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.
Agnes Sullivan-Rabbitt
Rabbit Coffee Co. started as a small idea rooted in community, hard work, and a love for bringing people together. I’m Agnes, the owner, and I’ve spent over a decade building and leading teams in both the wellness and dental industries, where I developed a strong foundation in operations, leadership, and customer experience. Read more>>
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Larissa Thompson
I’ve loved taking photos for as long as I can remember. (Ask my brothers and childhood friends about the “photoshoots” I staged with whatever film was left on my disposable camera after camp.) I’ve upgraded a little — okay, a lot — since then, and formally opened my photography business in 2013. Read more>>
Jose Facio
Hi , My name is Jose I’m 40 years old from Mexico, I arrived to the United States in September 2015 the first thing I thought when I got here it was that this country was full of opportunities but at the same time I understood it was full of challenges. Read more>>
Christiana Elmer
Growing up I was not the athletic one in the family. At times I struggled with being overweight and I had exercise induced asthma. Running or intense activity could feel difficult for me. My brother played football and seemed naturally athletic. I remember seeing him with an eight pack and thinking athleticism was something people were simply born with. Read more>>
Zach Mecom
My name is Zachariah Mecom, and I’m the owner of We Plumb LLC in Austin, Texas. I grew up on the north side of Austin and was exposed to construction early through my father, who owned a custom woodworking business called Mecom Mantles. He built fireplace mantles and cabinets, and some of my earliest memories are working in his shop with him. Read more>>
Susie Hernandez
Fresh Journey Counseling PLLC was established during the COVID-19 pandemic in response to the inability to provide in-person services. The organization was initially launched as a virtual practice to ensure continued access to therapy and mental health support during a time of increased need and limited face-to-face interaction. A deep commitment to supporting individuals and families in achieving emotional healing and personal growth. Read more>>
Daniel Bisett
I started as an anthropologist, which sounds like an odd origin story for a marketer, but it actually explains everything about how I work. I graduated from Texas State, and almost immediately I was on a plane to Korea to teach English. That kicked off about a decade of teaching and living abroad across Asia, South America, Europe, and beyond. Five continents in total. Read more>>
Nathan Peisch
i was born the middle of 7 kids, same parents. They bought into y2k and moved us all over seas in 99 to Israel and became citizens until 06 when we moved back (initially temporarily) to be close to my father while he tried to restart his general contracting business. Read more>>
Roy Austin
I grew up in the rural border town of Del Rio, Texas, which taught me the values of hard work, kindness, and how to build safe spaces where people feel seen. My everyday perspective is deeply shaped by my mom, who spent 40 years as an elementary school teacher working with economically disadvantaged kids just like me. Read more>>
Tim Randle
It’s not clear how far you want to go back, but I started off way back when as a CPA, financial planner, financial analyst, part-time real estate investor, then full-time real estate investor, then online marketer. Read more>>
Band and Gina Evans
Hill Country MVMT was born in 2019 out of a deep conviction that the fitness industry could — and should — feel more personal. After years of coaching in high-volume gym environments, we kept seeing the same pattern: people would walk in motivated, but without real connection, accountability, or intentional programming, many would slowly fall through the cracks. The industry often prioritized scale over service. Read more>>
Ayesha Alvi
My career in dentistry has been guided by a commitment to patient-centered care and expanding access to quality services. I was drawn to dentistry because it combines healthcare, service, and the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives. Read more>>
Callie Wiggins
Let me introduce myself first, hi my name is Callie Wiggins! Some of my many hobbies include horseback riding, running, working out, camping, travel, playing the guitar, and reading. I am a member of the Copperas Cove Historical Society and I lead my church’s college and career age ministry. My story begins with my parents starting a portable building and tiny home business. Read more>>
Darby Perkins
I started taking Bungee classes at Balance Dance Studios when they first introduced the class about five years ago. I loved it immediately and started attending regularly. After a couple of years, the instructor asked if I’d be interested in subbing classes. Eventually, when that instructor stopped teaching Bungee, I stepped into the role and now teach the classes myself. Read more>>
Carol Underwood
BellaKate was founded by Betsy and Carol, two friends connected through their husbands, who have been best friends since meeting at the University of Texas. When Carol was preparing to relocate from Colorado to Austin, the two began talking about their shared love of fashion and the idea of creating something together. Read more>>
Jenna Medford
In 2018, my daughter was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. In the moment, it felt like my whole world shifted and questions started flooding my mind on how to best care for my daughter. About six months after my daughter, Emma, was diagnosed, I received a phone call from an unknown number. Read more>>
Erica Hogan
I was first introduced to Pilates over 15 years ago in Los Angeles and it completely shifted how I experienced my body. As a former cross-country runner, I was used to pushing through movement, but Pilates was the first time I felt truly connected to my body. That experience stayed with me. Read more>>
John Morgan
Our mission to be a bridge between the Christian community and the Jewish community. Read more>>
Daniel Grundei
I didn’t come from the cleaning industry. My background is in tech. I built a company that was ultimately acquired by CBS Interactive, and spent years as a top-performing sales and revenue leader in that world. It’s a different universe from cleaning crews and turnover schedules, but the instincts carry over: find a broken process, build a system around it, and hold the standard. Read more>>
Teri Meuth
The building we are in was originally owned by my husband’s grandfather, Bills Place, he then sold it to Henry Ott and it became Henry’s Place, his children would open it occasionally for dominos tournaments and private parties etc. Read more>>
Victor Becker
I was diagnosed at 53 and forced to adapt my competitive softball pitching technique—the first of countless adjustments I would make over the next two decades. As a career human resources professional, I spent over thirty years observing people from all walks of life, insights I now bring to my advocacy work for the Parkinson’s community. Read more>>
Amy Maulding
It all started back in the days when as a young girl, my Barbies had the most elaborate Barbie Dreamhouse parties, which led to planning events for friends and family! Read more>>
Smile Owen
I started my first yoga studio in Cedar Park in Early 2022 after moving from California and it’s truly been one of the greatest blessings of my life. I’ve been a yoga instructor since 2015, and I’m passionate about sharing this practice and building a welcoming community for everyone. Read more>>
Ilene Haddad
I’ve been creative since childhood—always coloring, making collages, or building drip castles at the beach. I produced a puppet show at the age of four and began writing “books” (stapled pages) in the second grade. Patient Mrs. Stogner let me stay after class and read stories I wrote and illustrated. This was a few years before “graphic novel” formally entered the creative lexicon. Read more>>
Henry Winslow
I grew up in a secular household and stumbled into spirituality through yoga when I moved to NYC for my first job in healthcare marketing. After about ten years of dedicated practice, a fellow yoga teacher friend told me she’d found the shortcut to samadhi (the ego-dissolving destination of yoga I’d only read about in the Sutras) through 5-MeO-DMT. Read more>>
Tara Devine
Steve and I are native Texans and veterans of the United States Navy. Steve earned his geology degree from Texas Tech before serving eight years as a Navy officer, and I retired as a Senior Chief Petty Officer. After his military service, Steve worked as a directional driller in the oil fields, but the demanding schedule left little time for family. Read more>>
TIM DURANT
I didn’t start Scruff’s to cut hair. I started it to build a place where people feel seen. I grew up in South Texas in the country, where life moved slower and community meant something. From early on I understood that hair was more than just appearance — it was identity. It was confidence. It was how someone carried themselves into the world. Read more>>
Domenica Nino
Flowers became my second beginning. For years, I worked in public health and behavioral science — a career rooted in service, structure, and long hours behind a computer screen. I was deeply committed to the work, but over time, the pace and constant digital immersion began to take a toll on my health. Read more>>
