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.

Adidsara Weerasin

Looking back, I realize my journey started much earlier than I ever imagined. As a child, I loved going to ceramic shops with my mom and could spend hours there without ever feeling bored. I didn’t know it then, but those moments sparked a passion that would eventually shape my career. Read more>>

Big King Da Goat

I’m a professional entertainer in the music industry currently with Sony/The Orchard. Professionally known as Big King Da Goat. I was born in Atlanta Georgia but was raised in Jackson Mississippi and Atlanta Georgia, I’m Dominican and Jamaican I started working with music at a young age of 8 years old. Read more>>

Alysa Lse

Alysa L’se is a Black, femme poet and storyteller based in Atlanta, Georgia, raised in Dade County, Florida. As shy as she is bold, Alysa dances at the heart of afrosurrealism, ancestral memory and quare theory, reliving, reimaging and recreating a world that welcomes us in totality. Read more>>

Alexis Flowers

Absolutely. Building Beauty, Building Legacy: The Journey of Alexis Flowers For many people, beauty is about appearance. For Alexis Flowers, it has always been about how it makes people feel. Her journey into the beauty industry began in 2019 while she was attending cosmetology school. At the time, getting her own eyelash extensions became more than a beauty appointment—it became a form of therapy. Read more>>

Tiana Silva

I started my business during COVID times while I was in Highschool. Since I couldn’t go out shopping for gifts on my mom’s birthday I made her some chocolate covered strawberries and posted them on my social media. I thought they were terrible, but people seemed to love them. One person took a chance on me and I continued to post on social media. Read more>>

Pete DeLorenzo

Man, how could one walk another through a story spanning 35 years and many different chapters? Let me see…Ok…I started out as a bass player in a band of brothers, Sheik Ramone, who were in Athens for a couple of years and then moved to Atlanta in 1994. Read more>>

Capria Lewis

Life hasn’t always been easy for me, but I’ve learned to make it work. Walking in my shoes you go through life with little complaints but more solutions that’s how my grandmother raised me but she never warned me about the consequences how this heaviness can sneak up on you, the complaints the responsibilities they start to build up you start to see them. Read more>>

Simóne Fontaine

People often assume I grew up baking or went to culinary school, but neither is true. Sweet by Simóne actually started as something completely different. While I was in graduate school, I was selected to participate in a study abroad program in China that focused on women in business leadership. Read more>>

Ming Francis

My story has always lived somewhere between storytelling, culture, and community. I studied journalism at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, and earlier in my career I worked as a journalist in Chicago and Washington, D.C. Journalism trained me to be curious — to listen closely, ask better questions, and look for the human story behind everything. It also taught me that visibility matters. Read more>>

Aisha Bright

The Violet Theory Art Company was founded from a passion for creating meaningful opportunities for artists and making contemporary art more accessible to collectors, businesses, and communities. Read more>>

Petina Dixon-Jenkins

I’ve always been drawn to the power of storytelling. As a kid, I created imaginary TV newscasts and by the time I was 14, I was hosting a morning jazz show on college radio. Read more>>

Monique Forbes

I was born in New York, raised in Alabama, and Georgia has been home for more than fifteen years now. Today, I’m an actress, published author, and artist—an unexpected evolution from where I began. As a child, I loved drawing, reading, and the peace and quiet of my own company, but I never had a clear vision of who I wanted to become. Read more>>

Samantha Decenord

If I had to describe my journey in one word, it would be evolution. My story is really a testament to becoming, much like a butterfly. Every season of my life has required me to grow into a new version of myself while staying rooted in the values that have always guided me: service, community, and wellness. Read more>>

Cicely Barber

Fashion has always been my first language. What began as a childhood fascination with creating looks and expressing individuality through style—something I never imagined could become a career—evolved into a lifelong pursuit of design and creative storytelling. As I matured, that passion expanded into personal styling, where I discovered the transformative power of clothing and its ability to inspire confidence and self-expression. Read more>>

