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.
Rene HernandeZ 
RH Corporate Photo really started during the pandemic, when the way people worked and presented themselves professionally changed almost overnight. Meetings moved online, LinkedIn became even more important, and companies suddenly needed updated, professional images for their teams, websites, and digital platforms. Read more>>
Yusimy Lara 
I grew up playing chess and reading Gabriel Garcia Marquez’ books, I was a brainy child. Born in June 1979 in the dilapidated suburbs of Havana, Cuba, I learned from an early age to be resourceful and self-driven. Decades of exposure to political propaganda, demagogy and suppressed freedoms, led me to leave Cuba for Italy when I was 24 years old. Read more>>
Edit Fluhrer
I was born in Romania to Hungarian parents and immigrated to the United States when I was six years old. I grew up in America in an entrepreneurial family, and I learned early that building a life and a business takes hard work, adaptability and a willingness to do whatever needs to be done. My introduction to manufacturing came through my parents’ business. Read more>>
Lidiane Lopes De Albuquerque 
My name is Lidiane Lopes de Albuquerque. I am a Christian, psychologist, mother, speaker, mentor, and a lifelong learner committed to personal and professional growth. I earned my degree in Psychology from the State University of Londrina in Brazil, where I developed a strong foundation in neuropsychology and human development. Read more>>
Aetean Williams 
Born and raised in Brooklyn NY currently living in the Bronx . playing basketball for about 15 years ..started going too west4th ST basketball courts there is where i seen announcing for the first time and fell in love with it. It was the way the crowd watched both the game and the announcer.. Read more>>
Aymara Lucero 
My career has always lived at the intersection of food, marketing, and psychology. I’m originally from Argentina and grew up in Miami, where I earned a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Master of Science in Marketing, with a strong interest in consumer behavior. Read more>>
Iris May 
My Story I Have No Idea What I’m Doing I was born in Bulgaria and came to America as an infant. I was raised in the suburbs of Chicago, but as I grew older, I started realizing that there was so much more of myself that I wanted to discover. Read more>>
Valerie Garcia 
I have always had a deep love for baking, cooking and just being in the kitchen in general; and back in 2016 I took a trip with my husband to visit some extended family in Idaho where a family member taught me a lot of recipes and just helped me foster that love for making things in the kitchen. Read more>>
Tyler Cordery 
I wanted to share the story behind Bicycle Generation and how our shop came to be what it is today. Bicycle Generation was founded in 1979 by my grandfather, John Cordery, a retired Boston police officer with a lifelong passion for cycling. Wanting a location where people could ride year-round, he relocated to Deerfield Beach to open the shop. Read more>>
Katheryne Puentes 
If you had told me when I was a little girl watching Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan movies that one day I would become a therapist, a business owner, a supervisor, a fourth-degree black belt, and start a nonprofit, I probably would have thought, “That sounds like a lot. Are we getting any sleep?” Apparently, the answer was no. Read more>>
Elaine Laurent 
I grew up in Sarasota FL. As a creative child with ADHD I was always different, looking for outlets for my energy and creativity. It was not untl adulthood that I discovered how to use this to create a very loved career in the art festival industry. Read more>>
Amira Shehadeh 
I’m originally from Boca Raton, Florida, and I’ve always felt a strong connection to South Florida. During and after college, I began building my career across PR, hospitality, social media, and marketing. Read more>>
Xponent Recording Studio
Xponent Recording Studios was born out of a simple, powerful vision: bridging the gap between independent creators and major-label production quality. Located in Miami Gardens, we started with a passion for sonic excellence and a desire to give artists across all genres—including Latin Urban and Hip-Hop—an inspiring, high-end sanctuary to bring their ideas to life. Read more>>
SHANTAL PIERRE 
My journey started with a desire to create something of my own while being a mother and figuring out what I wanted my life to look like. I am a proud mother of 2 (1 boy, 1 girl) and they are definitely my ‘Why’s’. Read more>>
Bendiane Pierre Louis 
