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.
Jenna Tea
I’ve always felt like a girl but never had the capability to see it for myself until I couldn’t hold it in any longer. I came out to the world on social media in January of 2024 and the response was nothing short of amazing. I used to do very minimal makeup while in drag trying to look the most like a “natural woman” but now living as a trans woman, I get to look like that every day so my drag naturally became bigger and better, giving me room to evolve into the kind of art I showcase today. Now there is a clear divide and separation between Jenna Tea and Oakland (my name out of drag) and that has made it become so easy and makes me feel so valid in my art and in my identity. Read more>>
Satu Kujanpää
As we grew, obstacles became more frequent, as I’d never run a company before. Hiring people, writing manuals, growing to new markets, these have all been challenges to overcome. But each challenge is just an opportunity to learn. I make mistakes, we all do. But you just have to keep going. Read more>>
Sarah Maccombie
Established on March 10, 2022, and opening its doors on October 21, 2022, The Neurodiversity Clinic is now emerging as a groundbreaking organization rooted in the grassroots neurodiversity movement. We focus on delivering exceptional, affirming, and holistic therapeutic services that embrace neurodivergence through both evidence-based therapeutic practices and listening to the voices of the neurodivergent community itself. We are committed to creating safe therapeutic spaces that are affirming to the neurodivergent, LGBTQIA+, and BIPOC communities that we serve. Read more>>
Sophia Lemaitre
At first, it was just about survival. But slowly, I started paying attention to what actually felt good, to what gave me even the smallest spark of energy. And that became my focus—not just rebuilding my life, but finding alignment. I had spent years listening to everyone else’s needs, constantly managing crises, until I had nothing left for myself. So I started doing something different: I made listening to myself the most important part of building my business. Read more>>
Dan Zafra
My work has been recognized by organizations like NASA and National Geographic, and I was honored to win the People’s Choice award at the 2022 Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition. Ultimately, my journey from a corporate career to photography has taught me the importance of pursuing passions. I look forward to inspiring others to see the beauty of our world through their own lenses. Read more>>
Kristine Baetz
Being a young family new to Utah, I spent a good deal of time as a SAHM, raising our two daughters and getting involved in the community. Eventually, I needed a creative space so we converted our garage into a pottery studio. My wheel, workbench, and kiln fit snug into our two car garage. As time went on, I craved the artist community and missed teaching, so I purchased a few wheels and started offering classes in my garage February 2022. Winters here are way too cold so after a year, it was time to “unfinish” our finished basement. In 2023, we ripped up carpet and moved the studio down in my home. I currently have 4 wheels, 2 kilns (in my garage still), and offer several classes, studio memberships, and workshops throughout the year. Read more>>
Ideal Horizon
As a small band, you’re not just musicians. You’re producers, social media influencers, booking agents, tour managers…the list goes on and on. The biggest grind is social media, which just goes up and down in terms of the success you see with it. Right now, we feel like we’re at that barrier to entry that everyone faces where it feels like you’re just beating up against a wall and not getting anywhere. It’s all about doing the little things every day to be successful and we do our best to stay consistent. Read more>>
Laynie Anderson
Not long ago, I lost a friend to suicide. I was devastated. This tragic experience opened my eyes and changed my perspective about the lives of the youth in my community. I saw the need for a more proactive approach to teach youth how to face challenges, build resilience, and to come out stronger on the other side. Because we won’t always have someone to come save us, we need to become our own hero! Read more>>
Kathy Santangelo
I have a whole vision of where we will be one day — our own kitchen, maybe a store front, playing great tunes while we bake, sharing stories — good people making good products and coming together for good times. My airline career has always had a social component to it, and I like that. I want this business to also have that component, along with other opportunities — small jobs for young people, retirees, workers with challenges. Figuring out the answers – how to improve the business, how to maintain business quality while planning growth — is a meaningful challenge, and I like that. Read more>>
Melissa Misurelli