Kiara Manning

I am a REALTOR® whose journey began in the Texas market, where I discovered my passion for helping individuals and families achieve homeownership. As my business grew, life presented an opportunity to relocate to Henry County, Georgia. Rather than choosing one market over the other, I made the decision to continue serving both. Read more>>

Torria Richardson

My career has been dedicated to serving people who are often overlooked, misunderstood, and underserved. For more than 25 years, I have worked in both the criminal justice and mental health fields, two professions that many people view separately but that I have come to understand are deeply connected. Read more>>

Paulette Rigo

Most people don’t choose a career in divorce. Divorce chose me. I had NO intention of being an all-things-divorce expert. Years ago, I found myself navigating one of the most difficult chapters of my life—a high-conflict divorce that stretched over 8.5 years, involved multiple attorneys, multiple judges, a 12-day trial, and a 4-year appeal that reached the state supreme court. Read more>>

Angela Sostre

My journey into beauty has always been about more than hair—it’s about helping people feel seen. As a transgender woman, I’ve learned that confidence can be transformative, and I wanted to create a space where every guest feels celebrated exactly as they are. That vision became Strands & Roses, a salon built on artistry, intention, and genuine connection. Read more>>

Jisu Park

My journey began with a passion for hospitality, design, and creating meaningful guest experiences. I studied Hospitality Management at university. After graduation, I built my career in corporate branding and event production, where I focused on bringing countless details together to create thoughtful, seamless events. Read more>>

Marsha Perry

For much of my life, I wore a different title. I built a successful career in corporate America, but deep inside, there was a dream that never stopped calling my name. Like many women, I chose to put that dream on hold while I focused on raising my children and building a stable life for my family. Read more>>

Chris Lewis

My name is Chris Lewis aka Uno, I’m originally from Meridian, Mississippi, but I moved to Hattiesburg when I was 14 years old. Growing up, basketball was my life. I was fortunate enough to become a collegiate basketball player and eventually finished my career at Ole Miss. My journey into fashion actually came from one of the lowest points in my life. Read more>>

Angela Haynes

It all started pretty much from June of 2021. I had just graduated from college the year prior and was about a year in at my first full-time job post-grad. I had this gnawing feeling at the time that I needed to do more with my life. Up till that point, I did what was expected of me and that was it. Read more>>

TJ FRESH

Im 7 years old and I love to ride dirt bikes! I like to race dirt bikes! I have a Cobra 50cc that I want to race. Ive been riding dirtbikes since I was 4 years old. Probably 2 or 3 years old! All I can remember is I always been riding dirtbikes! But it is very expensive! Read more>>

Fariyal Hosein

Now, I’m channeling those insights into something new: leading intimate travel experiences where people slow down enough to see differently. Through photography and observation, we explore sacred geometry in landscapes and how nature’s patterns and beauty move us. Starting with an October immersion in the Blue Ridge Mountains. I realized during that sabbatical, my business goals didn’t have to change. Read more>>

Jose Soto

I had been working as a construction employee for about 4 years, but always aspired to be more than an employee. Little by little I gained the courage to follow my instincts on becoming an entrepreneur. Read more>>

AJ Merritt

My name is AJWasHereToo and I am a content creator raised in Atlanta, GA. My journey started over 10 years ago when I was just a kid who watched a lot of Let’s Play YouTubers and I wanted to be just like them. My content has expanded within doing commentary, gaming, comedy skits, and many more. Read more>>

Boonie the Barbarian

I started off doing poetry, and one of my friends told me that it would be a great idea to put my rhymes on a beat. At 15 years old, I knew that I wanted to be a performer. I was born and raised in Andalusia, Alabama so I knew that I would have to leave that city in order to build my dream career. Read more>>

Dr. Randee L. Sanders

If you had asked me years ago what my career would look like, I probably would have described a straight line. Instead, it’s been a series of intentional pivots. I’ve spent more than two decades leading across the for-profit, nonprofit, and higher education sectors. Read more>>

Kylie Sanchez

I started 8 years at a shop called Saints and Sinners. Where I met a tattoo artist named Amanda Garcia who offered me a position as a piercing apprentice, I worked there for three years as a piercer and moved on to two other studios after. Read more>>

