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.
Ruth Villalonga
I am a Venezuelan asylum seeker. Twenty-three years later, I lead a strategic communications firm that provides senior counsel to Fortune 500 and mid-market businesses, leveraging culture to drive business, reputation, and growth in America’s fastest-growing markets through a trademarked business framework we created. Throughout my career journey in the US, I have advised Fortune 500, multimillion-dollar entrepreneurs and government officials. Read more>>
Xaviera Lee
In January of 2024, I noticed that Valentine’s Day was approaching. I’d sold Boo Baskets that previous Halloween and they did pretty well. However, I was ready to officially launch a business with a full list of services. I decided that I wanted to experiment making glitter roses so that I could sell them as well. Read more>>
Mia Black
I was a young lady in middle school watching beauty gurus such as Bethany Mota, Jeanine Amapola, and Sarai Jones post content on YouTube. Their beauty tips and tutorials inspired me to start doing my own. Now, at the time I wasn’t creating content quite yet, but it definitely sparked the idea. Read more>>
Candace Johnson
My carefully curated life with a husband and two children was imperfectly perfect, until abruptly, it wasn’t. I kissed my husband before he walked out the door, and an hour later, I was a widow and single mother of two children, the oldest six, and the youngest three. I decided very quickly that I needed to rewrite my story. Read more>>
Jose Angel Hernandez
Two years ago, I experienced an epiphany that redirected me back to my origin as an inspiring artist. My very first artwork, as a self-taught artist in the year 2000, was a social-political commentary. Throughout my 25-year artistic journey, one constant has been my commitment to human values. Read more>>
Juliana Castro
Two years ago, I experienced an epiphany that redirected me back to my origin as an inspiring artist. My very first artwork, as a self-taught artist in the year 2000, was a social-political commentary. Throughout my 25-year artistic journey, one constant has been my commitment to human values. Read more>>
Cindy N’Kele
Hi, I’m Cindy, born and raised in the Dallas area. I’ve always been drawn to travel, culture, and food—anything that allows me to experience the world in a deeper, more meaningful way. That curiosity started early and even led me to become bilingual in Italian, which I began learning in 2008 using Rosetta Stone before briefly living in Abruzzo, Italy in 2010. Read more>>
Julian Bell
I’ve always been drawn to the magic of movies and TV. That shared communal experience where an entire room knows exactly when to laugh, cry, or jump at something lurking around the corner. Helping create those moments, for myself and for others, has always been the dream. Honestly, I started as an actor, then a writer. Read more>>
Larry Morgan
I have always loved photography and needed to add a little income so I got on google and youtube to learn as much as I could, I quickly found out that it is not as easy as people make it out to be and that it takes a lot of money. Read more>>
Teresa Stewart-Meli
I’ve always loved piano and wanted to help people, although I’ve been unsure about how to achieve that goal until the last 10 years. I said Piano taught a bit on the Navajo nation, got a masters in conducting a doctrine and conducting had a stroke and became disabled after rehab rehabilitation. Read more>>
SANDY MILL
I started Sandy Mill Works in 2017, initially focused on staffing and event services Founded in Chicago, IL, but it quickly grew into full-scale event production and operational management. Early on, I realized I wasn’t just executing, I was building structure, solving problems, and creating systems that made businesses run more efficiently. My background spans entertainment, marketing, and business development. Read more>>
Camden Forrester
I love music and I’ve always had a passion for teaching others. I focus on building my skill and helping others. I believe that if you try hard you can succeed. My email is [email protected] if you’d like to reach out Read more>>
Ryan Bougie
Cohen and I were first introduced to Inflate Twenty-Eight through an opportunity with members of East Side Community Church, where we worked under Sarah and Cole Howard for about a year. During that time, we gained hands-on experience and a strong understanding of the business. This February, we learned they were planning to sell, and we saw an opportunity. Read more>>
Joseline Couso
I’ve been a hairstylist since 2010. I’m originally from Miami fl. I started doing hair for fashion week in Miami and slowly started building a career that way. I moved to Dallas in 2019. And started all over again. Slowly building a clientele. I worked at Johnny Rodriguez the salon for almost 6years. Read more>>
Jovanny Roig
I’ve been a hairstylist since 2010. I’m originally from Miami fl. I started doing hair for fashion week in Miami and slowly started building a career that way. I moved to Dallas in 2019. And started all over again. Slowly building a clientele. I worked at Johnny Rodriguez the salon for almost 6years. Read more>>
