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.

Lisa Love

My story starts with a PMDD ( Pre Menstrual Dysphoric Disorder) aka debilitating PMS diagnosis in the mid 90’s. I was a news reporter struggling to perform my duties! Doctors either suggested it was in my head or prescribed medications that made me sleepy &;provided no relief. After a few years, a fellow journalist referred me to an Integrative Medicine Physician – Dr. David Williams. Read more>>

Kent Knowles

My childhood was nothing short of magical. The son of an Air Force chaplain, I was picking up stakes about every three years or so, traveling between the U.S., Europe and the Far East. Read more>>

Jade Duncan

I grew up in the Caribbean, in Trinidad, in a family where education was deeply valued. Both of my parents were teachers, so learning, curiosity, discipline, and the belief that education could change the trajectory of your life were woven into my upbringing. Read more>>

Devika Brij Maurice

My career has always centered around people, performance and understanding what helps professionals succeed inside complex organizations. Over the years, my career has spanned multiple functions, industries and roles, including roles at companies like Google and LinkedIn. Read more>>

Cornelius Lassin

Courage of Faith LLC began as a vision rooted in service, creativity, and perseverance. I started with a simple goal — to bring people together through food that speaks to the soul. My background in hospitality and logistics taught me discipline and precision, while my faith gave me the courage to take the leap into entrepreneurship. Read more>>

Eden Olivia Bracewell

Hi! I’m Eden Olivia, a 10-year-old author, singer, musician, model, actress, and content creator. I was born with achondroplasia, which is the most common form of dwarfism. Being a little person is an important part of my story, but it has never stopped me from dreaming big or trying new things. Read more>>

Michael Heffernan

A Creative Renaissance Born from Crisis On the morning of June 22, 2018, I set out on what I thought would be a routine solo bike ride. As an avid road cyclist, I was accustomed to the rhythm of pedaling along the Silver Comet Trail, a serene escape from the hustle of everyday life in Atlanta. But that morning, the unthinkable happened. Read more>>

Ashley Burgess

My journey to Cottage Grove Home Care really started long before we ever thought about starting a business. I’ve been a nurse for more than 17 years, with much of my career spent in critical care. Read more>>

Nancy Chopin

My path to where I am today has not been easy or linear. I have had to overcome many personal and professional adversities, navigate seasons of uncertainty and continue moving forward even when I could not clearly see how everything would come together. Read more>>

Shuyu Yao

I started studying fashion in China, where my education was rooted in both design and engineering. That background gave me a strong interest in construction, material, and the technical side of making clothes. I later moved to the U.S. to pursue my MFA in Fashion Design at SCAD, where I began to think more deeply about what I actually wanted to communicate through fashion. Read more>>

chad shearer

Over the last twenty years, I have spent my career developing Atlanta-based Caren West PR into a national fixture in the lifestyle and entertainment industries, crossing food and beverage, art, fashion, and music, as one of its founders. In 2007, I began repping music festivals, which is where I focus the majority of my time- outside of the day-to-day operations of CWPR. Read more>>

Keon Lovette

My story began around my last year of middle school heading into high school ; where a lot of us tend to start having identity crises amongst our own thoughts heading into high school. I somehow found myself watching choreography videos and things of that nature until ultimately I fell in love with dance and the creation of dance visuals and such . Read more>>

Leah Dalton

My path to The 109 Gallery grew out of my own work as an artist, curator, and organizer, and from a belief that meaningful contemporary art conversations don’t have to happen only in major cities. While completing my MFA at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, I was living and working in the Southeast, moving between very different cultural landscapes. Read more>>

Sri Gadde

I took about the most circuitous route you could possibly take to end up where I am today. As far back as I can remember, I’ve been fascinated by anything and everything automotive—design, engineering, repair, and modifications. As a kid, I dreamed of having a career like Jeremy Clarkson or Bruno Sacco. Read more>>

Sabrina Brawner Forbes

My journey has taken quite a few turns, but I think the common thread has always been helping people grow and creating things that have meaning. I began my entrepreneurial journey in 2010 with a T-shirt company called while working full-time. Read more>>

