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.

Summer Beckley

It all started back in 2020 while I was scrolling through social media. I kept seeing photos and videos of beautiful face painting designs, and I thought to myself, ‘I could do that!’ So I went on Amazon and ordered my very first face painting kit. When my kit arrived, I was so excited that I started painting right away. Read more>>

Meredith Kessler

I grew up in Columbus, Ohio, where sports were simply a way of life. I played four varsity sports in high school and was fortunate to later be inducted into my high school’s Athletic Hall of Fame. Those early years taught me the value of hard work, resilience, teamwork, and showing up every day—lessons that have shaped every chapter of my life. Read more>>

Liam Brock

I started out playing drums in a barn on the outskirts of a small city in Ohio. A few years into that journey, I traded with a buddy for an old mac with logic pro installed. From there I began experimenting with producing, songwriting, and the rest of the music making process. Currently, Im recording and mixing my owns songs completely independently. Read more>>

Nicole Shrestha

My story really begins with a deep, lifelong pull toward energy work and animals, long before I had the language or certifications to explain it. I started where a lot of practitioners start: curious, self-taught, and drawn to helping the people and animals around me feel a little more at peace. Over time, that curiosity turned into commitment. Read more>>

Paige Ingledue

I can’t say that I was born to be a nurse or knew that I wanted to be one at a young age. However, I am glad that I became one. My initial and main type of nursing career I have had prior to becoming a nurse practitioner was working in surgery. Read more>>

Roderick Jackson

I started Rugs by Rod because I wanted a custom rug for my photography studio but couldn’t find exactly what I was looking for. Instead of settling, I decided to learn how to make one myself. What started as a creative challenge quickly became a passion. Read more>>

Ahava Sade Ellis

My name is Ahava Sade Ellis. My first name, Ahava, means love in Hebrew, and that’s a value that has shaped both my life and my work. I’ve always been someone who believes movement creates growth, whether that’s learning, healing, building businesses, or investing in relationships. Entrepreneurship has always been part of my life. Read more>>

DeAndre Nixon

I was born and raised in Akron, Ohio. As a young kid, I was into the arts (drawing and singing). In 6th grade, I sang in the school choir and loved it. I continued to 7th grade with excitement to hear that I had no talent by my choir teacher. I could not sing a lick after that. It crushed me. Read more>>

Erica Kane

Modeling and makeup has always been a passion of mine ever since I was a little girl who had access to a JCPenney catalog and the drug store magazine Top Model. And the days of lip smackers and wet n wild…. Read more>>

Ali Gerdeman

Derek has been interested in woodworking since he started working for a cabinet shop in high school. I grew up in an entrepreneurial home watching my dad start several businesses of his own. We got married in 2021 and I suggested that we turn Derek’s hobby into an actual business. He is the maker and I run all of the marketing and business operations. Read more>>

Teri Arthur

My creative story began at the age of thirteen when my father, who was an advertising artist, gave me an old Canon 35mm camera and told me to experiment with the settings. Read more>>

Ciara Johnson-Porter

For me, real estate has never been just about buying and selling homes, it has always been about creating opportunities. Growing up, homeownership often felt like something that was out of reach. I didn’t come from a family that inherited land or property, and like many others, I viewed owning a home as a dream reserved for someone else. Read more>>

Richard Bryer

My filmmaking journey began when I was eight years old, and I would steal the family camcorder to make YouTube videos in the backyard. What started as my cousins and I recording our wildest imaginations turned into a passion for storytelling. The films I draw the most inspiration from are rooted in this campy, childlike whimsy. Read more>>

Isaiah Williams

Isaiah Williams, known in the art world as Starbeing, is a prolific Cleveland based painter, muralist, and visual storyteller whose luminous work bridges cosmic imagination and community resonance. A self-taught creator, I draws on a lifelong passion for drawing, color, and narrative to craft works that are both spectacular in scale and rich in meaning. Read more>>

jodi rae santosuosso

I was born into a restaurant family, so hard work was part of my life from the very beginning. Growing up in that environment taught me the value of dedication, customer service and a strong work ethic. In 2001, I joined the Army to serve my country. Read more>>

Alex Castle

Being born and raised in Kentucky, I would say bourbon is in my blood, but it was really a love of science and math in high school that set me on my path. At the suggestion of my mom, I decided to study chemical engineering in college. Why? ‘Because you can make beer or make bourbon’, according to my mom. Read more>>

