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.
Nicole Sain
Talk Fluoride-Free Toothpaste began in 2021, and yes, the spark came from eucalyptus oil. At first, that may sound like a leap, but it was learning about eucalyptus oil’s antibacterial and anti-inflammatory benefits that pushed me to create our flagship brand, Talk, under parent company TrnscndWellness LLC. Read more>>
Josolyn Rodriquez
Caribbean Fuzion is truly a dream that has been years in the making. I was born and raised in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, where food, family, and culture are at the heart of everything we do. About 15 years ago, I had a dream of coming to America and introducing people to authentic Caribbean food and culture. Read more>>
Xiaomeng Xiang
I studied Sculpture in college. After graduating, I realized that it was very difficult to make enough money to support myself as a fine artist. In 2016, I moved to the United States. By coincidence, I met someone who was preparing to open a tattoo shop. When he learned that I could draw, he asked if I wanted to become a tattoo artist. Read more>>
Martine Desmolieres
I grew up in a low income community where violence was common and a sense of safety was often absent. Although I attended private school, I quickly realized that unhealthy relationships were not limited to one neighborhood or one socioeconomic background. Read more>>
Irina Faneite
My journey began more than 20 years ago in Venezuela as a psychologist, working in the prevention and support of individuals affected by violence. From the beginning of my career, I felt a strong commitment to raising awareness, providing emotional support, and helping people rebuild their lives after difficult experiences. Read more>>
Divine Goddess Berry Kay
I’ve always felt like I belonged on a stage. so I turned life into my own personal stage. I’ve always been in love with the theatrics of life, the storytelling, the transformation, the spectacle, and the emotion. Performance has always been part of who I am. Growing up, I was in advanced theatre classes and developed a deep love for improvisation. Read more>>
Gardenia Gonzalez
When I was in business school I decided that the best way for me to learn about business was to start a business! I wanted to do something creative so I decided to start a flower arranging business (because my name is a flower). Little did I know that this fun business would change my life forever. Read more>>
Desirae L. Benson
My journey has been anything but traditional, and I think that’s what makes it so meaningful. Before stepping into entertainment, I spent 14 years as an educator. Teaching gave me the ability to communicate, connect with people, and recognize potential—skills that have become the foundation of everything I do today. Read more>>
Drew Gonzales
My journey into photography began in college with my Canon Rebel T6. What started as taking photos of friends around campus quickly grew into portrait sessions and graduation shoots. As I gained more experience and confidence behind the camera, I discovered my passion for fashion photography. Over the past six years, I’ve continued to refine my craft and develop my creative style. Read more>>
Naomi Iovescu
I started photography when I was 16 years old, as a hobby, and honestly, I never imagined that something I loved so much would grow into the career it is today. What began as a hobby quickly became a passion, and over the last 15+ years, I’ve been fortunate enough to turn that passion into a business built around capturing life’s most meaningful moments. Read more>>
April Henley
I crafted my earliest stories as a child as an expression of creativity and imagination, an extension of fantasy and make-believe; but it was in a high school Creative Writing class that I discovered a passion for actually putting stories to the page, that is, the literal art of writing a story. Read more>>
Alberto Hartleben
Riders is a multifaceted creative space built to let art, culture, and individuality exist without limits. What started as a 1,000 square foot studio has now grown into a 6,000+ square foot destination, located in the historic shipping docks in the heart of downtown Houston. From the beginning, our goal was to build an atmosphere that feels safe, immersive, inspiring, and elevated. Read more>>
Gordon Taylor
My story really starts with a simple belief: every family deserves access to fresh, affordable food, no matter what neighborhood they live in. I’ve always been drawn to building things that sit at the intersection of community, business, and impact. Read more>>
Jolene Tollett
I never wanted to be a teacher. My mom was a teacher and I didn’t see it as my path. I was bored in school and didn’t have to engage much while a Dyslexic classmate always struggled. I found it tedious. When I moved to Houston 20 years ago, I got a job as an afternoon Teacher’s Aid and substitute in a Montessori school. Read more>>
Abigail Moreno
