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.
Kari Crispo
Crisp Events & Design really grew out of my love for bringing all the little details of an event together. I’ve always been drawn to the creative side of weddings—the design, the atmosphere, and those thoughtful touches that make a celebration feel personal—but I also genuinely love the organization and behind-the-scenes work it takes to make everything come together seamlessly. Read more>>
ChyAnn Ketchum
Having worked at Disney for a couple of years and being the go-to Disney adult for friends and family, I wanted to learn more about how I could do more with Disney and other travel destinations. I talked to my own travel advisor and found out that her agency was adding new advisors. Read more>>
Tatyanna Navarro
I always been into creative and artistic things, I use to draw a lot as a kid. Which developed into makeup here and there to full-blown make up looks. I create soft glam, full glam, cosplay, spooky honestly you name it I’ve probably done some form of it. Read more>>
Lizbeth Campos huaroco
It hasn’t been a smooth road as we can all know getting into the beauty world can be hard sometimes especially building the clientele and also investing in yourself for your business there’s has been some bumps down the road but thankfully like I mentioned before God always helps if you truly believe in him and praying for the situation you sometimes need to face the difficulties in this world Read more>>
Jasmine Murray
My journey into makeup artistry really started with curiosity and creativity. I’ve always loved experimenting with beauty, fashion, and different forms of self-expression. In 2018, I had the opportunity to do makeup for my first wedding, which opened the door to working with clients for weddings and other special occasions. What started as something I enjoyed creatively gradually became something I wanted to take seriously. Read more>>
Guadalupe Carolina Fonseca Jimenez
I was born in León, Guanajuato, Mexico, and grew up in North Carolina. Looking back, I think I have always been drawn to stories: the ones we inherit, the ones people tell us about who we are supposed to be, and eventually, the ones we choose to write for ourselves. Those are often the most powerful. Read more>>
Thomas Archie
Born and raised in Detroit, MI, Thomas G. Archie brings over 20 years of diverse culinary expertise to your table. His journey began humbly in a fast-food kitchen, where his love for cooking was sparked. Over the years, his skills, responsibilities, and passion flourished, allowing him to master the art of creating memorable dining experiences. Read more>>
Felicia Kelly
My story has had several chapters, but the thread connecting all of them has always been responsibility, reinvention, and learning how to build a life that can actually support the person living it. I started my entrepreneurial journey nearly two decades ago. Read more>>
Juliet Hurley
After being diagnosed with Breast Cancer in late 2017, I refused to take Chemotherapy, radiation or hormone drugs, knowing in my gut that food was the best option to keep Cancer from returning or metastasizing. Several staff at The Duke Cancer Center used scare tactics to try and force me to take Chemotherapy, radiation and hormone drugs. Read more>>
Taylor Oldham
My path into real estate wasn’t the traditional one. Before this, I spent five seasons working for the Carolina Hurricanes, and that experience shaped a lot of how I run my business today: the importance of teamwork, showing up prepared, and building real relationships instead of transactional ones. Read more>>
Sara Delaney
I spent a year living in Rwanda, helping to build a hospitality training program and restaurant that provided employment opportunities for young people orphaned by the genocide. That’s where I discovered the depth and opportunity behind the tea leaf. At first, I turned to tea for my own health. Read more>>
Stephanie Elliott
After many years of working in the food and beverage industry, I had actually stepped away for a while and shifted my focus to estate work. Then Michael and Erin approached me about the idea of opening a cocktail lounge in an adorable 150-year-old cottage that had belonged to Erin’s grandmother. Read more>>
Britney Jacobs
It started with Art. Before anything, I was an artist that lived to create complex workings to unpack difficult emotions. I was inspired by going to an art museum in Norfolk Virginia when I was 16 or 17. There was an artist in his shop room created these 3d sculpted heads and faces. Read more>>
Paris Freeman
It all started with an outspoken little girl who spent countless days watching her mother do hair in the salon. Her jewelry was always glistening, her nails were long, and her freeze curls were perfectly styled. Watching her, I knew I wanted to become that same kind of woman—confident, stylish, and successful. Read more>>
Katherine Martinez Rodriguez Leandro de la Torre Azcuy
