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.
Allen Penn
Framework started with a pair of milestones in my personal life — turning 40 and bringing home my first child. These two roughly concurrent events shifted my perspective on my health and drove me to create a brand and a business that met my needs and those of others looking for attainable and enjoyable ways to improve and optimize their health. Read more>>
Jacqueline Becker
I started because I saw a need! I was working Home Health Physical Therapy since 2018, where I would see patients in their home that are home bound or post hospital. Generally, if the patient improved and was no longer considered home bound, they would attend Outpatient therapy at a clinic. Read more>>
David Anthony
My Love for fashion started as a young man growing up in the city of Brooklyn NY and becoming a fashion sponge from my surroundings in Freeport Long Island and New York City and it’s various boroughs. I grew up in the city where fashion was paramount to ones identity. Read more>>
Amanda Bauch
Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve dreamed of publishing a book and have started writing many over the years. However, after I began my career in publishing, my own work kept getting shoved further and further down the priority list. Rewind a few years back, to 2020. Like many people, to me, it felt like the world exploded. Read more>>
Panyapol Ratanakul
My name is Panyapol. I’m the owner, managing director and head coach at Chonburi Muay Thai gym in Nashville. I started the gym in the beginning of 2013, just renting a space from another gym because I wanted to teach and grow Muay Thai. I also wanted to continue to train with other members. Read more>>
Jennifer Schepman
I started Irish dancing at the age of 10, initially taking it up alongside my sister at a local school in England. My mum had always wanted to take Irish dance when she was younger, and when the classes became available, she immediately signed us up. Over the years, I competed regularly at regional, national, and world championships held throughout the UK and Ireland. Read more>>
Hayley ‘Surya’ Johnson
My journey into coaching didn’t begin in a classroom — it began in the fire of lived experience. I grew up as a chronically ill, neurodivergent child of Caribbean descent — both of my parents are from Jamaica — navigating health challenges, undiagnosed ADHD, and an education system that didn’t know what to do with a mind like mine. Read more>>
Kayla Pendleton
I began my career in radio as an intern and worked my way up through the traffic and sales departments, where I also helped coordinate concerts and promotional events. After a few years, I transitioned into corporate marketing while launching my own event company. Read more>>
Lori Knowles
I am from Franklin, TN. I moved to NYC to pursue theater and broadway. While I was in NYC I met my ex-husband. We traveled the world for two years. I was blind-slided by divorce and needed a place to heal so I relocated back to Nashville to be near my family. I have always had angelic guidance, and intuitive/psychic gifts. Read more>>
Sue Mohr
Over the years, I’ve found that creatives and entrepreneurs have a hard time sorting through barriers in both their life and business. So, through life and business coaching, I help them create customized plans so they can do what they love to do the most, create! How did this all start? With my daughters. Three little girls, who had big talent. Read more>>
Drew Middleton
Thanks so much for having me! I guess to start out, I have a bachelors degree in music from Palm Beach Atlantic University. I moved to Nashville in 2010 for a full time position doing music at a church. Nashville Music Factory initially started under the name Nashville Demo Factory in 2015. The idea was to provide music production mostly for songwriters and lyricists. Read more>>
Melissa Rhodes
My journey formally into aesthetics started over 20 years ago when I opened Ona with the original goal of helping people feel confident in their skin. This desire came from growing up with a birth mark on my lower lip and chin and being so self conscious all my teenage years. Read more>>
Giselle Newman
My Dad was an engineer and my Mother was an artist. The creative side won out as I went to school for interior design but then my dad was the one that spired me to go further into architectural with grad school. I have been in the field of architecture and interior design for over 35 years now, I love making money at my hobby. Read more>>
Gregory Martin
I started out in corporate accounting with a Fortune 500 company, and that’s how I got my start in the accounting world. I have gratitude for the experience I earned, but the experience itself was also extremely draining. Read more>>
Gonstead Chiropractic of Nashville
Dr. Katherine and Dr. Ian first crossed paths at Logan College of Chiropractic, where they quickly discovered a shared passion for the Gonstead Method of Chiropractic Care. Drawn to its precision, intentionality, and patient-centered approach, they were inspired to bring this specialized technique to their community. Read more>>
Heather Holmes
Heather Holmes is the Founder and CEO of Publicity For Good, a public relations agency specializing in purpose-driven consumer brands. With over a decade of experience in PR, media, and communications, she has led campaigns for more than 200 brands across the food, wellness, lifestyle, and CPG space. Read more>>
Dalton Ponchillia
I’ve always had a knack for numbers and finance. My dad was in the mortgage industry years ago and planted a small seed that grew into a passion of my own. I’ve always loved real estate and the idea of building something from the ground up, so getting in the mortgage industry where I could start my own business felt like the perfect path. Read more>>
