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.
Raymond Guzman
Along the way I wrote a book called Starseed Footsteps which is available on Amazon, created two oracle decks, appeared on various magazine and newspapers, and also have some celeb clients. My hope is to be on tv soon and have my own paranormal show. I always say I didn’t choose this gift, it chose me. You can also find my monthly horoscope column on Natural Awakenings which is a magazine that circulates the Houston area. Read More>>
Mirna Alfaro
I attended a 3 day spiritual retreat at a local Houston church and I received not only help for my mind, spirit and soul but they also nourished the body with the exceptional cuisine that was served and top notch white glove service! This inspired me to give back to my community and I have volunteered at that retreat for the past 3 years since. Read More>>
Paige Mcinturff
I learned photography in High School at Kinkaid from the best teacher. He truly gave us not only a strong skillset but he also helped us fall in love with the art of photography. Once I started there in the dark room with film and a manual camera, I haven’t stopped since! It eventually shifted to digital photography and I learned all of the editing side of photography. After I couldn’t take classes in school anymore I decided to make it a business. It was all word of mouth and mostly for friends at that point, but I could never fully give it up. Read More>>
Jay-r Zausa
Born and raised on the Alief side of Houston Texas. I grew my passion for cars growing up from playing with Hot Wheels to seeing my uncle modify and baby his 1983 Mercedes C126 500 SEC, which I ironically just inherited. At the age of 16 my father bought a 1994 BMW E34 540i which ended up being my first car and thinking of ways of modifying it, I purchased used parts here and there to do a OEM plus build. After looking at how much I’ve spent with barely any money at my age it got me thinking, where do they get these parts? Read More>>
Evgeniya Garza
My life turned out so that I became a teacher, but at the same time in my heart I remained an artist and often used my creativity in work with children. Since 2007 me and my family has lived and work in USA and currently based in Houston TX. I work in variety of media including painting, drawing and digital illustrating. Also I been represented by Art For The People Gallery since 2020, and had participate multiple times in group exhibitions at the gallery in Austin TX. Read More>>
Brandon Killian
The Aquatic Playground set out to create unforgettable experiences for individuals, families, and tourist groups. By tapping into the growing demand for outdoor recreation in the region, the company positioned itself as a leader in the local watersports industry, offering both excitement and relaxation on the picturesque waters surrounding Houston. Read More>>
Brandy Adams
As Brandy continues to pave her way to the top her dreams are becoming more relevant and pretty soon Comic View, Mega Fest in Dallas and Atlanta, and Improvs ,national tours across the country and overseas most importantly to be one of the GREATEST Comic in the World will know of this true southern bell Brandy knows that hard work and determination and TEFLON skin play a major part in the process BUT GOD knows her heart and with this gift she shall and will bless the nations!!!!!! And many doors are being opened “I’ve meet so many great people who have dropped knowledge on me every step and I’m grateful to be used as a vessel. And I want stray away from my calling to bless the nation”. Read More>>
Brazyy Zaee
I’m a versatile artist just trynna find my lane and I think that’s what sets me apart from others I don’t perform like anyone bc there not another me I touch all angles of life with the music I produce,there’s good there’s bad and I believe there’s different ways to get those types to the audience today. Read More>>
Esbeide Jaimes
No, we have had our ups and downs. Including learning to fix and repair our robots. Finding dancers that know how to dance, because one thing is to be on the stilts and move and another is to be on them and dance and move to the music. We had guys call us wanting to dance for the company but then they would not show up and we were outside the venue with everything but the dancer. Read More>>
Jaden Gaines
You know that shift from middle school to high school and you have to apply to get in? Well I applied to Westside, although I got into the school based upon swimming. I knew they offered a culinary program and I wanted in! During that time I became completely engulfed in culinary knowledge; developed a sense of passion. Even received the opportunity to assist the NRG Stadium with creating a sandwich for the 2017 Super Bowl held here in Houston. Upon graduating I decided my culinary journey would continue to college. Read More>>
Michael Williams
My name is Michael Williams and I am originally from Chicago, Illinois. I moved from Chicago to Houston, Texas in 2021.. How I started personal training, I was working for La Fitness located in league City at the time, I would play inside of the la Fitness where I worked and I met a kid named Khalil Elbatrawy, we would play a lot of 5v5 and 1v1 together . Khalil then asked me if I could train him. I didn’t know what all went into Basketball skills training or strength training, so at first i would just use a summer workout plan that i got from college where i played, modify it so that it woukd match Khalil.s skill level. Read More>>
