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.
JaCene Muziq
I am now branching out with my children’s educational character and channel to spread awareness of equality, education, love, kindness, and to give the spotlight to our children of all ages who have different success stories, and to acknowledge their accomplishments rather that be musically academic, or Sports jaja Wrld it’s going to be the next big thing though I’m switching it up. I will always be JaCene Muziq. No one can take that away from me. I am also a very experienced graphic designer. I do pretty much everything from massages to Graphics to Muziq to writing and I also love children. Read more>>
Jess Mossbruger
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road—like any big change, there have been challenges along the way! When I left the classroom in September 2022, I knew I wanted to continue helping kids with literacy, but I had no idea how to build a business. I started tutoring in local libraries, but figuring out how to turn that into something bigger felt overwhelming. I had to learn everything from marketing and social media to business management, all while navigating life outside of the classroom. Read more>>
India Clayton
Growing up my mother always had a love and an eye for beautiful homes. I remember her taking me to all the beautiful model homes in the area, to get inspiration for our own home. Us traveling all around town to different furniture and home decoration stores. This grew to be my favorite part of the weekend. I remember being in stores at a young age putting together different looks with pillows and decor based off what art I had selected as my inspiration for that trip. Read more>>
Frank Allison
Overall, the journey has been fairly smooth, if only due to the brute force with which I entered the field. I was very lucky to have already had an understanding of how to get published due to previous writing experience. I also knew within a field as saturated as motorsports media, I would need to start with the physical product as proof of my capability before I could develop any sort of respect for what I was doing. If you tell someone you write motorsports poetry AND you’re newer to motorsports as a field in general, you need to have something good to back it up with, and thankfully I did the order of operations correctly. Read more>>
Erin Bright
Teaching art was meaningful, but extreme burnout forced me out of the classroom. I left for a coffee shop job, started taking ceramics classes, and kept circling back to the idea of creative process and purpose—like how I used to teach my students about the AP Art exam, the importance of intention, and the act of assigning meaning to your work. Meanwhile, I was constantly searching through the spiritual realms, trying to figure out where I fit. I had zero clarity. Read more>>
Gabriel Ford
I trained at the U.S. Martial Arts Academy, immersing myself in various styles while independently studying weapons-based techniques. Nunchaku, in particular, captivated me, and I dedicated countless hours to self-teaching, practicing, and refining my skills. Over time, I found myself not only excelling in my personal training but also developing a passion for teaching. Through my martial arts school’s instructor program, I honed my ability to break down complex techniques and adapt to different learning styles, laying the foundation for my teaching career. Read more>>
Kendell
For as long as I can remember, I’ve always had a deep affinity for storytelling. Coming from a family of film lovers, it was common for me to go through stacks of DVDs and watch films from all over the world. Later, in high school, I became heavily involved in theater, focusing primarily on playwriting to strengthen my storytelling skills. I eventually attended film school for a time, but ultimately decided to take a more independent route and start my own creative production company, VIXIV. Read more>>
Deej Ragusa
Nothing worth it is ever easy. However, I happily overcome the misunderstandings, industry unfairness and more with a smile on my face because to me it’s the medicine. The hard parts or the parts that make us feel unseen or unheard as artists are usually the best inspiration for more art in the future. It feels good to work hard at music, constantly learning new things and improving on my instruments gives me the best sense of accomplishment. I always want to know I’m not only creating change in this industry in small ways, but inspiring others to do so as well. Read more>>
Smoke Face
In 2022, SmokeFace embarked on a national and international tour alongside the legendary Eric Gales, showcasing his extraordinary talent to fans around the globe. The bassist/producer has also shared the stage with esteemed musicians including MonoNeon, Machine Gun Kelly, Joe Bonamassa, Ledisi, Isiah Sharkey, Jubu Smith, Corey Henry, Christone “KingFish” Ingram, and many others, solidifying his reputation as an exceptional live act. Read more>>
Tiffany Berger
I have since left the classroom and launched Breathworx614, a well-being organization fueled with the mission of enhancing the quality of life through the power of the breath. Now, as a Breathworker + Well-Being Life Coach, I guide clients in partnering with their breath to transform and heal destructive belief systems, limiting thoughts, and dis-serving behaviors. My services offer clients the opportunity to repattern their mind while rewiring their nervous system, leading to lasting transformation. Read more>>
Jolan And Jeff Toth
We are 100% committed to our time, the quality of our products, and our creativity. We both had to learn new skills, and at times our attention to detail slowed us down. Our business has taken off so fast that the greatest challenge we continue to face is keeping up with our inventory. We have the best customers, and we want to make sure we keep creating the best for them, however long that is. Read more>>
Nirali Schrader
