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.
Lorna Trigg
was born in South Africa and immigrated to the USA in 1988. My study and use of Herbal and Medicinal plants has been a life long journey, beginning with my grandmother and the local indigenous people of my home country. Read more>>
Jada Bailey
Art has always been my safe haven. Growing up in a military family and constantly changing schools, the art room was the one place I always felt at home. I even started college at 17 to become an art teacher. Read more>>
Adrian Switzer
I was raised in a Rock n’ Roll house. My mom loved Bob Dylan, especially the ‘plugged in’ albums of the late-1960s and early-1970s. My stepfather had a vast vinyl collection and was a guitarist in various local Philly bands. Family lore was that I held myself up and danced to the Rolling Stones before I could walk. Read more>>
Lauren Jones
I’ve always been a “home girl.” When I moved into my first apartment at 18, I remember thinking I was saving up to pay for a traffic ticket. Read more>>
Toni Brou
Growing up on a little farm in Dodge City, KS, I could most often be found drawing at the dining room table. One of my earliest memories was watching my dad at his workbench. He was a handy guy and made what he called junk art from found objects. After high school, I moved to Lawrence to study graphic design and illustration at KU. Read more>>
Miquela Martinez
Thank you for the opportunity to share my truth, to share space for voice. Hi! My name is Miquela! I am from Kansas City, MO. My story, my life in all its facets is lead and based in Love and listening to the heart. It has been a solid foundation that has led my journey through the gift of life. Read more>>
HARRY
I started writing music at a young age. I had a whole notebook full of raps that I wrote in until I ran out of paper. Writing lyrics has always been something I enjoy. Music has always been an escape for me and has allowed me to express myself how I want. Read more>>
Jo Archuleta
Painting has always been part of my life. Both of my parents are painters, and my family is full of artists, so creativity was woven into the everyday rhythm of my childhood. Some of my earliest memories are of sitting beside my mom in her studio with a tiny watercolor set, painting alongside her as a toddler. Read more>>
Thomas Vernon
Was delivering pizza. Covid hit and I got back with my ex girlfriend. Started a business. Was hired and either quit or got fired a few times and then decided to slowly scale mobile mechanic operations over time. I changed vehicles a few times and have been getting more storage capacity with each trade up. Read more>>
Petra Tupy
Hi everyone! I’m Petra, the proud owner of Midwest Lactation LLC and your friendly neighborhood Lactation Consultant. The coolest thing about me? I’m a mom to two amazing humans! Motherhood has been the best adventure, and I feel so lucky that I get to walk alongside other moms on their breastfeeding journeys too. Read more>>
Tim Nauman
Everything Quotes began with a simple belief: a few well-chosen words can change the way we see a moment, a problem, or ourselves. As a photographer, I have spent much of my career paying attention to people, emotions, and the small things that reveal something larger. Quotes felt connected to that. They are little pieces of human experience passed from one person to another. Read more>>
Amy Schlung and Andrea Fuentes
Amy Schlung and Andrea Fuentes are the fresh flower growing duo known as Flourish Blooms and Such, LLC. While Andrea and Amy have been friends and neighbors since 2008 and have always shared a love of gardening and floral design, they started their business partnership in August 2022. Read more>>
Andres Roldan
My name is Andres Roldan and I am also known as RP. Emcee/Producer/Engineer for the crew Greenlights Music from Chicago. Greenlights Music is a collective of Emcees from Chicago under the production of RP. Read more>>
Anesha Johnson
Since high school I was overweight. I didn’t realize just how bad things were until adulthood and after having kids just how bad things really was for me. Long story short I developed Type 2 diabetes and that’s what shifted things for me. I began changing the way I ate realizing that food is fuel for the body and exercising felt really good! Read more>>
Brooklyn Harder
I originally went to nursing school to pursue a career in healthcare. During nursing school I realized it’s not what I was truly passionate about. After some minor bumps along the way I eventually went to cosmetology school in 2022 and found exactly what I was looking for. Read more>>
Robert Rose
