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.
Don Tomino
It all started 35 years ago, when I decided that I wanted to be a professional photographer, but I had no idea how to get started. The photographer who photographed my brother’s wedding told me about an organization called triangle professional photographers Association. It was made up of photographers from Pennsylvania Ohio and West virginia. Read more>>
Kathy Monte
This is my 15th year in the event planning and Floral Design industry I started by designing my nieces wedding and have never looked back. The first number of years I just did wedding planning and added Florals in at year three. It made sense to do both as I was onsite all day. Read more>>
Lindsey Thompson
The brand Ruby Flora originally started as a houseplant blog when my daughter was born. I had a career in marketing and after having my daughter, Ruby, I never returned to my 9-5. It was something I could do that utilized my skills while also staying home with her as a newborn. Read more>>
Sabrina Keeton-Hill
My journey into holistic wellness began through my own healing. After experiencing health challenges, including PCOS and infertility, I started searching for answers beyond simply managing symptoms. That journey introduced me to herbalism, nutrition, ancestral healing practices, and the powerful connection between the mind, body, and spirit. As I experienced transformation in my own life, I became passionate about helping others do the same. Read more>>
Gaillynn Giles
I graduated from Moore College of Art & Design and started my career in a silkscreen shop, doing graphic arts and illustration while learning every part of the production process. It was solid experience, but not very fulfilling, so I shifted into teaching art classes for West Chester Parks & Recreation — and found real respite in those Saturday art classes. Read more>>
Jodi Anderson
I fell in love with film photography in high school and was somewhat dubious when the digital age arrived. Editing won me over and I still love working in photoshop. Wedding photography was my perfect fit. I love the rhythm of a wedding day. Fast paced, full cast and amazing dance floors. Read more>>
adam mulvehill
I started my career as a welder. Had almost 15 years of welding in power plants and the railroad. Then layoffs happened and i had to start traveling more. My kids were getting older and I was missing key events in their lives. I took a pretty significant paycut to work in my home town and be home every night. Read more>>
Rachel Peters
Eight years ago, I found myself starting over. I was a newly divorced single mother with two young boys, trying to figure out how to rebuild a life I never expected to lose. After spending years as a stay-at-home mom, I had to rediscover who I was, what I was capable of, and how I would provide for my family. Read more>>
Meenal Samant
Looking back, I realize my love for visual storytelling began long before I ever picked up a camera. Some of my earliest memories are of accompanying my father to printing presses. Read more>>
Abel Soriano Galeana
I immigrated to the United States from Mexico in 1999. My very first job was at a pizza shop, and I ended up working there for more than 15 years. Throughout that time, I always dreamed of one day owning my own pizza restaurant. Read more>>
Jennifer Bullock
I was born into a family dedicated to helping, healing and serving community, so it was not a stretch that I was interested in psychotherapy and community activism as a young adult paving my way into a future dedicated to making a better world for all. Read more>>
Eric Karner
I was drawn to martial arts from a young age. I grew up loving movies like The Karate Kid, old ninja movies, and kung fu theater on Sunday afternoons. I started karate around age 12, but I always had a deeper interest in Muay Thai. The problem was, growing up in New Hope, PA, there wasn’t a Muay Thai gym anywhere within driving distance. Read more>>
Nahomis Rojas
My name is Nahomis Rojas, and I am the founder of Dulce Luna Bakery. Surprisingly, baking was never something I planned to turn into a business. In fact, I never imagined that one dessert would completely change the direction of my life. Read more>>
Robyn Alwi
My journey started by accident. In high school, 2009, I signed up for a week-long program at an art institute. I chose graphic design but ended up in the photography program instead. I decided to go for it anyway. I believe it was fate. When I first graduated from Shippensburg University, I had zero confidence I could make this a full-time business. Read more>>
Gregory Clark
I was working in my career field, had my children off on their own, and decided to pursue a passion and create something special for the community. I did market research to investigate the viability of a fine chocolate store in my community. With little competition, it looked very favorable. I attended an online international chocolatiering program through Vancouver, Canada: Ecole Chocolat. Read more>>
Bill Wolf
There is no short way of saying this. I started building websites for fun in 1997 and ever since then I’ve learned everything I could from software development and support to operations to finance, sales, marketing, and entrepreneurship. I launched my first business at the end of high school, which was a web hosting service. Read more>>
