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.
Harry Egege 
My journey has been shaped by resilience, hard work, and the desire to build something meaningful for myself and my family. I was born in the Bronx, New York, and grew up in a humble household. After losing my father at a young age, I watched my mother work hard to raise my brother and me. Read more>>
Lakeitha Henry 
Growing up in Arkansas, life wasn’t always easy for me. I grew up in a low-income household, and from a young age, I dealt with a lot of challenges, both at home and in school. I struggled with confidence and self-worth, and for a long time, I allowed people’s opinions and the things they said about me to shape how I saw myself. Read more>>
Nicaila Matthews Okome 
I was born in Jamaica and raised in the Bronx, and I grew up believing that if I worked hard, got a good education, and landed a good job, I would be set. I graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and earned my MBA from the University of Michigan. During business school, I interned at Google. Read more>>
Alex Rogers 
Ima 30 Yr Old Single Father . a College Grad Student For Sleep Studies ( Polysomnography). I’m Starting A Autism Awareness Foundation, That I Advocate and Run Mini Marathons For! I’m Apart Of A At Risk Youth Mentor Program Called “ Second Chance Mentors”. & I Hope To Run From Dallas To Ft Worth Next Spring For Autism Awarness Month . For starters. Read more>>
Trevon Sundiata Ferguson 
I was born and raised in Trinidad & Tobago. And since I was 11 I had a vision of being an entrepreneur. Next to being an Architect being an entrepreneur was my number 1 dream. So my first business was basically collecting empty beer bottles and reselling them. Read more>>
Heaven Hughes 
Hello! I am Heaven Hughes, owner & CEO of Heavenly Kreationz! A BlackOwned Luxury Private Nail Salon! My Journey to Purpose: The Woman Behind the Nails In 2013, I moved from Arkansas with a dream of becoming an entrepreneur. Hair and singing were my passions, or so I thought! Read more>>
Cherrelle (Just Relle) Johnson 
My name is Cherrelle Nicole Johnson, also known as Relle Just Relle Johnson I am a media personality, podcast host, entrepreneur, and woman passionate about empowering others through storytelling, authenticity, and community connection. Also I am a woman of God . Read more>>
Tana Coleman 
As a child in elementary school they used to ask us what did you want to become when I grew up. While all the other kids wanted to be teachers, police officers, firefighters my answer was I wanted to be an Entrepreneur. Read more>>
D’Shae Dunlap 
Born in a small town north of Dallas , called Denison Texas. The oldest of three children raised by a single mother who’s always maintained multiple jobs to provide for us and show us the best lives possible. Studying business administration at Texas women’s university in Denton Texas. Read more>>
Idris Akinpelu 
I grew up in the Oak Cliff neighborhood of Dallas, TX. After becoming and Eagle Scout and the Valedictorian of my high school class, I went t Cornell University where I became a member of the Alpha Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated and majored in Hotel Administration. Read more>>
Jimicia Hamilton 
My journey into entrepreneurship was anything but traditional. After spending eight years in corporate America with Verizon and earning my Master’s degree, I made the decision to walk away from a stable career to pursue my passion for skincare. I enrolled in esthetician school full-time and graduated in April 2020, right in the middle of a global pandemic. Read more>>
Kit & B 
Our story started in 2010, when we met while working in the wedding and event planning industry. We clicked immediately and became inseparable. What began as a professional connection quickly turned into a friendship filled with laughter, long conversations, and supporting each other through life’s ups and downs. In 2016, B moved back to London, and life took us in different directions. Read more>>
Miya Jaye 
For much of my adult life, I’ve worked in corporate America, building a career that spans more than 25 years. While I’m grateful for the experience, knowledge, and opportunities that came with it, I’ve always known there was more I wanted to do with my life. I’ve always been a creative person, a visionary, and someone who genuinely enjoys being of service to others. Read more>>
Jenifer Balch 
From a young age, I have had a passion for helping others and knew I would somehow build a career around that passion. At one point, I thought this would become a doctor, specifically a pediatric oncologist. However, after taking biology in college, I began to question whether I would survive medical school! Read more>>
Jacquie A. McIver 
If I had to describe my journey, I would say it has been anything but a straight line. I have worn many hats throughout my life: entrepreneur, mother, caregiver, minister, nonprofit founder, business strategist, author, speaker, and podcaster, but I did not set out with a plan to become all of those things. Read more>>
Jessica Anderson 
It was never a part of my plan to get into real estate. In fact, I was house hunting for my own family when the opportunity first came along! Our Realtor kept bringing up a work-from-home opportunity as a transaction coordinator for her real estate business. Read more>>
Jessica Small 
