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.
Jessica Mohrweis
I was teaching one of the greatest groups of 4th grade students I’d ever taught when I first noticed quiet whispers of discontentment in my heart. This was difficult for me because I come from a family of educators and I couldn’t fathom pursing a different career. Also, this was only my third year of teaching, and I was finally getting the hang of it! Read more>>
Kyle Gilbert
I served on church staff for over twenty years before coming to MEDIA Alliance International. Much of that time I served as a Communications Pastor in churches, helping both with the website, video, and social media for the church as well as serving as a pastor on staff. Read more>>
Tiffiny Guerra
What began as a simple moment between a mother and her daughter ultimately became the foundation of an entirely new industry. In 2014, just before Thanksgiving, our family had Christmas lights installed on our roof for the very first time. Read more>>
Amy Schenk
I began my photography journey in 2008 with a camera in hand and a deep love for storytelling. What started as a creative outlet quickly grew into a passion for documenting meaningful moments with intention and artistry. Read more>>
Dolores Cantu
I started Can2 Moble RV Repair LLC because I saw a real need in my community for dependable RV service that people could actually access without long wait times or traveling out of town. Read more>>
Michele Steele
My journey into real estate started long before I ever became a licensed Realtor. At my core, I’ve always loved helping people and being part of meaningful life transitions. Before real estate, I worked in event design and interior styling, including Airbnb and short-term rental design. Read more>>
Lindsey Harris
I started out in pediatric psychiatry research and after getting my Master’s I joined Children’s Health. During my time there, I discovered a passion working with people struggling with eating disorders. Supporting patients as they rebuilt trust with their bodies and themselves gave me a strong sense of purpose, and it became clear that this was where my values, training, and heart aligned. Read more>>
Nathaniel & Valencia Williams
TransforMEtion Journey is a wellness, focused organization founded by Valencia Williams and co-founded by Nathaniel Williams. Officially launched on July 31, 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization was created to address the growing need for accessible health education, nutrition, and accountability. Initially serving women nationwide through virtual coaching on Zoom. Read more>>
Sulieman Alhazma
Our story is fundamentally a family narrative that began right here in Texas. Palestinian Elegance wasn’t just a business plan; it started from an idea by our mother. She inspired us to create a platform that would share the beauty and sophistication of Palestinian culture with the world. Read more>>
Amanda Higginbotham
Several years ago, when I was a young teenager, I signed my mom and myself up for what I thought was a highly acclaimed pedicure appointment at a place called Beautiful Feet in Fort Worth. My mom, amused and suspiciously quiet, didn’t care to clear up the confusion. Read more>>
Naimah Hamid
My journey into marketing didn’t start in a classroom or an agency — it started out of necessity. I was once a small business owner myself, running a coffee shop and doing everything I could to keep it afloat. Read more>>
Yvonne Macias
I am a healthcare entrepreneur and advocate with a deep passion for serving underserved communities across Texas. As the Owner and CEO of Amore Home Health Services and Mylar Health Services, my work is grounded in compassion, quality, and a commitment to creating meaningful, community-based care solutions. I believe every individual deserves access to services that support dignity, independence, and an improved quality of life. Read more>>
Hayley Banteaux
After I moved to Dallas about 13 years ago, I ended up going to SMU- Perkins School of Theology and enrolled in the Spiritual Direction program. Since then, I still keep pushing myself to learn more. If we stop exploring and learning, then we stop growing and now at almost 61, I still haven’t decided what I want to do when I grow up. Read more>>
Vincent Clark
I started cutting hair back in high school, mostly for my friends, and I did it for free. At the time, I didn’t realize it, but barbering was already becoming my foundation. Life took a turn when I went to prison at 23. Read more>>
Stefanie Jane Martino
Growing up, my Dad was in the music business. I have always loved singing and dancing, especially when I am working toward a performance. But I saw the life it offered. The continual nights in bars. I was raised by alcoholics; I didn’t want to spend my adult years exposing myself to that. Read more>>