Although challenging to build a business from scratch, being able to perform my art for others motivated me along the way and pushed me to be better for my clients. The very personal interaction of creating body art allows me to appreciate my clients on such a deeper level which has been rewarding as I get to see their smiles that much closer. Today, while I continue henna body art, I enjoy creating art in other mediums from canvas art to laser cutting creations. Everyday I’m trying to improve myself and enjoy trying new art forms. Read more>>
Grace Guandu
I have some good pose ideas and I can follow photographer direction.” I started modeling for fun in January of 2023, walked in two local Cleveland runway shows in 2023, booked my first paid job in January 2024 for the Detroit-based lifestyle clothing brand “You Matter” by Demetrius Harmon, and in 2025, I am now looking for national and international modeling agency opportunities, paid work, as well as select TPF collaborations with other creatives including but not limited to photographers, HMUAs, fashion designers, and stylists, etc. This year, I hope to grow more as a model and creative while staying true to my personal values and beliefs. Read more>>
Joseph Gardini
While at Full Sail, I realized I wanted to take my passion to the next level. I didn’t just want to learn about media; I wanted to create something of my own. So, I began building my business—Giovanni Turner Studios. I wasn’t entirely sure of the direction I wanted to take at first, but I knew I wanted to capture moments that would last a lifetime. I started small, experimenting with different services and approaches, learning as I went. Read more>>
Milton Cain Jr
I’m the head of the frozen department for food lion. With that being said I put every single frozen product on the shelves in the stores I ordered to make sure we get all the necessary things we need. What sets me apart from my other associates is my drive and speed to get the job done but also accuracy. However the customers would say it’s my customer service. My store manager tells me every other day I’m the most complimented person in the store for helping customers find what they need and just being nice in general. So I’d say that’s what I’m most proud of. Read more>>
WatHeSay T2B
Shit, I wish the road was smooth, but we all know life isn’t fair. Hardships and adversity are part of the journey, but like I tell my team — it’s not about what happens, it’s about how we respond. One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned in this business, and as an entrepreneur, is that you can’t mix emotions with the motion. Your mind has to be stronger than your heart. Don’t set expectations so high that you set yourself up for disappointment if things don’t go as planned Read more>>
Ebony Hood
We achieve this through immersive learning, workforce development, and advocacy, ensuring that local youth and families have the tools to shape sustainable, resilient communities. The story goes, “While Marcia Hood, a Cleveland native, was viewing the Winter Olympics in her home, she quickly became both intrigued and disappointed in the lack of racial diversity she saw on the television screen. She thought, “I’d like to see some chocolate coming down those slopes.” Read more>>
Jill Matthews
The road hasn’t always been smooth, but every challenge has been a learning experience. As an artist, I’ve always been passionate about photography—capturing moments, telling stories, and getting excited about each bride and groom. However, in the early years, I focused more on the love of photography than on the business side of things. I wasn’t always taking a hard look at the bottom line, which made it difficult to sustain myself financially. Read more>>
Megina Llaka
Now, I’m lucky to do a little bit of everything! I’m a freelance cosmetic chemist, helping brands with everything from formulation to regulatory and market research. I’m also a mentor for the Society of Cosmetic Chemists, the lead cosmetic chemist for a large coffee-based cosmetic ingredient supplier, and the founder of Formulation Club here in Cleveland. Formulation Club is a passion project where we host fun, hands-on workshops and pop-up events for kids and adults. We create things like slime, lip gloss, soaps, candles, and more projects that everyone can take home and enjoy. Even better, participants can purchase the exact products they created through our website, since we keep a file for every client on their custom lip gloss and other creations. Read more>>
Brian Chulik
We have assisted many, many, many wonderful organizations over the years. We appear at various charitable events affiliated with ‘Wish Organizations’, various local hospitals, and events for benevolent causes. We try to create fun & special events for the children and families we celebrate as REAL HEROES. We try to go wherever we are needed for any special situations in an attempt to bring hope and smiles to kids & people. We are thankful that this organization has continued to gain new members who give of their time, energy, and compassion. As co-founder Jimmy Myers has stated previously, “The kids are the real heroes!” Read more>>
Andrew Edreff
When I was 16 years old I worked for a small computer repair shop called Computer Exchange in Lorain Ohio. I was always fascinated with IT Equipment. Our shop bought wholesale equipment from a company called Monitor Man in Elyria, Ohio. At that time I was offered a job at Monitor Man at $10/Hr. I didn’t accept the job offer right away and the position was given to someone else. After a week I reached out again and was able to get the job at a lower pay rate. (That was my first life lesson of learning to move fast to get things done). Instead of pursuing college I put my nose down and worked my way up to where I am at today. College isn’t for everyone and my story of my success is one of many that proves that today. Read more>>
Rommel Thorpe
