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.

DeNitra Davis

I started losing loved ones to the same preventable conditions I was battling. It broke me—and it woke me up. I couldn’t ignore the patterns anymore. I didn’t just want to feel better—I needed to understand why we were all so sick. I wanted the science. And once I started learning the truth about insulin resistance, metabolic dysfunction, and how food was either fueling our healing or feeding our disease, I couldn’t stay silent. Read more>>

Howard Bell

I’m a tattoo artist and I have been for over 22 years. I try to make my specialty customer satisfaction. I try to stay extremely versatile in the style of my work so that I can accommodate any request from any client. I’m probably best known for my color work and my cover-up work, which are pretty much the same thing since trying to do a cover-up in black and gray is usually extremely difficult and rarely successful. Read more>>

Macayla

That’s when I seized the opportunity to open my own practice inside the gym I had been training at for the past five years. This setting not only allows me to work with clients one-on-one but also bridges the gap between rehabilitation and performance. With access to lifting equipment that most physical therapy clinics lack, I’m able to replicate the physical demands of my patients’ lives and help them return to the activities they love – faster and more effectively. Read more>>

Mike Glasmeier

It started out as a difficult journey as the skill sets of dentistry only represent about 25% of being a private practicioner as well as business owner. Running a business was not something I learned in college so navigating dental insurance, leasing office space, advertising, H/R, banking and accounting were some of many things that was much more difficult and time consuming. It took many years to appreciate the important of all those things to be successful and yet still deliver outstanding dental care to my patient base. Read more>>

Katie Wakefield

While I can’t say it’s been an overwhelmingly hard road, it has certainly been a challenging one. Coming from humble beginnings, without financial wealth to lean on, I’ve had to work incredibly hard. While many of my college friends were out enjoying typical college experiences, I was in bed early, preparing for the next workday. I knew I had to grind to build the clientele necessary to make ends meet. Read more>>

Tyler Hurst

The practice gained traction and kept moving forward. In 2024 we were able to expand the office and add another board certified chiropractic neurologist to the team. And in the summer of 2024 we welcome our 3rd child, another boy, Riggs. The office is currently as busy as it has ever been and we are looking to expand our reach to individuals in the Nashville area who may be suffering with neurological conditions. With the love and support of my family, my staff and a dedication to sharing this work with the world, we have overcome all of our obstacles. Read more>>

Alyssa Lackner

I interned with Vernich Interiors during my senior year, and after graduation, joined Monarch Lane Interiors, where I spent five years growing into a leadership role. In 2023, I was honored as one of the NKBA’s prestigious Thirty Under 30 at the KBIS Industry Show in Las Vegas, recognizing me as a rising voice and leader in the next generation of kitchen and bath design professionals. Still, the dream of starting my own company never left me—and when I finally made the leap, I quickly understood why it’s both the most rewarding and most challenging decision I’ve ever made. But in January of 2025, I started Graceful Interiors LLC. Read more>>

Elena Pavlicas

In January 2025, Elena combined her passion for community, events, and goal-setting to launch That Girl Nashville—a monthly event series designed to connect goal-oriented women. Each gathering is a safe, empowering space where women celebrate their wins, reflect on their challenges, and realign with their intentions—all while embracing their feminine energy and supporting one another. Read more>>

Stephanie James

My real estate journey began nearly two decades ago, fueled by a passion for helping people navigate one of life’s most significant decisions: buying or selling a home. I started my career in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, diving headfirst into the dynamic coastal market. This initial experience provided me with a strong foundation in client relations, market analysis, and the intricacies of real estate transactions. This resulted in a Multi Million Dollar Producer Award with Prudential Burroughs and Chapin Realty. Read more>>

Blake Evans

It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. Building Livenote Entertainment while continuing to grow my career as a drummer has been a constant balancing act. It’s still easy to let in anxious or self-limiting beliefs, especially when the path forward is unclear. It can be frustrating at times to have no idea where to turn, and to try things that don’t work out, but I still find a lot of enjoyment through those challenges. If the path forward was cut and dry, it probably wouldn’t be as exciting or worthwhile. Read more>>

Chancellor Lawson

My mom’s side of the family on the other hand, a long line a very successful and hard-working songwriters so that’s where that comes from. My grandfather was Red Kirk, who played his songs with folks like Chet Atkins and Archie Campbell. He eventually became a car dealer and radio personality and raised his family from that career. I remember my mom doing the Nashville thing when I was just a baby. She had her rehearsal space for her studio band at our house growing up and I couldn’t stay off of those dang drums. Read more>>

Shelly Prather

I spent over 26 years in the pharmaceutical industry, primarily in oncology and hematology, helping patients gain access to life-saving treatments. But in 2023, I lost my father to colorectal cancer, and that loss changed everything for me. It was a turning point — one that brought me back to my roots in fitness. Read more>>

Enjoy DjDaY

It’s had crazy up and downs because of being in active addiction that created the chaos consistently having effects on everything I did in my life. Jail sober relapse lost good relationships loved ones and everything that was important to me. Through all this I kept using my craft as my emotional outlet and it worked for awhile. Until I finally got sick and tired of being sick and tired. I was tired of playing the insanity game repeating the same thing and expecting a different result. So.i finally told God I would give him a year to focus on just him and stay sober Through all of it. 11 months later God has moved mountains in My life and is continuing to bless me for my obedience. Read more>>

Abby Connolly

After graduating, I worked as a designer at Ramsey Solutions on the EntreLeadership team, where I learned so much about strategy, business, and how to lead creative work with purpose. It was an incredible experience, but I kept feeling a nudge that it was time to step out in faith and build the business I had always dreamed of. Read more>>

