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.
Sarah Bach-Bergs
Throughout high school and college, and even into my early adult life, my connection to movement was met primarily through athletics and strength training. At that age, my identity as an athlete largely defined who I believed myself to be, solidifying that movement remained at the core of who I was. Despite this continuous pull toward movement, I also believed in the importance of balance and rest. Read more>>
Kelsey Joson
Some of the biggest hurdles have ultimately come down to access—access to funding, to decision-makers, and to systems that openly welcome what we offer. But every challenge has taught us something. We’ve learned to focus less on fitting into old boxes and more on building strong partnerships that share our values. Collaboration has become one of our greatest strengths. Instead of waiting for permission, we’ve gotten in the habit of introducing ourselves as change-makers and letting the results speak for themselves. Read more>>
Melanie Pankau
I also lived in Chicago for seven years and briefly in Detroit. Over the years, to help support my studio practice I have worked in various contemporary art galleries, museums, and art foundations. My current studio practice is an exploration of the inner life through meditation and painting. My meditation practice began about 15 years ago when I went through a yoga teaching training program. As I learned more about and practiced meditation, I began to notice and observe similarities between the state of mind during meditation and creativity. Since then I’ve been working to fully fuse these two practices. Read more>>
Ally Dahlberg
It’s funny you ask. Is any road actually smooth? Since we’ve moved into our brick & mortar in 2023, we have definitely seen our fair share of highs and lows. In 2024, we had an incredible year of opportunities that fell into our lap which really made it a special year for us. We connected with so many people in our community and figured out exactly what to do with our tiny space. But it certainly has taken some time to figure it out and we are still doing just that. Read more>>
Amanda Gagner
Definitely not! Like any small business, there were plenty of ups and downs, learning curves and unexpected challenges. I started my photo booth business while still working a full time job, so I had to manage my time carefully and sometimes take breaks when life got busy. It wasn’t always easy to stay consistent, but I kept coming back to my “why.” I’ve always loved creating moments that people remember, and that passion kept me going even when things got tough. All the love, support, and growth along the way, has made it so worth it. Read more>>
David Treviño
The road looks smooth from far away. I had no idea what I was going through until now. I was simply functioning for the system because that fear was put in me.Trying to navigate life with a reserve of damages in a place that tells you aren’t allowed to feel or express your true self is cruel. Your church breaks you and then the system breaks you further until there is barely a penumbral glimpse of any happiness in the foreseeable future. That’s where art comes in to lessen the struggle. I am grateful that I am able to write songs and sing them from time to time. Read more>>
Jodi Chromey
All lives have obstacles and challenges. I Will Dare literally built my career and has saved my life. I went from corporate copywriter to full-time web agency blogger to freelance writer and web designer. I started my freelance career after getting laid off for the second time in two years, that was May 2009. My goal was to freelance for the summer and then go back to a cube in the fall. I never had to go back. Read more>>
Jeanni Kutz
After the birth of my first child, I experienced years of infertility. During that difficult time, I was fortunate enough to hire an incredible — though expensive — photographer who captured the true essence of my son. She made time stand still for me, preserving those precious toddler moments that I wasn’t sure I would have the chance to experience again. Years later, after undergoing numerous infertility treatments, my daughter was born. It was then that I began to take photography more seriously. I understood how important it was to have access to beautiful, heartfelt images, and I wanted to make that experience more accessible and affordable for other moms. Read more>>
Jessica Fritz
Their words stuck with me. Every time I baked for someone after that, the feedback was overwhelmingly positive, and people started asking if I sold my desserts. Eventually, I decided to give it a real shot. I started small—selling single-flavor sheetpan cakes in family-size portions—and they quickly became a hit. From there, I began experimenting with more flavors and treats, like cookies, dessert egg rolls, and my now-famous banana pudding. Orders started picking up, and I found myself falling deeper in love with the process. Read more>>
Natalya Lake
You see, I had been a stay at home mom for 10 years at this point. I used to love wearing color and putting together outfits before having kids. But the natural progression of having kids and having less time and less capacity left me buying clothes that were either black, grey, beige or white. It was easier this way, but it didn’t feel like me. The more i researched and looked at the beautiful, harmonious colors in the different color palettes online, the greater the spark grew. Read more>>
Elizabeth Miller
I was born very sick and disabled. Doctors didn’t expect me to survive. As I got older I couldn’t verbally speak, through speech therapy I started speaking at age 6. I was diagnosed autistic and ADHD by the age of 9. Was put through studies for autism and ADHD that caused me tons of trauma. Was used for research with medications as a young child. All while I was going through abuse at home. I’ve been trying to work since I was 14 despite my disabilities. Read more>>
