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.
Liz Comstock
My parents put me in ballet when I was 3 years, and I immediately found those classes to be one of my favorite parts of my whole week. I remember seeing myself in the mirror, watching the teacher, and paying such close attention to my movements as I tried to make my positions and motions as precise as possible. Read more>>
soshewept
We started back in September 2025 and initially just treated this band as a group of homies who had a similar music taste and wanted to jam, but we quickly got invested and it evolved into what it is now Read more>>
Nataliya Desheva
In Ukraine, I received my education in design and began to learn how to sew. But my story started when I immigrated to the US in 2002. As I was adjusting to my new life, I continued to grow and adapt with each project. I finally took a leap of faith to open my business, however, timing was not on my side. Read more>>
Lex & Answer
We’re Lex & Answer, a DJ duo based in Dallas, Texas, with roots in Zimbabwe. Our journey started with a shared love for music and a fascination with how it brings people together, regardless of where they come from. Read more>>
Trent Fielder
Goodness. I wish there was a cliff notes version but there isn’t which explains where we are. Well, simplest way is I was a father of 7 month old twins when I was paralyzed the first time in 2011. Read more>>
Jessica Mata
My journey as an artist began in 2010 in Brooklyn, New York with small paintings on canvas that eventually became something much bigger than I could fathom, it felt spiritual. Art became the first place where I could imagine something different for myself, a space where I could process my experiences and envision a future beyond my circumstances. Read more>>
Alwilda Moss
I am a woman approaching my fifties with wisdom, gratitude, and a deep appreciation for the journey that brought me here. My roots are in a close knit family , hardworking family originally from Birmingham, Alabama. During the automotive boom my grandfather, father, uncles, and neighbors built careers with General Motors. Read more>>
Rebecca Ringer
I’m a lifelong resident of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. I was born and raised in Arlington, attended TCU in Fort Worth where I earned my degree in business and marketing while playing soccer, and then spent several years in Dallas working in advertising and marketing. Eventually, I left the corporate world to join my family’s real estate business, founded by my mother, Susan Hill. Read more>>
Selah Peterson
The heart behind my business began in 2022, shortly after the passing of my grandmother. I found myself searching for every photograph of her I could get my hands on. Grief made me understand how valuable photographs become over time, especially the ordinary ones that allow you to return to a person as they really were! Read more>>
Lancky Cresco
My journey with music began long before I ever stepped into a recording studio. Growing up in Lagos, Nigeria, I was always surrounded by rhythm and sound. As a kid, I would drum on buckets, cans, and anything I could find, perform in school bands, and play drums at church. Music wasn’t just something I enjoyed—it was a part of who I was. Read more>>
Jesus / Jeezus
The story starts with me going out to a place called Vidorra back in 2022~2023: A Latin club vibe playing everything from Reggaeton to Cumbia to some Latin EDM, dembow you name it. After my second time or so going out there I end up meeting the Dj- DJ INZO and give him compliments as to what he was playing how he was playing. Read more>>
Katherine Jones
My journey started with a simple decision to live a healthier lifestyle. Like many people, I was balancing a demanding career and realized I needed to be more intentional about taking care of myself physically, mentally, and emotionally. What surprised me most was discovering that fitness didn’t have to feel like a chore. It could actually be fun, energizing, and something I looked forward to. Read more>>
Taylor Mutua
I grew up in Minnesota and, in May 2024, made the decision to move to Dallas, knowing very few people but feeling called to create a life that would challenge me, inspire me, and help me grow. Starting over in a new city was both exciting and humbling, but it quickly became one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Read more>>
Isaiah Hayes
I initially started by customizing and selling sneakers throughout high school. When I got to college, I quickly realized that balancing life as a full-time student-athlete while working a part-time job left me with very little free time. Read more>>
Vanessa Eans
I’ve always been fascinated by the hidden patterns that shape our lives. Long before I had language for it, I found myself asking deeper questions, noticing connections other people overlooked, and helping people make sense of experiences that seemed impossible to explain. That curiosity eventually led me into ministry, where I spent years walking alongside people through some of life’s most meaningful and difficult moments. Read more>>
Minaxi Apte
I want to share my journey from Minaxi to DJ MINI. My journey as a DJ started six years ago during COVID, but my story began much earlier. I am originally from India, where I owned and successfully ran my own beauty salon. After my husband’s job transfer, we moved to the United States, and I started working at a beauty salon here. Read more>>
Ethan Massey
