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.

Kevin Gruen

Since a young age, I grew up with a very musical family: A grandmother who taught me what she knew of piano playing, a father who was a drummer, a mother who could sing, uncles & cousins who taught me guitar and music influences from Black Sabbath, Iron Butterfly (my dad & uncles’ music) and all other classic rock to gospel, country, soul and old rock n’ roll. Read More>>

Randy Mack

I took on a more responsible lifestyle. In that era, one could support a small family in a menial job. I mostly did landscaping at an expensive gated golf community. By 1977, at age 30, as I moved into genuine adult life, I was feeling frustrated with my lifestyle. Increasingly, I wanted a more serious adult vocation and couldn’t think of anything I wanted to do. I definitely did not want to go to law school as I had planned. Read More>>

Diana Medina

Certainly! My journey began when I moved to the United States from Ecuador with my family in 2016. Starting fresh in a new country was really challenging but exciting at the same time. I began working as a housekeeper, where I put my all into every task. My attention to detail and dedication has helped me build trust with my clients. I approach every task with the mindset of how I would want someone to care for my own space, following the principle of treating others the way I want to be treated. Read More>>

Tarrisha “Reese” Hicks

It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road, but I think the challenges have shaped both me and SOBI into what we are today. One of the biggest hurdles was navigating logistics, especially in the beginning. There’s so much that goes into planning and executing events, from securing venues to managing budgets, and as someone who is essentially a one-man band most of the time, it could be overwhelming. Read More>>

Gaurav Mittal

I’m Gaurav Mittal, and I’ve called Nashville, TN, home for the past eight years. I cherish the city’s lush greenery, rainy weather, and the joy of experiencing all four seasons, especially during family walks. My wife and I love watching our children thrive at their neighborhood school, and we’ve found the community here to be incredibly welcoming. One of the things that amazes me most about Nashville is how people from all walks of life, even my doctors, are open to discussing IT and technology—it’s a testament to the city’s curiosity and inclusiveness. Read More>>

Meagan Gregory

I wanted to start my own company so I could push myself more. 8 years later I’ve grown with more properties, experience and my team. It has been a fun ride and can’t wait to keep it growing along with myself and my team. I wouldn’t be where I am at without my team. They mean everything to me and I’m not just talking work wise. Read More>>

Aj Knepper

Now, let me share how my music journey began. My love for music started in 5th grade when I began playing the trumpet. Despite being diagnosed with a learning disability, which I still navigate today, music became a sanctuary for me. While I struggled with reading, spelling, and math, I found solace and joy in the band room, where I learned to read music and discovered a sense of happiness that has stayed with me. Read More>>

Laura Gillespie

It has definitely not been a smooth road. I moved out of my parents house at 16, as my mother was impossible to live with, but found horses as always my solace. I could understand them, and they were at peace around me. Horses and cattle became my life, in every aspect. Foaling, training, riding, working cattle, outfitting in the Montana wilderness for months at a time, I have ridden and shod and been around thousands of horses at this point in my life. None of that learning was easy, and it took alot of very long days and frustration. Read More>>

Kevin Ramquist

I started working when I was 16 at a local Italian Restaurant owned by two Siclian brothers to make money as I was cut off from allowance when I turned 16. I started as a bus boy and really became fascinated by the food and the way it was prepared. So I started asking if I could cook and was always responded with a NO. I was determined to cook so I was very persistent at the point of being annoying, the brothers finnaly caved in and a young wannabe chef was born. Read More>>

Robert Crawford

Then the 90’s and all the cool, weird shit it brought. And a wonderful teacher/idea sharer named Bill Roth who introduced me to Jazz and Blues and music from all kinds of other countries! Began learning various world percussion instruments, their history and techniques. Learned to play piano enough to compose music and make my way through a blues. I love keeping flowers and plants. Read More>>

Winston Templet

My first job was in the hotel industry and I started in the general storeroom. The comptroller in the hotel took a liking to me and moved me into the accounting department in my first year of employment. I worked in each of these departments within my first 3 years of employment. Accounts receivables, accounts payable, inventory control, staff accountant, and chief accounting clerk. In 1989. In 1990 I felt as though I was passed up for a position and I decided that I need to leave the Hotel. Read More>>