Some dreams arrive suddenly, while others quietly stay with us throughout our entire lives. Long before we imagined a brand, a candle collection, or a space devoted to well-being, we both felt a deep connection with the element of fire. To us, fire represents far more than a flame. Read more>>
Faith Mwangi
I am a Kenyan born scientist whose journey in chemistry has been defined by curiosity, persistence and deep love of nature. My passion for chemistry began in high school, where I was captivated by the invisible principles behind chemical reactions and transformations. That early curiosity became a passion for understanding how science explains the world around us. Read more>>
Samantha Castrovinci
Growing up, I gravitated towards art; intrigued by the hidden meanings and messages in the depicted imagery. Public school art programs and art classes at the Durham Arts Center is where a sense of self was found through the tumultuous times of being a teenager. My parents had tattoos. Read more>>
Marcus Harris
I’ve always known I wanted to help people, so I originally planned to become a doctor. I was a Pre-Med/Chemistry major in college and on the path to med school when I started shadowing local doctors, who gave me invaluable insights and advice regarding what to expect from a medical career. Read more>>
Stacy Eleczko
I was in education for 22 years before I pivoted into my business. I started building ‘on the side’ until I was able to be full time in my business. It seems like marketing is an entirely new skill set, but I’ve learned that teaching and marketing are the same. Read more>>
Andrew Wade
I first became interested in nutrition in high school. I was always science-focused, interested in healthcare, and knew I wanted to do something that helped people. At the same time, I was a runner, and I became fascinated with the connection between nutrition and performance, and how what we eat affects how we train, recover, feel, and perform. That interest quickly grew beyond sports. Read more>>
Hayley Pickard
I am a North Carolina and Triangle native having grown up in Hillsborough, NC. I moved out to Raleigh to attend undergrad at NC State, and I have been in Raleigh ever since. I graduated with dual Bachelor of Art degrees in Political Science and Spanish Language and Literature. Read more>>
JC
I started my journey in 2022/2023, focusing more seriously on UGC and posting on TikTok. Honestly, I think I got to where I am now in my career by just having the courage to put myself out there and having a clear ‘why’ behind what I do. Read more>>
Nadine Hydro
I often joke that I had a midlife crisis at the ripe age of 23. Several important parts of my life were falling out of place at the same time. Read more>>
Nikki More
Photography started for me as a way to preserve the people, relationships, and moments that mattered most. Over time, I realized that what I loved most was not simply creating beautiful photographs. It was helping people feel comfortable enough to be themselves, and giving them something that allowed them to see themselves and their lives with a little more appreciation. Read more>>
Kendra Sharpe
I originally went to UNC Charlotte for English Studies before earning my master’s in Media from Elon University. I started my career in fashion media, working on social teams for brands and publications like Wrangler Jeans, Vogue, and Glamour Magazine. Read more>>
Jeff Vojta
In 1994 we started as a 700sf coffee shop located on Six Forks Road. We expanded our Six Forks store to accommodate coffee roasting. As we grew our own retail locations (4 in 1999) and our wholesale roasting business, we had to move our coffee roasting to another location and added a bakery in our Six Forks store to supply our retail stores. Read more>>
Kyha Berry
My journey in the beauty industry started eight years ago, and honestly, it started out of curiosity. My best friend at the time was doing lashes, and I saw the money she was making from it. I remember thinking, “Okay, what is this about?” I had always loved beauty, so I decided to give lashes a try for myself. Read more>>
Yagg NDIAYE
We started in 2012 movies with our products which are hot sauce and some seasoning for meat vegan or seafood , African stores across the country carrying our products and seeing that flying on the Shelf was a huge encouragement. Read more>>
CJ Scarlet
I became a kid safety crusader and advocate in 1990 after entering therapy for my own traumatic past—which involved childhood sexual abuse and a narrow escape from a sex trafficking ring as a teenager. I’d been a forest firefighter and a U.S. Read more>>
Anvika Aella, Purvi Selvaraj, Vidhi Ranapara
Youth Wellness Initiative was founded by Anvika Aella, Purvi Selvaraj, and Vidhi Ranpara after a conversation about healthcare and how we could make a difference in our community. We were each interested in healthcare in different ways, but we wanted to take that interest beyond something we simply learned about in school. We wanted to find a way to turn our interests into action. Read more>>
Megan Metzger
