Hidden Gems: Local Businesses & Creatives You Should Know

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.

Clayton Vaughn

Born and raised in Texas. I’ve been cooking bbq on a grill since I was about 6-7 years of age. Growing up my mother called me “Cookie” and I would help her when we would host different family events with grilling. Read more>>

Tekee Parker

I originally come from Flint, MI. I came to Atlanta for college in 1996. I graduated from GSU undergrad and CTU for graduate school.I started my career in commercial real estate about eight years ago, learning the business from the ground up and building my reputation deal by deal. Read more>>

Namwon Choi

I began my art education very early, learning from my father, who is also an artist. That foundation led me to Hongik University in Seoul, where I earned both my BFA and MFA in Oriental Painting. In 2002, I moved to the United States to expand my training and engage more directly with the American art community. Read more>>

Lee Baker

I grew up in Jacksonville, Florida, and becoming a financial planner wasn’t even on my radar. When I moved to Atlanta to study Industrial Engineering at Georgia Tech, I still didn’t know what I wanted to “be.” I just knew Tech would challenge me and give me options. Life stepped in and gave me clarity. Read more>>

Jeffrey Mitchell

My journey into real estate is really a story about recognizing that education doesn’t just happen in classrooms it happens in every transaction, every relationship, and every opportunity to serve people through one of the most significant decisions of their lives. Read more>>

Maxine Clifford

I didn’t set out with a master plan to become a studio owner. I started as a teenage intern at a cycling studio, working the front desk, cleaning bikes, and learning the environment from the ground up. I was drawn to the energy of indoor cycling and the impact a great class could have on someone’s mindset. Read more>>

Jeromie Folson

I did not set out to start a home care company. My journey unfolded through life, shaped by love, responsibility, and moments that quietly changed everything. Professionally, my background is in technology and education. I spent years working in IT and cybersecurity and teaching others how to navigate complex systems. Read more>>

Crawford K. McDonald

I started an affordable assisted living concept that services patients from all over the state in Athens ga. We are often able to bring their costs down by 50% and are in the process of building a new facility concept that will have 120 beds and be arriving in Atlanta soon Read more>>

Hurricane Main

Hi, my name is Tremain Johnson also known as ‘Hurricane Main’ ceo of Category 10 Entertainment which is a conglomerate for everything related to Hurricane Main. This is my story that I would like to share with you. I was born in a small town just east of Atlanta Georgia called Covington. As a kid I had dreams of becoming a bicycle motocross racer. Read more>>

Bruce Hagen

Bruce Hagen is a personal injury attorney who specializes in representing cyclists when injured due to traffic violence, poor or damaged infrastructure or encounters with loose dogs. Through his law firm, Hagen Rosskopf – Bike Law GA, Bruce has represented hundreds of cyclist statewide obtaining settlements to help cyclists cover their medical bills and recover from the financial impact of their injuries. Read more>>

Jack & Alyssa Wagner

We both stepped into our twenties engaged, a little unsure of our direction, and having each stepped away from college after a few years. Jack was working at Hobby Lobby and I was serving in ministry, but we both felt a quiet pull toward the creative world. Read more>>

Wesley Gaither

I started off my music journey making beats at 9 years old, I joined the band in 6th grade playing the trombone. I made beats and produced for a lot of people growing up, I never even thought of making a song until I was 18. Read more>>

Nakia Sanford Lawson

Sports were my first love — and track was where it all began. I’m a double state champion in track and basketball, but track came first. Track taught me early: don’t stare at the hill — just put one foot in front of the other and you’ll get to the top. Read more>>

Erica Webb

ATL Trauma Therapy grew out of my own lived experience both inside and outside the therapy room. I grew up in a chaotic household and didn’t have the tools or language to make sense of what was happening around me. As an undiagnosed ADHD kid, I internalized a lot of that chaos and assumed it was my fault. Read more>>

Daniel Collins

Who is Daniel Collins? Whether you are buying or selling your home, you are going to spend a good amount of your time with your realtor. You get to choose who you want to spend that time with. My name is Daniel Collins and I go by the mantra “Not Your Ordinary Everyday Agent.” ‘What’s that even mean? Read more>>

Dr. April Walker, LPC, LMHC

My journey started with a deep passion for helping others. Early on, I believed that calling would take shape through the pursuit of a medical degree, but over time, I realized my heart was being pulled toward mental health. Read more>>

Rodshawnda Franklin

My healthcare journey began long before I became a nurse. I started my career as a Pharmacy Technician, where I gained an early appreciation for medication management, patient safety, and the importance of clear, compassionate communication. Working closely with both patients and pharmacists ignited my passion for direct patient care and inspired me to take the next step in my professional path. Read more>>