I am Abigail Moreno, the proprietor of Flex and Flow Kinetics. As a Latina of Mexican heritage, I was inspired by my parents’ aspirations for my advancement, which led me to pursue higher education as a first-generation college student. I successfully completed my Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science at the University of Houston and subsequently graduated from the Texas School of Massage. Read more>>
Taylor Trimble
All my life, I have reached for a creative outlet. I’ve played with a variety of creative material—sewing, pottery, drawing; you name it. In my teens, I found creative expression through makeup artistry and even began to pursue it as a career, earning recognition from name brands, a handful of articles, and a growing following. Read more>>
Tricia Johnson
If you had told me years ago that I’d spend my days helping people squat, sweat, laugh, and become healthier versions of themselves, I probably would have said, “Sign me up!” I’ve always been competitive. If there was a sport, a race, a challenge, or a way to improve, I wanted in. Read more>>
Kleopatra Vargas
My journey in the entertainment industry began when I was just 10 months old, competing in my very first pageant. Since then, I have been blessed to grow into a multi-talented performer, building a career as a recording artist, DJ, dancer, model, actress, and author. Read more>>
Alexandria Robbins
My journey started with solving a problem in my own life. I became determined to understand how credit really worked and took time to rebuild and strengthen my own credit profile. As I learned more, I realized that credit wasn’t just about qualifying for loans- it was a tool that could open doors for entrepreneurship, business funding, and long term wealth. Read more>>
Tasha Jackson
I have always loved fashion and always had an entrepreneurial mind-frame. I was selling things around the house in elementary school and selling candy and sodas in middle school. I knew come high school that working a 9-5 til retirement age wasn’t going to work for me. Once I found out about passive income, it was game over for the workforce! Read more>>
Ayanna Combs
There’s honestly no grandiose origin story for my content creator journey. I’m just a student of the artform so that will always be my source. Read more>>
Yahaira Ruiz
Well my business started as for me drinking Red Bulls, I’m a big caffeine addict lol coffee redbulls energy drinks etc. when I tried 7brew for the 1st time I fell in love w their 7energy’s would drive 40 min just to get one lol because I don’t have one close to home. Read more>>
Alejandro Caiazza
With a truly international background, Alejandro Caiazza is a notable contemporary, international mixed-media visual artist known for his vibrant, raw work in the Neo-Expressionism, Art Brut, and Outsider Art movements. Born in Santa Fe, Argentina, (1972); although his family soon transplanted to Ciudad Guayana, Venezuela, where he was raised for the rest of his childhood and teenage epochs. Read more>>
Ki’Amora Stevenson
Music has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I started singing at just three years old, and I grew up in church, where I was always singing during services and at church events. Those early experiences helped build my confidence as a performer and sparked a genuine love for music. Read more>>
Kathy & Brett Nuttall
Opening Pop Drinks in Atascocita has been a leap of faith for our family and a labor of love from the very beginning. My husband Brett and I moved from Utah to Texas in 2008, and over the years, every time we returned to Utah to visit family, we noticed more and more dirty soda shops popping up around town. Read more>>
De’ Angelo Whitlow
My story began on the West Side of Chicago, where I learned that the dinner table represented far more than a place to eat. It was where family gathered, relationships were built, difficult conversations took place, celebrations were shared, and hope was restored. Read more>>
Rico Reyes Martinez
Momentos Event Services was born from a small conversation between myself, Rico, and my husband Humberto about his idea to start a shot cart business. When told me about it my mind started thinking about where that business could go and saw mobile bar service was growing in demand here in Houston. Read more>>
Buntatida Pikhor
My path to becoming a tattoo artist wasn’t linear, but looking back, every step made perfect sense. I actually started my professional life as a biomedical engineer, working in a hospital setting in Thailand. While I loved the science and technical skills, my passion for art and drawing never left me. Read more>>
George Zemanek
I’m going to frame this from my work in the transgender community. I got involved in the trans community in 1999. I was in college so knew I could not transition at that time. My focus was on school. But I attended the monthly support group meeting—Helping Trans Genders Anonymous, or HTGA. Read more>>
Kourtney Evans
Balloon Blowout started because of my niece’s birthday party. My sister hired someone to decorate for her theme, and it made me realize something. I had always been the one decorating for family events and parties, but I had never thought about turning it into a business. I started by creating balloon garlands, arches, and party decorations for all kinds of celebrations. Read more>>
