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.
Cameron Price
he was exploring the arts that he could find while learning jiu-jitsu from a book. After class he would show us a couple moves he learned and then introduced “rolling” to us, which is what we call sparring (resistance training) in jiu-jitsu, something that was lacking in the traditional art I was in. It was quickly apparent this was the most effective martial art and I was immediately hooked! Read more>>
karnik Shah
I was born and raised in Mumbai, India. Since a young age, I was always interested in reading texts on biology. While my friends and cousins spent their entire holiday season on the playground, I would atleast dedicate an hour or two on reading encyclopedias and thats where the love affair started with human biology. Read more>>
Jonathan Eng
Never say never.’ Except I did. I still remember sitting in church as a 10 year old and swearing to myself that I would never be a pastor or a missionary. Without ever learning about the personal costs and pitfalls of serving in a church, the life already seemed too uncomfortable and not nearly glamorous enough for my young aspirations. Read more>>
Hema Raja
I would love to take you on a journey through my artistic path, and how it led me to where I am today. Growing up in the picturesque town of Rajapalayam, in South India, I was surrounded by hills, and natural springs and immersed in the rich Indian cultural heritage. Read more>>
Amer Al Alwani
My story really began in 2016, when I received the greatest gift of my life — my daughter. Shortly after she was born, she was diagnosed with autism and required constant, around-the-clock care. It was a challenging time for both me and her mother. Our work schedules no longer made sense, and leaving her—even for a moment—was not an option. Read more>>
Marvin Brown
I lived with my grandparents as a kid because my father passed when I was a baby and my mother passed when I was 8 years old. So when I was about 10 my grandpa made me start going to work with him mowing lawns in the East Austin area. Read more>>
Kimberly Uyechi
My husband, Doug, and I have been long time musicians. Starting in school marching and concert bands in our respective high schools. We met at Baylor University in the Golden Wave Marching Band. We have been involved in music ministry as instrumentalists, leaders and also developing young musicians. We also taught private music lessons from time to time. Read more>>
Veronica Galvan
I actually started my career in healthcare as an X-ray tech. I loved working with patients, but once I became a mom, I realized I needed a path that offered more flexibility. I had already started taking my real estate classes before my youngest daughter was born (she’s 3 now) and I also have an 8-year-old daughter, so juggling long shifts wasn’t sustainable anymore. Read more>>
Greg Ray
I’m Greg Ray, the owner of Set in Stone Statuary in central Texas. My work is inspired by Hutto, the only city in the country with a hippo mascot, and that local pride is what first got me into statuary. I poured my first hippo in 2016 as a garden piece for our home. Read more>>
Patrice Diana
I started my own bookkeeping business by helping one restaurant owner manage his books and checks. I was also teaching piano at the same time. I did this for about 10 years and then decided bookkeeping was much easier (and more lucrtive) than teaching piano, so I started networking and joining groups and my business started growing. Read more>>
Marissa Carter
Hi there! I’m Marissa Carter, and I truly appreciate you reaching out! I’m excited to share my story! I started my mobile bar business to create a comfortable life, support my family, make wonderful memories with people, shower people with my bubbly, loving personality, and pursue the freedom of life that everyone deserves. Read more>>
VANESSA COPP
What started as a simple idea to bring smiles to people’s events has grown into one of Central Texas’s most trusted and loved photo experiences — FyrePix Photos. Back in the beginning, I didn’t have the luxury of a full setup or a fancy studio. I had passion, creativity, and a small booth I’d piece together event by event. Read more>>
