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.
Goldi Fox 
My journey into burlesque is rooted in a lifelong love of the performing arts. Long before I became Goldi Fox, I was immersed in dance, theater, singing, and storytelling, developing an appreciation for the ways movement, music, and theatricality can captivate an audience. My formal training began when I was very young as I have been performing my entire life. Read more>>
Electra Poulimenos 
I grew up in a strong Greek family where family has always been the center of everything we do. Hard work, dedication, loyalty, and the drive to be the best version of yourself weren’t just things we were taught; they were values we lived by every single day. Looking back, I think my entrepreneurial journey started long before I even realized it. Read more>>
Amy Ferracci
About Woodmere Housed across two Victorian stone mansions on ten acres in Chestnut Hill, Woodmere’s mission is to create meaningful experiences with the art and artists of Philadelphia. Woodmere was founded by Charles Knox Smith (1845–1916), who first opened the Museum’s doors to the public in 1913. Read more>>
sophie vandecasteele 
I have always been a passionate Baker, and although I have a pastry chef diploma from France I didn’t work in this field before I moved to the United States 10 years ago. Then I started to post on social media during covid and people reached out and ask me if I would sell the pastries that I posted. Read more>>
zamani feelings 
I began photography in 2010 as a portrait and event photographer. I photographed hundreds of portrait sessions and did hundreds of weddings. In 2014 I began developing an interest in sports photography and that led me to photographing high school sports and then opportunities at the collegiate and NFL level. Read more>>
Fee Johnson 
My journey has been one of growth, resilience, and learning how to turn my experiences into purpose. Over time, I’ve developed a passion for entrepreneurship, working with youth, and creating opportunities that make a positive difference in people’s lives. I’ve always believed that my experiences, both the challenges and the lessons, could be used for something bigger than myself. Read more>>
Niema Golphin 
My journey into mindfulness started from a very personal place. After spending nearly two decades in education, I know firsthand how demanding the work can be. Between the responsibilities of teaching, being a single mom, running a side business, and simply trying to manage the everyday demands of life, I found myself constantly pouring into everything and everyone around me. Read more>>
Tiki Kev 
It all started with a trip to Jamaica in December 2000. I already owned a local construction business based in Chalfont, Pennsylvania, and had spent many years doing carpentry and construction. Read more>>
Anita Buzzy-Prentiss 
“I’ve always been fascinated by movement—of the human body, the wind through trees, the evolution of time, the cascading of emotions as they flow through us.” – Anita Buzzy-Prentiss Anita Buzzy-Prentiss is a professional photographer and the owner of Buzzy Photography, a studio she’s nurtured since 1996.Her lifelong connection to movement—first as a dancer, later through horses, yoga, martial arts, and teaching Pilates—fuels her photography. Read more>>
Tressa Glover 
Until 2020, when people asked me what I ‘did’, I told them I was a theatre and film actor, writer, and producer. Which was true. But it’s funny, thinking about it now. Funny that that’s where my descriptors ended, without a hint of what was to come. Read more>>
Kristie Robinson 
My career actually began far from the world of wine. After completing my undergraduate studies in Florida, I earned a master’s degree in Museum Studies and began working in museums, pursuing my passion for history and culture. After meeting my husband, Kieran, our adventures took us first to France’s Northern Rhône Valley and eventually to Napa Valley, California. Read more>>
Janine Guido 
I founded Speranza animal rescue April 2012 at the age of 27 . After being diagnosed with bipolar disorder and depression at the age of 18- animals became therapeutic for me. So I started a rescue to cope. In reality these animals saved my life. So I’m paying it forward by saving theirs. Read more>>
Rachel Dalivane 
I have been writing since I was a child. It was when my mom gave me a small red notebook that I began to write. I was eight then. I used to simply write my thoughts down, all of which were uncomplicated and flavored by a whimsical childhood. Ever since that point, I kept a journal. Read more>>
Marvin Webb 
I started as a modern dancer, training at the Martha Graham School and dancing in its second company, which toured domestically. I went on to earn my MFA in modern dance, and through graduate school and guest artist work, I performed in works by Doug Varone, Ralph Lemon, Martita Goshen, and Bebe Miller. My last dance company role was with Liz Lerman. Read more>>
