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.
Sheila Michelle Foye
But what I’ve learned is that resilience is everything. Every setback was a setup for a greater comeback. I refused to let struggles define me—instead, I used them as fuel to grow, evolve, and help others do the same. My journey is proof that you can face challenges head-on and still come out winning. Read More>>
Ethan Drakes
During this time, I also had to make a major life change. I moved off-campus and secured a house for all of us to live together. It became our base of operations—where we strategized, planned, and bonded over the challenges and wins. I even had to make trips to New York and New Jersey to oversee the construction of the truck, balancing the stress of logistics and creativity while making sure everything came together just right. Read More>>
Amanda Precious
Throughout my journey, I’ve been shaped by individuals who challenged and strengthened me. Danielle, my childhood friend has been a foundational source of support in my life. Her unwavering support has remained constant through every chapter of my life. In high school, I met Nick Kayea, a musician and filmmaker whose mentorship sharpened my creative and business aptitude. This connection eventually led me to Leadership Team Development, where I honed both my personal and professional skills. Through Nick, I connected with Kadé Hill, founder of Jaido Studios, whose commitment to representation deeply resonated with me. Read More>>
Ro
Even though I wasn’t actively taking pictures, it was during that time that I got especially interested in concert photography, and found myself enamored with being able to capture fleeting, raw moments. After this period, my interest was reignited as I began exploring the various DIY scenes of Atlanta. I asked myself how I could merge my new love of the scene with my old passion for photography. Today, I’m still navigating how to bring what I learned all those years ago and apply it to the type of art I want to make today, all while trying to stay afloat in a constantly changing social media landscape. Read More>>
Gregory Walker
We see ourselves as a boutique, generalist, research focused studio, believing that a rich diversity of clients, projects, and open conversations generates more innovative solutions uniquely suited to each client. If you have to know one thing about our core values, it’s this one, which has remained with us since the beginning: We like laughter in the workplace and consider it a gauge for the overall health of the studio. Read More>>
Jass
It’s been a road, but I can’t say it’s been smooth. Opportunities have definitely come my way, but it’s often been hard to break into new markets and get the exposure needed as an artist. It takes a real investment in yourself to get out on the road and find people who are ready for a new sound and open to experiencing fresh live music. People enjoy hearing what they already know and that can be a difficult pill to swallow as an independent arti Read More>>
Marilyn Stroud
I enjoy reading. My favorite thing is attending church, events and services. I love meeting new people and enjoying current friends as seen in this interview. I love to talk as previously said I love gaining and sharing information. I have named myself an unofficial information specialist because of that. Tee hee hee! I feel that I have made, and am still am making a great contribution to our society and more specifically to those in the community as I continue to serve in the best capacity that I can considering my health issues. I am quite honored to have this opportunity to share my story. I would love to write a book, but I’m legally blind and can’t see well enough to do it on my own, So I thank you for this opportunity to share my story with you. Read More>>
Qiting Fang
Another challenge has been balancing innovation with simplicity. At Butlr, we design privacy-first sensing solutions, and ensuring that complex technology remains intuitive and accessible is an ongoing challenge. Designing for industries like senior care and commercial real estate also requires understanding diverse user needs while maintaining ethical considerations around privacy and usability. Read More>>
Pingyu (Layla) Zhan
I’ve always loved art and design. I started with a degree in Visual Communication Design and later pursued my Master’s in Graphic Design. Along the way, I explored different areas—branding, packaging, UI/UX—through internships and freelance projects. Each experience helped me grow and refine my style. Now, I’m working as a graphic designer, creating visual assets for brands. It’s been a journey of learning, experimenting, and pushing my creativity, and I’m excited for what’s next! Read More>>
Sanela Hart
I am originally from Australia, though I have lived in 5 countries and traveled to over 25. My physical background began in childhood as a gymnast and progressed into a circus career as an Acrobat and Trapeze artist. Initially yoga was a complimentary practice to my career, but it became so much more. Read More>>
Rachanta Waller
One of the biggest struggles has been navigating professional growth while still figuring out my true passions. I’ve had to learn how to pivot, embrace discomfort, and trust that every experience—good or bad—is pushing me forward. But through it all, I’ve remained committed to my goals, leaned on my support system, and reminded myself that nothing worth having comes easy. The journey isn’t perfect, but it’s mine, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything Read More>>