A partnership in which we cover two events each year( the hall of fame induction ceremony and the HBCU classic). We have broadcasted High school football in the inner city and have broadcasted games for the Cleveland Muny league. We also broadcast Pro advancement football games as well as Juco football. On the broadcasting side we are dedicated to bringing a quality to our viewers and quality with our podcasts as well. I have a great group of staff members behind me, Those being Rico Mcgee, and Brothers Ken and Andrew Straub. In April we will be going into our fourth year and look forward to continuing to bring sports to an even bigger audience with a different take and perspective than what you see in the main stream sports media. Read more>>
Ellie Deschaine
Studio 4980 has been the most complicated three-year construction project fueled by love, faith, and every penny we could borrow to restore and renovate it. While the Studio is owned by investors and a board of directors, daily operations are run by the same small but mighty team that gave birth to it. We love and cherish every guest and look for ways to awe, inspire, and share the magic of our events. We know our guests by name and constantly look for ways to add hand-made props and furniture, unbelievable value, and give back to the community and small businesses around us. Our vendors are local families who take pride in their products and services and love and cherish our guests as much as we do. Read more>>
Logan Miller
The Rather Unfortunate began as a simple outlet for a small group of friends to hang out and have some fun together. Now, with Logan Miller, Ian Crabtree and Steven Squires, we have a dynamic that are extremely grateful to have. We have become brothers through our experiences in this band and we continue to strengthen that dynamic to this day. We write music that depicts complex emotional struggles and triumphs. We take the life experiences of our own and those around us to create lyrically and musically compelling stories Read more>>
Claire Crumrine
College came and I got an internship with a local wedding photography company. I was very hesitant about it as everyone talks about wedding photography being such a stressful and scary job, but I needed the internship and my photography professor told me to try it out. I photographed my first wedding the summer of 2020 and was instantly hooked! I loved every single moment from the day and getting to capture the emotions, the intimate moments, the in-betweens that the couple doesn’t get to see. I knew from then on, I wanted to be a wedding photographer. Read more>>
Leslie Westendorf Lauren Kelp
Over the last several months we have hosted gallery pop-up events in private homes, retail spaces, and artist studios. Our initial collection of artwork sold out within weeks. This year, we will add 15-20 artists to our incredible roster and continue to find innovative ways to bring original art to buyers and collectors. Read more>>
Leon
One of the biggest struggles early on was shifting from simply creating beautiful portraits to understanding what my clients truly needed. When I first started, I focused heavily on contemporary portraiture because that’s what moved me, but over time, I realized that many professionals needed a strategic, intentional image that represented their brand, their business, and their personality. Making that shift into headshots and personal branding photography was both exciting and challenging, as it required me to develop a more consultative approach, educating clients on why their images matter and how they can use them effectively. Read more>>
Jamille Jones
While we felt safe protesting with our child in downtown Columbus, the city’s central hub for protest activity, we realized many families might not feel the same sense of safety. Still, they were equally enraged and eager to get involved. That’s when the idea for Pint Size Protesters was born. What started as a small “what if” in my mind has grown into an online community of over 400 families from all backgrounds across the Columbus metro area and beyond. Read more>>
Dawn Arrington
The road remains bumpy! One of our main challenges is capacity. This is still very much a passion project. I and my board and most steadfast supporters all have full time jobs and lives. So coordinating and finding help is always gonna be a challenge. Unfortunately, the work of improving literacy in our community is ever present and isn’t showing signs of going away. Furthermore we are seeing a retreat from valuing things like public education and celebrating diversity. This directly impacts our work as we have to have resources to support what we do. Being intentional and honest about what we can do and how what we’re doing matters is our greatest and ongoing challenge Read more>>
Nicole Carter
Another challenge has been breaking down societal barriers and misconceptions. There’s still a long way to go when it comes to changing the narrative around disability. Many people and businesses underestimate the potential of individuals with disabilities, so advocacy has been a constant part of our work—educating, raising awareness, and proving that inclusion isn’t charity; it’s a necessity. Read more>>
Mallory Munnerlyn
I’m a mother to two amazing boys Zyier 14 and Karter 8. They are my everything, my motivation besides God. November 22, 2023 my oldest son passed away at the age of 13. I would later learn not only the cause but that his symptoms had been altered to accommodate the diagnosis they provided at his final visit. After taking him multiple times to his primary care physician , I decided to take him to an ER at another facility after he started complaining of a headache that he said felt like someone was kicking him in his head. Read more>>
TJ Mack
As TJ & Savannah learned more about the river’s history they realized that it still had a negative connotation because of the fire 50 years prior. Much of the surrounding community still saw the river as dirty, so Savannah facilitated scientific experiments on the water quality of the Cuyahoga River as well as other local waterways that are used recreationally. The results showed that the Cuyahoga was just as clean as, and often cleaner than, these other waterways. (Which can be attributed to all of the hard work that the community and stewards have put into this now beautiful waterway!) Read more>>
