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.
Tony Mac
It all started with a simple belief: that music is the heartbeat of a community. For me, Tony Mac, the journey to becoming ‘The People’s DJ’ wasn’t just about playing tracks; it was about curating moments that bring people together. My passion for music began in a makeshift home studio, where Ive obsessed over the craft andmastering the perfect vibe. Read more>>
John F. Jusuf
I started my professional career working in banking, but I always had a strong interest in art and creativity. Eventually, I began exploring tattooing, and what started as a passion gradually became a serious career. I made the decision to leave banking and pursue tattooing full-time. I eventually established 7 Fukujin Tattoo in Jakarta and have continued developing my craft through years of experience. Read more>>
Edwin (Eazy Boi) Griffin
My journey into music began in middle school, specifically at Webb Middle School during lunch breaks. My friends and I would gather to freestyle, and that’s when I realized I had something unique to offer. My friends used to tell me I make freestyle look Eazy. That’s how I got my name. My counselor, Ms. Read more>>
Lexis Rose
The name of The Blooming Aesthetic Bar came from visiting my grandmother. As I think back I was always exploring new hobbies. At a young age I found an amount of love in different crafts that allowed me to show off my creativity. Some creativity came from painting on canvases and playing in my grandmother’s makeup. Read more>>
Michelle Tinsley
I’ve always had a love for fashion, but my path to White Buffalo Designs has been anything but linear. After graduating from the University of Florida, I moved to Spain to study fashion in Madrid. Read more>>
Adriana Alexandra
Oh man, what do I include! Truthfully, the performing arts has always been a strong through-line in my life. Ever since I was a child I was fully convinced that the big dreams I had were going to come true. Read more>>
Yazmin Castaneda
Origin Mexico really began long before I ever thought about starting a business. I grew up along the U.S.–Mexico border, and some of my favorite childhood memories are of traveling through Mexico with my family. Those experiences gave me a deep appreciation for the color, craftsmanship, traditions, and creativity found throughout the country. Read more>>
Tigre Rector
My journey has been built on resilience, creativity, and learning how to create opportunities when the doors weren’t being opened for me. I started as a DJ, passionate about music and creating spaces where people could connect through hip-hop, R&B, and culture. Along the way, I experienced the politics and colorism that can exist within the Austin hip-hop community. Read more>>
Mary Gomez-Kokkinos
Born and raised in Austin, most of my career has taken me around Texas as I worked in corporate and government leadership positions. I diligently built my career around school nutrition, operations, and helping federal programs work better. I have always loved the process side of what I do—creating systems, solving problems, and figuring out how to make things work. Read more>>
Gabriel Vazquez
I got into filmmaking pretty organically. I loved the creative side of making videos, but I was also always really interested in the business side of it and figuring out how I could turn something I genuinely enjoyed doing into a career. I started small, taking on projects wherever I could and learning a lot by actually doing the work. Read more>>
Grayson Berry
My mom was an actor in 1960’s Hollywood, doing stints on The Green Hornet, Donna Reed, Ozzie & Harriet, etc, and later ruined her career by having me, and letting my Dad drag her back to Houston, because he wasn’t fond of the LA-lottery system around his burgeoning screenwriting career. I’m half-kidding, but you get the picture. Read more>>
James Love
I did not start Love Tech Lab because I love AI. I started it because I have watched too many good people risk everything to follow a dream and lose it. Not because they were not good at what they do. Because small business comes down to two brutal realities. You never have enough time, and you never have enough money. Read more>>
Malisa Archer
In 2018 I came to a crossroads. I felt the need to do something more impactful and more rewarding . I wanted to give back and help people. I needed purpose in my life. After taking inventory of all the skills that I’ve learned in this lifetime so far. Read more>>
Angie Fuentes
My name is Angie Fuentes. I’m from Austin, Texas and I began making jewelry in my home in 2019 as a way to create beautiful, affordable pieces that I could wear myself. I am self-taught and love working with my hands. Read more>>
Jan Greenwalt (Wag & Pose)
Wag & Pose really grew out of a long career in photography, styling, and creative direction. I spent many years in Chicago and Los Angeles photographing across a wide range of industries – from products and restaurants to nonprofit organizations, events, and large-scale galas. Over time, my work expanded beyond simply taking the photograph. Read more>>
Jamielee Jakubowski
I was always an artistic kid growing up. I was involved in art, band, color guard, and theatre, so creativity has always been a huge part of my life. I ended up teaching middle school theatre for 9 years, and while I loved getting to be creative with my students, I never imagined that creativity would eventually become my own business. Read more>>
Darren Wenzel
My creative Journey started I’m 1987 when I began a traditional sign painting apprenticeship for a leading display company in Adelaide, South Australia which is where I grew up. This was a fantastic and unique opportunity where I learnt from very talented scenic artists, ticket writers, sign painters and graphic artists. Read more>>