Libby Schaffer
My artistic journey started as a kid in a small Kansas town. Watercolors and graphite drawings were my go-to’s, but everything changed once I hit middle school. At ten years old, I fell in love with music after joining my middle school’s band, playing the clarinet. From there, I started to pick up more instruments; first the piano, then the violin, cello, guitar, and so on. Over the years, I performed in numerous solos and ensembles across local churches and museums. Read More>>
Noah Jensen
I started in the production world back in 2012, getting my first opportunity to mix in the one of the churches I grew up in, about 30 minutes outside of Boston, MA. I’d already been playing in worship bands for a few years, but being as there was more than one bass player in the church, I didn’t get to play every week. I was always trying to be involved, because I would rather be doing something than just sitting in a pew. I don’t exactly know how the conversation came about, but somehow I ended up behind the large analog mixer our church had, and the rest is history. Read More>>
Afterglow Tattoo
Rebecca, Violet, and Bianca have similar backgrounds, moving to Atlanta as teenagers and becoming immersed in the beautiful and deeply embedded art scene that we have here in Atlanta. We were each working as artists, Rebecca working as a muralist for Living Walls, Bianca sculpting nature dioramas for museums, and Violet being involved with organizing multi media community arts events. We all naturally came to tattooing separately, not even really knowing each other at the time. When the pandemic hit it opened up a period of stillness, in which we all had the time to deep dive into learning a new medium. We were drawn to tattooing because it offers so much freedom, you get out of it what you put in and we all have a lot of energy to give. Read More>>
Elizabeth Quinn
I independently acquired the necessary expertise in skincare formulation, meticulously researching the science behind each ingredient and its potential interactions. This included rigorous study of safety protocols and best practices. Furthermore, I developed proficiency in various business functions, including marketing and advertising across multiple social media platforms, product photography, financial management, e-commerce platform administration, and the artistic design of product labels. Read More>>
Caitlin Waldrip
I was a newly licensed doctor and I worked for another company for a few years while raising a baby. After multiple hurdles, I opened my own practice so I could have the flexibility necessary in raising a child and alternating schedules. I decided on an area that is closer to family to have help if necessary for early marketing events when I couldn’t bring my kids. I pounded the ground in my first year in practice and shook a lot of hands to let people know I was here. After the first year, the business transitioned into a slowly but steadily self maintaining practice where patients send in friends and family, patients find my in their insurance network and highly rated on Google. Now, I just have fun in business and not sweat the little things. Read More>>
Dr. Mali Sobi & Rochelle Boyer
Our journey began with a powerful vision: to revolutionize wellness by integrating personalized medical care with advanced recovery treatments. Our team of dedicated health professionals and medical experts recognized that traditional wellness centers often missed the mark when it came to comprehensive, science-backed solutions—especially for those in need of targeted recovery support. We envisioned a MedSpa that goes beyond aesthetic enhancements, one that offers state-of-the-art diagnostics, innovative treatments, and specialized recovery protocols designed to accelerate healing and optimize overall health. Read More>>
Biubiu Xu
By 2018, I decided to create my own pop-up exhibition, which was a booming trend at the time. That’s how The Egg House was born—the world’s first immersive exhibition themed around eggs. We were fortunate to expand from New York to Shanghai, Los Angeles, and Hong Kong. However, with the arrival of COVID, this venture had to come to a halt. Read More>>
Tanesha Cager
My career journey started in the classroom, where I dedicated 13 years to shaping young minds and instilling a love for learning in Atlanta and in the Middle East. My passion for education and fascination with technology inspired me to transition into the role of an Instructional Technology Coach. In this capacity, I have played a pivotal role in incorporating technology into the curriculum, guiding both educators and students to embrace the digital era with proficiency and assurance. Read More>>
Jonathan Tucker
One of the biggest challenges has been dealing with motivation—it’s easy to go in and out of spells where you feel incredibly driven, but then those moments can fade and it takes some effort to get back on track. Another struggle has been finding the time to truly devote to music and writing, especially as you get older. Priorities shift, and as much as I’d love to spend all my time creating, the reality of paying bills and managing responsibilities becomes the main focus. Balancing those things can be tough, but I’ve learned to push through and make time for what I love. Read More>>
Jonathan Colon
