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.
Haylie Handorf
Eventually, we got into those markets—and even landed spots in antique booths that had year-long waitlists. Those booths helped us grow, and eventually paid for the van we used to dream about. My husband and I were able to quit our jobs and go all in on our business. Now we’re setting up at the very markets that once said no—living the dream we worked so hard for. Read more>>
Jean Tully
Through every challenge, I stayed committed to evolving—because I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. Over time, my work grew into four distinct brands. Pearlescent Portraits for families, seniors, headshots, and branding. Adored Boudoir Photography to empower women through bold, transformative portraits. Capow! Columbus, a one-of-a-kind superhero portrait experience. And now, Photography for Profits, where I help other photographers turn their passion into a profitable business—just like I had to learn to do. Read more>>
¡Jay Hill!
I’m trying to tap into that with different rhythms, samples, and phrases. I want to make hooks worth singing together, and verses worth committing to memory in one’s personal time. I grew up as the weirdo trying to make direct eye contact with my favorite performers from the crowd, hoping they’d see me knowing every word to their songs and ask me to come up and finish a verse or something. Just as I’d be strong in my fandom of others, I know have to perform my own songs with the same vigor. You MUST know that I’ve made my new favorite song and I’m so excited to share it with you. Read more>>
Gretchen Dupps
Cleveland Angels was founded in 2018 out of a deeply personal understanding of the foster care system. Having grown up in a family that welcomed foster children into our home, I witnessed both the immense need for more foster families and the emotional toll it can take on families who serve. This firsthand experience became the foundation for bringing the mission of National Angels to Cleveland: to walk alongside children, youth, and families in the foster care community by offering consistent support through intentional giving, relationship building, and mentorship. Read more>>
Chante Jackson
Through House of Caurel, I specialize in luxury lash and beauty services with a soulful touch. It’s not just about great lashes or makeup—it’s about curating a vibe, giving clients a moment to breathe, and offering a level of care that feels both professional and personal. I’m proud to say we’ve become known for our calm, mid-century aesthetic and our commitment to consistent, quality glam. Our clients often say it feels like a peaceful little escape—and that’s exactly what I wanted. Read more>>
Kathleen Marcotte
I feel very fortunate that having the full time illustration position has kept things relatively stable. The struggle comes in finding the time and energy to create work for myself, to push myself to try new things, and to not compare my path to others in my field. And each time I try a new thing there is a learning curve. Painting my first mural was a big challenge. It was new to be working at such a large scale and needing to factor the weather into my planning. Read more>>
Kasey Jones
Although I only coached for two years in my twenties, a new opportunity arose when I began teaching at Hocking College. After graduate school, my family and I moved back to Athens, Ohio. We wanted to grow our family and raise our kids in a supportive, small-town community. During my campus tour at Hocking, I happened to meet the athletic director. In a brief chat, he learned I was a former collegiate athlete and told me they were launching a volleyball program. He asked if I coached, I said yes, although at heart I had always been more of a player. He invited me to interview, and I accepted the position as head coach for the NJCAA program. Read more>>
Cecilia Profitt
Most recently, I was a contestant on a national entrepreneurial reality show, alongside founders at every stage of business. The common thread? We all said yes to ourselves, often before anyone else did. That mindset—of choosing yourself, of surrounding yourself with others who do the same—has shaped how I approach every opportunity. Every experience, good or bad, builds confidence, competence, and clarity. Read more>>
Joy Harbaugh
In 2022, my husband, Bryan, then wanted to have a building that we could practice in the whole year. We then had our 80×164 Fabric building installed. It’s open span building so in the winter months people rent this space with either monetary donations and/or donation of food, toys, or blankets, that is donated to local shelters. They either play ball or toss a frisbee with their pups. Others have reserved the building for their pups birthday party as well. Read more>>
Piper Robbins
Since graduating from Miami University in 2022 with a Bachelor’s of Arts in Music History, I knew I wanted to create a publication for my own writing along side art and writings from friends. Most musicologists ignore the queer experience when speaking about musicians/artists lives and that has always made me uncomfortable. How can one write about the significance of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky or Leonard Bernstein yet avoid their queerness? It is part of their story, part of their pieces, part of their identity. Read more>>
Catherine Roma
Along with being a Minister of Music (St. John’s Unitarian Universalist Church in Cincinnati), a professor of music (Wilmington College), a co-founder of the Martin Luther King Chorale in Cincinnati, and the founder and director of MUSE Cincinnati’s Women’s Choir for 30 years, I started my first prison choir in 1993. In all of these choral situations, I wanted music to speak to the essence of our lives, the joys, the struggles, the connection we have to one another, the sorrows, the search for meaning through using our voices to raise up a mighty sound. Read more>>
Djunknown
