Hidden Gems: Local Businesses & Creatives You Should Know

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.

Desireè Parks

Desired Plates started out as a labor of love for my friends and family and eventually progressed into a small Black owned LGBT catering company. Traditional southern foods became my charm and it just stuck though I have a wide variety of culinary skills. My mother being raised in the south and Having deep family roots in Virginia and Alabama My bloodline is true to southern culture and all the south embodies. I think it’s in my bones to cook with love, soul and overall joy. Read More>>

Kamilah Brown

Since then, I’ve poured my creativity into hosting unique events, with highlights including Bridgerton-inspired gatherings like the High Society Soiree: Bridgerton Brunch and other elegant Regency-themed occasions. These events were all about bringing people together in beautiful settings filled with thoughtful details and unforgettable moments. Read More>>

Kellyann Knox

The biggest struggle was getting the funding to purchase the building. It was a unique opportunity because the commercial building and property had a residential house coupled with it. Therefore traditional business loans weren’t an option nor were a typical home mortgage. We were able to come up with a down payment and financing with the help of our family. We were very fortunate that our family had that kind of trust and belief in us and our dream. But other than financing, the process of getting up and running has been smooth. Read More>>

Monika Foley

The better I felt, the easier I could deal with difficult people and situations, the more love I could feel expanding in my heart, the clearer I could see the bigger picture, and I became more secure in knowing who I am and what boundaries I need to have in place to protect myself. I was able to let go of things that really bothered me before and I started to experience feelings of peace inside of myself that I had never experienced before. When I found my inner peace, I was able to experience more feelings of joy and happiness which was ultimately something I had been searching for longer than I would want to admit. Read More>>

Óscar Salamanca

After years of working with the local communities in Ohio, and forging together a strong team of educators, musicians, dancers, visual artist and other professional artists we’ve decided on build up a company that brings not only Latin American culture but also, many other cultures of the world that, at the end, is what enriches, the United States culture. Read More>>

Ahmed Diop

“Can’t take the heat, well stay out of the kitchen”, is truly an understatement when it comes to working in the food industry. There have been many struggles, but for every struggle, there was a lesson and a blessing in disguise. From not being paid for my work, to contract breaches, I have pretty much experienced it all. One thing I can say confidently, is that I came out a better business man and better equipped for the industry after each experience. Read More>>

Laura Klaserner

During my final week with the family, they wrote me heartfelt letters about how I had completed their “family circle.” They encouraged me to follow my heart and start my own photography business. Their words sparked the creation of My Inner Circle Photography. My business name reflects my mission: when I work with clients, they quickly become part of my inner circle. Read More>>

Yeon-kyung Kim

There have been times when I feel like I am doing 5 people’s jobs. Like any other small business, especially a non-profit, I am the artistic director, grant writer, web designer, event planner, and publicity coordinator. Of course, most of them are out of my comfort zone. I join free webinars for folks like me and feel relieved that I am not alone! I think I am getting better at juggling. Read More>>

Danielle Davis

Growing up I’ve always enjoyed scents! I would sometimes sneak and wear my mom’s perfumes. As I grew older so did my aroma palate. I became obsessed with high end perfumes and candles. I was spending about $100 every three weeks at Bath and Body Works on their candles and wall diffusers. I realized after sometime their products would induce headaches, I had to think of a way to enjoy candles without all the added chemicals and save money too! Queue up the idea for an all natural phthalate free candle business. Read More>>

Danielle Acosta

These are just a few of the challenges some must face while attempting to locate and secure a Bridge (between temp shelter and permanent) home for their families. Danielle was inspired to affect change. Established in Cleveland, Ohio in 2020, DNA RISING seeks to bring single mothers and veterans out of homelessness by providing safe, renovated Bridge Housing upon completion of education, job training and recovery programs in partnership with various community organizations that serve them. We are the only Northeast Ohio non-profit that provides support and a bridge to stability for up to 36 months. Read More>>

Lydia Tobler

This, in addition to having struggled with persistent acne myself, even after a course of Accutane, motivated me to pursue my esthetics license. I got my license in 2021 and successfully launched my own practice in 2023. I see major sustainability and ethics issues in the beauty industry, so I aimed to fill that gap. Everything I use in the studio is truly cruelty free, and I recycle and reuse whenever possible without sacrificing quality or sanitation for my clients. Read More>>

Kendra Foos

I started baking and selling cakes in my home in 2011. Shortly after I started selling cakes I started to make frosted sugar cookies. My husband and 3 sons helped cut and bake the cookies and I decorated the cake and cookies. My home business just kept growing each year. It eventually started to take over our house so we decided to buy a building and take the big plunge into owning our own bakery. We have been in business at our new location for almost 2 1/2 years now. Read More>>

Devin Corwin

but over the past couple of years, i started to evolve & outgrow from my silly (and bizarre) online presence. i slowly stopped uploading youtube videos & slowly stopped broadcasting my comedic stuff. at the end of 2023, i began my new business venture on poshmark & have managed to successfully transform into a new brand for myself, as well as a profitable reselling business. Read More>>