Danielle Champion

I’ve always loved stories, but it wasn’t until I began walking through some of life’s most difficult seasons that I realized how powerful storytelling could be. Read more>>

Paula Jo Lentz

As an internationally featured artist, my early life was primarily cultivated in Washington where I experimented in the outlets of various mediums and art forms including drawing, stained glass art, painting, pastels and more. Read more>>

Marquita Duffie

My story starts with DOPE Mom. DOPE stands for Daring Others to Pursue Excellence, and it came from something I lived firsthand which is the “strong Black woman” role. I was holding everything together for everyone else, until I realized that strength isn’t always something to be proud of. Read more>>

Jaime Clarke

Survival Swim, LLC was founded by Jaime Clarke, a Marriage and Family Therapist with an extensive background in child development. My professional experience has always centered around helping children grow, learn, and thrive, which naturally extended into my passion for water safety. My journey started long before the business itself. I began teaching private and city swim lessons when I was just 16 years old. Read more>>

Carrie Cantwell

Before becoming a full-time artist and building my art brand, I spent 16 years as a graphic designer in the film and television industry, creating everything from ​logos and signage ​to packaging ​and props for major motion pictures and award-winning TV shows. Read more>>

Jackson Park

May of 2024 I was asked to submit photos to a casting for a movie that would be filming all summer. I had never really been on set but made it through 2 rounds of callbacks and was eventually cast as one of the missing kids in Weapons spending May-August on set. It. Was. The. Best. Read more>>

Tiriq Rashad

I’ve always believed that words have the power to change the way we approach life. I grew up in Atlantic City/Pleasantville, New Jersey, and found my voice through writing long before I knew it was my superpower. Whenever I was going through something personally, I rarely talked about it. Instead, I’d write. Writing became my safe haven. Read more>>

Jaylon James

I’ve always been an artistic soul, primarily using my voice or culinary as forms of expression. From singing as a youth for fun, to competitions in high school and college, to creating my own music. Read more>>

Tania Nicole

My journey has been rooted in faith, creativity, and a passion for storytelling. I’ve always been a creative person. Growing up, I loved drawing, making my own jewelry, designing clothes, and bringing ideas to life. I also loved traveling, spending time with my family, and finding the best way to put things together, whether it was creating something with my hands or planning an experience. Read more>>

Sarah Gray

I’ve always been drawn to creativity and helping people feel good about themselves, which led me to pursue cosmetology. I became a licensed Master Cosmetologist in 2001, and over the past 25 years I’ve had the opportunity to work alongside incredibly talented professionals, continue my education, teach and grow both personally and professionally. Read more>>

Mike Chandler

I started my modeling journey by one day strolling on Instagram and I saw these dope models with this agency and I as some people say I decided to ‘Shoot my shot’ in this agent Dms. Also, I told him how dope his models were and that I would love to be one of his models and that I never modeled before. Read more>>

Chrystal Norwood

My journey started long before I realized it would become my purpose. I’ve always been passionate about fashion, beauty, technology, and helping people become the best version of themselves. I began modeling in high school, continued with print modeling in college, and eventually transitioned into runway modeling, where I found my confidence and voice. Over the years, I realized that my experiences extended beyond modeling. Read more>>

Bianca Allen

I’ve been a registered nurse for more than 15 years, and throughout my career I’ve always been driven by a desire make things better. Not only for individual patients but for healthcare systems. I began my career in bedside nursing, where I developed a strong clinical foundation caring for patients with complex cardiovascular conditions. Read more>>

Jacquelyn Roberts

Our Story 3 Piece Urban Artisan was born in July of 2004, out of heartbreak. I was a single mom raising a twelve-year-old daughter and a five-year-old son, working as a personal assistant to a couple in Buckhead, helping the wife run her antique and lampshade business on the side. Read more>>

Chazz Lovely Lezama-Francois

My story starts in Brooklyn, New York, but I was raised between Brooklyn and Atlanta, constantly moving back and forth throughout my childhood. Growing up between two places gave me different perspectives on people and community. I made some great decisions and some not-so-great ones, but one thing that always stayed true was my ability to connect with people. Read more>>