Dan Davis
When we moved back to America in May of 2016, the 2016 Presidential elections were happening and it was the first time in my life that I paid attention to what was happening in our Nation, politically. Regardless of who you supported in that Presidential election, I was disgusted by what I saw. We had two people running for the highest office in our land that were more focused on tearing each other down, than building America up. This put a passion in my heart to some way, somehow, get involved in politics because we need good people in elected office who are going to make good decisions. It is not about winning or losing, but about just simply doing the right thing. Read More>>
Mariah Douglas
Since I could remember, I’ve always been creative. Creativity is embedded in who God created me to be. I’ve explored many expressions of creativity. I love trying new things from cooking, to videography and many different things in between. My love for the camera really budded in high school. My parents bought me my first Canon when I graduated from middle school. I started off with taking photos and nature was my favorite subject. Read More>>
Victoria Kay
The modeling and fashion industry is slowly becoming more inclusive to those who are curvier and those who have a more alternative appearance, but it still has a long way to go. As someone trying to make their mark in the modeling world who has visible tattoos, stretch marks, and is on the curvier side, my appearance isn’t something you come across often in this industry. This has posed challenges when trying to find work but I preserve because I know that there is space for me in this industry, and if not then I’ll make that space for myself. Read More>>
Julie Chapa
I am an award-winning Fine Art travel and nature photographer. Through my travels and exploring new areas, I create compositions that capture the essence and beauty of what the subject is projecting to me. My unique artwork is available on several different archival quality substrates such as paper, canvas, metal, wood, and acrylic. As a small business owner I am available to help customers through their art decision with sizing and substrate selection. Art is such a deeply personal choice, and I want my customers to absolutely love what they have purchased to display on their walls. Read More>>
Blanka Molnar
I had an eye-opening experience when I was an au pair in 2011 and took care of two lovely kids in California. One morning after we had multiple meltdowns (not just the kids, me too), my impatience was rising, and I wanted to shout, “Enough.” But I held it together because I did not want to add to the guilt of failing as a caretaker. Read More>>
Anita David
I knew I wanted to do hair since I was 12years of age. Grew up between the Middle East and DC area. I complete cosmetology school at renowned school in DC after dropping out of college to pursue what I love to do. I’m now 20 years in and started my salon during the pandemic and have been open for 3yrs & 7 months. It was a long road to get here. Read More>>
Noelle Hussain
My name is Noelle Hussain and I’m the Studio Manager for Cordovan Art School and Pottery Parlor in Sugar Land, Texas. Art has always been a part of my life since a very early age. One of my grandmothers was an artist and a seamstress who designed clothing and my other grandmother was the Auditor/Controller of Art Center College in Pasadena. Read More>>
Afolabi Adebiyi
What began as simple and fun edits evolved into a passion for capturing moments that transcend the ordinary and transform them into cinematic masterpieces. I want my subjects to see themselves in a new light, a way they have never seen themselves before. I want my Images to look like a screenshot or cinematic scene from a block buster movie, where you can feel every emotion. I wanted to share this vision with the world, and this led to the birth of Trifekta Imaging. This venture was the culmination of my relentless pursuit of extraordinary imagery, from high school escapades to the bustling streets of Houston, and now expanding to the Austin area. Read More>>
Jeffery Banks
We’re debating over Wayne, Jay-Z, Common, Kanye, Lupe, etc. the mid to late 2000s was to me the highlight of hip-hop and got more inclusive when the greatest freshman classes started to surface. I was a consumer of the music until I heard beats by 9th Wonder. I use to be one of those people commenting under the instrumentals practicing my bars a lot. Then I heard a beat by Nicolay and my whole world changed. I was convinced for multiple reasons that I had to do music, telling myself that I can make this music and make it better. Read More>>
Amirah Means
That’s when I had a clear vision of playhouses, so I started researching careers related to building toys and playhouses. When I came across the term ‘Carpenter,’ I felt inspired and fascinated. I immediately looked into schools and found an ‘Introduction to Carpentry’ course at Lone Star College, which I applied for right away. On the first day of class, walking into the workshop made my soul light up. I was so happy and eager to learn, earned my certifications, and I’ve never looked back! Read More>>
Sharon Medina