Bri Biase

I first started rapping in my mother’s basement with my brothers . It was fun times . I was the youngest of the crew and I never stopped . I remember like it was yesterday . Watching Missy Elliot on tv then going down stairs saying “I wanna rap bro” . I was also engineering at that time and didn’t even know what I was doing lol . Read More>>

Kylie Olney

Hello hello! First of all if you’re reading this- my name is Kylie Olney and I’m 23 years old and I started my own videography business at the age of 16. I am now going on my 7th year of God-given success as “Video by Kylie” (original, I know). I was constantly drawn to the art of photography, videography, and music, so for me, my mind has always been wired to expand upon more creativity. I constantly was drawn to other videographers such as Indy Blue, and decided to make some fun videos on my own beginning when I was young. Read More>>

Twisted Transitioner

I’ve been a performer pretty much all my life. Some of the earliest home videos I have are of me, barely old enough to walk, swaying in front of the television to Kelly Clarkson and Kidz Bop music videos. Over the years I did dance, drill team, and musical theater. I loved the stage, and telling a story with my face and body and music. Eventually I started amateur burlesque in college and was encouraged to debut a drag persona at my school’s yearly Drag Ball event. Read More>>

Kate Regas And Alyx Mcquilkin

We saw an immense need in Cleveland, Ohio, for high-quality, purposeful, and engaging day programs for adults with developmental disabilities. We wanted to take everything we loved about teaching and pour it into a program that truly made a difference. Early on, we decided to make it a nonprofit organization because our mission aligned perfectly with the values of a nonprofit, and we believed the community would rally behind a new nonprofit committed to doing good. Read More>>

Mallory Crooks

Our goal is to provide opportunities and meaningful income for people with disabilities locally as well as farmers and artisans around the world. Your cup today not only tastes delicious, it helps ensure we continue to build opportunities for those with developmental disabilities. So please, let this coffee warm your heart. You’ve warmed ours. Read More>>

Amy Lai

I started crocheting in 2018. At the time, I was a college student studying Architecture and had an internship in Washington, D.C. I had to take the metro to work everyday and I thought crocheting would be a fun hobby to pass the time during the train ride. It was easy for me to fall in love with it. The whimsical nature of what I could build with my two hands from a strand of yarn was the best escape I could have gotten at that time in my life. Read More>>

Emma Jochum

I got my first club job when I was 19 years old at Peabodys, then later hopped over to The Foundry where I got my foot in the door booking bands. I was throwing DIY shows at my record shop on the side but eventually wanted something bigger, when I found out Now That’s Class was for sale. My business partner and I took over in March of 2022 and changed the name to No Class. Read More>>

Lexi Herbers

For me, learning embroidery and running a business has been anything but a smooth road. When I first started, I knew absolutely nothing about embroidery. My only “teachers” were YouTube tutorials and the occasional TikTok video. There’s an endless amount to learn, and even now, I discover something new every time I turn my machine on. Like any machinery, issues arise—things break, errors happen, and troubleshooting can be a serious challenge. The hardest part for me has been understanding why errors occur and figuring out how to prevent them from happening again. I’d be lying if I said embroidery was easy—it’s not. There’s a steep learning curve, especially since I had no prior experience, not even with a basic sewing machine. Read More>>

Dave Reeves

Today, my wife, Alannah, and I run Vital Combat Team, a space where kids and adults alike can heal, grow, and discover their potential. Our mission is to change the way people see themselves through martial arts, fostering not just strength but also connection and hope. Every day, we work to create an environment where people leave feeling stronger—inside and out—than when they walked in. Read More>>

Paul Barraco

We opened in January of 2020, 5 weeks before the COVID interruption. We had been looking for a building that would work with our concept of bringing a modern diner space that would serve our takes on breakfast lunch and dinner to our own community with creative cocktails and inventive specials sourcing from local farms and artisans. The diner was inspired by our family history in New York City and it was further influenced by us not wanting to stick to a single genre of food Read More>>

Erin Boggs

This journey has been an incredible learning and growth opportunity. For A Journey of Iceland, the creative process was smooth, and collaborating with Einar and Kaktus has been such a rewarding experience. Einar and I have a playfully antagonistic relationship. He’s notorious for saying something off the cuff during interviews just to razz me. I’m convinced we were siblings in a past life. Read More>>

Grizz

I always deeply loved music of different genres. I grew a special liking for hip hop, pop, rock, and r&b. The summer before my junior year of high school I started writing raps to other artists’ beats and recording them on a Canon camera. Some were from Biggie, J Cole, Lil Wayne, and 50 Cent. I was nervous at first so I pointed the camera the opposite direction so you could only hear the instrumental and my voice rapping over it. With time me and my bro Dre started recording on pro tools every week and honing our sounds. By my senior year I had gained the respect of most of my peers as an artist and that gave me the confidence to keep moving forward with it and growing my audience. Read More>>