My name is Bendiane Pierre Louis, but most people know me as Bennie. I was born in Haiti and raised in the United States, and I’m the founder of Bennie Cosmetics. My journey in beauty began in 2009, inspired by my mother’s wedding. What started as an interest in makeup grew into a passion for helping women feel beautiful and confident. Read more>>
Adriana Lacruz
When I opened Lacruz Design Studio, I made a promise to my father. He passed away shortly after, and that promise is still the reason I walk into every project the way I do, all in, up until the last flower on the coffee table. The story starts in Venezuela, where I was born. Read more>>
Pamela Figueroa Renata Bitar 
The Story Behind BobaLuxe Co-founded by Renata Bitar & Pamela Figueroa BobaLuxe was born from a friendship, a shared passion for hospitality, and a love for Asian culture. Renata and Pamela met while studying Hospitality at Florida International University. After graduating, they followed different paths within the hospitality industry, but their friendship and shared love for creating memorable experiences remained. Read more>>
Elizabeth Guarin 
I have been a physical therapist for more than 20 years, spending most of my career working with neurological patients in outpatient hospital settings. I’ve treated patients recovering from strokes and brain injuries, as well as those living with conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis. Read more>>
Mallory Weintraub 
I was born and raised in South Florida, and giving back has always been a part of who I am. Growing up, I was involved in organizations like Girl Scouts, Best Buddies, student government, and animal rescue efforts. Whether it was helping people or helping animals, I always felt most fulfilled when I was making a positive impact on someone else’s life. Read more>>
Nikeda Stanback 
I’m originally from Philadelphia and now based in Fort Lauderdale. My career in behavioral health began as a behavior technician, and I became a Board Certified Behavior Analyst in 2019. Over time, I moved from providing direct services to supervising technicians and owning a clinical ABA agency. Read more>>
Kevin Toliver-Lyons
In October 2026, at 53, I broke a lifelong pattern. For decades I was afraid to hit the go button on becoming who I wanted to be. I chose comfort, and I let opportunities die scared. That month I decided I was done negotiating with myself. Read more>>
Amanda Kerr 
I have been into fashion for as long as I can honestly remember. The interest started from about age 4 when I was introduced to the Disney Channel show ‘Thats So Raven’. As most know, Raven was a fashion designer in the show. Raven was always so full of color and vibrancy. Read more>>
Alexander Lazarou 
I’ve always been interested in the intersection of global affairs and business. I studied International Affairs and Geography at Florida State University and later completed a master’s in Political Strategy & Communications at the University of Kent in Brussels, Belgium, which gave me an early interest in how public and private institutions communicate, build trust and navigate complex public issues. Read more>>
Mariam Delgado 
I was born in Cuba and raised in Puerto Rico in a Lebanese family, so from a very young age, I learned the value of hard work, family, and taking responsibility. My parents owned several stores, and I started helping my mother clean the store when I was only ten years old. As I got older, my father started teaching me how to sell. Read more>>
Weyli Angus 
Who are we? Jim + Weyli Angus Both of us grew up in the northeast. Jim is from New Jersey, and Weyli is from Massachusetts. In those areas, you have your local corner store and pizza house, who are owned by the parents of someone you went to school with. Essentially, you know just about everyone in town and you know who owns those businesses. Read more>>
Ruth Jules 
My journey into insurance is deeply personal. My father was involved in a devastating car accident that resulted in him becoming a bilateral amputee. At the time, he did not have health insurance, so my family experienced firsthand how quickly a medical tragedy can also become a financial crisis. About a year later, my father passed away, and he did not have life insurance either. Read more>>
Eric Hammer
My career in hospitality started more than 25 years ago, and I’ve been fortunate to experience the industry from just about every angle. I graduated from Penn State’s Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management program and built my career working in restaurants, hotels, resorts and private clubs, including leadership roles at properties such as The Boca Raton, The Colony Hotel and The Ben. Read more>>
Karen Alamo Pichara 
