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.
Marcus Jones
Around that time I was going into my peak and gaining a lot of followers. I met someone around that time as well and took a major break from social media to focus on my relationship, also covid slowed me down from traveling as well. After covid ended I needed to find something meaningful once again. That’s where I came up with my travel company along side my business partner Drake. We Are Globetrotters! And we have been hosting trip for 3 years now taking like minded individuals around the world with us to see the world as we do! Read more>>
ARACELI HERNANDEZ
My name is Araceli Hernández, and I’m originally from Guadalajara, Mexico. I studied Cosmetology and Aesthetic Science in Guadalajara, specializing in aesthetic equipment and cosmetic chemistry. My background has a strong medical focus on skin care. I have been living in Houston, Texas for 15 years with my family. Read more>>
Jenna Boehm
I grew up showing animals and competing in pageants, so I grew up around cameras every day. I was fascinated by how amazing it was to capture a memory forever—looking back at old photos of my parents, grandparents, etc. I just loved the idea of capturing a story. Read more>>
Jasmeet Paul
Our journey with ThirsTea began from a shared love for boba and the goal of bringing something fresh and community-driven to our area. As part of the ThirsTea franchise, we opened our first location to offer not only premium boba drinks but also açai bowls, rolled ice cream, and delicious snacks — creating a fun, welcoming space for everyone to enjoy. Read more>>
Sofia Sonntag
My story began with a love for creativity, connection, and bringing ideas to life through experiences that people remember. I studied Business Administration with a concentration in Entertainment and a minor in Musical Theater, which gave me a foundation that blended strategy with artistry, two sides I’ve carried throughout my career. Read more>>
Joe Soliz
This year I will have 50 years in my martial arts journey. I started when was 15 years old and studied in taekwondo and shitoryu arts received black belts in both arts , I was also full instructor in jkd/kali , and received my Brazilian jujitsu black belt after 16 years, also completing and coaching boxing 50 years. Read more>>
Kelby Nichols
I was brought up around a lot of great craftsmen and entrepreneurs that I had the opportunity to shadow and lead my trades and determination to be something to be proud of. And ultimately around 6-7 years ago I got tired of not being to my fullest potential, so I quit running crews/jobs for some construction companies I was working for, and took the leap. Read more>>
Natalie Hone
Dr. Natalie Hone and Dr. Camila Antia first met during their dermatology residency at the University of Cincinnati. Early on, they discovered a shared vision: to one day create a practice known for exceptional, patient-centered dermatology care. Years later, after Dr. Hone relocated to Texas with her family, the idea began to take shape in a new way. Read more>>
Hunny Iris
I feel like I came out of the womb singing. Music has always been a part of me, it’s something that lives in my bones and flows through my spirit. Some of my earliest memories are sitting in the studio with my mom, watching her bring songs and entire productions to life. She was a force! A creative who built platforms for others to shine. Read more>>
Terry Tribble, MBA
I started my first business, Houston Wellness Boutique, before the pandemic. It was a wellness boutique that supported women undergoing breast cancer treatment. As a Certified Mastectomy Fitter, I helped women rebuild their confidence by fitting them for post-surgical garments, wigs, and creating permanent eyebrows to restore what cancer had taken away. Read more>>
Llyda Martinez
My fitness journey began after the birth of my second child, when I decided to make a change due to weight gain and the desire to feel healthier and more confident. I hired a personal trainer, committed fully to the process, and experienced a remarkable transformation in just three months. Read more>>
Lisa Longacre
We are best friends and teachers who decided to try something crazy. We converted an old horse trailer into a beautiful mobile bar with the help of Dynamite and Whiskey Design and Styled by Melis.. When Dawn first told me the idea, I thought she had finally lost her last marble. But the more I thought about it, the less crazy it seemed. Read more>>
Jess Thompson
With 10 years of experience as an Art Educator, I’ve always embraced creativity and hard work. This passion eventually led me to pursue a career as a Real Estate agent, specializing in the North Houston area. Read more>>
Viridiana Mata
Honestly, my journey started with wanting to be a healthier version of myself and realizing how powerful movement can be and not just physically, but mentally too. I’ve always loved fitness, but it became something deeper when I saw how it could completely change the way people see themselves. Read more>>
Nikki Detwiler
A group of small businesses gathered together to create Beaumont’s newest upscale resale shop. The community fell in live and we already expanded (doubled our size) in the first 6 months! Read more>>
Alexandra Szeto-Joe
