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.
Ashley Wall
For years, I dreamed about writing a children’s book. I read with my two young children daily and as an educator, know how important reading is to growing minds—but it always felt like something for “someday.” In August 2022, with the encouragement and support of my husband, that someday became today. Read more>>
Lucas Miller
In 1993, about a year and half of graduating with a degree in zoology, I moved to Austin. My girlfriend (now wife) and I visited the town and loved the laid-back vibe. For me, the music scene was a big draw because I had had bands in college and still fantasized about making it as an alt-rocker. Read more>>
Efren Loyola Jr
In 2018, I found myself at a crossroads. I had been a nurse since 2014, but something was missing. I decided to take a break from nursing and began helping my dad with his lawn care business. Read more>>
Laura Patterson
I like to say I discovered the power of customer-centricity when I was nine years old, going door-to-door selling chocolates. I quickly realized that if I didn’t have a compelling value proposition, no one was going to buy. That lesson stuck with me and became the throughline of my career. Read more>>
Kris Hargrove
Sure! My organizing journey began in the fall of 2020, deep in the middle of the pandemic and the need to control what I could – my home. I felt a great sense of joy and peace each time I created an organizing system in different areas of my home. Read more>>
Nate Pruitt
I actually didn’t set out planning to build a winery and brewery. My background has always been rooted in building things — brands, teams, and communities — and over time that creative drive led me here. My family and I fell in love with this piece of land out in Dripping Springs about fifteen years ago. Read more>>
Joshua Carnes
I like to say I stumbled into business brokerage by way of marketing and entrepreneurship. I was employee number one at a marketing firm that eventually sold, which gave me a front-row seat to what an exit looks like from the inside. Read more>>
Kelly Villegas
In 2015, I found myself at a major crossroads. I was a newly divorced single mom working in accounting at a start-up electric vehicle company, raising two young boys—one in kindergarten, the other in fifth grade. Read more>>
Kristine Clark
Winehouse was founded by Jerry Gray, Julio Llop, and myself, Kristine Clark. We wanted to create a place where great wine and genuine connection come together. At Winehouse, guests will find a thoughtfully curated selection of wines from around the world, along with craft beers, mocktails, and elevated shareable bites. Read more>>
Tina Valdez
My passion for travel began while managing employee travel across the U.S., where I discovered the joy of planning trips that create lasting memories. Read more>>
Ricardo Casas
When I founded Fahrenheit Marketing in 2008, I had a clear goal: to offer high-quality digital marketing, design, and development services to businesses that might not have the budget for a traditional, large-scale agency. My story began when I was a marketing director myself. Read more>>
David Dixon
I played high school football and College Football joined the military in 1982 went to war. In two different countries retried automatic out of the military 2004. Read more>>
Shannon Strong
After law school, I started out as an environmental attorney for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. I worked there for many years while simultaneously volunteering my time as a Court Appointed Special Advocate for children (CASA). Upon leaving the environmental field, I decided to practice family law full time. Read more>>
Shari Finch
Looking back, creativity has always been woven into my life. From early drawing lessons at age seven to painting in my teens, I’ve always been drawn to exploring different forms of expression and seeing where they might lead me. Read more>>
Mike ‘Lucky’ Pruitt
On May 26, 2021, my then 5-year-old Rylan ‘Beans’ Pruitt was diagnosed with Medullamyoblastoma, an exceedingly rare form of pediatric brain cancer. (Only 51 known cases) Rylan fought at ST Jude’s in Memphis Tn, for 10 months, but ultimately cancer took him, and I held him in my arms as he took his last breaths on March 10, 2022. Read more>>
Lauren Fleming
After the birth of my first child, I was diagnosed with Pelvic Organ Prolapse, a condition I’d never even heard of before. It was isolating, overwhelming, and the “solutions” I found were uncomfortable, clinical, and often just not wearable. That’s when I realized how many women were silently struggling with the same issue, without support they actually wanted to use. Read more>>
Domonique Phillips
I’ve always been in love with music—it started as a way to express myself and make sense of what I was going through. In the beginning, I would write down little poems and melodies just for myself, not realizing they were songs in the making. Read more>>
Sara Stein
My love for animals began at a very early age, rescuing strays with my mom. My family always had a house full of animals and it was a huge part of my upbringing. Read more>>
Ashton Chase
To begin, I’ll share a little about how I found myself as a performer, and how my band later came to be. I started performing in high school theatre, and went on to study it in college. I loved being onstage. Read more>>
tiffany storey
the beginning of my story started when I was about 5 or 6. the voice in my head constantly reminded me how different I was and that I needed to conform to the norm in order to deter unwanted attention. growing up in a rather conservative household with parents that had very traditional views made it even harder for me to live my authentic self. Read more>>
Courtney Enriquez
Courtney Enriquez is a native of Austin, Texas, with deep family roots in nearby San Marcos, where her parents, Joe and Bobbie, were married before settling in Austin. From an early age, Courtney was encouraged by her mother to explore creative outlets like dance, drawing, and painting, alongside sports such as softball and volleyball. Read more>>
CHRIS WINTER
I began as a Dealer for portable buildings back in the early 2000’s selling sheds and cabins on our sales lot in Smithville, TX. Read more>>
Marianne Hakanson
My passion for arts, dance and performing started at a young age of 3 in upstate New York. Studying in all genres of dance. Particularly in modern and contemporary dance. I moved to Austin in 1998 to explore the city and its offerings in dance and continued to teach dance education at a studio for many years. Read more>>