Eric Rehm

Azure Accent Walls started from a genuine passion for transforming homes and seeing how the right details can completely change the feel of a space. My wife, Jenny, and I live in the 30A area of Florida, where there are so many beautiful homes, and we saw an opportunity to offer homeowners something more specialized than a traditional remodeling or painting company. Read more>>

Komali Aura

I’m Anchor Komali — though these days, many also know me as Komali Aura. My journey started in India, where I grew up watching the legendary Anchor Suma light up the stage. I knew then that anchoring was what I wanted to do with my life. Read more>>

Hanna Olivas

My journey has been about resilience, taking chances, and believing that our stories can create opportunities for others. I was born and raised in Las Vegas, and over the years, I’ve learned that life doesn’t always unfold the way we expect. Some of my most challenging experiences have also shaped the person I am today. Read more>>

John Goldwire

As a kid in Marietta, GA, I couldn’t always get the newest devices, but that never stopped his curiosity. Instead, I studied them, watched endless videos about them, and eventually took them apart to learn how they worked. What began as fascination grew into a purpose: helping people feel confident and protected in the digital world. Read more>>

Erandi Garcia

I’ve always been a girly girl and loved watching my mom get ready so I think my love for makeup came naturally. I started just doing makeup for myself. Then my mom and younger sister would let me play with their makeup and that’s how I started practicing on faces other than my own. Read more>>

Bria Alexander

Ever since studying abroad in the South of France my junior year at Howard, I’ve loved wine. Through my twenties that love turned into curiosity, and curiosity turned into wanting to actually understand what I was drinking. Then the pandemic hit, and like a lot of people I suddenly had time for the interests I’d been putting off. Read more>>

KEVIN MARTIN

Atlanta-based music producer Streets, born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, from the well-known Princeton Park neighborhood and surrounding 95th Street area, brings 15 years of industry experience. After overcoming numerous struggles and life challenges, he remains strong building his craft as an independent and unsigned producer and engineer. Read more>>

Dawn Wallace

My journey to creating Origins of Joy Home Decor began in 2018, when I started a home staging and redesign company. As I prepared homes for staging, there were times when I needed to supplement my accessory inventory, so I began sewing my own pillows. Read more>>

Jeremiah Tatum

I got started on my art journey just drawing with my grandmother while she read the newspaper. She would save me the comic section and I would read and redraw comic strips. From Curtis to Beetle Bailey I would practice drawing them all the time. Read more>>

Kristin Stevens

My Krystal Klear Resume business started from my passion for helping people recognize and communicate their professional value. Throughout my own career, I’ve gained experience in healthcare, project management, leadership, and professional development, and I realized that I had a strong ability to help others present their expertise and experiences in a way that truly stands out. Read more>>

ANN MARIE DEPOIAN

I came into the business as a support to my spouse, Jeff who got licensed first in 2000. We decided to add this business part-time to start, to get him out of being a restaurant manager and eventually go full-time so we could put our family’s time first. Read more>>

Diamond Broussard

My story began as a native of Oakland, California. Though more introverted as a child, I love life and have been blessed with parents who raised me with core values of strong Christian faith and education. My values led me on a journey of community activism, eventually becoming an inductee of the Alameda County Women’s Hall of Fame as well as a Girls Inc. Read more>>

Morgan Light

As a kid, my favorite pastime was cutting furniture out of catalogs and arranging it into rooms, making collages and finding any excuse to build a world on paper. After high school, I moved to New York City to study photography, knowing the city would challenge and inspire me. Read more>>

Haiti Estelhomme

I found my love through music before I went to prison. I never really pursued until I got home from doing four years because I was too busy wrapped up in the wrong things with the wrong people .. Read more>>

Jeffery Walker

I’m Jeffery “J.Dub” Walker II, a producer, songwriter, composer, creator and entrepreneur originally from Detroit and based in Atlanta since 1996. Music has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. I came up in an era when musicianship, songwriting, arrangement and understanding how records were actually made were everything. Read more>>