Abe Goldstein 
Dave Sakolsly, and Abe Goldstein met nearly 15 years ago in the beer community. They discussed potentially opening a place if all the stars aligned. In early 2022, the stars aligned and they started working together on building the brewpub that they wanted to go to. Dave spent the last 15 years as a professional brewer. Read more>>
Haylee Calamia 
My passion for beauty started early, and I always knew cosmetology was the path I wanted to pursue. I began cosmetology school right out of high school in 2015 and graduated in 2016. During school, I loved assisting educators and supporting my classmates. With encouragement from my parents and educators I pursued my cosmetology educator’s license. Read more>>
Luu Natii 
I pretty much had to learn how to navigate everything on my own. I had to learn to have faith in myself. Sometimes I still struggle with consistency and pushing the product because I am a harsh critic on myself, but that’s something that comes with time. Read more>>
Gina Dawson 
My husband and I moved from NYC to Philly in 2017 with the intention of starting a family and opening our space. We are both artists and always wanted a place that was part gallery part indie comic shop but NYC was financially not possible for us. Read more>>
Kane Furst 
Photography has become one of the most meaningful creative outlets in my life, but my story actually begins in a classroom and on the athletic field, not behind a camera. For the past 20 years, I’ve been a high school English teacher and varsity head baseball coach at my alma mater, East Stroudsburg South High School. Both teaching and coaching have shaped who I am. Read more>>
Marcus Wyatt 
I began brewing in 2018. My interest was initially sparked when a colleague brought in mead and mentioned that he also brewed beer; I was just beginning to explore craft beer and found it quite intriguing. He suggested I try a one-gallon kit, which I did. My first brew was an Imperial IPA—while it wasn’t perfect, it provided a valuable learning experience. Read more>>
Tanya Volansky 
I’m Tanya and I own Big Mug Co., a one-woman pottery studio making wheelthrown stoneware built for daily use. I’ve been a sculptor for 25 years, and everything I make comes back to understanding process and keeping a record of an object’s history. I’m from northeastern Pennsylvania and I have a BFA in Three Dimensional Fine Art from Moore College of Art & Design. Read more>>
Aracelis Rittenburg 
I’m a nurse turned entrepreneur, born and raised in Lancaster, PA. My journey in healthcare actually started with my mom. Growing up, she would take me to work with her, and years later I ended up working at that same job alongside her. I eventually became a registered nurse and have now been in healthcare for over 12 years. Read more>>
Sarah Austen 
I graduated in 2015 with a degree in music education, and landed a job teaching private piano lessons. I had worked in the private lesson space all through high school and college so I had quite a bit of experience and had learned the hard way that the music studio business is either predatory or transitory and is often both. Read more>>
Mike Nappi 
I like to joke that I’ve been in the entertainment business since I was about three years old, but it’s actually true. Music has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. My mom had me taking piano lessons by age three, and her parents were professional musicians who helped bring Latin jazz to Philadelphia through my grandfather’s Orquesta de Panama. Read more>>
Amanda Slevenski 
My journey in the construction industry started over 10 years ago, and it definitely wasn’t something I originally imagined myself doing. I spent about seven years working as an operations manager for a roofing company, where I gained invaluable experience learning the ins and outs of the industry. Read more>>
Jocelyn Avila 
Working with leather started as an exploration of new materials to incorporate into Rob’s woodworking skills but Jocelyn and Rob quickly fell in love with the versatility and durability of the material. Read more>>
Sue Hand 
There was never anything else I wanted to be except an artist. On my fifth birthday, I announced to my cousins that I was going to be an artist when I grew up. They laughed and teased me a bit because all of our parents and grandparents were farmers, carpenters, coal miners, mechanics, or housewives. Read more>>
Maria Caruso 
My story has always been rooted in dance as a performer, choreographer, teacher, and, eventually, entrepreneur. After founding Bodiography in New York City in 2000, I officially moved the company to Pittsburgh in 2002 with a vision for a home where dance could be artistically ambitious, deeply human, and shared with people at many stages of life. Read more>>
Rachel Branson 