One of my proudest accomplishments is launching and growing Flava1 Radio, which will hit its 5-year anniversary this Labor Day. It started as a small idea and grew into a real platform that highlights diverse voices and gives independent DJs and creatives a home. I’m also excited about expanding with projects like the Top Rope Podcast and our fast-growing Lit Nation community on TikTok, where music meets culture and comedy. Read more>>
Edgar Miller III
Pricing was also a learning curve, especially when I began taking on larger and more specialized jobs like flower bed installations and gutter cleanings. I had to figure out the best approach—whether to charge hourly or per job—and determine which projects made sense for me to accept. When a job isn’t the right fit, I make sure to have a trusted referral network so I can still meet my customers’ needs, even if I’m not the one doing the work. Read more>>
Latoya Watson
One of my favorite quotes is: “Don’t fight back, fight forward.” And that’s exactly what I did. I poured everything I learned… the joy, the missteps, the magic… into something new. Black Wonderland was born as both a love letter and a fresh start: a space rooted in curiosity, culture, and connection. A place where we’re not just throwing parties – we’re creating an ecosystem of wonder for Black queer folks and beyond. Read more>>
Agaytha Corbin
It has not been a smooth road being a business owner especially rebuilding my financial life after working the non profit sector with 2 kids. Then when I get the business establish and moving forward a pandering hits and stalls my business and traveling activity. However God still made ways for me and allowed me to use the pandemic season to build and finish my book and start on the other 2 books. God laughs at our plans because He always has another way of completing His will for us. This kept me in rebuilding my business and finances slowly and strategically.And still rise above the challenges with Grace Read more>>
Ryan Clevenger
We specialize in injured, abandoned neonatal, and sick kittens. We have a dedicated group of volunteers that sacrifices sleep and time (and sanity!) to bottle feed babies every 2 hours, just to see them grow up into little balls of adorable. I am most proud of how many kittens we have been able to home. Every year we are seeing more than double the amount of kittens get adopted than the year before! Read more>>
Deborah Hale
we have a large network of balloon professional that we can connect with for help in areas that we are not familiar with or need inspiration. We have had the pleasure over the years to do balloon installs for events at malls that were having celebrities for photo and autograph sessions, many of them were Disney stars, that was pretty cool because we got to meet them and take pictures with them as well. My husband is excellent at doing any rigging that I need done and will also help build things that I need for the larger jobs that we do. Read more>>
David Gin
The road has not always been smooth…at the height of our business we had 3 locations and a party center and then COVID hit and we had to re-evaluate what we did as a company. We ended up closing 2 of our stores and the party center but just recently opened up a smaller location in Perry this summer as a joint venture with The Garden at Narrows (a you-pick flower farm). We’ve definitely had to adapt in order to survive both the good times and the bad times of the economy since candles are not always a necessity (even though we think they are!). Read more>>
Selina Jackson
I brainstormed on the idea of a coffee page during Covid because I really like coffee shops and wanted to explore the city of Columbus since I’m not from here. I noticed there wasn’t a coffee-specific instagram page, just more general food blogging pages for Columbus. So once the covid restrictions started lifting I decided to start a coffee page to document shops in the city for people, and myself, to explore and keep record of. Read more>>
Francisco Pici Nieves
We offer variety of cafecito drinks: coffee, lattes, chai, matcha, and specialty drinks with horchata; Mexican Latin inspired breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, appetizers, salads; Mexican bar drinks: specialized in Margaritas, Cantaritos, Palomas and our representative drink “El Carajillo” combines coffee and alcohol for a delicious full of flavor experience. Read more>>
Lamont Blackwood Camden Grubbs
Our approach was to go all-in on being vendor-first. We made the platform free to join—no subscriptions or upfront costs. We implemented a transparent, vendor-friendly commission model, taking just a 5% cut from the booking fee and allowing vendors to keep 100% of their menu revenue. Just as importantly, we focused on personal relationships. We started with respected local names like James Beard-nominated Chef Jeff of Nolia and built from there. By proving we were committed to their success, we created a network of quality partners—which in turn made the platform more attractive to event hosts. Read more>>
Bianca Beach
I was living in LA at the time and fell deeply in love with the wide range of Mexican Cuisine. I had never experienced upscale Latin dining or super-fast casual taco stands. I started creating my own sauces inspired by the ones I would enjoy around town. I eventually moved back to the PNW where I started testing that market with Taco nights at my Mom’s establishment and Farmer’s Market ventures. My goal to bottle was set. But then… in the spring of 2009 my mom tragically died. My world had been flipped on its head. I lost my boss, best friend, and future business partner. Read more>>
Amy Lanese
I took her advice and studied throughout Covid and became a 200 YTT in 2021. I started teaching yoga classes at Ubuntu and was loving it, but I knew there was something missing from my life, so I began offering programming for children. I left a career of 30 years of working with children to help out with my grandson. I am still with the company and currently hold the position of Director of Yoga Programming and Healing Services. Forever learning every day and loving every minute of it. Read more>>
Benny + Jo Candle Co.