I had the unique experience of living in Budapest, Hungary, for six months and visiting Vienna, Austria. My family was situated in Hungary due to my father’s involvement in the movie Hudson Hawk. We visited the movie set, which was an incredible experience. We explored castles, museums, art galleries, and the picturesque Hungarian countryside. All of these experiences left an indelible mark on my creative spirit. Read more>>
Courtney Graf
Moving to NYC when I was 18 was the best I knew to do in order to share my gift and empowering message with the world. Though it was fun to shoot modeling campaigns for some of the top fitness brands, it was a means to support my music and never quite fulfilled me. I eventually signed with a music label, moved to Nashville and discovered the business led me farther from the truth of why I sang and wrote music than I ever expected chasing your dream could do. Trying to fit a country mold and sing about trucks simply wasn’t working for me. With a deep sense of confusion of direction and a budding history of not knowing who I could trust, I fled to Utah to visit my sister …and stayed when I fell in love. Read more>>
Maranda Kierstead
Today, I am proud to be capturing fun, creative, and memorable photos. I recently added a social media manager and business administrator to the Love, You Photography team. This addition has been instrumental in managing the day-to-day aspects of the business, allowing me to focus on the creative side and continue honing my art. It’s exciting to see how far I’ve come and to be able to dedicate more time to what I love. Read more>>
Mayra Alejandra Molina
Today, I stand proud not just of what I’ve overcome, but of the woman I’ve become — a survivor, a leader, and a source of inspiration for others. I often reflect on the incredible journey that brought me here. From the pain of my past to the work I do now, I know that everything — every hardship, every triumph — has led me to the place where I can make the most difference. Read more>>
Jacqueline Smith
The next hurdle we had was when our product first launched it was running horizontal, with black film (photos included), then we when to vertical film, but remained black. And unfortunately black is hard to see on the shelf, so we moved our packaging to a more colorful look in store. We still sell a lot of the black film online. Read more>>
Kate Vosti
Shortly after, I had a friend who was having a baby, and not having a baby myself, I didn’t know what to get her. I found online a pre-curated gift box for expecting moms and thought to myself, wouldn’t this be nice for someone who has experienced a loss? I just click send and I know something useful and meaningful is being given to them on my behalf without me having to know exactly what to get them. Fast forward to 2024, I launch Grief Gifts: a high-quality and thoughtfully curated Gift Box or Gift Bag that includes items designed to be supportive and healing for those on their grief journey. Read more>>
Rachael Skidmore
Running Made by Maeberry while raising kids means I’m always wearing multiple hats. Between crafting my polymer clay pieces, managing my website and social media, teaching classes, and handling the business side of things—there’s never a dull moment. At times, I feel like I’m constantly racing against the clock to meet the demands of my business while also being present for my family. But I’ve found that having a support system, like my husband and friends, makes all the difference when I need a little extra help. Read more>>
Angie Rowan
After being laid off after many years from the mortgage industry in October 2022, I felt lost and disillusioned. However, in January 2023, I decided to reinvent myself and turn my long-time passion for interior design into a career and I enrolled in the Interior Design Institute, graduating last November. Read more>>
Alexis Furkioti – Pham
My journey has always been driven by a deep passion for food, wine, and business strategy. I studied Business Administration at Sonoma State University, concentrating in Wine Business Strategies, which set the foundation for my corporate career. After graduating, I joined Jackson Family Wines, where I spent 12 years immersed in brand strategy, distribution, and operations at one of the largest family-owned wine empires in the world. Read more>>
Laurie Lambert
Our team has run hundreds of tennis and pickleball tournaments and leagues, so we are extremely conscious of what details make a program work and how to execute them successfully. Read more>>
Lee Sandoval
I started doing cakes with my family growing up, and as I got older would do it for close friends as well! Eventually in high school my friends told me I should start selling them and my first cake ever was for a close friends graduation. Read more>>
Sarah Mitchell
