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.
H. Dean Reynolds
I started as a musician first. Growing up Jamaican with a deep love for gospel and Christian music, I learned early that music is ministry, but it is also business. I spent years sharpening my craft as a bass player and music director, serving in churches and working in media and broadcasting. Read more>>
Kingdom Outkasts
We met at a Wednesday night Bible study, at a small church in Forest Park, Philadelphia Christian Church, Atlanta. Elijah had recently relocated to Atlanta, and had been watching Pastor O online. Dayja was invited by a family friend, and Brandon had heard about it through friends in the Hebrew faith. Read more>>
Kenisha King
I started my journey out of a genuine need. Like many people, I struggled to find hair products that actually worked for my hair without compromising ingredients or results. What began as experimenting with formulas for myself and close family quickly turned into a passion for creating products that truly support healthy hair and scalp care. Read more>>
Rasheed Stevens
I originally got into my hobbies by exploring the abandoned malls in my hometown of Macon, Georgia, after witnessing the decline of my childhood mall. From there, I became fascinated by the retail history of Department Stores, how they were formed, and the reason why they shuttered. Read more>>
SHILAKEN
I started my journey when I was a senior in high school but I would say I really didn’t start flexing my talent until I went to school at Spelman College. My freshman year I started venturing from my original sewing and started making two-piece outfits, and consistently joining our market Fridays to promote my brand. Read more>>
Jaja Ledbetter
I started writing music very young, around the age of five. It began with poetry, and from there it just snowballed. I’ve always loved singing, writing, rapping, and poetry all of it. Music is what truly makes my heart pump. It’s how I express myself, how I process life, and how I connect with people. My artist name is Asè From The South. Read more>>
Kaela Moore
My passion for Treasured Brides was born from my own experience planning a wedding in 2017–2018. At that time, I struggled to find an affordable wedding dress, and even more so, a bridal store that offered size-inclusive options. I remember feeling overlooked and missing out on the “Cinderella moment” that so many brides dream of. Read more>>
Tajmaher Thomas
In 2020, after being laid off from my full-time job as a logistics coordinator, I finally had time to reflect. It was the third layoff I had experienced in just three years, and during quarantine I began questioning my direction and purpose. During that time, I met a photographer who was also a videographer and filmmaker. Read more>>
Oshun Love
I spent a long time searching for my purpose and trying to figure life out on my own. I’m naturally shy and introverted and fear held me back for years. When I finally prayed and asked God what He wanted me to do, the answer was clear: Sing. As I grew closer to God, I realized fear is not from Him, so I chose faith instead. I created a home studio & recorded my music, released my EP/ singles and trusted God with the results. Read more>>
ANTWAN BANKS
When the 2000’s hit, I found myself back down south living in South Carolina. I had been saving money from my entertainment business, just waiting for the right business opportunity to come along. In this new venture I became a Gentlemen’s Club owner, after all I had been club manager, Dj and bartender at a popular Gentlemen’s Club in Las Vegas for a year or so. So, I knew enough, that gave me the confidence to open one in South Carolina. Read more>>
Renee Ventrice
My story is currently in the chapter where I’ve achieved my lifelong dream of becoming a bestselling author. Its humble beginnings were as a military brat who grew up in Bellevue, Nebraska as number 5 out of 6 siblings. My father was enlisted in the Air Force and in the 70s, times were hard even though he was serving our country. Read more>>
Vanessa Jodie
As a little girl, I found myself always trying to do something creative. It could be with music, acting, dancing, or starting a business. I started out playing the piano, participating in beauty pageants, dance teams, and writing my first song at the age of 14. Coming from a foreign family, it was tough for me. Read more>>
Nadia Walker
Growing up, I was always creative in some way. I loved to draw, make jewelry out of clay, and write little books that I’d pass around my classroom for my classmates to read. I’ve just always enjoyed making things. Looking back, it’s kind of funny how I got my start in videography. Read more>>
Victoria Stephenson
I started 4Kurves Athleisure Wear during my fitness journey—a journey that was born out of one of the most painful and challenging seasons of my life. After experiencing heartbreak and emotional exhaustion, I found myself searching for peace, clarity, and healing. Read more>>
eric burgess
my artist name si EMBEX. I was born and raised in Newark, New Jersey, and began DJing at 13, building on a musical foundation passed down from my father. I started with a pair of Technics 1200s, a Vestax mixer, and a growing collection of hip-hop, house, and techno records so most of my influences were benny benassi, skrillex and deadmau5.. Read more>>
Andrea Reid
I fell in love with travel as a little girl riding all over the country with my mom, grandma, and great-aunt, who founded a women’s travel club that’s still going strong 35+ years later. We took trips that explored cultures and themes from Civil Rights history to Amish Country, and later graduated to cruises in the Caribbean, Mexico, and Canada. Read more>>
Somair Feroz
A story, a script writing tool on my phone, and an unprecedented thrust to have the first of my stories out in writing. Thats how it started and I had my first feature draft done in two weeks. I rarely find that same inertia again, but the stories in my mind keep pushing themselves out in similar ways. Read more>>
Richard Adams
To go deeper I would also say most of my career has been working at HBCUs – it is being around my culture and my people that gave me that greatest appreciation for my history and heritage but also what helps me to commit to showing up for everyone that looks like me in these education spaces, especially the ones where there are not many that look like me. Read more>>
Archana Athalye
Academic pressure and the financial commitment needed for serious training often push older students to treat the sport as a hobby rather than a career path. Finding a way to keep the students motivated by challenging them in setting up various records within the club was one of the key factors of ongoing success. Read more>>
Roderickius Freeman