Preferred ChildCare began in 2001 in my college dorm room. I had spent my teenage years caring for dozens of local families, and when I started college, I quickly realized there was no way I could keep up with the demand on my own. So I would run up and down the dorm halls yelling, “Does anyone babysit? Read more>>
Anna Freiberg
We opened 119 On North Boutique in February 2020. The first year came with lots of curveballs but the people showed up and supported us with open arms. At the end of 2020 we realized there was a need for a kids store in Kernersville and we were able to start moving towards opening Oh Baby by 119. Read more>>
Darin Bars
DARIN BARS AKA RYAN B HYEEZE Born and raised in New Haven, Connecticut, Ryan Ballard aka Ryan B. Hyeeze, now known as Darin BARS, is an independent hip-hop artist, songwriter, performer, actor, and entertainer who has spent years turning real-life experiences into music. Before becoming Darin BARS, Ryan B. Hyeeze built his identity through storytelling, wordplay, poetry, acting, and live performance. Read more>>
Dolev Zaharony
When we relocated to Raleigh 8 years ago, we moved into an empty house, as all of our furniture was still on the truck traveling across the country. We ended up renting some basic furniture until all of our staff arrived about a week later. It was not a fun experience. Read more>>
A.j. Foust
I run a creative fashion business. My journey in modeling started over 20 years ago. It began as a hobby that gave me beautiful pictures and a boost in self-confidence. This was therapy for me. A way of escape. That all changed when I encountered several key people who helped change the trajectory of my career. Read more>>
Nadia Ibarrola
I feel like I should start a bit further back for some context. I graduated from an art college with a B.F.A in photography, but I never did anything with it professionally. After I finished school, I moved back home to South Florida, and started working for Lululemon. Read more>>
Maryna Biarnatskaya
Art has been a passion of mine for as long as I can remember. I started drawing when I was around seven years old, and that love for creativity stayed with me throughout my life. I graduated from art school in 2004, and art has continued to be an important part of who I am. Read more>>
Mizzy Watson
I’ve done music my entire life. It’s something that’s just apart of me, but most recently I’ve giving my life back to Christ, and that put me on a new path way. I’m a dj for a hiphop ministry called gospel explosion Nc, and now own a faith based recording studio. Read more>>
freedom clay
Thank you “Voyage” for extending the opportunity for me to share again. I must say I was hesitant to accept the offer because I’ve been graciously featured several times with your publication. Upon further reflection, I decided to embrace this moment and share accordingly. I’ve been creating relatively consistently as a visual and poetic creative for almost 15 years now. Read more>>
Tracy Weinzapfel
I started my art studio after my children were born as a way to pursue my passion and share my love of art with others. It was a slow and very organic beginning. Creativity became my escape—a place where I could recharge, express myself, and hold onto an important part of who I was while raising a family. Read more>>
Khalil (BiL) McGruder
I began photography with the Camera phone. Falling in love with taking macro photos and scenic views with my iPhone 5 at the time helped me discover my “Eye”. And in 2019, I was gifted a Canon 40 D with the kit lens that was 18-55mm. That was my bread and butter until I invested in a Canon 5D Mark, IV. Read more>>
Renee Bullock
My interest in photography really began about 12 years ago when I bought my first DSLR camera. At the time, I simply wanted to take better photographs of some of the DIY projects we were working on around our home. In 2017, my husband and I purchased a historic home that needed quite a bit of work. Read more>>
Lope Max Diaz
I was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico in 1943. When I was 2 years old my parents and my 1 year old sister moved to New York City, where I eventually did my elementary school and began my middle school. Read more>>
Brianna Barrett
I’m a mom to a college kid (yikes!) and married to my best friend. I grew up in a close-knit community, and my family is a big part of my life. I’m a woman on a mission to share the Gospel with others facing chronic illness and build God’s kingdom. Read more>>
Kia McNair
Hello my name is Rickia McNair but everyone calls me Kia . I have been in the lash industry for almost 6 years in November. Read more>>
Keaton Brown
My journey with music started when I was in high school, making music in my home studio, East End Studio, with my brother Brad. That’s where I really fell in love with the process of creating music, experimenting with different sounds, and turning real-life experiences into songs. Read more>>
Tacara Cannady
My story with Top Tier Construction of Raleigh, LLC is really a story of taking a vision and turning it into something tangible. I’ve always had a natural connection to real estate, design, and the built environment. Read more>>
