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.
Jill McDonald
I started Jill McDonald Design in 2004. I had five years under my feet working for large corporations. (Gap Inc. in NYC & Hallmark Cards in K.C.) I saw my art being selected at both companies & selling well this gave me confidence to try it on my own. Read more>>
Louis Fantasma
Paradise Locker Meats has been serving farmers, families, and food lovers for nearly 80 years. Originally established in 1946 in the small town of Paradise, Missouri, the business was purchased by Mario and Teresa Fantasma in 1995. At the time, it was a traditional custom processing locker with just a handful of employees, processing approximately 10 beef and 10 hogs each week. Read more>>
Jaden Long
My relationship with beauty and esthetics began long before I ever realized it could become a career. From as early as three years old, I was styling myself from head to toe—experimenting with my hair, putting together outfits, and finding little ways to make myself feel polished and put together. I have always believed that when you look good, you feel even better. Read more>>
Geoff Kudlacz
From 2010 to 2015, I served five years on active duty as a commissioned officer and nuclear missile operator, leading high-accountability teams in one of the military’s most sensitive mission sets. I was awarded the Air Force Commendation Medal for leadership and performance. That experience shaped my approach to risk management, operational rigor, and steady decision-making under pressure. Read more>>
Mark McGonigle
Becoming a therapist started with the journey through the wilderness of my own anxiety and depression at the age of 17. I like to view the onset of these difficulties as my first invitation into personal and spiritual growth, and honestly I can trace the issues back through my whole life. Read more>>
Isaiah Maxey
Good question. My story runs a lot deeper than what people see. I’m living my comeback story. At 15 years old, I was facing a 15 year prison sentence. I ended up receiving 5 years and served my time. After I got out, I was still headed down the wrong path. From 2019 to 2022, I was living for the streets instead of my future. Read more>>
DeeAnna Anderson
I actually just celebrated my five years in business which is HUGE + feels like a lot has changed in two years, since our last interview. What began as a passion for creating calm + functional spaces has grown into something so much bigger. Simple solutions became a reality to me whenever my daughter was getting ready to start kindergarten. Read more>>
Rachel Lynch
I grew up in the Midwest and have always been drawn to creative expression. Whether it was writing, photography, music, or visual art, I was fascinated by the way a story could make someone feel something. Read more>>
Tyffanie Rogers
In my childhood and early years I was really just a kid that was longing for stability, loved to be helpful, and loved as more “alternative” lifestyle. For as long as I can remember I was drawn to art, photography, tattoos, and music. I had a hard time finding my footing and didn’t have a lot of support. Read more>>
Jill Ervin
I have always been a nature girl at heart even as a child. When I started pursuing nature and landscape photography, I knew that the photography wasn’t necessarily my passion, but my passion was for nature and wildlife. Photography was the most natural way for me to express that passion. Read more>>
Dominique White
My journey has really been about creating opportunities when I didn’t see many available to me. I started in music, developing my skills as a producer and eventually expanding into artist management, recording, and helping independent artists understand the business side of the industry. What started as a passion for music gradually became something much bigger. Read more>>
Rebecca Savage
Well, let’ s see here. I went up to the CEO of Made In KC and asked him. ‘Would you like to have dog collars with the label saying Made In KC for your stores?’ He said let me talk to my partner. Couple days later he told me he would love to have custom dog collars in his store. Read more>>
Amy Goode
It all started as a young girl who loved to dress up! It progressed into getting a business degree at the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC, with the hope of becoming a store buyer. Plans changed once I was unable to secure a job as a buyer while living in St. Louis. Read more>>
Allie Brooke
Making jewelry is actually a very new skill in my bank. I have chronic health issues and find myself getting very sick every summer. After blacking out twice in one week at work, I decided to take a leave of absence. At the beginning of my leave, I thought it would be fun to try a new skill. Because having hobbies is my hobby. Read more>>
Megan Kottman
My passion for photography started back in high school while I was involved in the yearbook committee. From there I purchased my first dslr camera in college and started taking photos of my friends and family. I had plenty of encouragement from those close to me to go for a more professional gig! Read more>>
Aj Hopper
I started as a sole proprietor, went into an LLC during Covid. Read more>>
Kareem Rush
I was born to compete — and I came by it honestly. I grew up in Kansas City in a house full of ballers, one of three brothers who all excelled at the game. My older brother JaRon was one of the best high school players ever to come out of KC — a McDonald’s All-American who went on to play at UCLA. Read more>>
Sana Shaban
I am an Iraqi-born content creator, storyteller, and mother of two dedicated to celebrating Middle Eastern culture through food and narrative. After leaving the corporate world, I shifted my focus to my true passions: producing cultural content, sharing traditional Iraqi recipes online, and diving into the literary world. Read more>>
Kirsten Oelklaus
When I look back, I don’t think I chose this work as much as it chose me. As an intern at Menninger Clinic, I was unexpectedly assigned to co-lead a creative arts group in the Eating Disorder and Trauma Recovery Program. I remember walking into that room and being struck by the people sitting in front of me. Read more>>