Qasim Ali
I always credit my mother for fostering the artist in me as a child. I fortunately come from a family that has many gifted and creative individuals. But my mom being the After School Art Director of the children’s program at Project Row Houses while I was growing up really helped hone my innate talent abilities. Read more>>
Oscar Chavez
I’m a second-generation flooring contractor, so I grew up around the trade. Some of my earliest memories are of going to work on weekends and during the summers with my old man—watching, learning, and slowly picking up what it takes to do things the right way. It wasn’t something I planned at first, it was just part of life. Read more>>
NinaVasquez
I’m a local marketing strategist, consultant, and community builder born and raised in Houston. Over the past several years, I’ve worked with businesses, nonprofits, events, and lifestyle brands to develop tailored marketing strategies that create authentic relationships and measurable growth. In 2021, after spending a decade in Austin earning my bachelor’s degree in Marketing and MBA from St. Read more>>
Jonathan Clingman
My name is Jonathan Clingman, I am currently 37 years of age. My desire to create began at a very early age as a child. I continued to develop that passion through highschool and college. I was insipred early on by musicians and artists and knew I wanted to be a creator! Read more>>
Mary Ramirez Soto
My journey to entrepreneurship wasn’t a straight path. Before opening Jolie Petite, I spent 16 years in banking, and made a successful career in finance. That career taught me invaluable lessons about leadership, financial management, and building relationships, but deep down, I always had a passion for food, hospitality, and creating experiences that bring people together. Read more>>
Eric Garcia
I started Still Foundry in April of 2023. It was one of those now-or-never moments. There was never going to be a perfect time, so I had to jump in and figure things out as I went. I’ve worked as a freelance graphic designer for over 15 years, creating everything from company logos and marketing campaigns to websites and photography. Read more>>
Sarah Colleen
A Texas diva with proud Chilean South American heritage, embracing the beauty of my roots while chasing my American dream! I’ve always had a passion for beauty, glam and Texas bling! After years of envisioning my own brand, I decided to turn that dream into reality. Read more>>
Camecia Clarkz
My journey has been shaped by both my professional work and my personal convictions. As a licensed professional counselor, I’ve spent years helping people understand identity, self-worth, and the importance of living with intention. Those conversations, along with my own walk of faith, inspired me to write The Sparkle Within: Grace Stands Strong. Read more>>
Danielle Williams
I’ve had a passion for baking and cooking since I was in High School. I always cooked for my family and friends; especially during big holidays. I started to take my passion for baking and cooking more seriously after the passing of my mother. Read more>>
Sarnia Ogidan
My connection to movement started long before it became my work. I came to the United States when I was 13 years old, and at the time, I did not speak English. School was overwhelming because every class required me to translate, adjust, and try to keep up in a language I was still learning. Read more>>
Chadnezzar Morgan
I came into this world with a servant’s heart, and my family, surroundings, and upbringing developed it. I was born in Houston and raised in Lafayette, Louisiana. One a city, one a small town, and both taught me the same thing. No matter the size of a place, there’s always need, and there’s always community ready to answer it. Read more>>
JoAna Rowland
My foundation started with a simple desire to be obedient to God’s call to serve others. Seeing the needs within the unhoused community deeply impacted my heart, and I knew I couldn’t just walk past it without doing something. What began as a small act of giving grew into a mission to consistently show love, dignity, and compassion to those who are often overlooked. Read more>>
Victoria Burton
I’ve had an unconventional path to where I am today. I have a Business degree from the University of Alabama (Roll Tide!), but I left corporate America after only a few years to become a teacher. Read more>>
Leila Mizell
I discovered my love for makeup as a teenager. Like many young girls, I didn’t always feel beautiful. I was awkward, wore thick glasses, and spent hours studying beauty magazines, teaching myself how to recreate the looks I admired. What started as curiosity quickly became a gift. Read more>>
La’Sean West
Son of legendary “OG Chi” larry hoovers right hand man still to today. I have a long history with the music business being that slim thug is like a uncle to me. Im into managing artist also film. Counseling is also apart of my background, im extremely aware of substance abuse.. i am a former artist myself, i also have 3 daughters. Read more>>