Sara Bakker

When our daughter was getting ready to graduate from high school, we started asking the big question: What’s next? She had been involved in local rec programs, but when it came to jobs or opportunities in Cumberland County, there just weren’t many options for adults with disabilities. Read more>>

Zoe Bacurin

I’m a local novelist who specializes in queer representation and mental health awareness. Growing up in Tennessee, I was expected to hide particular facets of my life that didn’t align with other people’s values. My adult life has been all about shedding hateful rhetoric and writing novels that I wish I’d been able to read when I was young. It’s my goal to “never write the same book twice” and always explore new genres with a queer lens. Read more>>

Paul Luikart

I’m a writer. Mostly fiction. It’s been a grand journey so far. I wish my writerly origin story had a bit more of a noble beginning, but it doesn’t. In high school, a girl I really loved broke my heart. I wrote a poem about it, the first time I’d ever really written anything expressive. Every high school kid who gets his/her heart broken writes a poem about it, but as common as it is (and as lame…the poem is the worst thing ever written…) there really was no other way to capture how I felt other than with images, metaphors. Plain talk just didn’t get it. Flash forward to now. I write every day. I’ve released six collections of short fiction. I get to teach creative writing. And, still, there is nothing as deeply personal and as truly communicative as story. Read more>>

Penny Helton

Looking ahead, my vision for PR Aesthetics is to continue growing—both in cutting edge techniques and advancements in the World of Aesthetics!! I hope to expand services, bring in like-minded practitioners, and create a team that shares the same client-first philosophy. More than just treatments, I want PR to be a place where people feel informed, empowered, and excited to care for themselves. This is just the beginning!!!!!! PR Aesthetics is more than a clinic—it’s where confidence is nurtured, and beauty begins with connection. Read more>>

Mary Henderson

Nashville has a wonderful small business community that I found myself part of when I first launched Music with Mary. A lot of my progress in this business has come about through word of mouth and connections within this community. I get a lot of emails or instragram messages from local businesses that have heard about me and are interested in working with me. I am still working at 3 different schools during the week, and some times I have offers of places to host music classes but not enough days to commit to a new location. Read more>>

Melissa Miller

Years passed, and as I built my life and became a mom of five, that dream never fully left me. I always imagined having my own boutique, a space that felt special, personal, and full of joy. One day, I finally realized that the timing would never be perfect, and if I wanted it to happen, I had to just go for it. So I took the leap and started Love, Rae Grace. It’s still growing, but every step forward feels like I’m building something that’s truly mine, something that allows me to pour my creativity into every detail and hopefully bring a little happiness to others along the way. Read more>>

Demone Harlan

I actually started out having block parties 6 years before I started selling plates. Grilling for hundreds every 4 of July in 2005 all the way up to 2011. Once I started to get popular in the city for my food it was a no brainer to kick off what I love to do. So in 2011 my lil girl was born also so I had to focus on the plan. Read more>>

Eliana

I have been singing as long as I can remember! Music has always just made so much sense to me. It has been the through line in my life and I can’t imagine doing anything else. I started singing in church when I was younger and did an open mic here and there. Once I was old enough to start paying for my recordings (lol) I got a producer and released my debut ep “Hold on” this past February on 2/21. I now have a few singles ready to go this summer including my next one “oyster” on June 20th! I’m so thankful to be singing in any capacity and wont be stopping anytime soon  Read more>>

Myles Erlick

What stuck with me the most wasn’t just being on stage. It was the music. I’d always watch the orchestra like it was magic. I wrote my first song during that time, and some of the musicians convinced me to perform it at a cast party. I was just a dorky kid singing about a girl I had a crush on but I was more nervous and excited in that moment than I’d ever been on stage. That’s when I realized making music hit different. Read more>>

Trevor Perkins

By 16, I found myself curious about PR and what it meant to shape a narrative from behind the scenes. So I dove in headfirst, completely self-taught. I studied everything I could get my hands on—reading press releases, studying campaigns, watching how stories traveled. That process taught me more than strategy; it taught me resilience, grit, and how to push through doors that weren’t open yet. I learned how to create opportunities instead of waiting for them. Read more>>

Shawn Whitsell

I was born and raised in Madisonville, Kentucky. I consider my childhood to be pretty typical. I was a sharp, driven kid who was keenly aware, at a very early age, of what I was supposed to do in life. I don’t remember a time when I didn’t want to be an artist. It’s just always been here, living inside me, like a part of my body. I also knew that my artistry wasn’t supposed to stand alone. It was to work in tandem with service and activism. I didn’t necessarily know how everything would unfold, but I knew whatever was happening felt divine. Read more>>

Brittney Farrow

About three years ago, I decided I was finally ready to take the leap and start my own business. I began working with Pathway Lending to develop a business plan and learn how to build financial projections, what an incredible resource! But even after all that prep, it still took nearly two years to find the right space. Many landlords weren’t interested in the concept, some never called me back, and others were asking for rent that was just too high. Nothing quite fit. Read more>>

Michelle Taylor

The learning curve, when it comes to editing and technology was also another hurdle that had to be met to meet the demands of an ever- changing market. One must keep up with photography trends in the market on a daily basis or you could lose your competitive edge. That is something that I trained for before I ever purchased my own professional grade camera. Growth rarely comes from being comfortable – and photography has showed me that again and again. I had to find my creative edge in the industry and then recreate it over again to keep my clients satisfied. I learned to improvise, adapt and most importantly, to let go of perfection in favor of authenticity. Read more>>