Jan Underwood
Each and Everyone Foundation-Jan Underwood In 2010, I was toying with ideas for vocational job training and help for individuals with IDD. I established a non-profit, the Each and Everyone Foundation, to focus on job training, advocacy and support for adults with intellectual developmental differences. Read more>>
Peace Kabera
Implicit Tax Services began with a simple but powerful vision. The company started as a small operation with just two dedicated people working together with one goal: to serve, to build, and to make a difference. What began as a humble startup has now grown into a strong and trusted team of nearly twenty professional tax preparers serving individuals and business owners. Read more>>
Tammy Dickey
My story is rooted in a lifelong calling to walk with people in real life, not just in church settings, but in the places where faith meets family, pain, growth, and everyday decisions. Read more>>
Molly Brodnax
I went to adopt a cat for my college apartment and visited a shelter in Los Angeles. During the eight hours I was there, I witnessed conditions that changed my life. Read more>>
Tiffanie Steward
D.O.T.S / Dad’s of the South is a community- based non profit organization in which I am a Founder and Executive Director. Me and my business Partner Tommy Hall came up with the idea to start this nonprofit around 2020 and just brought it out into fruition in 2025. Read more>>
Shaquile Read
My name is Shaquile Read. I hail from Decatur, IL, and have moved around quite a bit. I’ve spent some years living in Canal Winchester, Ohio, and then moved to Chicago, IL, around the age of 14. Chicago is where I spent most of my teenage and early adulthood years in ministry and schooling. Read more>>
Suzanne Kapica
Hi! I am Suzanne Kapica, and my husband, Jason, and I own Puppy Playground in Decatur, Texas. Puppy Playground came to life when we moved to Texas and our dog, Lambeau, needed daycare and boarding. Unfortunately, we had spoiled Lambeau, so not just any boarding and daycare would do. Read more>>
Chad Miller
I spent over 20 years in the energy industry and had always wanted to open my own business, but what business to open? From my many business trips and client dinners, I always loved going to cigar lounges and dive bars. I love cigars and appreciate the nice furniture, decor, and “meet up with friends” feel of a cigar lounge, but I also like the music, vibe, and “meet new friends” of a dive bar. Read more>>
ellen monghate
My journey in the beauty industry began with a desire to follow in my dad’s mother’s footsteps and honor her memory. She inspired me to pursue a career rooted in care, confidence, and connection. What started as a personal goal quickly grew into a passion for helping others feel comfortable and confident in their own skin. Read more>>
Annie Austin
I had just graduated from college at Texas A&M University and had started what was, on paper, a great job in marketing. The problem was…I despised it. Before college, I had been on track to become a ballet dancer. Some personal circumstances prevented that career path, so I shifted and went to school to study sociology instead. Read more>>
Sam Cotton
I grew up in Central Illinois in a home impacted by substance use and trauma, experiences that shaped my resilience and my commitment to helping others. Read more>>
Tina Wilkins
My journey with Dragons Care began through a meaningful friendship and a shared passion for service. The organization was founded by my friend Virginia Hinkle, who saw a need to support public school employees in the Carroll Independent School District in Southlake, Texas who are facing medical hardships or family tragedies. Read more>>
Charity Hagains
My path into therapy started early, thanks to an incredible therapist I worked with when I was younger. That experience stayed with me. I saw firsthand what it looks like when someone is truly attuned, steady, and willing to sit with hard things without trying to fix or rush them. Read more>>
Tyran Eddington
How I started, i simply needed healthy habits and hobbies. I had recently got married prior to starting this organization and realized that I needed a better reason to justify me leaving the house all the time (lol) . But seriously I wanted to be the change I wanted to see . Read more>>
Janna Tidwell
I’ve spent most of my professional life as a landscape architect, working in the Metroplex for the past 28 years designing parks, trails, open spaces, streetscapes—projects that really shape how people experience the public realm. Early on in that work, I was often collaborating with artists to integrate public art into those spaces. Read more>>
