the trajectory of a life. That belief guided me into the field of Applied Behavior Analysis, where I spent years working directly with neurodivergent children and their families. Read more>>
Valentina Calderon
My journey started from a very personal place. For years, I was deeply interested in style, image, and the way fashion can influence how we feel about ourselves — but I also experienced the frustration of not fully understanding what actually worked for me. Read more>>
Tatiana Lovechenko
I started paddle boarding 16 years ago and fell in love with it. Everywhere I went people asked me if I could teach them how to do it. I purchased a few extra boards to teach lessons and it grew from there. I was one of the first stand up paddle board companies on Fort Lauderdale beach. Read more>>
Daniel Ribacoff
In 1990 I started working as a private investigator and eventually became a certified polygraph examiner also. I have worked in many high profile cases during my career. Read more>>
Victoria Decambre
I’m Victoria A. Decambre, a creative director and graphic designer, and the CEO of Weird Flex Edits LLC. I specialize in bringing ideas to life through bold, intentional visuals that help brands, artists, and businesses stand out. My work is rooted in creativity, originality, and the belief that every vision deserves to be seen and felt. Read more>>
Gerald Uribe
I studied in South Florida and graduated from auto mechanic school in 2008 while also working as an apprentice in auto repairs shops. Since then, I have always offered my services as a mobile auto repair technician to people in need of services. I’m usually recommend by word of mouth referals since I offer a personalized service. Read more>>
Tery Spataro
\I’m a classically trained illustrator and designer, and I’ve always been drawn to storytelling, visual expression, and the ways technology can expand human creativity. My career began in traditional creative communications, brand strategy, and digital innovation, where I worked on projects that helped organizations think differently about how they connect with people. Read more>>
JoJo Molina
I always say my journey started long before I ever touched a client’s hair. From a very young age, I felt deeply connected to beauty , not just how it looks, but how it makes a woman feel. My journey into hairstyling began as a childhood dream, one that never left me. Read more>>
Queen Attisso
I’ve loved hair for as long as I can remember. Growing up, I was always in the salon getting my hair done, and I would sit and observe everything happening around me. That environment naturally shaped my passion for hair, creativity, and transformation. I was born in Belgium and moved to the UK in Year 5, around the age of 9 or 10. Read more>>
Crist Thony
My story began around the age of 17, with a broken phone and a newly discovered talent for creative storytelling. I mentally developed my entire first self-published book over the course of about two months, until I could scrape together enough change to fix the cracked screen on my iPhone 6. Then I finally wrote it down—Monkeysuit, my first completed story. Read more>>
Katayoun Stewart
I’ve always been drawn to faces, not to create decorative art, but as something to understand. I started painting portraits as a way of looking closer at emotion, tension, and the parts of a person that aren’t immediately visible. Over time, that turned into a more personal language where a single face can hold multiple states at once. Read more>>
David Thomas
My background is aircraft maintenance control — precision, documentation, no margin for error, that’s just how I was wired. About four years ago I moved down to South Florida, got connected to my local church, started helping out, and somehow ended up running the whole facility. Keeping everything clean, organized, functioning. Read more>>
Meir Cioraru
As long as I can remember, I’ve loved using my hands. As a kid, I was very much into magic tricks, sleight of hand, even pen spinning (yes, that’s a thing). Mastering a trade with my hands was always a big focus. In high school, I joined the wrestling team and began suffering from chronic shoulder dislocations, sometimes almost nightly. Read more>>
Michael Walker-Thomas 
My name is Michael Walker-Thomas. I got started in the business eight years ago and it has been amazing. I have been writing for a very long time, and my books are sold worldwide. I grew up in Philadelphia, so I had to survive and be motivated to get to where I am now. Read more>>
Jehiel Russo
At the age of 18, I moved into the US for college. It was a big transition leaving my family, my home, and everything I ever knew. It had its series of challenges, but little by litte, I was overcoming each one. That followed with great successes too, like graduating on Graphic Design and Marketing, getting my first job, and getting my Greencard. Read more>>
CARLOS BONILLA
I am Carlos Bonilla ‘ Thombs’ a music producer, composer, DJ, and marketer. I started my career as a DJ 15 years ago while studying music production, and later fully dedicated myself to music. I have created remixes for artists such as Bomba Estéreo, Pitbull, Mau y Ricky, and Karol G. Read more>>
Marlee Laamanen
Portholes and Pixie Dust started as an extension of a real lifestyle, not a content experiment. We are a husband and wife team, Matthew and Marlee, and cruising has been central to our lives long before we ever hit publish. In 2021, we moved to Florida to be closer to major cruise ports, which allowed us to cruise consistently, now averaging about once a month. Read more>>
Ivan Barros
After I graduated high school in Miami, FL I attended culinary school in 2009 and started working full time in a fast casual restaurant. I would work in the morning/ afternoon and go to school at night. Read more>>
Jose Arcas
My name is Jose Arcas, 46 years of age, latino Male,I started my journey with nothing but observation and hustle. I got into the sign business just by watching someone—no formal training, just learning, applying, and grinding. That turned into a 15-year run, but when the market shifted, everything slowed down. I had three kids, bills piling up, and no real safety net. Read more>>
Nidhi Thakkar
Hi, I’m Nayla, a Professional Dj. I’ve always loved music, and I’ve always felt intrigued by it. Be it songwriting, production, singing, all of it. At the same time, it also felt unachievable and unrealistic, I never imagined I would be able to pursue it, it was something I’d look from afar and just wish I could be part of it. Read more>>
Ana Valdes
My name is Ana, and I’m originally from Miami, Florida. I’m a proud graduate of the University of Miami—Go Canes!—where I earned degrees in Journalism and Spanish. After college, I moved to West Palm Beach for my first job as a newspaper reporter. I spent nearly a decade there as a writer and journalist covering politics, municipal government, and the stories that shape local communities. Read more>>
Jessica Javens
I am a Neuro-Metabolic Reconstructionist for executive mothers—women who have done everything “right” and still find themselves exhausted, foggy, inflamed, and disconnected from their own bodies. My work is not motivation. It is reconstruction. Read more>>
Hilda Solares
My journey into the keto lifestyle and creating Fit To Serve Group really began from a personal place. Like many others, I struggled with my health, energy levels, and finding a sustainable way of eating that truly worked long term. My husband Randy and I knew we needed a change, not just physically, but in how we approached food and wellness as a whole. Read more>>
Sedrick Jennings
CHZN is a Texas hip-hop artist whose music reflects the mindset of perseverance, faith, and relentless ambition. Known for blending motivational storytelling with confident Southern energy, CHZN represents the voice of those determined to rise despite obstacles. His sound combines authentic lyricism with modern production, delivering music that speaks to the grind, growth, and belief required to build something from the ground up. Read more>>
Jonni Rogers
I’m originally from the Bay Area, and dance has truly shaped every chapter of my life. I’ve been training for over 30 years, but my professional journey really took off when I became an Oakland Raiderette. Read more>>
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>>
