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.
Lesley Jenks
I started riding horses at 13. What started as a hobby became all consuming, and I ended up starting my own business Finally Farm LLC in 2007 after leaving Corporate America when I had my daughter Finley. Read more>>
Ann Campanella
I was born into a family of word lovers, and I’ve been a reader and a writer for most of my life. In college, I took my first Creative Writing course and quickly declared: “I want to be a poet!” But it wasn’t long before I learned that while poetry fed my soul, it could not pay the bills. Read more>>
Danielle Saintard Valiente
I grew up in central Massachusetts, where there were two temperatures: hot and frostbite. I also grew up in two completely different environments: inside of the house and outside of the house. There were two versions of Danielle. Read more>>
David Perez
I started acting ten years ago. About halfway through, I fell in love with filmmaking as well. As the years have gone by, I’ve been blessed to be apart of so many opportunities, not only to grow as an individual but also, being able to help and watch others grow and reach their goals. Read more>>
Charmaine Johnson
My path into photography and visual art wasn’t really a straight line. I’ve always been drawn to observing people and the world around me, but I didn’t immediately see photography as something I could seriously pursue. Read more>>
Priesha Jhala
When I was in elementary school, I came across Mark Crilley’s Mastering Manga – a how-to book for beginners interested in the popular Japanese art form. I begged my parents to get the book. I couldn’t take my eyes off Crilley’s fun, expressive illustrations that told stories without words. Read more>>
Angie Thomas
My name is Angie Thomas. I have been a cosmetologist for over 30 years; I hold an associate’s degree in the applied science of cosmetology as well as a licensed master instructor. Read more>>
Jeremy Gillem
My name is Jeremy Gillem. I’ve been with i9 Sports for almost 19 years (August 2008). I began as a referee for flag football and for about a year, officiated flag football, basketball, and soccer. After a year of getting to know the business I began managing our most prominent sites and helped on the backend with marketing and season preparations. Read more>>
Miriam Mowery
My introduction to the service industry was in 1983 when I was 15 years old and took on my first job as a waitress in a pizza joint located in my hometown. Read more>>
Kimberly Parrott
When Kimberly Parrott moved out on her own into her first apartment, buying brand-new décor wasn’t an option. She turned to yard sales and quickly discovered that beautiful, meaningful spaces don’t require a big budget — they require vision. Read more>>
Amber Fulton
My path to this work was anything but linear, which looking back, was exactly the point. I started out interested in early childhood development, then communications, then landed on psychology. Not because I had a clear career goal, but because I was genuinely fascinated by people and human behavior. The moment that shifted everything was almost accidental. Read more>>
Taylor VanAernem
I started cosmetology school, in high school. We had a trade school program called BOCES in upstate NY. I went my junior and senior year. After I graduated I moved to Virginia and worked in a salon for 5 years, while in that salon I was able to go to NYC and do hair for NYFW for a couple years. Read more>>
Dr. Cierra Listermann
I didn’t always practice the way I do now. Early in my career, I followed a pretty traditional path of working in clinical settings, seeing clients weekly, doing what most psychologists are trained to do. But, I felt that something was missing and quickly noticed a pattern. Read more>>
Cameron Zamot
I’m a military brat and spent my younger years moving all around the world, a new place every few years. After graduating high school in 2015, I attended the University of Maine, the United States Naval Academy, and finally the University of Florida before graduating with my mechanical engineering degree in 2021, around the time I re-discovered bikes as an adult. Read more>>
Londeria Taylor
My journey honestly didn’t start as a “business”—it started as me trying to heal and make sense of my own life. I’ve been in education for over 20 years, serving as a teacher, instructional coach, and principal. On paper, I had accomplished a lot. But personally, I went through a divorce that really shifted everything for me. Read more>>
River Monae Cameron
My journey into burlesque began with a foundation in the disciplined world of ballet and pointe! The precision and slow, intentional movement I learned there set the stage for my later explorations into the freedom of jazz and the expressive depths of modern improvisation. However, my path took an unexpected turn when surgery forced me to stop dancing between the ages of 14 and 18. Read more>>
Michelle Janson Foltz
I didn’t start in design. I was actually on a science track and pretty close to graduating before I realized it wasn’t the right fit and switched directions. That part of my background has stayed with me, though. I still tend to think in terms of structure and how things work, even in creative projects. Read more>>
Annette Pearson
I am a retired paralegal. During the pandemic I began a blog. A friend encouraged me to turn the blog into a book. My first book was Going Deeper in God’s Word. I believe that we all have a calling on our life. As we pursue our relationship with the Lord, our calling is revealed. Read more>>
Jake Finkelstein
I’m a serial entrepreneur, having started my first business (a record label) as a teenager. But I really got my start in the music business, back when people were still going to record stores to buy albums. Read more>>
MARINA Trejo PEREZ
Dream Dance Studio started as a dream in 2019, right here in Roanoke, Virginia—but my story began long before that. I was born in Mexico and raised in Florida, surrounded by different cultures, music, and traditions that naturally shaped who I am. Dance came into my life when I was seven years old, and from that moment on, it became part of me. Read more>>