Adrienne Thatcher

My journey into Feng Shui wasn’t planned. I spent many years in hospitality and real estate, where I saw firsthand how the environment influences people — their mood, decisions, stress levels, and sense of well-being. During a personal transition, I discovered Feng Shui and began studying it seriously. Once I applied it to my own home, everything shifted — clarity, opportunity, and ease returned. Read more>>

Omair Ata

My name is Dr. Omair Ata, and I’m a board certified psychiatrist with a focus on integrative psychiatry. My path into medicine started in college at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where I earned my degree in Neuroscience. Read more>>

De’Havia Stewart

I grew up in a small town in Florida, Pensacola, and come from a low income background, but I was introduced to the power of finance very early through my great aunt. She was born in the 1930s, the child of a sharecropper, and like many women of her generation she did not work a traditional corporate job. Read more>>

Cedric Smith

My story starts in Columbia, South Carolina, in a two-bedroom apartment shared by four generations — my mother, my older brother, my grandmother, and me. My mother worked two jobs while going to school, and my grandmother became the backbone not just of our household, but of the neighborhood. She was the caregiver everyone trusted. Read more>>

Vamsi Bandi

I was born on August 9, 1998, in Markapur, Andhra Pradesh, India, into a well-settled and well-educated family respected in our community. My upbringing was shaped by my father, Venkateswara Rao Bandi, and my mother, Rama Devi Bandi, who instilled in me the values of discipline, humility, education, and integrity. Read more>>

Decovia Daniels

My name is Decovia Daniels. Born in Alabama raised north of Atlanta with a passion to entertain. After raising kids, I discovered my humorous side. Making people laugh gives me a joy like no other. A few years ago, I decided I wanted to be in front of the camera. I’ve done multiple background roles on shows such as BMF and P Valley. Read more>>

Paola Martinez Rios

I started acting when I was 12. My best friend made me audition with her for a competitive acting interscholastic category and I got hooked! I competed in acting all throughout my childhood in a small town called Princeton, Texas. Read more>>

Sheree Love

My journey into health and wellness began with myself. Years ago, I experienced firsthand the power of creating a well-rounded wellness routine and how movement, mindset, and consistency could transform not just the body, but the entire way you show up in life. Read more>>

Fulterius King

I grew up in a very small town where my mother taught me to treat people the way I want to be treated and my father encouraged me to be a leader, and not a follower. Both of their lessons have truly stuck with me. Read more>>

Sherry Heyl

I started my career in the late 90s as an IT recruiter, which turned out to be one of the best foundations I could have asked for. I learned early that talent has power, that skills shift markets, and that work is never static. That insight stayed with me. In 2005, I left traditional employment and built my own consulting practice. Read more>>

Anna Virgo

Balanced Kids Atlanta really started from a personal parenting moment back in 2018. After our kids had been riding balance bikes for a couple years, they just hopped on pedal bikes and rode off like it was nothing. Read more>>

Cameron Watson

My name is Cameron but I go under the artist name Antonius. Antonius is inspired by my middle name Antonio. I am a NYC & Atlanta based model and alt/R&B music artist. I started modeling in December of 2025 to start getting into the creative scene while finishing up my debut Alt/R&B E.P. I will release the first single and music video in March. Read more>>

Irwin Litvak

My name is Irwin, and I come from a Ukrainian immigrant family. After earning my degree in Business Administration and Finance, I initially pursued opportunities in Manhattan’s financial sector. However, facing intense competition, I pivoted to website development and spent two years at The Gate Worldwide, a digital agency where I honed my technical skills. Read more>>

Nakia Thompson

Born and raised in Decatur, Georgia, I come from deep traditional Southern roots where faith, family, and hard work were a way of life. Entrepreneurship wasn’t a concept I discovered later—it was woven into my upbringing. Read more>>

Quintin Bostic

Dr. Bostic’s dissertation, which helped the greater research community bridge access and authenticity, was among the most downloaded documents in Georgia State University’s history. It won him the attention of multiple media outlets, including PBS, and the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs (RICE), where he was hired as a Program Manager. RICE helped Dr. Read more>>

Bria Murray

My journey into global humanitarian work truly began when I was preparing to turn 21. At the time, I never imagined myself stepping into the work my mother had built through House of Dawn. I watched her pour everything into it — long hours, constant sacrifice, and years of hard work — and I honestly felt like it was too much responsibility to carry. Read more>>