James Gill
In 2008 I was practicing law and on my commute downtown I remember seeing temporary fence set up around Zilker Park after the ACL rains destroyed the lawn. After a little research revealed there was no local option for this type of service (just national corporations) Austin Rent Fence was born. Read more>>
Ngan To
I graduated from optometry school in 2013 and began my career working for a private practice. After that, I ran my own practice in a retail setting before spending two years in a corporate office, where I gained valuable experience in the business side of the eyecare industry. Read more>>
Josh Anger
I started my installation career when I was first hired at Best Buy in Dubuque, Iowa, back in September 2005. After approximately 8 years, I left Best Buy in June 2013 to work for a local Mom & Pop retail store named Great Sounds, also located in Dubuque. Read more>>
Alexia & Ariane Maher & Bihan
We’re two French sisters who took a winding path to Austin and, eventually, to entrepreneurship. Before Authenticaa, Alexia was a flight attendant and later co-founded a social enterprise, while Ariane worked as a teacher and launched a home-staging company. Our careers were very different, but we always shared the dream of building something creative together—something meaningful and rooted in natural, elemental materials. Read more>>
Mike Pelland
My Wife and I moved to Texas in 1996. After going back to school at 26 years old I have spent 27 years in the Tech industry designing computer chips. My wife has spent over 30 years as a geriatric nurse and now works as a Medicare biller. Read more>>
Rev. A. Benae Colbért
I’ve often joked that my life has been shaped by contradictions—part hippie, part Texas girl, raised among a delightfully oddball cast of relatives. Somewhere in that mix, the spiritual, grounded, and slightly whimsical woman I am today took shape. As a kid, my imagination was my playground. Read more>>
Ana Bascuñán
I grew up in a small town in Colorado, between Fort Collins and Denver. I consider myself fortunate to have grown up in such a beautiful place, and treasure my memories from the mountains. When I left for college, my mom moved to Austin and I have been ‘coming home’ to Austin for breaks ever since. Read more>>
Shelley Yoran
I grew up around craftsmanship. My family ran a custom leather company in Connecticut, and I spent hours there as a teenager learning materials, pattern-making, and the kind of quality that only comes from true hands-on work. After leaving Syracuse University, I started in a grounding accounting role in Boston, which gave me the structure and discipline I still rely on today. Read more>>
Stacy Ham
So my path has had a few twists, but it’s all connected. I spent over 15 yrs in early childhood education, running my own childcare center and really learning what families and kids need day-to-day. As I wrapped up that hands-on chapter, I found myself shifting into advocacy—supporting childcare providers and helping strengthen the resources in our community. Read more>>
Bob Perez
My name is Bob Perez, I started what is now Stephen Thomas Construction in June of 2019. I was born and raised in San Antonio but moved to Austin in 2003 to attend UT and I’ve been here ever since. I left an 11 year career in market research and consulting to work for myself and fell in love with building. Read more>>
Kevin Cannella
My story really begins at the moment I was supposed to “enter the real world.” Instead, just after graduating from college, I followed a calling to the Peruvian Amazon and volunteered at the Temple of the Way of Light, an ayahuasca retreat center. What I thought would be a short adventure turned into nearly eight months of profound inner transformation. Read more>>
Jessica Cutillas
Hi my name is DJ JESSKA but my real name is Jessica Cutillas, Texas Native, founder and DJ of Eclectic Beats DJ Services. I started Eclectic Beats in 2022 to bring my passion for music, sound, and lighting to events all over Austin, Texas. I’ve been DJing for over 13 years, but my love for music goes way back. Read more>>
Dr. Brooke Osborne, D.C.