Collin Cosby

The Regulars was initially founded as a passion project during college at Georgia Southern University with my friend Kolby Keim. We were both learning to play guitar and he getting comfortable with singing, when we discovered a mutual taste for deep cut southern music. From there we challenged one another through practice and jamming to get better at our instruments. Read more>>

Bradley Moss

So we started as a little garage band back in 2019 with Enon(vocals), Justin(bass) and myself on drums. We just played some local dive bars every once in a while and didn’t really have a certain direction of where to take our music and just enjoyed playing music together. That lineup lasted until 2023 and we decided to take a hiatus for a year. Read more>>

Tyahna Maray

Born and raised in Chicago, where my love for music first began. At 16, I made the life-changing move to Atlanta to pursue my dream of becoming an artist. That journey opened incredible doors, allowing me to work with some amazing people in the music industry and travel the world on music tours, gaining invaluable experience along the way. Read more>>

Molly Stone

I started my real estate career at the end of 2019. I’ve been in sales and business development my entire career. Read more>>

Brittany Agee

It seems so strange to say, that I am now an Atlanta-based influencer, when I spent the majority of my life in Birmingham, Alabama. I moved here during the pandemic when everything closed in 2o21. During that time, influencing was something of interest, but I had a hard time of narrowing down my actual niche. Read more>>

Ray Stovall

I was just a kid who had a hard time expressing themselves. I questioned everything; I wanted to understand the deep perplexities of the world, ‘the taboo’, and why we couldn’t talk about those things. So, I began writing very young: poetry, music, stories anything I daydreamed about became a reality on paper. A lot of those hobbies were encouraged, most notably music. Read more>>

Chelsea Candis

Hi! My name is Chelsea Candis and you’re watching Disney Channel! Bum Bum Bum Bum!’ Since I was a little gal I have ALWAYS wanted to be an actress and say that exact line. Disney was my biggest inspiration from watching ‘That’s So Raven’, ‘Hannah Montana’, ‘Lizzie’.. all of the classics. Read more>>

ILYPICASSO Beard

My story really starts with music. I am an artist first, and I create under the name ILYPICASSO. Before the production company, before the events, and before anything else, music was the foundation. I’ve always looked at being an artist as more than just recording songs — it’s about building a world around the sound. Read more>>

Elizabeth Spitdowski

I’ve always enjoyed baking, even from a young age. I have a huge sweet tooth and would always be asking to make cookies with my mom. Christmas time was always my favorite time of year because we would bake a few different kinds of cookies to gift to our neighbors and my parent’s coworkers during the holidays. Read more>>

Timia Bryant

Real estate is a passion I carried in my heart long before I truly understood what my path inside the industry would look like. Like many, my initial spark came from endless hours watching house-flipping shows on HGTV; I fell completely in love with the vision of transforming properties and lives. Read more>>

Valencia Jackson

We got started essentially from our love of cupcakes, and more specifically our love for Smallcakes Cupcakes. We would take a variety of Smallcakes cupcakes to different functions and people would comment about how much they love them. People would comment on how moist the cupcakes were and they would ask where did we get the cupcakes. Read more>>

Heffe Sims

I’m originally from Toledo, Ohio . As a kid growing up I’ve always been talented . From playing basketball since i was 7 years old , to performing at The Showtime At The Apollo in New York when i was 14 , i always knew my purpose in life was something greater! Read more>>

RL Beatz

His musical foundation began at a very young age during routine car rides with his close relatives. Absorbing the rhythms, melodies, and basslines coming through the car speakers, he quickly developed an early, intuitive of wanting to be in the music entertainment business he gained the grasp of timing and song structure long before he ever touched a piece of production software. Read more>>

Sokai Yoon

My identity intersections at some interesting places: I was born in a refugee camp—Camp Site II in Thailand—a war baby to Cambodian parents. When we made it to the States, We landed in Hapeville, Georgia initially then relocated to Riverdale (Clayton County), Georgia. Read more>>