I started my career in communications in Santiago, Chile, studying Public Relations and Crisis Management. Very early on, I realized I was fascinated not just by communicating a message, but by understanding why people connect with certain stories, what makes something culturally relevant, and how communication can change the way people see a company or a brand. Read more>>
Laila Itayen
I began creating products as a hobby when I became pregnant with my first child in 2013. I have always had a love and respect for nature; and after becoming aware of how certain products and their ingredients can negatively affect the well-being and health of myself and my unborn child, I started to search for products that were completely natural and most importantly…safe. Read more>>
Miriam Soberanes 
I think I knew very early that art would somehow become my life path. I have a vivid memory from when I was about five years old. My parents had just finished building the second floor of our home, and suddenly there were all these beautiful, freshly painted white walls. I saw them as a blank canvas. Read more>>
Esi Fynn-Obeng 
I believe my story started with the death of Trayvon Martin. I’m from Pembroke Pines and grew up in the West Pines/Miramar area. The incident and case was one that everyone at school was following. To students and friends that looked like me, it revealed a truth that many of us knew too well. Read more>>
Derek Hewitt 
i was introduced to a lot of the music that ultimately gave me an interest in creating my own through my parents. i was brought up on the beatles, led zeppelin, gary numan, new kids on the block, prince, and donny osmond. Read more>>
Michael Cintron
I was born in New York City, and my path into comedy wasn’t exactly traditional. Sixteen years ago, I got detained at an airport for trying to smuggle marijuana to my cousin’s wedding — not my brightest moment but would become the inspiration. Read more>>
Cory Kravit 
My story really begins at the University of Florida, where I served as president of my dormitory and represented its residents in the Student Senate. Looking back, it is also a story about faith, perseverance, and how some of life’s most difficult moments can lead to opportunities you never could have imagined. Read more>>
Jesse Stolow 
So I didn’t really have a direction when I graduated college. I knew I wanted to do something in business, but I didn’t really know what that was. I really liked marketing, advertising in particular, and the creative things surrounding advertising. Read more>>
Jordyn Zamarripa 
My story has really been about figuring out who I am, taking chances on myself, and learning to say yes to opportunities even when I didn’t necessarily feel completely ready for them. Read more>>
Antonio Gajate 
I spent nearly two decades behind a lens in South Florida, photographing luxury events and fashion, work that earned industry recognition and taught me how light shapes emotion and how a single frame can carry a whole room. Read more>>
Lawnette Lucille
My entrepreneurial journey started in fashion. For years, I owned and operated Lawnette Lucille LLC, my personal styling business, where I developed a love for entrepreneurship, creative storytelling and building experiences that make people feel good. After becoming a mom, I found myself craving something that reflected this new chapter of my life. Read more>>
Lea Tran 
I grew up in Houston, Texas, where there is a strong Asian community and a well-established boba culture. After moving to South Florida with my husband about nine years ago, we noticed there was an opportunity to bring something different to the local beverage scene. Read more>>
Lidney Dantes
My story really started with me wanting more for myself and my family. I’ve always been a person who believed that if I wanted something different, I had to be willing to create it for myself. I started my career in hospitality, working my way through different roles in hotels and eventually becoming a night manager/night auditor. Read more>>
Andrew Hoffman
ive been collecting cards and memorabilia since i was a little kid. 4 years ago i sent to sneakcon at the broward county convention center because i also collect shoes. While there i thought to myself that this would be a great place to hold a massive card show. Read more>>
Kelli Michaels
Kelli Michaels Kelli Michaels is a passionate leader, entrepreneur, mentor, educator, and advocate whose life’s journey has been rooted in one powerful belief: when you believe in someone, you can change the trajectory of their life. Kelli’s story began long before she became a business owner, healthcare executive, or pageant advocate. Read more>>