iesha K
Before “Aashir Kare”, candles were already part of my everyday routine. I lit them while being creative, cleaning, cooking , just moving through daily life. Over time, I started paying attention to how scent/candles affected my mood and energy. Lighting candles set. The mood became my way to slow down, reset, and stay grounded. I became extremely curious about how Candles are actually made. Read more>>
KAREN MIRANDA
I first got involved in the scene simply because of my love for music. I became part of a close rave family, and for years we were going to shows together, traveling to festivals, and sharing that passion for electronic music. Through those experiences, I didn’t just fall in love with the music — I fell in love with the community around it. Read more>>
Frankie Jalilvand
Stated by a vision . Having lunch with my sister and her friends at west village. I was looking at a tall high rise. I just thought I can leave my corporate world and if I could just walk dogs per dayMon-Fri charge $10 prdog i would be happy with my paycheck. That salt stayed with me. Read more>>
Brandon Brown
My path into healthcare wasn’t driven by a desire to “adjust backs”. It was driven by curiosity and frustration. Early in my career, I saw too many people, especially those with chronic migraines and neurological symptoms, bounce endlessly between providers without real answers. Medications masked symptoms. Imaging came back “normal.” Patients were told to manage it, accept it, or live with it. Read more>>
Allyson Simpson
I currently play professional hockey for the NY Sirens in the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL). 10 years ago my dad, James, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, which has impact him and my family in numerous ways since. This season, and moving forward, I want to use my platform to highlight Parkinson’s awareness and research. For this reason I have partnered with the Michael J. Read more>>
TODD OSEI
I began my journey in Tax Preparation in 2016 after noticing how many hardworking people felt confused and underserved during tax season. That concern sparked commitment to learn tax law and the process inside and out. What started as helping a small circle of friends and family quickly grew into a trusted practice built on accuracy, transparency, and education. Read more>>
Mario Ignar
My name is Mario, I am a Polish guitar player from Chicago Illinois. I was born and raised in Logan Square, then I moved to the northern suburbs in 1996. I graduated from Fenton high school in 2001. I graduated from college in 2016 earning an Associates Degree in arts. Read more>>
Juanita Willis- Rodgers
I didn’t enter filmmaking through a traditional path or industry connections, I came to it through lived experience and a deep need to tell honest stories. I’ve always been drawn to narratives about resilience, identity, and emotional survival, particularly those centered on Black women and underrepresented voices. Read more>>
Stephanie Valadez
My path to business ownership was not something I planned, but it was something I felt called to step into. Last year, my position was eliminated, and it quickly became clear that returning to a similar corporate role was not the right next step for me. I had spent more than 20 years working across recruiting, workforce development, nonprofit leadership, diversity and inclusion, and coaching. Read more>>
Sr. Pastor L.C. Johnson
Well, I was born in Dallas Tx but, moved to New York at 8 years old. As a child)kid. I made stupid decisions. Sold drugs. Smoked weed. And also ended up incarcerated for the majority of my 20s. It was then where I realized God had a different calling on my life. Read more>>
Katie Hoy
I’ve wanted to be a nurse for as long as I can remember. I graduated nursing school in 2013 from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor and began working at a large hospital in Dallas in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. I have always loved babies and getting to take care of the most fragile yet resilient infants was such a blessing and learning process. Read more>>
Justina I. Jennings
When I look back, I can clearly see how anxiety shaped my life long before I understood it or even had language for it. What I thought was being strong or being in control was actually years of unaddressed experiences and trauma I didn’t yet recognize. Read more>>
Ebony Mitchell
I started my 360 photo booth rental business in 2021 with the goal of creating memorable, high-quality experiences for people during their most important moments. What began as a small idea quickly turned into something much bigger than I imagined. Read more>>