Stephanie Laine

I’ve always had a rich inner world, a desire to make an impact, and a willingness to carve out my own path. At 20, I began turning that part of myself into something tangible, starting my entrepreneurial journey as a DJ, vocalist, and producer. Read more>>

Adaora Nwangwu

My path into this work has been anything but linear, and I’ve come to see that as one of my biggest strengths. I have an M.A. in Advertising from SCAD Atlanta and a B.S. Read more>>

Sascha Compas

Before anything, I am a child of God. My relationship with God has carried me through every season of my life. The ups, downs and the ugly. I am what I call African Haitian- American. I started my brand Herlovejourney as a way to turn my pain into power when I lost my second Mom. Read more>>

Sean Palmer

My name is Sean Palmer, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that life rarely goes according to plan. Looking back, every challenge I’ve faced has shaped the person I am today. I proudly served eight years in the United States Navy as a Culinary Specialist. Read more>>

Vincenzo Leonardi

I’ve always been surrounded by music. My mother and my older sister are singers since I was born, so my interest in music began watching them perform and wanting the same thing. I started on a musical tv show at 11 years old, performing Justin Bieber songs where I got to the finale. Read more>>

Christian Spliff Dalcoe

I was born and raised in Atlanta, and honestly I’ve always been creating something. As a kid I was either singing in chorus, drawing, or finding some way to make ideas feel real. Creativity has always been the thing that made the most sense to me. When I was about 16, my stepfather passed away, and I was looking for something to pour myself into. Read more>>

Hannah Demuth

I was born in Wichita, Kansas, and raised in a small town just outside of it. It’s a very quiet place where life is consistent and simple. Being the firstborn to two self-assured entrepreneurs thankfully gave me the confidence to create my own tailored life and career. Read more>>

Te’Quila Martin

I’ve always been a creative, in every aspect of life. I’ve also always been pretty popular on social media in general. I like to incorporate my personality coupled with fashion and relatable content. I would always have people asking me what I’m wearing or telling me they like the way I dress and my style in general (not just on social media). Read more>>

Michele Dinh

Since I was a child, I’ve been fascinated by the brain and how memory works. I truly believe that, like any muscle in our body, the more we exercise it, the stronger it becomes. My interest in science and chemistry, coupled with a desire to make an impact on the lives of others, naturally led me to a career in pharmacy. Read more>>

Sara Barj

My story and passion began in Rome, where I always had a strong love for fashion, art, and especially craftsmanship. After enrolling in Fashion and Costume Sciences at La Sapienza, I had the opportunity to work on various fashion projects with different brands. During Covid, in an architecture course, I designed a sneaker, and that’s when I realized my passion was hand-drawing shoes. Read more>>

Dontavies Robinson

I’m from Shannon, Mississippi, a small town where there isn’t much opportunity, and I grew up in church doing mime and attending youth conferences, which first sparked my love for movement, rhythm, and storytelling through dance. What began as a passion quickly became a purpose as I dedicated myself to learning, performing, and growing as both an artist and a leader. Read more>>

Olympia Kent

My story really starts with my grandmother. I could always draw, and I actually won a contest for my artwork in middle school, but it was my grandmother who shaped the ‘beauty’ side of me. She was a very classy woman, and she used to let me, my sister, and my cousins play dress-up in her fur coats, nice clothes, and wigs. Read more>>

Devin Fletcher

I knew I was having a boy, so I knew I had a Morehouse man’ – My Mother. This is with no college experience herself, so I’d say my story is one that’s written by the moment. Read more>>

Dr. James C. Daniels III

My initial start in filming and photography came in high school at Delcastle Vocational-Technical High School. Even though my career area did not end up being video technology–as I wished–I was still able to do filming jobs for pay throughout my upperclassmen years. Read more>>

Alexis Harris

I use to attend Atlanta Chamber events with my father in the late nineties through the early 2000s ; I would assist him in networking—everyone wanted to speak to to me because I was a child at the what usually would be adult events. From an early age I was taught to use my traits as a minority in the room to my advantage. Read more>>