Keith Phillip

Music has always been a huge part of my life. Growing up in the Bronx, New York, I developed a love for music at an early age. What started as a passion for playing instruments eventually grew into a desire to understand every aspect of music, from performing and creating to recording and producing. Read more>>

Siarra Morris

My story really started long before I ever considered myself a storyteller. I became a mother at 19, but even before that, life had already introduced me to survival at a young age. At 17, I was shot, and that experience changed the way I looked at life, even though I didn’t fully understand the impact of it at the time. Read more>>

Thom Peer

Show Your Ink Fashions was conceived after an intense 4-hour tattoo session on my back piece, and while getting settled in for the night, my wife commenting ‘That’s really turning out nice. Too bad no one but me will see it.’ – and the seed was planted. After all the time, money and pain, what the hell! Read more>>

Nikki Porcher

I don’t think I ever set out to have a career. I set out to be of service and to help my community, and that’s taken me a lot of places. It started with the U.S. Air Force. I spent eight years serving my country, stationed at Robins Air Force Base, with deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. Read more>>

Kyndall Curry

I started modeling in 2021, and what began as an opportunity to step in front of the camera slowly became something that helped me discover more of myself. Over the years, I’ve grown, learned, and gained a better understanding of who I am as a model. Read more>>

Mark White

My love for makeup began at home. My mother was a cosmetologist, and I grew up watching her transform hairstyles and makeup looks, which introduced me early to the transformative power of beauty. Read more>>

Tiffanie Christian

I’m from Sylvania, Georgia, a small town in Screven County, and I’ve been involved in softball since I could pick up a bat and throw a ball. I was a four-year starter in high school and was fortunate enough to earn a scholarship to the University of North Georgia, where I also became a four-year starter at shortstop. Read more>>

Tom Moore

My story starts in Gwinnett County, Georgia, where I grew up as a kid who was always trying to figure out where I fit in. Growing up wasn’t always easy. Read more>>

Terence Rosemore

Born in Great Falls, Montana, and raised in New Orleans, my journey has always been guided by one constant: the drive to tell stories. I spent a decade navigating Los Angeles’s creative landscape before making Atlanta my home base. Over thirty years ago, I stepped away from college to ‘join the circus’ of the entertainment industry. Read more>>

Wilson Getchell

Thirsty Curses started in Raleigh in 2017. I’d recently moved to Raleigh after several years of lots of moving around and had a bunch of songs written I wanted to flesh out with a full band. I started meeting a bunch of local musicians at open mics and shows and slowly but surely the band started taking shape. Read more>>

Andy Williams

My name is Andy Williams, professionally known as DJ Shakes—TCI Most Wanted. My journey began in Grand Turk, the capital of the Turks and Caicos Islands. Coming from humble beginnings, I developed a love for music and entertainment that inspired me to become a DJ. Read more>>

Dianna Correa

This story is actually about my dog Saya, a micropit,who is now 4yrs old. I worked at an Animal ER as a vet technician. When Saya was 5 months old, she was brought in to be euthanized. She had a rectal prolapse. The vet talked the previous owners into surrendering her instead. She needed immediate surgery. Read more>>

Rehana Khan Patel

My journey into skincare started with my own skin. I was born and raised in the Netherlands, and after moving to the U.S., my psoriasis became much worse. I spent years trying different products and routines, constantly feeling like I needed to add one more thing to “fix” my skin. Read more>>

Jacob Gunter

I’ve always been a pretty obsessive music fan. I’ve collected records for years, and over time that led to organizing record swaps and getting more involved in the local music community. I book​ed a handful of shows in 2024​: No Head, Monsoon, Split Diopter, Janie Danger, HIDE, and a few others. Read more>>

Brandi McAlister

I believe my story really began in 2016, when I realized that part of my purpose was to help people. At the time, I didn’t fully understand what that would look like or how it would unfold. I recognized the purpose, but I wasn’t walking in it yet. Read more>>

Jonage (Jo) Lyda

I fell in love with yoga roughly two years ago, and what it has done for both my body and mind has truly transformed my life. My overall physical and mental well-being is the best it has ever been. However, it wasn’t until early 2026 that I found myself asking, “What’s next for me?” after being laid off from my corporate banking job. Read more>>