Michelle Trogdon

Years ago, I had a vision for a pair of leather earrings. I searched local boutiques and scoured the internet but couldn’t find what I had imagined, so I decided to make them myself. I found leather scrap pieces and began creating earrings in different colors and styles. Read more>>

Tiffany Ra’shon

I’ve always been a creative person. Growing up, I would wake up early with energy drawing, painting, or working on some kind of art project. That passion led me to attend the Cleveland School of the Arts, where I studied Visual Arts with a focus on drawing, painting, ceramics, and photography. Almost immediately after I was first introduced to film and digital photography; everything clicked. Read more>>

Mark Joshua

Growing up in a Filipino household definitely set me up to pursue a career music. While none of my family members growing up pursued music, I have so many memories of being sung to by those who raised me or punching the keys on the piano in the living room. Read more>>

Courtney Halter

Looking back, I realize my career has never really been about a specific industry—it’s always been about people, relationships, and helping build a stronger community. I started my professional career at Aultman Health System in Canton, OH while I was still in college. I worked full-time night shifts so I could attend classes during the day, putting myself through school while earning my business degree. Read more>>

Enas Lanham

My story really begins in education. Before opening Dublin Toy Emporium, I was a dance teacher and later taught preschool and kindergarten. Those experiences, along with being a mom, gave me a front-row seat to how children learn, grow, and connect through play. I started noticing that it was becoming harder to find toys that truly encouraged creativity, imagination, and hands-on learning. Read more>>

Stephanie Heeb

My path to entrepreneurship wasn’t something I had planned. It grew out of an unexpected career change. After learning that my corporate position would be eliminated, I was given nearly a year’s notice before my final day. Rather than waiting for that chapter to end, I started taking on freelance administrative work for entrepreneurs, executives and small business owners. Read more>>

Stacey Ferrone

I took cosmetology in high school, and I have been doing nails for 34 years. I went out on my own and rented my space in 2019 and have been growing my business since then. Some of my clients have been with me for over 30 years, with clients as young as four years old and as young as 94 years old. Read more>>

Shawn Paul

11 years ago when Pat Eisnaugle (Pickleball Pat) put me on this pickleball path, he changed my life. I never thought I’d be where I am today and especially who I am. Read more>>

Erin Rudy

My path to design entrepreneurship was not traditional. I hold a finance and business pre-law degree and spent two decades in the corporate world leading marketing strategy and M&A integrations. While I loved the strategy and problem-solving of the corporate environment, I wanted to apply those skills to building something of my own. Read more>>

Ciara Yarbrough

I’m from Cleveland, Ohio. I’m the oldest of four, raised by a single mom, so I learned early what it means to hustle and figure things out. In high school, I enrolled in cosmetology school. Even though the school was far and I had to take 2 different buses. I would try to strive for perfect attendance. Read more>>

Lee Ng

My journey has always been centered on serving the community. In 2013, I was entrusted with managing It’s All Natural Store, which first opened in Gahanna, Ohio. At the time, it operated as a small business with the goal of making unique vegetarian and vegan products more accessible and introducing more people to the benefits of plant-based living. Read more>>

Kristen Edwards

I’ve always loved reading. Growing up, books were my favorite escape, but as I got older, life got busy. Between building my career and raising my twin daughters, reading slowly took a back seat. In August 2025, I was scrolling TikTok looking for recommendations from Black independent authors when I came across Jahquel J. I picked up her Capone series, and I was instantly hooked. Read more>>

Maria Bertrand

I grew up the youngest of five kids, with three older brothers, and I had a hunch that finding my power as a woman — and supporting other women — was going to be part of my path and vocation. Read more>>

Breanna Lloyd

My journey with photography began in my church, where I first picked up a camera to serve and document worship, events, and the people around me. What started as a way to serve my community quickly became a passion for capturing genuine moments and meaningful connections. As I continued learning and investing in my craft, that passion grew into Selah Photo Co. Read more>>

Pam Cho

My love of nature started very early. My dad taught my two sisters and me how to identify bird songs, trees and flowers growing up. Our mom encouraged us to play outside in all kinds of weather — sunny days, rain, and snow. Being outdoors has always brought me comfort and joy. Read more>>

Aiyana Welch-Muraski

I was raised very sustainably, with a plant-based diet, a home garden, a wood stove instead of a furnace, and an area with so many trees we didn’t even need AC in the summer! Composting and recycling were part of my family’s weekly chores, and we always tried our best to repair items before tossing them. Read more>>