Alexis Heggs (Lex)

I started learning about Technical Directing, drama and editing in High school. The love for media production and acting grew from there. I was the lead switcher for live services at a church I attended in Jonesboro, GA in 2004 until 2012. I was also the director for a teenage Christian show called ‘stir it up’ on that show many famous gospel artists performed. Read more>>

Selin Baytaroglu

I spent nearly two decades building a career in banking, following the traditional path that many people consider the safest option. While I was grateful for that experience, I always felt there was a bigger world waiting to be explored. Everything changed after I turned 40. Read more>>

Meredith Minkin

I began training dogs professionally for other trainers in 2005. Since then, my mission has evolved into educating pet parents on how to manage and live with difficult dogs effectively. My primary goal is to provide owners with the tools necessary to keep these dogs in their homes and prevent them from being relinquished to shelters. In 2008, I opened Canine PhD. Read more>>

Maria Valero

I was born and raised in Mérida, Venezuela, and moved to the United States when I was 17 years old with huge dreams. Like many immigrants, I had to evolve to a new language, a new culture, and a completely different way of life while figuring out who I wanted to become. Professionally, I love solving problems, building systems, and leading through collaboration. Read more>>

Sibbonai Carswell

I started blogging about 19 years ago about fashion. I have always loved fashion, styling and not only shopping but talking about trends etc. Read more>>

Charntell Smith

I grew up on the South Side of Chicago. I’ve worked with numerous Community Organizations like City Year, Family Focus, Latonya & The Youth Of Englewood, All Love Pop Up, Community Prayer Cypher, Fearless Leading By The Youth, Obama Foundation. (Just to name a few). Read more>>

NJ Simat

I grew up in College Park, Atlanta, and my dad put a huge emphasis on speaking well. He was the first in his family to change the trajectory of his life through education, and would frequently teach me words way beyond my circumstances. That awareness shaped the way I understood language and ambition. Read more>>

Yuary Arias

I’m a full-time professional, a mom, and a content creator who is passionate about wellness, beauty, and inspiring women to prioritize themselves. My journey didn’t start with a big platform or a perfect plan. It started by sharing my own experiences and documenting my everyday life while balancing work, family, and personal goals. Read more>>

Julian Lewis

I started FABL3 in 2025 to give myself the opportunity to learn graphic design, video editing, and creative storytelling while building something meaningful. Based in Louisville, Kentucky, FABL3 is a unisex clothing brand founded by artist Julian Lewis. At its core, the brand is built on one belief: nothing is more powerful than your frame of mind. Read more>>

Bracha Lipszyc

Hi, I’m Bracha! I’m a mom to a beautiful little girl and a professional organizer with a passion for creating calm, functional spaces. Before moving to Sandy Springs, I lived in New York, where I helped people organize and declutter their small apartments. Read more>>

Vida Star

Since a child I’ve always been heavily in tune with the arts, all forms of it. I was writing poetry, making papier-mâché sculptures of Egyptian pharaohs and pyramids, painting sunsets, you name it. However my love for writing poetry eventually grew and turned into a love for writing songs. Read more>>

Patricia & Elizabeth Sophia & Rochelle

Our story began in 2017 when we met while working as makeup artists at MAC Cosmetics in Atlanta. Elizabeth had recently moved from Portland to Atlanta. She had previously worked for MAC Cosmetics in Portland and later joined the Atlanta location, which is where our paths crossed. Read more>>

The 9AM Banger

The 9AM Banger started pretty organically. Going back to college, Adrian Almonte, Ken and Jonathan Espinal were always the ones throwing or attending early day events for things like SantaCon, St. Patrick’s Day, Cinco de Mayo, etc. After college, they still wanted that same energy and experience which led to the first 9AM Banger. Read more>>

Kanard Thomas

Born in Rochester, New York, and raised in Jacksonville, Florida, Thomas discovered his love for music in the church. Influenced by legendary vocalists such as Marvin Gaye, Al Green, and Usher, he developed a sound rooted in classic soul while embracing the modern textures of contemporary R&B. Read more>>