King Plu

My story definitely wasn’t a straight line. I’m Brooklyn bred with Nigerian roots, so I grew up with both worlds in me. New York shaped a lot of my mentality, but Nigeria shaped me too. You hear both in the music, but more importantly, they’re both part of who I am. Read more>>

Courtney Williams

I’ve been an athlete my entire life. I grew up doing gymnastics, cheerleading and track and field, and as an adult I became a fitness instructor. So movement has always been a huge part of who I am. When I would have days off from teaching, I would often take yoga classes as a form of active recovery. Read more>>

Alexis Albovias

When I was a kid, I was always painting, drawing, and just creating in general. I remember taking scraps of cardboard and fabric to make various art pieces and crafts. My dad was so annoyed with the constant creation that he allowed me to use our spare room as a studio so he wouldn’t have to deal with the mess. Read more>>

Jeremy Hughes

I grew up on a dirt road and made things in the yard to keep myself entertained. I’ve been painting pictures for 30 years and making miniatures for 6. I basically make short stories in tiny, detailed scenes. It took me a long time to find out that making & painting little sculptures would be so invigorating. Read more>>

KVNG DAVID

Art has always been my happy place and where I felt most myself. Beginning with theatre and drawing, by middle school I moved into painting and design. Around the same time I started a musical group with 3 of my cousins. In my early adulthood I returned back to my theatre roots by joining a popular web series, “Triangle Web Series”. Read more>>

Hyeonseon Baek

I grew up in South Korea, where I first studied piano before becoming drawn to singing and jazz. What fascinated me about jazz was the freedom to honor a tradition while still finding your own voice within it. Read more>>

Neil Wh

in 2004 I was a new landlord, I was working in Oak Ridge, TN shipping hazardous and radioactive waste when I read an article saying they were going to start quarantine property contaminated with Meth, and the properties were going to have to be decontaminated and sampled to show that the property had acceptable limits. I found out I had most of the qualifications. Read more>>

Daniel Seal

I’d say it started when I was pretty young. My mom and aunts would make my cousins and me perform for company. Full choreography, vocals, the whole shebang. Our family was pretty well known around our church community for music (and sports). We did quite a few choir solos and even had opportunities to perform with gospel greats like John P. Read more>>

DayShawn Richardson

I’ve always been a creative at heart. Dancing since the 3rd grade and eventually pursing acting, styling, and other forms of creative expression. My move to Atlanta came after going through a difficult situation back home that really forced me to reevaluate my life and what I wanted for myself. Read more>>

Troy Anthony

I’ve always been fascinated by aesthetics. Growing up, I could get lost in paintings, architecture, comic books, fashion, anime, and nature. I had no idea those interests would eventually become the foundation for my love of photography and art.. I was born in Boston, Massachusetts, and I remember going on countless field trips to museums throughout the city. Read more>>

Cindy Smith

Ellijay Paws In Need (EPIN) was created by two women, Ashley O’Neal Agurto and Stephanie Swann, who had a vision that the dogs living at the Gilmer County Animal Shelter could have a better quality of life if more people got involved with the dogs that ended up at the shelter through no fault of their own.. Read more>>

Erika grajales

I was born and raised in Colombia, where I studied advertising and photography. At 21, I moved to the United States to study English, first in San Francisco and later in Atlanta, where I settled in 2015. I worked in marketing and printing, fields that allowed me to remain connected to creativity and to my interest in making things by hand. Read more>>

Lucia Mitro

My story started in a little village in communist Czechoslovakia, long before I had expressions for many of the things I had experienced or come to understand. When I was still a small child, probably about four or five years of age, a thing I heard in church remained with me. Read more>>

Hailey Hugh

Chickadee by Hailey started with something very simple: a drawing by my daughter, Hailey. Hailey is 10 years old and autistic. She has always experienced and expressed herself in her own way, and creativity has been one of the ways we get to see more of her personality and imagination. Read more>>

Jean Nix

I was born and raised in Atlanta, where my mother’s work as an artist and teacher sparked my interest in art, and my high school’s art program deepened my love of painting. After college, my career took me into the corporate world, and painting gradually moved into the background. Eventually, I could no longer ignore the pull to create again. Read more>>