Bo Crouse-Feuerhelm
I began my career in the typing pool at the US Information Agency/Voice of America, in Washington, DC, and from the very start, I was determined to keep learning and rising. I moved steadily into roles with increasing responsibility—secretary, marketing coordinator, marketing manager, global account manager, and eventually life sciences market leader—each step expanding my skills, my confidence, and my perspective. Read more>>
Taurean Lewis
I actually started my journey at Shaw University, but pretty early on I realized I wanted to learn by doing, not just sitting in a classroom. So I took a leap and left school to chase something real. That decision led me to an internship with King/XXL Magazine, which really opened my eyes to the world of media, fashion, and culture on a national level. Read more>>
Ashton Lalyn
Music has always been my biggest passion in life. I always knew a career in music was my end goal. When I was a kid, a local Christian band, Sonstruck, would let me join them on stage at their shows, This was a big part of lighting my fire for performing. Read more>>
Melinda McDermott
My story really began with a deep desire to respond to the needs I was seeing around me, particularly among single mothers who were working incredibly hard but still facing impossible barriers to stability. I personally resonated with the mission because I was also a young mom. Read more>>
Pooja Chilukuri
I grew up in a large metropolitan city in India, a childhood shaped by culture and community. After high school, I moved to Raleigh, North Carolina, to attend Meredith College for my undergraduate studies. While completing my master’s degree, I met my husband at North Carolina State University. Read more>>
Thomas Andrews
From a Passion for Cars to a Mission of Service: The Story of Thomas Andrews & Mike Liles At the heart of CDT Automotive and Select AutoPros is a simple truth: what started as a passion for vehicles has evolved into a deep passion for serving people. For Thomas Andrews and Mike Liles, cars were the entry point, but people have always been the purpose. Read more>>
Deborah Dolan
Born in New York and raised in North Carolina, I was very fortunate to have a wonderful and loving family. They were always supportive and we all encourage each other to do our best. As a young lady, I attended East Carolina University to obtain a degree in Nursing when I realized Nursing was not for me! Read more>>
River Monae Cameron
I started dancing and performing in gymnastic competitions as early as 12 years old. I grew to love many styles of dance but modern and improv were my favorite, which is what I adapt every time I step on stage. I started my professional burlesque journey in November of 2024 and I am working on show #50 today, actually! Read more>>
Will Cunningham
After more than 20 years serving as a Green Beret in the Special Operations community, I transitioned out of the military with a deep desire to continue serving—just in a different way. I grew up in Northern Virginia, and throughout my career I had the privilege of leading teams, solving complex problems, and operating in high-stakes environments. Read more>>
Noah Smith
I got involved with CoWorx at a pretty young age. I had been working in the IT space for a few years, including time with Apple and running my own company, and I was always drawn to systems, infrastructure, and how businesses operate behind the scenes. In 2022, the opportunity came up to take over CoWorx, and I jumped on it. Read more>>
Alan Solis Elrod
I’m a serial entrepreneur—I started my first online business at 16, building AI-generated content farms and learning how to scale traffic and automate distribution early on. That experience taught me leverage at a systems level, but also showed me the limits of purely consumer-facing models. Read more>>
Kirstie Ferrell
I started in healthcare as a nurse in 2013 and became a nurse practitioner in 2019, but I always knew there was more in me than just going through the motions. In 2023, I lost my oldest son, Jai’. Everything changed after that. I remember feeling completely hushed and unheard in moments where I needed clarity and truth the most. Read more>>
Brenda Goff
Before real estate became my profession, it was simply my life. As a stay-at-home mom, my days were filled with raising my girls and supporting our family. During that time, we began building a new home—an experience that would unknowingly shape my future. We had the opportunity to contribute sweat equity to the process, working hands-on and learning the ins and outs of construction. Read more>>
Alexis Lawson
I’ve always had a passion for hospitality and entertaining. I attended Johnson and wales university in Charlotte majoring in baking & pastry. After leaving Charlotte & returning to my home city of Durham, NC, I applied to work as a server at bonefish grill. They saw my resume, and insisted I apply for a line cook position. Read more>>
Dylan Jaymes
I got my start in creating photos & videos in my teenage years. I took a photography class & really enjoyed creating interesting compositions. It was also the time of Jackass & CKY so obviously my friends & I filmed all of our activities from skateboarding & snowboarding to just chaos that teenagers find themselves in. Read more>>
Emory Saladin
I found my first construction job walking door-to-door looking for work. I walked into a store called ‘Hardcover’ and didn’t even know what they did there, but they hired me the next day as a hardwood and tile flooring installer. I worked there for a few years until my dad offered to help go to college. Read more>>
Markia McFadden
Hi my name is Markia McFadden, I am a Licensed Cosmetologist, but I specialize in waxing . I attended Paul Mitchell The School of Raleigh. Once you are close to graduation they have a job fair . All the local salons and different businesses in the industry would attend this event . Read more>>
