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.
Sophia & Brianna Hughes & Smith
Sophia spent 14 years as a public school educator before growing increasingly disheartened with the state of the system. Seeking a renewed sense of purpose, she transitioned to a local early learning center. Around the same time, Brianna—who had dedicated seven years to early childhood education—felt a similar call for change. The Lord led our paths to the same center. Read more>>
Ashley Williams
We started off with a small preschool in Brock. We have a long story of how God has grown our preschool program and provided us with a building to expand in. Since starting the preschool we have added on two extra businesses, the playhouse children’s museum and Eagles Landing Game and sports center. Read more>>
Christopher Thompson
I come from a house full of motion and music. Running errands with my mom and my siblings, there was always R&B playing in the background those records weren’t just sound, they were lessons. I learned feeling before I ever understood technique. By 7, I was already singing in church, finding my voice in front of people before I even knew what fear was. Read more>>
Tasmia Fazilath
Tasmia Finds started from something simple: a love for discovering things that feel special. Whether it was a hidden gem online, a must-have product, or something that just made everyday life a little better, I found myself constantly sharing these finds with friends and family. Content creation had always been my dream, but for the longest time I kept questioning myself—Is this the right time? Read more>>
Jeremy Donson Texas Snowman
I started in 1991 opening baseball packs with my dad. Read more>>
Stephanie Long
I didn’t take a completely traditional path, but I’ve spent the majority of my career with the same company, which has given me a unique perspective. I started in a more tactical role and grew up alongside the business, taking on more responsibility over time and eventually moving into a leadership position. Read more>>
Mihaela Plesa
I grew up in the 90s and early 2000s as the daughter of Romanian immigrants, surrounded by strong women who just handled things: my mom, my teachers, the women in my community. This was the beginning of that “girl boss” era, but for me, it wasn’t a trend, it was real life. They didn’t wait to be told they belonged. Read more>>
Charles Faulks Jr
My journey into autism advocacy, motivational speaking, and authorship really started with a passion that had been growing in me for years. Even going back to middle school and high school, I always had a strong interest in autism acceptance. Read more>>
Kelsey Billingsley
The idea for Unspoken Lives Podcast came together over time, in the middle of a very full season of life. I work full time, my husband works full time, and we are raising three kids, so starting something new was not something I had planned. Read more>>
Brandon Ogbu
My background has always been creative. I ran a studio in Atlanta called BNB Studios where we threw events, pop-ups, and I used it as a space to bring my own projects to life. At the same time, I was interning as a stylist and freelancing, so I was essentially running three things at once. Read more>>
Brandy Lai
HotMixCold began when I was stepping into entrepreneurship and searching for something meaningful to build. Along that journey, the brand naturally came to life. I was drawn to personalized jewelry because it allows each piece to take on a life of its own. Read more>>
Don Morrison Jr.
My journey with Jr. Lily Publications began with a simple but powerful idea — to create words that inspire, challenge thinking, and leave a lasting impact. Early on, I found myself writing short, sharp, philosophical pieces that resonated deeply with people. Read more>>
Miguel Rodriguez
I’m the proud owner of River’s Wind, but my journey started well before estate sales. I grew up in Midland, Texas, working in the oil fields. At that time, I was a single father to my daughter, Kali Rodriguez. Later, I met my wife, Norma, and my stepson, Devin, and together we built a blended family. Read more>>
Shatney Stevens
I’ve always had a dream to have my own preschool so that has always been a motivating factor for me. As a Florida native, I attended Jacksonville University for elementary education, but unfortunately the rising cost of private school pressured me to leave school. Instead of giving up, I made a plan to stay on track to meet my ultimate goal. Read more>>
Fatima Ortiz Almanza
I started my journey during my senior year of high school when I was still figuring out what path I wanted to take. I had always been drawn to the beauty industry, and I initially explored doing nails, but I quickly realized it wasn’t where my passion truly was. That’s when I discovered lash artistry, and everything just clicked. Read more>>
Francisco Velasquez
I started my journey replacing my moms battery at an AutoZone parking. That’s the time frame when the first fast and the furious film came out. After seeing that film i was hooked on working on cars. Read more>>
Branda Guedet
Nearly 17 years ago, I joined a music school in North Dallas as a piano and violin instructor. Over time, my role expanded beyond teaching as I began assisting with the school’s day-to-day operations and working closely with the owner. What started as a teaching position gradually turned into a deeper commitment to the school’s mission. Read more>>
Kristen Kreitzinger
I grew up in a small town in Georgia, moved to Texas in 2008, got married and worked at a dialysis pharmacy where I learned how sickness and health issues can impact so much of a persons life. From there I went to school to become a radiology technician, managed a coffee shop, and started working in a med spa. Read more>>
Aisha Byrd
R&B Dog Bakery was inspired by my two beloved dogs, Reese and Benjamin, who meant everything to me. I started the business out of a desire to provide them with healthier, all-natural treats made with simple, high-quality ingredients I could trust. Read more>>
Shannon Cui
I had always been a keenly observant and reflective person. From a young age, I’ve been a highly feeling person. Growing up, I felt so connected to the moon and sun and earth and birds and trees. Looking back, my childhood was magical. Read more>>
Renee Rochin
My story here in East Dallas starts 5 short years ago. I came here at one of the hardest times of my life. I was going through a divorce, trying to start over didnt know anyone and was struggling with alcoholism. I came here looking to go to a very discreet all womans two week treatment center. Read more>>
Brandi Copeland