Mitello Camay

My journey began in finance over 20 years ago, driven by a desire to help people navigate one of the most important financial decisions of their lives: homeownership. Read more>>

Hasaan Sanders

I’m originally from New Jersey, and my journey has been anything but ordinary. I began pursuing modeling in New Jersey in 2009 and regularly traveled to New York City to participate in fashion shows and modeling opportunities until the pandemic. After eventually making Atlanta my home, my journey continued to evolve into entertainment, entrepreneurship, travel, and content creation. Read more>>

Kaitlyn Lackey

My journey with Oral Immunotherapy (OIT) began long before I understood the impact it would have on my life. After an allergy test at age one confirmed multiple food allergies to peanuts, tree nuts, milk, egg, and soy. I learned early on how dangerous and limiting a food allergy can be. Read more>>

Stefanie Kay

I come from a musical theatre/theatre/improv background and started out majoring in musical theatre in college, but I wasn’t up for the whole ‘starving artist’ life so stepped back from the acting. Years later after moving and kids and all that life stuff, I was asked to record voice over because someone liked my voice. Getting behind that mic LIT ME UP! Read more>>

Salchii Baby

I’m a 27-year-old creative from New York City; with work living at the intersection of sound and perspective. I make music rooted in hip-hop, often blending genres, and borrowing influence from all over. Jazz, rock, pop, EDM, blues, dancehall. Yeah, man. Growing up in such a culturally rich environment, I feel like it’d be strange if I wasn’t involved in the arts. Read more>>

LaShaundrea Bradford

My story began in the Mississippi Delta in the 1970s. I was born to a teenage mother, who herself was born to a teenage mother, as was my grandmother before her. Some people called me a statistic, while others said I was the product of a generational curse. Read more>>

Lauren Nesbitt

Hi Everyone! My name is Lauren Nesbitt, and I’m a Special Education Teacher from Atlanta, Georgia, who happened to travel to Denver, Colorado, a few years ago with my family. I started making content back in 2010 with my first YouTube channel. I always had a passion for creating and sharing my next adventure. Read more>>

Aisha [Nicole] Mayo

I’m originally from Oakland, California, by way of Long Beach. I moved to Atlanta when my son was just two months old, and what was supposed to be a summer stay somehow turned into 14 years! Atlanta became home and, in many ways, it’s where I grew into the woman I am today. Read more>>

Thomas Fennell

My name is Thomas Kion Fennell jr Born on the of Summer 0f 2003 June 27th in Atlanta , Georgia this place I call home taught me a lot stay strong , working hard pays off I learned early in my life that it comes from faith perseverance and believing in yourself when nobody else does . Read more>>

Jessica Kenold

My story began at one of the largest mother-child hospitals in Canada, where I worked in pediatrics, mother-baby, birthing units, and neonatology. There was one moment that changed everything for me: I supported a Haitian mother, like myself, who didn’t speak French or English. Read more>>

Faris Flournoy

I did not come into this work from a business plan first. I came into it from a family experience. My brothers and I helped care for our grandmother while she was living with dementia, and that changed the way I understood care. Read more>>

Carlos Miranda

I was born and raised in Ciudad Bolívar, a city on the Orinoco River in Venezuela named after Simón Bolívar, the liberator who freed much of South America from Spanish colonial rule. It’s also the birthplace of Jesús Rafael Soto, a pioneer of the kinetic and op art movements. I grew up surrounded by art and drawn to sound. Read more>>

Kevin Rodriguez

4 years ago, I ditched the golden handcuffs tying me to corporate strategy consulting and instead bet on myself, building a career out of my passion for fitness. It was the best decision I’ve made to date. After completing two undergraduate summer internships with Boston Consulting Group (BCG), I began my professional career as an Associate. Read more>>

Randi Haskins

Podcasting was never in the cards for me. I used to write poetry heavily, dimple dabbled in the music space and then one while working as a Direct Care Staff in Residential, had a photographer co working looking to shoot and edit a podcast, and a girl that was semi funny and could hold a conversation. Read more>>

