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.
Andrea DeWinter
Our journey to Tennessee began under unexpected circumstances. In May 2021, just one week after I graduated as a Nurse Practitioner, my husband Mike suffered a spinal cord injury on a job site. At that moment, I postponed starting my NP career and worked nights as an RN in the CVICU, dedicating my days to helping Mike with his rehabilitation. Read more>>
Andrea Pryor
My journey started in women’s health over two decades ago. I began as a nurse and eventually became a board-certified Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner. For more than 20 years, I’ve had the honor of caring for women through every stage of life—helping them feel empowered, informed, and confident in their own skin. That same passion for helping women feel their best led me to aesthetics. Read more>>
Samantha van de Kamp
I actually started my career in traditional media — magazines and newspapers. I have a degree in Mass Communication and Media Studies, and in those early years I was writing, coordinating features, and helping move publications online back when YouTube was one of the few real digital tools available. Then came Facebook for Business, Instagram, LinkedIn… and everything shifted. Read more>>
Michael Cantrell
I grew up in foster care, and that experience has shaped so much of who I am. It wasn’t an easy road — there were times I felt lost, alone, and unsure where I fit in. But those experiences also taught me strength, compassion, and how deeply people need support and understanding. Read more>>
JAKE TAYLOR
I didn’t grow up with a roadmap for life. A lot of my journey came from navigating trauma, broken cycles, and seasons where I felt completely alone. But those same hardships became the ground God used to raise me. Long before I understood it, He was preparing me through every setback, every closed door, and every moment where faith was my only option. Read more>>
Emily Casey
I’ve always been creative, but for most of my life, that came through music and theatre. I played the flute, performed on stage, and loved anything artistic. For years, my drawing was limited to pencil sketches. I didn’t actually start painting until 2022, when I took a “paint your pet” class just for fun. I fell in love with it immediately and haven’t stopped since. Read more>>
Derek Mayfield
I didn’t grow up easy. i grew up around chaos, pain, addiction, and survival. trouble wasn’t something i ran from — I ran with it. by the time most kids were worried about report cards, I was already in and out of juvie, learning life the hard way. when i was a kid, the system didn’t know what to do with me. Read more>>
Jesseca Toovey
I had the pleasure of growing up in church where I learned to worship! From the time I was little I had a yearning and desire to worship. I love that God places gifts on the inside and then develops them as we grow. He places people around us to nurture those gifts and help bring them to light. Read more>>
Kelsey Knott
I’ve always had a creative side, but for years I followed the traditional path and built my career in corporate America. It was stable and comfortable, but I was missing that spark of passion and purpose that excited me. Four years ago, I took a leap of faith to leave the corporate world behind and start my own small business, The Spark Collection. Read more>>
Desiree Washington
The idea for Designs By Des (Interiors became ‘Interiors’ years later) came about when I realized how many fellow mom friends were struggling with home care and life balance. Read more>>
Cody Weaver
I’ve been around music most of my life, I grew up on bluegrass, gospel, southern rock and country, and I’ve always had a guitar close by. I played in several church and local bars long before I ever thought of music as a “career.” Life took me in a few directions for a while, but music never really left the picture. Read more>>
Candice Williams
My journey has been one of faith, resilience, and purpose. I’ve always had a heart for hospitality — it’s in my DNA. I grew up watching my grandmother, Mama Kat, who was an incredible cook, serve her family and community with love. Her kitchen was always open, the food always plentiful, and the laughter never-ending. Read more>>
Ryan Austin Hagood
I took an internship at a local design firm when I was 22 years old and trained in a small boutique design and architecture firm for six years before going on my own in 2008 amid the recession. Taking any job I could get, from drapery or just wallpaper to designing a single room when I got lucky. Read more>>
Andréa Howard
My journey with New Boots Line Dancing began in such an unexpected and meaningful way. Toward the end of my time as an NFL cheerleader in 2019, I was searching for a way to keep dancing—something fun, challenging, and creatively fulfilling that could also fit alongside my pursuits in acting and modeling. That’s when I met my now business partner, Jessica Grosch. Read more>>
Ashley Cline
My passion for helping others started long before real estate — even as a kid, I was the one volunteering and looking for ways to make a difference. I joined the U.S. Army at 17, which taught me discipline, leadership, and resilience — lessons that still guide me today. Read more>>
Allison Manning-Carroll
As a kid, I always knew that I wanted to be a lawyer. My aunt was a longtime public defender in Nashville, I always thought I would follow her steps and become a criminal trial attorney. But when I graduated from law school and began to practice law, I became interested in other practice areas. Read more>>
Payso Best Ever