In the following years, I organized public silent disco events featuring three DJs and later worked for a New York-based competitor for three years, which provided me with extensive knowledge of the silent headphone industry. At that time, there were no headphone companies based in Atlanta. What started as public events grew into private functions for colleges, schools, churches, corporate gatherings, fitness events, brand activations, and more. Read More>>
Yvonne David
During my Master’s I got my first real taste of life outside The Netherlands, and after getting my degree I moved abroad for a job. As an adult I have lived and worked in 5 countries (Netherlands, Trinidad+Tobago, Portugal, Pakistan, US; 6 in total, counting my country of birth, England) and have worked as an organizational development and cross cultural business consultant. After moving to the US in 1998 for my husband’s job, he and I had our two boys, and I took time off. When I re-entered the workforce, I decided to focus on awareness and advocacy around culture, communication, social justice, and on removing obstacles to help others build a successful career. Read More>>
Leah Rosser
I never set out to become an operations consultant—I just had a knack for making things run smoothly. My background is in education, and for years, I thrived as a curriculum designer and instructional leader. I loved building systems that made learning more effective, more engaging, and more accessible. But what I didn’t realize at the time was that I wasn’t just designing educational experiences—I was designing operational frameworks. Read More>>
Chante’l Armstrong
My journey began with grassroots activism in environmental and social justice, but over time, I recognized a critical gap in emergency preparedness and life-saving education. During my time working in training and development, I saw firsthand how equipping individuals with proper knowledge and resources could transform lives. This realization, coupled with my personal experiences in community outreach and development, inspired me to create Armstrong To The Rescue. Read More>>
Brionna Warner
I started writing poetry when I fell in love with my high school sweetheart—it was the only way I could truly express what I felt. Over time, that one spark led me to explore other emotions and experiences in my life, and I’ve never stopped since. Poetry became more than just a creative outlet, it became a release, a way to navigate the hardships and transformations in my journey. No matter what I’ve been through, poetry has always been there—a space where I can be honest, raw, and free with no limitations. Read More>>
Jacolvy Garcia
Eventually, I bought my own camera, a Canon T7i, and began using the photography and videography modes to capture different events, such as recreational volleyball games and cosplay conventions. I brought my camera along to pop culture events like DragonCon and MomoCon to capture the hard work cosplayers put into their costumes. Some of them were characters I loved, or characters my friends loved, so I would send those pictures to them. The cosplayers were friendly, and it turned out to be a great way to connect with many of them. Read More>>
Bianca Reed
There, I was drawn to OT’s holistic approach and its focus on helping people engage in daily activities. This transformative experience led me to switch my path from PT to OT. Since becoming a licensed OT, I worked in several practice areas including a school district, a daycare for medically fragile kids, an in-patient and rehab hospital, and in the community with adults with intellectual disabilities. Now, as the owner of a solo pediatric OT practice, I work with children with varying disabilities and their families, helping them to become more independent. Read More>>
Ben Levinson
A Georgia native, Levinson’s roots in the community run deep. After earning his BBA in Marketing from the University of Georgia, he combined his education with a keen business acumen to elevate Dynasty into one of the most respected names in the pawn industry. His leadership extends beyond his own business—Levinson has played a pivotal role in helping to shape the industry. As a former President and Vice President of the Pawnbrokers Association of Georgia and a former President, Vice President, and Secretary of the National Pawnbrokers Association, he has advocated for ethical standards, customer rights, and the evolution of the modern pawn business. Read More>>
Megan Ihnen
Our work is deeply community-centered. We believe in celebrating listener agency, meaning we respect the interests and musical tastes of our audience. LMP covers a broad spectrum of classical music, from ancient/early music to traditional classical works to contemporary or experimental compositions. Whether someone is looking for a Mozart symphony, a Baroque harpsichord recital, or a cutting-edge new music performance, they can find it on LMP. Read More>>
Slone Williams
From our early dreams to where we stand today, the journey of Slone x Mattie has been one of growth, discovery, and resilience. As we approach our one-year anniversary in April 2025, we reflect on the five years of dedication it took to build this brand. This is more than just a fashion venture—it’s a testament to generational wealth, creativity, and the unbreakable bond between mother and daughter. Read More>>
Dominique Dorsey
I work as a camera operator and drone pilot at a local news station. I am also a freelance photographer and videographer. I’m proud of the fact that I am a self starter and mostly everything I have learned has been from YouTube University lol and a bit of trial and error. I have seen myself grow so much just looking at my work over the years. Read More>>