Whitney Lyles

The journey hasn’t been without its challenges, but it’s been incredibly rewarding. Being a business owner means you’re always learning, especially when it comes to marketing yourself as a makeup artist. Figuring out my niche, connecting with the right audience, and staying focused have all been tough hurdles. One of the biggest struggles has been developing the discipline to manage my time and finances effectively. Despite these challenges, the experience has been truly fulfilling and has taught me a lot along the way. Read More>>

Courtney Presar

Of course with any new business there are struggles, obstacles and learning that comes along the way. The first major obstacle was finding the right groomer to hire. Not only is this person the face that all clients see on a daily basis but they are also responsible for operating and driving the {gorgeous} mobile grooming van. Hiring an expert groomer that could produce beautiful grooms and also make the dogs & cats comfortable and relaxed was at the top of my mind. Read More>>

Morgan Cranston

I then began writing about all of the many things I had learned about fertility, infertility and how to increase your chances of getting pregnant. Several months later we received the surprise of a lifetime – our one and only embryo transferred during a frozen IVF cycle had stuck…and split into IDENTICAL TWINS. Ultrasound confirmed they were a type of high risk twins called mono-di (they shared one placenta but were in two separate amniotic sacs). I then began to include pregnancy information and twin/high-risk pregnancy specific blog posts.  Read More>>

Cameron Schilling

Fast forward to my current job, event planning naturally became part of my role, and through that experience, I connected with some amazing people in the industry. One of my close friends opened her own venue, The Opal Haus in Lawrenceburg Indiana, which I had the privilege of attending and assisting with events. During this time, I noticed a recurring gap in the photo booth rental industry – there was a lack of services that felt truly elevated, classy, and elegant. Things like paper props just didn’t match the vision I had for what a photo booth experience could be. Read More>>

Manu Ledesma

It felt like the right time to start sharing the knowledge I’ve gained throughout my career. Located in Blue Ash, we began with small groups of boys and girls, focusing on personalized training. Quickly, we realized the importance of complementing weekly training with competition, which led us to join the Fulcrum Fives league with multiple teams. Read More>>

Selena Hernandez

I graduated from Grant Career Center in 2014 and began my career working in several different shops, gaining valuable experience along the way. In time, I had the privilege of meeting my current owner and her husband, who saw potential in me and encouraged me to take the next step in my professional journey. With their support and guidance, I was inspired to branch out and establish my own suite, allowing me to further develop my skills and build a business of my own. Read More>>

Brittney Frietch

Fast forward a number of years, and after the blessing of staying home with my 3 kids for a decade, it was time for me to help my husband out of a toxic career. He had worked his way up the family-owned business ladder and landed the Vice Presidency role which included a rather nice 6 figure income, among other incentives, but new ownership landed him in the ER fearing he was having a heart attack. From that point we both decided real estate may be a good option to try, even with a bachelor’s degree in business in hand, I wouldn’t be able to help him leave his career in enough time to save his life by trying to go corporate. Read More>>

Chris Seelbach

When David passed away in 2011, I felt called to carry on his legacy. I launched my own campaign for Cincinnati City Council, and in November 2011, I became the first openly LGBTQ+ person elected in Cincinnati, and one of the youngest ever elected. During my decade-long tenure, I focused on making Cincinnati a place where people wanted to live, work, and raise a family, with the goal of reversing the city’s six-decade population decline. Read More>>

Ichaya Mills

n the years I’ve lived, one thing has remained constant: my love for the library. From Shakespeare to manga, I’ve devoured stories that have shaped my world. Hi, my name is Ichaya Mills. I’m 25 years old, and I’m here to dance negativity away and fill the world with vibrant energy. Let me tell you, playing Smash Bros with librarians and a group of amazing people in the library? Pure fire. It’s the perfect metaphor for how art and community collide in the most unexpected places. Read More>>

Marissa Losier

This was just before Covid hit so that was an experience in itself. My apprenticeship was cut short once shops opened back up, because tattoos were in such high demand. It was trial by fire for a while, but soon I found my stride and developed a client base, and moved on to work by appointment only at a smaller shop. Now I’ve worked with the same people for several years and have a wonderful group of return and regular clients that I would all consider family. Tattooing is a more than a job to me and I can’t imagine doing anything different Read More>>

John Hendry

I worked at a couple garages, a parts store and even a junkyard for the next 5 years or so until I moved into construction. This would be my main employment through my twenties and into my thirties. I wavered between plumbing and framing with roughly 10 years plumbing and 3 or 4 framing and I never put down the guitar. By my mid twenties music had become a way of life. I was playing a few nights a weeks in bars and venues either solo or in an acoustic duo and spent most of my free time either jamming with friends or writing. Read More>>

Lawrence Wright

I decided to take a break from video production, but during the time away I accidentally developed a new talent…photography! Though it was an accident to snap behind the lens, I absolutely loved taking pictures and turning images into stories. Not to mention seeing smiling faces after I take the pictures, it meant something special to me. It was then that I knew what I wanted to do in order to serve and provide an experience for viewers and clients. Read More>>