I’m a Texas native from Fort Worth. I grew up in a bilingual household as my parents are Deaf, so I was learning American Sign Language before I could speak. I always had a fascination for biology and the natural world as I always wanted to be outside, mostly playing outdoor sports (field hockey, soccer, and track & field). Read more>>
Dr. Ashley Card
I began my journey towards becoming an Acupuncturist and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioner as a patient of the medicine myself. I was in my young 20’s when I was diagnosed with PCOS. Read more>>
Brittany Nollette
I started in the hair industry back in 2009. Over the years I worked in a mix of fast paced commission salons and eventually landed at Roosters, where I stayed for about eight years. That’s really where I sharpened my skills, built long-term relationships, and realized that men’s grooming was the lane I truly loved. Read more>>
Peter Johnson
Throughout my childhood, I remember my dad telling everyone that I was going to be a physician, so that planted the seed. In middle school, I was invited to be trained as a peer counselor for students that were struggling. As a resident assistant at Bowdoin College, I was the go-to drama de-escalator at our dorm. Read more>>
Kevin Terrazas
My journey began with a strong foundation in military service and academics. I graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1999 with a B.S. in Chemistry/Life Science, ranking second in a class of 934. Following college, I completed several schools including the U.S. Army Ranger School in 2000. Read more>>
Alexander Rojas
I’m Alexander Rojas, a Venezuela immigrant that came to USA in June 2023. Read more>>
Karen Lanxon
I worked in education for about 17 years. During six of those years, my husband and I were foster parents. We found that there were often not many good therapists available for the children. When we did find a therapist for our foster children, it was rare that we felt they were authentic and helped them in the ways we believed they needed. Read more>>
Kristi Quebedeaux
My story is really a testimony of how God can take our deepest pain and turn it into purpose. I didn’t begin in the credit or mortgage world. For years, I worked as a stylist, serving people from behind the chair, listening to their stories, and learning how to show compassion. Read more>>
Christina Angeles
Although I did have a Bassett Hound for a pet when I was a teenager, my immense love for animals did not surface until I met my husband. When my husband moved in with me while we were dating, he brought with him two cats. Read more>>
Emily Brandon
I grew up on the property that is now home to The Twelve81, a family owned & operated wedding venue. We took a leap of faith and decided to give our beloved music venue a makeover, turning it into a wedding venue! Read more>>
India Gardner
I was seven years old when I first felt the spark of my calling. One night, I looked up and saw a comet streaking across the sky—a breathtaking moment that whispered to me: your purpose is to help others heal. That vision became my guiding light, though I didn’t know then how much I would need it. Read more>>
Angie West,Shala Kilgore,Anne Beckmann,Darlene Carlson Llano Alliance for Drug Intervention aka LADI
Our story began in 2006 right here in Llano, Texas, with a heart-wrenching plea. A local woman, whose family was caught in the destructive cycle of drug abuse, sent a desperate ‘plea for help’ in a letter to the editor of the local newspaper. That appeal inspired a group of dedicated local residents to come together. Read more>>
Angela Kocur
I’ve been helping musicians since 2017. Most of that time has been spent helping them in a personal capacity, such as loading in & loading out their gear, sharing their music on social media, giving them feedback on their music, & being their cheerleader at their gigs. Read more>>
Hannah Milford
Happy Camper Counseling is a mental health therapy office operating out of a fully restored 1966 Airstream trailer. I’m Hannah Milford, a Licensed Professional Counselor and founder of Happy Camper Counseling. Our story began in 2013, when an unconventional dream came to life inside a vintage camper at the “Y” in Oak Hill. Read more>>
Dan Martin
I’ve always been attracted to creativity that drives change and makes a real difference. Early in my career, I knew I wanted to work somewhere that blended creativity with business and that naturally pulled me toward advertising. With that mindset, I gravitated towards Austin because this city breathes creativity. It’s full of makers, thinkers and people who push progress forward—and that energy drew me here. Read more>>
Lindsey Conroy
I used to work in corporate marketing until 2015 when I decided to start my own business. It started with a 12 month research and development trip that took me around the world studying and teaching yoga while learning about other studios and their business and operational structure. Throughout my travels I developed great relationships with locals in every destination I visited. Read more>>
Jarred Curcio
