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.
Wil Garrido
Waga Events started from a pretty simple thought: I wanted to create experiences that I, as a customer, would actually want to be part of. I felt like there weren’t enough events bringing together all the things people genuinely enjoy – comedy, music, food, sports, entertainment, friends, fans, and just having a great time – in a way that felt authentic and community-driven. Read more>>
Derek Roura
Ever since elementary school, I had a knack for music: I picked up instruments quickly, starting with the recorder, which thrilled my mom of course! Read more>>
Gloria Arrington
I started the podcast in 2019 with a small group of friends, and it actually all began in a Panic! At The Disco Discord server that I owned. The original members of the podcast were all staff in that server, so it naturally grew out of a shared love for music and community. Read more>>
John Courtemanche
Throughout my life, I have always been an artist. I possessed a remarkable talent for my age, which was often acknowledged by others. However, I discontinued drawing during my teenage years and embraced the carefree nature of that period. The arrival of COVID-19 brought a sudden change in my life. I randomly picked up anime and was immediately captivated by the characters. Read more>>
Sharrell Lordeus
Briefly, my story started in Miami-Dade County. I grew up around hardship and instability. My mom became a mother at 13, had my second brother at 14, had me at 15, and by 17 had my youngest brother all with my father. They were children raising children. Read more>>
Matthew Boggan
I started my career at a young age by building websites and helping local businesses with marketing and branding. What began as a creative passion quickly evolved into an entrepreneurial journey centered around leadership, communications, and community impact. Early in my career, I had the opportunity to work in the Florida Capitol, where I gained firsthand experience in government and public policy. Read more>>
Chuave Fernandez
My name is Francisco Fernandez, although most people know me as Chuave or Chuavevo. I’m originally from Córdoba, Argentina, and I’m 31 years old. I started painting graffiti when I was around 13 or 14 years old in my hometown. I got deeply involved in the culture through skateboarding, but even as a child I was always fascinated by breakdancing, skate culture, and extreme sports. Read more>>
Melissa Presser
I began my career as an attorney in 2002, representing children who were involved in both the foster care and juvenile justice systems. As a child who went through trauma herself, I wanted to be able to intervene in the lives of children and young adults in a meaningful and impactful way, and allow their voices to be heard. Read more>>
Maika Palazuelos
I founded Panorammma during the pandemic while I was in the middle of moving apartments. At the time, I simply wanted to make furniture for myself — pieces I wished existed but couldn’t find, or whose style was far beyond my budget. What began as a personal exercise in designing objects for my own use gradually evolved into the studio. Read more>>
Kennedi Broussard
I was honestly a raver first. I moved from Louisiana to California on my own, and once I got to San Diego, I started going to a lot of festivals, shows, and EDM events. I fell in love with the scene first, then slowly realized I wanted to understand the business behind it too. Read more>>
Kayla Guillen
The Miami Food Edit honestly started because I’ve always been that person who plans their entire week around where they’re eating next. What began as me posting cute restaurants, hidden gems, coffee shops, and “you HAVE to try this” spots around Miami quickly turned into a full-blown obsession with creating content people actually felt connected to. Read more>>
Alessandro Placitelli
I was born and raised in Venezuela and moved to the U.S. to study Electrical Engineering at Penn State. During college, I started building electronics projects for fun and sharing them online, eventually creating PLACITECH, my engineering-focused content platform. What started as simple experiments slowly evolved into larger multidisciplinary builds involving electronics, software, and 3D printing. Read more>>
Dr. Desiree Barrionuevo
My path into the mental health field was shaped by a deep interest in human connection, emotional development, and the ways relationships influence how people experience themselves and the world around them. Over time, that interest, along with my personal experiences, evolved into a passion for helping people navigate difficult moments with greater clarity, self-awareness, and support. Read more>>
Oyuki Rogert
Poderosa Minded started organically through years of working behind the scenes in event production, media, marketing, and community-driven projects across South Florida and beyond. I’ve always been someone who naturally bridged creativity with operations – whether that meant coordinating live events, developing marketing campaigns, producing content, supporting artists and brands, advocating for communities or helping bring large-scale ideas to life from the ground up. Read more>>
Christina Prezzemolo
I’ve been making art for as long as I can remember. I started painting murals at a really young age, and that naturally grew into a career as a mural artist, portrait painter, and live painter over the last 30 years. Read more>>
Josmauri Tejeda
I’ll be honest… Boba Beach Club wasn’t exactly Plan A. Or Plan B. But looking back, it seems like I was always headed here. I’m a Jersey girl who grew up glued to Food Network, dreaming of palm trees and convinced I’d be the next Rachael Ray. Read more>>
