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.
Timothy Davis
I’ve always loved telling stories. First as an actor in the theater. That has since expanded to directing, producing, and filmmaking. In 2016 I founded New City Players with a group of friends, a professional nonprofit theatre company in Fort Lauderdale. We started out wanting to make theatre with our friends. Read more>>
Alyssa Mena
I was born and raised in Hialeah, Florida, in a Cuban family, and I’m a first-generation American. Music was always part of my life growing up. My siblings were both musicians, so I was constantly going to their concerts and recitals. My abuelo, Kiko, also played an important role in that early influence. Read more>>
Detriq Johnson
I’ve been obsessed with creating since I had the opportunity to. Whether it be drawing, writing, or doing things where it let my imagination wander. It led me to a place where I can make anything I’d want and it’s so fulfilling. Read more>>
Andreas Hartel
Our journey began from a deeply personal place. When our own family faced the challenges of finding suitable dementia care, we struggled to find a residence that truly combined professional excellence with genuine warmth and respect. The available options simply didn’t feel right — they lacked the heartfelt compassion we believed our loved one deserved. That experience became the catalyst for Alzheimer’s Residence Philippines. Read more>>
Kristina Michelle
Sharing my story and listening to other stories is what I enjoy most about planning and managing weddings. 20 years ago I began working as an assistant which allowed me to sharpen my organization & communication skills. When the opportunity to lead and manage events came along I jumped right at it and knew I found my calling. Read more>>
Tatiana Castro
To know my business is to know my origins, and I’m a proud Colombian-American, who grew up as a kid that considered plants as my friends. I loved playing outside because I would do those activities with my family all the time. Read more>>
Kristen Jurn
Traveling with my parents at a young age shaped much of my desire to continue to connect with the world and understand people of different cultures and realities. I was driven academically, enjoyed math and sports, while also taking on leadership roles, including serving on the student council and community volunteering. Read more>>
Natalie Williams
I grew up in Overtown, Miami, in a one-bedroom apartment with my mother and four siblings. We lived below the poverty line, and I also faced medical challenges early in life, including being born with a hole in my heart. Read more>>
Ivan Oliva
I started my music journey in the Antelope Valley after high school. I’ve been a fixture in the SoCal scene for several years now and I’ve performed in numerous projects as well. Most recently: Drive By Cinema, Pocketwatch Inc., Into Action and of course .XOM. .XOM started in 2018. Just a few friends trying to translate our very specific feelings into music. Read more>>
Gustavo Gordillo
My story starts in Rosario, Argentina, in a home where my parents worked hard every single day to make sure we had what we needed. We never had too much, but we never lacked either — and looking back, that balance was one of the greatest gifts they could have given me. Read more>>
Jula Tuellmann
Hettler.Tüllmann, founded in 2005, is the collaboration of Berlin-based designer Katja Hettler and Miami-based architect Jula Tüllmann. Inspired by an interdisciplinary approach aimed at creating a functional holistic living environment, embracing the work of design from smaller to big scale, their practice focuses on contemporary furniture and interior design, with an emphasis on sustainable materials and traditional craftsmanship. Read more>>
Diana Nino
I’ve spent my whole life between Miami and Fort Lauderdale, but Miami has always been the center of it all. I was born in Hialeah, my family is in Westchester, I went to Florida International University, and I lived in Brickell before it became what it is today. Even when I wasn’t living there full-time, I always found my way back. Read more>>
Alessandro Coppa
I started my journey at a young age, driven by a deep curiosity for life and human experience. In my early 20s, I began traveling across different countries — from Tunisia to Egypt, Kenya, Mauritius, and beyond — living and working in diverse environments that shaped not only my culinary skills but also my perspective on life. Read more>>
Gary Smith
I grew up in a small Black Pentecostal church, and honestly, ministry was never my plan. I was more drawn to business and entrepreneurship because that’s what I saw growing up—my parents were deeply involved in that world, and I thought that would be my path. Everything shifted during a revival at my church. Read more>>
AVA ALEKSIEJCZUK
Flowers have been a big part of my life for over 20 years, and I still feel excited every time a fresh shipment arrives. I still get butterflies when I open the boxes and see the beauty of each flower, the curves of the petals, the lines of the stems, and all the amazing colors and textures that nature creates. Read more>>
Vered Back
This is the story of an entrepreneur, or first and foremost, a woman, on an illuminating journey of growth, empowerment, health, and grace. 2010, a time where the organic beauty space was small and niche. Vered Organic Botanicalswas born out of love and labor. It also marked my rebirth. Read more>>
Hayley Albert
My husband, Luke, and I got our start in the Real Estate industry in 2018. But our story started long before this. Growing up my Dad was involved in the construction industry and dabbled in real estate investing. My Aunt has been an agent for 40+ years. I grew up in and around the business. Read more>>
Amber Favorite
I didn’t set out to become a wildlife photographer. Like a lot of people, it started with a Sony camera in my hands and no real idea what I was doing or even what I wanted to photograph, just a curiosity about the world around me. Read more>>
Cheryl Maeder
In my early twenties, I moved to Switzerland. While there, a friend gave me his Nikon camera and that was it, I fell in love with photography. I studied at the Zurich University of the Arts in Zurich, Switzerland and then returned to United States and eventually opened my photography studio in San Francisco, California. After much hard work and perseverance. Read more>>
Kendrick Palmer
Honestly, my story starts with burnout. After 20+ years moving through corporate America — American Airlines, Citrix Systems, Interplex Sunbelt — I hit a wall. Not because I stopped caring about the work, but because I was exhausted by the environment around it. Failed leadership. Taking direction from people less qualified than me. Watching good ideas get buried under bad management. It wore on me. Read more>>
Yasmeen Rasheed
Nature heals non-profit is a health and wellness facility thats dedicated to promoting holistic well-being through a range of services centered around health, meditation, yoga, and clean eating. We offer guided meditation sessions and yoga classes for all skill levels, fostering mental clarity and physical strength. Our clean eating workshops teach participants how to prepare nutritious meals and make healthier food choices. Read more>>
Ricardo Dangond
How ExpoFineArt Was Born ExpoFineArt was born from a dream. I have always felt a deep connection to art, but it was after reading “The Art of Collecting Art” by Javier Lumbreras that I realized that owning a work of art is not exclusive to major collectors or large budgets. That realization marked the beginning of my journey as a collector. Read more>>
Jeet Gupta
My journey in crafts began with the love for colors and appreciation for hand made. I started practicing tie dyeing along with my freelance design work, back in 2016 in Mumbai, India. Slowly I gained confidence in the craft of dyeing and wanted to explore craft markets in India. Read more>>
David Hobbs
I think as someone who grows up to be an artist, that artist is always with you at some capacity from the moment you’re drawing with crayons on the wall when you’re not supposed to. For the last 20 or so years I’ve focused on painting with acrylics on wooden cutouts of my content. Read more>>
Nic McNamara
I was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, my father Stevin McNamara’s hometown. Because he was a recording engineer, my childhood was defined by moving between studios and cities. I grew up in Surrey, England, before living in Fort Lauderdale, Colorado, and California. Eventually, I landed in Oregon, where I currently live and create music. Read more>>
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>>