Kalia Lor
K.Lor Photography is based in the Minneapolis–St. Paul area, and we’re excited to travel to select locations across Minnesota, Wisconsin, and even nationwide. We specialize in capturing timeless moments through portrait sessions, engagements, couples, family, maternity, and newborn photography, as well as events and traditional weddings. While these are our main focus areas, we’re always open to creative and unique session ideas. Read more>>
Bob Keller
I tell people I came out of the womb with a pencil in my hand. I was the classic kid that likes to draw. When I was five or so my dad would bring home typing paper pads and pencils from the office to keep me from drawing on the walls and in books. I was virtually an only child, my siblings were already out of the house by the time I started school. I had a very active imagination and entertained myself by making up stories. I think the impulse to draw all the time came from wanting to visualize the world of my imagination. Lots of race cars, space ships, sports and all the things young boys are into. Read more>>
Greg
Looking back on our first year, we feel incredibly grateful for how smoothly things went—especially as brand-new business owners. The support from our friends and family was more than we could have hoped for, and it played a big part in making the season a success. We had the chance to meet so many friendly campers from all over Minnesota, across the country, and even a few from around the world. There’s something special about the camping community—people show up with a positive, easy-going spirit that makes each day enjoyable. Of course, there were challenges too. The biggest one was simply not knowing what we didn’t know. But we learned a lot along the way and we’re already using those lessons to shape our plans for year two. Read more>>
Taylor Tix
In the midst of that grief, I found comfort in something we both had always loved: candles. I started making them myself, and what began as a small creative outlet quickly became a form of therapy. Through that process, I discovered not only emotional healing but also a deeper awareness of the toxins present in many everyday products. That realization sparked a vision—to create candles and wellness products that were not just natural and non-toxic, but also deeply intentional and healing. Read more>>
Jeremiah Curran
While I was working there, we build our house out near St. Michael. Our mission was always to create a culture where we could invite people to experience the love of Jesus without losing their minds or their sense of humor. We wanted to be able to invite our friends who didn’t know God to come and experience a faith community where they could learn at their own pace and feel like they truly had a starting point – no matter what their previous experience with church had been or what lifestyle they were coming from. Read more>>
Ryan Ball
Life as a potter is guaranteed to be challenging. The very nature of clay is to be fickle and ever changing. With that said, I enjoy creative problem solving. I am a very process-focused maker and so I constantly make my own tools and tweak and refine my glaze chemistry. As they say, “necessity is the mother of invention” and I regularly need to find new ways to do things faster and cheaper along with ways to keep my body from getting too beat up. Making pottery is very physical. Read more>>
Leslie Davila, Kim Kocak
Years ago Leslie discovered a shampoo that she loved but only came in an 8 oz bottle. As she repurchased the product she was frustrated at the waste of the bottle, wishing she could just refill the product itself and reduce the waste. This sparked the idea of creating a space where people could refill products, using their own containers. After some research Leslie discovered that shops like this, often called “refilleries”, did exist, though in small numbers. She started to poll friends on the idea and continued to dream. Read more>>
D. Santos
First, I experienced a breakup, then I began to experience breakthrough. I was working multiple jobs, and in my personal time, I began to write music based on my experiences with spirituality and mental health. In 2022, I met my partner who I am now engaged to for 2.5 years. It was at this time that I felt my life started turning around for the better. My partner, Nat (they/them), brought so much light and encouragement into my life that took some of the weight off of my back and allowed me to become a better version of myself. It was during this year that I began believing I could use music to help other people in similar situations to believe that this is not the end and there are better days ahead. Read more>>
Maria Kasie
Overall, the journey with Drizzled Cupcakery has been a smooth and rewarding one. Of course, like any growing business, there have been challenges – balancing inquiries from different social platforms, pulling all-nighters in the kitchen, and keeping up with bookkeeping can definitely be overwhelming at times. But even through the busy days and late nights, it’s been such a beautiful and fulfilling experience. We’re incredibly grateful for the support we’ve received and excited for everything that’s still to come. Read more>>
Hayden Rusco
We will have been officially The Bloom Bus for one year in September. Summer 2025 will be full or markets, pop ups, private parties, community outreach and so much more. We absolutely have loved what we have created together as a team, we love being able to share our love for flowers, unique vehicles, and sharing the love of God with everyone we encounter. We continue to pray for our small business and are open to where God takes us. We learn something new everyday and are never bored. Read more>>
Natalie Koell