Alexander Isokrari
Art-Fro Kreationz was born with the purpose of showcasing the African culture and its people and environments. The vibrancy of the African customs and beliefs all set through a visual platform. I want to share the history, present and future of the African experience through art, which has always been a universal language of expression. Read more>>
Music No Boundaries
I started Music No Boundaries because music has been such a meaningful part of my life, and I realized that not every child has the same opportunity to learn an instrument. Growing up, I saw how music builds confidence, discipline, creativity, and joy, but lessons and instruments can be expensive and inaccessible for many families. Read more>>
Greg Garcia
Ten years ago, after a particularly tough workout, I wanted a better alternative for a post-workout snack than just another sad shaker cup of protein powder, and was given the idea of a protein ice cream bar. I went home, designed what I thought would be perfect in macros, and used my four kids as a taste test. Read more>>
Tama Tran
Lily Med Spa began as a small, two-room practice with just one laser device and a limited range of injectable treatments. As demand grew, so did the vision, and over time it evolved into Lily Aesthetics and Wellness, now operating in a larger, full-service facility located at 14785 Preston Road, STE 175, Dallas, Texas 75254. Read more>>
Courtney Miller
I’ve always been drawn to sports. Growing up, my dream was to become a sideline reporter; I loved the idea of telling athletes’ stories in real time. When I got to the University of Texas at Austin, I initially planned to pursue broadcast journalism, but I quickly realized that being in the sports industry mattered more to me than the specific role. Read more>>
Keon Ohimai
Since my last piece – life has shifted. In a spiritual sense, I feel as if I have been transported into a new reality and I am now the primary force that forges my destiny. But, in layman’s terms, I am happy, I am motivated, and I feel free. Read more>>
Marzia Prince
I spent 25 years working as a fitness trainer in a gym, helping clients get fit and building my life around health and fitness. That was my world for a long time, and I truly loved it. Eventually, I transitioned into becoming a fitness influencer. I wanted to share my passion for fitness and make money online. It felt like the new American dream. Read more>>
Viola Heart
I began my artistic path as a high-level cello student, deeply immersed in classical music from a young age. Music was my first language—it shaped my sense of rhythm, emotion, and storytelling. As I grew older, I felt a pull toward movement, and in my teenage years I transitioned into dance, eventually training professionally at programs like Peridance and continuing my development in Berlin. Read more>>
Amy Brines
I never tried to become an artist but my mural business found me. I started painting during a difficult season of my life. I was running another successful business, but when life fell apart, I had no words left in me and my desires shifted. The only way I knew how to breathe was when I was painting a mural in my home. Read more>>
Mackenzie Hall
Hall’s Honey-Fried Chicken was founded by John Hall, my father, and is a spinoff of Dallas’ most famous chicken family – Henderson’s Chicken Shack. Henderson’s chicken shack was founded in 1948 (no more original Henderson’s exist anymore). After getting permission from his uncle to use the original recipe, my dad opened Hall’s Chicken in 1989. The original location was moved to the Camp Wisdom Rd. Read more>>
Ricky Robinson
I am from Bogalusa, LA, a small town of about 10k people. Growing up, I didn’t know anything about college until I was exposed to it by a friend’s mom. From that point I majored in political science (not too sure why). Approaching graduation, I thought ‘What am I going to do with this’. Read more>>
Inde Aquafina
Hello. My name is Inde Aquafina. I am a rapper from Illinois. I made a song called “Five Star Chick” Cardi b made a song called “Don’t do too Much” as a bonus track on her album called “ Am I the drama” If you look at both of are YouTube. You will see my song came out before hers. The beat is the same. Read more>>
Ashley Adjei-Bonsu
I started my career in the beauty industry in 2018 as a lash artist, which gave me my first experience building relationships with clients and understanding how much confidence is tied to how we feel about our appearance. Over time, I began to notice that many of my clients were struggling with their skin, and it shifted my interest toward esthetics and results-driven skincare. Read more>>
Ashleigh Brennan
HI! I began my journey in photography out of College, my camera was a present from my mom. I started with nature photography then created a page and my friends began to ask for photoshoots. It turned into hangouts, to dressing up and feeling beautiful, to simply learning more about one another. Connecting on a new level. Sharing deeper meaning and why expression mattered. Read more>>
Brittany Hooten