Marc Kubushefski
This whole business started out of my kitchen in 2020. A lot of restaurants were closed. Almost all of them did offer a vegan pizza. During the pandemic I taught myself how to make vegan cheese for my home made pizzas. I started sharing pictures of them on the instagram and someone asked if they. could buy one. Read more>>
Roza Goltser
My first real experience with photography started when my grandmother gave me my late grandfather’s film camera. From there, I began photographing friends and family, and over time, weddings became a natural next step. Portrait work has always stayed important to me. I find people fascinating, and telling their story through a creative lens feels deeply fulfilling. Read more>>
Erin Banta
I was born and raised in Ireland to two American parents, both Chiropractors and have dual citizenship since birth. Three weeks before my 23rd birthday in 2006, I moved State side. I married later that year and five years later our son was born. Not long after that we divorced. I remarried 3 years later to my second husband and had three daughters. Read more>>
ron vestal
I’m a NEON-BODYPAINTNG PHOTOGRAPHIC ARTIST/FASHION DESIGNER/ STUDIO OWNER. I photograph people and things using Specialty Make-up, Speciality Lighting, and deploy Specality Editing Techniques to produce Other Worldly Images. I emboss these images on HiQuality Fashion Apparel and make it available on my website, GLOW-ART.COM. The Apparel is available to anyone and is Super Unique. Read more>>
Erin Witman
I think I have been in love with beauty and makeup for most of my life. I remember being a little girl and watching my mother apply makeup to go out. I remember thinking, ‘she looks so beautiful’ while I watched her apply this red rose petal colored Loreal lipstick. Read more>>
Janelle King-Low
I stumbled upon becoming a massage therapist back in 2006, during a sobatical I took from two years of community college because of family health and financial issues. During that time, I was working to save money to continue my education for being a teacher. Read more>>
Joey Benjamini
Joey graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in economics, but his passion has always been entrepreneurship and collector cars. Early in his career, he recognized that the collector car industry was still operating much as it had for decades, with unnecessary friction in the buying and selling process. Read more>>
John Maielli
I started in 1987 working for my wife’s cousin and after a few years I was getting enough work on the side I started my own business. I learned how to paint in commercial and residential. I also learned to wall paper. From there we just grew. There were some ups and downs, some good years and bad years but we struggled through them. Read more>>
Lyell Scherline
In dedication, honor and memory of long-time Allentown attorney, entrepreneur and philanthropist, Jay Scherline, the concept of Jay’s Local aims to provide Muhlenberg College students, faculty and the entire Lehigh Valley community a comfortable and inviting eatery serving high quality local fare at affordable prices. Read more>>
Jamar Smack
My name is Mar, I am a former NCAA DII basketball player who lost some direction when the game ended but found redirecton when I chose to fight for my myself. There was a time when I was battling depression, childhood trauma, Feeling stuck and disconnected. My therapist told me to start moving again; to start moving again. Read more>>
Giusi Gownley
My journey is deeply rooted in the example set by my mother. She was a single mother raising four children and faced challenges that most people could never imagine. There were times when she struggled to provide for us, and she made the difficult decision to place us in a convent so we would be cared for and never go hungry. Read more>>
Robyn Zappy
For more than three decades, Robyn Zappy has dedicated her career to advancing the fields of massage therapy, rehabilitation, and healthcare education. As the Acting Director of The Wellness Institute of Chester County, her mission is clear: to prepare highly skilled massage therapists who can confidently work alongside traditional healthcare providers and introduce massage therapy as a valuable adjunct to modern medicine. Read more>>
Alex Spielman
I’m a wildlife and pet photographer based in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, USA. What began as a personal search for clarity during the pandemic (picking up a camera alongside my dad) has since evolved into a deep and ongoing pursuit of connection through nature. From the start, I was drawn to wildlife, especially birds. Read more>>
Brendan Ojala
A friend of mine bought me a refillable Keurig cartridge back in 2015. At that point I was drinking Dunkin Donuts coffee for the most part. Curiosity got the best of me and I went hunting for fresh coffee to pack into my new refillable Keurig Cartridge. This hunt took me to a local coffee roastery in providence, RI to score some beans. Read more>>
Joe Adams