Tony Rorie
Men and Ladies of Honor began in 2003. While working as an administrator and then principal of a public school of 1300 students in the second highest child mortality zip code of Dallas, I recognized the tremendous need for young people to be mentored and trained in principles of character. Read more>>
Millie Goetz
I knew in high school that I wanted to pursue a career in health and wellness. I have always had a very self-motivated and determined personality, and that led me into nursing, where I began my career in a place that shaped my clinical foundation and my resilience. Read more>>
Breanna Standifer
Growing up, our family was rooted in serving others. What started as something that was required, slowly became something I enjoyed. I was not a child that grew up knowing what she wanted to be when she grew up, I just knew I wanted to help people. Read more>>
Hajar Shahin
My name is Hajar Shahin, and I was born in Jordan. From a young age, I learned that beauty is not about fixing flaws, but about nurturing confidence. Watching my mother value self-care and inner strength inspired me early on, but the path I chose — and the work I’ve built — became deeply personal. Read more>>
Geneva McAskill-Zoll
Grew up gardening and Canning with my grandparents. Joined the marine corps at 18 and managed a restaurant off and on for twenty years raised my child always have had a garden. Got remarried at 38 years old after a 17 year marriage ended and started farming with my husband. Began canning and preserving foods and dehydrating herbs. Read more>>
Blaise Younkin
Somebody Else was formed in late 2021 in the Fort Worth area by childhood best friends Trent Adam and Blaise Younkin. The project grew out of years of shared history and a mutual desire to build something lasting rather than temporary. Read more>>
Velena Jones
Mary V’s began as a deeply personal tribute to my Nana and the legacy she left in our family. Some of my earliest memories are rooted in her kitchen—the comforting aromas of home-cooked meals, the warmth of her baking, and the way food brought everyone together. Growing up, you could taste the love in everything she made. Read more>>
Rachael Watson
If we’re being perfectly honest, it all started with a crappy cup of coffee. I’d woken up early for a business meeting, and dashed out the door with just enough time to stop for a cup of coffee. I pulled into the drive-thru line, waited ages, paid for my drink and hit the road. Read more>>
James Carter
I was raised by a single mom which just happened to be my aunt. I did not have a father figure. However, there were men in the community of Cincinnati, and uncles that mentored me. Through those relationships, I got the positive messages as a young male about honor, accountability, purpose and vision. Read more>>
BLK Studios
We all grew up in N.I.A Kids for the Performing Arts, which is Jeremiah’s mother, Latara Thompkins, is a non-profit organization for youth and teens. We all met there, where we enhanced our gifts of acting, singing, and dancing. BLK initially started as The Dip, which was the idea from Buddy, until one day Leonard was driving and saw the letters ‘BLK’ across his windshield. Read more>>
Ella Dabney
Ella began singing from a young age. She could be found singing songs around the house about her many pets or starring in original musicals. From choir to musical theatre to a cappella groups to singing at events, her voice has guided her. Earning her Bachelor of Music at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, Ella honed in on her voice as an instrument. Read more>>
Frida Garcia
I started doing flowers back in 2024 but only my close friends and family knew I never thought about starting my own public account about flowers until July 2025 when one of my friends convinced me! Read more>>
Marcus Ruiz
I started out simply going to concerts, having fun in the crowd and watching my favorite artists perform. Everything changed at an UnoTheActivist show, where seeing photographers and videographers working up close sparked something in me, it made me realize I could turn my passion for music and visuals into a career. Read more>>
Greta Poole
My name is Greta Poole, and I am an author from Round Rock, TX. I have a strong passion for my faith and using the gifts I have been given to show it. I have loved writing for as long as I can remember; always making short stories and writing songs. Read more>>
Alexus Barkley