I’ve spent much of my professional career helping organizations build, grow, and operate more effectively. I’m an attorney by training and have held leadership roles in law, corporate operations, and government, including serving as General Counsel of a financial technology company and leading an office focused on entrepreneurship for the City of Philadelphia. Working with entrepreneurs at the City was particularly inspiring. Read more>>
Irena Wise 
We became Pagoda City Brewing in early 2024, but we had been making beer on this footprint for a few years before that. Our part of the story starts in 2021, when the owner, Raj, bought this brewery in the 18th Ward of Reading, PA and its associated pub in West Reading. Read more>>
Sayma Son 
Growing up, nails were part of my everyday life because of my mom. She worked as a nail technician, often from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and her work supported our entire family. Read more>>
Robin Cummiskey 
I spent my career in retail, working in corporate buying and retail management, mostly on the fashion and accessories side. I loved the work of curating a collection, spotting what’s next, and creating spaces people actually want to spend time in. Read more>>
Tyshaniek White 
Creativity has always been a part of who I am. I started singing at four years old, writing songs at six, and designing clothes at ten. Although I went on to study HR in college, my creative passions never went away. In the summer of 2013, I launched my blog, Styledtoatea, as an outlet for my creativity. Read more>>
Miyalani Wagner 
So I come from a long lineage of incense makers; My grandparents brought The Incense Match to market during the 70s, traveling across the country doing trade shows, hand packaging individual matchbooks, and eventually becoming a well known and sought out novelty incense item in the USA, and remain so to this day. Read more>>
Jessica Paholsky 
I’ve always been drawn to storytelling, whether through writing, photography, or video. I graduated from Penn State University with degrees in journalism and photography as well as minors in international studies and international arts. During college, I studied abroad in Mexico, Cuba, and Italy, each program a different duration. The longest program, in Perugia, Italy, was a full semester during my sophomore year. Read more>>
cdchildcare31@gmail.com Davis 
## My Journey into Childcare: A Story of Growth, Passion, and Purpose For over 20 years, I dedicated my career to the field of Social Services, working with individuals ranging from teenagers to the elderly. Throughout those years, I developed a deep passion for serving others, supporting families, and making a meaningful difference in my community. Read more>>
Jared & Mallory Griebel 
My wife Mallory and I started our passion for brewing as home brewers. After traveling the country and visiting numerous breweries we decided to write our own plan for success and set out on the adventure to start building Lost In The Wilds Brewing. We started by purchasing a piece of property along a busy highway and a newly constructed rail trail. Read more>>
Shana Burchard 
When I was younger, I loved stories and creating them. I had a teacher in third grade, Mrs. Motter, who really encouraged me in my writing and vocabulary. She used to give the class creative writing prompts and I loved them! She taught me how to be a better writer and encouraged me with my skills. Read more>>
Kendra Wolfe 
I moved to Lancaster, Pennsylvania from Colorado a couple months before the pandemic, at a time when so much of life felt uncertain. I started working at Water Street Mission in the dental and health clinic. I didn’t know anyone in Lancaster County. At the same time, I was looking for two things: community and a way to create additional income. Read more>>
Briana Marshall 
Growing up in Newark, New Jersey, dance became one of the earliest ways I discovered my passion for the arts. What started as a childhood love for movement turned into a journey spanning performance, education, arts administration, and now entrepreneurship. Read more>>
John Shableski
Marketing and promotions have been apart of who I am for as long as I can remember. Prior to my publishing days I was in radio broadcasting both as on air talent and in programming followed by a stint in cable television advertising. Read more>>
Bonnie Ramone 
I started my apprenticeship to tattoo in 2010, and started touring as a musician in 2009–both when I was still a teenager. I grew up on a farm in a very small town on the border of the West Virginian Panhandle, and I think I knew I always wanted to do things a little differently than other folks around me. Read more>>
Mark Charry 
I am Mark Charry , life long Philadelphia resident . Operator of The Architectural Antiques Exchange . I started while a student at Temple University in Philly . I was interested in an entreprenurial pursuit ! (not academics !) My first buy was stained glass windows. Read more>>
