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.
Keyah Greer
I always knew I had an interest in nail polish. I’ve been painting my nails for as long as I can recall. Growing up, I began collecting a few bottles here and there, and before I knew it, my modest stash had grown into crates of polish! Read more>>
Morgan Grimm
Welcome Tattoo started with a simple idea: a tattoo shop could be more than a place to get tattooed. Read more>>
Alex Greijn
I started Stank Weasel as an upcycled creations company in college with two friends. We made functional, wearable art out of recycled upholstery fabric, making one of a kind pieces. After college, we parted ways as a business and stayed friends. Read more>>
Kathleen Sears
My name is Kathleen, and I am originally from New York. I graduated from St. Lawrence University in 2016 with a B.S in Geology, expecting to build a career in science. After working as an environmental consultant, I realized what I enjoyed most wasn’t the technical work, it was connecting with people and building relationships. Read more>>
Jen Barnard
Joint Venture Jewelry was founded by my parents, Donna and Lee Hankin, in Cary, North Carolina, in 1998. Nearly 30 years later, we’re still a family-owned business—but we’ve always done things a little differently. Read more>>
Brittnee Harris
My journey into credit repair began out of necessity, not because I planned to start a business. Around 2019, I was trying to purchase my first home in North Carolina, but I kept getting denied. At the time, I didn’t truly understand credit or how much it impacted major life decisions. Read more>>
Kelly Aguirrechu
My family moved to Apex in the fall of 2019, and although eager to get to know the area, we didn’t have much time before the pandemic hit. Once everyone was home, people started turning inwards to their spaces to see how they could live and work peacefully, yet many were hitting frustrating road blocks. Read more>>
Quincy Jones
My name is Quincy Jones, better known as Chef Q. My journey started by working in local restaurants, hotels, and country clubs throughout the area, where I learned every position in the kitchen from prep cook and dishwasher to line cook, sous chef, and beyond. Those experiences gave me the foundation and work ethic that shaped who I am today. Read more>>
Riley Woodell
My story has really been about following curiosity and being willing to step into unfamiliar spaces. I didn’t grow up surrounded by fashion or have a traditional path into the industry. Instead, I spent years exploring different interests, building my own sense of identity, and slowly realizing that creativity and self-expression were always things I was drawn to. Read more>>
Lisa Strawley
Buen Provecho started long before I ever baked my first sourdough loaf. I grew up in a Dominican family where the kitchen was the heart of our home. My mom baked, meals were made from scratch, and people gathered around the table. Food wasn’t rushed—it was an invitation to slow down, share stories, laugh, and simply enjoy being together. Read more>>
Kim Weaver
People sometimes think I just decided one day to get into real estate, but my path has been anything but traditional. I left a successful corporate career to pursue real estate, but about six months later my former company came back with an opportunity that seemed too good to pass up. I returned, only to realize the reasons I had left hadn’t changed. Read more>>
Nicole Roberts
I’ve been in the beauty industry for over 15 years, but my interest in wellness started long before I opened Aloe Co. I’ve always been interested in the healing properties of plants and the connection between what we put in and on our bodies. Becoming a mom deepened that curiosity and inspired me to learn more about nutrition, ingredient labels, and living more intentionally. Read more>>
Debbie Reitmeyer
Gremlina began in 2007 as a concept for selling vintage items on Instagram and FaceBook Marketplace. I’ve always loved the concept, and the time seemed right to give it a whirl. At first, I just sold things from my garage at home in Holly Springs. I also began working with my daughters, Ivy and Lacey, to display and sell at pop-up street fairs and art. Read more>>
Sharmaine Croutch
If I’m honest, my story is really about learning to trust God even when I could not see the whole picture. Life has stretched me in ways I never expected. I have experienced loss, financial setbacks, becoming a single mom, starting over, and moments where fear tried to convince me to play small. Read more>>
Women Behind the Decks: Charlotte’s Female DJs Are Changing the Sound By SkinnyJay & Friends
SkinnyJay & Friends was founded in Los Angeles, now relocated as a Charlotte-based creative platform and event series founded by Javarian ‘SkinnyJay’ Holley through his company,Its mission is to connect and elevate local creatives by bringing together music, visual art, fashion, photography, and entrepreneurship under one roof. My commitment to community also extends to mentorship and creative support. Read more>>
Autumn Nicholas
I have been playing guitar since the age of 12, and got started playing local venues in my home state of North Carolina, before I moved to Nashville in 2021. My work explores vulnerability, resilience, love, and healing. Grounded in a belief that music can be a form of care and connection, I create performances that invite presence, reflection, and shared humanity. Read more>>
Rijhanique Brown
I’ve been in the clinical research space now for 5 years. I originally began my career in the pharmaceutical industry. I worked in that industry for 8 years. I had no idea what clinical trials was or how to transition into the space. I came across Black Women in Clinical Research on LinkedIn and took a chance and reached out. Read more>>
Olivia Scott
Beyond the veneer of Promotional Partners Inc, lies a love story. Almost twenty years ago, I became an entrepreneur for love. It was my husband’s dream to start and grow a business. I supported his dream; with a few caveats. Allow me to use my skillsets as a connector, educator, artist and innovator, creatively and untethered. Read more>>
Andre Belton
I started painting about 14 years ago because I had a student who was enduring the same discouragement I faced when I was a kid. This young man told me that he had a teacher that told him people of color cannot create fine art, and he really wanted to. Read more>>
Soo Young Kim
I came to the United States from South Korea in 2006 with a passion for sharing the values and traditions of Taekwondo. Over the years, I had the opportunity to teach students in both Raleigh, North Carolina, and Las Vegas, Nevada, gaining valuable experience working with people of all ages and backgrounds. Read more>>
Louis Deveseleer
I’m originally from Belgium, where I studied mechanical engineering. On paper things looked fine, but in my early twenties I was pretty lost and unhappy, without much to look forward to. What turned it around was a simple bicycle. During an exchange year in Munich, I started riding longer and longer trips, and for the first time in ages I felt genuinely good. Read more>>
Derrin Gleaton
My journey started with a simple desire to make a difference in the lives of children. I’ve always believed that books have the power to inspire, build confidence, and change lives, so I decided to create stories that teach positive life lessons in a fun and memorable way. What began as an idea has grown into a mission. Read more>>
Amy Carter
Like many moms, I simply wanted to capture my children as they grew up. I bought my first DSLR camera in 2010, and before long I was completely obsessed with documenting every little milestone and everyday moment. At the time, I was teaching high school science, so photography began as a creative outlet. Read more>>
Khyriel Palmer
My father was a reggae artist and painter who painted murals in Jamaica, and my mother was an aspiring musician too, so I grew up around creativity. As a kid in South Carolina, I was always secretly writing music, poems, and drawing. Read more>>
Melissa Maygrove
Thank you for inviting me to tell my story. I’ve always enjoyed doing creative things. My mother still tells tales about me hiding out in my room with a spiral notebook, writing short stories as a kid. But young me never thought I’d become an author. In 2010, I was working part-time as a nurse and homeschooling one of my kids. Read more>>
Danyel Joseph
I was born and raised on the beautiful island of St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands, where my roots continue to shape who I am today. Growing up in a close-knit Caribbean community taught me the value of culture, resilience, and service. While my island gave me an incredible foundation, I also witnessed the educational inequities and limited opportunities that many children face. Read more>>
Mercedes Warburton
I started this business during my own spiritual journey. At the time, I was looking for crystals I could wear on my body as intentional reminders—something that would help keep me aligned with the direction I wanted my healing and spiritual path to move in. Read more>>
