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.
Justin Hammond
Since the age of 12, I have enjoyed working with seniors and have been involved one way or another with this population. I pursued my Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Social Work, both with a Certificate in Gerontology. My career path has led me through many roles with in-home care and now move management, all with a common thread of service to people. Read More>>
Montana and Alyssa Stith and Mortimer
I guess we started out like any other small business – with no money and an idea. We have had the idea of starting a mobile dirty soda cart business for a few years now. As sister-in-laws, we felt like our friendship and complementary strengths would help us take a step into the business world. Read More>>
E.T. The Producer
E.T. The Producer, born Elijah Henderson, is a 27 year old, independent music producer born and raised in Nashville, TN. E.T. began music production in 2019, after being introduced to it by close friend and artist, T3mptation. After building his base skill set with T3mptation, though they continue to work together, E.T. Read More>>
Aaron McLaurin
Growing up, I had a passion for both people and sports. In high school, I decided to become a physical education teacher. I started teaching and coaching at Heritage High School in Newport News VA, and then I got the chance to go to grad school at Michigan State. Read More>>
Nahdra Ra Kiros
As a young child, I loved creating and expressing myself thru visual arts. My adopted Mother would work hard to bring home new clothes for me and I would be so excited, as I would see exactly how I was going to take it apart and make it into a piece I would love! Read More>>
Jeannie Caryn of SONIC JOYRIDE
For Sonic Joyride, the music has always been the heart of the journey. Today, that music returns to the stage — with a new lineup that carries the same fire, vision, and unstoppable drive that made the band impossible to ignore in the first place. Read More>>
Tiffany Willett
Hey there! I’m Tiffany – owner, dog lover, self-proclaimed fabric hoarder, and your go-to graphic designer for all things pup gear. Since 2017, I’ve been creating fun, durable, and affordable accessories inspired by my first two Cavaliers, Remi + Lola. Read More>>
Karissa Ella
I was born and raised in North Canton, Ohio, and grew up doing anything I could to be around music, from dance and gymnastics to choir and school musicals. I started taking voice lessons in fifth grade and quickly fell in love with performing and songwriting. What began as short poems in a journal eventually turned into writing songs. Read More>>
Craig Midgett
My beekeeping journey began shortly after we moved out of the Spring Hill, TN suburbs in 2016 and found a home on 3 acres in northern Maury County. We wanted to experience a little ‘country life’ while keeping our then elementary-aged children close to good schools, special needs services, and their friends. We soon had a nice vegetable garden, chickens, ducks, and a few goats. Read More>>
C.J. Benoit
First of all, I’d like to thank you for taking the time to talk to me. I’ve been practically singing since I was born. However, it was 16 (July 7th, 2007) that I joined my first semi-professional band. Read More>>
Madelynn Kraft
Growing up, I moved frequently due to my father’s military career. Because of the trauma my father, his friends, and their families were experiencing, I was surrounded by mental health struggles, but they were never named or openly discussed. I witnessed pain without having the language to understand it. Fast forward to college, when I took my first psychology class. My world changed. Read More>>
Tammy Lynn-King
LuLu’s Catering and Events started out as a brick and mortar restaurant; LuLu’s Roadhouse. After a few years of 90 hour work weeks, no vacation, always staffing shortages, small town politics I was exhausted and made the hard decision to close the doors. Read More>>
Nadia Nephthys Velev
My story is both simple and complicated at the same time. Like many artists, I have faced numerous challenges in order to continue pursuing my dreams. I started drawing and painting at a very young age. Read More>>
Chelsey Fischer
My story began as a child actually, I was always so inspired by pregnancy, birth and motherhood. When I was around 4 years old I used to pretend I was a mom and put a balloon in my belly. Read More>>
Jordan A Johnson
I am originally from Indianapolis, IN area and I was always into something physically creative. Rather that be hip hop or African dance, tap dance, basketball, event planning, music, etc. Read More>>
Bradley Collins
I was born and raised in Nashville and grew up around the music industry, particularly around songwriters and musicians. In fifth grade, I began playing drums before moving to guitar in high school. I was the music kid in school, but I put those aspirations away when I went to college. Read More>>
Dr, Laura Brady
After 20 years in Public Education, I jumped into creating my own business where I was able to grow children and educators to love growing the minds of children like I do. I worked to create an atmosphere of acceptance and safety being the main focus of my center. I worked tirelessly to create a team that balances the day-to-day routines. Read More>>
Dawn Watson
I started Dawn’z Dirt B Gone with less than $100, a few basic cleaning supplies from the dollar store, and a determination to create something better for my family and my future. In the beginning, I was simply focused on doing good work, treating people well, and earning trust one home at a time. Read More>>
Maćeo Ali
My journey began at Glencliff High School, where I graduated after completing the business pathway. During my time there, I developed a strong passion for entrepreneurship and knew that I wanted to pursue a career that combined leadership, creativity, and business. While in high school, I also began managing local artists and learning the music industry firsthand. Read More>>
Kim Dunaway
My parents started the business in 1989. My mother was nurse growing disenchanted with standard medicine and my dad was getting burned out of his professor job at university. They were looking to start a health food store and ending up buying one for sale. The business wasn’t doing well and they were unable to obtain a loan to revitalize it. Read More>>
Kayla Wass
I have been singing basically since I could talk. As a kid I would sing nonsense songs on diving boards and makeup songs about ‘goin to grandmas house’. At 9 my grandparents bought me my first guitar and I learned the basics for a little while. That love fizzled out after a little while, but my love of singing never stopped. Read More>>