My journey into media actually traces back to January 1986 in my hometown of Pulaski, Tennessee. I was a college freshman visiting home when the Ku Klux Klan held a march through town. The community turned its back on the spectacle—local stores closed, residents stayed indoors, and town officials literally turned the historic birthplace plaque around to face the wall. Read more>>
The Arc Collective
Our story began over a decade ago when we met as psychology students at Northwest Missouri State University. Through graduate school, the early years of our careers, and a friendship that quickly became family, we often found ourselves dreaming about creating the kind of therapy practice we wished existed, a place where people felt genuinely seen, supported, and at home. Read more>>
Jessica Jurczak
I started as a cosplayer in the KC area as a high schooler who was new to that community and immediately felt seen and included in the space. I felt greatly encouraged to continue to go to local events and meet more people who also loved to create and make their own cosplays. I love to learn new skills and improve on existing ones. Read more>>
Jacquelyn Gibbs
Five years ago I saw an image of imitation fairy wing earrings on the internet, and immediatly fell in love with how whimsical and fantastical they looked. I’ve always enjoyed oddities and taxidermy, so I knew that I wanted to recycle something natural to make them, deciding that cicada wings from the summers spent broods would make the perfect fairy wing! Read more>>
Shamicka Ghee
My journey has been anything but traditional, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I grew up in Lawrenceville, Virginia, served in the Army, built a career in federal security, became a single mother, and eventually bought my first home. Closing day should have been one of the happiest moments of my life, but I remember walking into that empty house alone. Read more>>
Rick Walker
I grew up in north Kansas City area above the river. Liberty. Normal house, family. Though my family grew up without a lot of money very hard working and independent group. I got a little older and started working very young. Did some sports here and there I was a chubby kid though. lol. I got older, bullied, harassed, robbed, etc. Read more>>
Kiara Irwin
I first started in the wedding industry about seven years ago. My daughter’s grandparents have been in the industry for many years, and that’s where I got my start. At the time, I never imagined that helping them would eventually lead to owning my own wedding planning business. In 2024, I launched KB Coordinating, and honestly, it was a blessing in disguise. Read more>>
Marckson François
My journey has been shaped by creativity, curiosity, and a willingness to bet on myself. I’ve always wanted to see how far I could push myself, whether that meant stepping into unfamiliar spaces, learning from others, or taking chances before I had everything figured out. Modeling has been a major part of that journey, and it’s something I truly love. Read more>>
Tamara Kesterson
Cleaning has always been personal to me. Growing up in a low-income family, my mom taught me that taking care of what you have is something to be proud of. A clean home wasn’t about perfection, it was about creating peace, respecting what we had, and finding joy in the little things. Read more>>
Jacob Brown
Music has been a part of Jacob Brown’s life from the very beginning. Raised by a talented family of singers in the heart of Jamaica, Queens, New York, deep in the 40 Projects, he was surrounded by music, culture, and creativity from an early age. Read more>>
Crystal Wambles
I grew up in a small town in Dothan, Alabama. I was number 6 of 7 kids so I didn’t get much attention growing up. We were poor so I was used to getting hand me downs and very little for Christmas. Birthdays included a cake that my mom would bake and a box of icecream. Read more>>
Andy Mittleman
I ‘Andy Mittleman’ started working on music when I was around 7 or 8 years old. I would practice and sing for many hours every single day. We moved a lot when I was a kid until I turned 14 and ended up in a town called Bartlesville, Oklahoma. I was a freshman in a town that I didn’t even know existed until that point. Read more>>
Timothy Gustafson
I was born in Storm Lake, Iowa, on November 2, 1952. Two days later, on November 4, Dwight D. Eisenhower was elected President. I know this because my mother reminded me that she had to cast her vote from the hospital that year. For the first few years of my life, I grew up on a farm. Read more>>
Kayla Hewitt