Nicholas Howlett
I started producing music in 2017, teaching myself production and developing my sound. That passion grew into a career in recording, mixing, and audio engineering, with over 6 years of professional commercial studio experience. Read more>>
Joanna (Ebi Ink) Nowak
The idea was born a few years ago, when I went to get my first tattoo. Back then, I never would have imagined that I’d leave the studio with something more than just a tattoo. I was working as a pharmacist at the time, but it wasn’t giving me the sense of fulfillment I felt it should. Read more>>
Ali Berkay Altunbulak
My journey in hospitality started long before Breeze & Bites. I’m originally from Turkey and spent nearly a decade working in hotels. After moving to the U.S., I continued working in hotels, which gave me the opportunity to further develop my hospitality experience and learn the industry from a different perspective. Read more>>
Alexandria Mayhane Baskin
Poppin Natural started from something very personal: my own search for better options for my skin. When I first started, I struggled to find natural beauty products that worked for me, especially products I felt comfortable using on my eczema-prone skin. There simply weren’t as many natural, handmade options available, and that sparked something in me. Read more>>
Susan Adams
I started EatsnATX as a hobby and a creative outlet, simply wanting to share some of my favorite spots around Austin and the food I was discovering along the way. I also loved experimenting in the kitchen, so I began sharing easy at-home recipes and things I was cooking. Read more>>
Abiodun Alli
My journey in music started when I was 16 years old. It began simply with passion. I loved music and felt a strong connection to writing, creating and expressing myself through it. As I grew older, that passion developed into something I wanted to take seriously, and that’s how I began building my identity as Goal Digga. Read more>>
Jacquelyn Stamper
Before launching Stamp’d Media, I spent years in real estate marketing, working as both a Listing Coordinator and Social Media Manager. Through those roles, I discovered what I loved most – helping individuals/businesses tell their story, build meaningful connections, and create a brand that truly stands out. As a military spouse, however, I knew I needed a career that could move with me. Read more>>
Joshua Cho
Joshua Cho is an Austin based videographer, photographer, and editor with 5 years of experience in video editing, photography, and motion graphics. His Bachelor of Architecture from Arizona State University shapes his approach to composition and space in his work. From shooting real estate listings and editing short-form content for creators, his path has been about building visual brands from the ground up. Read more>>
Samantha Heligman
I started my ceramics journey way back in college taking my first wheel throwing class as an elective and fell in love. I enjoyed creating with my hands. Fast forward moving to Austin in 2013, I found a coop studio to work out of on my free hours. Read more>>https://voyageaustin.com/interview/meet-samantha-heligman-of-austin
Alex Kovac
Optik Studios really started in 2020 while I was living in Minneapolis and working as an engineer on industrial vision systems for manufacturing at one of the largest optical companies in the world. I had always been interested in photography and cameras, but working so closely with imaging technology gave me a completely different appreciation for how an image is actually created. Read more>>
DJ Anupi
I’m a DJ, event producer, and entrepreneur based in Austin, and music has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Growing up in a Indian household, Bollywood and Punjabi music were always playing around me, but I also fell in love with hip-hop, pop, EDM, Latin music, and global sounds from all over the world. Read more>>
Gabriele Brown
My journey into travel was anything but traditional. In fact, if you had told me years ago that I would one day own a safari company and spend a large part of my life traveling throughout East Africa, I probably would have laughed. I was born and raised in a very small community in Germany and immigrated to the United States as a young woman. Read more>>
Guy Boyan
Three guys walk into a bar. One says to the next guy, want to make your own frisbees. Absolutely we all Said. Zach Jansen, Chris Herbert, and myself spent the next two years formulating our idea. In 2017 we released our first Disc Golf disc the – ALPHA. Read more>>
Travis Reid
Proudly serving customers since 2014, we started with quality used vehicles and new trailers. As demand grew, we quickly expanded our lineup to include multiple trailer brands, zero-turn mowers, and agricultural tractors. Today, we’ve grown into a trusted volume dealer offering premium brands including Scag, Bad Boy, Ferris, Grasshopper, Load Trail, MAXX-D, Haulmark, and Mahindra. Read more>>
Lynne Reznick
I was actually a high school history teacher for a decade after college. I loved teaching but always felt a pull toward the visual arts. When I got married I discovered how wedding photography had evolved as an art form in the early 2000s and I fell in love with it. After my wedding, I was blessed to be mentored by my wonderful wedding photographer. Read more>>
Jedrik Kuilan
My name is Jedrik Kuilan, and I’ve been part of the Desi Dance Network community for over three years. During that time, I’ve competed in more than 15 competitions across the country while also getting involved on the organizational side and helping run competitions. Read more>>
Serena Amoroso