As dedicated as many teachers are, they often don’t have the resources or time to give each student the individual attention and emotional support they need to truly thrive. While some schools have introduced Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) initiatives, the lack of proper training and poor implementation leaves so much potential untapped. REACH Through Education’s mission is to fill that gap with holistic care. Read More>>
Mayra Garcia
I started working mostly with women to help them find their passion in life ,their purpose, learn to accept themselves, take care of themselves and be happy with whom they are. This decision has been incredibly rewarding, allowing me to witness firsthand the changes in my clients’ lives. I myself have overcame post-partum depression, losses, career changes, country movings, started a new business and I can assure you can survived everything and enjoy a fulfilling life. I´m willing to help you discover all your potential and accompany you thru this wonderful self-discovery journey. Read More>>
Ashley Hasker
As a young girl I always said when I grew up I wanted to be a dancer with my own studio in New York or LA but as I got older I realized that God had other plans. I was introduced into the acting world in my early 20’s with church stage plays. I didn’t even know what I was doing at the time I just wanted to try something different and surprisingly I enjoyed it and was somewhat good at it as others told me. That’s when I did some research via social media and found out about more auditions in my community. With no resume and a bad quality headshot ( a selfie I took on my phone) I started submitting for these auditions. Read More>>
Olayemi Effiong
My business journey began with a childhood passion for drawing, which naturally evolved into designing flyers for various events as I got older. This love for art led me to explore digital drawing and even to creating custom T-shirts before opening an Etsy shop to sell my designs. Despite some success, I felt something was missing. Read More>>
Michayla Feaster
Today, I continue to post outfit inspo on my TikTok and instagram, am managing NHO Nelly, a rap artist here in Houston, I’ve been doing nails for 4 years now, and my partner and I created a “Lovers In Food” TikTok where we record our opinions on different restaurants and show off our cooking skills. I do all of this while still using my degree, working a 9-5. I want to show people that you don’t have to limit yourself, do it all! Read More>>
Brett Robinson
I decided to run for State Representative after I saw that my opponent went unchallenged in the last election cycle. He is one of the co-authors of the abortion ban in Texas, which provides no exception for rape or incest. I am honored to have the opportunity to represent my community, and to be working towards restoring our reproductive freedom and protecting our public schools. Read More>>
Maria Dorman
OMG! nothing about having your own business is smooth, we went from 6 big clients to 0 in COVID. I had 2 kids and during labor I had some work calls that were urgent. Almost every other day I want to find a 9-5 job where I get my own salary, but then again I always remember why I started. Read More>>
Oscar Garcia
That was wild to me as a 5th grader. I’ve been hit by a car while running in my neighborhood. I’ve been chased by dogs while running and was even bit on my left knee by a German shepherd. That put me out for a month. Getting hit by a car had me out for half a year. More recently I’ve lost a lot of money due choosing my passion over money. I haven’t made the best financial choices in order to follow my dream which is running, but I’ve been able to find a lot of support through my coaches, family, and my community. Read More>>
Rasika Borse
In 2020, during the height of Covid Pandemic, my best friend Jennah Mohamed and I created Bollywood Signature—a Bollywood dance company in Calgary—which has steadily grown to become a beautiful community of performers. And in May of this year, I founded RB Dance which trains dancers and enforces the idea of technique, foundations, and of course the joy of dance! My parents and husband have always played a key role in supporting my dreams and for that, I am forever grateful. I am now a proud mom of a 22-month old girl who keeps me on my toes and loves to have dance parties with me in our living room! Read More>>
Kerri Cooksey
I was born and raised in the Boston, Massachusetts area March 27, 1985. Dance has been part of my life since I was toddler, just old enough to stand on my tip toes. By the age of 8, I was competing, winning, and thriving in the competition world. What many didn’t realize was the act of competing fed my confidence, where the art of dancing fed my soul, two distinct core values that have never left me. It is a beautiful balance between athleticism and artistry. Read More>>
Jess Morgan
I went to some pretty dark places in consciousness where I felt no real value in being alive. I didn’t even recognize myself, quite literally, at all. I’d look in the mirror and just cry because I couldn’t identify with my face as my eyebrows, eyelashes, and hairline shed, patches at a time. I felt like a dog with mange. Losing my hair taught me so much about what actually matters in life. It stripped me of any vanity I had forming. Read More>>
Jason Dotson
My journey began in Alief, Texas, where I grew up. My mom, a hairstylist, would often bring home magazines from work, and I would eagerly cut out pictures to decorate my room. My walls were soon covered with images—posters of athletes, pages from Sports Illustrated, and scenes from *National Geographic*. By the time I was in high school, I was already capturing moments on video, often roaming the hallways of Elsik High School with a camera in hand. Still, I hadn’t yet realized that photography was my true calling. Read More>>