Alex & Jenn Buntin

Mind Your Biscuits Bakeshop started in April 2025 as a simple summer plan: give Alex a way to earn some extra money, stay busy, and learn a little about running a business. What began as a small charity bake sale over spring break quickly turned into a licensed cottage bakery based in Roswell, Georgia. Read more>>

Bri Toria

I began making music as a way to survive my own truth. What started in solitude evolved into sound that travels. Through relentless independence, I built my path from the ground up, taking my voice on the road, connecting with people city by city. My music now moves through multiple states and across borders, carried by listeners who see themselves in my story. Read more>>

Roytrice Ashley Crawford Wise

Ashley Wise born and raised in Savannah, GA attended Howard University for undergraduate stories. Roytrice Crawford born and raised in Miami, Fl attended Florida A&M University for her undergraduate studies. Both ladies were accepted into Life University’s chiropractic program Jan 2013 and that is where the adventure started. After 3.5 years later both ladies completed the Chiropractic Doctoral program. Read more>>

Ginette Nean

I’m Ginette Nean, originally from the Ivory Coast, West Africa. At just 16, I moved to New Jersey with dreams of creating a life that mattered. I started as a braider and, through hard work and determination, earned my cosmetology license through an apprenticeship. Read more>>

Glen Kelly

My name is Glen Kelly, In 2001 I started pressure washing at the age of 19 for one of the biggest pressure washing companies at that time. By 2006 I became directer of field operations. Unfortunately in 2020 when Covid hit and the company shut down and I was devastated. Something I had done for 20 years suddenly gone. Read more>>

Erica McCrae

My journey into entrepreneurship was not something I planned. It was something I was prepared for long before I realized it. I spent 14 years in corporate America with AT&T, serving in leadership, operations, and project management roles. I built teams, led initiatives, and learned how systems, people, and performance work together at scale. Read more>>

McKenzie Lewis

I’ve always loved storytelling. Writing came naturally to me, so I went to study journalism and began a career in the broadcasting industry. It was there that I had a front-row seat to a major shift where traditional print and television were giving way to digital platforms. Read more>>

Derek Holloway

Well, how I started in this business I would call it fate. I used to be on a bowling league, and one of the guys I bowl with, him and his wife own a home healthcare company. They explained to me, how I can start my own company. Read more>>

Jerome Shuler

In 2017, I moved to Atlanta with one clear goal: to build something of my own—something creative, sustainable, and meaningful enough to one day pass down. I didn’t know exactly what that would look like, but I knew it would involve storytelling, creativity, and a camera. Read more>>

Daniel Stephenson

I have been a paint contractor for over 35 years and during jobs after days of caulking I’d get splinters or sore fingers so I brainstormed and sat at my kitchen table and made a mold of my finger and that’s where The Caulking Finger originated Read more>>

Austyn Christopher

I have always been a creative person, with the desire to use my skills and turn it into my profession. I have tried many careers from being an elementary school art teacher to a bridal stylist. But never felt like it could stick. Read more>>

Cheryl Lott

In the beginning of 2022, I began dreaming of Sweety’s at a moment when most of my children were grown and I was ready for a new chapter after being a stay-at-home mom for about twenty years. Read more>>

Thomas Woehrel

I got into plumbing because I’ve always liked working with my hands and solving problems that actually matter to people. Early on, I learned the trade by working in the field and seeing firsthand how important quality, honesty, and follow-through are in this line of work. Over time, I realized I wanted to build something of my own, a company that customers could truly trust. Read more>>

Stephanie Scher

I didn’t come into interior design through a straight line or a formula. I came through experience—and observation. My mother was an interior designer early in her career. She was formally educated in design, but long before DIY became a trend, she was already doing it. Our home wasn’t styled to fit a category. Read more>>

Tora Gunn

Revel Treats by Tora G. was born from a shared passion between my mother and me and a love for baking that has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. I grew up in the kitchen alongside my mother and grandmother, learning to bake from scratch and experiencing how desserts bring people together during life’s most meaningful moments. Read more>>

Tiffany Christopher

Before becoming a business owner, I was juggling several part-time roles, all rooted in caring for children and helping them grow. I worked as a nanny, provided nanny and daycare services, and coached gymnastics in the evenings. Read more>>

Chad Reineke

I didn’t arrive at architecture through a single moment of inspiration. I arrived through making. I was always drawing, building things, and trying to understand why certain places felt calm, serious, or memorable while others didn’t. Read more>>