Sylvanye Roh
My creative journey started long before I realized it would become a business. I’ve always been fascinated by how things are made from sewing and creating polymer clay characters in my younger years to experimenting with new materials and equipment later in life. What began as a hobby gradually turned into a passion for creating and teaching. Read more>>
Laura Gossett
I got started by accident. I loved to cook and had entertained a lot. I worked in the restaurant industry for twenty years so understand the business side of running a food business, but God gave me the talent of being a great cook. Read more>>
Joshua Hawks
My Father, Sid Hawks came to our current property in 1984 seeking to have a place for his current business to park its trucks and build a warehouse for his metal building manufacturing. Dad had designed and built multiple mini-storage facilities and decided to use some of our land to start one here in Mt. Juliet, TN. Read more>>
Amy Chen
I worked in the corporate sector for over 25 years. Recently I worked for Caterpillar Inc and then Cat Financial. After a personal tragedy, house fire, I looked at priorities and decided that I wanted to be home more with my family. I left Caterpillar after 16 years and headed into the travel industry. Read more>>
Trevor Walton
I moved to Nashville to teach for a program called Teach For America. It is Americorps organization that trains leaders coming out of college to teach in underpriveleged neighborhoods around the US. I taught for 2 years at Pearl Cohn High school where I ran up against a lot of obstacles getting in the way of effective education. Read more>>
Melanie Forbes
Twisted Dough Bakery was started by my daughter, Brooke, her senior year in high school. She began baking and selling her scratch-made cakes, cupcakes, cookies, cinnamon rolls, and breads out of our home. Soon enough, she was receiving so many orders that I ended up stepping in to help. One year later in November of 2022, we opened our storefront. Read more>>
Chef Batts
Chef Keith “Batts” is a culinary innovator, blending passion, precision, and an undeniable flair for reinvention. In 2011, he launched Chef Batts, LLC, crafting a unique catering style that turned everyday meals into haute cuisine. His expertise expanded into personal and travel chef services for NBA and NFL athletes, along with captivating cooking demos that introduced audiences to refined techniques and elevated flavors. Read more>>
Val Hudson
I started out working in corporate roles, first in sales and customer service, then leading a trust & safety team in a startup environment, so I had years of experience managing people, processes, and sometimes difficult service challenges. When I got pregnant with my first, twin boys, in 2020, I began diving deep into baby-sleep research, driven by the practical need in our own home. Read more>>
colleen barton
I’ve been involved in so many businesses along the way–out of college I was in medical sales; while raising children I operated a jewelry vendor business–putting booths in festivals, etc–so I could be my own boss and be home when my children were home. Read more>>
Whitewall Art Company
Shayla and Ben met through tattooing in 2013. Since being together we have tattooed in Texas, Hawaii, Utah, and now Tennessee. We opened the shop in hopes of building a positive space to cultivate a culture of artistic growth. Ben has a military background and enjoys working with military clients stationed at nearby Fort Campbell. Read more>>
Elizabeth Smith
When my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer, I knew I wanted to do something that helped people feel beautiful again. Hair means so much to us — it’s part of our confidence, our identity, and our story. But when you don’t have the choice to keep it, you realize something even more important: hair doesn’t define you — your heart does. Read more>>
Jinnifer Douglass
Photography isn’t just a hobby or a side hustle for me, it’s my life. Based in Brooklyn with 10+ years of professional experience, I love working with individuals, creative teams, small businesses, and global brands to capture clean, confident, story-driven images. Read more>>
Gustavo Moradel
I’m Gustavo Moradel. I was born in Honduras and came to the United States at 12, where I had to adapt to a new language, a new culture, and a new sense of identity. Music became the place where I could process all of that and express who I was becoming. Read more>>
Sarah Sasser
Retreat At The River started as a dream of ours. We had a vision to create a venue in nature where people could gather to celebrate life’s special moments together. After several years of navigating codes, renovating the property, and remodeling an indoor reception space, in 2022, that dream became a reality. Read more>>
Barbara Bullard
My first career was as a high school Art Educator, a calling I thoroughly enjoyed for 26 years. It was gratifying to work with the extremely talented students who came through my classes, but even more satisfying to kindle the spark of creativity in students who did not realize they had the ability to make and appreciate Art. Read more>>
Jimmy Cahill
At the age of 41 and in the interest of health benefits, I was a regular at our local gym. During one session I noticed a flyer promoting a ‘Reality-based Mixed Martial Art Street Fighting System’…color me intrigued! I began my Kenpo journey under Grand Master Brian Oakes and became his first Black Belt in his newly developed system. Read more>>