Philip Towns

Long story short, I moved to Muscle Shoals for college and ended up getting connected to FAME Studios. Right after I dropped out of school, the studio manager connected me to an artist named Anderson East, who was looking for a touring keyboardist. I got the gig and started touring and traveling the world at 21. I’ve been in Nashville ever since. Read More>>

Charles

Moving to Nashville had some difficulties, from finding housing to integrating into a new place to paying for an apprenticeship with a producer out of pocket. And then navigating any depression/addiction that tends to get in the way of making art or making good life choices. Finally, just trying to figure out how to “make it” as an artist in today’s constantly changing world and oversaturated music industry feels almost impossible most of the time. Finding your own way is the challenge of a lifetime. Read More>>

Sterling Scott

The music industry has a lot of dirty secrets. . there is no amount of talent that will put you where you want to be. It purely relies on the sentiment of others and the people you meet along the way. I think most people want to leave a legacy to be remembered by. unfortunately many brilliant artists will never been recognized. Every day I see my peers succeeding where I failed and it’s easy to try and rationalize why that is, but the reality is there is no reason at all. I have been making music for over 10 years now and something I can always rely on is the fact that making music makes me happy. Because I am comfortable with that, I’ll never stop, regardless of what it brings me for my career. Read More>>

Makaya Williams

I was expecting my first child, a son named Jaxxon, in August 2024. He was my inspiration and drive to begin the process of opening the first beauty salon and hookah lounge in Cincinnati. All the renovations were completed by Cool Finish Renovations, a contracting company owned by Jaxxon’s father. We started this project in March 2024 with high hopes for success. Every part of the project was self-funded; no outside loans were used. I contributed as much as I could to the interior designing, painting, and even laying down flooring, which I found to be the easiest task. It felt like a dream turning into reality, and I was excited to be financially stable before transitioning into the role of a full-time mom. Read More>>

Brandon Chase

We realized there truly was a huge gap in the industry between unsigned songwriters and signed staff writers at publishing houses. There needed to be a way to bridge this gap and give some of these talented independent songwriters a better shot. The reason Inside Pitch Club took over 2 years to go from an idea to a fully operational business is because from day one, we said we were unwilling to be another part of a false market. It took a lot of game planning, strategizing, and calling on our personal industry connections to finally arrive at a place where we felt like we could serve songwriters well by bringing legitimate opportunities to the table.  Read More>>

Taylor Crandall

I could not ask for a better salon family, a better place to continue to grow, here at Vagabond! Since I am still new to Nashville I am still building up my clientele, it’s such a blessing seeing new faces in my chair and meeting new clients/friends. Being able to say I have my own business as a stylist is something only little me would’ve dreamt of and now it’s a reality that would’ve never been possible without the support of my family, friends and coworkers. Read More>>

Kyle Featherstone

It wasn’t the first time I had had a nickname. Growing up my mom had called me “Poob” (short for King Poobish) – a name that still to this day makes me cringe even to think. In middle school I picked up the nickname “Featherhead” as I had the unfortunate habit of gelling my front bangs up into (what I thought was) a cool ruffled tuft. In high school I adopted and changed all of my social media handles to “KFeath” inspired by an ironic spin on Kevin Federline’s (KFed) trending popularity at the time. Read More>>

Lupita Rios-casillas

Every family I have cooked for has taught me so much, and it has truly been a pleasure. Each household brings its unique traditions, flavors, and stories to the table, enriching my culinary journey. I’ve learned to adapt my skills to suit different tastes and preferences, which has only expanded my creativity in the kitchen. Building connections and sharing those moments over a meal has made my experience as a private chef incredibly fulfilling. It’s amazing how food can bring people together and create lasting memories. Read More>>

Chris Badeker

At any rate, I had been a part of my high school’s drama club for a few years and was falling in love with acting. As a chubby, non-athletic middle school student whose primary talent was drawing Goku from Dragon Ball, I didn’t tend to draw much attention to myself. Or rather, I should say, the attention I did draw in middle school was not the kind of attention one would try to attract. Acting changed that and it was wonderful to find an outlet for the dormant theatrical and goofy parts of my personality that had been in forced hibernation since 6th grade. Art was fine, but I was going to be an actor. I remember telling my grandfather as much around the time I was starting to look at colleges. Read More>>