Heather Pharr
I grew up in central Houston as the oldest of five kids. I moved to Austin to attend The University of Texas, where I double majored in Public Relations and Hispanic Studies. After graduation, I spent six months traveling and volunteering in South America before returning to Austin to work in social work at The Settlement Home for three years. Read more>>
Michael Heinz
I own a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu school in new Braunfels Texas and I have done so for the last 5 1/2 years. Before that I lived in East Asia for 15 years I lived in Japan for two years before moving to South Korea and living there for 13 1/2 years. Read more>>
Colt Biddy
I spent over 15 years working as a full-time musician, and Austin was always home base. It’s the live music capital of the world for a reason and it shaped me as an artist and gave me a community I’ll always be thankful for. But when the pandemic hit, the music world flipped upside down. Read more>>
Paul Truax
I never cared much about grades until I started getting rejected from universities. Texas A&M accepted me, but with a note saying I wouldn’t have been admitted on grades alone, they simply believed I could succeed. That lit a fire in me to work hard and prove them right. Read more>>
Catherine Perales
I started my career in sales, spending more than a decade in the car business. During those years I learned how to listen, how to read between the lines of what people said they wanted, and how to guide them toward the decision that truly fit their needs. Read more>>
Bryan Rubio
I’ve always found pure joy in the simplest of pleasures. When I was a kid, I would ride my bike to the local gas station to spend my birthday money on a game of Pac-Man, the latest comic book, and sweet treats—each more delicious than the last. I loved them all—from tangy, salty-sour chili candies to rich, melt-in-your-mouth chocolates. Read more>>
Emmet Felner
We started as a conversation in the driveway about detailing and my passion for it. I fell in love with the idea of taking something that I enjoyed doing and turning it into a business. I hit the ground running and made myself a logo with the help of my Mom, who helped me hone it in while keeping my personal style requirements in mind. Read more>>
Kathleen Brady Stimpert
Art is transformative. Literally. Research has found that making or engaging with art can positively impact mental and physical health, even down to the cellular level. I have always intuitively understood this, finding art to be a source of inspiration and comfort, and a universal language for opening hearts and minds. For those reasons, I’ve spent my career serving cultural institutions. Read more>>
DeAnna Hinson Hornback
I’ve always had a winding road of a story. ADHD in live-action, I suppose. My first job was as a carhop, but I quickly found myself drawn to service and responsibility. Over the years I have worked in administration, became a 9-11 dispatcher, and eventually served as a deputy, firefighter/EMT, fire investigator, and assistant fire chief. Read more>>
Omar Thompson
After a successful 20-year career as a United States Air Force officer, I transitioned to a new role with the Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service. There, I assisted in the creation of the first consolidated Human Resource Service Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico. This experience marked the beginning of my exploration across a wide variety of industries, including sales, retail, coaching, property management, and finance. Read more>>
Paige DuBois Erwin
In 2012, Paige Erwin created BODYBARRE® following her 20+ year career as a professional Broadway dancer. Following her retirement from Broadway, and studying the original barre work created by Lotte Berk, Paige searched for a barre method combining all the elements of classical dance, as well as strength training that she had grown to love. Read more>>
Kim Parker
I started my career in nonprofit work, always drawn to missions that make a real, tangible difference in people’s lives. After years of working in larger organizations, I was craving something more personal, more grassroots — something where I could roll up my sleeves and see the impact firsthand. That’s when I found Austin Diaper Bank. Read more>>
Bia Cardenas
Whew, way to take me back. Creativity has always been apart of my life, as long as I can remember. As a child, I found many ways to put my creativity to work. Whether that came to drawing, arts and crafts, fashion, music, cooking/baking, even science experiments! Anything that gave me the ability to create, I often found joy in. Read more>>
Melanie Peña
My journey into photography started in 2022 as a hobby. I was simply captivated by the way a camera could capture a moment, telling a story that words alone couldn’t. What began as a personal passion quickly turned into something more, and within just three months, I turned my hobby into a side business. Read more>>
Kierston “KB” Brown
I’m a born-and-raised East Austin girl who’s been hosting and emceeing since high school and planning events since college. After graduating from Sam Houston State with a business degree, I worked everywhere from FEMA to the Texas State Government — but I’ve always been a “professional side quester” at heart. Read more>>
Candice Watt
It definitely hasn’t always been a smooth road. Like many entrepreneurs, I’ve faced challenges with balancing resources, educating customers on the benefits of natural ingredients, and standing out in such a competitive market. There were times when I questioned if people would really see the value in products that are made with intention and care. But each struggle pushed me to refine my vision, stay true to my brand values, and keep moving forward. Those challenges are part of what shaped the business into what it is today a wellness brand focused on nourishing people, inside and out. Read more>>
Kendra Pearson
I went to Real Estate school and completed it right away. However, life threw a curveball I ran into some trouble that temporarily halted my progress, delaying my ability to get my real estate license by seven years. During that time, I stayed focused, kept pushing, and eventually went back to apply for my license. I took the exam, passed it and finally received my Real Estate License. Since then I’ve been committed to helping families lease, buy sell and build wealth in Real Estate. Read more>>