Chadwick Fortenberry
I did not take the traditional path to where I am today. But looking back I am not sure there was a traditional path that could have gotten me here. I grew up in Mississippi with a hunger to create things. I started college thinking I wanted to be a chef. Culinary arts, food photography, the whole thing. Read More>>
Scotty Mac
I got my first guitar from my parents when I was 13 years old. Growing up, my musical influences came from what my parents played in the car. Read More>>
Andrea Harbison
I started my career in the beauty industry with a passion for helping people feel confident and creating a space where artistry, education, and client experience all came together. In 2011, I opened my first small studio salon, and from the beginning I focused heavily on advanced color work, blonding, and hair extensions. Read More>>
Whitney Doucet
My story started as a little girl on Christmas Morning in 1997 when I opened a Christmas gift that had a Leann Rimes’s single ‘How do I live’ in it. I look back at the video footage of the moment and see my attention to all the Christmas morning chaos completely dissipate around me as I stare at the cassette tape in awe. Read More>>
Kevin Corn
From my Nashville studio, I design homes that are as personal as they are polished. A simple belief guides my work—a return to gracious living—where practicality blends with memory, comfort meets beauty, and everyday rituals coexist with the quiet luxury of being truly at home. Read More>>
Preston D Barnes
I first started at 15yrs old when I was gifted a keyboard for Xmas off my parents. I took to it like duck to water and never looked back. I briefly went to music college but very quickly decided to join the British Army where I stayed for 22 years. Read More>>
Cat Castro
Looking back, I don’t think I found photography. I think photography found me at a time when I desperately needed a language for emotions I didn’t know how to express. For much of my life, vulnerability felt foreign to me. I learned to keep my feelings tucked away, convincing myself that strength meant staying composed. Read More>>
Lance Curtis
LAN LAW is more than a country music duo to me—it’s the story my brother and I, a family built on faith, and a dream that never gave up. Read More>>
Daysha Ifrine
I graduated from Empire Beauty School in 2019 and began my career working for a hair loss company immediately after graduation. While that experience gave me valuable knowledge about scalp and hair health, everything changed when the COVID-19 pandemic began. During that time, I started my husband’s loc journey and quickly became passionate about learning everything I could about locs and natural hair care. Read More>>
Hannah Sun
I’ve had a passion for drawing for as long as I can remember. Like a lot of kids my age, I spent countless hours watching anime, sketching characters, and wondering how I could create them myself. Read More>>
Shana Berkeley
Corner to Corner started as a front porch dream twenty years ago. Will and Tiffany Acuff, our co-founders, moved into an East Nashville neighborhood and began exploring what it looked like to love their neighbors as themselves. As they built authentic relationships with neighbors, they discovered that their neighbors were hardworking people with a desire to care for their families despite the challenges they faced. Read More>>
Kari Zwickel
I’ve been an aesthetician for about 27 years, although my career has evolved alongside raising my three children. I was originally trained in a very holistic approach to skincare, working both in a dermatology practice that focused on more clinical and corrective care, as well as at a beautiful spa in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Read More>>
Kelly Seidel
I grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina, and attended Appalachian State University in Boone. After college, I moved to Nashville 11 years ago with the dream of being an artist. At the time, I had no idea that writing songs professionally for other artists was even a career path. Read More>>
Jaclyn Kenyon
Jaclyn Kenyon is a powerhouse Canadian rock artist defined by a commanding vocal presence and unflinching emotional honesty. A Burlington native, Kenyon made history at age 12 as the youngest performer at Toronto’s Honey Jamshowcase. Since then, she has spent years refining her sound between Nashville and L.A., collaborating with members of legendary bands like Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, and The Eagles. Read More>>
Abby Holman
We brought Red Light Method to Middle Tennessee in 2025 with the goal of having accessible red light therapy and vibration plates to this community. Read More>>
Jazsmyne Betts
I first got into photography in 2017. Not knowing much about photography at the time other than the fact that I wanted to pursue it, but I knew I wanted to do more that just capture a moment. I wanted to preserve memories; something that people could hold on to for forever that would bring them joy. Read More>>
Mark Savedes
Grew up with a heart for serving those in need . Read More>>
Jon Worthy
I fell in love with performing my senior year of college. I decided to move to Nashville after graduating with my college bandmate. We started a band in Nashville that lasted about 5 years. During that time I also started my own project Jon Worthy. I started playing more and more shows as Jon Worthy and recording and releasing music. Read More>>
Oliver Pigott
I was born in Toronto, but I grew up in Portugal. My dad, Jacques, was a philosophy professor and hobby musician, and when he passed away I was nine years old. My mom moved us to Portugal, and I didn’t have much left of him — a few photos, his harmonicas, and his vinyl blues collection. Read More>>
tanaeya taylor
I started my career with a plan to be a songwriter. To be behind songs that I love – and help artists tell their stories. After starting to play writers rounds in Nashville, I noticed that the most common comment I got from the audience, was ‘you should be an artist, not just a writer.’ So I decided…why not try? Read more>>
Latonja Welch Smith
Be Jeweled Boutique was created during my empty nest season when I decided to turn my love for fashion into a business. I started with my own savings, purchasing inventory little by little and focusing on offering quality, affordable accessories and apparel for women. Read more>>