Brittany “Brie” Williams

My journey with Brie’s Small Business Solutions started with a simple realization: a lot of entrepreneurs have the passion, talent, and ideas to build something of their own, but they often don’t have the guidance or resources to navigate the business side. Read more>>

Alexis Amadi

Well, honestly, I don’t think that I’ve made it yet. I recently graduated college and I love to dance and model. Read more>>

Claudia Rogers

I’ve always had a love for beauty, creating, and people. So it’s no surprise I’d end up in a career that holds those things to a high value. Growing up, I loved art, music, and dance—particularly ballet. What stuck with me long after my days in the studio was the getting-ready process before performances. Read more>>

Hector Santana

From My Inspiration to the Dance Floor My real name is Hector Santana, but most people know me as Marc Flight. Music has always fascinated me—not just for the sound itself, but for the emotions it can create and the way it can bring people together. Read more>>

Sibongakonke Nxumalo

My story has never really been a straight line. Coming from Eswatini and building my life in Serbia has meant learning how to exist in a completely different environment while studying art, working different jobs, trying to support myself and at the same time figuring out who I am and what I want to become. Read more>>

Olivia Mshana

Hair has always been more than just beauty to me, but a passion. While earning my nursing degree, I began sharing natural hair content online with my husband, reaching millions while quietly building ZOnaturals in 2022. When I stepped away after graduation to pursure nursing full-time, God called me back to the buisness in 2025, and that was something I simply could not ignore. Read more>>

Yuk Nassty

It all started when my mother dropped me on my head as a baby, when we both were hit by lightning. I immediately knew how to play great balls of fire on the harmonica. I’m totally making that up :)) That would be a great story if it was real. I’ve just had music in me since I was born. Read more>>

Virginia Lago

Virginia graduated Industrial Designer and is a natural born entrepreneur. Created 3 products companies. Her leadership ability is also shown as President of HOA reelected 7 years in row. She is focused on customers, problem solving, communication, marketing, sales and social media. Read more>>

RayeAsia Bovian

My journey in fashion and design is deeply rooted in the vibrant, high-energy culture of Miami. Growing up surrounded by the iconic aesthetic of South Beach, Ocean Drive, and the luxury of Star Island, style was more than just clothing to me—it was a lifestyle and an art form. My foundation in the industry started early. Read more>>

Gladys Natalia Sugiharto

Ever since high school, I’ve shared a particularly close bond with my aunt
a woman who has always moved through life with elegance
She taught me about luxury brands and how to recognize quality  Read more>>

Ashley Corey

I grew up in Michigan and went to Western Michigan University, where I finished a degree in biomedical sciences in 2013. From there it was Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, then a family medicine residency at Floyd Medical Center in Rome, Georgia. I’m board certified in family medicine, and I still practice. Read more>>

Viviane d’Adesky

I’m an interior designer with an extensive global background. I pull from my life experiences around the world having lived and worked in Miami, Paris, and Medellin before landing in Atlanta to find innovative solutions to every project. Read more>>

Akor Ogwuche

Hey, lol how do these usually start. But yeah, it’s my pleasure to tell you my story so far, matter of fact, this is going to make a good episode to document for my series “300 new experiences at 30”, as my first official interview in general and as a magazine feature as well. Okay then, what’s up Voyage? Read more>>

Fatima Banister

I got started as an entrepreneur in 2016 as a self taught graphic designer. I operated this business for roughly five years until the pandemic hit. I realized there were few spaces for Black women to be centered in relation to their mental health. From there, Sis Heal Yourself was birthed–a digital space for Black women to heal loud enough for the world to listen. Read more>>

Shaye Strager

The Situation Picture this: in the next six months you’ve got a couple of weddings, a charity gala, and a destination corporate weekend for executives and their spouses. You’ll be seeing many of the same faces (and yes, the photos will end up on Instagram), and repeating an outfit isn’t an option. Read more>>