Enter the dream. After debating what major to switch to with multiple sets of friends I fell asleep one night, not knowing that I would finally have direction in my life when I woke up. In this vivid dream, I was a wedding planner. Which if you knew me at the time, seemed completely random. But upon waking I knew, this was a clear sign from God to trust Him. So that’s what I did. Read more>>
Chaundra J. Dewberry
After my 1st semester of college at UT Arlington in 1999, I went home (Tyler, TX). I was working at JCPenney wrapping gifts, which I love to do. A friend of mine invited me to her family gathering and I told her that she could come pick me up when I got home from work. She drove up in her Ford Explorer Sport with her cousin and 2 of their friends. I made it a full load making it 5 of us which was the capacity of the vehicle. Read more>>
Nishi Patel
I began as a closet studio artist, literally. Imagine a 6 yr old child in a closet just big enough for a cardboard box for a chair and stacks of more boxes for an easel…and you guessed it, the lid of a cardboard box was my canvas! Read more>>
David Payma
I started out wanting to be a really good criminal defense lawyer. Early in my career, I saw how overwhelming the system can be for people who’ve never been in trouble before. One moment you’re living your life, and the next you’re facing court dates, bond conditions, and decisions that can affect your future. Read more>>
Lori Vann, MA, LPCS
From a young age, I realized I had a natural ability to listen, understand, and support others – even in elementary school, my peers would come to me with their problems. This early exposure sparked a genuine interest that grew steadily throughout my life. By junior high, I was already leaning towards the counseling field. I wanted to be a counselor. Read more>>
Lizzi Cifuentes
My name is Lizzi Cifuentes, and I am the founder and owner of Quality Plus Painting, a company built on strategic vision, disciplined execution, and resilience. My professional journey in the construction and painting industry began more than a decade ago, in an environment that demanded excellence, adaptability, and strong leadership. Read more>>
Justin Latimer
After being laid off from a job in the oil field, I reached a crossroads that forced me to rethink my future. Rather than waiting for the next opportunity, I chose to create one. I began learning, building, and taking action with intention. What started as an individual effort quickly evolved into a team-driven vision. Read more>>
The Creek
The Creek started as a vision to create a welcoming space where friends, families, and community members could come together to relax, enjoy great food, and make memories. It began as a family project, rooted in our love for hospitality and our desire to bring people closer through shared experiences. Read more>>
Devin Smith
TX 28 Beef Jerky started long before it ever became a business. It began in our backyard with the Owner, Chuck Smith — a true Texas patio guy. He’s always had more flat-tops, smokers, grills, and kettles than actual patio space. Cooking has always been his passion, especially Texas food done the Texas way, and barbecue has always been at the center of that. Read more>>
Amanda Sowell
I am the heart (and hands!) behind The Flour District: I am a stay-at-home mom, proud baker, and co-owner of The Flour District along with my husband, Shelby. We specialize in sourdough products but are slowly expanding into so much more. We have a 4-year-old little boy and 2-year-old triplet girls — they are our main driving force in everything we do! Read more>>
Dr. Edward W. Wright, Sr.
Over the course of his journey, he underwent six biopsies, an experience he acknowledges was excessive and physically demanding. In 2018, he made the decision to pursue a treatment commonly referred to as seed or marker therapy, a procedure in which small markers are placed near the cancerous area of the prostate. This allows radiation to be delivered with greater precision, minimizing damage to surrounding vital organs. Read more>>
Brigitte Mena
Over time, I saw my music teaching business expand and the need for music education that was fun, creative, and age appropriate. I received frequent inquiries by parents looking for a gentler, more encouraging teaching style — one that would help their children stay motivated rather than give up on learning an instrument. In a high-pressure, achievement-focused society, I believe music should be a source of joy, not stress. Read more>>
Amber Gipson
Eleanor and I met as neighbors when our children were classmates, and what started as casual playdates quickly grew into a close friendship. A few years later, we independently fell in love with mahjong and began playing and learning together. As we shared the game with friends, we kept running into the same frustration. Read more>>