Selena Fritz

Growing up in the vibrant city of Nashville, Tennessee, I witnessed firsthand the city’s remarkable growth and expansion over the years. From a young age, I aspired to make a positive impact on people’s lives and help them achieve their dreams, though I wasn’t always sure how I would accomplish this. After high school, I worked as a nanny, exploring different avenues to channel my passion for helping others. Read More>>

Gwen Noe

The building that I had looked at for several years became available 3 years ago and we were able to purchase and remodel it. It is approximately 140 years old, so did need some work. I’m proud that we were able to fix up this building and help give it new life to hopefully last another 140 years. StillWater has evolved over the time since opening in October 2022. I’ve tried to curate a one stop shop of unusual, useful, quality items to include clothing, loungewear, Read More>>

Drue Allison

I found myself at school all the time, doing all sorts of things. It started pretty small and then I took over as the grounds beautification lead. I have a green-ish thumb, so this felt good. I had my hands in flower beds, cleaning up landscaping that had been neglected for a while (for example, trimming down crepe myrtles that had grown taller than the gym roof). It was when I was finally put in charge of something I was interested in that I began to feel like it was meaningful work. Read More>>

Queona ‘q’ Duff

I took that as a sign, that massage therapy was a career I needed to be pursuing. I started Nashville School of Massage Therapy, January 2021 and graduated July 2021. December 2021, I started working for a company and I’m still there. In 2023, l decided to go to Aveda Arts and Sciences Institute for their Esthiology program. Now, I’m dual licensed in Tennessee as a Massage Therapist and an Esthetician. After school, I decided it was time to open up my own business, Qreative Art Massage, it’s located on the inside of My Salon Suites in Hermitage. If it wasn’t for my friend/classmate in beauty school, who gave me the deposit for my suite; my business wouldn’t be where it’s at today! Read More>>

Brandon Lee

And I did just that. It all started with a logo which I sat on for months trying to come up with a name that not only stands out but also fits who I am as a person and where I wanted to see my company go in the future. After months of thinking it finally hit me, Corvus Strategic Solutions Group, LLC also known as Corvus Protection Group. And just like that, CSSG/CPG was born. And let me just say it was no easy task! I had no idea where to start or what path to take. At the current time I was the Director or Safety and Security for a phenomenal church in East Nashville. I was in charge of 8 Protection Agents at the time that were tasked with not only protecting the congregation at events and worship services, but also the private academy that was held at its location Monday-Friday. Read More>>

Marianna & Kc Vasquez

When we first started in our early talking stages back in 2022, we were just going on about our future aspirations. He is a Traveling Horse Farrier in Texas and I was dipping my toes in the Entrepreneurial life who just moved to South Texas… Anytime we would shop, the glittery, pink, bling western clothes for women wasn’t really my style. Being an outdoorsy type of couple and always on the go traveling, I would always use his clothes to wear. Sometimes they would fit and sometimes I would cut it. Read More>>

Kathryn Good

Through years of experience, one challenge stood out: so many small businesses and nonprofits were doing incredible work but struggled to tell their stories in a way that resonated. They didn’t need flashy campaigns; they needed a clear strategy and authentic messaging to amplify their impact. I’ve always believed that marketing is about more than selling—it’s about uncovering the heart of a business, crafting its story, and connecting with the people who need it most. Read More>>

Cathy Green

We started as a family operation in 1991, growing and distributing potted aquatic plants like water lilies and lotus on our nine-acre farm in Fernvale, Tennessee. We supplied plants to retail and wholesale customers from Atlanta to Chicago. We also distributed koi and goldfish, as well as pond liner, pumps, filters, and water treatments. In 2003, Grassland Aquatics became our satellite location. Grassland is now our only location, and we supply water plants, imported and domestic koi and goldfish, pond liner for construction, and state-of-the-art filtration, pumps, and water treatments for the best water quality. And now we have added beautifully glazed frost free ceramic pottery and handcrafted fountains to our product line . Read More>>

Eliseo Urdiera

Started as a labor for a commercial company back in 2016. I got the job because of my dad. He worked there for 25 years. He wanted me to join to learn the trade and to learn from others. He only did concrete but wanted me to learn more than he could because of the language barrier. I worked my way up to being a formen. Learned how to operate machines, Read floor plans, and do Difficult Layouts. Fast foward to 2021 I opened up my own concrete company and work along side my dad now. Doing what we know best. Concrete driveways patios and stamped concrete. Read More>>