Real estate has never just been a career for me, it has always been a part of who I am. Long before I ever held a license, I was immersed in the industry through my grandmother, who was a powerhouse Realtor for over 30 years. Some of my earliest memories are not just of homes, but of the work behind them. Read more>>
Alexandra Photographer
My journey into photography started very organically. I’ve always been drawn to capturing emotion and connection, especially within families and motherhood. What began as a creative outlet during a season of my life where I was learning myself more deeply quickly turned into something much more meaningful. I realized how powerful it is to freeze moments that people can hold onto forever. Read more>>
Stephanie Rissmiller
For years, I poured my heart into social work. Organization, problem-solving, and helping people were second nature to me. I loved making a difference, but over time, the emotional weight of the job became harder to carry. I started craving something lighter, something creative, hands-on, and still centered around connection. I’ve always believed that hair is more than just hair. It’s self-expression, confidence, and identity. Read more>>
Darlene Schaper
Darlene is a native Oregonian now living in Texas and a graduate of the Pacific Northwest College of Art. An artist and explorer since childhood, she has always felt a deep devotion to nature and its creatures, seeing the world as inherently wondrous, intimate, and alive. This sensibility continues to guide her practice, which blends curiosity, reverence, and play. Read more>>
Tamika Jefferso
Before starting my childcare business, I was always drawn to working with children. Years ago, I created a dance team in my community for children under the age of eight, and that was the first time I truly felt a sense of purpose. I had to step away when I went to college full-time, but that experience stayed with me. Read more>>
Jaafar Abdullah
My name is Jaa’far A. Abdullah, I am the Executive Director of MT Hope House of Texas, a community hub in DeSoto focused on restoring hope and creating pathways to stability. Read more>>
Enith Sanchez
I started my influencer journey in 2019, during a time when I was navigating life as a young mom of two. My husband was in the Navy, and as a stay-at-home mom, I felt like I had slowly lost a part of myself. Through sharing my life online, I began connecting with so many women who were in similar seasons. Read more>>
Orlander Johnson
Urban Stylez was formed in 2013. We started in the Walnut Mall in North Dallas. However, the location was only the starting point for us. After a short stay (18 months) we relocated to the Pleasant Grove are on Prairie Creek near the Bruton bazaar. It was out first brick and mortar which paved the way for the next location at 2711 S Buckner Blvd. Read more>>
Dereka Williams
My passion for working with children started early. Since the age of 10, I was trusted to help care for my triplet cousins, and over the years I became the go-to person for family and friends when they needed someone to watch their children. Read more>>
Bryson Murphy
I was born and raised in the City of Lubbock, Texas, where I developed the mindset, work ethic, and drive that would shape everything I do today. Growing up with small-town values and a big vision, I always believed that not even the sky was the limit, and I was ready to find out. Read more>>
Jordane Washington
My name is jordane Washington I’m from Houston TX I’m an stand up comedian actor musician looking to have a great run longevity in my career Read more>>
RonAmber Deloney
Well, my name is RonAmber Deloney. Some people call me Flow, my stage name as a poet. I’m also DJ Skinpolitik from time to time. I started performing poetry in the 1st grade in oratorical contests. Around that time, I was going to church with my aunt and was also performing in church – Easter speeches and other events. Read more>>
Vivian Pikett
I started out as an interior design student studying at a small Christian school in South Carolina. I decided to come home to Texas due to a family medical emergency. I spent a few months at home with my family when out of the blue I decided to enroll in real estate course. I did it all online at my own pace. Read more>>
Derrick Butts
The pieces of your life help identify the purpose of your life. From childhood to today, I’ve found myself in positions where I had to master the role of being number one at being number two. Read more>>
Raymond Williams Jr
I started my journey through sports. Football was my first teacher—it taught me discipline, accountability, and what it meant to be part of something bigger than myself. From there, I stepped into coaching and strength and conditioning, spending years developing athletes at the high school level and helping them grow not just physically, but as young men. Read more>>
Joceylin Cardenas
I started by being an event coordinator in 2021. I loved being a part of such special moments. After my first year, I loved the idea of owning my own event space. After brainstorming and having a lot of “what if” conversations with my husband, we decided to take the leap of faith. Read more>>
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>>