Jarred Curcio, J.D., CPT, is an Entrepreneur, Bodybuilding Champion, Personal Trainer, Performance Coach, Relationship Specialist, Sales Expert, and Podcaster. At the age of 19, Jarred Curcio stood at 5’8” and weighed nearly 300 lbs. He was extremely obese and had no plans for his future. Read more>>
Linda Jacobson
You know how we like to ask little kids what they want to be when they grow up? My answer was always the same… I want to be an artist. But it took years, decades, to get where I am now. Read more>>
Will Loconto
I’ve had a diverse career path: recording artist, creating music and sound for games, television, and film, CEO of a medical software company, owner of a pumpkin patch, a dance store wasn’t always part of the plan. As a musical artist, my band T-4-2 was signed to Columbia Records and I spent several years performing with the critically acclaimed group Information Society. Read more>>
Troy Nicolls
The clutch in my Honda Civic failed when I was about 18 or 19 years old, so my friend helped me get it towed to a local shop. I could not afford to have it fixed or have anyone to depend on for help, so the business owner proposed that I work for him in exchange for the cost of the repair. Read more>>
Kayla Jathan
I actually started creating content by accident. I used to take random pictures of my food and the restaurants I went to almost like a diary. No strategy, no plan. I just loved capturing the vibe of the places I ate at. Read more>>
Eduardo Duran
I started my chiropractic journey as a patient. I had hurt myself and herniated 3 discs in my lumbar spine. I was unable to walk. I was under the protocol of my insurance provider and their doctors, so I was forced to go through a full year of physical therapy and what they deemed to be rehabilitation. Read more>>
Joshua Jarma
I grew up in a small, rural town in Central Texas in what I now realize was poverty, though I never would have thought about it like that as a kid. While life had its struggles, my parents were great and always made sure my brothers and I had everything we needed, which included prioritizing our education. Read more>>
Alaa Abdulsamad
When I first arrived in Austin, I was an English teacher with years of experience and a heart full of ambition. Teaching had been a part of my identity since I was 18 years old. I had built my life around helping others communicate, learn, and grow. But everything changed the moment I gave birth to my daughter, Mira. Read more>>
Kristin Lasseter
Ever since taking a course in reproductive endocrinology in college, I’ve had a special interest in the role of women’s hormones in mental and physical health. Going into medical school, I thought I wanted to specialize in obstetrics and gynecology, but my clinical rotation in psychiatry fascinated me and I decided to pursue that instead. Read more>>
Lacey Webster
I was shot like an arrow from my tiny LA ranch to Bastrop, Texas where I started attending a local church right away. Only months after attending this church the Lord brought to me an amazing man, Brady. We were engaged and married in November 2017. I became a staff member of this church, having the opportunity to oversee the Children’s Ministry for over 5 years. *Brady is originally from the Houston area and has been in Bastrop for over 20 years. Read more>>
Austin Weber
At Mental Health Counseling of Austin, I integrate my lived experience, advanced training, and clinical expertise to support couples, individuals, and families in rebuilding trust, balance, and connection. My work combines relational systems thinking with trauma-informed and recovery-focused care. I believe that healing occurs through both compassion and accountability, and I strive to model this balance in the therapy room every day. Read more>>
Christina Hynes
While the road hasn’t been without its detours, the journey has been largely smooth. Our initial launch plans were set two years earlier, but circumstances led us to wait and in hindsight, it was for the best. The growth we’ve seen since then has been extraordinary, and we’re deeply thankful to our clients for their trust and advocacy. Their stories and referrals have helped HIS Agency flourish. At HIS Agency, we’re devoted to providing exceptional value and service. I believe wholeheartedly that God orchestrated this path, and His timing has proven faithful. Read more>>
Michael Uzuanis
You can’t just wish or hope for success—you have to work for it. That means showing up, being curious, listening, and following through. Motivation doesn’t just appear out of nowhere; it’s built from momentum. Once you start seeing small wins from putting yourself out there, that drive only grows stronger. Read more>>
Wade Giles
I’ve always been fascinated by homes and how people live. I could spend hours getting lost in design magazines, studying floorplans and elevations, and imagining how different spaces could be lived in. I’ve always been drawn to architecture and interior design, but what really pulled me into real estate was the human side of it. Read more>>
Benjamin & Anna Carter
We met in church and were married in 2016. As we were planning our wedding, an opportunity was presented by Manor Ghost Town to use the venue for our wedding in exchange for playing music a few weekends. During this conversation, we mentioned that we were involved in ministry. Read more>>