I am originally from Erie Pennsylvania I am a music artist and also a self made buisness man I specialize in surviving off my own God giving talent basically how I got here is by not giving up and keeping my dream alive through very intensive discipline Read more>>
Randy L Purcell
I actually came to art a little later in life. I was 37 when I decided to go back to school and earn my BFA from Middle Tennessee State University. That experience completely changed the direction of my life. It gave me the foundation I needed to pursue something I’d always been passionate about but hadn’t fully explored. Read more>>
Joe Messina
Second String Leather Company is a Grand Rapids, Michigan based company that repurposes used sports equipment into handcrafted leather goods like wallets, keychains, watch bands and bathroom bags. Founded by Joe Messina and Zac Smith, the company gives a ‘second life’ to retired gear, creating unique, one of a kind products that carry the story and memories of the game. Read more>>
Nazim Rashid
My parents bought a toy saxophone for me when I was 10 & it was love at the first note. I played that sax all the time even taking it to bed & playing it first thing in the morning. Seeing my enthusiasm for that toy sax prompted my father to buy a real saxophone and have my mother take me to saxophone lessons. Read more>>
Andrea Calamusa
In 2023, after retiring from the corporate world, I opened a home micro-bakery and started baking muffins, cookies and cinnamon rolls. I went to markets, sold to local retailers and sold my baked goods online. Read more>>
Billy Gemmill
I’ve always been fascinated by what happens behind the scenes — the moving parts, the people, and the creative energy that make live experiences come alive. Read more>>
Chelsea McKinney
I began my career in video journalism and really enjoyed giving others a platform to share their story. In that role, you are required to do it all, from conceptualizing the story all the way to promoting it on social media. Over time, I started to no longer align with that industry and found that my skills were transferable to marketing. Read more>>
Makena Delaney
I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit. I was the kid with summer businesses at age seven, “hiring” my friends as employees and dreaming up new ideas before I even knew what the word entrepreneur meant. Read more>>
Shasta Smith
I come from humble beginnings, I was a teen mom and high school dropout who just wanted to create a better life. What began as a hustle turned into a mission. I built my first business, FYAB, out of my granny’s dinning room and used every sale to pour back into the community feeding families, sponsoring youth, and helping people get through tough seasons. Read more>>
Yecelis & Zenia Parra & Galvis
My Story — How The Pedicure Palace Was Born I’m originally from another country, where I studied and worked as a nail technician. But I had to stop because, in my home country, being a manicurist was looked down upon. People didn’t value those who worked in the beauty industry. Read more>>
Michael Blair
Gold Travel Group began with a simple passion for travel. What started as a small hobby of travel enthusiasts helping friends and family plan getaways quickly grew into a full-service travel advisory group with a reputation for personalized, concierge-style planning. We even delve into the realm of timeshare. Read more>>
Averianna Patton
Averianna The Personality — The Voice of Cashville Born and bred in the heart of Nashville, Tennessee, Paige’s story started with rhythm in her feet and dreams on stage. Gifted in tap, ballet, jazz, and hip-hop, she once envisioned herself lighting up Broadway. But when college came calling, her spotlight shifted from center stage to the newsroom. Read more>>
Falon Veit
I started working in events when I was 17 years old, long before I ever thought it could be a career. I found myself drawn to the energy and precision that comes with orchestrating moments that bring people together. Over time, that love for creating meaningful experiences became something bigger, a calling. Read more>>
JC SHEGOG
After 15 years of distinguished military and government service — including combat operations and special operations instruction — followed by 17 years in law enforcement across patrol, SWAT, and training divisions, I began to notice something that deeply concerned me. Read more>>
Ben Crosson
I want to tell you why we made this sweatshirt and what it means for you to wear it 
About a year ago, our business partner, Chelsea, was diagnosed with cancer. She had a thriving business, a wonderful family, and a lot of momentum. Read more>>
Dr. Robert O’Keefe Hassell
A Testament of Faith: From Housing Projects to Higher Purpose An Inspiring Narrative of Resilience, Transformation, and Unwavering Hope My story is truly one of faith, resilience, and the transformative power – both personal and in the lives I’ve been blessed to touch. I was born in Lebanon, Tennessee, which, back then, was truly a small town, very different from what it is today. Read more>>
Kristen Maxwell
Sit Still is more than a salon, it’s a vibe. When I first heard about it, I had one thought: Nashville needs this. I’m a mom. I’m a multi-tasker. And like so many parents here, I wanted a place where my kids could get an exceptional haircut and actually enjoy it without turning it into a full-on production. Read more>>
Kyle Gordon
I always loved art growing up, and I have wanted to be an artist ever since I can remember, but I never really found my niche or a particular art form I excelled at… I was just a little good at them all. Around 2010, I somehow talked a church into hiring me as their creative artist… Read more>>