The download speed just isnt as as fast as how you process & upload the information. I definitely look back & find myself grateful for experiencing the resistance alone & with the fam because emerging from the other side confirms your resolve & connection to creating. Alot of ideas we can build apon because we truly are cultivating the blueprint from pushing forward when others didnt. Its something completely new & its honed by your desire to pursure life in abundance foreal, no matter what comes against you. Read more>>
mercedes madison
The Bundle Depot was founded four to five years ago with a passion for providing high-quality, luxury hair that delivers confidence and versatility. Originally launched in Birmingham, Alabama, the brand was built on a strong foundation of premium bundles and timeless beauty. Today, The Bundle Depot is a fully online luxury hair boutique, proudly serving customers in all 50 states. Read more>>
Deshaun Warren
I started producing in 2014 while I was in high school. I got my first opportunities when I moved to Atlanta in order to go to Georgia state for college. I was in sessions at digital nas’ (Kanye’s producer) place with Playboi Carti, lil yachty, and trippie redd to name a few. Read more>>
Roberto Small
My career in hospitality began in 2009 at the Chart House, where I started as a host at just 17 years old. I began in the front of the house, but I was constantly learning from and spending time with the servers. As soon as I turned 18, I was promoted to server, a role I held through my high school graduation. Read more>>
Jessimae Peluso
I started doing stand-up comedy in my early 20s in Boston, MA with absolutely no plan B, which in hindsight explains a lot. I came up the old-school way, open mics, road gigs, bombing publicly, learning fast, and developing a thick skin. Both in NY and now LA. Comedy quickly became both my job and my language for understanding the world. Read more>>
Ned Wellbery
I got started by loving music and making mixtapes on actual tapes (lol) for myself and friends as a kid in the 80s. Then I became a real DJ in the late 90s and moved to Boston. From there I went to Northeastern University and started interning with Metro Concepts doing guerrilla marketing. Read more>>
Cameron Brown
I played college football fresh out of high school. On my off time, I spent consistent days & nights looking at new outfits and new clothes being implemented within the space of fashion. At 1st, I wanted to start a fitness brand, but it eventually translated to streetwear/designer style, cause it was a market that was growing rapidly. Read more>>
Xinxun Liao
My practice began with an intuitive belief that visual refinement and aesthetic clarity were enough to communicate ideas effectively. In my early studies of animation and visual design, I focused heavily on form, composition, and visual appeal, trusting that “good-looking” work naturally led to good communication. Through continued practice, I gradually realized that visual completeness does not guarantee understanding. Read more>>
Jordan Hughes
I started Redwood Outdoor Designs in January of 2018. I had experience in the landscape/outdoor services industry through high school and college jobs working for local lawn care companies and a plant nursery. I started the company with small goals – I just needed a way to pay my way through my masters program – but the company grew larger than I ever expected. Read more>>
Loren Nelson
From a young age, my parents always told me that you have to find a way and figure it out, because life only gets harder as you get older. Those lessons stayed with me and have guided me throughout my entire life. I started out taking a graphic design class in high school and quickly fell in love with it. Read more>>
Ero Ibhafidon
It all started when I was eleven years old. My mother was known for cooking and serving food to people around us. One evening, after she had finished serving, a friend of mine walked in, hungry, but there was no food left in the pot. I gave him my plate. Read more>>
Amy Bergman
My college degree is in traditional Home Economics from Berry College and I’ve taught for 30 years in the public school system. As a child, my grandmother lived next door and was always sewing. My earliest memories of her involve watching her sew for the family. In college I worked in the theatre costume shop and honed my craft. Read more>>
Horace Lovett IV
My journey began with creativity as both a refuge and a calling. I started in the beauty industry over two decades ago, initially drawn to hair as a form of self-expression, but quickly realizing it was also a powerful tool for confidence, healing, and transformation. Read more>>
Thuy Nguyen
Lush Nail Lounge, we opened 3 years. We just changing new management and updating more services and high quality skills. To treat our clients the best of we can we find many ways to do. Our services are not the best but we can give you the best time to enjoy our services! Everything is new and clean. Read more>>
Jessica S. Geiger
According to my parents, my love for hair began at just 3 years old. I walked around with a comb in my hand, greasing and attempting to braid anyone I could get to. I was always in the salon— I went with my Mother to every one of her hair appointments—never missing one, and by the age of eight, I was already helping the stylists. I swept floors, cleaned stations, and threaded needles at Claire’s Beauty Salon on Fulton Street in Brooklyn, New York. Styling hair has always been innate to me—a gift from God that my parents nurtured and that I worked hard to develop. Read more>>
Corey Scruggs
BigFaceSports is a sports company that specializes in providing top-notch training programs and coaching services for athletes. Their mission is to empower youth through sports, helping them grow into confident and successful adults. Here are some key aspects of BigFaceSports ¹: – *Services*: BigFaceSports offers free recruiting services to help athletes get noticed by college coaches and advance their sports careers. They also provide training programs focusing on strength, speed, agility, and endurance. Read more>>
Shae Poole
My understanding of “home” is both personal and professional. As a mom to a wonderful daughter, I know that home is more than a place to live—it’s where stability is built, memories are made, and futures begin. That perspective shapes everything I do as a real estate professional. I grew up watching homeownership modeled within my own family. Read more>>
Ronnie Beatty
Growing up in Charleston, WV which is a small city compared to Atlanta, I quickly realized I had to work twice as hard if I wanted to be somebody and to get someplace where I could make a name for myself. I had big dreams, first it was to be a professional basketball player, then it was to become a rapper. Read more>>