Got started playing guitar at 14. Joined a band at 18, started playing shows and was hooked. Found myself at Tomcats West one night and met Rustin Luther. Randomly offered to work security if he ever needed the help. Mind you, I had zero security experience but the venue world was always so intriguing and mysterious to me. Read more>>
Jocelyn Branch
Jocelyn is the Founder and CEO of The JJW Experience LLC and Sisters with Stories Inc. She is a three-time author, women’s empowerment speaker, school assembly presenter, and trauma-informed advocate dedicated to helping individuals heal, grow, and walk confidently in their purpose. Recently married, Mrs. Jocelyn Branch, is thriving in a new season of life. Read more>>
Milly Richardson
I was Born in India. I came to Dallas 15 years ago. I started working as a brow technician, and every client followed me. I am also an artist and I have the privilege of touching people’s lives through my art. I am also passionate about the performing arts, including acting, singing, and dancing. Read more>>
Luke Asper
I founded Asper Studios in 2016. I started as a cinematographer, and for years the company grew the way most production companies grow: one project at a time, saying yes to nearly everything, and letting the work teach us what we were actually best at. What the work taught us was clear. The projects where we created the most value were never the one-off videos. Read more>>
Chantel Griffin
Honestly, HR was never the plan. I went to school for Computer Science and had my sights set on a career in tech. A serious car accident changed all of that. I spent eight months recovering and relearning how to walk, and while it was one of the hardest experiences of my life, looking back, I don’t regret how it reshaped my path. Read more>>
Janet Bernstein
For a long time, I believed success meant collecting accomplishments. I became a corporate leader, trained thousands of professionals, wrote ten books, lost 100 pounds, and eventually built a business helping entrepreneurs grow their brands. From the outside, it looked like everything was working. But behind the scenes, I saw something that kept showing up over and over again. Brilliant women were hiding. Read more>>
Jacquaveone Walker
I’ve been making music for a while now but didn’t start taking it seriously until around 2019/2020. I started making music because it became a way for me to express everything I was experiencing and seen. Read more>>
Savannah Patterson
I have been doing photography for about 8 years now and I love it! It started off as something that I did for fun with friends and then slowly progressed and turned into a business. I grew my business throughout college and got to be a part of a magazine for Texas A&M called A-Line. Read more>>
Jesus Manzano
From Zero to a $6 Million Empire: The Story of Jesus Manzano and PPP Services When I first arrived in the United States 11 years ago from Venezuela, holding a degree in Electronic Engineering and a heart full of hope, the path ahead was far from easy. Like many immigrants starting from scratch, my immediate option to survive was stepping into construction work. Read more>>
Brennan Jackson
My time started when I went to a convention (Dreamcon) in 2021. That feeling of unity couldn’t compare to anything I felt before. After that weekend I learned I wanted to go into content creation. Over the years my need for content creation lost priority turning more into community management. I now collaborate and connect creators with one another through social platforms and social mixers. Read more>>
Kimberly Strachan
I honestly got into photography on a whim during COVID. I was bored, bought a camera, and started taking pictures just to have something to do. I quickly realized I was actually pretty good at it, so I kept learning and pushing myself to get better. Over the years I’ve photographed a little bit of everything, families, newborns, mini sessions, seniors, branding, you name it. Read more>>
Princey & Preethy Varghese
Varian Events really started long before it became a business. My sister and I have always been the people our family and friends turned to whenever there was a celebration. We grew up decorating birthday parties, our parents’ anniversary celebrations, bridal showers, bachelorette parties, and eventually baby showers. Read more>>
Meagan Harris
I was born and raised in the DFW-area and somehow stumbled into this thing called theatre my freshman year of high-school. Unlike a lot of my classmates, I didn’t grow up in talent shows, and children’s theatre. I really had no clue what this whole acting thing was. But, boy, did I love it once I dove in! Read more>>
john murray
I began singing and playing instruments at the tender age of 4. My Mother was an associate Minister and my Father was a Trustee in our hometown church in New Jersey. With me being raised there I learned to sing, play guitars and developed a strong love for music and worship. Read more>>
Vicky Hawkins
Blink Event Boutique officially celebrated its first anniversary this June, but event planning has been a part of my life for more than 15 years. My journey actually began in the corporate world, working in Marketing and Public Relations for Comcast Communications (now Xfinity). After two years, I relocated to Memphis, Tennessee, where I joined Charter Communications (now Spectrum) in a similar role. Read more>>
KAYAT
KAYAT, which stands for Korean American Youth Artists of Texas, is a youth-led nonprofit organization founded in the summer of 2021 by Korean American teenagers. At the time, our country was experiencing a rise in anti-Asian hate incidents during the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more>>