I was always a creative kid and discovered the transformative power of art and creation at an early age – drawing, making up songs or dances, putting on little skits, playing very elaborate games of pretend with my brother and friends. Read more>>
Pastor Shannon Frazier
In 2006 Pastor Shannon Frazier started a bible study in his home. After years of volunteering and serving the community through outreach, the Lord directed Pastor Shannon to start an outreach ministry named Connect Ministries. Connect Ministries had a major impact in the community where many souls were led to Jesus Christ. Read more>>
Jose Gutierrez
Back in 2017 I, Jose and my brother Noe Gutierrez, purchased a land in Magnolia TX, and started building our dream business from the ground up, with the support of our wife’s dream came through and after years of hard work we were able to open for business and hosted our first event in May of 2025. Read more>>
Jaime Avokhani
My husband and I met while working at the JW Marriott hotel, where we shared a focus on hospitality and guest service. After adopting a vegan lifestyle, we participated in animal rights advocacy and community outreach. Observing a limited number of vegan options in our city, we decided to apply our hospitality experience to provide more choices. Read more>>
Keri Conley
For as long as I can remember, baking has been my happy place. Baking has always been more than a hobby for me—it’s the way I show love, celebrate others, and bring joy into any room. What I didn’t realize back then was that this passion would one day grow into my own business: Krumbs by Keri. Read more>>
Nina Alarcon
My journey began with a deep desire to help others heal and feel confident in their own skin. From a very young age, I was fascinated by the connection between health, beauty, and emotional well-being — how caring for the body could transform not only how we look, but how we live and feel. Read more>>
Kat Hayes
I started my career in my hometown, Lafayette, Louisiana. I received a Bachelor of Arts from University of Louisiana at Lafayette, driven by a love for communication and storytelling. Stories shape who we are, and I’ve always been drawn to work that feels meaningful, where I can use creativity to connect people and make a difference. Read more>>
Derrick Snodgrass
I was born and raised in Indianapolis, and at 16 I sensed a clear call from God to preach the gospel. I’ve been preaching ever since; nearly 22 years now. and pastoring for almost 11. Over the years the Lord shaped my heart around prayer, discipleship, and serving people up close, not from a distance. Read more>>
JASMINE BELL
Da Tru Meltdown Story Da Tru Meltdown began back in January 2022. We were looking for a trailer to start our business and came across one for sale on Facebook Marketplace. The seller, from Louisiana, was parting with his snow cone trailer due to his daughter’s illness. Read more>>
Kimberly Dabney
My name is Kimberly Vonshay, but many know me as Coach Kimmy. I am an educator, certified life coach, speaker, author, holistic wellness advocate, and beauty professional. Everything I do, whether it’s behind the chair, behind the mic, or behind the scene is rooted in one mission: to help women heal, rise, and walk boldly in their God given identity. Read more>>
Anthony Sutton M.D.
The Story of MDI Prep Learning I grew up in the Third Ward of Houston, Texas, and while attending Jack Yates High School, I faced one of the greatest challenges of my life—I became homeless during my senior year. Read more>>
Jessica Sohns
We are all walking testimonies of our lived experiences, walking libraries of stories about courage, grit, grief, hope, loneliness, pain, joy, relationships, loss…the list goes on and on. If you checked into my ‘library’, here’s a glimpse of what you may read about. From birth I have experienced a number of medical traumas, learning difficulties, and physical limitations. Read more>>
Ahjai Talley
My journey started from a place of determination and self-discovery. I’m a U.S. Army veteran, mother, and former experienced federal specialist with a Master’s in Social Work who decided to step away from what once was considered stability, but had begun to feel increasingly unstable within the federal government. I chose instead to pursue a life rooted in creativity, healing, and legacy. Read more>>
David Moore
I grew up without many positive male role models. My father was mostly absent, and the men around me were caught in the streets. For a while, I followed that path until I realized my pain had a purpose. That awakening led to my book The ERA Is Now, Engage•Rearrange•Attain, a framework for transformation rooted in my own journey from survival to leadership. Read more>>
Wayne Franks
I grew up In the northern suburbs of Chicago and have been a resident of Houston for 35 years. I really never had a choice but to have a positive attitude about life since I lost both of my parents in my teenage years. I started my entrepreneurial journey as a golf caddy at a country club. Read more>>
Rob Greer
I entered this world with a camera in my hand. My first photos were an autobiographical, photojournalistic birth essay published in National Geographic. Not really. My story as a professional photographer began in early 2004. As a nature photography enthusiast who loved photographing landscapes and flowers, I enjoyed fancy cameras. Read more>>
Hayley Allinson-Kuehn