Eley’ Eley

My relationship with photography started early, but it became serious once I realized it could be both a creative language and a way to understand people. I was drawn to portraiture from the beginning—not just how someone looks, but how they carry their history, their identity, and their emotional world. Read more>>

Chef Alexis and Leo Valentine

Our story began long before either AV Gourmet or The Foodie’s Place had a name. Chef Alexis grew up in a family of cooks and chefs, learning early that food was more than nourishment—it was how people connected, celebrated, and told their stories. Read more>>

Julie Demenkow

I’m originally from France, and my journey has been shaped by service and community from the very beginning. I studied administrative skills and later worked in England as a nanny and teacher assistant before moving to the United States. After becoming a mother of two, I returned to school to become an occupational therapy assistant. Read more>>

Anthonia Berry

I have always had a creative side paired with a strong business mindset, and for a long time I searched for a career that allowed both to exist. I found that balance in law firm business development and marketing. I began my career in 2006 in the Cayman Islands at a global law firm specializing in investment funds, real estate, trusts and asset finance. Read more>>

Dr. Iris Wright

I started my journey the way many entrepreneurs do, by working hard, learning on the job, and carrying responsibility early. I spent over a decade in restaurant management, where I developed discipline, leadership skills, and the ability to perform under pressure. That season laid a strong foundation for how I lead today, even before I recognized it as preparation. Read more>>

Lenora Karnath

Hi, yes, I’m a business owner of a taekwondo studio in Suwanee, GA. Starting my taekwondo journey as a kid just 32 years in Kissimmee, FL. Not realizing that this art would be something I’d fall in love with as well as teaching others. As a child I wanted to be a teacher, now I can say I’ve accomplished that along with becoming an entrepreneur. Read more>>

Kinser and Mary Euler and Berblinger

Mary and Kinser’s journey together began in 2020 in the world of Real Estate—an unexpected partnership that would lead to a remarkable transformation in their industry. Despite their seemingly contrasting personalities, their shared values and goals became their ultimate strength. Mary, a New York native, brought over 30 years of expertise in Multi-Family Property Management after relocating to Georgia in 2007. Read more>>

kaspar gyesi

I started making music when I was nine years old, beginning as a producer. Even back then, I always wanted to be an artist, but I didn’t have the confidence to record my own music, and I didn’t have access to a studio or the knowledge to record myself. Read more>>

Jackie Leonard

Our company is located in Columbus, GA but we are licensed to business in GA and AL. I started in real estate in 1998 after purchasing my first home at age 22. That first purchase got me hooked and I had to pursue the career. It took 10 years for me to pursue it but pursue I did. I have not looked back. Read more>>

Goddess Grace Grant

My story began in San Diego, CA. where is was born and raised. Read more>>

Jessica V. Toussaint

For most of my adult life, I was the dependable one. The woman people called when something needed to get done, fixed, or funded. I spent over 15 years in nonprofit leadership and fundraising, helping organizations secure more than $4 million in funding through roles at institutions including NYU Langone Health and Family Life Communications. Read more>>

Kate Upton

My anxiety came online at a really young age, sometime in late pre-school or early elementary school. Mr. Rogers taught us to always ‘look for the helpers’ and it was in second grade when I realized that there was a whole field of people dedicated to helping people like me and that these people completely understood what was going on in brains like mine. Read more>>

Deb Currans

Star Stuff started by my attending local juried and non-juried craft events in the Woodstock area and surrounding suburbs. My hand wire wrapped creations with gemstones became a hit at these events, so I decided to open a brick and mortar location called Star Stuff in Downtown Woodstock in 2017. Read more>>

Chief MoonHead

As far as I can remember I’ve been doing art since before I entered the first grade. I remember drawing rainbow fish and my school started using my art work for the 1st grade curriculum. Read more>>

Angelo Guevara-Malavé

I grew up in Central Florida, where my childhood & adolescence were shaped by watching cartoons and music videos, exploring the outdoors with friends, festive gatherings with my parents’ friends, and capturing as many moments on a camera. Experimenting with cameras and storytelling would snowball into my desire to make creativity a part of my life and career. Read more>>

Nadine Duke

From childhood, baking was always a source of comfort and creativity for me. I loved making everything from candy and cupcakes to cookies and cakes. What began as a simple hobby soon became something much deeper after my father passed away. Baking became a way for me to cope with the loss and focus my mind on something positive. Read more>>

Walter DuPriest

Art is a constant for me and always has been. I’ve been encouraged and afforded the opportunity to wear many different hats and pursue many other opportunities, both in my upbringing and as a professional. While many of those other pursuits are aspirational and transitory, art is involuntary and continual for me. Read more>>