I started my career in finance, which tends to surprise people. I’ve always loved numbers, analytics, and process work. I’ve never met a process I couldn’t make more efficient. It wasn’t until my 30s, when I was in a finance role supporting people functions, that I realized my heart was pulling me toward work that was more directly in service of people. Read more>>
Paula Peckham
Sometimes in life, we discover we stand at a crossroads. We see a future we want, but believe we are unqualified. It’s daunting to leave the known and safe, and venture instead onto a path we’ve never trod. Satan plants insidious doubts. I don’t have what it takes. We either listen to that voice or we don’t. Read more>>
Deon Hargrove
During the pandemic, like a lot of people, I started investing. And almost immediately, I ran into a problem: everything felt either too risky, too confusing, or too untrustworthy. Read more>>
kristin jayne
The concept behind Skybox Cabins is much older than the company itself. But life, work, and a little fear kept us from diving right in. Originally from Marseille France, Yvan (my husband) came to the United States as a foreign exchange student and found his calling as a rodeo cowboy eventually, earning a scholarship to Sam Houston State University. Read more>>
Clayton (Meach) Gaskamp (Pango)
Meach Pango started around the end of 2014. All five of us had been involved in some aspect of music or creative performing arts at our high school. We wound up becoming friends because of our participation in these programs and eventually got together to practice music. Initially our goal was to just learn some covers and have a fun outlet. Read more>>
Bree Gamez
Im Bree Gamez, a licensed esthetician in Fort Worth Texas and the owner of Simply Beauty, where I specialize in corrective skincare, sensitive and rosacea-prone skin, Brazilian waxing, and luxury brow shaping. With over 12 years in the industry, my journey has been anything but linear—it’s been built through resilience, passion, and a deep personal connection to the work I do. Read more>>
Valli Srujana Aduri
I have always been passionate about service, community, and the power of learning. Growing up I realized how important it is to have access to opportunities whether in education, personal growth, or creative expression and that everyone deserves a chance to reach their full potential. Read more>>
Angela Johnson
I’ve always been a creative at heart. Even before I understood what that meant, I was drawn to creating, exploring ideas, expressing myself visually, and finding new ways to bring things to life. My path did not start in a traditional creative space. Read more>>
Crystal Lotterberry
My journey into this work began with my son, Griffin, who was born with Down syndrome. Like many parents, I quickly realized that while there were resources available, there was a significant gap when it came to culturally relevant support, representation, and community for Black families navigating a Down syndrome diagnosis. Read more>>
Lisbet Verdin
I was born in Guanajuato, Mexico, and raised in Dallas, Texas. My path into this field has been shaped by my lived experiences and the challenges I’ve navigated along the way. As a first-generation college graduate, I went on to earn my master’s degree and build my own PLLC and private practice, something that once felt out of reach. Read more>>
Na’Koia Hailey
My journey began in 2017 with a moment that changed my life forever. After working two jobs, exhausted and just trying to make it home, I fell asleep behind the wheel. I crashed into the back of a steel gravel truck, and in an instant, everything shifted. Read more>>
Gibran Malik
I’ve always been drawn to sound and music, not just listening but also editing and manipulating it. I was born and raised in Queens New York and around the hip hop scene in particular. I also was influenced by rock, pop and other forms of music because of my older brother and sister. Read more>>
Leslie Byles
Hi, my name is Leslie Elizabeth. I’m 23 years old and I love any avenue I can use my creativity in such as hosting events, painting, drawing, film, photography, directing projects, and more! Read more>>
Keith From
After a 25 year career in advertising, I left the corporate world and began Custom Sheds by Keith. From humble beginnings, I started Custom sheds by Keith with a 4×8 flatbed trailer and an idea that customers did not have to settle for cookie cutter sheds and terrible customer service. My goals have never changed. Read more>>
Angelica Willis
Two and a half years ago, I decided to dive headfirst into the wild world of cosplay. I was already dabbling in modeling and photography, so I thought, ‘Why not combine all my obsessions into one epic adventure?’ And, man, has it been a ride! At 28, I’m not just dressing up as my fave characters; I’m building a whole community around it. Read more>>
Alexa and Cory Arnowitz
Wellness Woofs was created by twins Cory and Alexa Arnowitz, blending a shared passion for wellness, community, and animal advocacy. The idea came organically—after constantly seeing heartbreaking videos of dogs in shelters, we felt called to do something tangible. Having witnessed firsthand how overwhelmed rescues can be, we wanted to create a concept that not only raised awareness, but actively helped drive adoptions. Read more>>
Sheela Singla
Wellness Woofs was created by twins Cory and Alexa Arnowitz, blending a shared passion for wellness, community, and animal advocacy. The idea came organically—after constantly seeing heartbreaking videos of dogs in shelters, we felt called to do something tangible. Having witnessed firsthand how overwhelmed rescues can be, we wanted to create a concept that not only raised awareness, but actively helped drive adoptions. Read more>>
Ingyu Yoo
I grew up in a household where education was strongly emphasized, and I followed that path to get my PhD in neuroscience from Stanford. I was fascinated with the brain and how it plays the main role in orchestrating the organism from birth to death. Awareness, arising most likely from the brain, of our sensory experiences, and of who we are, is awe-inspiring. Read more>>
Emily Montgomery
It has certainly not been a smooth road. There were many tears shed and for the first two years I struggled with fear that I had made a bad decision. I had to build my referral network and become confident in my products. I had a business mentor that encouraged me to put my energy into my faith that things will work out instead of wasting precious energy & time into fear. I got my mindset right…and put the hard work in to build my business. Read more>>
Yvonne Faulkner
Art has been my voice for as long as I can remember. As a quiet, introspective child, I often felt words were too small to carry what I felt. Painting became my language—a way to express what lived beneath the surface. Through color, texture, and movement, I learned to communicate emotions that could not be spoken. Read more>>