Benny + Jo Candle Co. was born on a relaxing vacation at Lake Norman, North Carolina. While enjoying the peaceful views and burning through one of our favorite candles, we started thinking, what if we could reuse these jars and create something of our own?We’ve been hand-pouring candles with purpose ever since, focusing on reusable vessels and recycled materials. Read more>>
Ashleigh Kolasky
In 2023, business really picked up. I saw many new customers in addition to returning ones! I stopped working with the boutique, as custom orders took up much of my time. Aside from birthdays, holidays and celebratory showers, I have also baked for the Michael Stanley tribute band, The House of Blues, and many other companies and realtors. I offer printed logo cookies along with decorated sugar cookies. Read more>>
Robin McAllister-Zaas
That moment lit a quiet flame. Back then, I was a stay-at-home mom of four, deeply committed to raising kind, resilient kids. One of my children is now in heaven, a grief that changed me at the cellular level. I did what many moms do—I poured myself into others. I volunteered. I ran events. I got things done. But in the stillness that followed life’s bigger transitions, I started to feel a restless edge. Something was calling. Read more>>
Rebecca Kassner / Kyla Helton
Like most creative journeys, ours hasn’t always been smooth—but every challenge has shaped us in meaningful ways. We’ve run into unexpected tech hiccups, juggled scheduling struggles, and had to shift our posting days more than once to find a rhythm that truly works. There were moments of trial and error—testing different formats, exploring a range of topics—but through it all, we’ve stayed anchored in our passion and curiosity. What’s been most rewarding is learning what really resonates with our Chadderbox community. We’re still evolving, but every step has brought us closer to our purpose: having conversations that matter, spark thought and invite connection. Read more>>
Tyeshia Clinton
I was born and raised in Chicago. My stepdad was on drugs and his addiction constantly made life hard for us. I ended up joining a gang and selling drugs. That behavior landed me in jail. 2 days after I got out my boyfriend tried to surprise me at my mom’s house in a rival gang territory. They killed him and this caused a gang war. Both gangs put a hit out on me but the good Lord got me out of that. Read more>>
Meridian Mayer & Josie George
Meridian Mayer: I became a Realtor five years ago after spending over a decade in corporate sales. Following an unexpected layoff, I made the decision to fully commit to real estate—a path I had already begun pursuing by working toward my license. It felt like the right moment to lean into the opportunity and grow both professionally and personally. Read more>>
Regina Esarco
The Youngstown Drip IV Bar was created in 2020 during the pandemic. I was working in the Emergency Department and could see that we only had reactive ways to deal with health and staying well. I opened a vitamin infusion medspa to give the option for the community to stay healthy in a natural way, using vitamins and minerals. We see clients with autoimmune disorders, those training for athletic events like weight lifting or marathons, and busy parents who can’t spare the time to get sick. Bringing this service to the Youngstown area has been fun and exciting, and many people are open and knowledgeable about preventative health here. Read more>>
Carolyn Hollon
I opened in 1990, over in Rona hills, then moved 23 years later to our current location at 50 N. Central Ave. I started because I could not work and afford daycare, I raised my son in the shop from the time he was 2, he is now 37, and still helps me on the weekend setting up weddings. The flower shop, (my second child ) has grown into a top shop in the area, we specialize in weddings, but are a full service florist delivering flowers to the fairborn and surrounding areas, we also have a micro farm where we grow some of our own flowers. We specialize in Dahlias Read more>>
Aqua Harrington
I was always given the chance to express myself alongside them. I channeled that same creative mindset for my painting hobby in college. The more I painted as way to learn how to exhale, the more people had inquired about my paintings. Eventually, someone mentioned selling the pieces and from there I started vending at in person events. By allowing my creativity to flow I have shifted from painter to all around creative and visual artist. My artistry is a form of art therapy and resistance to a fast paced world, a way to release feeling while also allowing space for the viewer to gain emotional clarity and relief as well. Read more>>
Christina Navarro
Then came music. Sound. I started playing with my voice again at the end of 2023. (I used to sing constantly whenever I was alone as a child. Which was often.) Singing became a love again. It felt like a channel that allowed my body to finally release the weight it had been carrying since childhood. I sang, and I felt like I was inside my own body again. I sang, and dreams started to feel possible again. I sang, and it scared the hell out of me. Read more>>
Victoria Abboud