I`m in my eighth year of real estate. Previously I worked in the car business as a Customer Relations Manager, aftermarket manager as well as some marketing. I really enjoyed meeting new people, helping them solve their automative needs. I worked at a dealership that didn`t value the same things I did and I wanted more control of how I could help people. Read more>>
Elara Roland
I’ve always had a love for music and dancing. It’s always been therapeutic and relaxing even during the hype moments! My mother had a single record player in the living room, and every day after school I wanted to put on the Sugarhill Gang. Rapper’s Delight was my go-to. Read more>>
Riley Corrine
I’m a graphic designer and product photographer, I received my bachelor degree from FHSU. I created Madame Scodioli in 2009, as a much needed creative outlet. I was working as a designer for a small group of companies at that time, but I needed something creative to call my own. Read more>>
Tabbetha Oakes
I started in middle school, modeling for my older sister because she needed a portfolio for college, to be a photographer. Read more>>
Lily Fackrell
First Light Chiropractic and Family Wellness began with a simple belief: women and families deserve healthcare that listens to their experiences, considers the whole person, and helps them build lasting resilience rather than simply managing symptoms. I earned my Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Cleveland University–Kansas City, where I became especially interested in the relationship between the nervous system, stress, movement, and whole-body health. Read more>>
Monica Moreira
I was born and raised in Brazil and moved to the United States with a dream of building a better future. Like many immigrants, I started from the ground up, taking on cleaning jobs and learning everything I could along the way. What began as hard work with a small team eventually grew a company that now serves families throughout the Kansas City area. Read more>>
Spencer Carey
I’ve always had a passion for creating. I enjoyed painting and drawing when I was younger until I found the darkroom in high school. My first print in the darkroom was magical. I plunged the photo paper into the darkroom chemicals, and they came alive, forging a black-and-white image in seconds. It got me hooked. Read more>>
Lindsey Ritoch
Hi, my name is Lindsey Ritoch. I’m 23 years old and am an independent nail technician working in the heart of Independence. After I graduated high school, I planned to be an illustrator and concept designer but life took a turn and I found myself working an office job at a small company. Read more>>
Beth Albers
I joined the Junior League of Wichita in 2000, We had just moved to Kansas and I saw it as a way to meet people. I had no idea it would be such a fulfilling and enriching experience. Read more>>
MyKaila Blackwell
I was raised in a family of entrepreneurs so I knew at a very young age that’s the route I would go. Of course, I didn’t know exactly what type of business I wanted, there’s so many things I love to do. But life experiences definitely helped me narrow it down. Read more>>
Angela Romero-Keck
I’m a mother of five and the wife of an incredibly talented husband. Ironically, it was becoming a stay-at-home mom that ultimately led me to discovering my true calling. Before that chapter of my life, I was a licensed hairdresser who managed several successful businesses. I’ve been working since I was 13 years old. Read more>>
Kyonna Patterson
I grew up with five sisters, and being the second oldest meant I was always helping with hair day. That early experience sparked my love for doing hair and showed me how something as simple as a hairstyle could make someone feel more confident. When it came time to choose my career path, I knew college wasn’t the right fit for me. Read more>>
Jake Rieb
I began tattooing in Topeka, KS. in 2015 as an apprentice and worked in a shop for around 6 years. After my time with the first shop, I transitioned to a new space in Lawrence, KS. in the heart of downtown. Read more>>
Jeevan Dhaker
I was born and raised in a small town in Rajasthan, India. From a young age, I always felt that I wanted to do something different and meaningful with my life. When I was 12 years old, I left my family home to continue my education in another city. Read more>>
Christine Williams
Our story started 40 years ago. I was in school for Floral Design and management. I was loving working with flowers and wanted to look earn to grow flowers also to be able to use them in my design work for weddings. Before long I realized I needed to grow food as well to feed my kids daily, even a couple times a day. Read more>>