Cassie Hamilton
I’ve always loved having a camera in my hands. Growing up, I was constantly taking photos and sharing moments on social media when it was just taking off (yes, we’re talking the MySpace days). When I went to Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas, I wasn’t 100% sure where my career was headed. Read more>>
Aviana Vonnette
My business, Aviana’s Ascension, got started from my need to heal myself which is why it has the name it has! I was around 19-years-old when my mom kicked me out of the house. This caused a snowball effect of all of my childhood trauma, insecurities, and negative thoughts coming to a head. Read more>>
Amy Cason
I grew up on a farm in Smithville, Missouri, where I spent countless hours picking flowers from my mother’s and grandmother’s gardens. I loved working alongside them, arranging the blooms until they looked just right in the vases and containers. When I was seven, my mother told me I should do this for a living when I grew up—and that is exactly what I did. Read more>>
Vania Gladney
Comic Coffeehouse started with two things we have always loved. Michael’s story started with comic books. He discovered comics as a young kid and quickly fell in love with the characters, artwork, and storytelling. That passion never faded. Today, he has published two original comic stories of his own and enjoys encouraging the next generation of creators and comic fans. Read more>>
Melissa Kozakiewicz
I was born a poet. I’ve been thinking about words and text and ideas my whole life. Sometimes it feels like a compulsion. When I was in my 20s, I got a masters degree in poetry, which cost a lot but taught me so much about the economy of words and the ways we use them. Read more>>
Jade Browning
Connected Voices was created from years of seeing a need that wasn’t being met. Between the two of us, Katy and I have spent our careers working in the schools, and have been a speech-language pathologist’s for nearly 10 years. Read more>>
Jasmine (AKA The Wine Goddess) Johnson
My journey as a podcast host, wine authority, creator, actress, and author didn’t start with a pristine blueprint. At the very beginning, I was overweight, broke, and living without a clear passion or plan for my life. Everything changed when I decided to adopt a radical belief in myself and start a podcast called Puff Chronicles. Read more>>
Shelby Reed
I think I was glamming (without the label) since I emerged from the womb. What started out as at-home fashion shows and photo shoots with my sister and a roster of friends throughout childhood.. has quite literally become my career reality as a grown-up. I gotta pinch myself sometimes thinking about that because how many people really can say that of their life quest? Read more>>
Misty Rodda
I’ve loved photography for as long as I can remember. I was always the friend with the camera, but I didn’t begin taking it seriously until my three kids were little and I found myself wanting to preserve every stage of their childhood! Those were the days of the Sears Portrait Studio, and those pics, and that experience, just weren’t doing it for me! Read more>>
Chandlar Smith
I’ve been a licensed cosmetologist since 2014 and have specialized in bridal hair and makeup since 2015. My career began in blow dry bars, where I spent the first six years refining my skills in hairstyling, makeup artistry, and creating polished, long-lasting looks in a fast-paced environment. Read more>>
Rainey King
I grew up between St. Louis and Columbia, Missouri, in a family rooted in labor, storytelling, and survival, which shaped my artistic journey and personal background. From childhood, I was always making things, collecting objects, drawing, cooking, building, and paying close attention to my surroundings. These early experiences laid the foundation for my work long before I had words for them. Read more>>
Tania Rounds
My business started from a personal need to help myself both physically and mentally. I grew up with a family of herbalists in the Ozarks, but I took everything for granted until I started having my own issues. I wanted to try to focus on holistic health and found that the ‘remedies’ coming from my traditional doctor didn’t help me very much at all. Read more>>
David Casey
My journey into real estate began as an investor. What initially attracted me to the industry was the opportunity to build something of my own while helping improve properties and communities. As I gained experience, I began to understand that real estate was about much more than buying and selling homes. It was about relationships, leadership, problem-solving, and creating opportunities for others. Read more>>
Rihana Brown
My name is Rihana. I’m 28 years old. I grew up in Kansas City after being adopted. I’m a Shawnee Mission South Alumni, class of 2016! GO RAIDERS!!! I was very much athletic growing up. From soccer to tennis along with golf, basketball and a little softball. Had I not been so athletic I don’t think I’d love watching football. Read more>>
Equity. Period.
Equity.Period. began as a small project to support our classmates and neighboring schools by addressing a need that many people were uncomfortable discussing. What started with a simple bake sale and word-of-mouth requests for pads and tampons has since grown into an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization serving thousands of people across the Kansas City community. Read more>>
Angela “Chef Ang” Lacy
People often ask me how I manage to wear so many hats, but the truth is, every chapter of my journey has been connected by one purpose: serving people. I’m the founder of Vision Enterprises Unlimited, where I have the privilege of creating memorable culinary experiences as Chef Ang, as well as helping people explore the world through curated travel experiences. Read more>>
Nikky Weaves
My journey into the beauty industry started long before I ever thought of it as a career. In high school, I began doing my own hair, and before I knew it, other girls were asking if I could do theirs too. Looking back now, I realize I had my very first salon right in front of my mom’s house. Read more>>