In 6th grade I started my first business – selling custom pens to classmates. It took off, and from that moment, I knew entrepreneurship was my path. And for over a decade, I was lost and confused because I had absolutely no idea what that would actually look like. During that time, I deeply struggled with body image, intimacy, and relationships. Read more>>
Leila Torres
I have always had a natural love and passion for music. I started singing before I could even talk and loved dancing and putting on little performances for my family. When I was two years old my mom took me to the Selena Museum in Corpus Christi, and I truly believe that experience helped spark something special in me. Read more>>
Erica Thomas
My work with mothers and daughters grew out of both my professional life and my own story. I spent more than 20 years as a psychotherapist, helping women and families understand patterns, heal old wounds, and build healthier relationships. But over time, I became especially drawn to the mother-daughter relationship because I understood its complexity not only as a clinician, but personally. Read more>>
Willie Nealy
I’m a Detroit, Michigan native and proud military veteran, I bring over 18 years of marriage and relationship experience to the table. As a devoted husband and father of six, with six grandchildren, I understand firsthand the challenges of balancing personal relationships with professional life. After watching my mother’s marriage fail and experiencing a failed marriage myself with to horrible relationships to follow. Read more>>
Shon Hyneman
My journey started with a genuine heart to serve people in the area of relationships. Even when I was younger, I was fascinated by healthy love and what it looked like to build a lasting relationship. Read more>>
Esteban Olivas
Music has been a part of all our lives since we were young. Everyone in the band has been playing their instruments for 15+ years, and we all come from different musical backgrounds! Steven (bassist) got his start when his father needed a bass player for Sunday church, Andrew started playing drums in a jazz band at school and Jacob is a self-taught guitarist! Read more>>
Diego Lozano
I was born in Monterrey and lived there until I was fourteen. One of my clearest memories from those years is sitting with my grandfather, wrapped in a Mexican blanket, eating al pastor tacos and watching an old Western on his television. I was eleven. There were horses, gunslingers, huge landscapes and Ennio Morricone coming through the speakers. Something about it completely overwhelmed me. Read more>>
Ge’Nell GARY
My journey into politics wasn’t something I planned—it was something I felt called to do. Throughout my career in human resources and Claims Risk Management, I spent years helping people navigate difficult situations, resolve conflict, and advocate for fairness in the workplace. Over time, I realized many of the same issues affecting employees and businesses were rooted in public policy and leadership decisions. Read more>>
Amelia Nash
I’ve always been fascinated by the way design shapes the way people think, behave, and connect with the world. That curiosity led me into graphic design more than a decade ago, but I quickly realized I was just as interested in the thinking behind the work as I was in the work itself. Read more>>
Kurt Wheeler
I started my corporate career in 1993 in the height of a recession while thousands of people were willing to downgrade into entry-level jobs just to be able to hold on to something in their field. So for me, fresh out of college with no relevant experience but needing to work, I jumped into a low paying customer service desk job and started swimming. Read more>>
Natalie Joy Howard
I’m a Texas transplant, originally from just outside of Chicago. I came to Austin to pursue my master’s degree in Opera Performance at the University of Texas at Austin, and somewhere along the way, Austin became home. I built my place in the city’s artistic community as a working musician and actor. Read more>>
Taelor Monroe
I have been passionate about regenerating our natural world for a long time. I began my journey with permaculture in 2011. I became roommates with two good friends of mine, Katie and Rachel, where we landed a house on 22 acres in downtown San Marcos, TX. Read more>>
Connor Stilwell
I have loved playing video games all my life and I remember the days when I’d have friends over and we’d all play games on the same couch. We had maybe a dozen or more 4 player co-op games on the gamecube and PS2 to play together on the same screen, and we loved high fiving each other and sharing snacks. Read more>>
Carly Caputo
I started taking photos of comedy shows while working at a record store in Satellite Beach, FL that put on comedy shows! I loved it and started taking pictures at more venues around that area and Orlando before moving to Austin to fully go for it! Read more>>
Mary Shae Hooper
My story is long and filled with side quests – so I will do my best to stick to the relevant facts. I am a creative, actor, director, writer, musician, dancer, and poet generationally from Austin, TX. Read more>>
Sam Hendel
GOOD GRiEF was born from my own experience with loss. After losing my mom to cancer, running became one of the only places where I felt like I could process what I was going through. I realized grief can be incredibly isolating, but movement has a way of bringing people together without requiring them to have the right words. Read more>>
Renee Lacey
I can start this story a few different ways, but to keep it brief, it all began with one simple realization: I didn’t need anyone’s permission to build something. If I had an idea, I could start a business from complete scratch and see where it could go. Read more>>