After getting married I was hooked. I started working in a bridal shop and Melissa asked me if I was interested in working at the venue. I immediately said yes and started working as a host. I worked about two wedding seasons as a host and then began giving tours to potential clients and meeting with couples as a coordinator, helping them plan their wedding. After Melissa and Valerie sold I became managing the venue alongside the amazing Amy Simonsen. Read more>>
Robert Ritchey
It wasn’t until my second move to Utah due to a military assignment that I discovered Pickleball. I immediately fell in love with the sport. I began playing whenever I could, and about five months in, I became curious about the apparel available for Pickleball players. I was surprised to find that most of the designs were either low quality, unoriginal, or just plain cheesy. Given my background in design and art, I thought, why not create my own? Read more>>
Brandi Eilert
Over the next few years, and with guidance from some amazing practitioners, I completely overhauled my life. My diet became cleaner and more anti-inflammatory, I added essential vitamins and nutrients that had been lacking, more exercise, and introduced some stress management tools. After DNA testing, I was also able to target some problem areas directly and have been on the path of health and vitality ever since. Read more>>
Meg Curran
I started with luxury spray tans, focusing on high-quality ingredients and a personalized experience. As my business grew, I saw an opportunity to expand further. In mid 2025, I’m thrilled to be introducing paramedical tattooing services, including areola reconstructive services for breast cancer survivors, and specialized treatments for scars and stretch marks. These services offer a chance for healing and empowerment, helping individuals reclaim their confidence and embrace self-love through artful, restorative techniques. Read more>>
Sydni Tanner
I feel so lucky that l have supportive parents that want me to go for my dreams. My business name is Cyreneskin because my middle name is Cyrene and pronounced like serene which means calm and peaceful, l thought that would be a perfect name for a spa. I love skincare and l love the idea of helping people feel comfortable and confident in their own skin! I primarily focus on skin with treatments like hydrafacials, microneedling, dermaplaning, etc but also do teeth whitening and lash lifts. Read more>>
Rainan (Radivm) Vega
The more I played, the better I got and it wasn’t long before I started booking shows with some of my step-dad’s friends. After my first live set on a Twitch stream called “C0ldStorage” it was obvious to me that that’s what I wanted from this life. And ever since I have been devoted to making this dream come true. I started writing music about 2 years ago and have slowly just been building my craft since. It has been a slow walk so far but the journey has just begun, and I couldn’t be more grateful for where I am or where Im headed. I owe it all to my mom and step-dad. Pixii and Vince Vega. Read more>>
Devon Rice
Since inception, we have been able to provide jobs to nearly 10 neurodivergent adults. We utilize our mentoring skills to provide work for them in an environment that understands their needs, while still holding strong boundaries that promote professional development. The model has worked so well that NeuroDev collaborated with dinkers® to create a white-labeled version called Neurodivergent Nuts, ultimately providing even more jobs to the neurodivergent population. Read more>>
Jason Grygla
We help manage anxiety and depression by meeting needs; getting a job, getting wins, and having a place to belong is critical. Over time, we realised we needed to shift from vocational training only to a more development/experience/life skills focus, so we rebranded this year to NeuroDev, a nod to neurodiversity and development. We are still a vocational technology school with certificates to earn, and we focus on all the soft skills that our students struggle with. Read more>>
Nicea Degering
Nothing in life is smooth! My journey has definitely had it’s ups and downs. Amazing interviews and tough ones. Opportunities I was awarded and positions and/or auditions that I didn’t get. Growing up on television and in front of a camera is exciting and daunting. I’ve aged on camera, made mistakes on camera and struggled to find who I was on camera. I started when social media didn’t exist and then has to work through a brand new world of immediate reaction and critique of not just my broadcast skills but what I wear and even how I parent. Read More>>
Nicole Vestal
I started lives for fun, to play in makeup & it grew immensely! Over time I started to have brands reach out & want to collab. My lives became very positive & empowering to others. I got interested in entrepreneurship & I started listening to books. Then I created my online store. The collabs were paying great & I was able to put myself through esthetician school. Now I work for myself doing lashes & waxing, while still having fun creating content. No matter if things so slow down for me. The drive & passion is forever in me! Read More>>