The Adams name has been in the Plumbing Industry since 1923. I am a Master Plumber with licences in PA, MD and DE and a Master HVACR license in NJ. I am a third generation plumber. My son who is currently 14 is also training to be a plumber as well and will take over the family business once he is older. Read more>>
Mekhi Terry
When people ask me how I got started, I usually tell them that Human Target wasn’t born from a formulated business plan—it was born from a period of adversity & uncertainty. Back in 2020, during the height of the pandemic, I found myself in Atlanta, Georgia, facing one of the most difficult chapters of my life. Read more>>
Erick Barragán Ramírez
When I moved to Philadelphia in April 2017, I was starting over. Back in Mexico, I had been working for a federal government institution, but my wife was transferred to the United States, so I left my job and moved with her. Finding my first job here took much longer than I expected. During that transition, I found comfort in going to the movies. Read more>>
Ryan Scanlon
I started with a Bachelor’s in Biology at John Carroll University after attending Thomas Jefferson High School in the south hills of Pittsburgh. I graduated college at the height of covid, and was scrambling to find the first job I could. Read more>>
Chris Lynn
This is the onwer’s bio that we have and it is written from my view (s the wife and operational partner) but it tells his story and mission Hello! I’m Gowri, co-owner of C. Lynn & Sons Landscaping. Let me share a little about our story… Read more>>
Mehul Patel
My Journey: From $500 and a Subway Job to a Multi-Million Dollar Business Portfolio About 25 years ago, I came to the United States from India with just $500 to my name. Like many immigrants, I came here searching for opportunity, knowing that success would only come through hard work, sacrifice, and persistence. Read more>>
Dru Bleem
My professional journey started in criminal justice, where I earned my bachelor’s degree and began working as a case manager. Much of my early work was with individuals who had intellectual disabilities, including those involved in the criminal justice system. Read more>>
Jonathan Morrissey
Rich Mar Florist was founded in the basement of a townhouse in Allentown, PA on June 25 1955, from humble beginnings the company has grown into one of the top 100 florists in the country. Read more>>
Shaina Forosisky
RJF Exteriors was built on hard work, faith, and a dream my husband and I shared. Over 10 years ago, my husband and I decided to take a leap of faith and start our own exterior restoration company specializing in roofing, siding, gutters, and windows. My husband grew up roofing and was incredibly talented at his craft. Read more>>
Kelly Morgan
Kelly Morgan — a 54-year-old bodybuilder, U.S. Air Force veteran, registered nurse, mother of two, and fierce advocate for sustainable fitness — is the powerhouse behind MorGainz Fitness. As the founder and owner of this multi-location brand, Kelly leads operations, drives expansion across southwestern Pennsylvania, and still carves out time to train and mentor members personally. After four years of active duty in the U.S. Read more>>
Jacob Kleinman Phillips
I didn’t grow up thinking I would become an entrepreneur. I grew up as a maker. My parents were hands-on, creative, resourceful people, and I was always surrounded by building, fixing, experimenting, and figuring things out. That shaped me more than I realized at the time. It taught me to be curious. To solve problems. To care about the details. To make things with purpose. Read more>>
Bob Bentz
Bob Bentz has been an entrepreneur since age 29. Now nearing the age when many people start to think about retiring, he has no desire to do so. Read more>>
Brittany Carron
Online Business Manager & Fractional Operations Manager As businesses grow, complexity grows with them. I partner with established service providers to bring clarity to the chaos—building scalable operations, leading projects, optimizing workflows, and creating the systems that allow businesses to grow without the growing pains. Read more>>
Eilene Kramer
It started with a simple off handed remark my daughter said when I was getting ready to retire. ‘You should open a cat cafe.’ And I did. With a lot of faith and not nearly enough experience, it happened. We were met with incredible enthusiasm and support our opening weekend. 5 short months in, Covid hit. Don’t know how but we made it. Read more>>
Maria Conigliaro
I’ve spent over two decades helping people and brands figure out who they are. What I didn’t realize until much later was that I was really searching for the same thing myself. Read more>>
Emily Brown
I decided to go to massage school after having gotten a degree in Jazz Vocal Performance. I was supporting myself working an insurance job after college, and quickly discovered I hated the feel of Corporate America. Read more>>
Mya Anderson-Weaver
I am Mya Anderson-Weaver and I am the general manager of New Holland Coffee Co. I have lived in the heart of Lancaster County Pennsylvania my entire life. In 2019 I left college as an unmoored film and media arts major. I had no idea where I wanted to go or what I wanted to do with my life. Read more>>