My story is one of faith, purpose, and a desire to encourage others in their walk with God. Writing Take 5 with God was an opportunity for me to turn that desire into something tangible—a resource that encourages readers to intentionally set aside time for God, reflect on His Word, and grow in their relationship with Him. Read more>>
J. Nicole Collier 
My friends and I started an organization called 4 The Culture NWA where we’d created elevated social spaces for the minuscule, black community in northwest Arkansas. Shortly after starting that venture, parents started asking would we be hosting events for kids. That question opened up a lot of thoughts about just how much we could impact our community. Read more>>
Juke Higgins 
In 2020, I owned Sovereign Barber Shop in downtown Dallas. We’d been named D Magazine’s best barbershop in both 2018 and 2019, and then the pandemic turned everything upside down. Our appointment books dried up almost overnight. The shutdown followed, and during that time our landlord asked us to end our lease early so they could take the space in another direction. Read more>>
Nnamdi Kanaga 
My filmmaking journey began with a love for stories and a desire to understand the human experience. Growing up in Lagos, Nigeria, I was surrounded by stories, traditions, and a rich cultural heritage that shaped the way I see the world. Read more>>
Keauna Harmon 
On my second day working at a chicken plant, I walked out. I was 19 and had no plan for what came next. I knew I wanted more for my life, but I hadn’t figured out what that looked like yet. I haven’t worked another traditional job since. I’ve always been business savvy. Read more>>
KESHETTE BURTON 
With a passion for healing and helping others, as a little girl I had an awareness of my strong intuition but I didn’t know how to harness this until I was older. I knew peoples emotions, and situations that others were oblivious to. I didn’t know what this meant, I just knew what I knew. Read more>>
Kimberly Stillwagon 
I’m Kimberly Stillwagon, founder of VisionSales Consulting and President and Founder of Carolina Coastal Construction in Charleston, South Carolina. I’m also a mom of three and grandmother of three, with a life and career shaped by people, places, and plenty of change. I’ve moved more than 100 times across different countries and states, including growing up in Africa as a missionary kid. Read more>>
Ywante James
My name is Ywante and I run a small 501c3 homeless charity called u-won-te’ savior. I have been serving the homeless in Dallas for over 10 years providing resources like makeovers, job fairs, health fairs, back to school supplies to homeless children and street haircuts. Read more>>
Katrina Leggins
I’ve always known that I wanted to help people in some capacity. By the time I reached high school, that desire became more focused, and I realized I wanted to support people in a therapeutic setting. When I began attending the University of Oklahoma in 2009, an academic advisor introduced me to the field of social work. Read more>>
Kerry Richardson 
I’m a teacher and a coach at heart. That’s where it all started, and honestly, it’s still what I do every day. It just looks different now. Coaching runs in my family. My grandfather is in the Texas High School Coaching Hall of Fame, and he coached my dad, who carried that standard to West Point. Read more>>
Oxana Konova 
I’ve been drawing since childhood and attended a private art school, where I developed my skills and explored different techniques. Over the years, I found my own direction in painting—a style I call Modern Slavic Folk Art, combining traditional ornament with contemporary portraits and bold colors. Today, I work with acrylics, oils, and gold leaf, continuing to experiment and develop my artistic voice. Read more>>
Lakeem Wilson 
I was born and raised in South Dallas, Texas, where my love for art began at an early age. Growing up, I learned that art was more than just creating something beautiful. It was a way to tell stories, preserve memories, and give people a voice. Read more>>
Michael Mitchell 
My story begins in South Central Los Angeles, California. Growing up, I learned that life doesn’t always present you with the best circumstances, but those circumstances don’t have to dictate how your story ends. Where I come from taught me resilience, how to read people, how to adapt, and most importantly, how to keep moving forward regardless of what life puts in front of you. Read more>>
Lauren Polley
My journey in real estate began in insurance and lending, where I gained experience with different sides of the industry. But I always felt like a piece was missing, until I found my place at Chicago Title. Today, as a Sales Executive with Chicago Title Frisco, I combine that experience with my passion for building relationships and helping others grow. Read more>>
Leandro Comrie 
My story and how I got to where I am today stems from a lifetime of movement, cultural multiplicity, and the navigation of in-between spaces. Born in Brooklyn of Venezuelan and Panamanian descent with roots tracing back to Africa and Europe, I was raised in Caracas and lived in Ponce, Puerto Rico, in my 20s, and Cologne, Germany, in my 30s. Read more>>
Levi Hollandsworth 
The ravenous desire to create, flows through my blood stream as much now as it has when I was a child looking up at the ceiling listening to the rain. I choose yes to life, to joy, to grand adventure and amazing people worth sharing it all with. Read more>>
Alana Duran 
My name is Alana, and I started creating content based in Garland in February. I am big believer in building community locally, and I love a small town vibe. I have a lot of pride in Garland and I want other people, my neighbors, to feel that too. Read more>>