Bridgette Perkins
I moved to Houston, TX in December of 1999, with 3 small children, ages 2, 5, and 8, with a degree in accounting. My first corporate accounting job was with Conoco Oil & Gas Company in the accounts payable department. I worked there for 5 years, then Conoco merged with Phillips Oil & Gas Company, which prompted a layoff in the accounting department. We were offered a job in Bartlesville, OK or we could accept a severance package from the company. Well, I took the money and stayed in Houston. Read More>>
Ashley Alvarado
At just 18 years old I also expanded myself and became part of Sephora, who I consider family now, going into 2 years this September and all I can say is WOW the growth is real! I’ve met various brand experts and colleagues who’ve advised me the correct way in life. GlowAli is a beauty bar who currently offers makeup artistry classes, makeup services, along with micro blading. There’s many NEW services making their way into the business this upcoming year. I can’t wait to share what’s in the works! Read More>>
Lisbeth Valenzuela
After rebranding my Instagram account to focus on the travel niche, I’v seen incredible results. In the past 20 days alone, I’ve reached 4. 7K accounts and continue to reach over 240 accounts daily. The content I’ve created for clients has seen a +327% increase in impressions, and I’ve even worked with international businesses such as ‘Fricolandia’ in Puerto Plata. Read More>>
Summer Borah
After graduating from nursing school, I started off my nursing career in Surgical Oncology at The Sarah Cannon Cancer Hospital at Medical City Plano. Here, I can accredit much of my experience and baseline knowledge regarding patient care, mental health of patients, critical thinking skills, and management of some of the sickest patients. While working full-time at the hospital during COVID, I knew that the work I was doing was important but I hoped there was something better out there for me. My stress and anxiety before starting my 12 hour night shifts were getting to me and I knew I had to start searching in another direction if I wanted to prioritize my own mental health. Read More>>
Brithani Byrd
But I put it on pause to obtain an Accounting degree from Lamar University. I have worked as an auditor for about 10 years now, but I have never lost my love for all things beauty. I resumed my cosmetology education at Paul Mitchell the School of Houston in 2019. Read More>>
David Netter
I began selling and delivering plates with my wife on the weekends to different businesses across the city solely promoting on social media. The success of selling the plates led to people starting booking for me catering and the business just kept growing from there. In 2021 I open krack kitchen food truck and catering services and the success of those entities lead me into my new venture Krack Kitchen Express my ghost kitchen inside of the Swift gas station located at 1600 Cullen Parkway Pearland, Tx 77584. Read More>>
Shantel Harris
I had always had a notary stamp, but it was something I used more as a favor to friends and acquaintances, never imagining it could be the key to my next chapter. One day, as I was browsing YouTube, I stumbled upon videos of notary and real estate professionals who were hesitant to go to clients’ homes because of COVID-19. It struck me how the world had changed overnight, and how much people needed services that could adapt to these new realities. Read More>>
Lyla Dipaul
When I started college at Loyola University New Orleans in 2018 is when I finally found the confidence to start pursuing a career as a musician. I was surrounded by all these people who were boldly following their passions, and it inspired me to start doing the same. That’s when I got to work putting together my own band and recording my original music. I have learned so much since then, and I have been so lucky to meet really talented and gracious people to help me become a better artist. Read More>>
Tekerra Broussard
I was my business, everything I needed to succeed was already in me. After being a licensed cosmetologist for over 9 years in 2022 I dedicated my time and energy into my own business, Stylesbyteke. Just like any new venture it was scary but that fear didn’t stay with me for long. It was after I took the first step I realized the only thing holding me back was myself. The amount of blessings that are pouring in is immeasurable. Read More>>
Ryley Hall
As with anything you do in life, there will always be ups and downs. And just like life, my musical journey reflects that. Being in the music business is not easy, especially when you suffer from anxiety. There’s this constant struggle to believe in yourself while also overcoming self-doubt. It’s challenging, but music gives me a place to validate my feelings while dealing with the pressure of being an artist. Read More>>
Charllé Gibson
After recovering I was more appreciative of life and more determined to live it to the fullest. I started to do really well on YouTube where I created and edited my own content which caught the eyes of a lot of people. I moved back to Houston and made it my home with my daughter. I’ve experienced a lot of challenges in life but I’ve always remained positive and pushed through. Read More>>