Brian Foster

I grew up in Oakland California, where opportunities were limited and it was easy to get pulled into the wrong things. After years of struggle and hitting a point where life wasn’t moving forward, I made the decision to change my direction. Read more>>

Anthony Agnone

I’ve always been a builder at heart. A childhood love of Legos turned into engineering degrees from Georgia Tech and then an even deeper dive into the intersection of software and AI. I feel so lucky to have grown up in the Atlanta area with world-class universities and businesses around me. Read more>>

Troy Cunningham

I’m Troy Cunningham, though most people know me as Chef Troy. I’m originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and I moved to the South about 30 years ago. I’ve been in the restaurant industry since I was 16, building a career that eventually led me to more than three decades in corporate America within the food and hospitality world. Read more>>

Beverly Palmer

I was challenged with an incurable autoimmune disorder which caused me to have to have a plethora of medical care, hospitalizations and infusions. Due to my illness I missed a lot of work and had to isolate myself from others for 5 long years. Read more>>

Shelly-Anne Johnson

Honestly, I feel like I’ve been a therapist my entire life. Even as a child, I was always the mediator, the one friends and family came to when they needed someone to listen or help them make sense of things. The life-changing moment came in 9th grade during my first psychology class. Read more>>

Lauren Handley

I primarily grew up in Georgia, and fell in love with horses as soon as I knew what a horse was. I began riding around 5 or 6, and kept up with it through grade school, just on the local circuits. Read more>>

Lacrecia Lamar

I’ve been in nursing for 30 years. I worked in nursing homes for 12 years. I did home care for five years. I did hospice for three years so I decided that I wanted to run my own business taking care of the elderly because that’s what I like to do. Read more>>

Emily Moreno

I started my career by building and running my own e-commerce brand from the ground up. I handled everything from branding and website development to marketing, operations, and customer experience. Grew the business to seven figures over five years. That experience gave me a deep, hands-on understanding of what actually moves the needle for a business, not just in theory but in practice. Read more>>

Shanett Smiley

I migrated from Jamaica as a young girl, at age 12 and it has always been a dream of mine and desire to give back to my country in some way. Read more>>

Lynda Louis

My journey into photography began long before it became a business. In high school, I was drawn to capturing moments and experimenting with visual storytelling. That curiosity was nurtured at home, sitting with my grandmother as we flipped through her photo albums. I became fascinated not only by the images themselves, but by the people within them and the stories that extended beyond the frame. Read more>>

Isaiah Eastman

My name is Isaiah Eastman, and I’m the co-owner of Project Purpose Home Services alongside my business partner, Duane Godbee II. Our story actually starts in the sales world , we met working at Cabinets To Go, where Duane was my sales manager. Read more>>

Erin Zwigart

Georgia Crafted started the way a lot of great ideas do — over a glass of wine and a conversation. Back in May of 2013, I was talking with my husband about how much I loved the idea of shopping local, but how hard it could be to actually find authentic Georgia-made products all in one place. Read more>>

Rhonda Barnett

I started this journey in January 2008 with just one child—a little boy who was almost three years old. At the time, I had no intention of opening a childcare business, or any business at all. I was simply helping a parent I knew who was searching for a safer, more nurturing environment than the one her child was currently in. Read more>>

gain.

gain. is the brainchild of Katie Wetzel and Erin McDevitt. We’re two women who realized a strength training gym with classes and programming, and community designed just for women was missing from Atlanta; so, we decided to build it ourselves. We were working as personal trainers in Atlanta, and started to notice a theme: women are scared of the weight section. Read more>>

Candice Williams

My path into mortgage lending wasn’t planned—it was personal. Like many people, I entered adulthood with big goals. I started in corporate leadership, and after many years and a serious heart-to-heart after COVID, I chose to make an impact. Read more>>

Josh Stanley

Bear Ridge Paintball started with a simple idea: create a place where paintball felt like home. What began as weekend games and a love for the sport quickly turned into something bigger. After years of playing, competing, and being part of the paintball community, it became clear that North Georgia needed a field built by players — not just for players. Read more>>

Camille McCoy

Then you realize you’re all in it by your self w/ God! And without him I’m not sure I would have made it this far. But one thing for sure I always turned to him for guidance when things got overwhelming and I was ready to give up on it all when everything became too much. Those talks with the man upstairs kept me going and motivated me not to give up. Read more>>

Donna Cochran

The Ansley Foundation was created to honor the extraordinary life and courage of Ansley, who spent nineteen years fighting neuroblastoma with resilience and grace. Read more>>