Denielle Miller
My journey began the moment I was born, and for as long as I can remember, I have been captivated by the entertainment industry, particularly documentaries that narrate compelling stories and talk shows. I would watch programs like 106 & Park on BET, despite my grandmother’s disapproval, and dream of one day sitting on that couch. Read more>>
Vanessa McClain
When I was just 18, life’s circumstances led me to leave home earlier than expected. I always had a special love for the beauty industry, with a musical theater background in high school, I was always in charge of Hair and Makeup for everyone on set. This is where my love for the world of glam really began. Read more>>
Rachel Samson
I can’t believe I’m saying this but I’m entering my 10th year as a content creator. Ironically 10 years ago I had never heard of that term, back then we were “bloggers” – even if we didn’t have a blog! There’s really been such a huge evolution of what it means to be a creator or influencer. Read more>>
Irina Sergeeva
I started my journey with a deep interest in elegance, fashion, and personal transformation. Before entering the fashion industry professionally, I worked in hospitality management, which taught me discipline, communication, and how to work under pressure. At the same time, I was building my personal brand online and studying digital psychology, marketing, AI and personal development. Read more>>
Constanza Maute
Originally from New York City and raised in Southampton, New York, my path has always been guided by an appreciation for beauty, culture, and the art of living well. After studying abroad and developing fluency in several languages, I went on to spend ten years producing advertising photography shoots alongside celebrated artists and photographers. Read more>>
Yeni Pazos
It all started with wanting to give my daughter, Janie, real food, something I could control and feel good about, knowing exactly what ingredients were in it. I wanted our family to learn how to self-sustain and provide the best possible quality food for the people we love. Read more>>
Emilia Montero
We are Arthur and Emilia. We have been married for almost 30 years, and over time we have learned that life can surprise you in ways you never imagined. We have one daughter, Andrea, who is our greatest pride and one of the main reasons we chose to reinvent our lives here in the United States. Read more>>
Nat Rosenfeld
was born and raised in Miami, my journey into styling started in luxury bridal at Ever After in Coconut Grove. I had the opportunity to work side by side with Camille Russler, who truly gave me the tools, guidance, and confidence to see styling as a real career path. Read more>>
Hani Cohen
I grew up in a small neighborhood in Israel, where life teaches you resilience and ambition from a very young age. Even as a child, I always felt a strong desire to create, build, and think beyond my surroundings. When I was younger, I also explored acting roles in Israel, which introduced me early to the world of media, storytelling, and communication. Read more>>
Omi Aura
Like many artists my creative journey has been quite colorful and winding. As a child I crafted intricate worlds in my mind; bringing them to life via any method I had access to. Read more>>
Hander Lara
I was born and raised in Cuba, where my relationship with art began early and gradually evolved into a lifelong commitment to visual expression and teaching. Over the years, I’ve worked across different media — sculpture, installation, photography, painting, and drawing — always interested in how memory, identity, and everyday experiences can be transformed into visual language. Read more>>
Valeria Sol Lopez
I always knew I was meant to build something of my own. I never knew exactly what it would be, but I knew it would live somewhere in creativity. Whether that meant capturing candid moments, fashion, luxury experiences, or inspiring others through storytelling, I always believed that one day when the timing was right, the lightbulb would click. Read more>>
Thabatha A Soriano
I’m a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and the founder of Behavioral Neurodiversity Specialists, an applied behavior analysis company based in Miami that works with children and families in the neurodiverse community. What initially drew me to applied behavior analysis was how fascinating I found human behavior and development. Read more>>
Eric Shimon
I’m Eric Shimon, born and raised in Aventura, Florida. Growing up, I always felt like my city was unique. We sat between Miami and Fort Lauderdale, surrounded by culture, nightlife, luxury, and nonstop energy. On paper, Aventura had everything. But despite all of it, something always felt missing to me: a real sense of community. There wasn’t a heartbeat to the city. Read more>>
Dmitri Jean
I started Code Before Cash from a mindset more than anything. Growing up, I always paid attention to how people moved, how they carried themselves, and how discipline and loyalty separated people long term. The name ‘Code Before Cash’ represents putting principles, vision, and work ethic before money. To me, money comes after you stay solid to your code. Read more>>
Claudia Domo
I was born in Peru into a world filled with creativity, elegance, design, and philanthropy. My father is an architect, and my mother worked in the fashion world while dedicating much of her life to helping others. Between architecture, fashion, art, and charity events, I grew up understanding that beauty was never only about what we see, it was about how we make people feel. Read more>>