Waleed Cherif
If I had to describe my story in one word, it would be resilience. I was born and raised in Algeria, where resilience is part of our culture. Our history, our families, and even our love for soccer all reflect that. Soccer wasn’t just something I played, it was part of who I was. Read more>>
John Finch
My story really began with a question that shaped much of my life: *How does growing up without a father affect a person?* Like millions of others, I experienced the lasting impact of an absent father. For years, I carried wounds I didn’t fully understand, and those experiences influenced my identity, relationships, and the way I viewed myself—and even God. Read more>>
Aubree Hermann
My creativity originally came from wanting to be a professional dancer. Through experiencing a time of redirection with god. I achieved learning how to get my feet wet into photography, modeling, fashion, writing scripts and creative directing. Read more>>
Jim Garrison
Logistix Media Services is a full service audio & video production company that produces corporate meetings, special events, and high tech projects internationally. Logistix Media Services has been serving the corporate productions industry since 1992. During that time Logistix has been selected to provide production services to some very significant projects, both locally and nationally. Read more>>
Erica Batterman
Honestly, it’s always hard for me to answer this question because I still feel like I’m figuring it out. If you had told me ten years ago that I’d end up working in marketing and social media, I probably would’ve laughed. My career has been anything but linear, and looking back, every unexpected turn has led me exactly where I needed to be. Read more>>
Laquisha Sampson
I have always been into Health.. Graduated from the High School of Health Professions at Townview Magnet. I didn’t find my dream health occupation there so I went on to the Army and Later started working for a huge Health Insurance company. Needless to say, they were not fulfilling people’s health requirements and I knew there was some way I could help. Read more>>
Jamiya Taylor
I first became drawn to writing in the 6th grade during my Language Arts class. We had read “Tears of a Tiger” by Sharon M. Draper and the assignment to go with it was to write an alternate ending to the story. I don’t even know what happened to the ending I wrote, but I ended up getting the highest grade on it. Read more>>
LaToria Janae
My story has always been rooted in creativity, faith, resilience, and the belief that every person has a story worth telling. Since I was a child, I’ve felt called to inspire people to embrace who they are, pursue the dreams that scare them and walk confidently in purpose using their gifts, but fear kept me from boldly pursuing my own for years. Read more>>
Michelle Ramirez
Ever since college, I naturally found myself being the person who planned events for the organizations I was involved in. Looking back, that’s where my love for event planning really began. I loved bringing ideas to life, choosing colors, creating themes, and making every celebration feel special. Read more>>
Danielle De León
22 years. 🤍✂️ Sometimes it’s hard to believe this career started because of a single walk-through in the 8th grade. We passed the cosmetology classroom, and I remember thinking, “That looks so cool.” Little did I know that one moment would shape the rest of my life. I entered high school with enough credits to apply for the cosmetology program as a freshman. Read more>>
Chibuike Ronnie
Chibuike Ronnie, Popularly known as Mr Vron, Artist, songwriter music Producer and business owner. Born in Ogun Nigeria raised in Aba, Nigeria, where I learned early that ambition means very little without discipline, resilience, and the willingness to create opportunities for yourself. My journey has never followed one straight path. Music has always been a major part of my life. Read more>>
Venise Tharpe
Heeeeeyyyyy ya’ll. I’m Venise from Memphis TN, and now I reside in Dallas Texas. I’ve always believed that food brings people together. I’m 36 years old, and while I started cooking professionally 10 years ago, my love for cooking began when I was just 12 years old. Read more>>
Sara Drehobl
I’m a Realtor serving what many now call the Westoplex, helping clients throughout Fort Worth, Benbrook, Aledo, Weatherford, Granbury, Burleson, Joshua, and the surrounding communities. I’ve built my business through relationships, hard work, and genuinely caring about the people I serve. My path hasn’t always been easy. Read more>>
Brother Ben X
My story really started before I fully understood that I was becoming an entrepreneur. I was just trying to figure out how to change my life, take care of my family, and use the internet to create opportunities that I did not see around me. I did not come from a traditional business background. Read more>>
Levi Chaney
I was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. Real estate has always been something I’ve been passionate about. Once I started meeting people in the industry and learning from them, I knew it was the right path for me, so I jumped right in. I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit, so when I went to college, I chose to major in Business. Read more>>
Lexus Pridgett
Since I was a little girl, I always loved fashion! My parents was my the biggest influence because they always wanted to make sure my siblings and I always look well put together and cute. My mom loves fashion just as much as I do and I’ve learned a lot from her. Read more>>