I came into into the realm of design and construction from a completely different path – I have a degree in forensic science and moved here from the UK to be with my now wife, Kristeen. Read more>>
Briana Betts
Fitness became a part of my life during a season of rebuilding mentally, emotionally, and physically. I started working out as a way to find discipline and confidence within myself, and over time, it became the foundation for my growth in every area of life. The gym taught me consistency, resilience, and how to show up even when motivation fades. Read more>>
Dan Mustain
I am an almost native Houstonian. My family moved here when I was in the 2nd grade. I went to Fondren Elementary, Fondren Middle School, and Westbury High School. I met my wife in the 9th grade and we married at Westbury United Methodist Church in 1978. I trusted Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior in 1982. Read more>>
Dr Joe Elliott
I started in the field (1996) while I was still in graduate school, because I had enough coursework in testing and assessment to qualify as a screener for TDCJ’s Mentally Retarded Offender Program. I got my Master’s in Clinical Psychology in 1998, so promoted to the Sex Offender Treatment Program, where I worked for 14 years as a therapist and team leader. Read more>>
Christian & Evelin Martinez
My husband, Christian, has always worked in sales and has a true gift for connecting with people. I, on the other hand, focused much of my time on raising our daughter, though I’ve always had a bit of an entrepreneurial spirit. Over the years, I’ve run small businesses — from photography to making hair bows, and even helping other small businesses with social media marketing. Read more>>
Ron Kennedy
I was raised in Trinidad and Tobago, where my love for food and music first began. Growing up, food was more than just something to eat — it was how family and community came together. The island flavors, energy, and rhythms shaped a lot of who I am today. I later moved to the U.S. Read more>>
Shehadi Shaar
Tytn.co was born out of tradition, family, and a deep love for craftsmanship. I’ve been the son of a tailor all my life. My father, who came to America from Lebanon with nothing but determination and a dream, built a respected tailoring business through decades of hard work. Read more>>
Colton Myers
I spent 10 years working as a Journeyman Lineman for Texas-New Mexico Power. It was hard, rewarding work that taught me a lot about dedication, safety, and perseverance. But after a decade in the field, I started to feel the pull to build something of my own — something that I could grow with my own two hands. Read more>>
Danielle Todaro
While completing my bachelor’s degree in biological sciences, I took a psychology course where guest speakers came to talk to us about their careers in the field. Read more>>
Karlevia Foster
My first business I started in December of 2015. Working as a loan officer for 5 years in the customer service field, meant that I spent all day of my life putting consumers in more debt than they could have ever bargained for. Read more>>
Skyler Womack
My Founder Story Before Sky Collective began, I was serving in a partnership role at a large church here in Houston. My job allowed me to review countless financial proposals from nonprofits and hear powerful stories of impact every single week. But as I sat on the other side of those presentations, something started to stand out to me. Read more>>
John Boudreaux
After obtaining a BA in Economics from the University of Texas at Austin, I put myself through law school by working and getting 1 student loan. I worked for a law firm my 2nd and 3rd year of law school. Read more>>
Colin McKenzie
Darin McKenzie graduated from Louisiana Tech in 1991 with a degree in accounting. He worked for 2 years for trinity industries and a small accounting firm. Looking to escape the 8 to 5 routine, in 1995 Darin and Kathy McKenzie sold there house in longview, TX and moved to Conroe to open McKenzie’s Barbeque & Burgers. Read more>>
Jeanna Syers
Luke has worked in the refineries since his early 20’s, he was burnt out. He had already been through 3 explosions and felt his safety was too much at risk. I had been a homemaker for the last 12 years and I was ready to get back in the work field utilizing my skills in bookkeeping and customer relations. Read more>>
Salewa Osinowo
were critiqued in depth, and at times I felt it was taking the fun out of it (for me) because I would find myself going to a class and the whole time I’m in my head, trying to make sure I’m perfect rather than using that as my time away from the instructor process to just enjoy what I love. Luckily, one thing about me is I’m not a quitter, so if I start something, I’ll finish it and I’m a strong believer that God doesn’t put anything on my heart that’s not for me, so I’ll always see something through. Read more>>
Carl Stenberg
I began my career as a private equity and oil and gas attorney at Kirkland & Ellis, where I gained invaluable experience advising leading investment firms and energy companies on complex transactions. Read more>>
Melissa Perez Mueller
I began my real estate career after spending 21 wonderful years as a stay-at-home mom. During that time, I often found myself helping friends connect with the right realtor, lender, or home builder—always making sure each connection was a perfect fit. Read more>>