When I exited my corporate job I borrowed my grandma’s embroidery machine and just started messing around on it. I found myself mainly embroidering tea towels with an emphasis on my love for Minnesota. Shockingly, growth was rapid, and I was selling around 20 orders a day from Facebook Marketplace alone. I decided to start a business doing this and launched in July 2020, not really knowing what I was doing at all. Read more>>
Ashley Klatte-Olson
Ruthie has always been my inspiration. Her sense of style, wisdom, and grace taught me that fashion isn’t just about clothes; it’s about the stories they tell and the memories they hold. What started as a way to make extra money with my grandma has blossomed into something so much more. Ruthie’s House Vintage is a reflection of that journey—where fashion meets history, and where every piece of clothing holds a piece of my past and my grandma’s timeless influence. Read more>>
Samantha Grose
Well, as I just mentioned I started this business with a 3 month old and 2 year old right on the heels of covid. With two young kids I had to be laser focused when I was working because my time was so precious. Then we were only a year in and one of our projects was right by Minnehaha park during the George Floyd riots and the gas station around the corner was burned down. We had to call in a huge favor and pull the dumpster on a weekend because we were worried it would get set on fire. After that we had the challenge of the supply chain issue that lead to some projects not moving ahead. Read more>>
Ann Sisel
My artwork is unusual and I try to make the colors sing. I am known as an intuitive artist who can capture an idea or a scene in a couple of hours. I use unusual tools and love to make ink marks or calligraphic shapes. Sometimes I make a pen that allows me to make thin and thick lines. This has been noted by jurors when I win awards. I am also know for hiding birds and animals in my art. Read more>>
Sue Henderson
Our style of Ears/Accessories are set apart by their fluffy soft to the touch texture even after the color detail of alcohol ink has been applied. We shave down the insides of our sets less than most others on the market to retain a plush texture, while still being able to do specialized markings. Read more>>
Kebbeh Jallah
In 2022, my family and I participated in a Christmas photoshoot with Vasia Johnson. She saw something in me that I didn’t recognize at the time, and she started working with me on creative shoots ever since. My audience has grown steadily, and I’ve become a brand ambassador for PrettyGalCollectionz. Modeling for multiple creative makeup artists has played a significant role in my successful as well. I’ve also modeled in several shoots for the brand and have been planning to collaborate with more businesses and photographers in the future. Read more>>
Katie Krause
From there, I took it all in—videos, classes, books—anything I could learn about watercolor. I started sharing my new “hobby” online and began painting custom homes, florals, and pet portraits. I reopened an old Etsy shop and signed up for my first vendor event. What began as a quarantine joke has turned into something that brings me unexpected joy—and now, a business I genuinely love Read more>>
Josie Hasnik
I’ve played a lot more shows and gotten a lot more practice, and playing in front of crowds doesn’t scare me at all anymore, not to mention I have plenty of songs in the catalog to pull from now as well. Although I didn’t start writing until the pandemic, I’ve played the piano since I was much younger, and participated in an amazing music camp called She Rock She Rock. I’ve met many mentors an friends throughout my journey as a musician, especially those at She Rock, as well as those who helped me with my most recent release Weekends In Purgatory, which would include Taylor James Donkey and Tony Williamette; they were both a big part of the recording process, and Taylor has also been a huge part of production as well as playing at the album release show. Read more>>
Jacob Urrea
As a teenager, my life was transformed by Jesus when I discovered the unconditional love I truly needed. From that moment, I knew I wanted to help other teens find the same hope I had found. I pursued that calling by going to college to become a student pastor, pouring the same grit and work ethic I learned from construction into preparing for ministry. I earned a B.A. in Student Ministry from Nebraska Christian College and completed a leadership residency at Christ’s Church of the Valley in Phoenix, Arizona, where I earned my M.A. in Strategic Leadership from Johnson University. Read more>>
Anne Magnuson
It has not been easy, we can start there. This job can lead to burnout for some people, speaking from experience! It takes a lot of time, patience, and out of the box thinking to build a career like this. You have to kind of do it all! That’s including doing your own marketing, managing your time spent at work with each client, coming up with new ideas, using communication skills all day long, etc. Hairstylists can be a one person band at times! Read more>>
Kaitlyn Langston
I started my photography journey in 2016, driven by a love for capturing real, meaningful moments. What began as a creative outlet quickly grew into a business, allowing me to connect with people and tell their stories through my lens. Over the years, I had the privilege of photographing everything from weddings and portraits to brand campaigns, each project teaching me something new about both people and the power of visual storytelling. Read more>>
Monica Danus
During this time, I was auditioning for Love is Blind. I thought it was a complete long shot that they would take me, but I had been single for years, giving up on trying to find my person. I thought, why not try something crazy, it just might work! So, I continued the process until one day they called and told me I was cast to be on season 8. I was incredibly excited, but also nervous, both for leaving my family for filming, as well as trying to date knowing the state my life was in. Regardless, I took a chance and accepted the opportunity. Read more>>