Harold Watson

My name is Harold Watson, and I’m from Stanton, TN. I am a business owner, certified personal trainer, licensed protection professional, Podcast co-host, and proud father. I’ve called Nashville home since 2010, when I moved here to attend Tennessee State University on a football scholarship. During my time at TSU, I built meaningful relationships and a strong network that continue to support me today. Read More>>

Siona Bhattacharya

Not only did my leadership skills grow from this experience, but my desire to help more students like Caitlyn blossomed. I soon co-founded my own 501(c)(3) non-profit organization called Learning Lighthouse (LL), aimed towards providing academic opportunities for underserved students to bridge the gap in education inequalities. Seeing my direct impact on Caitlyn, I was inspired to fundraise over 200 pounds of school supplies for students without adequate resources. LL also received a $2,500 grant from the Tennessee Arts and Commission to host our Pouches-of-Promise Event, where we hope to organize a visual and musical artist to lead free workshops.. We plan to continue offering free resources, workshops, and mentorship to allow students like Caitlyn to thrive. Read More>>

Jenna Griffith

I became a military wife at the tender age of 21. For 10 years, I dedicated myself to raising our family and keeping things running smoothly back home so my husband could focus on serving. But when that chapter of my life ended in divorce after an accident and his transition out of the service, I was left feeling empty. I remember thinking, What do I have to show for the past 10 years? Who am I outside of being a military spouse? It was a hard and confusing time. Read More>>

Rebecca Ehmling

The business started in Oct 2018 by selling painted furniture and vintage decor. The vision was to create a place where local artisans could meet the market place and sell their goods. After being open for 1. 5 years, just as stores were able to reopen after COVID; my now business partner (Vivian Miller) came into the store looking for a place sell her art. Read More>>

Tamika Marshall

My vision is to create a community rooted in compassion, honesty, equality, and support, ensuring that everyone facing cancer receives the help and encouragement they deserve. Through Lady T Hope Brigade, I am dedicated to helping those in need, providing hope for a better tomorrow, and inspiring the strength to overcome any obstacles. Read More>>

Constance Grant

I have loved cooking and baking for as long as I can remember. I have had quite the journey of starting a few businesses, and the most recent of them revolved around food. I was recently looking for an opportunity to create more income for my family and stumbled on freelancing as a food photographer in the latter part of 2023. Read More>>

Tres Wittum

Tres’s journey into public life began on college campuses, where he quickly became known for his bold stance on truth and justice. “I’ve always believed in standing up and speaking out, even when it’s uncomfortable,” he says. His academic years at Indiana University Indianapolis and the University of Tennessee Chattanooga sharpened his skills in debate, leadership, and policy. While at UT Chattanooga, Wittum was elected State Chairman of the Tennessee College Republicans, showcasing his early leadership and organizational skills. Read More>>

Kara Kennedy

The road hasn’t always been smooth, but each challenge has brought valuable lessons. Moving to Nashville in 2019 for a corporate communications role was an exciting step, but when the pandemic hit, I was laid off, like so many others. It was a difficult time, filled with uncertainty, but it also became a turning point. I had to adapt quickly, reassess my career path, and lean into my skills to find new opportunities. Read More>>

CJ Field

Though nobody was a “musician” in the family, music flowed through everyone in my house. Everyone, including my parents, had a love for music. My siblings influenced me a lot in many ways and while performing was always a natural thing for me, as I got older I focused more on sports. In middle school, my first guitar entered the story but stayed mostly in my bed room. my folks switched to a rival school and subsequently the new kid started getting into a lot of fights. By high school, I began to focus on the sport of wrestling and made friends my age for the first time since grammar school. Read More>>

Samantha Scalzo

I don’t think farming is easy for anyone especially starting out in a new area. We had a lot to figure out about our soil health and how to amend it. When we first started we were growing in the field with no high tunnel which was great, but you cannot control a lot about the growing environment. A lot of our fields were washed out during hard rain storms, we would have to trench walkways in the middle of storms so our beds wouldn’t get washed away. We had a big learning curve. We are still learning. Not to mention our first year was put on hold when you have to deal with health issues in your family. I think each year brings new growth and new challenges along the way. We try to adapt and overcome. Read More>>