Kompany Kunda
My story started when I was about seven or eight years old. I grew up in a church-going household in Texas, and my dad was a pastor, so Christian music was pretty much all I knew. One day, my mom’s radio went off, and I heard “Boom Boom Pow” by the Black Eyed Peas for the first time. Read more>>
Lindley Arthur
In 2008, Lindley Arthur set up shop in Antique Row on Dallas’ Lovers Lane, and before long, her scope naturally expanded into interior design. Today, she and her team focus on residential projects in Texas and beyond. The firm believes that homes should be a well-curated collection of old and new; ultimately resulting in timeless interiors that have a fresh edge. Read more>>
Lisa Raines 
Growing up I remember my maternal grandmother always making something – quilts, clothes, etc. She taught me some basics of sewing and my favorite was cross-stitch. So, I always remember having several crafty projects going on all the time. When I was in my 20s, a friend introduced me to scrapbooking and my love of paper crafting was born. Read more>>
Elizabeth ‘Liz’ Lawless 
I started a Creative Services Firm in 1988 offering print collateral materials to arts, education and economic development institutions (before Internet) after receiving 47 out of 50 rejection letters about my children’s book manuscript. A couple were encouraging just not buying then. It was like being stabbed in the heart. So I put my dreams of book publishing away and jumped into creative entrepreneurship. Read more>>
Lyal Strickland 
**Shooter of Truth** marks Lyal Strickland’s first full-length album in ten years, and it arrives with the weight of a life fully lived in the years between. Read more>>
Dara Sandland 
My husband Ian and I have lived in the Dallas area since 1993, moving here as newlyweds. Because Ian is British, and grew up in both California and the UK, we had a long term dream of eventually spending summers in Britain each year. Read more>>
ida lo
Music has been a part of my life since I was a kid. I started in the church choir at 5, and around the same time, my mom enrolled me in piano lessons. Read more>>
Youness Laarioui 
Hi my name is Youness Laarioui I am Moroccan born 41 years old. I decided to come to America when I was 25 because I was looking at it as the land of opportunities and achieving the American dream and when I came here I was working. Read more>>
Mattie Block
After graduating from high school in 2021, I began my studies at Texas Tech University, where I pursued a degree in Apparel Design and Manufacturing with a minor in Public Relations and Strategic Communication. Throughout my education, I developed a strong understanding of the fashion industry, from the creative design process to the business and marketing strategies that contribute to a successful brand. Read more>>
Melissa Hayes 
My husband and I have been involved in property management and development for many years across several different industries. At one point, we decided we wanted to add an RV park to our portfolio. Read more>>
Tracy Lee 
Beyond the Chair: Tracy Lee’s 28-Year Journey of Beauty, Confidence & Connection Meet the Dallas native and Arlington-based hairstylist whose passion for beauty has transformed hairstyles, built lasting relationships, and inspired confidence for nearly three decades. My name is Tracy Lee. I’m originally from Dallas, Texas, and I’m a professional hairstylist based in Arlington, Texas, with over 28 years of experience in the beauty industry. Read more>>
Madeleine Stevens 
Music has always been center stage in my life. From early childhood music classes with my mom to dancing around the living room with my dad to Everclear’s “Santa Monica” and RUSH’s “Closer to the Heart,” it was the soundtrack to my family life. Read more>>
Mya Patkovic
I was born and raised in Bosnia and Herzegovina and completed my college education in the United States. My very first job was in escrow in California, where I got an early look at the work that goes into bringing a real estate transaction together. It became the starting point for a career I would eventually return to. Read more>>
Natalie Zuniga 
Before Margot Books, I founded Auntie’s Book Bank, a nonprofit that donates books to students at Title I schools across the Dallas Fort Worth area. Last year was our first year of donations and we gave away more than 3,000 books. Read more>>
Sri Nihal Tammana 
My story started when I was 10 years old. I came across a news article about a garbage truck catching fire because of an improperly discarded battery. I was shocked and started wondering how many batteries were being thrown away and why it was so difficult to recycle them properly. So I decided to do something about it. Read more>>
Malaika Avi 
I’m Malaika Avi, an R&B and soul singer-songwriter and guitarist based in the Dallas–Fort Worth area. I grew up in Killeen, Texas, and my love for music started in church, where I learned to sing and discovered what it feels like to move a room with your voice. Read more>>
JaMeyah (Lowkeey) Moore 
My journey in the entertainment industry began in Fort Worth, Texas, in 2016. Although I’m originally from Corsicana, Texas, Fort Worth played a major role in the beginning of my career and helped shape the person and professional I am today. I started out as a promoter, building relationships, organizing events, and creating opportunities for artists and other creatives. Read more>>