More recently, I’ve embraced AI as a powerful tool in visual storytelling. I now combine my real photography with advanced AI platforms to produce cinematic, editorial-style visuals that push creative boundaries. This has opened up a whole new realm of possibilities for advertising, brand campaigns, and digital art. My goal has always been to create work that’s not only beautiful — but meaningful. Read more>>
Devin Gonzales
At the age of 13 goes in a dark place and attempted to take my own life and gratefully did not succeed. Still lost lacking purpose, and passion in life and had pain from past experiences I couldn’t manage. I fell into drugs and alcohol and at the age of 18 I overdosed and had another encounter with death. In that moment, I had to make a choice continue the life I had or surrender to a higher calling, a calling that God gave me from birth. To live sacrificially, letting all know that they are loved and ctreated for a divine purpose . Read more>>
Chris Glass
Well I’m A United States Marine Corps Veteran, My Daily Job now is A Security Site Supervisor. In the Music World I specialize In Pop & R&b Music. Mostly Pop. I’m Known for My catch hooks, the ability to make great music and haven’t written anything down. Straight off the Brain. what i am most proud of is my ability to set my mind to something and accel in it very quickly. what sets me apart from others is my drive and creative process. once I’m eager to do something most struggle to do I make it my job to do what I need to get to that next level Read more>>
Ali Crouch
After graduating, I got my license and started at a chain salon right away. I was bamboozled into believing they cared about my growth—but quickly learned I was just a number. I always knew I was meant to lead, but chain and commission salons have a way of convincing you otherwise. At my first salon, I spent years building a clientele, only to have every single client taken from me because of non-compete contracts. Read more>>
Vijnée Noir
But for me, it’s never just been about clothes. I design from a place of deep emotion and spirituality. I create for people who’ve been overlooked—the underdogs, the ones who never had their moment but always deserved one. My brand, Làcolourfaces, is all about transformation and showing that luxury can come from struggle and still shine like gold. Read more>>
Gabriel Rivera
Now, almost four years later, I’m proud of how far the business has come. I’m operating out of an office in Bedford Heights, a space offered by one of my client contractors who believed in my work and wanted to help me grow. With two virtual assistants on board, I’ve been able to expand even more. In May, I also brought on an intern, who has been a great asset and will be with us until August. Once the intern returns to college, my next step is to hire someone full-time to continue strengthening the team and supporting the business’s growth. Read more>>
Mary Kay Hallas
My Personal story started when my parents opened the small 4 chair barbershop in 1978. We were The VIllage Clip Shoppe back then. We were located in an old victorian house in” the Village” Which is now the Medina Library and parking lot. I was 10. I loved to go there and pretend i was a hairdresser. As their barbershop grew to a Barber/Beauty salon and we added 9 more stylists stations I was in middle school and i knew i wanted to work in the salon industry and get my cosmetology license after I graduated HS. I have worked here since I was 16. Read more>>
Isabella Bonello
Running a small business is never a smooth road, especially in our industry. Market consistency is hard to come by. Not to mention that managing a build out is stressful and difficult, and we did it twice in three years. Bureaucracy and red tape is always present. It is always a pain to navigate, and when you add that to the post COVID world, and the current political climate, it’s enough to drive you mad. Read more>>
Merri Haren
Anyone can take a nice photo. (God, I hate that word- nice. It’s a nothing-burger. Polite enough to avoid criticism, forgettable enough to be safe.) With the right gear, a few YouTube videos, and a patient model, sure- you can make something that looks nice. I’ve chased that precision too. I was obsessed. I learned manual on every camera I could get my hands on. Threw my early work into critique forums that tore it to shreds. Paid to learn from people who’d built empires with a shutter. But what I’m chasing now is messier. More human. Less “perfect,” more true. Read more>>
Lone Svn
I’ve came across a lot of different obstacles in my journey. Life will always throw curve balls at you when you’re trying to complete a mission. It’s all about how you respond to adversity. Rather it was financial hurdles, family issues, lack of resources, etc. I’ve been through it all! It’s all about managing your barricades, & staying focused! Understand struggles in your journey is inevitable, but as long as you know your big picture, don’t lose sight of that, & you’ll always bounce back, stronger. Read more>>
Kim McGinnis
I had no interest at first, but I finally gave in and ended up being really good at it. That little push led me to launch a full women’s boutique called Chewy and Coco Couture, selling clothing (including plus sizes), jewelry, home décor, and gifts. We sold online through Facebook Live for six years and eventually opened locations in the Painted Tree Boutiques in Cincinnati and Crestview Hills. Read more>>