Dr. Shelly Shell Williams
I got a call to be the Executive Assistant to Dorothy Brunson, the first African-American woman in the nation to own a TV and radio station (WGTW TV 48.). And let me tell you, when God moves, He moves fast—because I didn’t hesitate. I stepped into the media world with no experience, just a willingness to learn and a fire to succeed. Read More>>
Krystle Rutledge
My love for fragrance has always been a deep part of who I am. I’ve always been captivated by how scents can evoke memories, set moods, and transform a space. This passion inspired me to start my own candle business, where I could blend my creativity and love for fragrance into something that others could enjoy. I wanted to create candles that not only smell amazing but also provide a sense of warmth and comfort. Each candle is a reflection of my desire to share the calming and uplifting power of scent with the world. Read More>>
Lisa Thiffault
Lisa’s Crêperie was first created in May 2017. Her passion for French cooking and particularly Crêpes originated when she was just a child. Lisa was born in Nice, France, then raised in the island of Corsica, where she first learned how to make crêpes. Her authentic recipe has been in her family for generations. In 1997, Lisa relocated to the US where she finished school and went on the join the US Navy as a Helicopter Mechanic, based in San Diego, CA. Every chance she had, Lisa would try crepes to get a little taste of her childhood, but they never tasted like real French Crêpes. Read More>>
Sherry Ellis
I also teach violin, viola, and piano lessons at a conservatory in Johns Creek called Musik21. Some of the highlights of my musical career include being a semifinalist in the 2004 International Viola Competition in Paris, France, performing as a soloist in Germany, and performing Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody for Viola and Orchestra with The Georgia Philharmonic at Dragon Con 2024. I am also the Executive Director of the Georgia Philharmonic. Managing the business side of an arts organization has added a nice balance to my career. Read More>>
Violeta Perez
Years later, the pandemic brought another challenge—I once again found myself without a job, stuck at home with no clear path forward. It felt like history was repeating itself, but this time, I decided to write a new chapter. I turned to baking once again, but with a different approach: I started sharing my creations on social media. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that what started as a simple hobby would become the rebirth of Violys Sweets and Pastries. Read More>>
Marquise Jones
I’ve been a creative since I was eight & in the third grade. I was seeking more from school that wasn’t academic so I joined the Georgia Film Academy team for Dimon Elementary. We were given a theme and we had to submit a three minute short film for it to compete against other schools in South Georgia. I learned how to pitch, film, and edit within a couple of months, and I swore, I was an expert. Maybe I was slightly because our team placed in the competition. I LOVED the experience, so much that I rejoined the next year. Read More>>
Felicity Kanu
Over the years, the brand has evolved, initially focusing on frames, and later expanding to include a diverse range of sunglasses. Today, Neen Eyewear goes beyond fashion, offering a comprehensive suite of optical services, including prescription lenses and contact lenses, to cater to the varying needs of its customers. Read More>>
Pressure K
I’ve always loved the ‘90s, but the early 2000s were my time. As a teenager, I wasn’t allowed to wear tall tees or listen to music with cursing, but now? Now I can reclaim that era and express it fully through drag. Drag became more than entertainment for me—it became a way to heal, to embrace parts of myself I wasn’t always able to, and to create performances that are authentic to me. That’s how I got to where I am today, and I know there’s still so much more to come. Read More>>
Danni Thomas
But it wasn’t until my early adulthood that I truly began to take my gift seriously. I made a commitment to myself to grow as an artist, dedicating time to vocal lessons, studio sessions, and writing sessions. I immersed myself in the work of artists like Brandy and Kierra Sheard, studying their techniques and artistry. Singing became my daily ritual, and I started sharing song covers online, building a small but loyal audience. Read More>>
Denise Brilliant
That desire led me to entrepreneurship, where I’ve built businesses through strategic joint ventures and partnerships. By aligning with forward-thinking collaborators and leveraging shared strengths, I’ve been able to scale ventures that deliver transformative value to clients and customers. Today, I’m proud to lead The Hatch Works (www.thehatchworks.com), a marketing agency that helps investment-backed startups and growing brands navigate the complexities of scaling while fostering creativity and innovation. Read More>>
Mvelo Hadebe
I started off my trading journey individually but I ended up partnering up with Qhayiya Mbuthuma who is a friend of mine. Our partnership was unique as we complimented each other well. Where I was weak, he was strong; where he was weak, I was strong. We felt that we had something to offer in the industry. We were also tired of scammers too. We opened our small company in order to prove that you could provide valuable information and education without charging or scamming people. Read More>>