Marlon Crutchfield

Well, this is a long story. I was about 13, and we were homeless at the time; my mom and stepdad had just separated. We were living in a motel in Arlington, Virginia. It was close to Christmas, and the newspapers were filled with holiday specials. I came across an ad for a camera, and for some reason I became fixated on getting one. Read more>>

E. J. Brad And Kai

E. J. Brad is originally from Cleveland, Ohio and has been in Atlanta since 1998. I met Kai in 2012 and we’ve been together for 14 years. Kai is a cancer survivor from a brain tumor he developed as a child. E. J. Brad And Kai started in December of 2019, right before the Covid pandemic hit in 2020. Read more>>

Evan Coles

My musical journey began with music running through my blood. Growing up in Harlem, NY, I was surrounded by a family deeply rooted in music. My father was a working musician who traveled the world with Wilson Pickett and had the opportunity to play alongside legends like James Brown and Little Richard. Read more>>

Cetafye (Set-ah-fy) Johnston

The Elders in my tribe knew who I was, before I knew who I was. I would always here them say, that child done been here before’. In high school, when touch screen phones came out. I started to get on YouTube, to research divination. Than, that’s when I found the elders in the spiritual community. I got of track because life roller-coaster. Read more>>

Lindsay Shockey

I’ve always been drawn to art, design, and creating things, which eventually led me to a career in interior design. For the past 17 years, I’ve been fortunate to work in an industry that allows me to tell stories through architecture and design. But my journey hasn’t always been easy. Read more>>

Queen Sheba

My story makes a lot more sense if you understand that I have never had a particularly straight career path. I have had a *Sheba* career path. There is a difference. LOL. I am Queen Sheba, a three-time GRAMMY®-nominated Spoken Word Performance Artist currently campaigning for nomination number four, a writer, executive producer, cultural curator, educator, entrepreneur, and professional believer in figuring it out. Read more>>

Shanise Alexander

My entrepreneurial journey started long before SEAjewels All Natural Body Care. I have always loved creating things, and creating has always been a space where I feel the most free and at peace. I started by making and selling my own jewelry and later added handbags and book bags to my collection. That experience became the foundation for what would eventually grow into SEAjewels. Read more>>

William Uschold

I spent over 20 years in the music business. I owned a recording studio, had my own record label with several artists, and eventually started a production company where I worked with writers and producers. Read more>>

Melody Vaughn

My story has never been a straight line—and I’ve learned that’s what makes it mine. I was born in Brooklyn, raised in Gainesville, Florida, and have spent much of my adult life between Atlanta and New York City. Each place shaped my eye, my style and my appreciation for how people live. My career has evolved through interior design, staging, renovations and lifestyle consulting. Read more>>

Shaquana Thompson

My name is Shaquana and my journey as a creator started in 2021 accidentally. After starting my walk with Christ in 2023, I was led to delete my accounts and start over in 2024 and Faithfully Fit Quana T was born. Faithfully Fit is about getting fit in every aspect of life (spiritually, mentally, physically, and financially). Read more>>

Alexis Kambria

My story starts in a place that, in many ways, could have easily defined the trajectory of my life—but I refused to let it. I was born in Augusta, Georgia, under complicated and painful circumstances. My mother was still in high school when she had me, and I was conceived as a result of a sexual assault she experienced. Read more>>

Dr. Agena Renee Davenport

I have spent most of my career taking care of women and preparing other physicians to do the same. I am a board-certified OB/GYN, educator, speaker and women’s health advocate. Read more>>

Nasaura Richard

My love for fashion started long before I created SAR. I used to model for different clothing brands, and through those experiences, I developed a deeper appreciation for fashion, styling, and the creativity behind building a brand. Eventually, I knew I wanted to create something of my own, but I had no idea where to start. Read more>>

Brigette Squire

My story has never followed one straight path, but looking back, I can see how every chapter has connected. I began my professional career in healthcare and have worked as a dental hygienist for more than a decade. At the same time, I’ve always had a creative side and a natural curiosity about people and their stories. Read more>>

Von Perry

My name is Von Perry Artist from Milwaukee Wisconsin My music is combination of rap and r&b From sounds all over when it come to my craft I just let my mind be free and create I was in love with music at the age of 3. Read more>>

Audrey Burke

My journey to becoming a somatic practitioner started with my own healing journey. After more than five years of trying to figure out some mysterious somatic symptoms, I finally landed in the office of a Somatic Experiencing practitioner in Asheville, North Carolina. After my first session, I knew I had found the missing puzzle piece in my healing journey. Read more>>

Brahmikha Anchala

Raised across three cultures—India, Kuwait, and the U.S.—I developed an early fascination with people and personalities, which grew into a habit of closely observing and even absorbing the behaviors of those around you. Academically, I started on the pre-med path, realized it wasn’t the right fit, and pivoted to Economics, which I completed and worked in for a couple of years. Read more>>

Quachavious (Stage name, Qnova) Ellison

From a young age, I was inspired by my uncle and cousins who were deeply involved in music. Watching them create and perform sparked my interest, and once I began writing my own songs and heard myself recorded for the first time, I knew music was something I wanted to pursue. As an independent artist, I’ve accomplished a lot in my career. Read more>>

Katrina Humphrey

Growing up I watched my late grandmother, Elizabeth Humphrey always get ready with her cosmetic bag. Back then gift with purchases at retailers was a lot. I mean almost four pieces and a bag. She would let me have one and show me so many tips and tricks. Like wearing lipstick for rouge, eyeliner for your lips and eyebrows. Read more>>

Lexi McGhee

I started crocheting on accident, ironically! It was 2015 and I was in college, eager to start a new hobby. I went to Hobby Lobby intending to buy ‘rug punch needling’ supplies, but couldn’t remember what it was called, haha! I ended up buying a skein of yarn and a crochet hook that day, assuming I’d figure it out lol. Read more>>

Kemba Ayana

Kemba Ayana Embodiment Midwife of Wholeness · Founder of Devyne Oneness · Creative Alchemist “It all started May 8, 1991…” (opening line to my original song “Positive Light”. I’ve always been a naturally free spirited, creative, and expressive person. Growing up I was very observant, intuitive, wise, and sensitive/aware to all that existed internally and around me. Read more>>

Aisha Anthony

My passion for photography first began through my dreams of becoming a model. From an early age—around 11 years old—I knew I was a creator by nature. I found it easy to express myself through fashion, makeup, and even web design, always looking for new ways to bring my ideas to life. Read more>>

Darryl Willis

Man, where do I start? Lol. Growing up without the presence of my father made me curious, rebellious, and, at times, hard to figure out. My mom was a single mother raising two kids, and I definitely didn’t make it any easier for her. Read more>>

Akayla Breale Crawford

I got started in musical theater in high school, where I was raised in Huber Heights, Ohio. Performing quickly became something I knew I wanted to pursue, so after graduating, I moved to Atlanta to chase that dream. Read more>>

Amanda St. John

My name is Amanda, and I’m a hairstylist, makeup artist, and owner of Amanda Nicole Salon. I’ve been in the beauty industry for 15 years, and my journey began right out of high school when I decided to follow my passion for hair and makeup. Read more>>

Haley Hilton

I’m where I am today because of the Lord, along with the love, prayers, and continuous support of my clients, family, and friends. My journey as an esthetician started long before I even knew what an esthetician was. Growing up, I loved all things beauty and was always having spa days, doing makeup, and finding ways to make others feel relaxed and pampered. Read more>>

Lorena Mercedes

Lorena Mercedes is a New York native actress, singer-songwriter, and multidisciplinary performer whose artistry is rooted in storytelling, emotional authenticity, and connection. With experience spanning film, television, comedy, voice acting, modeling, and live performance, Lorena brings a dynamic presence to her work both on camera and on stage. Read more>>

Deepti Malik

My story as an artist started when I was based in a Cleveland, Ohio. Although I am a professional dietician but my true passion and calling has always been arts. I am thankful for all the opportunities that I got here that helped shape me into the artist I am today. I started out as a paper crafter. Read more>>

Calista Phair

After giving birth to my son, I was only home with him for 3 weeks after he was discharged from the NICU, before I had to return to work. As a new corporate employer I had no FMLA, or PTO accrued. Read more>>